CONNECT WITH CareNet TO REQUEST OR GIVE HELP

LETTERS, DRAWINGS OR CARDS FOR SPECIAL FRIENDS at CHURCH

During this time when we are not able to gather in person it can be really fun to receive a letter, card, or drawing in the mail. We are starting a pen pal initiative to help nurture multigenerational friendships in our congregation. While we each are sheltering in place we can connect via cards, letters or drawings. When we are able to gather again in person, we will have a special party for everyone who participated so we can meet each other and celebrate. If you or your child (of any age) would like to participate, please contact Caroline. We will pair pen pals with each other and help you get started making your new friend!

Learn how to have a Zoom Meeting, for church work or just for fun

Read Sean’s letter to us on Helping and Connecting

ZOOM CHATS
Leia Durland Jones will be hosting regular ZOOM chats during the week so that we can stay connected as a church community. Here are the scheduled meeting times and

ZOOM links:

Tuesday March 24 3:30-4:30
Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/986384357

Wednesday March 25 12-1PM
Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/147694220

Thursday March 26 8:30-9:30AM
Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/846379942

During this time of upheaval and uncertainty it becomes more important than ever to practice our UU values of inclusiveness and community. While we will miss our church home, we can still actively engage with each other online and virtually as a community.

In an effort to be more inclusive, the church will be offering our ZOOM account to church members to use for participation in worship, meetings and community meet ups. Various church leaders are being trained to teach people how to use ZOOM and the church calendar will be used during our time apart to schedule ZOOM meetings for covenant groups, group meetings and worship. If you would like to learn more about ZOOM and how to use it, or to schedule a ZOOM time for your church group, please reach out to the church office at office@UUcharlottesville.org or directly to the Director of Administration, Sean Skally. If there are members of your church friend group who are missing out on church online activities due to a lack of access or ability to use the internet, please notify church leadership so that we can reach out and proactively include everyone during this time when we are apart.

Zoom Download:
https://zoom.us/download

Zoom Video Training:
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206618765-Zoom-Video-Tutorials

Zoom Training Monday 3/23 at 11am:
https://zoom.us/j/949442918

Zoom Training Monday 3/23 at 6pm:
https://zoom.us/j/577322761

Hello TJMC Family,

We, the staff and board of our beloved church, want to stay in close community with all of our church family during this time of social distancing. With the goal of creating community, we will be reaching out to you more often with a regular mid-week Email entitled “Connection and Inspiration” during the weeks the church building is closed. This first Email will be shorter, but we hope to connect with messages of hope and positivity every Wednesday. Keep your eyes open for these regular communications and also let us know if you or someone you know wishes to be added to our regular Email list.

Thank you,
Caroline Heins
office@uucharlottesville.org

As individuals in our congregation may either have to self-quarantine or people who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 or other infections (it’s still flu season!) may wish to avoid going out, this could make it hard for many people to run errands. We’re trying to set up a list of people who could help run some errands like picking up groceries or other things and dropping them off for those who need to stay home. If you or someone you know could possibly use this assistance, please let us know by getting in touch with CareNet.

If you’re interested in helping, get in touch with CareNet or the church office at office@uucharlottesville.org. We don’t know the exact way this will be set-up yet, either another email list to parallel the meals list or some other form. Thanks in advance to those of you who are able to help!

During this time of upheaval and uncertainty it becomes more important than ever to practice our UU values of inclusiveness and community. While we will miss our church home, we can still actively engage with each other online and virtually as a community.

In an effort to be more inclusive, the church will be offering our ZOOM account to church members to use for participation in worship, meetings and community meet ups. Various church leaders are being trained to teach people how to use ZOOM and the church calendar will be used during our time apart to schedule ZOOM meetings for covenant groups, group meetings and worship.

If you would like to learn more about ZOOM and how to use it, or to schedule a ZOOM time for your church group, please reach out to the church office at office@UUcharlottesville.org or directly to the Director of Administration, Sean Skally. If there are members of your church friend group who are missing out on church online activities due to a lack of access or ability to use the internet, please notify church leadership so that we can reach out and proactively include everyone during this time when we are apart.

Faith Development Opportunities for All
(From Leia’s weekly newsletter)

A Simple Breathing Meditation for All Ages

During this time of increased uncertainty and stress, remember to stay connected with your own breath. A technique for helping restore calmness when you are feeling anxious is to breathe in to the count of 3, hold your breath for 3 counts and release your breath to the count of 5. Repeat several times. Share this simple way to slow down the mind and body with others–especially those who might be feeling particularly sensitive to the extra amount of anxiety around us.

Advice for Talking with Children about COVID-19

Information and advice for parents and caregivers from UNICEF.

Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus from NPR for talking about the COVID-19 virus with children.

Light a Chalice every Wednesday

The Religious Education/Family Ministry Team asks everyone in our congregation to light a chalice on Wednesday nights as a shared spiritual practice uniting our church family.

Here’s this week’s suggested chalice lighting by Eric Heller-Wagner

Blessed is the fire that burns deep in the soul.
It is the flame of the human spirit touched into being by the mystery of life.
It is the fire of reason; the fire of compassion;
the fire of community; the fire of justice; the fire of faith.
It is the fire of love burning deep in the human heart; the divine glow in every life.

Supporting the Church We Love!

FROM: Danny Gray, Pledge Drive Chairperson

Greetings to all my fellow members and friends of Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church-Unitarian Universalist.

We are continuing to see a collective spirit of regeneration and growth in our community and it has led to a March 12th total of $290,632 and 126 out of 279 pledge units (previously giving member or non-member individuals or families) giving.

The pledge drive will officially end this Sunday night, March 15th.

As you can see, we have a way to go to meet our $415,300 goal. So if you are planning to pledge, please do so by then to give the finance committee and board the earliest opportunity to plan the 2021 fiscal year budget, programming, staffing, and maintenance. That being said, the opportunity to pledge will continue after the pledge drive officially closes and all pledges are always welcome.

With TJMC-UU closing until 25 April, I would like to highlight that “distance pledging” continues to be available by multiple methods:

Make a pledge online here

Contact the Pledge Manager, Cathey Polly:
Call or Text – 434.806.5397
Email – pledge@uucharlottesville.org

I would like to thank the members of the Pledge Drive and Stewardship Committees for their creativity and hard work during this month long fundraising campaign. It has been a pleasure and honor to work with such a great team on behalf of our faith community. Collectively we are planting the acorns of a grove of healthy young oaks trees. This year and subsequent years will allow us to slowly expand the grove to a forest. TJMC-UU is on the way to regrowth and increased service to ourselves, the community, the nation, and the world.

In peace,
Danny