Saturday, December 24, 2022 - 5:30 p.m.
“The Power of Christmas Eve"
Rev. Michael J S Carter
Music: Ruben Orengo, violin; Linda Metzner, piano
Greeters: Andy Reed & Heidi Blozan
The year 2022 is now drawing to a close. Thanksgiving is past,
Hanukkah is here and Christmas approaches. Some of us
religiously, and many of us psychologically, can sense the advent of new
beginnings. The old is passing away and the new awaits us.
Our choice is whether to mindlessly or mindfully celebrate the holidays. Popular culture assaults us with its garish and consumerist approach to the holidays, but externalities such as that cannot penetrate the heart. The
holidays only become holy days if we spiritually rise up to meet them. And then they are much, much more than just days on the calendar; they carry the power to change our lives.
This is our annual Christmas Eve service. It begins at 5:30 pm. Hope to see you there!
Reminders:
- A cookie reception will follow the service.
- There will not be Sunday service on Sunday, December 25, 2022 and the Potluck has been canceled. The next Potluck will be held on January 22, 2023.
- Rev. Michael will be taking vacation from 12/26/22 – 1/3/23
Order of Service
Gathering Music: “What Child is This” (Traditional English)
Opening Words & Chalice Lighting: Diane Graham &
Susan Enwright Hicks
Story for All Ages: Susan Hicks
Opening Hymn: #225 “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
Hymn: #239 “Go Tell It on the Mountain”
Responsive Reading: The Christmas Beatitudes (see insert)
Joys & Sorrows
Hymn: #254 “Sing We Now of Christmas”
Hymn: #231 “Angels We Have Heard on High”
Meditation: Rev. Michael J S Carter
Hymn: #237 “The First Nowell”
Hymn: #254 “Sing We Now of Christmas”
Homily: The Power of Christmas Eve
Closing Hymn: #251 “Silent Night”
Closing Words: Rev. Michael J S Carter
Postlude: “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” (Traditional English)
CORRECTION TO PRINTED ORDER OF SERVICE:
Donna Marie Todd is speaking on Sunday, January 1, 2023 (NOT on December 24, 2022.)
Music: Ruben Orengo, violin; Linda Metzner, piano
Religious Education: Nursery/Pre-K caregivers: Childcare at this time is limited, and is performed as needed by either Susan Enwright Hicks, DRE, or one of our trusted childcare volunteers
Video: Evan Yanik
Sound Team: Marti Saltzman, Barbara Rogers, Ray Bockhorst, Larry Pearlman & David Reid
The YouTube video of today's service will be available Sunday afternoon, as well as all previous Sunday Services at UUCSV Productions. Click to go to YouTube here.
Joys & Concerns:
We want to hear from you about your joys and concerns. If you cannot attend in person and would like to be heard, please send your message to Rev. Michael Carter by noon on Friday so he can read it during the Sunday service.
For online offertory and/or pledge donations:
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Saturday, December 24, 2022No virtual RE5:30 p.m. at UUCSV with Susan E. Hicks
Susan will be reading a Story for All Ages in our Christmas Eve
intergenerational service. Children are encouraged to attend with their parents.
Adult RE
Our next Adult RE discussion will be on Michael Sandal’s Justice - Episode 5: Hired Guns. Please join us Monday, January 2, 2022, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. All are welcome and refreshments will be provided. These discussions may be postponed if weather/road conditions are a concern.
If you have personal items (toothpaste, hand warmers, granola bars, etc.) to donate to the RE blessing bags for the unhoused please bring them in this Sunday!
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Sunday, January 1, 2023 - 11:00 a.m.
 “Born For Just Such a Time as This”
Donna Marie Todd
Donna Marie Todd is a professional storyteller, writer, retreat leader and TEDx speaker. Born in the hills of West Virginia and trained in vocal performance at the Peabody Conservatory of Music her authentic and original narratives are funny, poignant, and deeply vulnerable.
It’s been said she can take you on a journey to the center of your heart.
“She’s not a storyteller. She’s a movie projector!”
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News from UUCSV Groups & Committees
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Cookie Reception & Cookie Donation
When you do your holiday baking this season, please keep our veterans in mind. Bring your home baked cookies to church on Christmas Eve (or during office hours that week). We’ll put some of the cookies out for our cookie
reception after the Christmas Eve Service. The remaining cookies will be
donated to The Vet’s Quarters. The Vets Quarters is an ABCCM project which transitions vets from homelessness to permanent housing. Located in East Asheville, 250 vets are housed and fed three times a day. It would be
wonderful if we could donate 500 festive homemade Christmas cookies to be served to the vets on Christmas Day!
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Seeking Rental Unit/Property
UU member, Bill Altork, has a good friend soon to retire and move to the Swannanoa Valley. If anyone can help with locating a place to hook up a residential/travel trailer for him (electric, water, and sewer), or a relatively inexpensive (ha!) place to rent, please notify Bill at (828) 301-2654 or billaltork@gmail.com. Much gratitude!
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Church office: (828) 669-8050 (email preferred during social distancing)
Michael Donnan, Office Manager Hours: Tuesday & Thursday,
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Rev. Michael J S Carter, (Monday - Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.)Rev. Carter is available for pastoral care in the church office or virtually via Zoom or Skype. For in-person meetings, protocols of social distancing and face masks are followed. Please email Rev. Michael J S Carter to schedule an appointment.
The deadline for submissions to The Current is Tuesday at 12:00 p.m., please send yours to admin@uusv.org. For more information and guidelines on submissions for our newsletters, website, online calendar, social media, Order of Service, and member news, please see our Publishing Guidelines.
UUCSV
500 Montreat Road
Black Mountain, NC 28711
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