In our previous post, we took a brief look back at happenings from June-October. And now we look ahead to November!
November
Nov. 19: Education Forum 6:30 - 8 PM.
Hosted by WUU’s RE and Rainbow Ministry and Virginia Organizing, this event will focus on issues for WJCC Public Schools, including special education needs and LGBTQ+ community support. There will be a panel discussion with various speakers plus information tables with local resources.
November 13-19: Transgender Awareness Week
At a time when transgender people have become targets of extreme political discrimination and violence, it’s imperative that anyone who is interested in and invested in protecting a free society learn the facts about who trans people are, become educated about the realities trans people face, and understand that our collective equality is connected to the safety and freedom of people who are transgender.
https://glaad.org/transweek/
November 20: TDoR
The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), also known as the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, has been observed annually on November 20 as a day to memorialize those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia.
November 1: WUU will have a special TDoR sermon
November 22: UUFP (Newport News) will have a TDoR remembrance afternoon. Check the WUU eNewsletter, The Spiral for more information closer to the date.
Sundays in November: Guest at Your Table
Hosted by WUU Social Justice and RE. Each Sunday you will learn about one of the following guests and their stories, plus ways you can become involved through a short video. This is one of UUSCs longest-running programs.
From their website: For half a century and counting, UUSC has worked with faith communities across the country to bring our partners’ stories experiences to your family table. The long-running Guest at Your Table program is a chance to learn about our partners’ work and support our shared efforts to advance human rights.”
https://www.uusc.org/congregation-hub/guest-at-your-table/
COFM Emergency Winter Shelter program Nov 22-29
WUU will be hosting the Community of Faith Mission (COFM) Emergency Winter Shelter this year during the week of Thanksgiving. WUU has been part of this program since its inception in 2014.
If you have no special plans for Thanksgiving Day, we invite you to spend a few hours at WUU with our guests! Come watch the football game, play cards or board games, or join us for the big lunch or evening meal. We will provide more information at a later date, but consider this an invitation. We know your presence will be meaningful to our guests.
We will be asking our various ministries and groups who meet at WUU to help out with preparing and serving dinners during the week. Thanks to those who have already said YES!!!
Monday night: Buddhist Sangha
Tuesday night: Two of the Soul Matters groups
We encourage Circle Groups, lunch and breakfast groups, and any others who would like to prepare and serve the meal to volunteer for Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday. Volunteering for a shift is a wonderful opportunity to do something meaningful, so please participate as you are able.
We will also need coverage for the breakfast, evening and overnight shifts.
A HUGE thank you to everyone who has volunteered in the past. We hope you will consider helping out again. And to all our new members and folks who have not had a chance to help out during WUUs week of hosting the shelter, now is your chance!
Sign up online and look out for more information in the weekly ENewsletter, the Spiral. We will also explain more about the week during Sunday morning announcements.
Questions?
Contact Kate McGaw katemcgaw1@gmail.com
Helen Hansen Helenfoxhansen@gmail.com
November Share the Plate Sunday: COFM (Community of Faith Mission)
Ongoing Events
Migration Film Series
Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists invites the community to a special Migration Film Series featuring films by award-winning PBS filmmaker Laura Seltzer-Duny. The series explores migration, displacement, resilience, freedom, and the courage of individuals and families navigating pivotal moments in American history. Films will be shown on select Sundays at 3 pm through April 2027 at Williamsburg UU (3051 Ironbound Road in Williamsburg).
“Today American stories risk being erased, rewritten, or forgotten, we believe it’s essential to keep these stories alive,” Kate McGaw, Williamsburg UU Social Justice Chair, explains. “Laura’s films examine what happens when families are forced to leave home, fight for freedom, defend their way of life, or seek a better future.”
WUU’s goal for the series is to raise awareness and funds to help complete Seltzer-Duny’s current PBS film in production, THE GATE: The Story of America’s First Contraband Community. This descendant-led documentary follows two Virginia families as they trace their ancestors who self-emancipated during the Civil War and established the nation’s first Contraband community at Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia.
Community Crockpot Ministry
Help provide nourishing meals to folks living long-term in local motels and hotels.
When folks in hotels sign up for the program, they receive a slow-cooker and a kitchen kit that includes a can opener, cooking utensils, measuring spoons, a paring knife, a cutting board, etc. This allows them to prepare healthy and filling meals for their families.
How WUU members can help
Sign up to provide ingredients for meals that can be made in the hotel rooms and drop them off in a bag at the hotels. Every other Thursday, two meal bags are delivered to each room. (You only need to sign up for one of the slots, but you can do more than one room.)
Read more here.
FISH Canned & Dry Goods Collection
Look for the red wagon down the hall at WUU. Please remember FISH will not accept expired items. Check out the FISH website for a list of current needs.
PLUS
We will shortly begin our annual holiday collection of new socks, underwear, and t-shirts for FISH. ALL SIZES appreciated. Please put your donations in the wrapped box in front of the Sanctuary doors starting Sunday, November 15. The collection will end on Sunday, December 20.
Community Partners
Williamsburg Indivisibles: https://indivisible.org/get-involved/find-a-group/?keywords=23188
Virginia Organizing: https://virginia-organizing.org
YJCW NAACP: https://www.yjcwnaacp.org
Monthly YJCW NAACP meetings on the 2nd Monday of each month at rotating locations. Meetings start promptly at 6.30 pm. December, January, and February meetings will be at WUU.