Northern Virginia Ethical Society

by Mary Ellen Stanton

“Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.”

John F. Kennedy  

During the winter, the Ethical Society occasionally closes if the weather conditions are unsafe for driving. Conditions may be safe in some parts of our Northern Virginia area and unsafe in others, so use your judgment and also check email (the announcements email list and members email list) or this website before leaving on a day where icy conditions may be present.

The usual procedure: A decision is made about 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning by the NoVES President, the NoVES Leader, and two others who live in different parts of the county, as to whether NoVES will have its platform as usual or not. We do our best to interpret the predictions and current conditions to assess likely safety for our members and friends driving to the platform meeting.

If conditions look like they won't be safe for the drive to or from the Society, and assuming that power is not out, we then try to (a) update the front page of the website and send an email to the email lists (see above). Check for the email and web update by about 8:00 a.m. on Sunday (power permitting).

Time has escaped me as we have been so busy at home and with Sunday school, but I vow to stay caught up!

 Classes resumed last week after a winter break and our winter festival. We were happy to see so many happy faces return and to see some new faces as well.

It's the end of the first week of January -- do you know where your New Year's Resolutions are?

About half of Americans make some sort of resolution with the turning of the year, and at least half of them have dropped them within a week.

Here's my musings on how to make, remake, tweak resolutions: New Year's Resolutions That Really Work

When is the sum greater than its parts? 

A farmer had seven children.  One winter day he called his children together.  He handed the eldest son a stick to break in half.  The young man easily snapped the stick in two.  He repeated the exercise with each of his children.  Then he handed each child another stick.  However, this time he asked them to combine the sticks into a bundle and break the bundle in half.  First, the eldest son tried.  But, he could not break the bundle.  The farmer ga

Mary Ellen sat in her office one cold December evening. “Bah! Humbug! Too many meetings! Too many phone calls! Being the NoVES president is a humbug! I give up! I wish to be left alone.”

Her hard-working volunteer, Andy, poked his head into her office. “I, too, was a NoVES president and know how you feel. Tonight three Ethical Culture Leaders will visit you. Heed their words.”

"giving it all away, To a registered charity" 

Dear Etty,