The Overlook
Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville 
3921 Broadmor Rd., Huntsville AL 35810  
March 22, 2018
Vol. 18 Issue 12
In This Issue
Upcoming Events

Fri. 3/23
Awareness Thru
Movement Class 
10:00 a.m.

Sat. 3/24
Spring Work-Day at UUCH
9:00 a.m.  

Sun. 3/25
Social Justice
Committee Meeting

9:30 a.m.

Church Services
10:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Sanctuary

Tue. 3/27
Yoga
5:15-6:15 p.m.
Adult Religious Education Room 

Wed. 3/28
The UUkulele Fun Group
5:45-7:00 p.m.
 
UUCH Choir Practice 
7:15-8:30 p.m.
Music Room

Fri. 3/30
Awareness Thru
Movement Class 
10:00 a.m. 
February HAP Collection canned goods
February HAP
Collection was 89.

The Social Justice Committe
e has a monthly goal to collect at least 100 items during each month for the food pantry.
 
Please put your nonperishable food items or personal care products donation in the basket in the church foyer for the Huntsville Assistance Program (HAP).  
   
THANK YOU for your continued generosity!   
April 1st  

Service

In our Unitarian Universalist tradition, we honor new life and welcome children into the world in a special Ceremony of Dedication. In the words of Shelley Denham's song, "We dedicate our hearts and minds to the spirit of this child." This special Dedication and Naming service will be part of our Flower Communion Service on Easter Sunday, April 1st.
 
If you would like to have your baby or child dedicated, or have questions about this,  please contact Reverend Alice Syltie or the church office for information.
Yoga at UUCH!
 
The purpose of Adult Religious Education at UUCH is to foster community by providing programs that enrich our emotional, spiritual, physical, and intellectual lives.

We are happy to announce that we are offering a beginning Hatha Yoga Class each Tuesday evening at 5:15 p.m. led by Jessica Schulz. Yoga brings inner quiet and peace of mind, something that could enrich us all.
Each class will last around an hour, so there will be time to get to your important Tuesday evening church meetings afterwards.  

Come dressed in comfortable clothes and bring a mat if you have one (we will have some extras). We will meet in the Adult R.E. Room. For further information, contact Nancy Finley at adult.re@uuch.org. 

Everyone is welcome!
COME SING A SONG WITH US

The UUCH choir practices on Wednesdays at 7:15 p.m. in the Choir Room. Whether you know how to sing or would like to learn, we would love for you to join us!
The UUkulele  
Fun Group

The Ukulele Fun Group occurs every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. and is open to everyone, regardless of skill level.
Awareness Thru Movement Class 
   

For a healthy new you, join our
Awareness Through Movement (ATM) class.

These classes focus on gentle movements that can assist us in being more comfortable and pain-free in our everyday activities. Come learn how to use the core of your body to improve movement, balance, and chronic pain.
Everyone is welcome!

Classes, led by Sally Locklear, are drop-in with no experience necessary
. Wear comfortable, loose clothing and bring a bath or beach towel to use as head support for comfort in side-lying. ATM is held on Friday mornings at
10:00 a.m. 
   
For more information, contact Nancy Finley at Adult.RE@uuch.org. UUCH Adult Religious Education focuses on the whole spiritual person--mentally and physically. Join us!
Save The Date


As you all know, Reverend Alice has announced her plans to retire at the end of this church year. Although she will be with us until the end of July, we plan to start celebrating her a little early, to begin the process of saying goodbye to someone who has made such an impact on our church and to allow for participation from members before we all embark on our summer vacations. 
 
Please mark your calendars for a celebration of Reverend Alice's legacy of service and leadership on April 22nd.
 
We will have an opportunity during that worship service to look back at the many gifts Reverend Alice has given our church. You will not want to miss it!

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UUCH 17-18  
Board Members
 
President:
Laurel Bollinger

Vice-President: 
Denise Runnels

Secretary:
Nancy Finley

Treasurer: 
Greg Howard

Trustees: 
Susan Coddington
Kathy Heath

Lynsie Lamitie


Ex Officio:
Reverend Alice Syltie

Do you have an Agenda Item for the Board?  
The Board respectfully requests that all agenda items for the meeting be submitted to Board President Laurel Bollinger, no later than one week prior to the meeting, i.e. the Tuesday before. You may phone her at home or send a copy of your request to
President@uuch.orgThe next UUCH Board Meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 3rd.

The Overlook is a publication of The Unitarian Universalist Church, 3921 Broadmor Rd. Huntsville, AL 35810

Minister:  

The Reverend Alice Syltie

Board President:  

Laurel Bollinger   

Editorial Board:  

Susan Coddington 

Kathy Heath 

 

Newsletter deadlines are each Monday at midnight.
Please send submissions to news collator Willette Battle at
uuch@uuch.org.  

 

Office Hours:

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  
Monday - Friday

 

Office phone: 256-534-0508
email:
uuch@uuch.org .

Minister's email: Minister@uuch.org.

Website: www.uuch.org 

 

Sunday Services are held 10:45 a.m. to 12:00 noon; Children's Religious Education held concurrently. Nursery available for age 3 years and under.

 

For further info on any event, call the church office:
256-534-0508.

 
Upcoming Service

Sunday, March 25, 2018
           
Seeking Justice for All - The Challenge of Climate Change
 
Brad Korb

As the earth's climate changes, more and more people are impacted by rising seas and more severe and frequent storms. As a people of faith who believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person and respect for the interdependent web of all existence, we are called to help those who are impacted by these changes.

But how should we respond to these changes? What can we do? Join us for Justice Sunday as we explore ways in which we can make a difference for life in these changing times.
This Sunday in Children and
Youth Religious Education (C YRE)
 
Creative Project Day! Children and youth will partner with the Social Justice Committee to assemble meal packs for outreach in Huntsville's homeless community. 

Nursery care (ages 0-3) will be offered as usual.
 
If you haven't already, please register your child/youth for this year's CYRE program. For more information, contact Erin Reid, Director of Religious Education, or Audrey Fox, CYRE Chair.
A Message from Our Minister

As I mentioned in my article last week, my goal is to conclude my ministry with you in the way that best prepares you for continued success in accomplishing your chosen mission. Toward that end, I wanted to encourage you to reach out to me prior to my official retirement date, if there is anything you would like to share with me or would like for me to know. I wanted to say that because I thought there might be an aspect of a minster retiring or leaving a congregation that is not universally understood. After reading the edited version of my message in the newsletter, I'm pretty sure that is the case. Simply moving one word in a sentence, which I agree made the sentence seem less awkward grammatically, changed the meaning to the exact opposite of what I intended to convey.  

What I wanted to make sure you know is that once my retirement is official, I will not be able to have any ministerial contact with members of the congregation. Therefore, if there is something you think you might later wish you had said or talked with me about, I encourage you to be in touch with me soon. I will not be able to schedule meetings or serve you in any ministerial capacity, once I leave this ministry. This is the difficult part of leaving, and yet it is necessary to make space for the new ministry to flourish. It is part of a covenant Unitarian Universalist ministers agree to uphold. You had a little practice with this when our intern minister, now the Reverend Denise Gyauch completed her internship. I remember how dismayed some of you were to realize that you could not be in contact with her for at least a year. 

After a period of time and under certain circumstances, I may be able to be among you again. However, I will always be mindful to respect the relationship between you and my colleague in ministry who succeeds me. This is because I love you, and I want to do what is in your best interest. It will also give me time to absorb the loss. Ministers also grieve when they leave a congregation they have come to know and love.  

I'll have more to say about this transition in the coming weeks. It is perfectly alright for me to assist the leadership and the congregation in understanding the process and steps involved in the transition. For now, I just wanted to make sure I cleared up any possible misunderstanding.


In Love and Hope,
Rev. Alice
Input Survey for Interim Minister Application 

We want your input!

As you already know, the Board is working towards acquiring a temporary "Interim Minister" who will assist us in preparing for the search for a new, permanent "Settled Minister." The search for a Settled Minister is a long process that will involve the whole congregation and will include a review of our past, workshops to plan our future, and a well-organized search committee process.

The UUA-wide process to obtain an Interim Minister is different, however. It involves the Board of a church submitting an application to the UUA Transition Office which matches trained Interims with congregations seeking an Interim. They will start taking applications on April 15th, and the interim matching process begins shortly thereafter.


The application for an Interim mostly concerns objective questions about the congregation and community demographics, budget and staff information, etc. There are several questions, however, that require some subjective assessment of our strengths and weaknesses, and our desires for the future.

Here is where we would like your help. Please follow this
Interim Minister Survey link to provide your input. The Board will simply review the survey results in preparing our initial application for an Interim Minister.

Don't feel like you must answer all the questions, or that this will be the last time you will be asked these questions in the long-term search process.

Print versions of this survey will be available in the Fellowship Hall after service.
 
Thanks for your help.
 
Spring Workday at UUCH!



It's spring, and that means it's time for an outdoor workday to spruce up our property and do some basic maintenance. We are planning on it for this Saturday, March 24th, at 9:00 a.m., barring nasty weather. (A rain date has not yet been set.)

We will be in need of strong arms and wheelbarrows to move and spread mulch, help eradicating invasive privet and any poison ivy that may have escaped our previous efforts, trimming shrubs, clearing leaves and pine needles out of gutters, picking up pine cones from the playground, planting flowers to beautify the grounds, and other projects. A particularly large and specialized project will be the removal of a large dead tree from near the street. We hope to have many hands, making easier work for everybody!

We really need everyone of all ages to pitch in. Bring your gardening tools and expect to get some yummy treats from our generous Hospitality Committee.

Want to help to "fuel" the summer spruce-up and maybe lend a hand as well? Sign up here to assist in fueling the work crew.

Thanks in advance to all of you who will be helping! For questions, contact Tim Miller (tim.miller.hsv@gmail.com), grounds liaison for the Property Committee.
UUCH 2018 Annual Budget Drive Continues!
 
Cottage Meetings continued this past week for the UUCH Annual Budget Drive. As of last Sunday morning, 39 members and friends had made pledges that exceeded $106,000! We are well on the way to "Paving the Path" to an exciting future.
 
Cottage Meetings will continue this week. In addition, pledge forms were mailed to those who were not able to attend a Cottage Meeting. We ask that all completed pledge forms be returned to the church office by Sunday, April 1st. 
 
Thanks to those who have already made pledges and to those who will soon make pledges for the church year that will begin on July 1st. As we are "Paving the Path" for growth and transitions, every pledge matters! All pledges, regardless of size, are important and appreciated. 
       
John Schulz, 2018 ABD Chair
David Bollinger, 2018 Finance Chair
Why The RE Community Is So Important To Me

Matthew Bollinger highlighted why the RE community is so important to him and encouraged the congregation to support that area. here. 
Social Justice Opportunities

Homeless meal pack items are needed for the March 24th Religious Education workday. Items to consider for donation are fruit cups, Vienna sausages, pudding cups, small cartons of juice, peanut butter cracker packs, energy bars, etc. Please see a complete list in the Fellowship Hall. 

Social Justice Committee is meeting
on Sunday, March 25th at 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.  Join us! RE youth will assemble meal packs this Sunday during RE.
  
The Social Justice Committee is collecting new or gently used shoes to benefit Friends of Rescue and Funds2Orgs supporting micro-enterprises in developing countries. Bring shoes to donate to the UUCH Fellowship Hall. The Social Justice Committee will deliver the shoes to Friends of Rescue.

Volunteers are needed for the Food Line. If you would like to give of your time, please see the poster in Fellowship Hall for more information.
Are You Ready to
Become a Member?
 
If you've been attending UUCH long enough to know that this church community feels like your spiritual home, you may be ready to take the next step and become a member. On an upcoming Sunday in early April, we will welcome new members as they "sign the book" and officially join our church.
 
If you are ready to become a member or would like to find out more about the process, please contact Pam Korb by March 25th at membership@uuch.org.

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBERSHIP

Because we are a democratic community, members are collectively vested with responsibility for the congregation. Members may vote at all congregational meetings, be elected to the governing Board, be appointed as committee chairs, and participate in all activities of the congregation.

Because we are a covenanted congregation, members have certain responsibilities to the congregation and to each other. These responsibilities are best fulfilled by:
  • Regular attendance at worship
  • Voting at congregational meetings
  • Making financial contributions
  • Contributing time and talent
  • Spiritual growth and development
Easter Egg Hunt at Alice & Betsy's
Sunday Afternoon, April 1st

You and your family are invited to spend Easter Sunday afternoon with your fellow UUs in a day of relaxation and fun while welcoming the beginning of spring. (Rain or shine!)        
What: Easter Egg Hunt
Who:  Everyone is invited! 
When:  Sunday, April 1st,   
             2:30-5:00 p.m.
Where:  Alice Dilbeck & Betsy Applegate's home, 620 Ford Chapel Road, Harvest.

Suggestions for what to bring:
  • Yourself and family
  • Eggs for the hunt (plastic filled and "real")
  • Baskets for the egg hunt
  • Goodies to share for munching
  • Lawn chairs and musical instruments. 

Fun for everyone. No children? No problem. We'll have badminton, croquet, and activities for all ages, including "sitting-on-the-porch-talking-as-we-watch-others-expend-a-lot-of-energy." What could be more fun?!


Children are advised to wear or bring play clothes to fully enjoy the outdoor activities.

Directions and map to Alice Dilbeck and Betsy Applegate's home are in the Fellowship Hall by the kitchen door. You can also call (256-534-0508) or email Willette at the church office (uuch@uuch.org) for a copy.

We are Egg-cited! We'll be HOPPY to see you!

This activity is sponsored by the Children and Youth Religious Education Program as an all-church activity. All are welcome!
The Spiritual Practice of UU Facilitation  April 12th
 
Facilitation is the art of engaging group participants in a cooperative process. It is a leadership tool essential in our Unitarian Universalist context. A group facilitator helps create a safe and comfortable environment where all participants may feel heard and valued. Regardless of the purpose for which a group gathers, facilitation taps into the energy and creativity of the group, empowering each person to give expression to their own potential. 
Join us as we learn together some of these practices in an Introduction to Facilitation class on Thursday, April 12th 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Adult RE Room

Everyone is welcome to attend, whether you have led many groups or are just beginning. We can all learn more about creating good spaces for deep, productive human conversation. The class will be facilitated by Rev. Alice Syltie and Nancy Finley. Please let Nancy know if you need childcare, at least a week before the event so it can be arranged. 

Hope to see you there!
--Religious Education 
All-ages Movie Night  
April 14th at 6:30 p.m.
 
The Transformers and Searchers Religious Education (RE) Groups will join with the CYRE Program to host our  Spring All-ages Movie Night on Saturday April 14th at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. We will be viewing Jim Henson's The Tale of the Bunny Picnic. Join us as we watch Bean, a young bunny, learn that sometimes the littlest bunnies can make biggest changes.

We will be collecting donations for A New Leash on Life. Click here for a complete list of items.

Please bring your favorite snack to share. Popcorn and drinks will be provided. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the movie starts at 6:30 p.m. 
Meet Your Muslim Neighbor
Open Mosque Day

Meet your Muslim Neighbor Open Mosque Day will occur April 21st at 2:00-6:00 p.m. located at Huntsville Islamic Center, 1645 Sparkman Drive. Booths to answer common questions. Traditional foods and desserts will be available.

For more information, email  MYMNhuntsville@gmail.com
 
votives
Care List
 
This Sunday, March 18, 2018, at our Circle of Candles:
 
Rec. Alice lit a candle for the family of Jerome Belcher, whose memorial service was held at our church on Saturday, March 17th.

Amanda Schuber;
lit a candle of joy: Excited to announce that I have accepted a new job with the Historic Princess Theatre in Decatur. I am sad to leave Habitat after nearly 11 years, but excited for a new journey!

Rev. Alice joined Barbara Hitt for the Care Committee; lit a candle of sorrow: Maria McSherry's grandmother passed away early on Sunday morning. Maria was raised by her beloved "Mammy" from the time she was 3 years old. Please hold her family in your hearts and prayers as they grieve her loss.