News from Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville

This year's Annual Service Auction will be on November 4, 2017, at 6 p.m. As always, we will gather and have a great time with food, beverages, and the auction. Of course, childcare will be provided. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more information on how to donate items and register for this great evening!

--David Bollinger, Chair

6th Annual

Come Out,

Cook Out, and Camp Out!

October 21st

Don't miss out on this wonderful annual tradition sponsored by Interweave. Consider what vegetable(s) you'd like to share and plan to join us at Monte Sano State Park beginning at 5pm on October 21st. More information will follow soon.

Questions? Ask Denise Runnels.

More Pantry Items Needed for HAP

The Social Justice Committe e's goal is to collect items for the food pantry. CAN you pick up an extra CANNED good, nonperishable food item, or personal care product next time you are out shopping? Please put your donation in the basket in the church foyer to be donated to the Huntsville Assistance Program (HAP).

Thanks for all you do!

COME SING A SONG WITH US

The UUCH choir practices on

Wednesdays at 7:15pm

in the choir room. Whether you know how to sing or would like to learn, we would love for you to join us!

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UUCH Calendar
UUCH Website

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Mid-South District

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.org. The next UUCH Board Meeting will be held on

Tuesday, September 26th.

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. Mon-Fri.

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, September 24th, 2017

" Hedonistic Simplicity"

Kiya Heartwood

Doing the right thing for the earth and having a happy life don't have to be mutually exclusive or expensive. We will explore these ideas illustrated with songs and examples from around the world.

Kiya Heartwood is an award winning singer/song-writer and wife to Rev. Meg Barnhouse.

More on Kiya at www.kiyaheartwood.com. Appearing with Kiya is fiddler Sarah Stollak.

This Sunday in Children and

Youth Religious Education

RE groups will meet to continue our exploration of "Living Our Principles."

Peace

Chalice Children, Session 2: "A Tour of the Inside of Our Congregation"

Justice

Moral Tales, Session 2: "Conscience: Hearing the Inner Voice"

Searchers

Toolbox of Faith, Session 2: "Questioning"

Transformers

Heeding the Call: Qualities of a Justicemaker,

Workshop 1: "The Call for Awareness"

YOUUTH

Virtue Ethics, Workshop 1: "Decision Making"

If you haven't already, please be sure to 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.

Final New UU Class

Sunday, Sep. 24th

You Can Still Attend!

This last class in the 3-part series will provide specific information on the structure and history of UUCH. Even if you missed one or both of the classes so far, please join us THIS Sunday for this chance to learn and share. Meet for coffee, juice and snacks at 9:00 a.m. in the Adult RE room located at the back of the Religious Education wing; discussion starts at 9:15 a.m. Childcare will be provided. Pam Korb and Mac McSherry will facilitate. Handouts for any missed sessions will be available. Contact Nancy Finley for further information.Childcare will be provided.

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. We will welcome new members during an upcoming service next month where they will "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 (Membership Chair).

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. Weekly worship cements the bonds of community and keeps our attention directed to our highest values while nurturing our spirits.
Voting at congregational meetings. Responsible participation includes imagining the needs of the entire congregation, rather than focusing only on one's own needs or desires. Consider how issues affect all members of the congregation, as well as potential members and others in the world outside the congregation.
Making financial contributions. Not only does this provide for the support of the congregation, but it also serves as a spiritual discipline.
Contributing time and talent. Congregations succeed because their members find ways to give of themselves, whether through singing, financial management, educating children, sharing their passion for social justice, organizing, cooking, greeting, maintaining the building and grounds-the list of tasks goes on and on. Finding ways to give back that nurture your own soul helps support your personal growth along with the growth of our congregation.
Spiritual growth and development. Working deliberately at your own spiritual development is a gift to yourself, to the congregation and to the larger world.

UUCH All-Ages Movie Night September 23

Join Children and Youth RE for another night of fun, fellowship, and popcorn as we host our next movie night on Saturday, September 23rd, in the Fellowship Hall. We will be screening the recent Disney/Pixar movie Inside Out.

Please bring your favorite movie snack to share. Popcorn and drinks will be provided. The popcorn starts popping and the doors open at 6:15pm. The movie will begin at 6:30pm.

Team UUCH Cares

NAMI Huntsville 1 Mile Fun Walk

The Social Justice Committee is forming Team UUCH Cares to support the works of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans impacted by mental illness.

Team UUCH Cares is teaming up with NAMI Huntsville and NAMI Alabama for a statewide, 1 mile fundraising walk on September 23. We are reaching out for contributions that will help NAMI Huntsville continue providing free services to local families who live with mental illness.

Donating to Team UUCH Cares is easy, fast, and secure here. Your donation will make a difference in the lives of the 43.8 million adults who experience mental illness in a given year.

We encourage you to donate and/or join us for the 1 mile fun walk on September 23, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. until noon at Blossomwood Elementary Track located on 1321 Woodmont Ave., Huntsville.

Further details can be found at

https://www.namihuntsville.org/walks or contact Diane Walls or Eleanor Schweinsberg.

Thank you for your support!

--Social Justice Committee

Music Notes

Interesting how the service last Sunday was almost the same topic as my most recent 7-page assignment in Self Care and Ethics! How do you live the seven UU principles, both in your professional life and your personal life? I would be happy to share these seven pages with anyone who would like to see it.

We will be having a worship service on October 1st that teaches some protest/unity songs that we can sing at community gatherings and events. We will also intersperse information about some of our past and current justice issues that we will continue supporting with our presence.

Our church will also host a community gathering at the end of October. Several people from different faiths and cultures will teach songs that we can sing together at protest/unity events and prayer vigils. I am offering a training class for those who would be interested in learning song-leading techniques. If you are interested, please contact me music.director@uuch.org.

--Pam Siegler, Music Director

Essential Spirituality, The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind

Thursday evenings, September 28th through November 16th at 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Join UUCH Adult Religious Education as we read, discuss, and explore some exercises in Essential Spirituality - The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind by Dr. Roger Walsh, M.D., PhD. Based on over twenty years of research, Essential Spirituality shows how we can apply the seven practices central to all the world's major religions in our daily lives to cultivate kindness, love, joy, peace, vision, wisdom, and generosity. Dr. Walsh, who is both a spiritual practitioner and an award-winning scientist, believes that each of the major spiritual traditions has both a common goal and seven common practices to reach that goal. Essential Spirituality integrates the spiritual principles of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism into what Walsh believes is one truly rewarding way of life in which kindness, love, joy, peace, vision, wisdom, and generosity become an ever growing part of everything you do. Come join us as we discover how his views might be consistent with our principles as Unitarian Universalists.

We have four copies of the book available for loan and they can be signed out in the Fellowship Hall or by contacting Shiela Burrows . The book is also readily available on-line to purchase. We will meet each Thursday evening from September 28th through November 16th in the Adult RE Room from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. If you need childcare, please contact Shiela Burrows or Nancy Finley at least one week before the event.

Everyone is welcome!

Relax and Move at UUCH

Friday mornings at 10:00 a.m. starting on September 29th!

This fall our "Feldenkrais Method of Awareness Through Movement" class will start with a series of lessons focused on improving balance and breathing by improving the use of the muscles that support the hips and low back. These lessons will be using small, gentle movement, imagination, and sensing. Mats will be provided, but feel free to bring anything you might need to make yourself comfortable lying on the floor. If you are unable to lie on the floor, please let us know and we will make an accommodation for you.

This Adult RE class is drop-in, no experience necessary. The class will be led by Sally Locklear. Everyone is welcome. We will meet each Friday at 10:00 a.m. starting on September 29th.

For further information, contact Adult RE chair, Nancy Finley . If you need childcare for this event, please contact Nancy at least a week before the event.

UUCH Adult Religious Education focuses on the whole spiritual person--mentally and physically, so come join us!

Adult RE Program

HINDSIGHT, HUMOR, AND

HOPE: WHO, ME, AN ELDER?

Sundays, October 1, 8, 15, 22

12:15 - 1:45 pm

It is time to consider the richness of "elderhood"! This is a stage of life for thinking and reflecting, for integrating what we bring from our deep self and our lived experience. Whate ver our life circumstances, be aware that elder years are spiritually creative and wait for us as a gift. Even one's limitations and challenges invite exploration and invention. This UUA "Tapestry of Faith" program is intended to help us design our later years into a time of discernment, soul stretching, and new life possibilities.

Join us at Adult RE UUCH as we focus on how to think about aging, making the best of our wisdom, spirit, and connections. Together, we will explore ways to live this stage of life with meaning and intention, and ponder deep questions such as, Who am I now? How comfortable am I with my mortality? Using our spiritual energy and compassionate awareness as tools, we can proudly embrace the tee shirt slogan that says, "Aging Is the Ultimate Extreme Sport."

While this program is open to anyone, it is particularly intended for anyone over the age of fifty-five. First time visitors are welcome. Bring a friend. We will meet on Sundays, October 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd immediately following church services (12:15 pm until around 1:45). We will eat together first, so please bring a sack lunch. On October 1st, we have church potluck so we will fill our plates and bring them to the ARE Room to eat.

The class will be facilitated by DD Moore and Nancy Finley. If you have questions, contact Nancy. If you need childcare, please contact Nancy at least a week before the class.

Exploring SoulCollage®

Returns October 2!

If you haven't tried SoulCollage® you may

discover this as a fun, relaxing, and creative process that requires no artistic ability, but yields deep insight. Using collage techniques, cards are designed based on intuition. The cards reflect the numerous aspects of ourselves and help us discover our own inner wisdom. The process is designed to allow each person to work as deeply and intensely as they are comfortable doing, knowing the pace is right for them. And you end up with a beautiful set of SoulCollage® cards.

The only skill needed is the ability to use scissors. That is it; just cut and paste images from the hundreds we've pulled from magazines to your 5" x 8" card.

Newcomers, come prepared to be surprised at what you find. Adult Religious Education sponsors this class which will be held the first Monday of each month. Denise Runnels and Nancy Finley will co-facilitate the workshop. We will start the session in the UUCH Fellowship Hall Monday evening, October 2nd, at 6:00 p.m. and create until 8:30 p.m.

Check out soulcollage.com for more information about the SoulCollage® process we are following, developed by Seena B. Frost or contact Denise for more information about the process and/or the workshop.

Go, UUCH, Go!

We've formed a team, we have a date; now all we need are some team mates! All abilities are welcome!

The 14th Annual Liz Hurley Ribbon Run will be on Saturday, October 21, 2017, and UUCH once again has a team sponsored by our Social Justice Committee. The 5K course will take walkers and runners through beautiful downtown Huntsville on a lovely Fall day. The race will begin at 8:00 a.m. followed by awards at 9:30 a.m. and the Survivors' Walk at 10:00 a.m.

Proceeds from the 2017 Ribbon Run will be used to purchase an additional 3D tomosynthesis mammography machine, making breast cancer easier to detect.

To register as a team member, go to Liz Hurley Ribbon Run, search for Teams, and enter Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville.

Support your fellow UUs and friends who have already been touched by this awful disease. Register now and start stretching! All abilities are welcome!

Look for additional information to come about meet up place and time. For questions, contact Becky Ellingwood.

Care List

This Sunday, September 17th, 2017, at our Circle of Candles:

Girl Scout Troop 10507 and the Social Justice Committee, a candle joy: We would like to thank everyone for their generous donations for the foster kids. We got together with Troop 341 in Madison yesterday and filled 97 duffle-bags for DHR.

LaDawn Edwards, a candle of joy: Dan and Maria Nielsen announce the birth of their daughter, Elmira Nielson, in Russia. She's Abi's little sister.

Amanda Schuber and Wanda Snoddy, a candle of joy: Thank you to everyone for all the support for our daughter, Samantha, who graduated from Air Force Basic training last week. She now goes on to technical school in North Texas.

Denise Runnels, a candle of joy and sorrow: For Reverend Alice and her decision to retire.

Kathy Fisher, a candle of joy and concern: Joy for my son-in-law's birthday is today! I've known him since he was an egg. Love him dearly. Joy for my youngest child's birthday is tomorrow. I've also known and loved him since he was an egg! Please hold my Ohio family in your hearts as they face a crisis this week.

Lauren Childers and Bryce Childers, a candle of sorrow: A neighborhood friend of Bryce's has passed away. Her name was Diana Culver and she was only 11 years old. In Bryce's words, "She was kind and giving. I don't know how to describe how I feel about her besides she was a good friend. And I will miss her."

Ashley Creekmore, a candle of joy: My father had bypass surgery and is home now and doing very well.