Upcoming Events
Fri. 3/30
Awareness Thru
Movement Class
(cancelled)
Sun. 4/1
Celebration of the Flower Communion
Church Services
New Member ceremony
and Share the Plate*
10:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Sanctuary
First Sunday Pot Luck!
Immediately after services
Easter Egg Hunt
at Alice and Betsy's
2:30-5:00 p.m.
Tue. 4/3
Yoga
5:15-6:15 p.m.
Adult Religious Education Room
7:15-8:30 p.m.
Music Room
Fri. 4/6
Awareness Thru
Movement Class
10:00 a.m.
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February HAP Collection
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!
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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.
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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 Religious Education Room. For further information, contact Nancy Finley at adult.re@uuch.org.
Everyone is welcome!
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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!
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The Ukulele Fun Group occurs every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. and is open to everyone, regardless of skill level.
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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!
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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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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
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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
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.
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Upcoming Service
Sunday, April 1, 2018
Celebration of the Flower Communion
The Reverend Alice Syltie
The annual celebration of our Flower Communion invites us to contemplate April's theme of Emergence, reflected in the season of Easter, Passover, and Spring. As our sanctuary awakens in beauty with the color and form of flowers, we are reminded of the beauty of individual difference, as each personality emerges in the fullness of life.
Each person, from the youngest child to the oldest adult, is asked to bring a flower to share, as we participate in the annual giving and receiving of a flower. This special service is a time to create lasting memories of worshiping together as a congregation of all ages. As always, nursery care will be provided for the youngest among us.
This Sunday our newest members will be welcomed and babies and children may be dedicated. If you would like to have your baby or child dedicated, or have questions about this ceremony, please email Reverend Alice at revaluu@gmail.com before Saturday.
Reminder: each person, of every age, is asked to bring a flower this Sunday for our Celebration of the Flower Communion. If you are blessed with an abundance of flowers, please feel free to bring a few extra for first time worshipers or for those not so blessed.
* On the first Sunday of each month, we
Share the Plate during the offering, Share our Lunch with each other during Potluck, and Share our Bounty by filling the Food Basket! Please don't forget to bring non-perishable food and hygiene items for the food basket to be donated to the Huntsville Assistance Program.
All donations are welcome and appreciated!
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This Sunday in
Children and
Youth Religious Education (C
YRE)
All ages will attend the annual sharing of the flowers multi-generational service in the sanctuary.
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.
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Reminder this is Potluck Sunday!
Please join us for a potluck immediately after the Sunday worship services. Bring a dish and let us
enjoy the warmth of the weather as we eat together. Fellowship is served along with potluck food. Get to know your fellow UUs!
--Hosted by your Hospitality Committee
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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!
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 UUCH 2018 Annual Budget Drive Continues!
Cottage Meetings concluded this past weekend for the UUCH Annual Budget Drive. As of last Sunday morning, members and friends had made pledges that exceeded $154,000! We continue "Paving the Path" to an exciting future.
Remember, 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. If you return your pledge by this Saturday (either by mailing your form or emailing David Bollinger at david.r.bollinger@gmail.com), your number can be included in the total to be announced during the service on Easter Sunday!
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
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Share the Plate*
This Sunday, we will share the Plate with
The Angel Squad, a 501(c)(3), Helping Hands Projects volunteer organization.
The Angel Squad coordinates a network of people with different skills and big hearts who are ready to help anyone in any situation. Included in the Helping Hands Projects are homeless outreach and charity item distribution. They collect donated items, sort them, and deliver them to the homeless, other individuals, or local organizations or they sell the items for the Angel's fund. Collected funds go directly to their clients' needs including items like diapers, food, and clothes.
They are helping hands with big hearts who are committed to showing charitable acts of love and kindness to the community through fellowship. They partner with other organizations on projects such as paying for medications, utilities, cleaning a house, fixing a car, you name it! They help when others won't. There are no restrictions.
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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 Religious Education 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 Reverend 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!
--Adult Religious Education
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Breaking Bread Together
Breaking Bread Together feeds us in so many ways. Eating is secondary. Potlucks and Wonderful Wednesdays are about coming together in welcoming fellowship. The new Social Saturdays announced in this week's newsletter is an excellent opportunity to enjoy each other's company! These are special times set aside to share with and enjoy each other, to share our true lives and ourselves. Times to laugh, hug, and be real with each other; to truly connect over stories of the past, the day, our futures, our UU faith. Give yourself the gift of special times.
--Hosted by your Hospitality Committee
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Social Saturday
on April 14th
Let's Do Lunch!
The premier "Social Saturday" will be held on April 14th, 11:00 to 1:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall at UUCH. This event is being held in response to members' requests for more "in-reach" in our church community.
There will not be any particular agenda, just a casual social time for people to get together, share a meal, and chat--maybe find out that they share a common interest, maybe one has a need that another could meet, maybe they like to eat out at a favorite restaurant but want a companion, maybe they like to go to sci-fi movies, or enjoy playing cards, or like to go hiking, or fishing, or canoeing, or bungee-jumping. Anything can happen when UUs get together!
So plan to come and join the group. It will be a potluck, of course, so cook up your favorite dish to share, or drop by your favorite store to pick something up.
Everyone is welcome, but seniors are especially encouraged to come, and perhaps a Senior Circle will develop at UUCH. It will also be an opportunity for new members to meet some folks and feel like part of our UUCH family.
The event is sponsored by the Hospitality, Membership, and Care Committees, and if enough interest is shown, it will become a monthly event.
Hope to see you April 14!
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All-ages Movie Night
April 14th at 6:30 p.m.
The Transformers and Searchers Religious Education (RE) Groups will join with the Children and Youth Religious Education (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.
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Meet Your Muslim Neighbor
Open Mosque Day
Meet your Muslim Neighbor Open Mosque Day will occur Saturday, April 21st, at 2:00-6:00 p.m. located at Huntsville Islamic Center, 1645 Sparkman Drive. Booths will be staffed to help answer common questions. Traditional foods and desserts will be available.
For more information, email MYMNhuntsville@gmail.com
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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 corrected link to
Interim Minister Survey 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 are available in the Fellowship Hall.
Thanks for your help.
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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.
Lynsie Lamitie; lit a candle of joy and thanks: For all of the support they've received from the
church since Maria's Mammy's passing. Lynsie says they have received food, sweet messages, and visits, and they're so grateful for it all.
Elizabeth Good; lit a candle of sorrow: I am going through a divorce. There is no custody paperwork, my husband turned off his phone service, and has taken-off with my kids. I can't find them and since there's no custody agreement, the cops won't help. It's been 65 hours since I've seen or had contact with the kids or father.
Torin James and Mpagi Kyemba; lit a candle of joy: On Thursday, Dad came into our class to read a story about locomotives. Before he did, we all had jobs. One was to make the train tracks. Mine was to make coolie hats. It was a lot of fun!
Jack Long; lit a candle of joy: I am so proud of the kids in the "Children's Crusade Against Gun Violence." Follow the children as we did 50 years ago.
Property Committee; lit a candle of joy: Thanks to all who participated in our work day last weekend. We planted new flowers, moved a lot of mulch into the playground, pulled out invasive vines, and hauled away a lot of trash. Thanks also to Betsy Applegate and the Hospitality Committee for the great snacks!
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