Upcoming Events
Thurs. 9/12
PFLAG Meeting
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Adult RE Room
Sun. 9/15
Soul Matters Small Groups (Group D)
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Worship Service
Rev. Ed Brock
10:45 a.m.
Tue. 9/17
Council Meeting
6:30 p.m.
Wed. 9/18
Choir Rehearsal
7:00 - 8:45 p.m.
Sun. 9/22
Worship Service
Rev. Ed Brock
10:45 a.m.
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The UUkulele Fun Group is open to everyone, regardless of skill level.
The group meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 5:45 p.m.
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Huntsville Assistance Program
The Social Justice Committee has a goal to collect at least
100 items each month for the food pantry; you donated 150 food items and tons of toiletries in the month of July.
Please put your nonperishable food items or personal care products donations in the basket in the church foyer for the Huntsville Assistance Program.
Please, no canned corn, beans, or peas! They are currently overloaded with those items.
Sponsored by the Social Justice Committee
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UUCH's Free Food Pantry is installed in the parking lot and is now stocked. The Social Justice Committee will restock the pantry with non-perishables, as needed, and you can, too.
See the Social Justice Committee for more information on what items are in need.
Sponsored by the Social Justice Committee
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During August and September, we will share the Sunday offering with the Huntsville nonprofit
Knight's Village.
Sponsored by the Social Justice Committee
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UUCH 2019-20
Board Members
President:
John Schulz
Vice President:
Denise Runnels
Secretary:
Nick Wilbourn
Treasurer:
David Bollinger
Trustees:
Ed Bernstein
Jack Long
Bryan Walls
Interim Minister:
The Rev. Edward L. Brock
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 John Schulz
via email no later than one week prior to the meeting (i.e. the Tuesday before).
The next board meeting will be Tuesday, September 24
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The Overlook is a publication of The Unitarian Universalist Church, 3921 Broadmor Rd., Huntsville, AL 35810
Interim Minister:
The Rev. Edward L. Brock
Board President:
John Schulz
Editor:
Nick Wilbourn
Newsletter deadlines are each Monday at midnight.
Any committee with newsletter announcements should send submissions to news collator Amanda Schuber at uuch@uuch.org.
Office Hours:
8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Monday, Wednesday, & Friday
Office Phone:
Minister's Email: minister@uuch.org
Website: www.uuch.org
Sunday Services are held 10:45 a.m. to
12:00 p.m. Children's Religious Education held concurrently. Nursery available for ages 3 years and under.
For more info on any event, contact the church office.
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Upcoming Service
The Religious Naturalism of Loyal Rue
September 15, 2019
Rev. Ed Brock
I did several sermon series last year that looked at the huge changes religion and spirituality have undergone over the last fifty years and how that affects us today. I spoke about facets of religion that appear to be lost to (or are in the process of being lost to) the dustbin of history. I also spoke about religious and spiritual trends that appear to be aligning to shape the future.
One of these promising trends shaping the future appears to arise among people attempting to fuse modern science with the ancient wisdom of spiritual practices. This movement -- sometimes referred to as religious naturalism -- is deeply influenced by the ecological changes of which many of us are becoming acutely aware. This year, to the extent congregational interest allows and encourages it, I will talk about several people who have been or are now thought leaders in this effort to fuse science, spirituality, and a respect for nature into a coherent belief system.
In September, I will talk about three of these thought leaders in the movement of religious naturalism. Each one plays a leading role in exploring and defining religious naturalism. They have different perspectives but share much common ground.
I look forward to engaging in this journey with you.
Future Services
September 22 - Rev. Ed. Brock
September 29 - Rev. Ed. Brock
September Theme: Expectation
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This Sunday in Children and Youth Religious Education (CYRE)
This Sunday kicks off our first day of Fall CYRE! We welcome all friends new and old. Our CYRE groups begin their lessons from the UUA's Tapestry of Faith curricula, available for anyone to read at
uua.org/re/tapestry. Each group will cover the following specific, age-appropriate curriculum:
- Peace: Chalice Children
- Searchers: Toolbox of Faith
- Transformers: Heading the Call: Qualities of a Justice Maker
- YoUUth: Be the Change: Youth Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Project
Note that our age groups have been adjusted for this year. Read more details here.
After church this week, the CYRE Committee will host an ice cream social in the Fellowship Hall and playground area. All are invited!
RE Registration is now open for the 2019-20 year. Register here!
For more information on the CYRE program, please contact Erin Reid, Director of Religious Education; Harper Goodman, RE Assistant; or Steve Rittenberg, CYRE Chair.
Submitted by the Children and Youth Religious Education Committee |
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Have You Completed Your Survey?
Friends and members of the congregation should have received an email from the Ministerial Search Committee with a link to a survey about our search for a new settled minister. Please check your email for this link. If you did not receive the email, or if you would like a paper copy of the survey, please contact the church office so that we can make it available to you.
We would like all surveys to be submitted by September 15.
Thank you for your participation in this very important step to helping us identify our next minister!
Submitted by the Ministerial Search Committee
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Your Two Minutes of Fame!
As part of the ministerial search process, we will be providing videos for prospective ministerial candidates to familiarize them with our church, our members, and what we hope to find in our settled minister. Barbara Hitt will be taking short videos of members responding briefly to two questions:
- What do you like about UUCH?
- What attributes do you hope to find in our settled minister?
The videos will be
scheduled immediately after church
this Sunday, September 15. Each individual video clip will be short -- just two minutes or so -- and the clips will be combined into a video with many members expressing their thoughts. Do not worry about sounding professional or polished; just speak naturally, and if you hiccup/snort/sneeze, it's no problem to take a do-over!
We are a diverse congregation, and we want our video to reflect that, so we want youth and children to participate, as well as parents, singles, retirees, and all other members of our church community.
The videos will be taken in the Board Room, which is the last room in the RE Wing, across from the Adult RE Room. Since the entire RE Wing has to be vacated and quiet in order to take the videos, participants should wait in the Fellowship Hall until their turn. Someone from the Ministerial Search Committee will send participants to be videoed, one at a time.
It will also be important for parents to collect their children from the RE classrooms and the nursery immediately after church on the days we will be videoing.
To sign up, you can either email
Barbara Hitt, or click the
SignUpGenius link. Thanks so much for helping to make our search process a success!
Submitted by the Ministerial Search Committee
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"New UU" Class
Starts October 13
What does it mean to be a Unitarian Universalist? Guided by the Tapestry of Faith Curriculum, we will offer a three-part series that explores important themes in UU congregational life - our worship and theology, history, covenant and polity, faith development, social justice, and membership. This program is particularly focused on introducing newcomers to Unitarian Universalism, but those of us who have been here for a while will also be able to share and connect with others as we explore our own beliefs and how they intersect with the UU tradition. Everyone is welcome!
Mark your calendars now for the Sunday mornings of October 13, 20, and 27 for this chance to learn and share. Meet for coffee or tea at 9:00 a.m. in the Adult RE classroom; discussion starts at 9:15.
Contact Adult RE chair Lynsie Lamitie for additional information. If you need childcare during this time, please contact Lynsie at least a week before the class session.
Sponsored by the Adult Religious Education and Membership Committees
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Show Up for Climate Justice
"If not you, then who? If not now, then when?"
Sixteen-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg asks this question, and people of faith, including Unitarian Universalists, are mobilizing. Are you ready to demand a just and sustainable world? A right to a future for our youth and young adults?
The UUA, Side With Love, and UU Ministry for Earth have joined as partners with the
Global Climate Strike on September 20, and we're inviting you to #StrikeWithUs.
On September 20, three days before the UN Climate Summit in NYC, young people and adults will strike all across the US and the world to demand transformative action be taken to address the climate crisis. We know governments won't deliver climate action and justice on their own, so we're going on #climatestrike to show them what people power is capable of creating. The strikes are just the beginning of an escalated movement where millions will take to the streets to demand action now, especially for those most impacted by climate change who have done the least to cause it. Climate breakdown isn't inevitable. We know the solutions we need, including a just transition away from the exploitative fossil fuel economy. We're inviting you to join other UUs and faith groups and millions more. We have the power to make these solutions happen.
The guiding principles of our faith and our campaigns for justice are unattainable in the face of widespread climate injustice and chaos. The current US government centers the rights of corporations over people, other species, and the planet. It sanctions state violence to protect the fossil fuel industry gains and criminalizes water protectors, climate protesters, and indigenous peoples. It persecutes climate refugees through cruel, harsh immigration policies. It perpetuates environmental racism. We are called to engage this at every level possible. We can bring our vision, our resources, and ourselves into relationship with communities most impacted who are leading the way into sustainable and equitable futures.
Here's what's already happening among UUs: Delegates at our recent General Assembly in June affirmed an Action of Immediate Witness to Build a Green New Deal and began organizing right at GA for the Global Climate Strikes.
Here's what's happening in Huntsville: UUs are gathering with others at
City Hall (308 Fountain Circle SW)
each Friday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. to encourage our City Council to incorporate more climate crisis and environmental awareness in its actions.
Your presence is needed, especially on Friday, September 20, the day of the Global Climate Strike.
Submitted by the Social Justice Committee
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Welcome back to the fall program of Children and Youth Religious Education (CYRE) at UUCH! The first day of fall curricula will be this Sunday, September 15. As always, children and youth will begin the service in the sanctuary with our full, multi-generational congregation and will go to their RE rooms after the Story for Sharing. The worship service will include a ceremony of dedication for our CYRE teachers and volunteers. After the service, we will have an ice cream social for all ages in the Fellowship Hall and playground areas.
If you have not done so already, please register children and youth for this year's program. Paper registration is available at the church, or you can register online.
Our usual CYRE age-based groups are listed below, and we will update you on any changes to this year's room configurations.
- Nursery (ages infant to 3, staffed by experienced childcare providers)
- Peace (ages 4 / pre-K to grade 1)
- Justice (grades 2-3)
- Searchers (grades 4-5)
- Transformers (grades 6-8)
- YOUUTH (grades 9-12)
RE classes and nursery care end at noon. We invite parents/guardians to pick up their children at that time. If church lets out early, please enjoy some time of coffee and conversation while the classes finish.
This year's theme is Side with Love: Exploring Our Justice-Making Identity as Unitarian Universalists and How Justice Is Rooted in Love. We have terrific curricula from UUA's Tapestry of Faith, which explore our principles and values and incorporate justice and outreach actions every month. Lessons are highly interactive and story-based, with games, crafts, music, projects, and more!
We will continue to integrate our monthly Soul Matters worship themes with our stories, RE worship time, singing, and discussions. We begin the month of September with the theme of EXPECTATION.
Welcome back, or welcome for the first time! We are so pleased for your presence in the UUCH Children and Youth RE Program. As always, children and youth are invited to pick up their name tags in the foyer and wear them while at church, just like all ages. This is one way we welcome each other!
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Wana be part of the chuch choir but don't have the time? The UUCH Music Program will once again host a "pickup" choir opportunity for all ages.
The last Sunday of each month, anyone who would like can attend a short rehearsal at 9:30 a.m. in the Music Room. Singers ages 4 and up will run through the song a few times and then enjoy sharing the musical message with the congregation that same day.
The next opportunity is Sunday September 29. For more information, contact Music Director Pam Siegler.
Submitted by the Music Committee
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SoulCollage
This fall we will be restarting our popular SoulCollage group. If you enjoyed the previous group and want to learn more about the process, or if you are curious about SoulCollage, please check out the book, available for check in the Church Library, which is in the Adult RE Room.
The book is an easy read, with many pictures of SoulCollage cards.
"Seena Frost's work with SoulCollage represents an insightful and original path to the depths... I cannot recommend this too highly." - Jean Houston, author of A Mythic Life: Learning to Live Our Greater Story.
Stay tuned for more information about how to be a part of this fun and exciting group.
Submitted by the Adult Religious Education Committee
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Smile and Say "Cheese" -- It's Picture Directory Time
It's time to update our church picture directory. Schedule your LifeTouch appointment now. Every participating family receives a free professional portrait. Plus, just in time for holiday cards and gifts, if you purchase photographs, LifeTouch will include a 30% off coupon to Shutterfly.
Our scheduled dates are October 22 and 23, with additional dates possible, if needed. Sign up now to claim your preferred time and day. We also will have sign-up forms available before and after church on Sunday.
Submitted by the Membership Committee
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Ministerial Search Timeline
Here is a brief timeline of some of the important upcoming events in our search for a new settled minister:
- Distribute survey to the congregation (Now in progress)
- Produce the video about UUCH (Now in progress)
- Hold cottage meetings and interviews with the congregation (October)
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Complete our congregational record and documents to be made visible to searching ministers (November - December) -
These materials are the way we present our church to the potential candidates. The packet will include demographic data, church bylaws, policies, newsletters, survey information, our Covenant, annual reports, minutes from board meetings, information about our area, and a great deal of other information to help the candidates see who we are.
- Receive the initial list of applicants (first week of January)
- Conduct video interviews, reference checks, and website reviews (January)
- The Ministerial Search Committee will have pre-candidate visits to determine the one candidate we will bring to the congregation for a full interview (February 1 - March 29)
- Conduct background checks (late March - early April)
- Announce the candidate who will be presented to congregation (early April)
- Candidating week - Late April-early May (This is the opportunity for the congregation to meet the ministerial candidate the Committee has chosen to present to the congregation. Candidating week usually runs for nine days from Saturday through Sunday. The candidate will lead services on both Sundays, and hold question and answer time with the congregation. The week culminates on the final Sunday with a congregational vote whether or not to call this candidate for our minister.)
- Preparation for the new ministry - May-July
- Arrival of new minister - August 1, 2020
Your Ministerial Search Committee wants to keep you informed at all stages of the search. Please contact us if you have any questions, or speak to any of the committee members. The members of the Committee are Betsy Applegate, Laurel Bollinger, Suzey DeLacey, Nancy Finley, Vickie Goodman, Barbara Hitt, Brad Korb (Chair), and Tim Miller.
Submitted by the Ministerial Search Committee
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Care List
This Sunday, September 8, 2019,
at our Circle of Candles:
A candle of concern was lit: Please keep a woman named Pat Casity in your thoughts and prayers. She is returning home from the hospital to her son's funeral.
Miranda Durbin
lit a candle of joy
:The custody hearing for my niece,
Eliza
, went very well, and we got the outcome we wanted for her placement.
Jeremy lit a candle of sorrow: My classmate, Anthony, had to have surgery because of a brain tumor. He came home form the hospital this week.
Angela Arnold lit candle of joy: For my dear friend, Alexis, visiting from Ohio. It has been my honor to show her my beautiful city, while saving the best for last - UUCH!
Caroline Strickland lit a candle sorrow: Our dog, Willow, caught a rabbit. She tried to play with it by holding it by the middle and walking around. We tried to stop her, but it was too late. The rabbit didn't make it. We had its funeral in our backyard, where Willow could not find it.
LaDawn Edwards lit a candle of joy: My mother is visiting from Albuquerque, NM, this week. I love having her to hang out with.
Becky Ellingwood and Nancy Finley lit a candle of joy: Our daughter, Abby, who this church helped raise, has graduated from college and on Friday moved to Boston to start her new job with a company oriented towards dealing with climate change.
Thelia (Bridgit) DeMoor lit a candle of joy: Thank you for the calls, cards, and meals to help Paul and me make it through the recovery of my surgery! They were all much appreciated!
Tim and Theresa Miller lit a candle of mixed emotions: Our daughter, Vanessa, and son-in-law, George, have left the Huntsville area and have just arrived at their new home -- Boston. Hope for a happy new beginning for them and their cats (our grand-kitties) and a smooth transition with new jobs and new community.
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