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The Overlook
Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville 
3921 Broadmor Rd., Huntsville, AL 35810  
January 30 , 2020
Vol. 20 Issue 5
In This Issue
Upcoming Event  

Sat. 2/1
Awareness Through Movement Class
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
 
 
Sun. 2/2
CYRE Committee Meeting
9:00 - 10:15 a.m. 
 
 
Introduction to SoulCollageĀ®
10:00 - 10:45 a.m.
 
Sunday Service
Rev. Ed Brock
10:45 a.m.
 
First Sunday Potluck
12:00 p.m.  
 

Mon. 2/3
Exploring SoulCollageĀ® 
6:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Tues. 2/4
Soul Circle Small  Group A
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.  
 

Wed. 2/5
Soul Circle Small  Group B 
6:00 - 7:30 p.m
 
Choir Rehearsal
7:00 - 8:45 p.m.
 

Sat. 2/8
Awareness Through Movement Class
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
 
Building Closed - Private Event
12:00 - 2:30 p.m.
 
Huntsville Vegan Discussion Group
5:30 - 9:00 p.m.
 

Sun. 2/9
Social Justice Committee Meeting
9:30 a.m.
 
Sunday Service
Rev. Ed Brock
10:45 a.m.
 
Music Committee Meeting
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. 
U Ukule le  
Fun Group
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.
Huntsville Assistance Program 
The Social Justice Committee has a goal to collect at least 100 items each month for the food pantry.  

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
 
UUCH Free Food Pantry 
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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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 is scheduled 
for Tuesday, February 25.
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 
   
Office Hours:
Monday:  
8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 
7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Friday: 
1:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
 
Minister's Office Hours:
Wednesday:  
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Thursday:  
8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Other times by appointment.  
 
Office Phone: 
256-534-0508
Office Email:
uuch@uuch.org
Minister's E mail: 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.
 
Upcoming Service

"Reflections on Resilience, Part 1"
Rev. Ed Brock
February 2
 
The theme for Soul Matters this month is resilience.
 
In harmony with this theme, I will preach a series of three sermons this month on the subject of resilience.
 
Resilience can be cultivated and developed. Both individuals and communities can be sources of resilience. Resilience -- or the lack thereof -- has real-world consequences.
 
I will use stories and examples of resilience to paint a picture of how it works in our lives.  I hope you will join me in this exploration of where resilience can be.
 
Future Services     
February 9 - Rev. Ed Brock   
February 16 - Rev. Ed Brock 
February 23 - Youth-Led Service 
   
February Theme: Resilience  
This Sunday in Children and Youth Religious Education (CYRE)
Peace and Justice rooms will meet as usual in their age-based groups.
 
Transformers and YOUUTH will meet together to begin planning our youth-led worship service that will be held Sunday, February 23.
 
The CYRE children and youth are excited to bring you their next Outreach Action Project. It's been brought to our attention that our Little Food Pantry is getting lots of use. We are glad it is providing help to those who need it. However, additional items have been requested. The CYRE program will be hosting a drive through March 29 to collect the following items (only new items please):
  • Warm socks (men's/women's all sizes)
  • Underwear (men's/women's all sizes)
  • Toiletries (travel size shampoo/conditioner, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes)
  • Menstrual products (pads, tampons)
  • Cough drops
  • Can openers (manual, small)
We are collecting items in the boxes in the Fellowship Hall and Sanctuary Foyer. 
 
CYRE registration is open! All families, new and returning, should register each year. Click  here
to register!  
 
Submitted by the Children and Youth Religious Education Committee
Plant-Based Living & Discussion Group 
February Meeting

The February meeting of the Huntsville Plant-Based Living & Discussion Group will be held on Saturday, February 8, at 5:30 p.m. in the UUCH Fellowship Hall. Everyone is invited to attend -- even if you don't consider yourself a vegetarian or vegan.

The program will be a showing of the popular film Forks Over Knives. This film is always insightful, whether you've seen it before or not! There will be a potluck dinner with many delicious vegan foods. First-time attendees do not need to bring anything.

We hope to see YOU on February 8! If you have questions, you may contact Cam Scales via email or phone (256-783-9485).

Submitted by the Social Justice Committee
First Sunday Potluck
THIS SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH

This Sunday, February 2, is the date for our monthly potluck lunch! We invite you to join us after the service for this special opportunity to meet new friends and enjoy each other's company while sharing a delicious meal.

Bring your favorite food, whether homemade or store-bought. Drop off your contribution before the service, either on the tables in the corner of the Fellowship Hall or in the warming ovens in the kitchen. Please tell us about the food you are sharing (example: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, contains nuts, etc.) by filling out the tent cards on the counter.

Submitted by the Hospitality Committee
SoulCollage

Each one of us is a unique, individual person, and we are also part of groups, such as our church, local community, and larger world. SoulCollageĀ® is a process that honors these relationships of the one and the many. It is a process of using images, intuition, and imagination to create cards to honor the parts of ourselves, people in our community, and archetypes or energies that affect us. We have many parts of ourselves or aspects of our personalities, and we are one whole human being.

Join us the first Sunday of the month at 10:00 a.m. or the first Monday evening from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. as we get to know ourselves and our church community better. As we know ourselves better, we become more integrated, whole, and healthy human beings. No experience or skill is required to participate!

Submitted by the Adult Religious Education Committee
Share the Plate

During February and March, we will share half the Sunday offering each week with Habitat for Humanity of Madison County!
 
Habitat for Humanity of Madison County is an ecumenical, grassroots, Christian housing ministry that seeks to eliminate poverty housing from our community and make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. The need for affordable housing in Huntsville and Madison County is great. Of the families in our area who make less than $48,000 a year, 42% of them pay 50% or more of their gross income for housing. This is a statistic that needs to change. Only a few organizations are working to solve this problem -- Habitat for Humanity of Madison County is one of the largest and most effective. We are all better off when our community has better homes for our families.
 
Submitted by the Social Justice Committee
New Photo Directories Have Arrived!

If your picture was included in the recent UUCH photo directory, your free directory copy is available to pick up in the Fellowship Hall. Each directory has a last name on a label on the back cover, so make sure to pick up only your assigned directory. These photo directories serve as a great tool to connect our congregation, helping us remember names and faces and providing current contact information. 

Special thanks go to Mitzi Woody for efficiently managing this entire project from start to finish! Her unflappable attitude and attention to detail made her a joy to work with. Thanks also to the many volunteers coordinated by Mitzi to help with the photo sessions and other aspects of the directory.

And thanks to Lifetouch Photography for providing this free service.

Please proof your contact information in back of the new directory, and email the church office if there are changes or updates that need to be made.

With deep appreciation to Mitzi and everyone involved,

Pam Korb 2019-20 Membership Chair


Submitted by the Membership Committee
UUCH Annual Certification

Each January, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) asks UU congregations nationwide to report specific data. The following information was reported by UUCH to the UUA in January 2020:  
  • Current membership: 170
  • Average total Sunday attendance: 102 (calendar year 2019)  
  • Average children/youth Sunday attendance: 20  
  • Current RE registration: 71  
For the church year ending June 30, 2019:
  • Total pledge income: $203,162  
  • Individual & family pledging units: 94  
  • Total operating expenses: $219,280  
For comparison purposes, the following was reported last year in January 2019:  
  • Membership: 169  
  • Average total Sunday attendance: 100 (calendar year 2018)  
  • RE registration: 83  
For the church year ending June 30, 2018:  
  • Total pledge income: $178,409  
  • Individual & family pledging units: 96  
  • Total operating expenses: $183,697
     
Submitted by the Membership Committee
votives
Care List
 
This Sunday, January 26, 2020,  at our Circle of Candles:
 
Rachael Scheib, Jessica Schulz, and Theresa & Tim Miller lit a Candle of Joy: Visited Pam Siegler at her home -- she is recovering well and hopes to see us in February.          
  
John Czachurski lit a Candle of Joy: My dad is home from the hospital after having fluid drained from his lungs.
 
Bryan Walls lit a Candle of Joy: Thankful that Diane is home recovering from sinus surgery and her broken foot. Hope she'll be back out and about soon.  
 
John Czachurski lit a Candle of Sorrow: Remembering my aunt, Virginia Judy, who passed away earlier this month.