Come join in a big celebration of this year at First UU – recognizing new members, sharing in the beauty of Flower Communion, appreciating Faith Development (and many other) volunteers who keep this congregation alive and growing. And all of you!
Bring a blossom to share for Flower Communion.
Join us for worship in person in the Sanctuary, or online. The livestream link and order of service will be shared at bit.ly/FUUSBWorship, or visit our YouTube channel.
After the service, all are welcome to Coffee Hour, either outside in front of the Meeting House or in the Community Room, depending on weather.
While at the Meeting House, anyone is welcome to wear a mask. In the spirit of caring for each other, please stay home if you have any cold or flu symptoms. Thank you.
Children & Youth This Sunday
Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development
The service is multigenerational, meaning children will stay with their families in the Sanctuary. There will be opportunities for participation throughout, as well as the coloring pages and small toys we always have on hand. Children and youth will have the opportunity to help recognize the guides and teachers who have led their Faith Development classes all year. The Nursery will also be open. After the service Outdoor Coffee Hour will come with outdoor toys and an opportunity to share muffins and conversation with Rev. Tricia. Also at 11:30, the final session of 5th/6th grade OWL will begin in the Community Room.
Muffins with Rev. Tricia
Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development
Sunday June 4, 11:30 a.m.
We heard from some parents that their kids need a little more support in processing the change in senior ministers. This very casual event will be an opportunity for any children or youth who would like to spend some quality time with our beloved outgoing minister before the hubbub of her good-bye celebration on the 11th. There will be a table and chairs with muffins and lemonade on the front lawn; meet Rev. Tricia there at 11:30 for conversation.
Last Chance to Contribute Well-Wishes to the Memory Book!
Hope Baker-Carr, Board President
The deadline for submitting your 5” x 4” cards for the Memory Book for Rev. Tricia is this coming Sunday, June 4 at 12:15 p.m. Place them in the box on the piano in the Parlors. Alternately, you may email a message to me and I will print it on a card and include it in the book (email: [email protected]). Photos are also welcome! The book will be presented to her at her Retirement party on June 11. Thank you!!
Fiber Arts Group
Linda Graves
Please join the Fiber Arts Group for an hour of working on whatever your current project is. We gather from 7 to 8 p.m. on June 6 via Zoom. This is a purely social group of sharing ideas for projects along with (perhaps) some show and tell. Here’s the link and hope to see you there! http://bit.ly/3qKUgLa (meeting ID: 813 5671 4635, passcode: 112630)
Endings & Beginnings: A Year-End Evening Gathering - June 7
Wednesday, June 7
Music, Poetry, & other Sharing with Potluck beforehand!
6 p.m. Potluck Dinner & 7 p.m. Service Gathering
With Rev. Tricia & Rev. David, Creative Arts Ministry leaders, James, Sam & the FUUSB Choir
Before our big farewell to Rev. Tricia on Sunday, June 11, creative arts ministry leaders have decided to offer this more informal opportunity to be together to mark all the transitions we are in the midst of as a community, through poetry, song and sharing. Goodbyes to David and Rev. Tricia accompany the arrival of many new faces and return of old faces. There's a sense of the closing of an unforgettable chapter of life and community at FUUSB, and the anticipation of an exciting new chapter beginning. This is an opportunity for appreciation and reflection.
Big thanks to the Choir for inviting us all to join their last rehearsal time! We'll gather with them in the Community Room at 6 p.m. for a potluck dinner (contributions welcome!) and then enjoy a music and arts-filled service gathering at 7 p.m. upstairs in the Sanctuary, with space for sharing what's on our hearts at this time.
Sunday, June 11 at 10 a.m. will be the last time that Rev. Tricia Hart leads the worship service as our Developmental Senior Minister. So at 11:15 that day, we will celebrate her ministry career with a special event in the sanctuary, followed by a picnic lunch at 12:30 on the lawn.
Childcare will be available during the event in the sanctuary, which will be live-streamed for those who wish to watch at home.
Please click this link before June 5 to sign up to bring something yummy for the potluck, or to volunteer to assist in the set-up and take-down.
FUUSB Annual Meeting
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance
2023 Annual Meeting
First UU Society of Burlington, Vermont
Monday, June 12 at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom
Once again, this year's annual meeting will be held on Zoom! If you are a voting member, you should have received the annual meeting warning in the mail. This year we will be voting on three items:
1. Accept the minutes from the 2022 Annual Meeting
2. Elect candidates for openings on the Board of Trustees, the Officers of the Society, the Nominating Team, and the Endowment Fund Team
3. Vote on the proposed 2023/2024 Fiscal Year Budget
We need to have at least 46 members at the meeting to reach a quorum, so please plan to attend on Monday, June 12 at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom at this link: https://bit.ly/3BbzFap. If you do not have internet access, you may call in to the meeting at 929-205-6099 (Northeast US). Meeting ID: 999 4765 8008, passcode: 444407.
Please note that registration opens at 6:00 p.m. When you check into the Zoom meeting you will be put into a waiting room. You may be there for a little while; please be patient. Please make sure that your full name is entered on your Zoom window. We will be voting by using the “Raise Your Hand” feature in Zoom. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Zoom, we will walk you through it at the beginning of the meeting. If you have more than one voting member in your household, you may wish to log on to different devices so that we can count both of your votes.
You can find the Summary Budget, Annual Meeting Warning, and last year's Annual Meeting Minutes on our website at uusociety.org/members/meeting-minutes.
Please join us on June 12 at 6:30 p.m.!
The Board's Bold Vision
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance
At their May Board Meeting, following a long high-spirited discussion, the Board made the decision to recommend to you, the congregation, a balanced budget. Doing this required them to agree to lead this congregation in raising an additional $47,000 in income. This is a bold move indeed, and one that will require more from each and every one of us. To be clear, this income will need to come from many places, not just pledge income. You will hear more about this at the Annual Meeting, so please come!
Although all the new income will not come from pledges, there are a few ways that you could help this effort right now. By going to uusociety.org/donate/stewardship you can 1) Complete a pledge card for the 2023/24 fiscal year if you have not already done so, 2) Update your current pledge for the 23/24 fiscal year if you are able to do so, 3) Make a one-time gift to FUUSB to help with this effort, and 4) Make sure that you have paid your 2022/23 fiscal year pledge by the end of the fiscal year.
We will be working to raise this revenue on many different fronts, from expanding rentals such as weddings and concerts, to holding additional fundraisers that can bring income in from the community. Rev. Karen is already working on ideas to raise money during the Solar Eclipse happening in April 2024. So put your thinking caps on and get ready for a fun, community-filled year!
Mary Williams, Society Administrator
Just a reminder that we are seeking articles for the next Steeple newsletter, which is published four times per year. The deadline to submit articles is June 7, and the word limit is 400 words. If you would like to write about a FUUSB project or team for the upcoming issue, or have questions, please email [email protected]. For more details, please visit uusociety.org/information/newsletters-publications. Thank you!
From VIA: Call the Governor About the End to Emergency Housing
This week, approximately 730 Vermonters were sent out of the motels where they had been sheltered because they have no permanent housing. Over the next two months, another 2,000 people will be exited from this program. Although the Governor and his Administration have had two years or more to plan for alternate temporary housing options, they have not taken action to provide actual emergency housing units and have now pushed the problem onto our local communities. VIA is giving you three ways to help address this crisis: 1) take a minute every day next week to call the Governor's office; 2) take 5 minutes once this week to email your state representatives and senators; 3) provide direct assistance to the people coming out of the motel program.