Events this Saturday:

Green Sanctuary Task Force Fall Clothing Swap

Oct 29, 10 a.m. to noon, in Fellowship Hall

Renew your wardrobe while caring for the Earth at this fall's Swap, in Fellowship Hall tomorrow morning from 10 am until 12 noon. Questions? Contact Stephanie Kimball.

Earth Kin Celebrates Samhain

Oct 29, 7:00 p.m. in the Courtyard

Earth Kin, UUCB’s Earth-centered spirituality group, is hosting a Samhain ritual tomorrow evening from 7–9 p.m. This will be a ritual in the OBOD Druidic tradition focusing on honoring the dead and releasing personal burdens. If you will be joining us, please email rhiannonsnow3 (at) gmail . com asking for the personal reflection questions. No prior experience necessary; anyone with respectful intent may attend. We’ll be outside in the courtyard if the weather is sufficiently nice (dress warmly, and bring a penlight if possible!), or in Fellowship Hall if it’s rainy. Please bring a dish to pass. We would love to have you join us! --Rhiannon Snow for Earth Kin

African Americans in Monroe County

Sunday, October 30, 7 p.m. in Our Meeting Room

Local historian Elizabeth (Liz) Mitchell will give a presentation about the history of African Americans in Monroe County, followed by Q&A, at 7 p.m. on Sunday, October 30 in our Meeting Room. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about this important, and often disregarded, piece of Monroe County history. The presentation will also be available via live stream. The event, sponsored by our Racial Justice Task Force, is free and open to the public. A more complete event description and bio for Liz is available here – please share with others and help spread the word about this opportunity to learn about our history.

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About Liz… Liz has been active in her passion for African American history for more than 40 years. Along with her husband James Mitchell Jr., she has collected “Jim Crow” artifacts. Together, they own the largest private collection of African American memorabilia in Indiana, and they use their collection to educate and stimulate conversations about race in America. Liz was named Citizen of the Year in 2007, received the Martin Luther King’s Legacy Award in 2010, and was named a Bloomington Living Legend in 2012. In 2018, the Indiana Historical Society recognized her with the Hubert Hawkins Award for Local History. In 2019, she received the Indiana Lt. Governor’s Golden Hoosier Award.

Upcoming & Ongoing in Religious Education

Our children and youth are warmly welcomed in our worship service this Sunday as we remember loved ones who have died. Wear a costume! Activity kits will be provided, and childcare is available in room 108 for kids who need a break.

Ongoing programs:

• Spirit Play for ages 4-6: Sundays during worship, no class 10/30
• Kids' Club for ages 6 - 12: Sundays during worship, no class 10/30
• Widening the Circle of Concern: Nov. 6

See our website for details about our current offerings! For more information on lifespan religious education, please also see the most recent issue of Education Matters, our monthly RE newsletter. 

Invitation to new Church Directory in your inbox

If you haven't yet joined our new online church directory, be on the lookout for an email invitation that went out today! Here is a screenshot of what that email looks like. You have control over what information you would like to share in the directory. You can also upload a photo of yourself. Your information will only be seen by other members and friends of the church. Here is where to log in and view the new directory: uucb.churchcenter.com/directory

(Note on logging in: You will be prompted to log in by entering your mobile phone number or email address. A code will then be sent to you to log in with - no need to set or remember a password!)

PERSIMMON DROP-OFF INFO (Oct 30)

AND PULPING PARTY (Nov 6) PARTICULARS! 

First, MANY THANKS to all who helped with the persimmon harvest this year as well as to those who invited us to come on their property to do the picking up. You are APPRECIATED!! 

• IF you have FROZEN PERSIMMONS, please deposit them in the UUCB kitchen freezer no later than Sunday, October 30. 
• OTHERWISE, please bring THAWED PERSIMMONS to the kitchen after the Sunday service on November 6, which is the same day and time to appear with apron in hand IF you want to be a part of the ooey-gooey awesome PERSIMMON PULPING PARTY FUN. 

QUESTIONS? Please contact Ruellen Fessenbecker –  rfessenb (at) indiana (dot) edu

UU Humanists meet Sunday, October 30

12:00 noon in Room 208 (and on Zoom)

The UU Humanist Forum will meet this Sunday at noon in person in Room 208 at the church, with an option to join online via Zoom. Kevin Craig will facilitate a discussion on "Christian Nationalism as our greatest threat." Please contact Ann Watzel or Harold Ogren for the Zoom link.

Does Monroe County Need a New Jail?

As chair of the Hope for Prisoners Task Force, I have concerns over the decisions being made to build a new jail.  Please follow this link for more information, and look for me this Sunday at a table in Fellowship Hall to sign a petition. There is also an online petition to sign, here: 

No New Jail! Online Petition 

--Debbie Fish

Final call to support the All-Options Diaper Program during October, for Reproductive Justice

During October our Reproductive Justice task force is encouraging direct donations to All-Options to support their diaper program!

Donate online here: all-options.networkforgood.com (Apply my donation to: Hoosier Diaper Program)

OR mail a check, noting "Diaper Program" on the memo line, to:

All-Options, 1014 S Walnut, Bloomington IN 47401

Learn more here: alloptionsprc.org/diaper-program

Join the UU Hikers on Tuesday and Thursday next week: Sycamore Loop and Pate Hollow Loop Trails

Tuesday, November 1, 10: a.m.

Sycamore Loop Trail in Deam Wilderness

This is a moderately challenging 6.4-mile hike, so bring lunch, water, walking sticks and whatever you need to be comfortable. To carpool, meet at the Bloomingfoods East parking lot at 9:30 am, or come to the trailhead by 10 am. We should be back to Bloomingfoods by 2:30 pm. Register here.

Thursday, November 3, 9:00 a.m.

Pate Hollow Loop

This a fairly easy 3-mile hike. To carpool, meet at the Bloomingfoods East parking lot by 8:45 am, or at the trailhead by 9:00 am. We should be back to the cars by 11 am. Register here.

Next Women's Alliance Meeting

Thursday, November 3, 11:30 am – 1 pm

UU's Reproductive Justice Task Force

In person in Fellowship Hall (and on Zoom)

Please join us on Thursday, November 3, at 11:30 am in Fellowship Hall for the next Women's Alliance program. There will also be a Zoom set-up for those who wish to participate from their homes. Pat Slabach and others from UU's Reproductive Justice Task Force will speak about the current situation in Indiana with regard to abortion and where we go from here. We will enjoy our brown bag lunches at 11:30 am with the program beginning at noon followed by our business meeting. All are welcome! An email reminder will be sent out prior to the meeting. If you wish to be added to the list or want more information, please contact Doris Wittenburg, President, dwittenb(at)indiana.edu.

Time for Change! Start collecting now, for our Hunger Task Force to pick up in November

Yes! There is a need for change! Relieve your piggy banks, look in the bottom of your washing machine and between your sofa cushions, check all your pockets and the backs of drawers... assemble all of your loose change into a ziplock bag and save it for pick up! The UU Hunger Task Force will collect your donations on Nov 21 and 22 and put that spare change to good use to help end hunger in our community.

2022 Holiday Art Fair and Bazaar: December 2-3

Volunteers wanted for this year's Bazaar! If you would like to help with donations, please contact the people listed below. More information about volunteering to help during the event will be available in November. 

COOKIE CRUISE - bulk cookies of all kinds

   Lynn Struve, lynn.struve(at)gmail.com

GOURMET GALAXY - breads, cakes, pies & other treats. 

Gourmet Galaxy is also looking for soup makers.

   Ann Kamman, aok719(at)yahoo.com

BOOK SALE - gently used or just worth reading again, all ages

   Glee Noble, gleenoble(at)yahoo.com

WHITE ELEPHANT SALE - new or used items (no clothes or electronics)

  Doris Wittenburg, dwittenb(at)indiana.edu

FIBER ARTS - handmade knitted, crocheted, woven, and quilted pieces

   Mary Blizzard, maryblizzard6(at)gmail.com