Rev. Patricia Hart, with Rev. David Ruffin, Caring & Belonging and Healthy Congregation Team leaders
"Talking & Listening Together"
This Sunday, leaders from the Caring & Belonging teams and Healthy Congregation Team join us for a Community Conversation as we look ahead to our return to the Meeting House.
Join us live on Zoom at bit.ly/3y8h8sAat 10 a.m. Followed by the Annual Meeting at 11 a.m. at the same Zoom link.
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance
Once again, this year's annual meeting will be held on Zoom! We will be voting on three items: 1) Approve the minutes from last year's annual meeting, 2) Approve the slate of nominations, and 3) Approve the 2021/2022 Fiscal Year Budget. We need to have at least 45 members at the meeting to reach a quorum, so please plan to attend this Sunday, June 6 at 11 a.m. at this Zoom link:bit.ly/3y8h8sA. If you do not have internet access, you may call in to the meeting at (929) 205-6099 (meeting ID: 937 3974 2046, passcode: 379132.
Sunday Worship (10 a.m.) will also be held via Zoom at the same link, followed by the Annual Meeting (11 a.m.).
We hope to make this year’s annual meeting a bit easier than last year. We will be voting by using the “Raise Your Hand” feature in Zoom. Here is a short video on how to raise your hand 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 links to the Summary Budget, the Annual Meeting Warning, and the Annual Report on our website at uusociety.org/members/meeting-minutes.
We look forward to seeing you!
Monthly Interfaith Anti-Racism Vigil
Zoe Hart, Racial Justice Team
With the gradual loosening of COVID-19 guidelines, we are able to resume our monthly anti-racism vigils. On the first Sunday of each month, we join with other faith communities in Burlington and around Vermont in standing together in faith against racism. The vigil begins at 1 p.m. and goes until 1:30. We will have as many signs as we can supply from our regular Love & Justice signs, but you're invited to bring your own as well. Given that not everyone has been able to be vaccinated, we ask that all participants wear a mask during the vigil. Please join us this Sunday, June 6 at 1 p.m.
A Special (In-Person) Flower Communion
Rev. Tricia Hart and Erika Reif
On the Meeting House grounds
Sunday, June 13, 1- 2 p.m.
We’re not yet meeting inside the Sanctuary... but those who would like to gather outside the Meeting House are most welcome to join in a special version of First UU’s beloved Flower Communion.
We’ll set up chairs – just bring yourselves, your family and friends, and flowers to share. We’ll all wear masks and maintain distance to keep each other safe, and protect those not yet vaccinated.
There will be music on the steps of the Meeting House, plus activities for children – and adults! – on the lawn:
Painting rocks, to deliver later to those who can’t come in person.
Planting the sunflower garden.
Activities still being planned by the YUUth Group for children and the young at heart!
Open-Air Story Paths Return... Come Amble!
Margo Whitcomb, Faith Development Assistant
Where did we come from? Continuing our story installations on the grounds of the Meeting House, this offering is an engaging call and response text where a child (or adult) can “wiggle like a fish or hoot like an ape” while learning the story of evolution. Grandmother Fish offers vibrant illustrations and engaging text for all.
Racial Justice Team Seeks a Few Good People
Caitlin Waddick, Racial Justice Team
The Racial Justice Team (RJT) seeks a few people to help with 3 or 4 writing and thinking tasks that have a defined scope of commitment and relaxed deadlines that can be met remotely. First: we have a document to revise; it would be less than 3 hours of time. The document is called “How to Fight Racism Right Now: What You Can Do.” Two or three people can meet (remotely by phone/video) 1 or 2 times in June/July for less than an hour, and we will create an improved version to share with the congregation on the uusociety.org website.
Second, the Racial Justice Team had a panel event on May 10. We used Padlet technology to explore 4 questions; it went well. Would you be willing to look at the Padlet data files and summarize them in a format that others can easily read? This job could be done by 1 or 2 people. It will take under 3 hours. It will be read by members of the RJT and integrated into our materials. Also, people who attended the event are invited to look at these files directly in their raw format.
Third, the Racial Justice Team wrote a survey for members of the congregation that has 4 open-ended questions. Do you have qualitative analysis skills? We seek 1-3 people to read the responses (in July/August) and create “results” for the RJT to use with our projects. We don’t know how many respondents our survey will have, probably fewer than 100. The survey, now in draft form, might go out later this month.
More about the Racial Justice Team’s activities are here: uusociety.org/racial-justice-resources. We invite everyone to check out the Racial Justice Resources document, linked at the bottom of our page. (In fact, a fourth opportunity to get involved would be to revise that document.) If you are willing to do any of these tasks this summer, please email [email protected].
From the Flower Team
Peggy Derby, Flower Team Chair
The Flower Team is looking for members who can volunteer flowers from their own gardens to be used in the Sunday flower arrangements. If you have extras and are able, please email Peggy Derby at [email protected].
The Josh Pallotta Fund
Jon Sallée, Worship Associates Team
At the Memorial Day service, our donation was directed to The Josh Pallotta Fund, whose mission is to ensure that our nation’s warriors receive whatever help they need, even if just time with others, to manifest the vision of a world free of Veteran suicide. The recently-opened Josh’s House, in the Ft. Ethan Allen area of Colchester, is a place for Veterans, current service members, and their families to find peace and connection with one another, learn life skills, or enjoy recreational activities.
We also mentioned the meal train sign-up at mealtrain.com/g2v5dl, a commitment to provide a meal for 15 adults, that can be cooked at home and dropped off or cooked in the kitchen at Josh’s House. There is an ongoing list of other needs and requests maintained and updated occasionally on Facebook. Most importantly, they will gratefully accept most donations of food, funds, expertise, and especially time whenever offered.
Scheduling Outdoor Gatherings at FUUSB
Mary Williams, Society Administrator
From now through July, small groups may schedule outdoor gatherings in the Memorial Garden or lawn (maximum 25 people). If your team would like to schedule a gathering, please submit the Outdoor Space Use Request Form which can be found at uusociety.org/information/space-use. We are asking groups using outdoor spaces to follow current State of Vermont Universal Guidance. For questions, please contact Mary at [email protected] or 862-5630, ext. 2100.
We expect to begin scheduling indoor space for small groups in August. In the meantime, if an individual needs access to the Meeting House, please contact David McFeeters, Facilities Manager, at [email protected] or 862-5630, ext. 2300. We ask that anyone entering the building wear a mask.
Does Your Group Meet on Zoom?
Mary Williams, Society Administrator
If your team or small group has been meeting regularly online using a FUUSB Zoom account, please let Mary know if you will not be meeting over the summer. Just send your last Zoom meeting date to [email protected]. Thank you!
If you need to schedule a new Zoom meeting, please submit this Zoom Meeting Request Form. It can also be found on our website on the Space Use page or the Forms page.
New England Region UUA Newsletter
The June newsletter of the New England Region UUA is available at this link!