The Overlook
Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville 
3921 Broadmor Rd., Huntsville, AL 35810  
April 16, 2020
Vol. 20 Issue 16
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
 
Please note that all meetings, worship services, and gatherings will be  held online until further notice. Please check our Facebook page and website for updated information.  
   
Thurs. 4/16
 
Coffee Chat with LaDawn
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.  
Click Here to Join
 
Principles of Resilience
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Click Here to Join  
Meeting ID: 150 074 793
Password: 341832  
 
Shame Combat: Exploring the Work of Brené Brown
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Click Here to Join
Meeting ID: 771 716 053
Password: 293320 
 
 
Sat. 4/18
Coping with Shocks and Changes Created by COVID-19 
11:00 - 12:00 p.m.
Click Here to Join 
Meeting ID: 480 978 675
Password: 622016 
 
Children's Sharing Circle  
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. 
 

Sun. 4/19
Sunday Worship Ministerial Search Committee
10:45 a.m.
 
Soul Circle Small Group - Group D
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
 

Mon. 4/20  
Better Breathing and Stress Reduction
2:00 - 3:00 a.m.
Click Here to Join
Meeting ID: 117 825 955
Password: 087859  
 
 
Tues. 4/21
Amanda's Coffee Chat
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Click Here to Join
Meeting ID: 170 180 170
 
 
Wed. 4/22
Susan's Coffee Chat
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Click Here to Join  
Meeting ID: 684 630 081
 

Thurs. 4/23
LaDawn's Coffee Chat
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. 
Click Here to join
Meeting ID: 770 783 477 
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, April 28.
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

Have You Heard?
April 19, 2020

This week, join us as the Ministerial Search Committee (MSC) presents information about our candidate for settled minister to the congregation! Along with an Earth Day theme (Earth Day is April 21), the MSC will share their experiences and heartfelt thoughts about our candidate and what moved them to believe a match for UUCH was in the making. All of the members of the MSC have individually prepared to address the congregation during our virtual service. They will share with you our candidate's strengths and professional skills, as well as the many ways in which our candidate is committed to our beloved UU principles. Following a lengthy and detailed search process, the MSC is thrilled to finally be able to spread the word!  

Click here to join our virtual worship service at 10:45 a.m. this Sunday, April 12; Meeting ID: 229 305 601
 
 
April Theme -  Liberation 
This Sunday in Children and Youth Religious Education (CYRE)
Virtual CYRE Is Here!

CYRE families, children, and youth are invited to a special, virtual CYRE check-in on Saturday, April 18, at 3 p.m. Reunite with church friends, catch up, and enjoy some RE-style rich time with each other. We will gather together for a lively opening worship and then break out into two smaller groups for activities and sharing. All registered families will be emailed a Zoom invitation with a password to join the session (this is important for child/youth safety).

If you are not registered in the program, we invite you to do so now. Or send an email to express interest in the gathering, and we will be sure you are invited.   
 
Submitted by the Children and Youth Religious Education Committee
Music Ministry
 
Thank you all for bringing such beautiful flowers to our service Sunday. It was moving to me to have the Delaceys' flower story weaving the gallery shots of us all bringing spring to each other.

Thank you, too, to Erin and all those who submitted pictures for the Flower Communion slide presentation. So sweet, especially with Haley Clark singing "The Garden Song" (by David Mallett), with musical backing from her dad Glen and Theresa and Tim Miller.

Please don't forget to take a moment to submit a word you think of every morning when you get up that completes our thread song... "Woke up this morning with my mind stayed on _______."

Blessings,

Pam Siegler 
Music Director

Submitted by the Music Director
This Sunday - The Big Announcement of Our Ministerial Candidate!


This Sunday, April 19, after more than a year of searching, the Ministerial Search Committee (MSC) will be excited to announce the name of our chosen candidate. The Sunday service will be dedicated to informing the congregation about the candidate and all the reasons why we think they will be a great match for UUCH.
 
This announcement will begin the two-week "Candidating Weeks" period of our search. This is the time in which the congregation gets to know the candidate and considers the information needed to have the final vote on May 3 about whether to call this person as our new settled minister. It is ultimately the congregation that must vote to call a minister, so it is important that you take advantage of these opportunities to get to know the candidate.
 
All these events and meetings will be held electronically due to the circumstances related to the global pandemic, but we feel confident that you will have adequate opportunities to become very familiar with the candidate's qualifications and talents. During these Candidating Weeks, the candidate will lead two Sunday services, on April 26 and May 3, so you will have the chance to hear them give sermons. 

During the week, the candidate will meet with the staff, the Board, the Council, and many of our church committees. There will be many small "coffee and chat" Zoom meetings for congregational members to virtually meet the candidate where you can have a more personal discussion with the candidate and ask them questions. The candidate will also make a website available so that you can see their resume, learn about their background, and hear examples of talks they have given.
 
Please watch your email for an upcoming schedule of the many Candidating Weeks events. This email will allow you to sign up for times to meet the candidate in the small settings and provide instructions for getting in the meetings. The Board is also working on the procedures for the congregational vote, and you will be getting information on that, as well. So keep an eye on the newsletter and your email in the next couple of weeks for important announcements.
 
Some of the key upcoming events are as follows:
  • April 19: MSC-led service where MSC will announce the candidate and MSC members will talk about various aspects of the candidate and what excites us about this candidate. There will be chat rooms open after the service so that you can ask questions of the MSC members.
  • April 20 - May 3: Candidate meets with staff, Board, Council, and committees. Many small Zoom meetings will be held where everyone will have a chance or two to meet with the candidate
  • April 26: Candidate will lead their first worship service
  • May 3 (morning): Candidate will lead their second worship service
  • May 3 (afternoon): Congregational meeting (to be held virtually) to vote on calling the candidate to be our next settled minister
We are very optimistic that this will be an exciting time for UUCH. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the MSC.

Submitted by the Ministerial Search Committee 
Better Breathing and Stress Reduction


During times of stress, we all tend to hold our breath. How can we let go of this habit and improve our capacity to breath? The Feldenkrais Method®, with its ability to improve movement and awareness, can be helpful for times such as we are currently experiencing.
 
Moving air into and out of the lungs is accomplished by movements of a system of muscles, including the diaphragm, muscles between the ribs, and other muscles in the chest, neck, and back. The diaphragm and intercostal  (or "between the ribs") muscles do most of the work of moving air, but if the accessory muscles become stiff, expansion of the rib cage can be limited. Maintaining elasticity in these muscles is critical for the health of the respiratory system and for maximizing its capacity.
 
Join us for a series of Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement® lessons with a focus on breathing. These lessons will be taught via Zoom. We will be lying on the floor, or a bed, or you can sit and imagine you are lying. Ideally you would arrange your camera so you can be seen, but as long as you can hear the instructions, you will be able to follow the lesson. In the Feldenkrais Method®, the teacher rarely demonstrates. Instead the student listens to the instructions, approximates them as closely as they can, and figures out what works for them. Each person finds how they can improve, instead of how to achieve a fixed goal. So you can make the impossible possible, the possible easy, and the easy elegant.
 
We will be meeting twice a week, Mondays 10:00-11:00 and Fridays 2:00-3:00, starting April 13 - April 24.  
 
Click Here for Monday's Class   
Meeting ID: 117 825 955 and Password 087859  
   
Click Here for Friday's Class  
Meeting ID: 833 893 149 and Password: 317497 
 
Submitted by the Adult Religious Education Committee 
Worship Service Recording 
April 12, 2020
 
 
Did you miss our virtual worship service last Sunday? Want a mid week re-watch?  
 
Fear not, you can click here to see the recording.   
 
Remember, the building is closed,  
but CHURCH is open! 
 
Submitted by the Worship Committee 
Donate via Text Message  
 
  
To give a plate offering to UUCH from your mobile device, text the amount (with dollar sign) to 833-559-0257, and follow the instructions.
 
Like our other online and mobile giving options, this is through Vanco, is secure, and has a good option for "plate" donations.  
 
Text giving is by debit or credit card only. To give from your bank account, you can still use the UUCH website or the GivePlus+ mobile app.
  
Submitted by the Finance Committee 
Adult Religious Education Classes
 
 
Thank you for your response to my inquiry about interest in attending classes and groups I will be leading. Below is the list of classes and groups, with dates and times that got the highest response. All of the classes will be held via Zoom. 
 
A list of all these classes and links to them will be listed on the Zoom page of the church. 

April 16 (Thursday) at 2 p.m.
Contemporary Buddhism
 
April 16 (Thursday) at 3 p.m.
Principles of Reliance
 
April 16 (Thursday) at 4 p.m.
Shame Combat: Exploring the Work of Brené Brown
 
April 18 (Saturday) at 11 a.m.
Coping with Emotional Shocks and Changes Created by COVID-19

Submitted by the Minister
Mental Health Break  
 
 
This week's quarantine mental health break is brought to you by Lady Gaga. "One World Together at Home" will be a live, streamed music festival that celebrates "the power of the human" this Friday, April 18, at 7:00 p.m. Stars will include Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Lizzo, and Billie Eilish, and is hosted by late night comedians Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, and Stephen Colbert. The concert will be simulcast on all major networks and streamed for free.
 
In addition, music and comedy keep popping up online -- Saturday Night Live was hosted by "Celebrity Canary in the Coalmine" Tom Hanks. The brilliant cast members had to improvise from their separate homes, but the humor was topical, creative, and sometimes reminiscent of TikTok. No doubt there's more coming.
 
If theatre has been a big part of your life on either side of the footlights, you may want to turn your attention to Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Shows Must Go On! YouTube channel, which will offer a different free filmed musical from 40 years of hits every Friday. Evita, CATS, Jesus Christ Superstar, and  Phantom of the Opera trade off with 'deep cuts' like "By Jeeves" and "Trailblazers." Even MORE elegant entertainment comes from the New York Metropolitan Opera, which is in its 5th week of offering streaming of its catalog of HD operas. Each is available for 1 day only, so check their weekly listings.
   
Submitted by the Care Committee 
Save the Date

The following are opportunities for the UUCH Congregation to become acquainted with our ministerial candidate:

Sunday, April 26 at 12:00 p.m.
Town Hall with Candidate

Tuesday, April 28 at 9:00 a.m.
Coffee Chat with Congregation (led by Amanda S.)

Wednesday, April 29 at 10:00 a.m.
Coffee Chat with Congregation (led by Susan C.)

Thursday, April 30 at 10:00 a.m.
Coffee Chat with Congregation (led by Betsy A.)

Thursday, April 30 at 3:00 p.m.
Coffee Chat with Congregation (led by LaDawn E.)

Friday, May 1 at 1:00 p.m.
Coffee Chat with Congregation (Led by Brad K.)

Friday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m.
Happy Hour with Congregation (led by Barbara H.)

Coffee Chats and Happy Hours are limited to 12 participants and will require your to sign up.  Please click here to select the date and time in which you would like to participate.

Submitted by the Ministerial Search Committee 
Like a Good Neighbor. . . 
We Fill the Pantry

The Little Free Pantry has been well used in recent weeks, with an estimated 12 people visiting per day. Even with daily restocking we sometimes find the shelves completely empty. Do you have a little extra you could share with needy families? Maybe you tried a new type of pasta that your spouse didn't like and are wondering what to do with the other 11 boxes. Just email and we can do a porch pickup to maintain your social isolation.

Any food added to our Little Green Food Pantry would be helpful. We need a variety of items, including c anned meats, cereals, mac and cheese, pasta, peanut butter and jelly, ravioli, energy bars, fruit cups/cans, pasta sauce, soups, packets of dried potatoes, canned milk, instant ramen, baby wipes, canned veggies, oatmeal, etc. 

Please contact the church office if you would like to schedule a drop-off and request assistance. Or feel free to stop by and stock the pantry on your own. There is a black storage box located just outside the door that you can place extra pantry supplies in. We have a list of volunteers who will be stopping by to put extra supplies in the building and restock the pantry as needed. 

If you would like to sign up to bring food and restock the pantry, please click here to choose a slot(s). 

Submitted by the Social Justice and Care Committees  
Cooking in Hard Times
Today's recipe comes to us from Becky Adams, who shares her recipe for Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies. Becky says, "I got this from Alton Brown's YouTube channel. I highly recommend his channel for folks who might be newer to cooking."

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
  2. Cream sugars with peanut butter.
  3. Add egg with remaining ingredients. 
  4. Scoop tablespoon-sized balls onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Use fork to make crosshatch pattern on cookies. (Press and slide fork; don't lift.)
  5. Bake 10-12 mins.
Recipe should yield at least 16 cookies

Submitted by the Hospitality Committee
Soul Matters Small Groups
Soul Matters Small Groups are continuing to meet through Zoom! During this time of physical separation, UU "Soul Matters" Small Groups are a wonderful way to deeply engage in and with our church, build and strengthen connections with others in our spiritual community, and find wisdom and meaning along our own personal journeys.

We currently have five groups running at UUCH, and we encourage more people to participate in the program. Participants often say it is on of the most impactful activities they do at our church, and it's a great way to get to know yourself and others!

Soul Matters Groups are designed as a companion program to a congregation's worship and religious education ministries, using monthly themes such as "compassion", "forgiveness", or "truth" that are integrated in all aspects of the church. Being a part of a small group allows you to go deeper in the themes that are being discussed in worship or in children's curriculum.

What do you do in a Soul Matters Group?

Each month, participants are given packets that contain resources for individual exploration that include questions, exercises, readings, music, videos on the theme, and individuals can choose how they want to engage with the topic before meeting with the group. Participants then come to the group to discuss the theme. You control your own pace and the depth of your study, but there are plenty of materials to engage you through the month.

Soul Matters Small Groups follow a special format, designed to make sure that everyone who wishes to speak is heard, and that we listen to one another without debate, judgement, or interruption. Trained facilitators will guide the group through the format and help to make sure that the environment is a welcoming and moderated space for all to share and learn. Groups will meet by Zoom once a month at the same time, and meetings are usually about an hour-and-a-half long. If Zoom is new to you, don't fret! We have several experienced users that would be happy to walk you through how to participate in a virtual meeting by phone or computer.

How can I join a group?

If you are interested in participating or have questions, please contact Adult RE chair Lynsie Lamitie.
 
Submitted by the Adult Religious Education Committee
votives
Care List
 
This Sunday, April 12, 2020,  at our Circle of Candles:
   
Ray & Jeannie Hosmer lit a candle of mixed blessing:
Bittersweet joy for us in this uncertain time. Before the beginning of the pandemic, an opportunity came up in Ray's company in Tucson, AZ, and Ray was offered a position. He accepted, and the company is moving us to Tucson. We've sold our home and will be leaving the Hunstville area in 2 weeks. It's sad for us to be leaving behind the fellowship of UUCH and to miss participating in its future growth, but at the same time we're grateful for the opportunity to be closer to family, and for a new adventure in a part of the country we haven't yet explored. There is a UU church in Tucson, so we'll be sure to visit and hope that we feel as at home there as we have here. Best wishes to all.   
 
C. Robinson lit a candle of Sorrow
Our neighbor lost his wife last Sunday evening. They have no family here, and we have been taking care of him and ensuring he eats. Please send positive energies to our friend Arnold and his dearly departed wife Chappy. 
 
Kathy Fisher lit a candle of Joy: I'm relieved to tell you the facility where my son is has no cases of the virus!

Jessica Zelaya lit a candle of mixed blessing: I' m thankful for this time with my son, but him not having access to the special services he requires has been rough. Now I'm mom, teacher, speech therapist, and occupational therapist.
 
Haley Clark lit a candle of SorrowMy best friend is moving away, and I won't go to Space Camp with my friends.
 
Gail Williams  lit a candle of Concern: Keep Howad's brother-in-law and family in your thoughts. Rick is suffering from liver cancer.

John and Jessica Schulz lit a candle of Sorrow: Still feeling sadness about the two Huntsville synagogues that were vandalized this week.

Sarah Kinley lit candles of Joy: Joy for the beautiful weather yesterday! And that my elderly dog is no longer ill and has a few more good years left in her, we hope!

Bryan Walls  lit a Candle of Concern: Concerned for Diane's nephew Doug, and his wife and kids who are in the middle of having COVID-19.
 
Bobby Hall lit a candle of Joy : Technology has allowed us to be connected in this time of isolation.
 
Rachael lit a candle of Joy: W ith joy! My loves in NYC are symptom free, after 15 days of fever! They are having their blood tested for antibodies. They may be the ones that save us all!
 
Jack Long lit a candle of ConcernMy son Cole is on the Dwight Eisenhower, about to enter the Gulf. Warm thoughts please.
   
Kathy Fisher lit a candle of Sorrow: I was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Ron Rich, a friend and former band director at Grissom High School. Ron died from COVID-19. Blessings and comfort to all who knew and loved him.