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. 4/2
Coffee Chat with LaDawn
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Sun. 4/5
Sunday Service
Amanda Schuber
10:45 a.m.
Tues. 4/7
Coffee Chat with Amanda
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Wed. 4/8
Coffee Chat with Susan
Thurs. 4/9
Coffee Chat with LaDawn
Sun. 4/12
Social Justice Committee Meeting
9:00 a.m.
Sunday Service
Rev. Ed Brock
10:45 a.m.
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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.
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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:
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.
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Upcoming Service
"This Wasn't Part of the Plan"
Amanda Schuber
April 5th, 2020
92 days ago, as the world gathered together to ring in a new year full of promise and prospect, not many of us could have guessed the current state of our world today. Yet, here we are, doing our best to physically distance ourselves from the communities we love most and sitting with uncertainty as each new day rolls into the next.
This is a strange new world, where the ground feels like it's shifting nearly every moment. Our commitment to "slow the spread" has meant that we have had to give up things, special occasions, long planned trips, the security of our every day routines. As we move further into the days that become weeks, that become months, there is a sense of mourning in our lives.
This Sunday, we come together in the virtual world to celebrate all the ways we remain the same in unpredictable times and to mourn the losses that we feel.
Click here to join our online service at 10:45 a.m. this Sunday, April 5.
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This Sunday in Children and Youth Religious Education (CYRE)
What is religious education when you are spending most of life at home? In CYRE, we often say, "The congregation is the curriculum." This means that every aspect of church life (Care, Social Justice, Music, etc.) contributes to all ages' faith development, not just the time spent in learning groups. Similarly, the entire life of a family contributes to faith development, especially during changing and challenging times. Here are some ways of integrating religious education into stay-at-home life:
- Attend UUCH's weekly Zoom worship service as a family.
- Set up a small sacred space in your home. Light a chalice. Each family member can contribute a special object.
- Meet for 10 minutes in the morning to share joys and sorrows, and to affirm an opportunity for the day.
- Do one thing each day that benefits someone else.
- Let people know if you need help.
- Go outdoors in a safe space and interact with the web of life.
- Take some alone time for rest, meditation, listening to music, reading, prayer, or movement.
- Create something new like a story, piece of art, music, craft, or food, and share it.
- Watch a movie or listen to music together, and talk about how it relates to our UU Principles.
- Do a regular household task in a mindful way, like washing dished very slowly and feeling the pleasure of the water.
- Research a big question together. Go to the UUA website and take advantage of family ministry activities.
- Find an online justice project you can do from home.
- Check in to the new UUCH CYRE Facebook group for family faith activities, and share your family's faith development projects.
If you have other ideas,
email me, and I'll share them here!
Erin Reid,
Director of Religious Education
Submitted by the Children and Youth Religious Education Committee |
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A Message from Our Minister
Dear Members and Friends of the Congregation:
Soon you will embark on the exciting adventure of calling your new Settled Minister. The Ministerial Search Committee has done a spectacular job of finding the right person to be your next minister.
We live in interesting times. However, the turmoil brought about by COVID-19 will not impede this congregation from achieving the goal of completing the process of calling your new Settled Minister.
The Care Committee is doing a stellar job of keeping people in touch with one another and reaching out to the most isolated and vulnerable. I will continue to call people in the congregation until I know firsthand how everyone is doing. We are offering a wide range of classes and groups to keep people connected. Please let me know if there is anything we should be doing to help the congregation through this period of change and shocks.
This is the time when rather than attending church, we are being the church. Nothing will deter this congregation in continuing to build its future.
I am available at any time for counsel or just to talk. I may be reached by email
here.
Warmly,
Rev. Ed Brock
Submitted by the Minister
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Hello, fellow "distancers",
Looking through my Music Leadership Credentialing Program folder, it was interesting to see my "philosophy of music" change from year two to year three as I grew in understanding how our UUCH music program is a ministry created lovingly by all of us. The paragraph below is my second year revision of my philosophy. I'll share my final one with you next week!
"Music, as the universal language of the soul, has the power to touch, nurture, inspire, unite, clarify, and express us. It reaches beyond notes and words to speak not only to individual needs but also to the needs of the community in which it is shared. I believe when music is presented with quality and heart, it
becomes an experience that connects both the giver and receiver to something greater than either of them. Choosing music that embodies one or more of our Unitarian Universalist sources ministers to the diversity of every congregant. Staying mindful of our principles, we respect each other's differences and recognize the common heart of our inclusive religious community. This 'common heart' is formed and strengthened as we offer to each other our individual experiences of the music in worship. This experience may be a call to social justice, or it may be a newly inspired truth. Whatever it is, the sharing of it builds a beloved community in which each other's inherent worth and dignity is a true reality."
Blessings,
Pam Siegler
Music Director
Submitted by the Music Director
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We Need Pictures
Do you have pictures from UUCH Events? Pictures from flower communions, chili cook offs, worship, Religious Education, etc.? What about pictures of flowers from your garden?
We need your pictures! Pictures will be used for our Easter Sunday worship. Please send pictures to uuch@uuch.org with "Pictures" in the subject line!
Submitted by the Worship Committee
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Worship Service Recording
March 29, 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
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UUCH Board Report
March 24, 2020
The UUCH Board conducted its regular monthly meeting on March 24, 2020.
Based on feedback from Rev. Ed and church members, our first two virtual worship services have been successful and well-received. We have had 70+ households call in for each service. There are still some areas of opportunity for improvement, but so far, things have gone relatively smoothly.
The Board proposed and approved a motion to continue paying UUCH's childcare workers the amount they would receive during Sunday services for the next month. Rev. Ed will work with our Religious Education (RE) paid staff to identify tasks that these workers can complete in lieu of providing childcare on Sunday mornings. The Board will re-examine this policy at next month's meeting.
Updates were provided from the Nominating Committee regarding status of positions to be filled for the next church year. Nominating will work with Rev. Ed to identify potential candidates for UUCH's two new committees, Personnel and Stewardship.
The next Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28.
Submitted by the Board
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We can now donate to UUCH via text message: just t
ext
Giving to UUCH
to 833-559-0257.
Click here to watch a tutorial on how to use text giving.
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 web site or the GivePlus+ mobile app.
Submitted by the Finance Committee
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Adult Religious Education Classes
Dear Members and Friends of UUCH:
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 8 and 15 (Wednesdays) at 6 p.m.
The Uses of the Enneagram for Relationships
April 9 and 16 (Thursdays) at 2 p.m.
Contemporary Buddhism
April 9 and 16 (Thursdays) at 3 p.m.
Principles of Reliance
April 9 and 16 (Thursdays) at 4 p.m.
Shame Combat: Exploring the Work of Brené Brown
April 11 and 18 (Saturdays) at 11 a.m.
Coping with Emotional Shocks and Changes Created by COVID-19
Submitted by the Minister
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Having responsibility for the health and safety of your family can be especially stressful in these uncertain times. While it can be tempting to obsess over every negative news story, sticking to routines and revisiting the pleasures of childhood is more likely to keep your mood positive. Here are ideas for Mental Health Breaks when roommates/kids/partners are getting on your nerves:
- Set healthy boundaries. Even toddlers can understand "in a minute" and be taught to silently slip a request into your IN basket (like a drawing of a sippy cup).
- Burn off extra energy with a race up the stairway or around the house. Five-minute games of freeze tag can blow off the cobwebs and have everybody giggling.
- Go easy on the comfort food. Nutritionists have drawn a direct line between consuming processed foods (with their ample carbs and refined oils) and depression/anxiety. Add some green veggies and fresh fruit every time you feed the people you love.
- Remember to laugh. I predict a surge in downloads of classic TV sitcoms, stand-up specials, and "The Good Place."
- Keep a steady routine, including sleep, personal hygiene, and mealtime.
- Get outside when you can. Just a few minutes in the sun can change any mood.
- Set up a community of people through Zoom or other chat platforms that you can connect your children into for a few minutes of "alone" time. Perhaps let your children read grandparents a story.
Submitted by the Care Committee
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Join us on Tuesdays and Thursdays for an online Coffee Chat on Zoom. Hosted by members of the congregation, this is a time to grab you favorite beverage and chat with friends.
These one-hour informal gatherings are designed to be a casual space for conversation and fellowship. We are looking for more Coffee Hosts for other days of the week, so if you are interested in being a host, please email Amanda.
Click on the links below to join our upcoming Coffee
Chats:
Submitted by the Care Committee
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Like a Good Neighbor. . .
We Fill the Pantry
Those who have been refilling the Little Green Pantry have noticed extreme need, especially the last week of the month. During a 30-minute stretch last week, a family of 2 was waiting next to the nearly empty pantry and received their food directly from the car trunk (while observing 6' safety zone.) The volunteer made 2 trips inside to fill the pantry and discovered that half of the first load had already disappeared.
Two weeks into the employer-initiated self-isolation period in Huntsville, many families are now running low. If you know of a person who is home without support, we are willing to contact them to offer assistance. If you would like to help but need to continue self-isolation, please
contact the Care Committee, and we can shop on your behalf.
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.
Starting this Saturday, April 4, there will be 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
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Update from Your Ministerial Search Comm
ittee
We Have Consensus!
After much reflection and deliberation, your Ministerial Search Committee (MSC) has completed the evaluation of our final three candidates and developed a consensus ranking of the candidates for submission to the UUA. We had a great pool of candidates, each with unique strengths and gifts; the MSC is convinced that any of the final three candidates would make a great next minister at UUCH. We reflected on how each of the final candidate's qualities match with the needs and desires of our congregation, and this week we sent a ranked order of preferences to the UUA Transitions Office. While we were in this process of discernment, the candidates were also making decisions about which congregation would be the best match for them. They are also sending their rankings to the UUA Transitions Office, who will match the preferences between the congregations and the ministers next week. Now we wait...
On Thursday, April 2, the UUA Transitions Office will release the name of our final candidate. This candidate will be the person who had the best match between the rankings submitted by the churches and those submitted by the ministers. Once we receive the final candidate's name, we will begin a background check on the candidate, and the Negotiating Team (separate from the MSC) will negotiate the contract with that candidate. After the background check has been completed and the contract has been negotiated (but not signed), we will release the candidate's name and information to you so that you can begin to get to know them. We know you are anxious to find out about our candidate and be able to discern whether this is the person we want as our settled minister. The MSC has spent many hours with each candidate, both in person and via Zoom, and we feel very good about each of remaining three candidates. We hope that you will agree with our final recommendation and will vote to call the minister we present. In the end, it is the congregational members who will make the final decision to call our next settled minister.
Our Candidating Week is currently scheduled for April 25 through May 3, with a congregational vote planned for Sunday, May 3. However, current events could cause changes to or a delay in the Candidating Week. It could be that we need to do this electronically, but rest assured that there will be plenty of opportunities for you to get a good sense of who the candidate is and how they would fit at UUCH. We will keep you informed as planning for Candidating Week proceeds. So get ready for a very exciting time in the life of our church! We are thrilled to have come to a consensus ranking and to present our candidate to you very soon!
Submitted by the Ministerial Search Committee
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During this time of physical distancing, when our world starts to shift from an outer focus to the inner world of our homes and families, now is a wonderful time to think of ways that you can connect and support your community.
Below are a list of simple ideas that can make a huge impact.
- If you are cooking and baking at home and have some extra freezer space, please consider doubling your recipe or making ½ in a disposable pan to share with families dealing with illness or death, or welcoming a new baby.
- Sign up here to bring items to restock our Little Food Pantry at the church. The need to help is even greater than usual.
- Join on of our Coffee Chats on Zoom, to connect with others in our community. We are looking for more Coffee Hosts; contact the church office for more information. Click on the link at the appointed time to join the chat.
- Contact the Care Committee by clicking here to be partnered with a member of the congregation that could use a call or snail mail during this time of distance.
- Consider volunteering to record a Facebook Live Story Time by contacting the CYRE committee.
- Got technical skills? Volunteer with the Technology Committee to help Worship navigate new waters through Zoom.
- Your Care Committee encourages every UU to "do what you can where you're at what you've got." This might include leaving notes on the door of elderly neighbors with contact info if they need a hand or to find that extra roll of toilet paper. If neighbors are scarce, you can call your oldest relative for a chat. Great opening line: How have you been?
- Pick up your UUCH directory and send an out-of-season card to whichever name strikes your fancy. If you don't know what to say, just include your favorite quote and "thinking of you".
- If you always intended to be more active in your favorite cause, check online to see if you can advocate by phone. (For many state legislators, even a dozen calls from constituents can swing their votes.)
- Small service businesses need love, too. You can go online or call your favorite restaurants and buy gift cards to help keep them afloat until you can visit in person. Without adequate cash flow, many local businesses will be forced to lay off part-time staff, which will likely be followed by their most valuable employees. Some of them will not reopen.
It takes a village, or in our case, a congregation, to support and encourage each other as we move forward in these unsettling times. Please consider joining us in continuing to build and nurture our beloved community.
Submitted by the Care Committee
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Cooking in Hard Times
This week, June Norton shares her recipe for Mediterranean Chicken Orzo:
This is a favorite chicken and pasta recipe, especially for the summer months, because it is so refreshingly light and tangy. The unusual combination of two types of olives with lemon and herbes de Provence definitely takes it out of the "ho-hum, just-another-chicken-and-pasta-dish" category. I have also noticed that the ingredients for this recipe are still readily available in stores at this time. Rice or barley can be substituted for the orzo, but cooking time would need to be adjusted to make sure the grain is done.
1. Bring to simmer in a large saucepan or deep skillet with lid:
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. vinegar
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast
2. Poach, covered, until chicken is done (
165° F).
3. Remove chicken from liquid, place on plate, set aside. Discard bay leaves.
4. Add to liquid in pan:
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup (4 oz. can, drained) sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup sliced green olives
- 1 cup thinly sliced carrot
- 1 cup chopped onion juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbsp. herbes de Provence
5. Cover and simmer until vegetables are done (15-20 min.).
6. Stir into pan:
- 1 cup uncooked orzo (small, rice-like pasta)
- Cover and simmer until orzo is done (12-15 min.)
7. While pasta is cooking, dice the chicken. When pasta is done, stir chicken into pan and heat through.
Makes 6 - 8 servings
Submitted by the Hospitality Committee
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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
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Care List
This Sunday, March 29, 2020,
at our Circle of Candles:
Melissa Hammel
lit a candle of Concern:
For my friend, Elizabeth, who may have the virus (she is a nurse practitioner and is ill).
Emily
lit a candle of
Remembrance:
In loving memory of sweet Marty Alexander. Fifteen years since you have been among us, you are still in our hearts.
Amanda Schuber
lit a candle of Joy:
Really enjoyed "Coffee Chat" and meeting some new friends. I hope you'll join us online this week. Info is on the church Facebook page.
Salaama
lit a candle of Joy and Sorrow:
We haven't been to church because we had bedbugs.
We didn't want to put anyone at risk. We miss you all tremendously. Bedbugs are gone now!
We are glad to reconnect with you all via virtual church service.
Melissa Hammel
lit a candle of Joy: I am so grateful
for my 12-step fellowships and technology. I feel so connected.
David Bollinger
lit a candle of Concern:
Matthew became ill on Friday and has been tested for COVID-19. We should get results back by end of this week. Fingers crossed it's negative.
Cullen
lit a candle of Concern: Prayers for the family of my friend
Ursula, who live in Italy.
Nancy Finley
lit candles of Concern:
Sorrow that my niece and her husband have tested positive for the virus.
Kathy Fisher
lit a Candle of Concern:
Thinking about sweet Marty Alexander and all his family.
Diane Walls
lit a candle of joy and sorrow: We had a trailer wheel explode yesterday while we were nearby. Thankful the shrapnel did no damage! We and the neighbors were just startled by the boom.
Rachael Schieb
lit a candle of Sorrow:
That my loves, that visited our congregation last Easter, have become ill and are in quarantine in their apartment in NYC.
John Czachurski
lit a candle of Concern
: I am concerned for my son, who has worked in food services most of his life and now faces financial struggle.
Heath
lit a candle of Concern:
Please send loving thoughts and gratitude to my daughter and all the others in healthcare who work daily.
Paul
lit a candle of Gratitude:
It is such a pleasure to stay connected to our wonderful religious community. Thanks to everyone who is giving of their time and talents.
Elizabeth Goodman
lit a candle of Healing:
Sending healing thoughts and praying for a friend who is in the ICU with COVID-19.
Becky
lit a candle of Prayer:
Please pray for the homes that have been suddenly forced into living slower, simpler lives.
Kathy Fisher
lit a candle of Sorrow:
I am sad for my grandson, whose senior year has been disrupted. Daddy always said "There will be better days."
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