Welcoming the stranger is a foundational principle in most of the world’s religions: the scriptures of Christianity, Judaism and Islam all clearly assert a divine directive that faithful people must care for “the other.” Where does this idea come from? What is it meant to accomplish? In these times of division, inequity and distrust, how might we faithful Unitarian Universalists take these teachings to heart?
The service will be live-streamed from the Sanctuary at 10 a.m. The link will be shared on our website at uusociety.org. If you miss the livestream, a recording of the service will be available on our YouTube channel.
All are welcome to Zoom Coffee Hour, starting at 11 a.m. at this link: bit.ly/3j4RxJ9
Outdoor Sunday Events - You’re Invited...
Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development
...to Family Faith Development Programming in October! Come take advantage of the fall weather and the canopy in the Memorial Garden to spend meaningful time with other FUUers of all ages on our grounds. Each Sunday morning at 11:00 there will be coffee and tea outside the garden gate and family chapel followed by crafts and activities inside it. We strive to create programs which focus on the needs of families with children, while also having multigenerational appeal. Come for the whole hour, or stay outside enjoying a warm drink and conversation and then wander in after our chapel’s done to complete a craft or join in a game (sometimes our activities will bring us out of the garden and onto the entire grounds.) Worried about having time to travel to the Meeting House after watching the live-streamed service? We are working on setting up a large-screen tv watch party for the service at 10:00, weather permitting. We’ll be testing out the tech this Sunday, and hoping to have worked out the glitches for the remaining four Sundays in October.
Oct. 3, 11 a.m. - Cultivating Relationship with the natural world and each other! - With Erika
The first of our October series, Sundays at 11:00, We’ll begin with a short family chapel, play an active game to get the blood pumping, and then start crafting with purpose; we’re making suncatchers with the natural materials we find on the grounds and printing cards with the fruits (and veggies) of the harvest. We’re hoping you’ll let us send your creations to members of our community who cannot come enjoy the garden in person. Concurrent with in-person coffee hour, so warm beverages for all. Make friends, meet the world with wonder, listen deeply, and bring out your inner artist!
Oct. 10, 11 a.m. - Murmur of the Birds - With Margo
Join us as we participate in an international art project to be displayed in Glasgow, Scotland during the Cop26 Global Climate Summit! A multigenerational endeavor to combine the making of origami birds (with promises) to better protect the planet. For more information on this global initiative, which “reminds us of collective, of power in numbers, of the power of art, the power of community and the power of care,” click here and here: Conference of the Birds.
First Sunday Anti-Racism Interfaith Vigil
Zoe Hart
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. We'll be outdoors and maintaining safe distance, and you may wear a mask if you prefer. Please join us Sunday, October 3at 1 p.m.
Heads Up, Yuuth!
Rev. David Ruffin, Director of Youth & Creative Arts Ministries
An apple may be falling your way soon...
The Yuuth Group is going Apple Gleaning in South Hero this Sunday, 3-5 p.m.!
Thanks to community connections with the Healthy Roots Collaborative, the Yuuth Group will be gleaning apples from several trees on a property in South Hero, where the homeowners can’t use them, keeping them from going to waste! What we pick will go to charitable food sites served by the Collaborative (with enough abundance for youth to take home some deliciousness, too).
All Youth, 9th-12th grades (and parents/drivers) are welcome. Please RSVP to David Ruffin at davidruffin@uusociety.org. The land is about half an hour from FUUSB. Get the exact address when you reply as well as a permission slip which youth will need to bring with them. Carpooling options as needed.
Yuuth Overnight Camp-Out! Oct. 16-17, Rock Point Peninsula
We are thrilled to announce that the Yuuth Group will be camping out overnight on the amazing land of Rock Point, Saturday afternoon, Oct. 16 at 3 p.m. - Sunday morning, Oct. 17 at 9 a.m. Youth will be diving into the beauty of the natural world of Rock Point, while deepening connection with one another and themselves. Covid precautions will be taken (such as one tent per youth/household), but fun will be had to an exponentially significant degree. Fire, Smores, Games, Night-time explorations on the land, etc. We'll bond while we brave the autumn elements. Thanks to the generosity of Crow's Path Field School, we will have access to shelter and facilities, and be able to handle moderately inclement weather. We will reschedule in the event of severe weather. To learn more and sign up, email David Ruffin at davidruffin@uusociety.org. All youth are welcome!
Thursday Yuuth Group Continues!
Finally... Our regular weekly Thursday evening meetings are continuing today, Thursday, Sept. 30, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. We gather with pizza from 5:30-6 p.m. so don't worry if you're a little late. No RSVP or previous participation required. All are welcome.
Knitting/Crocheting Group
Linda Graves
The Knitting/Crocheting group will meet on Zoom at the usual time: 7 p.m. on October 5, the first Tuesday of the month. While there has been a wish to meet in person, the consensus at our last meeting was that knitting while wearing a mask was less preferable than meeting on Zoom, especially considering meetings last only an hour and some would have to drive from some distance. So, dust off your needles and hooks that have been gathering dust over the summer and join us for this friendly social time! Zoom link:bit.ly/3qKUgLa
Fall Vespers - Wednesday, October 6!
Rev. David Ruffin, Director of Youth & Creative Arts Ministries
Fall Vespers Services continue this upcoming Wednesday, October 6, at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Garden. (Bring your layers!)
There's some hope to be found in recent numbers, but Covid is still making it a whole lot harder to connect and to cultivate relationship - this month's theme. In Vespers, we'll be exploring how cultivating a creative relationship to the obstacles we face can help us to cultivate deeper relationship with one another, as well as ourselves and with the sacred. We will sit distanced in the Memorial Garden, but please do bring a mask. We will all wear them for singing and near any children under 12.
Vespers offer a mid-week opportunity for a soulful, musical, co-creative hour of renewal and connection. Vespers services need you and your voice (your poetry, music, story, dance, painting, photography, etc.!) to make the magic happen. Please reach out to davidruffin@uusociety.org to learn more about getting involved. ALL are welcome.
This service is crafted for an in-person experience, but Zoom participants are welcome as well, at this link.
Walking Tour With Racial Justice Team
Linda Cooper, Racial Justice Team
Your Racial Justice Team brings you a walking tour: “More Than a Market: Finding Community in Local Markets of Burlington” - October 16, 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Join this tour to learn about the migration stories through historic and present-day markets owned by people from around the world. These neighborhood markets have long served as the heart of their communities. Some markets have been in the same family for many generations and others expand the horizons of immigrants coming to the city and looking for a taste of home. Featured are historic markets on North Champlain St., Conger Ave., Pearl St. and North Ave. Our group is limited to 8 participants.
This will be a free tour, starting at 7 Pine St. and ending at 1 Intervale Ave. This tour is organized by the Community Center on Allen St. Please register with Linda Cooper, flatlanderalso@gmail.com to enjoy this historical tour.
Year-End Financial Report
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance
The Society ended the 2020-2021 Fiscal Year in a solid financial position. While our entire year was spent in "pandemic," we were still able to continue Sunday Worship, have exciting programming for all ages, receive beautiful music from our staff and choir, work for justice, care for each other, and end the year with a balanced budget. Please take a few moments to read my End-of-Year Finance Report.
If you have any questions or would like to talk to me in more detail about our Finances, please do not hesitate to contact me at xina@uusociety.org.
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance
For many years we’ve been asked to create a list of all the committees/teams, when they meet, and how to contact them. We are asking that every Committee Chair/Team Lead please click on this link and complete the form. It’s very short but will be extremely helpful.
By creating this list, we are hoping to become more welcoming to visitors and new members who may not know all we have to offer or how to be in contact with a group they may be interested in. The final list will be available on our website, so if you would rather not have your personal email on the website, let me know and we can give your committee/team an email address that ends in @uusociety.org. This is easy to do and we can have any mail received at that address forwarded to your personal email account.
What if your committee/team doesn’t have a regular meeting time? I would like for you to consider setting a regular meeting time. This is the very best way for newcomers to feel welcome to participate. Otherwise, your committee/team could feel more like a private club, and I’m sure that’s not what anyone wants.
So let’s be bold and welcoming! Honestly, this form will only take you five minutes at most. And if your information changes, you can always update your information by going to the same link. I will keep the link on the Forms page (under Members) on the website so you can easily find it.
VIA Statewide Convention
Everyone is welcome to attend VIA's statewide social justice gathering at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church, 43 Hebard Hill Rd, Randolph, on Thursday, October 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. We request that you be vaccinated and wear a mask indoors. The primary emphasis this year is to engage in a brief, focused, strategic visioning exercise around VIA's future. We will also hear reports about the accomplishments of our organizing committees on our issues, engage in conversations with new friends, share a meal, and worship together. There will be a virtual option available as well. For more information, contact Debbie, debbie@viavt.org or (802) 651-8889. Cost is $20 per person, but no one will be turned away from lack of payment. To register in-person or virtually, please register here.
Upcoming Sundays
October 10 at 10 a.m.
Online Worship Service
Rowan Van Ness, Judy Brook
Join us for live-streamed Sunday worship! The link will be shared on our website, uusociety.org.