Virtual Forum 

Finally, on the last Sunday of September 25, we’ll learn about the Alaska Beacon, the new news service that you’ve been getting a lot of your state-wide news coverage from (as you may have noticed), from its Editor-in-Chief Andrew Kitchenman. Andrew will tell us about the interesting model for this nonprofit news organization, its affiliation with the national nonprofit States News, its staff of experienced Alaska journalists, and more.

Yes, we’re really, finally, at last gonna do it! The AUUF Choir is going to concertize Friday, Sept 23 at 7 pm, which is SOON! We’ll sing several musical theater pieces by Stephen Sondheim and other songs we think you’ll like. We’ll have solos and group numbers—something for everyone! It’s our Coming Out Concert—we’re coming out of two years of pandemic silence and months of postponement since May. Yippee! Celebrate! Alleluia!

Come on out and hear “Children Will Listen,” “No One Is Alone,” “Send In The Clowns,” and others to tickle your ears and your imagination. Come and celebrate live music and the colors of fall! Come and donate what your musical pleasure tells you an evening of song is worth to you! Come and taste and sip a little afterward, and enjoy “Song and S’Mores” outside around the fire pit.

You will hear real voices from live persons, happy to sing again, up on the remodeled chancel with its ramp and wider steps that make it easier and safer for us to come and go. Megan Webb will direct us, and we have an accompanist, Janet Carr Campbell, for our Sondheim works. Come and “Let Us Entertain You!”

Freethinkers, a group of discussion/question/inquiring oriented UU people, invites you to listen in or take part in the discussion which happens every Friday at noon for 1½ hours. It’s a group of welcoming and curious folks who hope you will drop in (currently by zoom – for access: anchorageuuf.org, then click on the calendar icon).

FOR MORE INFORMATION and to purchase tickets, click here.

Mark your calendars and start collecting your donations because our annual online auction is set for Oct. 22-30! Last year, thanks to your donations and generosity, we raised more than $14,500. Let’s see if we match or exceed that this year. We’ll start collecting donations Sunday, Oct. 2, after the 11:00 service so start your pile. Do you have a nice piece of art or jewelry you’re ready to part with? Would you be willing to offer your cabin for a weekend or share a skill or service? Maybe you have a favorite restaurant or other business you could contact for a gift certificate.

Watch your inbox as well as this space for more information or email your auction committee for more information. auction@anchorageuuf.org

By David O’Brien, Safer Congregation Team Co-Chair

The Health Ministry Outreach program at Providence Alaska Medical Center is offering a free 4-hour CPR first aid class for AUUF members and friends. The training will include how to use AUUF’s Automated External Defibrillator, or “AED”, which is located on the wall in the Social Room. The training is scheduled for Saturday

October 8, 1-5 PM.

You are invited to attend.

The class is titled “Family & Friends CPR” and was designed by the American Heart Association. It is meant for the general public (adults and children) and goes at a relaxing pace. There is no test at the end and there is no official “certification” given as part of the class. The Family & Friends CPR program teaches:

More information about the training is available on the American Heart Association website.

Please RSVP to David O’Brien at IreneAndDavid@ak.net or call 907-344-5874.

Your Safer Congregation Team has been periodically publishing “snippets” from its recently completed Guidebook. The charted purpose of the Team is to “ensure the protection and safety of the AUUF congregation and building”, and the Guidebook has been written to support this goal.

In order to secure our tradition of civility and tolerance, we recognize the need to address the potential for behavior that may challenge our sense of individual and communal safety and well-being. First and foremost, persons identified as being disruptive will be responded to as individuals of dignity and worth.

Click here to read the entire article.

You have been challenged to share your PFD or other funds with AUUF! Please help our Fellowship match 100% of our Construction Loan Prepayment “Burst the Balloon” $50,000 Challenge Grant to lower our loan by December 31st.

A dedicated and generous Member of AUUF believes you will be willing to share all or a portion of this year’s Permanent Fund Dividend with our Fellowship. And Our Secret Challenger is prepared to match your generosity dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000!

You’re wondering “What balloon?”  AUUF borrowed $220,000 from a member on very favorable terms in the summer of 2017 so that we could complete critical improvements to the building we had purchased in 2014. The original loan called for a June 2033 balloon payment. Prepayments to date have reduced the balloon payment to ~$100,000. When you help us match the full Challenge Grant, AUUF will retire the loan in 2029. This would burst the balloon and save ~$42,000 in interest – a 46% reduction in the cost of the loan.

Please help us turn this incredible $50,000 Challenge into $100,000!!! Make your tax-deductible donation by check or online (use the “LT Loan Principal Only” box at AUUF Online Donations). Our Secret Challenger is standing by and will be revealed during a Burst the Balloon celebration acknowledging your generosity.

Dennis Arashiro

WHAT: Now is the time to put forth your nominations for next year’s Half Portion for Social Action. Your passion for the causes you support can fuel effective positive action by identifying those receiving half the Sunday collections for a month.

WHO: Name the charitable funds or organizations you are nominating. They should have tax-exempt status, usually designated as a 501(c)(3) organization. They should have a mission consistent with our principles and a demonstrated record of effective action.

WHEN: Nominations are due by October 1, 2022. After a period of vetting nominees, you will be given the opportunity to vote from October 13 to November 1 for 10 nominees as recipients of the monthly Half Portion for Social Action for 2023. The final schedule for the 2023 Half Portion will be announced on November 17.

WHY: 5th Principle: The Right of Conscience and the Use of the Democratic Process Within Our Congregations and in Society at Large.

A few years ago, AUUF switched from a paper directory of members and active friends to an online directory. You can use the directory on a computer by going to iconcmo.com and logging in there, OR you can get an app for your smartphone (IconCMO Utilities) and use it anywhere! Each member gets their own personal login credentials. If you’ve joined recently, you will be receiving a login this week. If you’ve forgotten your login from a couple of years ago, email admin@anchorageuuf.org so Shellie can send you a new login. Please remember or write down your login. If you forget it, she has to send you a new one. There was a major upgrade a year ago, so you may need to get a new login because of that. Please check it out. ALSO, if

your photograph isn’t there, please send it to the office so we can get photos up. This is VERY helpful for new AUUF ministers, RE directors, and all of us to get to know each other.

Go to anchorageuuf.org