UUCH Annual Certification

Each January, UU congregations nationwide report specific data to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). The following UUCH information was recently reported to the UUA:

Current membership: 152

Average 2024 Sunday weekly total attendance (in-person & virtual): range=101-125

Average 2024 children/youth weekly attendance: 10

Current Religious Education registration: 36

For the fiscal church year ended June 30, 2024:

Total pledge income: $283,620

Individual & family pledging units: 85

Total expenses: $288,197

Many thanks to everyone for the wonderful First Sunday February Potluck! Thanks to everyone for your generous contributions of delicious food. Thanks to everyone present for sharing the food and so much good fellowship. Have you noticed that we are experiencing a significant increase in attendance? So, a great big shout-out of appreciation to the many volunteers who helped with set-up and clean-up: 

Susan Coddington, Kathryn Heath, Barbara Hitt, Gary Hitt, Eleanor Schweinsberg, LaDawn Edwards, David Patten, Darlene Patten, Holly Baker, Nancy Finley, Kendra Kamph, Janet Varner, Bryan Walls, Nancy Pettus, Zena Tucker, Sandy Moore, Paulette Bernstein, Vally Perry, and many others who helped make the potluck such a success.

February Fellowship Dinner - Niyah's Southern Grill on Jordan Rd in NE Huntsville. February 20 at 5:30pm

Let's all try something new this month! Our February Fellowship dinner will be at Niyah's Southern Grill on Jordan Road in NE Huntsville.

When: Thursday, February 20 @ 5:30 pm

Where: Niyah's Southern Grill, 1392 Jordan Road, Suite D, Huntsville, AL 35811. From UUCH, get over to Sparkman, then take Sparkman to 72E. Left onto Shields and right onto Jordan Road.

Please sign up here so we know how many people will attend.

Money will never be a barrier to participating in Fellowship at UUCH. If you need financial assistance to participate, please contact Sabbatical Minister, Rev. Ruth at uurevruth@gmail.com.

Contact Sarah Storm (sarahmstorm28@gmail.com) or Steve Rittenberg (srittenberg@gmail.com) if you have questions. Thanks!

Habitat for Humanity Home Build Continues!

UUCH members and volunteers from other churches are making good progress at the Fazzingo/Turner house at 216 Lake Drive in Huntsville! Flooring has been completed and interior doors are being hung. Many thanks to Gail Williams, Tim Miller, and Brad Korb for helping out recently!

Your help is needed! Volunteers will be working at the site most Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays depending on weather and subcontractor activity.

All volunteers must take a volunteer orientation class that is given virtually every week. The dates of the training vary, so please contact Brad at social.justice@uuch.org for the latest schedule.

If you have any questions or are interested in helping out, please email Brad at social.justice@uuch.org

2024, Year in Review

Your Stewardship team compiled a few photographs of UUCH activities last year. We hope you enjoy this auto-advanced slideshow lasting about 2 minutes. Faces of children younger than 18 are intentionally hidden.

View the Slideshow here!

FREE TAX SERVICE

Come and have your tax returns prepared for free! This free tax service is open to any income and any age. It is sponsored by the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide and the IRS.



• Location: Studio 60 Senior Center, 2200 Drake Avenue, Huntsville, 35805
• Times: Mon – Thu, 8:30 – 4:00, Fri 8:30 – 12:00
• Dates: February 3 – April 15, 2025
• Appointment Process: Come in person to fill out a request for appointment, pick up a tax package for completing at your convenience. You will be called back ASAP with an appointment date and time. You can request a late March or early April appointment if waiting on tax documents.

For more info, please contact Khoe Tran at kqtran1@yahoo.com

Patio Garden Next Steps

The board has approved the final design and given the property committee the go-ahead to start implementing the Jane Welty memorial patio garden. The Hispanic association has agreed to help us with some labor. Thank you to everyone who gave input on the patio garden. We were able to get input from several diverse populations of people within our membership. We were able to include almost everything that was wanted.



You can see the plan and photos posted in the Fellowship Hall.

We want you to be a part of this beautiful addition to our church environment. Come out to participate in any and all of these property work days. We will have several because this is a big project and we plan to have it done in time for Rev. Jaimie and Will's welcome back party in early May. We are also looking for some scouts that need some community service hours. If you have connections with a scout troop, please let us know. We will also be looking to borrow the following:

• Truck and trailer for hauling drainage gravel and topsoil
• Wheelbarrows and shovels
• Pressure washer

Work Dates:

• February 22
• March 8
• March 22
• April 5
• April 26

Mark these Property work days on your calendar and let Property know if you have any of these connections or tool at property@uuch.org.

Make a Flag for Our Garden

The purpose of a Tibetan prayer flag is to spread prayers of good throughout the world.We are going to hang prayer flags in our new patio garden. Rather than just order some mass produced commercial flags, the property committee wants to give you the opportunity to offer your prayers of good out into the world. Each Sunday in February there will be individual flags and permanent sharpie markers available in the fellowship hall. The edge that is hemmed is the bottom. Use the provided pieces of cardboard to protect the tablecloths from the permanent markers and decorate your prayer flag. Thank you to Susan Cottington for her generous contribution of time, talent, and beautiful batik fabrics for this project.  

Upcoming Social Justice Events

Your participation is needed! Below is a list of local social justice events sponsored by groups that UUCH and/or our members support.

• January 20^th through February 14^th: 30 Days of Love with UUA’s Side with Love (https://sidewithlove.org/thirty-days-of-love)
•  February 15^th: Huntsville Green Team Cleanup at Terry Heights at 9 am (https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/city-calendar-event/terry-heights-cleanup-day-2/)
• February 25^th: Faith in Action Alabama Huntsville Hub meeting at 5:30 pm at St. Mark Baptist Church on Moores Mill Road (See Brad Korb for more info)
• March 5^th: UUA Green Sanctuary 2030 Orientation via Zoom at 6 pm (https://secure.everyaction.com/XYsCO0ZhfkCGG3BCj3A14Q2)

Here are some standing opportunities to get engaged with local organizations:

• First Stop:

1. Provide a meal for unhoused people (https://firststoporg.galaxydigital.com/)
2. Donate urgently needed items (https://firststop.org/category/needs-list/)
3. Other volunteer opportunities (https://firststop.org/ways-to-volunteer/)

• ShowerUp (showers for unhoused people): https://app.initlive.com/web-admin/app/#/join-party?k=aagp6mlprpk46k
• Land Trust of North Alabama: https://landtrustnal.org/support/volunteer/

For more information about a particular event or to list an event, please email social.justice@uuch.org.

Circle of Candles

Iris Black lit a candle of Sorrow/Joy: "I live with my sister, Gloria, and her husband, Patrick. Patrick died last Thursday after a long illness. Please remember my family in your thoughts as we celebrate his life and the fact that he experienced a peaceful transition."

Amanda Payne lit a candle of Joy: "It's been a joy attending the UU Classes, the past 3 Sundays. Thank you to everyone who attended, it was a joy sharing an accepting space with you all. An extra special thank you to Pam and Nancy for taking the time to teach us, and with grace!"