James Stewart, Director of Music, with Geoff Duke, Worship Associate
“No Such Thing as Silence”
There is no such thing as silence… especially when you’re planning to have a service outdoors… on the front steps of the Meeting House… facing Church Street… on a Sunday morning… in August! Join us for a meditative time as we listen to the traffic and the birds, the people and the aircraft, the wind and the leaves. Let’s see if we can’t discover music in the mundane and joy in the cacophony of everyday life. Bring a chair, bring a blanket, bring your voice, bring your breath, bring your heartbeat as we worship together out in the open. You and all your noises are welcome.
Please join us for Sunday morning worship at 10 a.m., which will be held outdoors at the First UU Society each week through September 3. The service will also be live-streamed. The livestream link and order of service will be shared at bit.ly/FUUSBWorship, or visit our YouTube channel.
Summer Garden Childcare will be available in the Memorial Garden. Following the service, all are welcome to Outdoor Coffee Hour.
There will be chairs, but feel free to bring your own portable chair, or a blanket if you’d like to sit on the ground. While at the Meeting House, anyone is welcome to wear a mask. In the spirit of caring for each other, please stay home if you have any cold or flu symptoms. Thank you.
In the event of inclement weather, Sunday services, childcare, and coffee hour will move indoors.
Help Rev. Karen on Thursday
Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister
Rev. Karen’s collection of stoles have emerged from the move in need of a light touch of the iron. She has a traveling ironing board and iron that she will bring to FUUSB on Thursday. Might you enjoy this task on Thursday morning?
The second half of her books will need stewards to bring them in from her car to the office, and then help with unpacking them.
Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development
We are hoping to offer a rich and inviting set of programs for children and youth this year, and in order to make that happen we need you!
To be a Faith Development Guide, you do not need to have all of the answers; in fact, serving in this way can help adults on their own faith journeys. Consider modeling lifelong learning and spiritual development by caring for our community, seeking truth, and acting for justice, with our younger UUs.
There are opportunities both big and small. Fill out this quick form to indicate interest, and see a list of ways to help, including those that do not involve supervising kids and do not need to happen during the service on Sunday morning. Please reach out to Erika Reif with any questions!
Register for OWL in the Fall!
Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development
We are excited to offer Our Whole Lives (OWL) for youth in 8th and 9th grades starting in September. 1.5 hour classes will be held on Wednesday evenings through early April 2024. This program is open to the broader community, not just First UU, so please spread the word! Sign up with this link. For more information about lifespan OWL curricula follow this link. For more information about this program contact [email protected].
Supporting Justice Organizations
Jeffrey Jarrad, Racial Justice Team
People have expressed interest in what’s going on with the organizations we support with half of our monthly collection plate donations. This year that support has included the King Street Center in Burlington. Check out this video for some great footage of King Street kids working with players from the new Vermont Green Football Club. Yes, Vermont has a Football Club (as in, “soccer” to Americans)!
We also donated to DRUUMM (Diverse & Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries). This summer, the DRUUMMers held their annual meeting remotely and in-person in Pittsburgh, PA. Click here for a link to some members’ reflections.
We are pleased to have supported these organizations dedicated to racial, climate and social justice.
In Memoriam
Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance
Helen Valine
It is with great sadness that we share that a longtime member of this congregation, Helen Valine, has passed away. Helen and her husband Duane were married in the Sanctuary in 1954 and Helen signed the membership book in 1959. Over the years she was involved in so many different ways. In my early years here she was a faithful newsletter volunteer, coming in every two weeks to help fold, collate, stamp, and label the newsletters. She will be deeply missed.
It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of a longtime friend of our Society, Donald Groll. Many of you will not remember who Don Groll was, but he was a true gift to our Society in his quiet, gentle way. From long before I began working here, Don drove up from Middlebury every week to take care of our grounds. He volunteered his time to trim our shrubs and trees, and to make sure our grounds looked beautiful. He worked so hard and never wanted any recognition for his gift to us. Don also loved our music program, supporting the Organ Restoration Campaign and quietly providing the Society with money to purchase additional hymnals whenever we needed them. I know he will always hold a special place in my heart.
Just a reminder that the eNews now has a new Wednesday schedule! We have returned to our original Monday deadline to submit announcements, and the eNews will be published each Wednesday. Announcements (under 200 words) and images can be sent to [email protected]. Thank you!
For the latest news from the New England Region UUA, check out the August newsletter at this link.