Yard Sale Success!
Thanks to all who helped make the UUCH yard sale last Saturday such a success! We raised a total of just over $1800! Thanks to all who volunteered their time, those who donated items, and the buyers. Special thanks to Kelli Burton and her leadership team, including Dan McKitrick and Pam Korb.
The Stewardship team will celebrate this and also the success of our recent Annual Budget Drive at this Sunday’s potluck.
Sponsored by the Stewardship Committee
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Share the Plate with Love Huntsville
During the second quarter of 2023, UUCH will be sharing our plate proceeds with Love Huntsville. All plate proceeds received from the Thursday before the first Sunday through the Saturday after the first Sunday will be split with Love Huntsville. In May, this includes plate donations received from May 4th through May 13th.
Love Huntsville’s mission is to seek dignity, equality, & equity for Huntsville’s homeless population, by mobilizing, advocating, & educating on issues that directly impact the unhoused community. Love Huntsville is an organization that seeks housing justice in order to end homelessness. Love Huntsville's vision for housing justice is that everyone in our country and community has the right to have affordable housing, safe, accessible, and stable housing. Love Huntsville's approach is grounded in racial justice, economic justice, and equity for all who have been marginalized.
The goal of Love Huntsville is to accelerate access to housing justice, by creating powerful innovative policies & programs that are equitable, inclusive, resilient, and fit for the 21st century. Love Huntsville is developing and advocating for policies & solutions that are valuable & sustainable in the attempt to eradicate homelessness & intergenerational poverty. They engage local politicians, business leaders, faith-based organizations, nonprofits, and community members to educate and advocate for affordable housing and permanent unconditional supportive Housing.
Love Huntsville provides dinner services, encampment clean ups, & necessity drives for the unhoused community. They provide nutritious and balanced meals including grilled meats and a variety of home cooked sides. They also have partnered with local street medics who provide care during these service days. They administer many services ranging from blood pressure checks to wound care. Being present with our unhoused neighbors helps them ensure that they have a seat at the table, and guarantees they are advocating directly for their expressed needs.
Please consider giving generously to this important program during the first week of the month.
Sponsored by the Social Justice Committee
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Save the Date
Our Annual Congregational Meeting will be held on June 11. Please put it on your calendar.
Sponsored by the Board
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Adult Religious Education Needs You!
The Adult RE Committee serves to provide lifespan religious education programs designed to deepen and enrich our emotional, spiritual, material, and/or intellectual lives. Please join me for a discussion of how we can implement activities in the church to achieve these ideals. We will meet in the Adult RE room on Monday, May 22 at 6 p.m. Please drop me an email if you can attend. I’d like to get a head count.
Teri Thomas
Chair, Adult RE
adult.re@uuch.org
Sponsored by the Adult RE Committee
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Are You Ready to Become a Member?
If you’ve been attending UUCH long enough to know that this church community feels like your spiritual home, you may be ready to take the next step and become a member of this congregation.
Rev. Jaimie soon plans to welcome new members as they “sign the book” and officially join our church. If you are ready to become a member or would like to find out more about the process, please contact Pam Korb at membership@uuch.org by May 13th.
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBERSHIP
Because we are a democratic community, members are collectively vested with responsibility for the congregation. Members may vote at all congregational meetings, be elected to the governing Board, be appointed as committee chairs, and participate in all activities of the congregation.
Because we are a covenanted congregation, members have certain responsibilities to the congregation and to each other. These responsibilities are best fulfilled by:
• Regular attendance at worship
• Voting at congregational meetings
• Making financial contributions
• Contributing time and talent
• Spiritual growth and development
Submitted by the Membership Committee
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Third Sunday Adult RE
The third Sunday of every month we will be exploring the media content that has been supplied with our monthly Soul Matters packets. You do NOT have to be a member of a Soul Matters group to participate. Come and join us at 9:30 for viewing and discussion in the ARE room of our education wing. The topic for May 21 is Creativity. While I am facilitating this, I am looking for another person to assist. Please contact me if you’re willing.
Teri Thomas,
Chair, ARE
Adult.re@uuch.org
Sponsored by the Adult RE Committee
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Summer Solstice Service
Do you love the UUCH tradition that is our Winter Solstice Service? Do you love the darkness, the ritual, the music, but wish it happened more than once a year? Well you are in luck. This year on Sunday June 18th, we will be celebrating the Summer Solstice as our Sunday morning service. We need a team of 3 or more lay leaders to plan and lead this service. Please reach out to Rev. Jaimie at minister@uuch.org to be a part of this team!
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Implicit Bias Exhibit
The downtown location of the Huntsville Madison County Public Library is hosting a special exhibit on implicit bias. “The Bias Inside Us” is a traveling exhibition that explores the social science and psychology of implicit bias, the impact of this bias and what people can do about it.
Through compelling images, hands-on interactive and powerful testimonials and videos, the exhibition unpacks and demystifies the concept of bias. The community engagement project from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) features six sections: Introduction, The Science of Bias, Bias in Real Life, Serious Consequences—Bias is All Around Us, #RetrainYourBrain and Personal Reflection.
The exhibit will be open to visitors during regular Downtown operating hours from now through May 21st:
Monday-Thursday 9:00 - 8:00 pm
Friday-Saturday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
This exhibit will only be in town for a few weeks, so go see it before May 21st!
More information here.
Sponsored by the Social Justice Committee
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Spring Property Work/Fun Day
It has been a while since we've had a Property Work/Fun Day and the church needs some TLC. So, on Saturday, May 20, 2023 you can join with other UUCHers to help maintain the church building and grounds. We'll start at 9am and go until around noon/early afternoon. For many tasks no special skills are needed, just willing hands. Outside tasks include trimming shrubs, planting/weeding flower beds and the community garden, and general cleanup. Indoor tasks include replacing burned out light bulbs, HVAC filters, and tidying up, so even if the weather doesn't cooperate for the outdoor tasks, there are still things to do. Even if you can help for only an hour, that would be a valuable contribution to the church. So, mark your calendars for May 20 to help keep UUCH beautiful! Contact Paul at property@uuch.org for more information.
Sponsored by the Property Committee
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UUCH Board Report April 25, 2023
The UUCH Board met for its regularly scheduled meeting on April 25, 2023. Members of the Finance Committee were present to discuss the upcoming budget for the 2023-24 church year. This year’s annual budget drive was very successful, resulting in a strong increase over last year’s pledges. The Finance Committee recommended that this would be an appropriate year to adjust to non-deficit budget since we have been relying on reserves from the sale of the Governor’s Drive property to balance the budget since 2013. Recognizing that these reserves will eventually be depleted in the future, the Board will be developing a budget plan that does not rely on those funds. In addition, the Building Maintenance Planning Team proposed, and the Board approved, an increase to the capital reserves line to cover recurring expenses for maintenance of large items, such as HVAC and roof, so we will be ready when they are needed. These proposals will be included in the proposed budget for congregational approval at the Congregational Meeting on June 11th. The Congregational Meeting will also address the repair of the sanctuary beams. The Board will be holding informational chat sessions weeks before the meeting to address any questions about these proposals so individuals will be prepared to vote.
In other business, work has begun to clarify policies and procedures for expense reimbursement and procedures for earmarked donations. The Board discussed ways to make sure committee chairs and leaders are familiar with the policies needed for their work, and plans on making a strong system of transition each year for new chairs, including informational meetings with outgoing chairs.
Rev. Jaimie gave a report on worship and on staff. She also mentioned upcoming important issues at UUA, including the election of a new president and an examination of the format of our principles and sources at this year’s General Assembly.
CYRE Director, Kristen Warrington, gave a report on her efforts to find new volunteers for CYRE and to establish a working CYRE Committee.
Brad Korb reported that a committee fair will be held in late August to get people interested in committees. Also, the Tech Committee is working on developing our google workspace, and is creating an informational document for those wishing to use the space when it is established.
The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be Tuesday, May 23, at 6:30 pm via Zoom.
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Circle of Candles
Laura Johnson lit a candle of Sorrow: "My Sister in Law's Father is suffering from Parkinson's Disease. He fell and broke his hip and now is in hospice care."
Foster Perry lit a candle of Sorrow: "May Harry Belafonte Rest in Peace! A beautiful voice and a man who fought for justice."
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Upcoming Events
Click the calendar to see all of our upcoming events!
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Little Food Pantry
The food pantry is a huge success, being utilized by numerous people!
If you are able to pick a day to re-stock the pantry, please do so, using the Sign-Up Genius link below.
There are also baskets in the Fellowship Hall and Sanctuary entry foyer for food collection. The collected food will ultimately be used to fill the pantry on days not chosen on the sign-up genius.
Canned meats, soups, veggies, mac-and-cheese, bread, fruit, fresh veggies--all kinds of foods are welcome.
Thank you for being so generous. We are making a difference!
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Submitted by the Social Justice Committee | |
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In Case You Missed It
We love when you can join us at Service but we know that life can throw curveballs! Click below to view the past 4 services:
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Donate Online
via CDM+ Engage
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Online:
Like our other online and mobile giving options, this option is through CDM+ Engage, is secure, and has a good option for "plate" donations as well as "pledge".
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Submit to the Newsletter
Do you have news to include in the newsletter next week? Please submit your article to the newsletter through our request form no later than 10:00 am each Wednesday. Please make sure to complete a new request form each time you make a submission to the newsletter.
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Minister
Rev. Jaimie Dingus
Office Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday by appointment.
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UUCH 2023-24
Board Members
President:
Betsy Applegate
Vice President:
Brad Korb
Secretary:
Nancy Finley
Treasurer:
David Bollinger
Trustees:
Will Garrison
Shalin Mody
Nancy Pettus
Minister:
Rev. Jaimie Dingus
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 Betsy Applegate via email no later than one week prior to the meeting (i.e. the Tuesday before). The next board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 23rd, 2023, at 6:30 pm.
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Office Administrator
Ryan Vidal Gonzales
Main Office Hours:
Mondays 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Tuesdays through Thursdays 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM
or by appointment.
*Please call/email the office in advance if you need building access.
Phone:
256-534-0508
Email: uuch@uuch.org
For more info on any event, contact the church office or visit our website.
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UUCH News is a publication of The Unitarian Universalist Church,
3921 Broadmor Rd., Huntsville, AL 35810
Editor-in-Chief:
Laurel Bollinger
Copy Editor:
Ryan Vidal Gonzales
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PO Box 5545
Huntsville, AL 35814
(256) 534-0508
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