Message from Rev. Jaimie

Dear UUCH, thank you to everyone who voted in the UUCH Beam Color Survey. This conversation ended up bringing out a wide variety of thoughts, feelings, stories and values. The Board needed just a little bit more time to finalize the decision. We will not be announcing the result this Sunday 9/1, but will share with the congregation next week!

Potluck on Sunday, September 8th

The Hospitality Committee would like to remind members and friends that our monthly Potluck Lunch will not be on the first Sunday in September this month. Instead, it will be held on Sunday, September 8th, after our “Blending of the Waters” service. In October we will return to our usual monthly First Sunday Potluck.

Poverty, by America

Check out the ARE table to see the homework we did. The task was to find companies in our area that go above and beyond to better their employees lives with benefits of financial

value or family friendly policies.

During the third quarter of 2024, UUCH will be sharing our plate proceeds with Habitat for Humanity of the River Valley. All plate proceeds received from the Thursday before the first Sunday through the Saturday after the first Sunday will be split with Habitat for Humanity. In September, this includes plate donations received from August 29th through September 7th.

The need for affordable housing in Madison and Limestone County is great. Of the families in our area who make less than $48,000 a year, 42% of them pay 50% or more of their gross income for housing. This is a statistic that needs to change. When people spend all of their money, time, and energy on their home, it leaves little for education, improvement, peace, or purpose.

There are only a few organizations working to solve this problem – Habitat for Humanity of the River Valley is one of the largest and most effective. Their goal is to continue working to reduce the need for subsidized housing by partnering with families who need help and the community who can help them. We are all better off when our community has better homes for our families.

Habitat for Humanity offers partner families the opportunity to own a home that is stable and affordable. The homes are not free and homeowners are required to pay a monthly mortgage at 0% interest until they pay off the cost to build the home. The organization partners with their clients to ensure that they are receiving the financial and homeownership education and counselling that they need in order to be successful homeowners.

For more information, please visit their website here.

Please consider giving generously to this important local organization.

Soul Matters

Please go to the Adult RE section of bulletin board in Fellowship Hall to check out this opportunity that we offer or click on link here.

Scarecrow Trail at Huntsville Botanical Garden

You are invited to join us at the Huntsville Botanical Garden Saturday, September 7th at noon to eat lunch and tour the Scarecrow Trail, the Butterfly House and other garden highlights. You can brown bag it or buy a light lunch at the cafe in the admissions building.

Lynda Lamitie will be driving a 6-person electric golf cart to assist those with mobility issues. The cart reservation begins at 1pm with additional rides available at 2 and 3pm if required.

For more information about the garden or trail, see https://hsvbg.org.

Money will not be a barrier to Fellowship activities at UUCH. If you need assistance, please contact Rev. Jaimie at minister@UUCH.org

Please sign up here so we know how many to expect, and please note if you’d like to ride on the golf cart.

Contact Melodie Brier or Lynda Lamitie if you have any questions.

Young Adults Covenant Meeting

The UUCH Young Adults group is going to be discussing covenant after service on the second Sunday in September, 9/8/2024. This meeting will be held in the Adult RE room after the service. If you have questions about this meeting, please ask Nicole or Trao at coffee hour.

Technology Survey

The Technology Committee has created a survey to better understand the congregation's experiences and what people are interested in seeing from us going forward! We would appreciate your response by October 6th so technology can review and talk about it! You can find the survey here.

Safety Survey - 2024

The Safety Committee has created a survey to better understand safety interests and concerns to better serve the congregation. Due date is Sept. 16th. Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey at the link and feel free to request a hardcopy from Shalin or Trao. Take the survey here.

Elders Luncheon

Elders of UUCH, mark your calendars for a Luncheon on Wednesday, September 18th at 11:30 in Fellowship Hall. This will be a time for food and fellowship, and for Rev. Jaimie to get to spend some extra time with the oldest members of our community! Lunch will be provided, and more details and RSVP information are to follow!

Ghosts Over the Boiler book discussion

Ghosts Over the Boiler is a unique book about a decades-old organization, Project Hope to

Abolish the Death Penalty, that was founded and operated by people facing capital punishment in Alabama. We were given a talk by the author, Katie Owens-Murphy, last February if this sounds familiar. Ghosts Over the Boiler is a curated collection of poetry, visual art, photographs, essays, creative writings, and other archival materials that have emerged from Alabama's death row. This group was founded at Holman Correctional Facility and has been operating autonomously since 1989 toward its mission to abolish the death penalty in Alabama and in the nation.

We will be discussing this book after the Sunday services in October and November (NOTE: this will be after choir practice). If you are interested in abolishing capital punishment, start reading this book now and plan on joining us for discussion this fall! See ARE table to sign up and more info for ordering book.

Do You Know Your Voting Status?

Are you registered to vote? Is your voting registration address correct? If you are not sure (or maybe even if you are), you can check your voting status at this easy to use website:

1) go to https://myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/voterview

2) enter your name and date of birth

3) click the box for "I'm not a robot"

4) click "Look Up"

Your voting registration address and status, along with your polling location, will be shown. If you have any questions, you can call 1-800-274-8683.

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.

• August 29th: UU the Vote Huddle for In-Person Canvassers at 7 pm via Zoom (https://secure.everyaction.com/p/nTBqtsgyWEiRF6PNRSaZLw2?pn=2)
• September 3rd: UU the Vote Weekly Phonebank at 6 pm via Zoom (https://sidewithlove.org/allevents?pn=2)
• September 8th: Love Huntsville dinner for unhoused at 6 pm at the Slab (see Gail Williams)
• September 10th: UU the Vote Weekly Phonebank at 6 pm via Zoom (https://secure.everyaction.com/p/nTBqtsgyWEiRF6PNRSaZLw2?pn=2)
• September 11th: Absentee Voting Begins for General Election (https://www.sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes)
• September 21st: Huntsville Green Team National Clean Up Day at 9 am (https://www.facebook.com/events/1184908615965865)
• September 22nd: Love Huntsville dinner for unhoused at 6 pm at the Slab (see Gail Williams)
• October 21st: Voter Registration Deadline for General Election (https://www.sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes)

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

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

Circle of Candles

Ryan Gonzales lit a candle of Joy: "Over the past month I have been dealing with a major medical scare, but the results of my most recent biopsy confirmed that I do not have cancer. Unfortunately, I still do not have a firm answer on what all is going on but I am so grateful to Rev. Jaimie for working with me through everything. I want to apologize for not updating the Circle of Candles the past few weeks, as I have been working from home between procedures. Please email me at uuch@uuch.org or leave a note on my desk if you have a Circle of Candle from the past month you'd like me to add to next week's newsletter."

Deborah Delacey lit a candle of Joy: "Yesterday, Suzey leveled up. Please congratulate her on another trip around the sun."

Saoirse and Jessica Carpenter lit a candle of Joy: "We want to wish Rhiannon Carpenter a very happy 40th birthday."

Mary Ann Conklin lit a candle of Joy: "I am very grateful to have my daughter back in the Huntsville area."