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Join the Alabama Postcard Project
and Get Out The Vote
Sundays, Sept. 22 and 29 UUCH Fellowship Hall
Join us in helping get out the vote by writing postcards! The NAACP and League of Women Voters have a project to contact voters in the new Alabama congressional district 2 with hand-written postcards. LWV and NAACP are committed to ensuring that voters are empowered with the knowledge and tools that they need to make their voices heard at the ballot box on Election Day - November 5. They have come together to send a hand-written postcard to every Black registered voter in rural congressional district 2 to remind them to get out and vote on November 5!
After decades of racial gerrymandering, Alabama voters won a court battle and, in 2023, new Congressional voting maps were created. The new 2nd Congressional District (CD2) runs across south Alabama, from Georgia to Mississippi. It includes Mobile and Montgomery, but most of the district is very rural. With a 48.7% Black voting age population, the district was drawn to give Black voters the opportunity to select a candidate that will represent their priorities and values.
UUCH’s social justice mission is concerned with making sure all voices are heard, so we volunteered to help. We have 200 postcards to write. So stop by the Postcard Project Table in the Fellowship Hall after church on Sunday, September 22 and/or September 29 and write a few postcards while you drink coffee and have snacks. Together we can make a difference!
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4th Sunday ARE Trusting Change: Imagining A Way September 22, 2024
"All that we are is story," wrote Richard Wagamese, who regarded the human capacity for story as more than individual authorship. For him, stories are a tool for connecting with others and together creating a better world. The task of every one of us, he said, is to create stories freely and frequently. As we do, he said, we will enlarge our own story and understanding, discover our greater kinship, and participate in changing the world's story too.
Today, we will examine our old stories and use our imaginations to create
new ones for the future. Join us in the Adult RE room, 4th Sunday,
September 22, 12:15 - 1:30.
June Norton, facilitator
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This Week in CYRE
This year’s overarching frame is The Practices of Our Faith. We’re using this frame to focus on how Unitarian Universalism is a lived faith that inspires us to act, live, and love our values out in the world. Or, to put it another way, we’re diving into our long-loved commitment to “deeds, not creeds.” Our frame of practices is also a way for us to connect to our UUA’s new core value of love, with each of our monthly themes being framed as a practice that helps us embody love in our daily lives. With all this in mind, this September we explore the practice of invitation.
In this session, we explore The Practice of Invitation by first explaining to kids what a practice is and explaining that as UUs, we believe in the concept of deeds, not creeds. This session identifies that one of our most visible practices as UUs is the lighting of our chalice. We then dive into this with the history of the chalice, the spiritual practice of lighting one, and the exploration of what other practices we can do that help us live into our faith.
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BE IN THE UUCH PHOTO DIRECTORY!
SIGN UP NOW
for your Photo appointment!
Photo dates:
Fri, Nov 1, 2:00-8:30 pm
Sat, Nov 2, 10:00 am-4:30 pm
A Photo Directory is a powerful tool to help UUCH members and friends know each other better. The last Photo Directory was completed just before the pandemic began. Since that time, our church has grown and changed significantly.
All members and friends are encouraged to be in the new Photo Directory. Each participating family will receive a complimentary 8x10 photo and a free directory! There is no obligation to buy additional photos, but they will be available for purchase if you want extras for friends and family.
To reserve the best appointment date and time for you, please sign-up before or after church on Sunday in the Fellowship Hall or make your own appointment online by clicking HERE.
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Board Report August 28, 2024
The UUCH Board met in person (with one remote by Zoom) for its regularly scheduled meeting on August 28th.
Rev. Jaimie reported on the survey results regarding beam colors, and the Board discussed moving forward with the chosen color and with communicating the decision to the congregation. It also discussed ways to express solidarity with Pride/Black Lives Matter, and will investigate acquiring more permanent, larger flags for that purpose.
The Treasurer, Khoe Tran, reported that the church finances are good with expenses below, and income above, predictions for this point in the year.
The Vice-President and Chair of Council, Bryan Walls, reported that the Council has moved to quarterly hybrid Zoom/in-person meetings, with other months involving updating online documents about their activities and holding discussions via email. While there have been some hiccups associated with the transition, discussion appears to be lively.
The Board approved designs for a new printing of the Side with Love t-shirts and discussed ideas for marketing UUCH to the broader community.
The Board discussed and approved Board goals for the 2024-2025 church year.
The next regularly scheduled Board meeting will be held via Zoom September 25, 2024.
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Save the Date! Service Auction on Nov 9th
SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, Nov 09! Join the FUN at UUCH’s annual service auction, one of our biggest fundraisers and fun events of the year! More details to follow from your Stewardship Team. All invited! Contact Zena Tucker or email stewardship@uuch.org for more info.
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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.
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Grief Ceremony —Save the Date
The holidays are not all happy for everyone. Often the holidays are when we miss our loved ones the most. Wednesday evening November the 20th Rev. Jaimie will lead us in a grief ceremony. More details to come but mark your calendars. If the need to drive at night interferes with your ability to participate in this event, reach out to care@uuch.org. We will work out a ride for you.
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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.
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Habitat for Humanity Home Build
UUCH has been assigned to a house and the work has begun! We will be working on the Fazzingo/Turner house at 216 Lake Drive in Huntsville.
Your help is needed! Volunteers will be working at the site on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The pad has been poured and the walls have been assembled in the warehouse. Later this week, the walls will be transported to the site and will be erected next week.
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 social.justice@uuch.org
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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.
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Circle of Candles
Jo Broussard lit a candle of Sorrow: "Lost a dear friend, Lisa Candelario, musician, photographer, gardener, and lover of life."
Foy M. Southard lit a candle of Concern: "I am in need of a used car, if anyone has one for sale."
Ward Welty lit a candle of Joy: "My son, Ryan, who retired July 1st after 25 years of service in emergency management to Alabama county governments, has a new full-time job. Starting this week, he will be employed by the American Red Cross in Decatur as Community Disaster program Manager, serving fice north-central Alabama counties. Ryan is 49 years old and has three teenage daughters."
Deborah Delacey lit a candle of Joy: "Once again this community came through for me. I was able to use the church's lights to give my students an unforgettable dance last Friday."
Jaylee Kordosky lit a candle of Joy: "I just celebrated my 6th anniversary with my wife on Monday! Finally feeling free from religious traumna here at UUCH and starting to heal from said trauma. Feeling welcomed and free to be me."
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Upcoming Events
Click the calendar to see all of our upcoming events!
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Little Food Pantry
Signups for the LFP have slowed to a trickle unless you are filling it without signing up in the signup genius. It’s hard to know. Our LFP is a much needed service to the neighborhood. Fill it with nutritious foods. Folks rarely take garbanzo beans or lentils (even though they are nutritious). Let’s try to keep the pantry going! Please, if you are able to fill it up, please note your name in the Genius. Also, you can bring non perishables to church, as there are baskets. A big thank you to all who do contribute!
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Submitted by the Social Justice Committee | |
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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 2024-25
Board Members
President:
Susan Coddington
Vice President:
Bryan Walls
Secretary:
Laurel Bollinger
Treasurer:
Khoe Tran
Trustees:
Darlene Patten
Cam Scales
Vickie Goodman
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 Susan Coddington via email no later than one week prior to the meeting (i.e. the Tuesday before). The next Board meeting is September 25, 2024
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Office Administrator
Ryan Vidal Gonzales
Main Office Hours:
Monday and Wednesday 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Tuesday and Thursdays 1:00 PM to 3:00 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
Copy Editor:
Laurel Bollinger
Editorial Writer:
Ryan Vidal Gonzales
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PO Box 5545
Huntsville, AL 35814
(256) 534-0508
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