Join Us for Worship This Sunday!

January 25th at 10 a.m.

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

Mark Power-Freeman, Worship Associate

"Got Octopus"

Just before the vote to call Rev. Karen as FUUSB’s Senior Minister in May, 2023, she shared that, to her, we seemed a bit like an octopus - many arms, many hearts, many brains, working both independently and in harmony, though not always knowing what was going on with the other arms and brains, and sometimes getting tangled up. In this service we will share about some FUUSB arms and brains helping us swim through the currents of our current world. And how you can help.

Join us for worship in person in the Sanctuary, or online. The livestream link and order of service will be shared at bit.ly/FUUSBWorship, or visit our YouTube channel.

Following the service, all are welcome to Coffee Hour in the Community Room.

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.

Children & Youth This Sunday

Mo Singletary, Family Programs Assistant

Most families will begin the morning together in the Sanctuary. After the Time For All Ages, children and youth will be escorted to Chalice Choice Activities on the lower level. Care for infants and toddlers is available in the Nursery throughout the service. 



Please note that 4th/5th OWL will begin in the SBA Room at 10 am sharp, so participants should be dropped off before the service begins.

Looking Back to Sunday

Here is a link to the video recording of last week's service.

Crossing Paths participants asking Dean Greta questions during their field trip to the Cathedral Church of St. Paul.

In Solidarity with Minnesota

 on Friday's Day of Action

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

I promised I would get you information about how to participate in acts of solidarity with Minnesota on the Day of Action. The best source of information for local activities comes from our neighbor, First Congregational Church (UCC).  Read about their involvement, including a community wide dinner and prayer service on Friday Night. (or here, on their Facebook page). 

From reading this, I understand that the request from Minnesota organizers to "fast" is an economic fast and is centered in Minnesota - no work, no school, no shopping.

Faith communities across the country are invited to organize local echo actions on Friday, January 23 in coordination with MN. That day also marks the launch of "The Day of Fasting and Prayer for Truth and Freedom".

• Vermont community members can register to participate here. More details will follow by text and email to those who register.

Here is the website about the Day of Action in Minneapolis: https://www.iceoutnowmn.com/ 

Side with Love has created a resource kit specifically for Solidarity with Minnesota. Check it out.

For additional information click here.

I hope this is helpful.

Respectful Dialogue meets

4th Sundays on 1/25

Gail Beck, Member



Why the focus on pronouns? Let’s have a real conversation. 

Join Respectful Dialogue on UU Positions Circle for an honest, "no-judgment" conversation as we look at the history of this custom.

When: Jan 25 at 11:30-12:30 after coffee hour All are welcome.

When you enter into a UU space lately, you’ve likely been asked, "What are your pronouns?" For many of us, this feels like a big shift. It can feel awkward, unnecessary, or even like we are being told how to speak.

Our goal isn't to tell you what to think, but to explore the benefits and the real issues of this practice. Hope to see you on Sunday!

Questions? We’d love to hear from you.

Please reach out to Rosanne Greco at rosanne05403@aol.com for more information or to let us know you're coming!

Next LGBTQIA+ meeting is 2/8 with ZINE MAKING and PIZZA!

Elizabeth Allen, LGBTQIA Group

Hello all interested LGBTQIA+ people and allies! The LGBTQIA+ group's next meeting is Sunday, February 8, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM, after services, in the Whitney Young Jr. Room on the second floor. We will have PIZZA from Leonardo's and a ZINE MAKING WORKSHOP from our very own multitalented KATIE HAUER. It will be AWESOME! See you there!

Save the Date: All Ages Dance Party

Susan Ogden, Stewardship

SATURDAY MARCH 14

6:30 PM TO 8:30 PM

NNE Miller Center 

Music, Dance, Food. 2026 Steward Campaign Events.

Silver Bay

Mo Singletary, Family Programs Assistant

A Sure Cure for Winter Blues: UU Weekend at Silver Bay 

Shake off the winter blues by imagining all the joy you’ll experience this fall at the annual UU Weekend at Silver Bay on beautiful Lake George. It will take place from October 9-11, 2026, with an option to extend your stay through October 12.

This much-anticipated fall gathering brings together UU’s and friends from across the region for a weekend of community learning, play, relaxation, and spiritual renewal - set amid peak Adirondack fall foliage. Picture a fun blend of workshops, music, outdoor adventures, games, and time to relax, with something for all ages and energy levels. 

Over 75 people have already registered, and a group from our congregation goes every year and has a blast – consider joining in for the fun! Children aged 5 and under attend free, and there are substantial discounts for older children and youth. The last day to sign up at a reduced rate is June 7th.

The 2026 registration form and more information are available on the Albany UU website at https://albanyuu.org/blog/uu-silver-bay-weekend/

Spring Homestay Announcement

Homestay Team

The Homestay Team is excited to announce UU Homestays for area college graduations are in the works. We had some success for fall parent weekends and hope to increase the bookings for the Spring. Here’s what one inquiry told us: It’s great to have an alternative to hotels and airbnbs!

If you are interested in donating space, please fill out this short survey so we can get the Spring website launched. Many of you provided Spring dates earlier in the year; please confirm and let us know of any changes in this form.

Also, we need help getting the word out. We are interested to hear from current parents of St. Michael's College and UVM students. We may be able to advertise on certain social media sites with posts from members of parents-only groups. Please email:  homestay@uusociety.org. 

  The Homestay Team Thanks You!

Scam Emails

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance

Once again, members have been receiving scam messages from Rev. Karen and other staff. Please be careful, this most recent version was a one sentence message that said "Hi, if you're not too busy, let's quickly chat here." It seems harmless enough, except if you reply to this message you are not chatting with Rev. Karen, you are chatting with a scam artist. Use this easy trick to tell if an email is truly coming from Rev. Karen or any other staff member: roll your mouse/cursor over the name of who the message is from and it should show the senders email address. Rev. Karen and ALL other staff members have email addresses that end in @uusociety.org. If your message is not from an @uusociety.org email address, then please just mark it as spam. Do Not Reply to the message!