Join Us for Worship This Sunday!

October 19 at 10 a.m.

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

Liam Hart, Director of Music

Dan York, Worship Associate

"Sing Out Love"

Our current hymnals, the gray (Singing the Living Tradition) and the teal (Singing the Journey) are not the only hymnals we Unitarian Universalists have had. Did you know we have a Spanish-language hymnal? Did you know that we have a brand-new hymnal that was rolled out at General Assembly in June. It’s not a book we can hold - it’s a virtual hymnal, with most of the familiar hymns and a boatload of new ones. This is a singing-strong Sunday service, with new hymns, a little history, and the celebration of the quinceñera for a congregant. Rev. Karen and our Director of Music, Liam Hart, are leading this service.

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

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

Families will begin the morning together in the Sanctuary. After the Time For All Ages, children and youth will be escorted to their Faith Development exploration groups on the upper and lower levels. Childcare for infants and toddlers is available throughout e service in the Nursery on the lower level.

Looking Back to Sunday

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

Minister's Message- Oct. 14th

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

Here is the latest Minister's Message from Rev. Karen.

Jane Packard Celebration of Life

This Saturday, October 18, at 1:30 pm, First UU is honored to host the Celebration of Life for Jane Packard-Bryant. Jane's family looks forward to seeing you there. To view the livestream for the service click here.

Pledge Payments

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance

We had an excellent Stewardship Campaign last March, a campaign where you all pledged over $462,000 to help FUUSB meet our mission. Because our fiscal year begins in the middle of summer (July 1), it is easy to forget to set up your new pledge payments. Last week, pledge statements were emailed out to everyone who made a pledge for this year. Please take a look and make sure that your pledge payments are showing up on your statement.  

If you think you have automatic payments set up, please make sure that they are being credited to the 2025/2026 pledge year, and make sure that they didn't stop at the end of June when our fiscal year ended. Nearly 1/2 of the people who pledged for the 25/26 year have not begun making payments on their pledge yet! This is alarming. So please check your statement, check your giving in Realm, or contact Christina or Töve to make sure everything is correct.

Thank you for your generosity!

Fire Drill- This Sunday

Devin Fallon, Facilities Manager

We will be having a fire drill this Sunday, October 19th following the service postlude. In order to make this a realistic drill the alarm will sound. If you have a sensitivity to loud noises you can choose to leave before the drill begins. Instructions will be given prior to and during the fire drill.

**Please note: if you are parked anywhere on FUUSB grounds this Sunday, you cannot operate a vehicle once the alarm for the drill has sounded off. You will have to wait until the drill is over to move your car.**

This is both so we can keep our congregants (adults and children) safe as everyone goes to their meeting points outside the building, and also so that the Fire Department can maneuver their trucks into the designated spots during the drill.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the drill please contact our Facilities Manager at devin@uusociety.org or 802-862-5630, x23.

Arc Gallery

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance

Did you know that FUUSB has a gallery? It's called the Arc Gallery and it is located on the second floor. The space is shaped like an arc and features a balcony that overlooks the east entrance of the building. Currently, the art of Töve, our Society Administrator, is hung in the gallery. Over the years, many members and friends of the Society have displayed their art here.

We are currently looking for a member or friend of the Society who would be interested in overseeing the gallery. This is a volunteer position that would involve scheduling art displays in the gallery throughout the year. If this sounds like an interesting opportunity to you, please contact Christina at xina@uusociety.org for more information.

No Kings National Day of Mobilization

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

A message from Side with Love: The Unitarian Universalist Association has signed on as an official partner of the No Kings National Day of Mobilization on Saturday, October 18. Building on the momentum from the first No Kings protests in June, we are mobilizing for another mass day of resistance, resilience, and action. Our commitment to building a multiracial democracy shows up in how we resist the abduction and deportation of our immigrant community members; how we resist voter suppression in the legislature and at the ballot box; how we celebrate our LGBTQ+ kin and communities - and on October 18, shows up in how we collectively cry out No Kings! 

Game Night this Saturday!

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

Saturday, October 18th, 5-8 p.m.

Community Room

Our multigenerational Game Night is back! All ages are invited to play, eat, and be together.

We have lots of games at the ready, but feel free to bring the one you want to play. In the past we've done jigsaw puzzles, Dominoes, Ticket to Ride, Rumikub, Azul, group card games, Pictionary, and more. There are generally several things happening at once. It's okay to come with a group of friends and the intention to play a particular game. Make it what you want!

We'll have a "no-stress" potluck; you can wow us with your culinary skills or pick up a loaf of bread and a tub of hummus from the market. The point is to have fun together and not go hungry. We'll have decaf and tea available, plates and utensils.

Come for a little bit or stay the whole time. Come ready to make new friends and reconnect with the old!

2025 Holiday Bazaar!

Holiday Bazaar Committee

Do you like fun? Do you like to help our UU and the local community? Do you like to smile? Imagine, you can do all that at once by participating in this year’s Holiday Bazaar!

The Holiday Bazaar is Saturday, December 6, from 9-2 in the Community Room. There will be household items, holiday décor, art, toys, and baked goods for sale, a luncheon in the Parlors and lots of holiday cheer!  

But we need you to add even more smiles to this festive community event! 

If you are interested in helping with this year’s Holiday Bazaar, please attend our planning meeting on Sunday, October 26, from 9:15 to 9:55 in the Parlor. New folx are welcome! If you are unable to make it to the meeting but are interested in learning more about how you can help, please reach out to Kim Watkin at watkinfam@aol.com.  

There are other ways you can help too! You can start now by saving items to donate and thinking about homemade baked goods, jams and jellies you could contribute to be sold as part of this annual fundraiser.

We are excited to have you be part of the merriment! 

Eileen Blackwood, FUUSB Board President

As may recall, the Society has been eligible for Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) funds, which were a refund of amounts paid to the federal government based on the Society's decision to retain employees during the pandemic. In July we finally received those funds - a windfall of about $230,000! The Board of Trustees and the Executive Team (Rev. Karen and Christina) have been working on how to take advantage of these one-time funds to strengthen the Society's financial situation, while furthering our vision for ministry. We will present our decisions to the congregation on Sunday, October 26, following the Sunday service (at 11:30). We will meet in the Sanctuary and on Zoom and hope to see you there!

Respectful Dialogue Group

ALL ARE WELCOME!!!! OCTOBER 26th 11:30 in the Whitney Young Jr. Room

Join the Respectful Dialogue on UU Positions group, we intend to have discussions in which we share with other trusted UUs our honest thoughts and opinions on UU positions, in particular those with which we disagree. This group is facilitated, will have a covenant and meet regularly if the group chooses.

Questions?  Email:  rosanne05403@aol.com

Remember: Meditation every Tuesday at 5:15

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

Fall Circles are Filling Up at First UU

Chalice & Theme Circles



Dear Friends,

If you are looking to deepen your connection with others and explore meaningful discussion, consider joining a circle at First UU!

We offer small groups designed to foster community, personal growth, and spiritual exploration. To learn more about the different types of circles and which ones still have availability, Please visit the list of circles.

There's still room in the Wed. evening Zoom Theme Circle!

Gail Beck, Member

In October we will be discussing "Cultivating Compassion".

Join our group and be part of the discussion.

Is compassion just niceness and thoughtful feelings or is it about something deeper: an impulse that drives us to action?

Date with Death Club

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

This month's Date with Death Club session is on Saturday, Oct 25 at 10am. The topic is Medical Aid in Dying and we will have a guest speaker. Registration is required - click here to do so.

Each month FUUSB has an Earth Teacher and a packet of materials to help you connect with and make meaning in your life in relationship with that Earth Teacher. Check it out.