Join Us for Worship This Sunday!

October 6 at 10 a.m.

Tom Morgan, Guest Speaker

Warren Baker, Worship Associate

"A Story of a Life"

There is a power in story-telling. Whose stories get told in our community? How do we listen to the narratives of others, and how are we moved? Tom Morgan will offer a reflection on these questions using stories you probably either haven't heard or maybe you were missing the rest of the story.

Our guest preacher, Tom Morgan currently serves as the community minister and hybrid community-parish intern at the Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society (CVUUS) in Middlebury. Previously, he co-managed Middlebury’s low-barrier homeless shelter and worked at Addison county’s community action agency, Addison Community Action.  Tom and his partner (Irena) and children (Wesley and Amaya) moved to Vermont from the DC area in 2021 after public service careers in national security. 

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 outside, weather permitting.

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 (children and parents/caregivers, youth may come on their own) and Faith Development guides will begin on the lower level with 15-20 minutes of child-centered worship, after which parents will be sung out to the service already in progress and children and youth (along with Rev. Karen!) will begin activities as part of the first Chalice Choice Sunday. Due to staffing issues, the Nursery for infants through PK will be closed.

Chalice Choice Sunday

Faith Development for children and youth is experimenting with a new form and this week Rev Karen will be part of the mix! Kids, K-12th grade, are invited to choose between activities that focus on UU Values and worship themes, rather than being grouped by age. Choices this week will include meditation, hymn singing with guitar accompaniment, “the listening game”, lego chalice-building, and beginning a collaborative coloring mosaic in which the whole congregation will be invited to take part.

Looking Back to Sunday

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

You can read the text of Rev. Karen's sermon, What Future(s) Are We Preparing For on her blog - click here to do so.

She mentioned books in her sermon:

• Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler
• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (her all-time favorite)
• The Last Beekeeper by Julia Carrick Dalton
• Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson

The closing words, Everything is on Fire by Nikita Gill, can be found here.

This is the original version of the Call to Worship that was adapted for more mobility-inclusive language:

Our Senior Minister wrote a meditation last July that was published this morning as the weekly meditation from the UUA, Braver/Wiser.  Read it here.

Calling Bread Bakers

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior MInister

Calling FUUSB bread bakers! I'd like to include homemade bread in an upcoming Sunday service (10/27) - we'd need ALOT of loaves to make sure everyone gets a chunk. I'm guessing 20 loaves (plus a couple that are gluten free). Can you bake a loaf (or 2 or 5) and bring it on Saturday, 10/26 or EARLY (by 9:15) on 10/27? If so, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/dLWn17QieVTKGY1p7 - Once we have enough volunteers, the form will stop taking answers.

Bazaar Planning- Sept 29th

in Sanctuary After Service

Kim Watkin, Member

We are ready to start the work of planning the Holiday Bazaar. Come to a planning meeting at 11:15pm in the Parlors.  Everyone who comes to the meeting will walk away with a meaningful way to help our annual tradition! Come and join us!  

October- Reduced Administrative Hours

Töve Johnson, Program Assistant

Over the next three weeks, Töve will be working fewer hours, as she will be performing Shakespeare in Montpelier!

This means she will won't be able to take on as many tasks this month and will be slower in responding to email. Never fear- she'll be back in full-swing in November.

Töve would like to express deep gratitude to FUUSB's generous staff & community for supporting her in this exciting artistic endeavor. Thank you in advance for your grace and patience!

In the meantime here's some helpful info:

Scheduling: Erin Barbot, our Events & Scheduling Coordinator, handles all the scheduling for space and zoom meetings, as well as event planning. You can find forms for scheduling on our website here. She can be reached at erin@uusociety.org.

Parking passes: Devin Fallon, Facilities Manager, can take any requests or questions you have about purchasing or renewing parking oval passes. He can be reached devin@uusociety.org.

You can also contact the Sabbatical Planning Team if you need more immediate help by emailing sabbaticalteam@uusociety.org.

UU Climate Justice Revival--Success!

Climate Justice Team

Hundreds of congregations around the world are participating in the UU Climate Justice Revival. About fifty members of our congregation participated in one of the special events that we organized as part of the Revival. We started with a video discussion of UU values and climate justice. This past Saturday, we re-imagined thriving communities, then we mapped the challenging realities of a climate-changed world, and we responded with our visions for a world with community care at the center. 

On Sunday, we met to explore the intersections of what our community needs, what brings us joy, and what we have to offer, while putting love at the center. We sang, and we chanted, and we drew pictures. We imagined together. 

Thank you to all who organized and participated! Click here for a 2 1/2 minute video summary of the FUUSB Revival.

BIG THANKS to the Franks family for leading a vegan cooking class as part of the Revival. 

Likely, the Climate Justice Team will meet at 11:30 am, after the service, on October 20th (and other 3rd Sundays of the month). We will celebrate FUUSB’s successes and consider our next steps. Join us! To get in touch, email us at climatejustice@uusociety.org 

Click here to register for this month's Earth Teacher Session on Oct. 10th.

Chalice & Theme Circle Announcements

Circle Coordinators

Could a Theme Circle Change Your Life?

Are you interested in building community and spiritual exploration?

FUUSB has 2 options available for Oct.- Jan.

Our Theme in October is Deep Listening.You will receive the Soul Matters Deep Listening Packet from the group as well as FUUSB.

• Option 1: Tuesdays 2-4pm in person at FUUSB

Oct 15, Nov 19, Dec 17, Jan 21

• Option 2: Wednesdays 6-8pm in person at FUUSB

Oct 23, Nov 20, Dec 18, Jan 22

Please email: ThemeCircles@uusociety.org

Are you interested in Paganism?

FUUSB now has a Pagan Circle that meets in person on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month from 6-7:30 at FUUSB.

If you are interested in attending

the next in person Circle is on October 15 at FUUSB. 

Please email ChaliceCircles@uusociety.org if you have some interest.

Come Celebrate the Return of the FUUSB

First Friday Open Mic Coffeehouse!

Todd Schlossberg, Member

It’s no idle rumor, we promise, it’s true.

First Friday coffeehouse returns to U.U.!

Join us for humor, music, and more

This coming Friday, October 4.

Sign up and perform, at the open mic

Or sit back and listen, if that’s what you’d like

There’s really not much, that you must do

Apart from one thing, that is, to bring you!

What: Our Monthly First Friday FUUSB Open Mic Coffeehouse

Who: Everyone! Friends and family welcome

Where: The Sanctuary, First UU Society of Burlington

When: Fri. Oct. 4, 7-9;00 p.m.; open mic signup begins at 6:30.

Bring: A song, story or poem to perform, yourself

Questions? Todd Schlossberg: greenmountainlaw@gmail.com

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.