Join Us for Worship This Sunday!

June 8 at 10 a.m.

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

Judy Brook, Worship Associate

"The Earth Laughs in Flowers"

Each year, we celebrate Flower Festival (sometimes called Flower Communion or Flower Ceremony), a distinctly UU ritual that celebrates our many forms of diversity. Plan to bring a flower (and plan to go home with a different one). At this service, we will be holding our New Member Recognition Ceremony. This is a multi-generational service.

After the service is our Annual Meeting. Plus, after that, there will be a congregation-wide potluck picnic. Plan to stick around to connect and reconnect. For more details about what you can bring, use this form to sign up.



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.

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 remain together in the Sanctuary for this Flower Ceremony Sunday.

At the end of the service, children will be led outside for supervised outdoor fun during the Annual Meeting. Youth will be offering face painting and tattoo application to younger children.

Looking Back to Sunday

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister



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

Annual Meeting This Sunday

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance

Töve Johnson, Program Assistant

The 2025 Annual FUUSB Meeting will be held both virtually and in-person, immediately following the service on June 8th.

Anyone is welcome to attend, but only members who have signed the book prior to May 12, 2025 may vote.

All members are required to check-in prior to the start of the meeting at 11:20 a.m.

Members who are also attending the 10 a.m. Sunday service can check-in for the meeting upon arrival at the Meetinghouse.

Joining online?

• Zoom registration begins at 11:00 am via this link. You will be placed in the waiting room upon entry and checked-in.

• Please make sure that your full name is entered on your Zoom window. We will be voting by using the “Raise Your Hand” feature in Zoom. Click here for full Zoom Meeting instructions.

You can view the 2025 Annual Report here.

For more information about the annual meeting, including the Warning, meeting agenda, and budget information, visit the Annual Meeting page on our website.

Annual Congregational Potluck/Picnic

Sarah Russell, Member

We hope you have heard now about the Congregational Picnic after the Annual Meeting this Sunday June 8th. Thanks to all who have signed up already.

Please take a look at this signup and see if you can sign up for a slot. In particular we could use some people to join us in the clean up and bringing sandwiches. Thanks in advance. Sarah Russell and Kim Watkin, adhoc committee running this year’s Potluck Picnic. The signup is merely a suggestion to types of items, so bring whatever is your favorite potluck dish if a category is full already.

Kim Watkin, Board of Trustee Member

The FUUSB Board of Trustees met Tuesday, May 20th. Christina Fulton, Director of Operation and Finance, presented a relatively positive financial outlook due to a lower deficit anticipated as we end the church fiscal year on June 30th. The Board is ready to submit the 2025-2026 Budget at the Annual Meeting on June 8th for congregational approval. 

As part of Rev. Karen’s Minister’s Report she shared the Code of Ethics for the Pastoral Visiting Ministry. This Pastoral Visiting Team is beginning its work this spring, but Rev. Karen also expressed sadness that with recent deaths in our congregation, the needs also exposed the insufficient ministerial staffing for pastoral care.

 The Board approved a request of the Radical Welcoming Team to provide a statement of Board support for the establishment of an Overdose Prevention Center in Burlington. It also revisited the policy on Public Statements and it agreed that any statements that could be implied to come from FUUSB should be approved by the Board to ensure that we are speaking with a single voice. This is becoming increasingly important as requests from different organizations and individuals are more frequently requested in these turbulent times.

Finally, the Board approved the 2025-2026 Open Questions, Vision for Ministry, and Board Goals to be presented at the Annual Meeting.

The next Board Meeting is Tuesday, June 24th* at the Meetinghouse from 4-6pm. *Note: this is a change from the 3rd to the 4th Tuesday of the month. A Zoom link will be published in Community Messenger on that Tuesday or you can email board@uusociety.org for the link.

Faith Development Registration for 2025-26

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

Please register Children and youth for the 2025-26 program year! Registration provides us with important information about the kids we serve and helps us plan for the year to come. Please include infants and toddlers who might use the Nursery and high school youth, even if they only plan to participate occasionally.

Join Us at the Monthly FUUSB First Friday Open-Mic Coffeehouse!

Todd Schlossberg, Member

This Friday, June 6th

Potluck dessert and open-mic sign-up starts at 6:30 p.m.

Open mic 7-9 p.m.

We’ve returned to The Parlors, for a more intimate listening-room experience, with table and

chair seating. We’ll be taking a hiatus for the summer, so this will be our last coffeehouse until September.

Come share songs or spoken word pieces. Or, just come to enjoy the music, poetry, and fellowship. Amplification and mics provided. If you’re able, bring a dessert dish to share. Coffee,

tea, and refreshments will be provided. All ages and talents are welcome, especially newcomers! Invite friends and family. Face masks welcomed, but are not required.

UUA General Assembly for Everyone!

Christina Fulton, Director of Finance & Operations

If you are unable to attend General Assembly, there are still a few ways for you to participate! Video of some events from General Assembly (GA) 2025 will be live-streamed, June 18-22—no registration required. Live-streamed events will include the General Sessions and Sunday Morning Worship.

The Ware Lecture, Service of the Living Tradition, and Synergy Bridging Worship will not be available for public live-stream or on-demand viewing. General Assembly registration is required to live-stream these events, or access the video on-demand.

• Stream 2025 Events
• Videos of GA 2024 General Sessions, Service of the Living Tradition, Synergy Bridging Worship, and Sunday Morning Worship
• Program Book
• Program Schedule/Agenda

 Sites Still Available for Elmore Campout!

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

The weather forecast is looking pretty good and it's not too late for you to join the thirty adults and ten children from First UU who are already signed up for a weekend of outdoor fun and togetherness at Elmore State Park, June 13-15! In addition to our traditional campout activities, Claire Graham-Smith will be leading yoga practice both mornings at 7:30! Day Trippers welcome! Find out more and register at this link. Find out more and register at this link.

This Saturday-

Ken Swearingen Celebration of Life

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

A reminder that this Saturday, June 7th at 10am, is FUUSB member, Ken Swearingen's Celebration of Life service here in the sanctuary. 

Interested in joining a Group at First UU?

Susan Ogden, Member

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 a variety of circles designed to foster community, personal growth, and spiritual exploration. To learn more about the different types of circles available, please visit the LINK to the FUUSB Circles web page.

For further information, please contact Gail Beck or Susan Ogden at ThemeCircles@uusociety.org.

Deepening Our Lives

Susan Ogden, Member

We are a Chalice Circle meeting the first and third Mondays of each month from 5-6:30 PM, at the meetinghouse. We are a diverse group and we are seeking more members. Our discussion derives from the Path. In June we will explore the Practice of Freedom has guided us.

Contact: ChaliceCircles@uusociety.org

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.