|
Sunday, July 21, 2024 Do UU's Pray? It's Complicated...
We welcome Rev. Sarah back to the pulpit, along with Mary Kate Eckles, Worship Associates.
They are joined by the VUU Summer Choir led by Beth Wyman and Noell Hyman, Lynn De Muth, and Linda Horton.
Next Sunday, July 28 Back to School Service!
Rev. Sarah and Amanda Schneider lead a service with Kelsie McEntire offering blessings for a new school year (blessing of the water bottles!), an introduction to the faith formation teaching staff, and opportunity to say goodbye to Kelsie and thank her for her time and service with us. Sarah and Amanda will offer short reflections on the importance of having a UU faith community supporting families as they navigate systems of education and learning. Whether your kid attends a public, charter, private or home school, we hope the values we share and promote help you and your family thrive. This service is intergenerational; no faith formation classes will be held.
| |  |
IN THE EDUCATION BUILDINGS | |
FAITH FORMATION
- Preschool (3/4 yr olds)
- Kind/1st Grade
- 2nd/3rd Grade
- 4th/5th Grade
- Middle School (6-8th)
- High School (9-12th)
See article below about upcoming activities taking us into the fall.
|
|
DALAI LAMA AND FRIENDS
8:30 am Meditation
9:00 am Discussion
In person, in the board room, and
Via Zoom here
| | |
Love is our doctrine · Service is our prayer · Justice is our calling | | |
| |
|
Thursday, July 18
- Page Turners Book Club 7p
Friday, July 19
- Singles Lunch Bunch 1:30p
Saturday, July 20
Sunday, July 21
- Dalai Lama and Friends 8:30a
- Sunday Service 10:30a
- Water Fun Day 10:30a
- UU the Vote Meeting 11:45a
- VUUJAZ Coffee Convo 12p
- Lead Teacher Meeting 12:30p
Monday, July 22
- IHELP Dinner/Shelter 5:30p
- EAT - Env. Action Team 6:30p
Tuesday, July 23
- EastVUU Women's Group 1p
- Men's Group 7p
Wednesday, July 24
- DnD game 5:30p
- No Choir - summer break
Thursday, July 25
- Board of Trustees 5:30p
- EVUU Social 6p
- Facilities Committee 6p
Friday, July 26
Saturday, July 27
Sunday, July 28
- Dalai Lama and Friends 8:30a
- Back to School Service 10:30a
- No Faith Formation Classes
- VIP House Meeting 11:45a
- Voices Lifted 12:15p
Click here for the most current calendar, to view locations, contact information details for above events
| |
|
This new section will contain abbreviated information about upcoming events that are further than two weeks out. Events that occur sooner may have a full article below.
Choir Rehearsal - on summer hiatus
Spirit of Life Reading Circle - on summer hiatus, to reconvene in September
VUU Article II Committee - meets Monday July 29. Contact DeeAnne
EVUU Online Program Meeting - August 8 6p
Paz de Cristo - next meal prep Friday, August 9
All Community Water Ingathering - August 25
| |
|
I am back in the office! I am still catching up on emails, etc. I look forward to writing more next week, and to seeing all of you this Sunday!
Thanks for your patience as I return to all of the tasks and planning for our 2024-25 program year. We’ll celebrate the water communion on August 25, 2024. It’s moved up because we are facing the complexity that for people operating within educational calendars, school schedules are well into swing by the end of August. But starting in July is still too early! This is a compromise from a post-Labor Day service. We’ll try this on and see how it feels and revisit this schedule next summer.
More next week!
Rev. Sarah
| |
Denominational Affairs Committee
The VUU Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the formation of the Denominational Affairs Committee. This committee is chartered with monitoring and researching the events and efforts of the UUA and how they may impact VUU as well as promoting VUU's full participation in the democratic process within the UUA. Additionally, the committee will research the resources that UUA has that may be of use to VUU. The committee will hold discussions with the congregation on UUA matters of interest via congregational conversations, and will report progress via the Happenings newsletter. The full charter of the committee is available here.
Linda Rand has been appointed as the chair of this committee and is looking for volunteers who would like to participate in this effort. Please contact Linda if you are interested.
-Submitted by Linda Rand
| |
-
VUU Voices Choir - Wednesdays 6:00-7:30p (on summer hiatus)
-
One Hour Choir - First Sundays 9:00-10:00 am (on summer hiatus)
-
Chalice Ringers - contact Katie Sieferth if you are interested.
-
Drum Circle - contact Katie Sieferth if you are interested.
-
Play with the Band! - contact Katie Sieferth if you are interested (on summer hiatus)
| |
A Call for your Thoughts
Noell Hyman and Mary Rothschild are organizing an All Hymn Sing Service for August 4th. In many ways, we think our theology as Unitarian Universalists is often clearest and most accessible to us all through our hymns and we look forward to singing together.
We need some of you to tell us and the congregation about a hymn that means a great deal to you: a hymn that describes what’s important to you about UUism, or which gave you an insight, or which cheers you up, or which keeps you going, or which inspires you to make the world a better place. Tell us a hymn that matters to you, which we will all sing after you tell us and the congregation what it means to you (in two to three minutes).
Singing touches us all in ways large and small: some hymns are spiritual, some inspirational, and some give us a vision for the future. Singing hymns is how we all become part of the service and how we experience the “we-ness” of congregational worship. Please let us know a hymn that means a lot to you and that you would like to present as a gift to the congregation, with a short explanation of why you chose it and what it means to you.
Please contact Noell Hyman or Mary Rothschild with your hymn and story so we can learn about you and sing with joy and love on August 4th!
| | | |
July Environmental Action Team Zoom Meeting
Date: Monday, July 22, 6:30 pm (Please note this is a change from our normally scheduled 3rd Monday of the month.)
Whether you're interested in helping or learning more about our VUU GARDEN, our UU the VOTE actions (helping to assure environmental justice and democracy in the upcoming elections), our upcoming FOOD for LIFE and the PLANET (FLP) Fall plans, our VUU SOLAR TEAM plans, our CCL (Citizens Climate Lobby) Team's plans, or any of our other initiatives, please join us.
We'll also discuss and learn more about the UU Climate Justice Revival scheduled for September 28 & 29.
ALL Are welcome, always! For more information, email Linda Stenholm or phone or text at 480-849-2643.
Click here for the Zoom Link.
-Submitted by Linda Stenholm
| |
H5N1 Update
It’s been 3 months since H5N1 (bird flu) was reported in American dairy cows. To date, more than 105 dairy herds across 12 states have reported H5N1. EAT would like to alert the congregation to this concerning issue. Click here for a snapshot of where we are today.
-Submitted by Jerry Waters
| | | |
|
What’s Up in Faith Formation?
Summer Sunday Fundays!
Preschool to Fifth Grades
August 4 and 11
We’ll take a couple of Sundays to have fun and build community before we head into the fall. Games, art and craft projects, slime and general controlled mayhem designed to make kids happy. Of course we’ll need some help. Click here to lend a hand.
Donut Sundays
Middle and High Schools
August 4 and 11
Maintaining a healthy diet is very important in the teen years. But, hey. Let’s get real. You gotta enjoy some controlled junque food days! Here are two Sundays when donuts rule! Break some (dough) together, plan and build community before we start our fall programming. Yep, we’ll need some dough-nations. Click here to help.
Parent Open House
All Classrooms
August 18
Parents! Plan to attend faith formation classes with your children on August 18 at the usual faith formation time. Learn about our fall classes and curriculum, meet your child’s teacher and Sara Sautter, our Interim Director of Faith Formation. Do a craft with your kiddo, get enrolled and sign up to help in your child’s class.
All Community Water Ingathering
August 25
Our traditional Water Ingathering will be an all community Sunday with children attending with their parents. Look for new water based additions to the Fidget Library. Nursery and Preschool rooms only will be open.
Tending the Flame
The Art of Unitarian Universalist Parenting
Teacher: Sara Sautter
Enroll here
Zoom link to be provided
Join us starting on September 18 on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 for a five session Zoom based parenting class. Learn to seize those teachable moments of everyday life for spiritual growth. We’ll explore Rituals, Traditions and Spiritual Practices as well as talking about the Tough Stuff and Big Questions.
| |
Caring Neighbors
Current Neighborhood Coordinators will be staffing a table in the back of the sanctuary over the next few weeks. Stop by to meet us, before or after the service, and let us get to know you. We would like to hear your ideas for building community.
There are a few neighborhoods that are in need of a Coordinator. Please text or call Joyce Donahue at (480) 221-6837 if you are interested and would like more information.
-Submitted by Joyce Donahue
| | | |
Fellowship and Social Activities | |
What is a challenge you or your family is facing now?
VUU’s VIP Core Team and VUU’s Caring
Neighbors are collaborating to host
Building Community “House Meetings”
to help deepen connections and build
relationships at VUU.
Starting Sunday, July 28 at 11:45 we will facilitate monthly small group conversations after the service in the Flex Room of the VUU Sanctuary on the fourth Sundays.
- We will share stories and get to know each other better,
- Understand some of the challenges people in our congregation are facing, and
- See if there are trends in these challenges that we might organize to address.
To confirm your intention to join the July 28 group, or for more info, contact Barb Quijada or Nancy Wittenberg.
-Submitted by Barb Quijada
| | | |
Singles Lunch Bunch
WHEN: Friday, July 19, 1:30 pm
WHERE: Perfect Pear Bistro, 9845 S. Priest Dr, Tempe (at the back of Tempe Crossing Mall on the corner of Ray and Priest) 480-247-3410
RSVP to Claudette by phone or text 973-768-6047
-Submitted by Claudette Wassil
| |
|
Singles Dinner
WHEN: Friday, July 26th, 6:30p
WHERE: Hodori Korean Restaurant, 1116 S Dobson Rd, Mesa (NW corner Southern and Dobson). Rated 5 stars on Google!
RSVP to Claudette by phone or text 973-768-6047
-Submitted by Claudette Wassil
| | | |
Page Turners Book Club
The Page Turners Book Club is open to all members, visitors, and friends of VUU who enjoy reading and discussing a variety of books. The next meeting is July 18 at 7:00 pm. We will meet at the home of Johnnie Godfrey in Tempe (near Baseline Rd. and the 101).
The book is Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds by Merlin Sheldrake. Entangled Life is a mind-altering journey into this hidden kingdom of life and shows that fungi are key to understanding the planet on which we live, and the ways we think, feel and behave. The more we learn about fungi, the less it makes sense without them.
For the meeting address or questions, please contact Johnnie at 480-231-8381 or email Amy.
-Submitted by Amy Monahan
| |
Get Fired Up!
Congregational Update Meeting with Guest Speakers:
Sarah Iyer
Youth Rep, UU Congregation Phoenix
Paul Weich
Attorney, AZ Guardians of Democracy
Matthew Yatsayte
Community Organizer, Healthcare Rising
Sunday, July 21, 11:45am – 1:00pm, Sanctuary
-Submitted by Karen Stucke for the UU The Vote leadership team: Sandy, Denise, Mark, and Karen
| |
July 22 IHELP Dinner Sign-Up
This month's menu will feature chicken tacos with all the trimmings.
Please bring ready-to-serve items to the VUU sanctuary between 5:00-5:30 pm. Cold or non-perishable items may be dropped off in the sanctuary kitchen on the Sunday before the meail. Thank you for your generosity!
Sign Up Here.
-Submitted by Laura Rohlfing
| | | |
Partners in Education (PIE) Notice:
Service is Our Prayer |School Opens Aug. 1!
More Volunteers Needed for Rumbo al Exito
Wow!!! We are excited to return to our Rumbo al Éxito students. We need more volunteers to respond to Adams' request to assist many more English Learners. Please help us by spreading the word to your friends and family members who might be interested in volunteering. It is a wonderful opportunity to give these kids a chance to succeed. Please let us know if you, or anyone you know, would like to join in this important effort.
Please let us know if you, or anyone you know, would like to join in this important effort. Contact Randall Casillas, Perii Skolnick, or Beverly McCormick.
| | |
Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation | vuu.org | | | | |
