News from UUCH

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March 19, 2026

Vol. 26 Issue 12

Upcoming Service

Paying Our Respects

Rev. Jaimie Simon

10:45AM, March 22, 2026

Our Unitarian Universalist faith proudly seeks and interprets the wisdom of world religious traditions, so as to better understand ourselves and better understand the beautiful diverse communities we share the world with. This March we are seeing a confluence of religious observance. Hindus throw colors in the air to celebrate Holi. Muslims fast and pray for Ramadan. Jews dress in costume and tell stories for Purim. Christians give up certain temptations or adopt new spiritual practices for Lent. Pagans notice the changing of the earth and lift up Ostara, the vernal equinox. In this holy time, may we pay attention to these interfaith neighbors and find inspiration for our own living.

This Sunday Events

Coffee Hour

Directly After Service

Music News

This Sunday we will hear Peter Mayer’s "Holy Now," sung by UUCH member John Czachurski. During the month of March, people all around the world are celebrating what is holy to them. This song reminds us that anything—from holy water to the questioning look on a child’s face—can be holy.

Choir rehearsal this Sunday is at 12:10PM, after coffee hour.

Community Protest Song Workshop

Music is a powerful source for unity and healing. In Minnesota, activists taught simple songs to strengthen each other and share their message of solidarity and justice with their neighbors and those who would oppose them. As we look toward the next No Kings Day event on Saturday 3/28, let's gather and learn songs we can take with us for this protest and those to come. Gather in the Sanctuary at 6:00PM on Thursday March 26th to learn songs. And afterwards head to the Fellowship Hall for sign-making and snacks. Materials will be provided. This event is open to the community so bring a friend or four!

Save the Date!

Our Annual Congregational Meeting is scheduled for June 21, 2026 following service.

Restarting the Worship Arts Team

At our best, worship at UUCH is a collaborative activity. We include diverse voices. We seek wisdom from a variety of sources. We are inspired by each other's questions and stories, and the songs that stir each other's hearts. And to do worship well, we need a team of people who care about our collective worship experience to help guide us. Join Rev. Jaimie for the first meeting of the newly regathered Worship Arts Team on Thursday, April 16th at 6:30PM in the Adult RE room. This will be an opportunity to share your feedback about the worship offerings we have now, and to dream together about new possibilities. We will look at the upcoming worship calendar, delegate out some key tasks, and make plans for the future. All are welcome! Reach out to Rev. Jaimie with questions!

Join this Year's "Everywhere GA" at UU Birmingham

This year's General Assembly is a virtual “everywhere GA” with both online and distributed in-person options that will allow Unitarian Universalists to participate in whichever way works best for them; GA is experimenting with smaller, more localized gatherings to uphold the value of equity for GA participants around the country and production quality that supports the experience of online attendees. Our friends at UU Birmingham will be the satellite location for the South!

General Assembly Registration is required. Site admission to UU Birmingham for the June 19th-21st weekend can be added to any full adult GA registration for an additional $25. Sign up here. And regardless of registration, everyone is welcome to view the UUA GA Sunday service at UUCH that Sunday. Service will be followed by our congregations' annual meeting.

Truly, we can be together everywhere as we build the courage and capacity to Meet the Moment.

Children and Youth Religious Education (CYRE) News

This week our Religious Education groups will combine in the Justice room to discuss and plan our upcoming Children and Youth service on April 26th. The theme this year will be our shared UU values! This is a great way for our children and youth to get involved in the larger church community, plan, and lead their own service for the congregation. We will have a rehearsal walk through after church (at 12:00PM) on April 12th. If you do not want your child to participate, will miss our planning day this Sunday or the rehearsal on the 12th, or have questions, please contact the DRE Jes Zelaya at DRE@uuch.org or (256)322-2210.

Easter Egg Hunt at UUCH!

Easter egg hunt at UUCH! Rain or shine!

You and your family are invited to spend Easter Sunday afternoon with your fellow UUs in a day of relaxation and fun while welcoming the beginning of spring.

What: Easter egg hunt

Who: Everyone is invited!

When: Easter Sunday, 04/05/2026, 12:15PM—3:00PM

Where: UUCH Fellowship Hall

Suggestions for what to bring:

Yourself and family

Eggs for the hunt

Goodies to share for munching

Lawn chairs and musical instruments

Fun for everyone, no children? No problem. We are EGG-cited! We will be HOPPY to see you!

This activity is sponsored by the children and youth RE program and is an all-church activity. All are welcome! Help with clean-up is greatly appreciated.

Contact Jes Zelaya at DRE@uuch.org for questions.

Nursery Care

Nursery care is available during the service from 10:30AM–12:15PM.

Little ones can be signed in and out upon arrival and departure in the RE wing.

Pledge Drive Update—Building HOPE!

We are making good progress, but our pledge drive needs ALL of us to do our part. Many members and friends who believe in our mission and ministry have made a financial pledge for the upcoming church year (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027). Won’t you join them? All pledges regardless of amount are essential to our church health in the coming year AND deeply appreciated by your fellow members. This is why we are focusing not only on the pledge total but also on the number of pledges, too! We offer cottage meetings to help everyone learn more.

If you haven’t signed up for a cottage meeting, there is still time to sign up–but only just! These small gatherings are hosted by your friends from UUCH and offer delicious food, sharing, and connection. Cottage meetings are for everyone; several are child friendly, so the whole family can attend. Our gracious hosts can answer your questions and will offer an opportunity to fill in your pledge form. There are a few events left available to choose from. Sign up at the link below or in hard-copy in the Fellowship Hall as soon as possible to help our hosts prepare!

The following is a link to our cottage meeting signup and online pledge form here.

If you are unable to attend a cottage meeting, we hope you’ll fill in your pledge card online or in hard-copy now. Paper forms will arrive in the mail to you soon AND are always available in the Fellowship Hall. We’d like to receive pledges no later than March 29th so we have time to prepare our budget. Join your fellow UUCH’ers and “Build Hope, Renew Faith” with your pledge today!

Ready to dance like nobody's watching? Join us for an evening of ecstatic dance. A judgment-free celebration where there's no choreography, no steps to learn, just pure spontaneous movement guided by your body's impulses. A live DJ will take you on an emotional journey from gentle awakening to euphoric release and back to peaceful grounding. Everyone is welcome: beginners, seasoned dancers, the curious, the cautious. Wear comfortable clothes that let you move freely, leave your expectations at the door, and bring your willingness to be vulnerable and connect. Doors open at 6:00 PM with opening circle at 6:20 PM, followed by embodiment practices, open dance, and a concluding circle before dismissal at 9:00 PM. The space features a beverage table, cozy "squish zone," and community altar. Come ready to sweat, laugh, maybe cry, and definitely feel alive. Your body has been waiting for this.

Donate Food and Support Your Team!

Your Social Justice Committee is holding a food drive competition to determine who has the most school spirit! There are food donation boxes in the Fellowship Hall representing 7 college teams (plus an “other” box). Food donations are counted each week and the teams ranked based on the number of food items received. At the end of April, we’ll announce the winning team!

After the first week, food donations are pretty even; you can help determine which team will be in the lead next week! Support your favorite team and help us feed the less fortunate!

Get Your UUCH T-Shirts!

New orders for UUCH t-shirts are being taken now! Orders will be taken through April 5th and you can place your order by visiting the Social Justice table in the Fellowship Hall after the Sunday service. T-shirts will be the same design as last year and need to be purchased in advance for $20 each. Both adult and youth sizes are available and shirts should be available by the end of April. If you would like a t-shirt, but cannot afford one, please see Brad Korb.

ARE YOU READY TO BECOME A MEMBER?

If you’ve been attending UUCH long enough to know that this church community feels like your spiritual home, you may be ready to take the next step and become a member of this congregation.

On Sunday, April 19th, Rev. Jaimie plans to welcome new members as they “sign the book” and officially join our church. If you are ready to become a member or would like to find out more about the process, please contact Pam Korb at membership@uuch.org by April 12th.

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBERSHIP

Because we are a democratic community, members are collectively responsible for the congregation. Members may vote at all congregational meetings, be elected to the governing Board, be appointed as committee chairs, and participate in all activities of the congregation.

Because we are a covenanted congregation, members have certain responsibilities to the congregation and to each other. These responsibilities are best fulfilled by:

Regular attendance at worship
Voting at congregational meetings
Making financial contributions
Contributing time and talent
Spiritual growth and development

Spirituality for Elders

How do you understand your essential relations with life? What are your most cherished values? Hopes? Fears? How do they manifest in your behavior?

Folks of a certain age and life experiences, labeled “seniors" or "elders,” have a special developed lifeway that can be seen as "Spirituality." Let’s explore that.

We’ll look at the story of spirituality (religiosity, morality, values) in the human odyssey. Expect a bit of history and reports on "revelations"...no absolute truths here. Maybe some serious hunches. This is not theology, but the practical consideration of lives lived.

Rev. Doak M. Mansfield will facilitate informal seminar-style sessions (six) convening each first and third Monday of March–May. Next meeting will be April 6th at 10:30AM

Ongoing participation is encouraged but not mandatory.

Rev. Doak can be reached at doakmansf@gmail.com

FREE TAX SERVICE

Get your tax returns prepared for free!

This tax service is free to those who need it. It is sponsored by the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide and the IRS, offered at 8 locations in Madison County.

Main Location: Studio 60 Senior Center, 2200 Drake Avenue, Huntsville, 35805

Times: Monday–Thursday, 8:30AM–4:00PM, Friday 8:30AM–11:30PM

Dates: February 2nd–April 15th, 2026

Appointment Process: Come in person to fill out a request for appointment and pick up a tax package for completion at your convenience. You will be called back ASAP with an appointment date and time. You can request a late March or early April appointment if waiting on tax documents.

For more info, please contact Khoe Tran, IRS Certified Tax Preparer, at

kqtran1@yahoo.com

Upcoming Social Justice Events

Your participation is needed! Below is a list of local social justice events sponsored by groups that UUCH and/or our members support.

March 20th : UU Solidarity Session on Immigration at 1:00PM via Zoom (Sign up here)
March 21st : World Water Day Waterway Cleanup of Huntsville Spring Branch at 9:00AM (Learn more here)
March 21st: Constitutional Rights Presentation on the 1st Amendment at 12:00PM at Center Grove UMC on Plummer Road (see Brad Korb for more info)
March 25th : UU The Vote 2026 Launch at 7:00PM via Zoom (Sign up here)
March 25th : How to Have Conversations About No Kings that Move People at 7:00PM via Zoom (Sign up here)
March 26th : Songs of Resistance at UUCH at 6:00PM (see article in newsletter for details)
March 26th : Protest Sign Making at UUCH at 7:00PM (see article in newsletter for details)
March 26th : ACLU March People Power Action Call at 7:00PM via Zoom (Sign up here)
March 28th : No Kings III Protest at 1:00PM in Big Spring Park (details to be provided)
April 11th: Huntsville Green Team District 1 Earth Month Kickoff Cleanup at 9:00AM at the Richard Showers Center (Learn more here)

Here are some standing opportunities to get engaged with local organizations:

Food Bank of North Alabama: https://www.foodbanknorthal.org/volunteer/
First Stop:

Provide a meal for unhoused people (https://firststoporg.galaxydigital.com/)
Donate urgently needed items (https://firststop.org/category/needs-list/)
Other volunteer opportunities (https://firststop.org/ways-to-volunteer/)

ShowerUp (showers for unhoused people): https://app.initlive.com/web-admin/app/#/join-party?k=aagp6mlprpk46k
Land Trust of North Alabama: https://landtrustnal.org/support/volunteer/

For more information about a particular event or to list an event, please email social.justice@uuch.org.

Circle of Candles

Sherri Headrick lit a candle of Sorrow: "My closest friend's husband is sick and no longer able to walk. Doctors are not sure of the cause yet. Keep Dewayne and Trisha Holman in your prayers."

Andrea Atwood lit a candle of Joy: "Delighted to have leveled up to level 72 this week."

Isaac Lambert lit a candle of Joy: "I am no longer sick."

Upcoming Events

Click the calendar to see all of our upcoming events!

Little Food Pantry

Many of our neighbors and many unhoused people visit our LFP frequently. Consider buying a few extra cans of soup or veggies to contribute! For suggestions of what to donate (and what not to donate), check out this list: Pantry Food Items. Remember that many families don’t have the experience or the equipment to handle dried beans (dry lentils in particular tend not to be taken!), and that the unhoused particularly benefit from cans that don’t require can openers. See the link above for fridge options! A little help from us can go a long way. Please, if you can fill up the pantry or fridge, note your name in the SignUpGenius so we can maximize efficiency while still feeding people. Also, you can bring non-perishables to church; there are baskets available. A big thank you to all who contribute!

Donate Online

via CDM+ Engage

Online:

Like our other online and mobile giving options, this option is through CDM+ Engage, is secure, and has a good option for "plate" donations as well as "pledge".

Donate

COVID Policy as of 10/25/2022

Submit to the Newsletter

Do you have news to include in the newsletter next week? Please submit your article to the newsletter through our request form no later than 10:00AM each Wednesday. Please make sure to complete a new request form each time you make a submission to the newsletter.

Minister

Rev. Jaimie Simon

Office Hours:

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday by appointment.

Calendar: https://calendly.com/rev-jaimie-dingus

Email: minister@uuch.org

Make an Appointment with the Minister

UUCH 2025-26

Board Members

President:

Laurel Bollinger

Vice President:

Darlene Patten

Secretary:

Steve Rittenberg

Treasurer:

Khoe Tran

Trustees:

Vickie Goodman

Lynsie Lamitie

Foster Perry

Minister:

Rev. Jaimie Simon

Do you have an agenda item for the Board?

The Board respectfully requests that all agenda items for the meeting be submitted to Board President Laurel Bollinger via email no later than one week prior to the meeting (i.e. the Wednesday before). The next Board meeting is March 25th.