Potluck Lunch this Sunday

The Hospitality Committee invites everyone to join us in the Fellowship Hall shortly after the Sunday service for a Potluck Lunch. Drinks will be provided. Please bring a dish to share if you are able. When you arrive at the church, please bring your food to the Fellowship Hall, and fill out one of the cards provided with the name of your dish and the ingredients. Place food directly on the serving table if it is OK at room temperature. For dishes that need to be kept cold, bring your food to the kitchen where we will help you find room in the refrigerator. If you need for your dish to be kept warm, we will have warm ovens. Our Potlucks are a time for sharing food and fellowship that enriches our lives and builds communities.

Sponsored by the Hospitality Committee

Letter from Sandra

“Strength is…..”

“Strength is choosing faith over fear. Strength is finding peace within the chaos. Strength is transforming your pain into power. Strength is turning your worries into prayers. Your true source of strength is choosing where you pour your energy, attention and focus.” ~Carrie Marie Bush

I am inspired by the many ways you are pouring your energy, attention, and focus towards the children, youth, and their families. Maybe you are making sure there are refreshments after the worship service or you recently helped to move the boxes of books from the hallways, making them safer for everyone. Some folks are transforming themselves and all of us by offering music during Sunday worship. Perhaps you are part of the DRE Search Team and finding strength with each other. And there are those who are finding strength on Sunday mornings guiding children and youth towards their own strength.

For those who might consider pouring your energy, attention, and focus on the leadership of the children and youth program through the CYRE Committee, here is the description of that team’s attention as taken from UUCH’s Policies and Procedures Manual:

The Children and Youth Religious Education Committee (CYRE) collaborates with religious education professional staff in planning, supporting and enhancing the religious education program for nursery through senior high youth and nourishing multigenerational community in the congregation in service of the UUCH vision and mission.

The efforts of the CYRE include leadership tasks such as formulating goals and objectives; reviewing and approving curriculum and programming; supporting the DRE in volunteer staffing as well as providing direct support to staff; planning and supporting multigenerational events; and carrying out the program in concert with best practices of the denomination.

Rev. Jaime and the DRE Search Team (Suzey Delacey, Nancy Finley, Eva Reese and Andrew Warrington) have an understanding of how the new Director of Religious Education will partner with the CYRE. I continue to ask how the program and the new staff person will be successful, how everyone will be finding their true source of strength. The covenantal partnership between the DRE and the CYRE leadership is vital to UUCH’s vision and mission:

Our Vision: An inclusive, diverse religious community that nurtures each other in our free and responsible search for truth and meaning, inspiring all ages to individual and social transformation.

Our Mission: Our inspirational, challenging, and diverse ministries will:

Foster lifelong spiritual growth

* Strengthen our bonds of community

* Support strong social justice action

* Let people know “We are here” and that we welcome diversity

As you discover the many paths to your source of strength, I invite you to imagine yourself pouring your energy, attention and focus on the ministry to families.

In faith,

Sandra Greenfield (my pronouns are she/her)

RE Transition Consultant living on the tribal lands of the Cocheco in NH

sandra.l.greenfield@gmail.com

UU Common Read

Good news! Two people have stepped forward to lead the book discussion on “Mistakes and Miracles." This will take place later in the spring. Get your copy now and start reading! If you don’t wish to have your own personal copy to mark up, etc., 2 copies have been ordered for the church library. I will post an announcement when they have arrived.

Teri Thomas

adult.re@uuch.org

Sponsored by the Adult RE Committee

Calling All Plant Lovers

Calling all plant lovers: February is prime time for seed starting in Zone 8, so Property Chair & Gardening Intern Paul Wieland will lead a free workshop on growing plant starts inexpensively indoors. Join us Saturday February 18th from 10 AM to Noon. The main goal is to start popular vegetables for our community garden, but we should have plenty of starts for folks to take home. No fancy equipment is needed, but if you have packets of seeds, extra plastic garden pots, or yogurt cups waiting for recycling, bring them along.

It’s a great activity for plant-loving kids. Please RSVP to LaDawn Edwards at 319-431-7461.

Sponsored by the Property Committee

Share the Plate: Project Share

During the first quarter of 2023, UUCH will be sharing our plate proceeds with the Huntsville Utilities Project Share program. All plate proceeds received from the Thursday before the first Sunday through the Saturday after the first Sunday will be split with Project Share. In February, this includes plate donations received from February 2nd through February 11th.

Project Share began in 1988 and is a unique partnership between Huntsville Utilities and The Salvation Army. Project Share is designed to assist members of our community with their utility bill during the winter months. In addition, a small portion of donations is set aside for the Home Uplift Program that assists qualified homeowners with making their homes more energy efficient to reduce the need for utility assistance. The program helps utility customers aged 62 and older and/or certified as disabled. Participants must also meet income eligibility guidelines. The Salvation Army screens potential recipients, determines eligibility, and decides who will receive assistance.

This past winter, Project Share funds assisted 589 families with the donations received from Huntsville Utilities’ customers and employees. The need for assistance is now greater than ever due to the increase in the number of households that need utility assistance since the start of the COVID pandemic. Every dollar donated to Project Share goes to those in need of utility assistance. Please consider giving generously to this important program during the first week of the month.

Sponsored by the Social Justice Committee

UUCH Annual Certification Completed



Each January, UU congregations nationwide report specific data to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). The following UUCH information was reported to the UUA in January of 2023:

• Current membership: 150
• Average 2022 Sunday weekly total attendance (in-person & virtual): range=101-125
• Average 2022 children/youth weekly attendance: 8
• Current RE registration: 26
• For the fiscal church year ended June 30, 2022:
• Total pledge income: $217,677
• Individual & family pledging units: 86
• Total operating expenses: $209,146

Sponsored by the Membership Committee

Circle of Candles

To all my Unitarian Universalist Church family,

There are not enough words to express how touched I was by the outpouring of love and service from my church for my husband, Ken Chisolm's memorial service.  

The service was so meaningful. It was such a spot-on capture of who Ken was. The music was beautiful, and it soothed my soul. Three people from my rotary club said it was the best funeral they had ever experienced.  

The food for the reception was so comforting and set up so beautifully. Right down to the flowers and table cloths and real dishes.  I know how much work goes into making food to feed 100 people.  

Hospitality created such a warm and welcoming atmosphere that allowed all of us to stay and tell stories, visit and connect. Multiple family members told me that hospitality and care committee team members greeted them personally and asked about their needs. 

Thank you to Brian and the tech team. Ken's mom has a hearing issue and was struggling to hear.  She was so happy to have the recording of the service.

You all made me very proud to call the UU church of Huntsville my spiritual home.

Thank you

Love 

Melodie Brier

When you shop at AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate to the UUCH. Support us every time you shop. Follow this link and search for Unitarian Church to choose us as your chosen organization.

If you have any questions about how to use the link, please contact Ryan Gonzales , Office Administrator, during office hours or send an email to the church office at uuch@uuch.org