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Celebration of Life Invitation
A Celebration of Life service for Kristian Kamph (member Kendra Kamph's husband of 23 years) will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026 from 11:00AM to 1:30PM. It will be held in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville Fellowship Hall.
A BBQ lunch will be served. Please come as you are. Kristian's favorite color was blue if you'd like to wear something blue.
There will be an opportunity to share memories and to eulogize Kristian. Please join us in remembering and celebrating the life of this intelligent, kind, and gentle soul.
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UUCH Participates in Protest Against ICE Brutality
UUCH members were proud to participate in the protest this past Saturday against ICE brutality. More than 15 UU’s braved the snowy, below-freezing weather to join hundreds of other Huntsvillians in an act of solidarity for our country and democracy. Thanks to all who participated!
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Volunteers are Love in Motion
"The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others" —DeAnn Hollis
"Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart." —Elizabeth Andrew
"The essence of community, it's very heart, and soul, is the non-monetary exchange of value; things we do and share because we care for others, and the good of the place" —Dee Hock
"Volunteering is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get, but it's probably good for your heart!" —Anonymous
"The heart that gives, gathers. Volunteers don't just give their time; they gain experiences, relationships, and a sense of purpose" —Tao Te Ching
We in our Beloved Community would like to express our gratitude to our volunteers who through their dedication and hard work make a real difference in the life of our church.
If you would like to dive into the heart of our community and join the ranks of those who serve—volunteer, make an impact, and be part of the change—please contact Darlene Patten at vice.president@uuch.org.
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Social Justice Committee Meeting This Sunday, 2/8!
The next meeting of your Social Justice Committee will be held on Sunday, February 8th, at 9:30AM. We will meet in the Adult RE room in the RE Wing. All who may be interested in social justice events and activities are encouraged to attend.
At Sunday’s meeting, we will focus on the upcoming Committee Fair on February 15th, improving our Little Food Pantry, and other upcoming social justice activities.
Join us as we seek to make the world a better place for all!
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Vegetarian/Vegan Potluck
The February Vegetarian/Vegan Potluck will be held on Sunday, February 15th at 5:30PM in the Church Fellowship Hall. First-time attendees are not expected to bring anything. Those who have attended before are invited to bring a plant-based dish to share. Beverages will be provided. We’ll have a special guest speaker for this meeting, which is certain to be interesting and enlightening. All are welcome, so feel free to invite your friends. If you have questions or would like more information, contact Cam at 256-783-9485 or camrme@aol.com.
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February Fellowship Dinner
Please join us for food, conversation and bread sticks! Our February Fellowship Dinner will be at the Olive Garden Italian Restaurant, 3730 University Drive NW, Huntsville on Thursday, February 19th at 5:30PM.
Please sign up here.
Everyone welcome to attend. Money will never be a barrier to participating in fellowship at UUCH. If you need financial assistance to participate, please contact Rev. Jaimie at Minister@uuch.org.
Contact Becky Ellingwood at beckyel22@gmail.com or Steve Rittenberg at srittenberg@gmail.com if have any questions.
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Property Day Rescheduled to February 28th
We had to postpone our last property fix-up day due to icy weather. The rescheduled UUCH property fix-up day will be Saturday February 28th, 9:00AM to noon.
We have lots of indoor fix up and clean up projects for all skill levels and ability levels. Come out and join the fun and sense of accomplishment. Lunch will be served.
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2025 UUCH Year in Photos
The annual photo slideshow of UUCH activities is ready for your enjoyment! Click here to view.
Grab your favorite beverage and sit back for this 4min 45 second presentation of UUCH in action in 2025.
If watching on your phone, tap the screen to see the slide control at the bottom. If using your computer, use the space bar, home, page up, page down and end buttons to control the show. All of these controls will allow you to watch the slideshow at your own pace.
Contact Zena at zena.tucker@uuch.org if you have any questions. Enjoy!
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Neighbor Pods Sign-up
The Neighbor Pods initiative is kicking off in earnest! If you'd like to offer or request a ride, a social check-in, address a safety concern, etc. within a group of UUCH community members who happen to live within a few miles of you, please respond on the Google form! Within a few weeks, we'll have a list of where folks are and how to get in touch with each other.
Neighbor Pod Info Form here.
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New UU Classes Start February 22nd!
New UU Class series at UUCH
Sundays, February 22nd, March 1st, and March 8th
9:00AM—10:30AM
What does it mean to be a Unitarian Universalist? Newcomers and long-time members alike are invited to participate in the upcoming New UU classes. The 3-class series will be held before church on February 22nd, March 1st, and March 8th from 9:00AM—10:30AM in the Adult Religious Education classroom at UUCH, located at the back of the Religious Education wing.
These classes are a great way to get to know others while learning about Unitarian Universalism and our local congregation. The classes are for sharing and learning, with no expectation that attendees will subsequently join UUCH. However, if you may want to become a member of UUCH in the future, attendance at New UU Classes is strongly encouraged.
Nancy Finley and Pam Korb will facilitate the discussions. Childcare will be provided. The first two sessions will cover UU beliefs and theology, while the third will introduce specifics about our local congregation. Each class deals with different topics, so attending all classes is ideal. However, if your schedule only allows you to attend one or two, we can provide materials for the missed class or meet with you separately to talk about the missed information.
Contact membership@uuch.org to let us know you plan to attend or for more information.
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Fire Extinguisher Training
The UUCH Safety Committee is gathering names of interested persons who want to get some fun, practical fire extinguisher training under their belt! We are working with Huntsville FD to gather additional details and we need to provide an approximate number of participants. Please fill out a Google interest form by February 8th, including preliminary information and answering just a few questions, found here if you would like to attend this training!
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Workers Needed for Our Upcoming Pledge Drive!
We are excited to announce our upcoming pledge drive in March. Our theme will be “Building Hope - Renewing Faith”!
In preparation, we are seeking hosts for cottage meetings--small gatherings of 6-12 people where we share our stories of our beloved community and fill in pledge cards. Hosts choose between an hors d'oeuvre party or a meal and may offer the event at their home or the church. To defray the cost, we have allotted a food allowance for all hosts.
In addition, we are looking for pledge facilitators to aid hosts with education and pledge forms at cottage meetings.
Finally, we need phone callers who will reach out to those unable to attend a cottage meeting. The goal is each caller to have responsibility for no more than six contacts.
All workers receive training and a meal at our training session on February 21st at 11:00AM at UUCH. And we can work with you if you are unable to attend this in-person event.
If you are interested, please contact stewardship@uuch.org!
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UUCH Annual Certification
Each January, UU congregations nationwide report specific data to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). The following UUCH information was recently reported to the UUA:
Current membership: 155
Average 2025 Sunday weekly total attendance (in-person & virtual): 122
Average 2025 children/youth weekly attendance: 11
Current Religious Education registration: 29
For the fiscal church year ended June 30, 2025:
Total pledge income: $295,790
Individual & family pledging units: 91
Total expenses: $302,823
Submitted by the Membership Committee
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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
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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.
- February 8th: UUCH Social Justice Committee meeting at 9:30AM in the Youth RE room (see Brad Korb for more info)
- February 9th: UUA’s Side with Love Gathering via Zoom at 7:00PM (Sign up here)
- February 11th: SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) Action Hour at 7:00PM via Zoom (Sign up here; website surj.org)
- February 17th: SURJ Phone Bank about ICE at 5:00PM via Zoom (Sign up here)
- February 19th: UU Solidarity Initiative on Immigration at 3:30PM via Zoom (Sign up here)
- February 19th: SURJ Phone Bank about ICE at 5:00PM via Zoom (Sign up here)
- February 25th: SURJ Action Hour at 7:00PM via Zoom (Sign up here)
Here are some standing opportunities to get engaged with local organizations:
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Provide a meal for unhoused people (https://firststoporg.galaxydigital.com/)
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Donate urgently needed items (https://firststop.org/category/needs-list/)
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Other volunteer opportunities (https://firststop.org/ways-to-volunteer/)
For more information about a particular event or to list an event, please email social.justice@uuch.org.
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Circle of Candles
Lisa Greene lit a candle of Joy: "Our daughter, Florence, started preschool this week!"
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Upcoming Events
Click the calendar to see all of our upcoming events!
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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, and that the unhoused particularly benefit from cans that don’t require can openers. And see the link above for the new 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. Also, you can bring non-perishables to church; there are baskets available. A big thank you to all who contribute!
| | Submitted by the Social Justice Committee | | |
Donate Online
via CDM+ Engage
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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".
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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.
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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 Februrary 25th.
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Office Administrator
Ryan Gonzales
Main Office Hours:
Monday and Thursday 10:30AM to 1:00PM
Tuesday and Wednesday 12:00PM to 2:30PM
or by appointment.
*Please call/email the office in advance if you need building access.
Phone:
256-534-0508
Email: uuch@uuch.org
For more info on any event, contact the church office or visit our website.
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UUCH News is a publication of The Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville,
3921 Broadmor Rd., Huntsville, AL 35810
Copy Editor:
Laurel Bollinger
Editorial Writer:
Ryan Gonzales
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