The Overlook
Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville 
3921 Broadmor Rd., Huntsville AL 35810  
September 7, 2017
Vol. 17 Issue 36
In This Issue
THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE

Sun. 9/10: Grandparent's Day!
New UU Class  
9:00 a.m. Adult RE   Classroom

Sunday Service
10:45 a.m. Water Communion
 
A Long Distance Farewell
Party for Millicent
[Fellowship Hall]

Children and Youth RE Volunteer Orientation and Social
12:30 p.m.- 2:30 p.m. [RE Area]

Tue. 9/12:
Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival
7:00 p.m.
[New Pilgrim Baptist Church, Birmingham]

Wed. 9/13:
UUkulele Fun Group
5:45 p.m.- 6:45 p.m.

UUCH Choir Practice
7:15 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Sun. 9/17:
New UU Class  
9:00 a.m. Adult RE Classroom

YoUUth Group
12:30 p.m.- 3:30 p.m.
 N ew UU Class
Sunday mornin gs September 10th, 17th & 24th at 9:00 a.m. in Ad ult RE Classroom 
Are you new to UU? Just want to learn a little more about your church? Join Us!
 
What does it mean to be a Unitarian Universalist? Guided by the Tapestry of Faith Curriculum, we will offer a three-part series that explores important themes in UU congregational life.-- our worship and theology, history, covenant and polity, faith development, social justice, and membership. This program is particularly focused on introducing newcomers to Unitarian Universalism, but those of us who have been here for awhile will also be able to share and connect with others as we explore our own beliefs and how they intersect with the UU tradition. Everyone is welcome!
So mark your calendars now for the Sunday mornings of September 10th, 17th, and 24th for this chance to learn and share. Meet for coffee or tea at 9:00 a.m.; discussion starts at 9:15 a.m.

Contact Nancy Finley (Adult.RE@uuch.org) for further info. Childcare will be provided!
A Long Distance  
Farewell Party for Millicent
 
Following the Sunday services
September 3rd and 10th.
There will be a
Long Distance Farewell Party for Millicent Simmons, a longtime and beloved member of our church family who has moved to Salt Lake City to be closer to her family. Please come by to sign greeting cards, write a note, and take a candid shot waving goodbye! All will be sent to Millicent in a gift package. 
-- Sponsored by the Care Committee

We Can Do It!
  The Social Justice Committe e's goal is to collect items for the food pantry. CAN you pick up an extra CANNED good, nonperishable food item, or personal care product next time you are out shopping? Please put your donation in the basket in the church foyer to be donated to the Huntsville Assistance Program (HAP).  
Thanks for all you do!  

The UUkulele Fun Group
will continue to meet every 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. to enjoy ukulele playing. This group is for all levels of familiarity with the ukulele - from the "very beginner" to more "seasoned" players. We have a new song book to share that has lively songs we can all play together. So come make a little music with us. This group is sponsored by UUCH Adult RE. Contact Nancy Finley adult.RE@uuch.org or Glen Clark glenclark1973@gmail.com 
for further information.
COME SING A SONG WITH US

The UUCH choir practices on
Wednesdays at 7:15pm
in the choir room. Whether you know how to sing or would like to learn, we would love for you to join us!

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UUCH 17-18   
Board Members
 
President:
Laurel Bollinger

Vice-President: 
Denise Runnels

Secretary:
Nancy Finley

Treasurer: 
Greg Howard

Trustees: 
Susan Coddington
Kathy Heath

Lynsie Lamitie


Ex Officio:
Reverend Alice Syltie

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, no later than one week prior to the meeting, i.e. the Tuesday before. You may phone her at home or send a copy of your request to
President@uuch.orgThe next UUCH Board Meeting will be held on
Tuesday, September 26th.  

The Overlook is a publication of The Unitarian Universalist Church, 3921 Broadmor Rd. Huntsville, AL 35810

Minister:  

The Reverend Alice Syltie

Board President:  

Laurel Bollinger   

Editorial Board:  

Susan Coddington 

Kathy Heath 

 

Newsletter deadlines are each Monday at midnight.
Please send submissions to news collator Willette Battle at
uuch@uuch.org.  

 

Office Hours:

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Mon-Fri.

 

Office phone: 256-534-0508
email:
uuch@uuch.org .

Minister's email: Minister@uuch.org.

Website: www.uuch.org 

 

Sunday Services are held 10:45 a.m. to 12:00 noon; Children's Religious Education held concurrently. Nursery available for age 3 years and under.

 

For further info on any event, call the church office:
256-534-0508.

 
Upcoming Service

Sunday, September 10th, 2017  

" Blending of the Waters
The Reverend Alice Syltie

A multi-generational blending of the waters ceremony, or water communion, marking the end of the summer season has been a tradition in Unitarian Universalist congregations for many years. 
 
As we mingle the waters of our separate journeys, we honor what each of us brings to the common life we share in our UU community. Each person
is invited to bring a small sample of water representing a particularly memorable experience from this summer. As the water is poured into our
common bowl, you may speak a few words of the water's significance. Our focus is on our journeys of growth and connection, as we deepen our
individual, as well as collective, spiritual lives. You may share as individuals, as families, or as companions traveling portions of life's journey together. As always, we will need to be brief, so that all will have an opportunity to share.
 
If you did not remember to collect water this summer, or if you are new to UUCH and this is the first you've heard about our Blending of the Water Ceremony, or if you arrive at church on Sunday morning and realize you left your collected water at home, don't worry. We will have water on hand that will magically transform for you.
 
This is a service for all ages, with our regular nursery care for the youngest among us.
Don't Forget!

Our annual Multi-generational Blending of the Waters Ceremony will be next Sunday, September 10.  As we welcome the cooler temperatures of fall, we say good bye to the summer activities that invite us to cool off and refresh at the local pool, lake, back yard sprinklers, or perhaps a trip to the beach.  You are invited to bring a small sample of real or virtual water representing a place of special or spiritual significance from your summer sojourns.  We will blend the waters in a ceremony of welcome.

All are invited to participate. Nursery will be provided for the youngest among us.

This Sunday in Children and
Youth Religious Education 

Children and youth are invited to participate in the all-ages service, The Gathering Of The Waters. There will be no RE sessions. Nursery care for ages 0-3 will be offered as usual.
 
For more information, contact Erin Reid, Director of Religious Education, at dre@uuch.org or Audrey Fox, CYRE Chair, at children.re@uuch.org.    

Fall RE registration is now open.
We encourage all families to register by September 17, our first day of Fall RE sessions. Welcome!
A New Year in Children and Youth Religious Education (CYRE)

Welcome back to the fall program of Children and Youth Religious Education at UUCH! The first day of fall curricula will be  September 17th.   As always, children and youth will begin the service in the sanctuary with our full multi-generational congregation and will go to their RE rooms after the Story for Sharing. The worship service will include a ceremony of dedication for our CYRE leaders.
 
If you have not done so already, please register children and youth for this year's program. Paper registration is available at the church or you can register online.  
 
Our RE age-based groups for this year are updated. We are adding a new room to support the amazing growth of the program! 
  • Nursery (ages infant to 3, staffed by experienced childcare providers)
  • Peace (ages 4/Pre-K to grade1);
  • Justice (grades 2-3);
  • Searchers (grades 4-5);
  • Transformers (grades 6-8); and 
  • YOUUTH (grades 9-12). 
There are many children and youth transitioning rooms this year, which is VERY exciting! All groups will stay in their previous locations except the Transformers who will trail-blaze the new room that currently serves as the Board and meeting room.
 
This year's theme is "Living Our Principles." Each RE group will be exploring our values as UU's and thinking about how we want to act them out in the world, in ethical decisions, and when we see injustice happening. We hope to help our young people feel confident that they can understand and make a difference in the world. We have terrific curricula from UUA Tapestry of Faith. Lessons are highly interactive and story-based with games, crafts, music, projects, and more!
 
We will continue to integrate our monthly worship themes with our children's stories, worship time, singing, and discussions. We begin the month of September with WELCOME! As always, children  and youth are invited to pick up their name tags in the foyer and wear them while at church, just like all ages. This is one way we welcome each other!
 
Welcome back and welcome for the first time! We are so pleased for your presence in the UUCH Children and Youth RE Program.
 
For more information, contact Erin Reid, Director of Religious Education (DRE) at dre@uuch.org or Audrey Fox, CYRE Chair, at children.re@uuch.org )

Join others from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville (UUCH) on Tuesday, September 12th as we travel to Birmingham to be inspired by the Rev. Dr. William Barber
as part of the nationwide Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. The Campaign aims to build a broad and deep national moral fusion movement -- rooted in the leadership of the poor, marginalized, and moral agents and reflecting the great moral teachings -- to unite our country from the bottom up.
 
The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. at New Pilgrim Baptist Church, 708 Goldwire Place SW, Birmingham. The church holds 1200, and was packed for a service by The Reverend Barber last year.
 
Two carpool option times from UUCH (3921 Broadmor Rd NW) are available. The first will leave promptly at 2:00 p.m. on September 12th, in order to avoid rush hour traffic and allow time to eat. The second will leave promptly at 4:00 p.m. in order to accommodate work schedules. To participate in a carpool, please click here.
 
--Social Justice Committee  

NAMIH Walk (Hunstville Chapter)
The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness by providing education and support programs for affected families.

The annual walk is an important fundraiser.  In coordination with the state walk in Montgomery, NAMI Huntsville will host a one-mile fun walk on Saturday, September 23rd from 9:00 a.m. until noon at the Blossomwood Elementary Track.

The UUCH Social Justice Committee is organizing a team of walkers.  All participants are encouraged to collect donations from family members, friends, co-workers, and business associates.  All walkers raising $100 or more receive a NAMIWalks event t-shirt.

We had a great turn-out at the last event two years ago.  So come join us for some exercise for a good cause. For more information about the walk, ask Gail Williams or Eleanor Schweinsberg. For more information about NAMIH, visit their website.

--Social Justice Committee  
Essential Spirituality, The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind
 
Thursday evenings, September 28th through November 16th at 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Join UUCH Adult Religious Education as we read, discuss, and explore some exercises in the book, Essential Spirituality - The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind by Dr. Roger Walsh, M.D., PhD. Based on over twenty years of research, Essential Spirituality shows how we can apply the seven practices central to all the world's major religions in our daily lives to cultivate kindness, love, joy, peace, vision, wisdom, and generosity. Dr. Walsh, who is both a spiritual practitioner and an award-winning scientist, believes that each of the major spiritual traditions has both a common goal and seven common practices to reach that goal. Essential Spirituality integrates the spiritual principles of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Taoism into what Walsh believes is one truly rewarding way of life in which kindness, love, joy, peace, vision, wisdom, and generosity become an ever growing part of everything you do. Come join us as we discover how his views might be consistent with our principles as Unitarian Universalists.
 
We have four copies of the book available for loan and they can be signed out in the fellowship hall or by contacting Shiela Burrows at Adult.RE@uuah.org , and it is readily available on-line to purchase. We will meet each Thursday evening through September 28th to November 16th in the Adult RE Room from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. If you need childcare, please contact Shiela or Nancy Finley at Adult.RE@uuah.org at least one week before the event.
Everyone is welcome!
Relax and Move at UUCH
Friday mornings at 10:00 a.m. starting on September 29th! 

This fall our "Feldenkrais Method of Awareness Through Movement" class will start with a series of lessons focused on improving balance
and breathing by improving the use of the muscles that support the hips and low back. These lessons will be using small, gentle movement, imagination, and sensing. Mats will be provided, but feel free to bring anything you might need to make yourself comfortable lying on the floor. If you are unable to lie on the floor, please let us know and we will make an accommodation for you.

This Adult RE class is drop-in, no experience necessary,
and will be led by Sally Locklear. Everyone is welcome. We will meet each Friday at 10:00 a.m. starting on September 29th.

For further information, contact contact Adult RE chair Nancy Finley at
  Adult.RE@uuch.org . If you need childcare for this event, please contact Nancy at least a week before the event.

UUCH Adult Religious Education focuses on the whole spiritual person--mentally and physically, so come join us!

Exploring SoulCollage®
Returns October 2!
  
If you haven't tried SoulCollage® you may discover this as a fun, relaxing, and creative process that requires no artistic ability, but yields deep insight. Using collage techniques, cards are designed based on intuition. The cards reflect the numerous aspects of ourselves and help us discover our own inner wisdom. The process is designed to allow each person to work as deeply and intensely as they are comfortable doing, knowing the pace is right for them. And you end up with a beautiful set of SoulCollage® cards.

The only skill needed is the ability to use scissors. That is it; just cut and paste images from the hundreds we've pulled from magazines to your 5" x 8" card.  
 
Newcomers, come prepared to be surprised at what you find. Adult Religious Education sponsors this class which will be held the first Monday of each month.
Denise Runnels and Nancy Finley will co-facilitate the workshop. We will start the session in the UUCH fellowship hall Monday evening, October 2nd, at 6:00 p.m. and create until 8:30 p.m.  
 
Check out soulcollage.com for more information about the SoulCollage® process we are following, developed by Seena B. Frost or contact Denise (Adult.RE@uuch.org) for more information about the process and/or the workshop.  
Go, UUCH, Go!
  pink awareness ribbon
We've formed a team, we have a date; now all we need are some team mates! All abilities are welcome!
 
The 14th Annual Liz Hurley Ribbon Run will be on Saturday, October 21, 2017, and UUCH once again has a team sponsored by our Social Justice Committee. The 5K course will take walkers and runners through beautiful downtown Huntsville on a lovely Fall day. The race will begin at 8:00 a.m. followed by awards at 9:30 a.m. and the Survivors' Walk at 10:00 a.m. 
 
Proceeds from the 2017 Ribbon Run will be used to purchase an additional 3D tomosynthesis mammography machine, making breast cancer easier to detect. 
 
To register as a team member, go to  www.hhfi.convio.net, search for Teams, and enter Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville. 
 
Support your fellow UUs and friends who have already been touched by this awful disease. Register now and start stretching! All abilities are welcome!

Look for additional information to come about meet up place and time. For questions, contact Becky Ellingwood at beckyel22@gmail.com.
UUCH Board Report August 2017

The UUCH Board met on August 24, 2017. The agenda included finalizing the plans for the Council and Board "Leadership Retreat" to prepare for the upcoming year of church programs and administration.

The Board also heard reports from Erin Reid, Director of Religious Education, and Pam Siegler, Music Director, about their professional positions. They advocated for their growing programs and provided explanations for their proposals and requests for coming years. They also alerted the Board to be aware of staffing needs and structural support as we are working toward congregational growth.

The Reverend Syltie reported her plans for her sabbatical during the period of September 11th through December 11th, 2017. Sabbatical operation planning was clarified as follows:

John Czachurski - Will handle pastoral needs and will be in contact with Reverend Syltie, if needs arise.
Laurel Bollinger, Chair of the Board - Will handle administrative concerns, policy questions, and supervise staff.
Amanda Schuber, Chair of the Worship Committee - Will handle questions concerning the worship service.
Bobby Hall - Will assist the Worship Committee with guest speaker communications.

In other business, the Board discussed the formation of a Communication Task Force, the progress of the Next Steps Task Force, the membership of the Committee on the Ministry, and the Office Administrator position. The Board discussed the status of renovation items that were approved at the Congregational Meeting.

The Board will meet again September 26, 2017.
votives
Care List
 
This Sunday, September 3rd, 2017, at our Circle of Candles:
 
Barbara Hitt for the Care Committee, a candle of joy: Please take part in Millicent's Goodbye Party in the Fellowship Hall by signing a card and waving goodbye on camera after the service today. A candle of gratitude: Laurie Keller asked me to thank the Care Committee for the support and the many cards she has received during her chemo treatments. She said she feels well loved, and she looks forward to returning in October. 

Magnolia, Josh, Kirsten, Virgil, and Everett, a candle of joyful sorrow: I moved houses, but I moved into Huntsville. So, I'm closer to lots of places. I am very sad because I miss my old house, but happy that I am close to most of my friends and my church. I love you all.

Amanda Schuber and Wanda Snoddy a candle of joy: Our oldest, Samantha, will graduate from Air Force boot camp next week. We are excited to be traveling to San Antonio to celebrate with her. Thank you to everyone for all the sweet letters you have sent supporting her on this journey! 
 
Steve Herold, a candle of joy: I'm happy to have my daughter and her family visiting. The occasions: my wife, Bonnie, and I are celebrating our 36th anniversary on Tuesday; my daughter, Rachel, is celebrating her 32nd birthday on Monday; my granddaughter, Bella, will celebrate her 2nd birthday on November 15th, and celebrating the miracle of life everyday!   
 
[correction from August 27th]   
Kathy Fisher, a candle of reflection: I've been thinking about life and death and the circle of life this week: Firstly, Tom Loughead (pronounced "Low-head"), who was property chair at our church and a long-time member of our church, died Monday of cancer. He had gone to live near family several years ago when his dementia made that necessary. Secondly, today would have been Mother's 95th birthday -- I carry her with me everywhere. Thirdly, I saw Lydia Goodman's great-grand baby Friday.That baby is the SPITTING IMAGE of Lydia! It's like looking back in time over 80 years, but also into the future! Blessed be us all!