September 2023

Our Mission Statement

As a welcoming congregation, we work and worship together to become people of open minds, loving hearts, and helping hands. We honor the transformative power of love in our individual lives and broader communities.

It’s a new program year at UUFS and we are excited about the possibilities that await us this fall. Here are just SOME of the things you can look forward to in September and beyond.

1. We have a NEW Ministerial Intern, who will be with us once a month. For more information about Randy Blasch, see my introduction. RANDY BLASCH INTRODUCTION from Rev. Jane

2. Although not NEW – we are pleased that Seminarian Clint Tawes has been RENEWED again this year to share with us on 1st Sundays.

3. We have NEW Fellowship Circles that will begin meeting this month. If you haven’t received an invitation to one – and want to participate – let me know and I’ll try to facilitate that.

4. Beginning Sunday, September 10, at 10:30, I will be sharing a series of sermons entitled “Lessons from Banned Books.” We will kick-off that series with a “Brief History of Book Bannings and Burnings.” This Is an OLD story – but one that needs our time and attention at this point in history when many state legislatures have passed laws that have led to increases in bans in books and curriculum.

5. Related to the series on Banned Books, we are also working on a new little library of Banned Books to be placed on our property for the community. Thank you, Al Hackle, for facilitating the donation from the Statesboro Herald of a paper box to be repurposed for this and to Abby and Mason Thompson for picking it up and delivering it in Mason’s truck. Also, we thank our talented member, Erin McFerrin, for repainting it for this purpose.

6. Our new stewardship team is planning a wonderful campaign focusing on Generosity. The Kickoff will be on September 24 and will feature a sermon by our NEW ministerial intern, Randy Blasch. I will also be sharing a testimony and leading this service. We want our stewardship to focus on everyone participating at a level that is right for them. And we will have fun in the process. Look for more information coming from the stewardship team later this month.

7. Our NEW Choir is “up and running” and needs more folks to join us! See choir director and NEW member Mortimer MacArthur for more information.

Please take the time to read through this entire newsletter for more information about all these new and ongoing activities.

Peace, Love, and Joy!

Jane

For information about our in-person service please see our Covid guidelines below. Or, if you prefer to attend online, the service will be offered at this zoom link: https://uuma.zoom.us/j/5915836890.

September 3

"Here's Where I Stand"

Clint Tawes

In a world more divided than ever, we are inundated with values, beliefs, and opinions that are contrary to our own. This message explores where to draw the line between respecting diverse beliefs and standing up for what we believe.

September 10

"A Brief History of Book Banning"

Rev. Jane Page

Rev. Jane begins her series on "Lessons from Banned Books" with a brief history and analysis of book banning in light of the current increase in this practice.

September 17

"Rewilding Ourselves"

Beth Butterfield

You may have heard of projects that aim to "re-wild" natural spaces, stepping back and allowing nature to take over and to return an ecosystem to its "wild" state. We humans are also a part of the natural world, often suffering from our disconnection. What might it mean to "re-wild" ourselves, healing our spirits as we step into a deeper connection? If we experience awe and wonder out in nature, what might it be like to also experience awe and wonder at the wild nature in ourselves? This will not be a conventional talk. You should expect a more experiential service, which may include ritual, sound, guided meditation, and gentle movement. Please come with a heart open to trying something new.

September 24

"Because We Are Here"

Randy Blasch, Intern Minister

Our Intern Minister, Randy Blasch, kicks off the UUFS Annual Outreach for pledges of time, talents, and treasure with an emphasis on the joys, pleasures, and inspiration received from sharing with this congregation. Rev. Jane will also share a short testimony related to her own joy in giving.

CLICK ABOVE LINK TO ACCESS PREVIOUS SERVICES.

Also, this link is available on the UUFS website on both the HOME page and THIS MONTH'S SERVICES page.

NOTE: The county Covid risk level is subject to change.

ZEN MEDITAION

Fridays at 9:00 a.m.

MindBody Center at UUFS

Join us for meditation on Friday mornings. Newcomers and experienced practitioners are welcome. Come join us in person or join us via Zoom.

For the Zoom link or more information send an email to Laura Milner at lamilner@georgiasouthern.edu

MindBody Center Yoga

now has more In-Person Yoga classes.

See Covid precautions below.

Tuesday, 9:30-11:00 am Iyengar Yoga with Inge

Wednesday, 8:00-9:00 am Yoga for the Spine with Lynn Geddes

Wednesday 9:30-10:30 am All Levels Yoga with Fred

Thursday, 9:30-11:00 am Ease into Iyengar Yoga with Inge

For Fred’s and Inge's classes register with this link:

https://app.punchpass.com/org/14237/classes/

For Lynn’s classes email her at lynn@yogamefit.com

Covid Precautions: We are still observing some Covid restrictions and limit our classes to 7 participants. To attend you must be vaccinated, be symptom-free, and observe social distancing. Mask wearing is optional.

Reduced fee for Newcomers to MindBody Center: $30 for 4 classes

For more information on our yoga classes click this link: www.mindbodycenteryoga.com

For more information on Fascia Fitness Training click this link: https://fasciatrainingacademy.com/6-fascial-fitness-training-principles/

Inge Spencer

Iyengar Certified Instructor

MindBody Center Yoga

912 596-3322 (call or text)

mindbodycenteryoga.com

For more information on our classes and instructors go to www.mindbodycenteryoga.com

or call or text Inge at 912-596-3322