Today At Our Fellowship

Thursday, April 17, 2025

Choir Concert This Saturday at AUUF

The choir is holding a concert at AUUF this Saturday at 4 PM. Entrance is free, and there will be snacks. Hope to see you there!

The Forum

IN PERSON & on Zoom

9:00 am Sunday April 20, 2025

This Sunday the Forum will celebrate National Poetry Month by hearing about and listening to poetry of Alaska Poet Laureate Tom Sexton, who died last month. Hear a variety of readers, and maybe a surprise or two.

Click here to join on Zoom.

Click here for Speaker's Bio.

Sunday Worship Service

IN PERSON & on Zoom

11:00 am Sunday April 20, 2025

Click here to join on Zoom.

Message from the Board:

This is a reminder for our annual business meeting on Sunday May 4th at 10:00 a.m. Please come prepared to vote on our action items by reviewing the meeting information that was distributed to all members. That information is also available on our website under the “What’s Happening” drop down menu, which can be reached by clicking here.

If you have any questions regarding the materials, please contact one of your seven board members: Don Antrobus, Kalen Saxton, Doug Eby, Justin Roberts, Kath Rutherford, Jim Kerr, and Mara Hill.

RE Spring Fun on April 20

Earth Day April 20 

We are partnering with Total Reclaim of Anchorage to provide drop off containers for recycling at the fellowship. The Collection containers will be on  the west side parking lot. The cost to you is $0.25 per pound. This will be on  the honor system but we will take any amount you wish to donate.  

    Items: 

    All types of electronics including, appliances, cords, phones & computers, TV monitor and printers, batteries, light bulbs, fluorescent lights ballasts, vacuums with bags emptied.

Electronics Recycling is our annual Spring Fundraiser event which is planned by the AUUF Green Sanctuary Committee. We are committed to support the  mission & values of AUUF. Our intent is to prevent harmful electronics, batteries and other recyclable waste getting into our landfill. 

Donations range from $5 to $25 (for large heavy items like TV, monitors and  printers).

Contact Yolanda Meza, 907 764-9234 with any questions.

Anchorage UUF is making an impact in the Earth Month Eco-challenge 2025: Conservation!

April is Earth Day month!

On April 20 we will be having a service and displays focused on reducing our environmental foot print. 

During this month the green Sanctuary Committee would like to invite you join in the Eco Challenge at Earth Month Eco-challenge 2025: Conservation - Anchorage UUF. It’s fun and is also an amazing resource for information on how we can honor the web of life. 

Earth Month Eco-challenge, running from April 1st to April 30th, is a 30-day program focused on environmental and social engagement. During this month, you're invited to select actions that resonate with your values, committing to them for 30 days to foster and reinforce positive habits. Each action you complete earns points and generates real-world impact. Your efforts, combined with those of your team, contribute to a significant collective difference.

This year’s theme, “For Earth, For Each Other, For Tomorrow,” is about fostering hope and inspiring action for a better future. Through daily actions and shared learning, we can create a more sustainable and equitable world - one where people and nature thrive together. Join us to discover how small steps today can create a ripple effect for future generations.

Click here for the website; Earthmonth Eco-challenge

Become a Solar Energy Champion!

Summary of the Project: The Green Sanctuary committee is working on reducing the carbon footprint of our fellowship as well as our monthly energy bill by installing a solar panel array on the fellowship building. We have obtained proposals for the solar panel array which would offset the majority of our annual electrical use. Thirty percent of the cost of the solar panel installation will be covered by a federal incentive program. The approximate cost of the solar panel array, after federal rebate, is $30,000. The materials and installation cost of each solar panel is $1,000.  You can join us in this project, and become a Solar Energy Champion, by supporting the purchase of all or part of a solar panel for the array. Funding from other sources is also being pursued by the Green Sanctuary committee. At the conclusion of the project an appreciation plaque with the names of all contributors will be created for the fellowship hall to thank everyone who is able to participate.

Click here to read the entire article.

Alliance Chair Nameplate Dedications

They’re going fast! But you can still get yours!!

If you have ever looked at nameplates on chairs in front of you while you are sitting in the sanctuary, you’ll have noticed they bring to mind many faces of friends in AUUF both past and present.

You are being invited by the Alliance to be one of the lucky few to have your name added on a nameplate to the back of our remaining few available chairs!

These nameplates create a lasting legacy and a lovely remembrance of folks we know and have known.

And, this is your opportunity to say YOU WERE HERE!!

Honor someone with a memorial chair, name your self, parents, kids, someone you admire in the Fellowship.

Proceeds of the sale of these nameplates will be split between Alliance projects at AUUF and the 2025-26 AUUF general budget.

Only 20 chairs left - when they’re gone, they’re gone! 

$200 will secure your chair! (But you don’t have to sit in it! :)

Looking forward to seeing your name on a chair and thinking of you!

Thank you!

Fill out this form and return to Rosene.

What is ordination?

In preparation for Becca Bernard’s ordination at a special service on Sunday afternoon, July 13, we want to provide more information about UU ordination, starting with, “What is ordination anyway?”

Ordination is a formal recognition that a person is entering into service as a UU minister.  It is a rite of initiation that takes the person being ordained (the “ordinand”) from their status as a layperson, and initiates them into the community of clergy.  Only after the rite of ordination can a minister use the title “Reverend.”

Ordination is the culmination of an extended process that includes a Master of Divinity degree from an accredited seminary, a career assessment from an approved center, education in pastoral care and chaplaincy, an internship, and an interview with the UU Ministerial Fellowship Committee.

This rite involves the ordinand, representatives from the congregations conducting the ordination; representatives of the greater community of UU ministers; family, friends, and colleagues of the ordinand, and you –  AUUF members and friends are encouraged to attend and be part of this significant and joyous service.

Do you have other questions?  We’d love to hear them!  Contact any of the Ordination Team members:  Katherine Huffman, Ruth Greenwood, Cassie Thomas, Marty Freeman, Laura Volmert (UUFF), and  of course, Becca!

Bridging Service for AUUF High School Seniors

Sunday, April 27



Sunday, April 27- This Sunday is our special Bridging service at 11am where we will be recognizing 4 AUUF High School Seniors, Nora, Sarina, Denali and Levi. I encourage you to bring your children to this service so they can see what they can take part of in the future as they continue through the RE program here at AUUF. Childcare will be available in Room 3 for children who do not attend the service.

AUUF Variety Show, hosted by Wray Kinard

May 22 from 5-8pm at AUUF

Think Lawrence Welk and Ed Sullivan but with a funnier host! It will begin with a potluck meal in the social hall followed by the variety show performances in the sanctuary. Long-time AUUF member and volunteer comedian Wray Kinard will be the MC for the variety show. It is designed to showcase the variety of gifts and talents of members and friends of the fellowship. We're looking for performers who want to participate in a fun family-friendly evening full of music, stories, laughs, and dancing. All ages and skill levels welcome, with UU values in mind: interdependence, pluralism, justice, transformation, generosity, and equity. Submit this form by Sun May 4 with a description of what you want to perform! All ideas are welcome, including but not limited to, singing, playing music, juggling, telling jokes, dancing, reciting poetry, or telling a story!

Peace Camp Updates 

Peace Camp training dates have been changed. 

Tuesday, June 3- 6pm-9pm ALL volunteers and Camp Counselors for safety training

Wed, June 4- 1pm-5pm Camp Counselors

Thurs June 5 1pm-5pm- Camp Counselors

Saturday, June 7 1pm-5pm Peace Camp Set Up 

The next Peace Camp planning meeting will be next Wednesday, April 23 at 1pm in the library. 

I'm still looking for a few more helpers-

* A counselor support helper for the counselors throughout the week. 

* Someone for the registration table in the mornings (to check in and sign for their camper)

* Someone for the registration table in the afternoons (to sign out and sign for their camper)

* Another adult bike rider for the advanced group

WhaleCoast News! The Anchorage dates are June 14-19 and July 23-25! 

Maya, the WhaleCoast coordinator, has announced that there are still a few open spots in both of the tours if you know anyone who might be interested. These are available for local folks too, including yourself! Check out the two tours here. She'll close the enrollment in a couple of weeks, so act quickly. 

I'm beginning to take volunteers for opening your home for housing guests, providing transportation, and helping with the banquets on June 15 and July 24. This is Jane Hall's last year coordinating the banquets, so we need a couple of volunteers to learn from her to carry on our hospitality. I'd love to have some help with the coordinating the housing and support also. Emails are the best way to reach me: probinson.mr@gmail.com. There is also a form to complete and email to me or leave in the workroom at AUUF, in the labeled folder.

Download the PDF form here.

Let's hope for a wonderful spring and summer!

Peggy Robinson, WhaleCoast Coordinator

What is the AUUF Endowment Fund?



The March 16 worship service featured Rev. Summer Albayati. A part of her sermon referenced the tale of The Three Little Pigs as a metaphor acknowledging that UUs seek to build homes of brick to support our various missions.

As part of a multi-faceted financially mature financial plan, AUUF has created an Endowment Fund. The idea is that one-time gifts are contributed, and the total value grows until it reaches the goal of $500K (in fiscal year 2022 dollars), at which point it can be used up to 4% (about $20K) per year for one-time expenses related to AUUF that are not in the Annual Budget. The list of possible uses is very long and would be approved by the AUUF Board. Donations can be cash, through a Will, as a beneficiary of insurance/retirement, and can include assets such as stocks. Your individual Financial Advisor would have to advise you for your specifics. 

Please consider AUUF in your financial planning; whether you provide a single brick or a row of bricks, together we will build a house that will not be blown down! 

Picnic Sunday

June 29, July 27 and August 24



Join us once a month this Summer for, Picnic Sunday! Pack and bring your own picnic lunch to the Fellowship and stay after to visit. The kids can play on the wonderful playground! Dates for Picnic Sunday are June 29, July 27 and August 24.

Save the Date(s)! Fall Frolic 2025!

September 5-7, 2025



Fall Frolic will be September 5-7, 2025 at Birchwood Camp. More details, information and registration will be available July 2025. For now, mark your calendars! You don't want to miss this weekend of fun, friends and fellowship!

April HALF PORTION FOR SOCIAL ACTION:

Standing Together Against Rape (STAR)

For nearly half a century, Standing Together Against Rape (STAR) has been a lifeline for survivors of sexual violence in Alaska. Our free and confidential Crisis Line is available 24/7, providing a crucial first point of contact for those seeking help. Whether it's day or night, our dedicated staff and volunteers are always ready to assist.



Our support doesn't stop at the helpline. Our Direct Services advocates offer immediate crisis response, one-on-one support, medical and court accompaniment, and long-term care to ensure survivors receive comprehensive support. In fiscal year 2024, we assisted 439 clients through Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) call-outs and provided over 16,500 advocacy services for 542 clients. Our Prevention and Education programs reached more than 1,425 youth and included 54 presentations for 1,447 adults to raise community awareness. As the demand for our services continues to grow, STAR remains committed to helping survivors and educating the community. Want to get involved? Visit our website at www.staralaska.com, email us at star@staralaska.org, or call (907) 276-7279.

You can contribute in person at our Sunday services or online by visiting anchorageuuf.org click on the Half-Portion note or Donate/ Pay at the bottom of the home page. Enter your donation under “Half-Portion for Social Action." 

Go to anchorageuuf.org

Click on the Half-Portion note or Donate/ Pay

at the bottom of the home page.

Enter your donation under

“Half-Portion for Social Action”

Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

(907) 248-3737

Rev. Lise Adams Sherry, (she/ her), Minister,

RevLise@anchorageuuf.org, 907-248-3737 x2,

Office hours are usually Tu 11-3; Th and F 11-3, and by appointment

*On sabbatical March 17, 2025 through June 30, 2025.

Jennifer Bluntach (she/her), Director of Religious Exploration

DRE@anchorageuuf.org

Office hours usually are:

Sunday 9am-11am, Tuesday 11am-3pm, Thursday, 11am-3pm, and by appointment

Richard Stoneking, (he/him), Congregational Administrator

Admin@AnchorageUUF.org, 907.248.3737 x.1

Office Hours Usually Mon-Thu 11am - 3 pm, Please call first.

Kelly Spring, (she/ her), Communications Specialist, Communications@anchorageuuf.org

Kelly's remote office hours Mon-Fri 9 am -1 pm

Esme Danner (she/her) Music Director

907-248-3737 x4, Music@anchorageuuf.org

Rebecca Bernard, (she/ her), Affiliated Community Minister

RBernard.AK@gmail.com

Dan Norton: AV Coordinator

907-248-3737, AVCoordinator@anchorageuuf.org



Contact the Connections Team for more information on how to get involved.

Connections@anchorageuuf.org 

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