Join Us for Worship This Sunday!

May 31 at 10am

Liam Hart, Director of Music

Warren Baker, 
Worship Associate

Music Sunday: "Messengers of Peace"

This year’s Music Sunday service will highlight messengers of peace from different faith and humanist traditions, through short readings and musical reflections. The service will feature original songs from members of the congregation, music chosen by members of the choir, a new hymn from our Music Director, and plenty of singing together.



Join us for worship in person in the Sanctuary, or online. The livestream link and order of service will be shared at bit.ly/FUUSBWorship, or visit our YouTube channel.

Following the service, all are welcome to Coffee Hour in the Community Room.

While at the Meeting House, anyone is welcome to wear a mask. In the spirit of caring for each other, please stay home if you have any cold or flu symptoms. Thank you.

Children & Youth This Sunday

Mo Singletary, Family Programs Assistant

Families will begin the morning together in the Sanctuary. After the Time For All Ages, children and youth will be escorted to Chalice Choice Activities on the lower level. The nursery will be staffed and open for any families who would like to use it.

Looking Back to Sunday

Here is a link to the video recording of last week's service.

Submitted by: Kathy Stamper, Board Member

The FUUSB Board of Trustees met Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations and Finance, shared FUUSB financial reports for April. We’re on track to end the fiscal year in the black. Twenty-seven folks attended the online Meet the Budget event at which Christina presented and invited questions and/or comments. A congregant recommended that, going forward, budget planning consider a multi-year approach. The Stewardship Team is launching a Close-the-Gap Campaign which they hope to finish by the Annual Meeting. The Board will submit the 2026-2027 Budget at the Annual Meeting on June 7th for a congregational vote.

Rev. Karen raised questions in her Senior Minister’s Report prompting us to explore concepts of finding balance amid competing demands (e.g., activism, pastoral care, and community-building,) at a time in which we have one minister versus two. The Board is committed to supporting Rev. Karen in her discernment as she strives to balance the minister’s capacity with congregational expectations. 

We discussed the presence of “Neighbors” (i.e., unhoused folks, people experiencing mental health and/or substance use challenges, etc.) on our property. Some staff, some congregants, some neighbors express consternation; some do not. We’re actively exploring ways to find balance in our responses. 

Disruptive Behaviors Policy: The Board voted to approve the policy, with minor amendments, and a caveat that the policy goes into effect when the Responsible Behavior Policy Council is trained and operating. 

Deepening Our Capacity to Engage Each Other: A Facilitated Process for Improving Conflict Skills: The Board, after research and discernment, voted to engage a professional facilitator with a tentative autumn timeline.

The next Board Meeting is Tuesday, June 16th at the Meetinghouse from 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. A Zoom link will be published in Community Messenger on that Tuesday or you can email board@uusociety.org for the link.

All About the Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting Warning

Submitted by The Nominating Committee 

The congregation is warned that the Annual Meeting of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington will be held on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at 11:20 a.m. The meeting will be held both

in-person at the Meeting House and remotely via Zoom at this link https://bit.ly/3OQUPVM

Detailed information on how to participate online will be emailed prior to the meeting date.


The following items of business will be voted on by the membership:


● Accept the minutes from the 2025 Annual Meeting, available online at https://uusociety.org/members/meeting-minutes/


● Elect candidates for openings on the Board of Trustees, the Officers of the Society, the nominating Team, and the Endowment Fund Team. see page 2, here.


● Vote on the proposed 2026/27 budget. A summary of the proposed budget is included with this warning and is also available online at https://uusociety.org/members/meeting-minutes/

All Active Members (people who signed the membership book as of 5/10/2026 and made a pledge and contribution of record in the last year) and all Life Members are eligible to vote.

Nominees can be nominated from the floor with the prior consent of the nominee.

2026 Annual Meeting Instructions

Click here or the button below for detailed instructions on how to attend the meeting in-person or via Zoom.

American Flag Public Art Protest Project

Submitted by, The Democracy Project 

Please join the Democracy Project on May 31st as we host Terry Zigmund, studio mate of Rodney Lowe, to create pieces for this public art project. Participants will create messages on fabric describing the impact that policies put in place by the federal government since 2025, have had on their lives. The fabric messages will be sewn together by Terry to create a large flag that will be displayed in Winooski. Materials provided. 

When and Where? During coffee hour--if outside, find our table. If inside due to weather, we will be in the PT Barnum Room. 

Learn the Chalice Words in Spanish

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior MInister

Want to learn how to speak the Spanish version of our Words for Lighting & Extinguishing the Chalice?

Please fill out this form if you would like to learn how to speak the Spanish words for our chalice lighting and extinguishing.

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

If a child in your life is entering 7th or 8th grade, or the home-school equivalent, who would benefit from the comprehensive sexuality education provided by the Our Whole Lives program, now is the time to let us know by filling out this OWL Interest Form.

Our OWL coordinator and volunteer facilitators have begun the complicated work of mapping out a schedule for this 26-session series which will begin next fall. The sooner we hear from interested families, the sooner we can solidify that schedule.

Find out more about OWL in general, here. Contact Mary Anthony at OWL@uusociety.org with questions about OWL at FUUSB.

Annual Elmore Campout:

Reserve Your Spot Now!

Mo Singletary, Family Programs Assistant

Elmore State Park 
June 19–21 

One of First UU’s most loved multigenerational gatherings is only a few weeks away! With just two sites left, consider joining other UU friends & families at Elmore State Park for a weekend of play, eating, and community. There will be plenty of time to fellowship, relax, hike, swim, paddle, play games, make s’mores, and enjoy the beauty of our surroundings. All activities are optional; just come and share in loads of fun! Daytrippers are welcome! Feel free to come for Friday' evening's potluck, spend the day with us Saturday, or join us for our short Sunday worship before enjoying the park. 

You can sign up here, or reach out to Chip Patullo at sunergy.vt@gmail.com with any questions. 

Additionally, a congregant in our community is looking to share the space and split the cost of a lean-to for the weekend. She is open to sharing with an individual, couple, or family! If you're interested, please contact Mo (mo@uusociety.org) to learn more. 

Don’t miss the Upcoming Deadline for Reduced Rates at UU Weekend at Silver Bay!

Mo Singletary, Family Programs Assistant

Comradery, colorful fall scenery, campfires, kids’ programs, canoeing, and culinary pleasures await you at a coveted setting on Lake George from October 9-11, 2026 (with an option of extending your stay until October 12!)


Join the nearly 200 people who have already registered for this weekend, a highlight of the fall season! Like these early registrants, you can receive the lowest rates for the UU Weekend at Silver Bay if you register by June 7th.  Remember – your room, meals from Friday dinner through Sunday (or Monday) lunch, programs, activities, and entertainment are all included in the price. Children under 6 are free and there are substantial discounts for older children and youth.


Access additional information about Silver Bay and UU weekend, including the registration form, the 2025 schedule, and a slide show, at https://albanyuu.org/blog/uu-silver-bay-weekend/