Join Us for Worship This Sunday!

May 3 at 10 a.m.

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

Mary Beth McNulty, Worship Associate

"Of Bridges & JETPIG: Faith Development Sunday" 

Each year we recognize the embodiment of our Unitarian Universalist faith by our children, youth, and adults in our Faith Development program. In this service, our youth will lead us and share with us their understanding of our JETPIG Core Values (justice, equity, transformation, pluralism, interdependence, and generosity) in their lives and our shared life as a congregation. Two of our high school seniors are bridging, alongside the debut of our children’s choir. Plan to attend to support our youth.

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

This week we'll all be together in the sanctuary for Faith Development Sunday, a multigenerational service centered on and led in part by our children & youth! All three exploration groups will participate, and for the first time in many years we'll have a Children's Choir as part of the worship. The service will also include a Bridging Ceremony honoring two high school seniors as they transition into young adulthood. 

Please note that the nursery will not be staffed this week, but will be open and available to those who wish to use the space. 

Looking Back to Sunday

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

Respectfully submitted, Stephen Rainville, Board Member

The FUUSB board met April 21, 2026.

A request has been made for the members of FUUSB to have the opportunity to vote on the Apartheid Free Communities pledge at the annual meeting in June.

The board is proposing a facilitated workshop prior to a vote to provide a platform that increases our ability to have respectful dialogue about potentially divisive and difficult topics. A search for a qualified facilitator is underway, and a workshop is likely this fall because of combined scheduling issues.

The board began reviewing a draft of a Disruptive Behavior Policy, prepared by the Disruptive Policy Committee. Board members were asked to respond to some questions and provide comments to the committee by April 28th.

We heard our minister’s monthly report and began a discussion of our society’s needs and wants from our minister. The question that emerged is are our expectations of a single minister, considering the number of congregants, right sized?

The board then went into closed session to deliberate and discuss the 2025-2026 budget. A “ meet the budget”opportunity is scheduled for May 13 at 7pm so that UU members have an opportunity prior to the annual meeting (June) to be informed and ask questions.

Meet the Budget

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance

Save the date! Please join members of the Board and our Executive Team for a first look at our 2026/2027 Budget. This meeting will be held on Zoom, on Wednesday, May 13th** at 7 p.m. This is your opportunity to see the budget you will be voting on at the Annual Meeting, and to ask any questions. We look forward to seeing you there. Click here for the zoom link.

**Note: this is a date correction. In last week's eNews, the date was incorrectly printed as May 11th not the 13th.**

Last Call for online Auction

Live Auction this Saturday!

The auction is open until 12 am this Friday!! !!! Check it out and bid here.

We have a few things that do not have bids yet. Check it out and help us raise 15k for the society! 

Also, do not forget to join us for the live event on May 2nd (this Saturday) from 5-7:30 pm at the meeting house!! We will have free food, drinks, and fellowship with your first UU pals. Plus a bunch of raffle baskets!! Wear your RADDEST hat! We can not wait to see you. 

Questions? Email Us: springauction@uusociety.org

Statewide Call-to-Action

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior MInister

The FUUSB Board voted to sign on (you can see our name on this page) in support of this action on May 8th in St. Albans. We invite you to come to Taylor Park at noon for a public rally and in support of those who are using their presence and bodies to express dissent for the ways in which ICE is impacting our communities and values. Rev. Karen will be there as will many others from the congregation.

Important Immigration Rally in St Albans

on Friday, May 8 

Immigration Justice Team

Join your Immigration Justice Team and the ICE Out Vermont Alliance in supporting our immigrant neighbors and standing up to ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) brutality by rallying on May 8 at noon, Taylor Park in St. Albans. 



Presentations by Good Trouble Street Choir, Bread & Puppet Theatre, Migrant Justice, and state Treasurer Mike Pieciak.

ICE Out Vermont Alliance is a recently-formed coalition of community organizations, faith groups, unions, and affinity groups. FUUSB has joined in support of its mission and actions.

Peaceful Demonstration

12:00 PM

Taylor Park, Downtown St. Albans. Permitted peaceful protest open to all community members. Bring signs, wear green, and make your voice heard.

Nonviolent Sit-in

Following demonstration

St. Albans - Customs Border Protection office. For those willing to risk arrest. Requires completion of nonviolent direct action training.

May Day this Friday

The Democracy Project

Please join the FUUSB Democracy Project on May Day from Noon to 1PM on the sidewalk at the front of the Meeting House to celebrate and support May Day, Friday May 1st. Bring your signs, bring your lunch and stand in support of a nationwide day of collective action, organized by May Day Strong and many other organizations. No Work. No Shopping. No School. 

http://www.maydaystrong.org/

Come to the First Friday Open-Mic Coffeehouse!

From your Coffeehouse Team

This Friday, May 1

Potluck dessert and open-mic sign-up starts at 6:30 p.m.

Open mic 7-9 p.m.

Join us in the parlors for an evening of music and spoken word pieces. Share a song or poem, or come to listen and enjoy the fellowship.

If you’re able, bring a dessert dish to share. Coffee, tea, and refreshments will be provided.

All ages and talents are welcome, especially newcomers! Invite friends and family. With the cold weather, upper respiratory are more prevalent; face masks are welcomed, but not required.

COTS Walk this Saturday!

First UU Cots Walk Team

Thank you to the folks who’ve helped the FUUSB community to raise nearly $5000 for the COTS walk, which is this coming Sunday, May 3. If you’ve been meaning to participate as a fundraiser or donor, there is still time! Take this moment to connect and donate here: www.cotsonline.org/cots-walk

Just Books Club

Palestine Solidarity Team

Just Books Club, Tuesday, May 5th, 5:45 pm  Note: New Time

The Palestinian Solidarity Team, the Racial Justice Team, and the Immigration Justice Team have a book group to read books focused on intersectional justice issues. We tossed around a couple of ideas for a first book and settled on this Winner of the National Book Awards 2025 for Nonfiction: One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El-Akkad. Info here: We selected it because several FUUSB members had already bought it, and were excited to be part of this book group, or had already read the book and recommended it. We plan to meet in person on Tuesday, May 5, 5:45-7 pm (new time), at First UU with the possibility of a hybrid option. Send me an email to RSVP so we can coordinate snacks (and an OWL): PalestineSolidarity@uusociety.org  

After this book, our next book could be fiction. What should it be? 

Palestine Solidarity Team Meeting- Wed. 5/6

Palestine Solidarity Team

The Palestine Solidarity Team will be meeting on Wed. May 6 at 1 pm at the meetinghouse. We are continuing to work on placing the Apartheid Free Community Pledge before our Society's members and will be discussing this plus other activities at this meeting. We'd love your help so please come to our meeting. So far over 125 people associated with the Society have signed our call for the FUUSB to sign the pledge and take actions consistent with it. If you haven't sign yet you can voice your support here. 

To learn more we suggest you look at the 2024 Action of Immediate Witness, Solidarity with Palestinians passed at General Assembly:

Thank you and see you soon.

Singing Resistance with Lance Smith

Lance Smith, Member

Come raise your voice. Join Lance Smith for a spirited 15-minute call-and-response singing gathering where we’ll learn songs alive in today’s Singing Resistance movements—from Portland to Minneapolis to right here at ICE actions in Vermont. Together, we’ll build the courage, confidence, and collective voice to show up and sing out at the next protest, the next vigil, the next moment that calls us.

No experience needed—just your presence and your voice.

May 10 & June 7 | 10:40–10:55 AM (before service)

May Date with Death Club- 5/16

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior MInister

May 16th is our next Date with Death Club session. Its title is Grief: Living & Losing, Learning & Loving. It's happening a week earlier than usual because of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Registration is required and opens today. Click here to do so.

This is not only our last Date with Death Club for the year, it is our last for awhile. Rev. Karen is taking a break from this class in order to be able to bring other Adult Faith Development opportunities to FUUSB next year. Stay tuned.

Event: Skilling Up for Hard Conversations on Israeli Apartheid & Palestinian Solidarity Sun. May 17th

Palestine Solidarity Team

Event: Skilling Up for Hard Conversations on Sunday, May 17 | 1:30 – 3:30 PM | First UU Society of Burlington

Join the Palestinian Solidarity Team at First UU Society and Jewish Voice for Peace for an interactive, in-person workshop designed to transform tense political discussions into opportunities for shared understanding.

Navigating topics like Israeli apartheid, antisemitism, and collective liberation can be challenging. This session provides practical tools to help you identify your core values, distinguish between "dialogue vs. debate," and master the art of "calling in vs. calling out." Participants will have the chance to practice these skills through guided scenarios, gaining the confidence to inspire meaningful action through productive conversation.

This event is hosted at First UU and is open to all who wish to build stronger bridges of "Solidarity with Palestinians." Please register soon to secure your spot. (This event will fill up.)

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 less than two months away! As spots fill up, consider joining other UU friends & families at Elmore State Park for a weekend of play, eating, and community. We'll kick things off with a potluck on Friday evening, on Saturday we'll gather for a campfire sing, and we'll finish the weekend together with a Sunday morning worship. In between, 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! 

This is an event for all ages! We already have 11 households signed up (several being families with children), and space is limited with only 3 campsites remaining. If you’re thinking about joining, now is a great time to sign up so we can make sure everyone has a spot!

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