Join Us for Worship This Sunday!

April 21 at 10 a.m.

FUUSB Climate Justice Team

Geoff Duke, Worship Associate

“Our Soil, Our Selves: Our Common Ground”

During mud season, and with our Soul Matters theme of Interdependence, the Climate Justice Team invites you to celebrate Earth Day. They will be leading a worship service that invites you to reconsider your relationship with soil, with the ground beneath our bodies, with the source of all life as we know it.

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.

After the service, join us at 11:15 a.m. in the Susan B. Anthony Room for a screening and discussion of the documentary “Common Ground.” A film that fuses “journalistic exposé with deeply personal stories from those on the front lines of the food movement, ‘Common Ground’ unveils a dark web of money, power, and politics behind our broken food system. The film reveals how unjust practices forged our current farm system in which farmers of all colors are literally dying to feed us.”

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!

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

Sunday, April 14

Children start in the sanctuary with parents and caregivers before being "sung out" to an all-ages exploration of Passover. 

Nursery care is also available.

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

• Rev. Karen suggested the book, Active Hope by Joanna Macy. Here is more information about it.
• Here is more information about The Work That Reconnects.

• The poems in the service include
• What They Did Yesterday Afternoon by Warsan Shire
• Bone by Mary Oliver
• The House Called Tomorrow by Alberto Rios
• Thank you by Ross Gay

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

Installation of Rev. Karen G. Johnston- May 4th

Sarah Forbes, Installation Committee

What is an Installation?

When a congregation calls a Minister, we hold a Service of Installation to celebrate the shared ministry between the congregation and the new minister. It’s a joyful occasion and it will be more joyful with you there!   

Isn’t Rev. Karen already our minister?  

Yes, she is. You can think of it like what happens when we, as a nation, elect a president - there is the vote and then there is the inauguration. We voted to call Rev. Karen in May of last year. Instead of an inauguration, we are holding an Installation, on the same weekend, a year later, as the vote: Saturday, May 4th at 2pm, with a reception to follow.

This is a celebration of FUUSB: Rev. Karen is our 17th Settled Minister. And it is a celebration of our beloved corner of Unitarian Universalism, which means that all of the UU Universe will be celebrating with us, at least in spirit. We will have guest Unitarian Universalist clergy from far and near, including:

Julica Hermann de la Fuente is giving the sermon.

Rev. Jake Morill is giving the Charge to the Leadership.

Rev. Peggy Clark is giving the Charge to the Congregation.

An Installation Team has been working to create the vision for this event. Thank you to Sarah Forbes, Tom Porter, Suzanne Stimik, and Linda Vogler. 

Save the date-Saturday, May 4th, 2pm. Please RSVP if you are planning to come and you haven’t already at https://bit.ly/RevKarenInstallation.

This is an event for all ages - children are most definitely welcome and, in fact, there is a role for them. If you would like child care, advanced registration is requested on the RSVP form.    

Given all that is happening in the world, let’s take this opportunity to celebrate each other, our potential, and moments of joy!

https://youtu.be/UdL-116mOKw

Welcome to the Installation!

Welcome Back, Revs. Mara & Tricia!

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

As the Service of Installation draws nearer, joy is growing.  One of the joys is our chance to welcome back into the sanctuary two ministers who previously served First UU ably and well.  

Rev. Mara Dowdall, who was the previous Settled Senior Minister, served from 2012-2018. She lives locally and has been attending services with her family since earlier this congregational year.  



Rev. Tricia Hart was FUUSB’s most recent minister, serving as the Developmental Senior Minister from 2019-2023. When UU religious professionals leave positions, there is always a professional boundary during which there was to be no contact between that religious professional and the congregation. This creates space for congregations and their new religious professionals to form their own relationship. Rev. Karen is pleased to welcome Rev. Tricia back to FUUSB for the installation and Rev. Tricia is pleased to participate.

Welcome Töve!

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance



I would like to introduce you all to Töve Johnson, our Administrative Assistant. Töve begins work here this week and will be working out of the main office near the Clarke Street entrance to the Meeting House. Töve's regular work schedule has not been set yet, but she will be working Tuesday - Friday, 5 hours per day. She will not be working this summer during the month of July. We will share our new regular Office Hours soon!  

Töve will be doing many of the same tasks that Mary did, but since she will be working less hours than Mary worked, the job description will be changing. To begin with, you will now contact Erin for anything to do with scheduling. Scheduling space in the Meeting House, scheduling Zoom meetings or scheduling any kind of special events. Once Töve gets her feet under her, we will get clearer about her general responsibilities. For now, know that she will be doing the Enews each week (please still send Enews articles to enewsblast@uusociety.org.) And she will be doing the Order of Service (available on the website) and the PowerPoint slides used during the workshop service.  

You can reach her at tove@uusociety.org. You can learn more about Töve by reading her biography on the website. Welcome Töve!

Seeking Adult Childcare Provider

Rowan Van Ness, Director of Youth & Emerging Adult Ministries



Paid Adult Childcare Providers offer childcare for infants and toddlers in the Society’s nursery on Sunday mornings and safely supervise age-appropriate activities for children at other Society events, meetings, and functions as requested by Faith Development Staff. Interested? Please contact rowan@uusociety.org for more information and to apply!

In Memoriam

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

As shared at our Sunday service, FUUSB member Jan Abbott died on Saturday, April 13, just two days after turning 83. Last summer, Jan had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer. Her family had been tending to her in the weeks, days, and hours before and as she died. A member of the congregation since 2001, a memorial service is in the process of being scheduled. We will let you know when we know.

FUUSB Membership Book Signing

Kim Watkin, Membership Team

April 28th is a Signing Sunday. 

If you have made a pledge and attended our New UU Classes, you are welcome to sign our FUUSB Membership Book on Sunday, April 28th to become a Member of the First UU Society of Burlington. Please come up to the front of the sanctuary at the end of the service and members of the Membership Team will have the Membership Book available for your signature. Any questions: contact Kim Watkin at watkinfam@aol.com

Retirement Announcement

Vermont Interfaith Action

Vermont Interfaith Action's long-time Executive Director, Rev. Debbie Ingram, has announced her retirement. Effective June 30, 2024, Debbie will end her 17-year tenure at VIA. Her plans are to enjoy some much-needed rest and relaxation.

Debbie is leaving the organization in solid condition and will participate actively in the transition to new leadership. Deputy Director Melissa Battah, who has been with the organization for 13 years, will serve as Interim Director during the search process.

“As one of my favorite scripture passages* puts it,” says Debbie, “God says, ‘I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ I am sure that the God whom we know by many names will be right there with the best of intentions for all of us -- myself and VIA collectively -- during this period of change.”

*Jeremiah 29:11

To read Rev. Debbie's full retirement announcement, including her two decades of accomplishments, click here.

Annual Potlock Picnic Volunteers

Kim Watkin, Membership Team

Sunday, June 2nd, is the date for the Annual Potluck Picnic here at the FUUSB. We are looking for members of the congregation to join an ad hoc planning group for the Annual Potluck Picnic. Email Kim Watkin at watkinfam@aol.com if you are interested in joining this ad hoc planning group for this fun-filled event! 

Outdoor Coffee Hour

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance

With the warmer weather approaching, we are getting ready to have Coffee Hour outside! Beginning on Sunday, April 21, and weather permitting of course, we will begin to have our Coffee Hour outside. Please remember to wear your jacket so you'll be comfortable, because it will most likely still be chilly. We will make sure to have some chairs available for those who find it difficult to stand for that amount of time. This is a FUUSB first sign of spring!

Child Dedication - June 9

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

Child Dedications are a joyful covenant between a child’s family and the congregation, recognizing that the raising of a child is a community blessing. Senior Minister, Rev. Karen G. Johnston, and the Director of Lifespan Faith Development, Erika Reif, will be leading such a ceremony for a group of children during the service on June 9. Dedications can happen soon after birth or adoption; they can happen for an infant, a toddler, a preschooler, or an older child.

If you would like to have your child dedicated at First UU on that morning, or to find out more, contact Erika, erika@uusociety.org.

Richard Kemp Center Sankofa Trip to D.C.

Zoe Hart, Racial Justice Team

Our partners at the Richard Kemp Center are halfway to their fundraising goal in support of Sankofa - this year's trip for local Black youth to Washington, D.C. and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. If you've been thinking about giving and haven't gotten around to it, there's still time and they still need our help to make this trip a reality. If you haven't seen it yet, check out this video from Rev. Karen where she talks about our partnership with the RKC and why we support this work. And use this link to contribute.

Are You Interested in Participating in GA?

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance

If you are interested in participating in UUA GA (General Assembly) in June, you need to register soon! GA is online this year, so you can participate from your very own living room. Go to uua.org/ga to get all the information you need. FUUSB gets 8 delegates (people who vote at business meetings) at GA. If you think this might interest you, please send your name to Christina at xina@uusociety.org. For more information about being a delegate, go to uua.org/ga/congregations/delegates. FUUSB delegates will be determined prior to the beginning of GA.

If you need help paying for your registration, please contact Christina at xina@uusociety.org for information on financial assistance from FUUSB.