🌉 RE Bridge Weekly | Supported by the Season 🍂 | REC + October Happenings
October 4, 2026
💜 A Note from the DRE
What beautiful fall weather we’ve been gifted lately!
There’s something about this season that brings a little lightness to the mind, body, and soul. Personally, I find life a little easier to navigate when the weather itself feels playful. Even the things that seemed heavy somehow feel a bit more supported by a light, crisp breeze and the comfort of a gently warm sun.
As we enter into this seasonal beauty, I hope you, too, are finding moments where you feel supported, comforted, and maybe even invited to breathe a little deeper and move a little lighter.
I’ll be out of town this weekend, and Brooklynn will be the go-to RE contact for any Religious Exploration needs that arise on Sunday. Thank you, Brooklynn, for holding down the RE fort while I’m away! 💜
Love & Light, Jess Ox
🤝 Religious Exploration Collaborative (REC) Meeting
Sunday, October 4 • 5:00 PM • Via Zoom
Everyone involved in Religious Exploration is welcome!
This month we’ll be connecting around:
🎃 Trunk & Treat Planning
📅 Calendar Review
🌱 Programming Updates
❤️ CPR Training Info for Volunteers
Come help us connect, collaborate, and continue shaping what Religious Exploration is becoming at HVUUC!
✨ Click below to join the REC Zoom meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/95967749088?pwd=oB1bgnnsjoCQVBlRdffEwEJj0molbd
🗣️ More Than Words: Pronouns Workshop
Sunday, October 11 • After Potluck
Alesha and Jess Ox will be hosting a Pronouns Workshop designed to be useful, welcoming, and responsive to the actual questions and experiences within our community.
Help us shape the conversation by completing our short pre-workshop survey!
✨ Take the Pronouns Workshop Survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf9Sx-pB-vlqLqv75i8SiRQFOg
WlIVUBSTcvtMnFEfEKkdz8Q/viewform?usp=header
🎃 HVUUC Annual Trunk or Treat!
Sunday, October 25, 2026
Trunk or Treat is coming to HVUUC! 🎃🚗✨
Start dreaming up those costumes—and those decorated trunks! Anyone who signs up to decorate a vehicle is automatically entered in our Trunk Decorating Contest, complete with prizes and plenty of Halloween fun.
Decorate a trunk, dress up, bring the family, or simply come enjoy the festivities!
🚗 Sign Up to Decorate a Trunk:
https://form.jotform.com/262644541863058
✨ Many Gifts, One Community
Religious Exploration is growing, and there are so many ways to help bring it to life—without becoming a teacher!
Lead or assist a class, support Wonder Worship, help behind the scenes, share a special skill, or simply lend a hand when you can.
If you’ve been a friend of HVUUC for 3 months or longer, visit the Volunteer Sign-Up Board in the lobby and see where your gifts might fit. Background checks for those working directly with children and youth are fully provided by the church.
You don’t have to do everything. Come share your something. 💜✨
🎂 Happy October Birthdays!
Sending a big burst of birthday joy to:
🎉 Heather Swope
🎉 Chelsea Collea
🎉 Traci Day
🎉 Amanda Hester
🎉 Alex — UU Youth
🎉 Abigail — UU Kiddo
May your next trip around the sun bring plenty of joy, wonder, connection,
and reasons to celebrate! 🥳💜
💜 Gratitudes Across the Bridge
This week, I’m especially grateful for...
🌱 Cyndi — for stepping into K–5 with me and helping hold that space for our explorers.
🎶 Kita & Katie — for facilitating 6–12, helping our youth navigate covenant-building, and exploring some fun fundraising possibilities along the way!
✨ Kat — for coming in a few days ahead of time to help prepare for our Adult 2 class. That kind of behind-the-scenes care makes such a difference.
So much of Religious Exploration is built in the moments when someone simply says, “I can help with that.” Thank you for continuing to build this community together. 💜