There will be a Path to Membership Class on Sunday, August 28 from 12:30-2:30 pm. Childcare will be provided. This is a class that helps those considering membership learn more about our church and the opportunities for involvement. The class does not commit you to membership, but is a necessary precursor for joining our church. It also allows you to get to know a small group of people on a more personal level.

We would like for this class to be held in-person if comfort levels and restrictions allow. To that end, this class will be limited to 8 people. If more are interested, a second class may be planned. Get your name on the list early by emailing membershipdevelopment@hvuuc.org. There will also be a sign-up sheet on the side counter in the sanctuary.

Please provide the following information:

Name, email, phone, how you prefer to be contacted, and whether you will require childcare. If you require childcare, please provide the number of children and their ages.

We look forward to your participation!

Join us for in-person church on Sunday, July 31, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.! No coffee hour this week as we are at risk level high.

Click for more service details and upcoming events.

Did you know we accept PayPal for pledges and donations? Go to hvuuc.org/donate to give! If you have any questions about how to use it contact our treasurer, Deb Helmer at treasurer@hvuuc.org.

HVUUC is seeking Sunday Morning Childcare workers. This is a paid position. Any member or friend can apply. Must be 18 or older. Please contact president@hvuuc.org for more information.

4-6 Grade Our Whole Lives at HVUUC

Mandatory orientation for guardians and youth.

Aug. 6, 10 a.m.-12:30
Classes--9:30 a.m. to Noon

Aug. 21
Aug. 28
Sept. 11
Sept. 18
Sept. 25

It is important that youth attend all classes in order to receive comprehensive education.

Click through for more details.

Please email all submissions for the August Newsletter by Sunday, July 31st to newsletter@hvuuc.org.

Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans

First Harvest Celebration & Discussion

July 31st: 1pm-4pm

A gathering of people who love the Earth and celebrate its cycles, whether they be Pagan, Unitarian Universalist, both, or just curious.

Click through for more details.

After a couple of years of pandemic absence, the TriPride Festival and Parade IS BACK!! It will be held this year on August 27th for the first time in Bristol. Once again, HVUUC will be a sponsor.

As TriPride says, this will be the first city-wide public Pride Parade and Festival in Bristol. We are making history again this year by having the parade down State Street in both Bristol, TN and Bristol, VA. We are the first Pride event in the nation to occur in two states simultaneously! The parade begins at 11:00 a.m. and the festival begins immediately after, around 12:00 p.m. The TriPride Festival, presented by Eastman, is a FREE, good for all ages event that will feature live performances, vendors and exhibitors, health services, food trucks, and beer and liquor drinks. Previous years in Johnson City (2018) and Kingsport (2019) had an estimated 10,000 attendees!

So, what does all of this mean for HVUUC? It means we need to get a group of volunteers to spend time at the HVUUC booth, march in the parade and generally just have a great time as we have in past years. For those who plan to march, you may bring your well-behaved dog this year! Please contact the Social Justice Committee or Dottie Blades to sign up for this great event!

Join us for in-person church on Sunday, July 24, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.! Plan to stay after the service for Coffee Hour.

Click for more service details and upcoming events.

Covenant Groups are a great way to meet others, you don't have to be a member of the church to join us.

“Let's Chat” topics are very variable. The next sessions are:

• Hospitality

• The Positive Side of Darkness

• Centering as a Spiritual Practice and Healing.

We meet 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. We meet in the REZ (Religious Education Zone) the building up the hill from the Sanctuary. We have a covenant which describes on how we are to interact with each other, so you can feel safe.

Email letschat@hvuuc.org with any questions!

Rev Tiffany and our music director Charis Carter are planning a listening circle to discuss MUSIC at HVUUC after the service on July 24th.

1. We would love your feedback on your experience of music in the service in general. Hymns, Special Music, style, amount of music. Do you feel that music during our services offers a level of fulfillment to you? If so, how fulfilling on a scale of 1 to 5? In what ways is it fulfilling or not fulfilling?

2. In what ways would you be willing and interested in participating in music making at HVUUC? Choir? Music Committee? Special Music? Other ways? Do you feel like you're getting enough opportunities to contribute? Do you feel like you're being asked to contribute too often?

I will be on vacation from July 23 through July 30th.
I will reply to emails starting on Sunday, July 31st.
If there are any emergencies, you may text me and I will respond as soon as I am able.

Thank you!

Sarah W

Kirtan is a Sanskrit word that has many loose translations in English. The music that comes to life in a Kirtan is designed to effortlessly guide a group of people through songs or mantras designed for storytelling, meditation, and a praise and worship to divinity.

This musical concert is designed to be an interactive experience for everyone in the family. It can just as easily be enjoyed solely through the listeners experience but encourages participation in its repetitive and meditative sounds.

The band's name is "Nambhava". Nam references the holy names and Bhava means bliss of existence generated from Bhakti

Sound healing is a practice that has been used for as long as we know and the activation of our inner divinity is at the core of this event. Please join us as we sing together and celebrate this sacred life <3

Suggested sliding scale for the concert is $1-$20.

Stay after the concert for coffee hours! Email any questions to musicdirector@hvuuc.org

The financial summary for the fiscal year 2021/2022 is shown below. Our income was above the budgeted amount due to strong support of the auction and pledges. Our expenses were only 82% of the budgeted amount giving a surplus for the year of $27,122. This surplus is critical for funding major spending that is not part of the annual budget. This year it was divided between the Capital Repairs fund ($14,000), the Capital Projects fund ($8,122), and the Board Discretionary fund ($5,000). Clearly the support of the congregation has us in a very strong financial position.

Join us for in-person church on Sunday, June 10, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.! Plan to stay after the service for Coffee Hour.

Click for more service details and events.

Rev. Tiffany will be out of the office from Monday 7/11 through Monday 7/18.

Our office administrator will be available next week but will be working from home. If you have an emergency you can contact the caring team at caring@hvuuc.org.

Beloved friends and members, it's been quite a year! By the time this note goes out I will have been the minister here for 11 months. With ongoing pandemic concerns, and all the work around reopening, and the urgent-feeling need for a more just world, it has been a whirlwind!

Understanding that things will never completely "settle down" (and that I'd be bored in a job that did), I'm recognizing the need to visit more of you all at your homes or parks or on the back porch of the church. Especially for those of you all who have been unable to join us in person.

If you would like me to swing by and see you, could you let me know by emailing minister@hvuuc.org, or calling the office during office hours to set up a time?

I'm so grateful to be a part of this community, and a part of the living tradition that is Unitarian Universalism. And I'm so grateful for each of you. As we begin to move into year 2, please let me know if you'd like a visit.

With joy and thanks,

Rev. Tiffany

MASK UP!

We’re at a Medium risk level for COVID, due to rising case numbers in our area. This means everyone over 3 will need to wear a well-fitting face mask while in the church. Thank you for helping to keep each other safe and healthy, and allowing us to worship together in beloved community.

You can read more about Risk Level Medium by clicking here.

If you have any questions please direct them to reopeningtaskforce@hvuuc.org.

Click here to read the entire newsletter.

Click here for past newsletters.

Up to date church info is always available at www.hvuuc.org

Up to date church info is always available at www.hvuuc.org

Join us for in-person church on Sunday, June 3, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.! Plan to stay after the service for Coffee Hour.

Click for more service details and events.