Did you know we have a book club here at HVUUC? The “BUUK club” as we call it meets each third Tuesday of the month.

New people are always welcome! For more information contact buukclub@hvuuc.org.

2022/2023 Book Schedule

• September 20, 2022 - Gratitude by Oliver Sacks, Non fiction, Facilitator Cyndi Hatch

• October 18, 2022 - Bewilderment by Richard Powers, fiction, Facilitator JoAnne Medlin

• November 15, 2022 - Under a White Sky: The Nature of the future by Elizabeth Kolbert, Non fiction, Facilitator Judy Hardin

• December 13, 2022 - Sweet Darusya: A Tale of Two villages by Maria MaKos, fiction, Facilitator Barb Sims

• January 17, 2023 - Finding the Mother Tree by Suzanne Simard, Non-fiction, Facilitator Cyndi Hatch

• February 21, 2023 - Hard Laughter by Anne Lamott, Fiction, Facilitator Sue Shuler

• March 21, 2023 - Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism, Non-fiction, Facilitator Paggy Perez

• April 18, 2023 - Even As We Breathe by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, Fiction, facilitator Judy Tucker

• May 16, 2023 - Beloved by Toni Morrison, Classic, Facilitator Denee Mattioli

Join us for in-person church on Sunday, September 18, 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.

Beloveds,
We have a need for RE teachers for this coming Sunday 9/18 and the following Sunday 9/25.

Please e mail Sarah (DRE@hvuuc.org), especially if your children participate in our RE Program, if you can assist in the classrooms!

In deep gratitude,
Sarah

Many of you know about our Memorial Wall at HVUUC. The Memorial Wall is located outside to the right of the sanctuary. When we lose a member of our beloved community, we honor their memory (upon request) by adding their name, year of birth, and death.

We are collecting biographies to compile into a binder to be kept in the HVUUC library so that our congregation has a resource to learn more about the many friends honored on the wall.

If you have a personal connection to anyone on the Memorial Wall please fill out the form below and return or email it to the office at office@hvuuc.org.

Memorial Wall Biography Form

If you cannot be with us in person but would like to share in our Water Communion, you have two ways for you to participate.

Option 1: Virtual Water

The easiest option, if you would like us to pour some water for you, we can pour some water from the church for you and say that it came from wherever you would like to say it came from. Please email minister@hvuuc.org by Friday night with a subject line "Virtual Water" and say this:

“This water is given on behalf of (insert your name here) and is from (insert the place we are imagining your water came from). It means to me: (one sentence statement about why this water is important to you)”

Option 2: Water Delivery

Leave a small container of your water on the bench in front of the church no later than Saturday night with a note attached to it that says:

”This water is given on behalf of (insert your name here) and is from (insert the place we are imagining your water came from). It means to me: (one sentence statement about why this water is important to you)”

All water is connected and so are we. We hope that if you can't be with us in person, that you will let us celebrate our connection that continues!

We’ve made some great progress on our playground/deck area, but still have a few chores there plus many other things to do to keep our grounds looking great.

Please join us for this work day and bring any outdoor tools you may have such as weed eaters, rakes, loppers, chainsaw, etc. If you have a truck and are willing to haul mulch, please bring it.

Water and individually wrapped snacks will be available.

Join us for in-person church on Sunday, September 11, 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.

A new Small Covenant Group for people not as familiar with the church, called a newbies group is beginning.

It will meet for 3 meetings and is a good way to meet other new people in a quiet, friendly and welcoming setting. The meetings will be on 3 consecutive Mondays evenings (Sept. 19 and 26 and Oct. 3) from 6:30 to 8:30 at the church.

Contact George Cross for more information or to sign up at georgecross@hvuuc.org.

The Water Communion is an annual Unitarian Universalist gathering where we celebrate our interconnectedness with each other and the world. During this gathering we will pour water that we have brought with us into a shared bowl. Many people bring water that is of personal significance to them: water they've gathered during their travels, water from a family home, or even water from the church itself.

Bring your water to the water communion, Sunday September 18th.

Join us for in-person church on Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.! No coffee hour this week as we are at risk level high.

REMINDER: NO R.E. THIS WEEK!

Click for more service details and upcoming events.

You can also find a few printed copies of the newsletter on the visitors table in the sanctuary.

Click here to read the entire newsletter.

Click here for past newsletters.

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

Using all precautions via Covid Safety Guidelines:

• Volunteers with Gloves and Masks needed to serve food at our next church PICNIC

• Hot dogs/condiments will be cooked/served outdoors within Covid Health guidelines only…

• BBQ cook needed...

• The "help yourself' buffet line is a separate table with individually wrapped foods allowed only….

• Bottled water will also be provided.

****. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO SETUP AND CLEANUP ****

More updates will be provided as needed.

Contact PICNIC@HVUUC.ORG

Or text Cynthia G. With any questions or to lend a hand.

Let's all make this successful!!! THANKS MUCH!!!

There will be NO children/youth Religious Education or OWL classes on Sunday, September 4th due to Labor Day. See you on the 11th!

Join us for in-person church on Sunday, August 28, 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.

A big thank you Doug, our Facilities Trustee, for getting a concrete pad poured in the upper parking lot for the Religious Education Zone building.

In an effort to make our Religious Education building fully inclusive we assessed the accessibility of the building and determined that while our doors were wide enough, the transition from gravel lot to sidewalk was too difficult for our members and friends with mobility limitations.

Both Adult Religious Education classes are being held on the first floor as well. Religious Education classes for all ages run from 9:30am until 10:45am every Sunday morning.

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

Hunger First has a new location in the Gate City area. We are in need of a few volunteers to take our donations to this location weekly. More hands make light work. If you are available to help, please email Mary Williamson at mary@hvuuc.org.

Join us for in-person church on Sunday, August 21, 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.

"In the six months since HVUUC implemented our COVID-19 Plan, much has changed—with vaccines, science, and the virus itself. Accordingly, the Board has approved an updated plan. Please read it on our website so you can evaluate the mitigation factors in place and make informed decisions about how and when you feel comfortable to participate in person. Click through to read more details.

Click here to read the new plan.

If you aren't aware that the TriPride Festival and Parade IS BACK....what have you been doing?? It will be held this year on August 27th for the first time in Bristol.

So, what does all of this mean for HVUUC? It means we need a group of volunteers to march in the parade, spend time at the HVUUC booth, and generally just have a great time!

Click through for more info or contact socialjustice@hvuuc.org to volunteer!