Back Up Childcare Volunteers Needed

Back Up Childcare Volunteers Needed

HVUUC currently has two paid childcare workers for the nursery. We also have a few people who have volunteered to serve as backup if one of the paid workers can't make it. We need more backup volunteers.

Hours will be 915 to 1215 when there is RE. You may be called on very short notice. Please volunteer to take care of our future at HVUUC.

Contact Joshua Beckett at childcare@hvuuc.org if you can help out.

Youth Listening Circle (with Donuts!)

Youth Listening Circle (with Donuts!)

When: 9:30-10:45 a.m., Sunday Oct. 2

Where: Youth room upstairs in the REZ building

Why: Because it is important for adults to know what youth need and want rather than deciding what youth need and want.

Youth in middle and high school are invited to eat donuts and participate in a listening circle this Sunday morning during regular RE. Cindi H. works with a group of organizations in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee that want sex ed and reproductive and sexual health services to be more accessible to all youth. These organizations are interested in knowing how youth feel about the sex ed they get in schools, what other resources youth have, and what they want. Youth, if you have thoughts (and we know you do!) about this, please join us for donuts and deep listening.

Church Work Day Reminder!

Church Work Day Reminder!

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.

Stellar Sex Ed for 9-12 graders!

Dates and Time

This class will run on Sunday mornings from 9:30-10:45.

Oct. 23 & 30, Nov. 6, 13, & 20, Dec. 11

Guardian orientation—required

Oct 1, 10:30 a.m.-Noon at HVUUC

Guardians, we want to make sure we have your informed consent for your youth to participate in Stellar Sex Ed, so please plan to attend this meeting if you’re thinking about signing them up. We will have consent forms for you to fill out after the meeting. If you cannot attend the meeting, please reach out to Sarah White at DRE@hvuuc.org.

What is Stellar Sex Ed?

Stellar Sex Ed engages participants in an expansive exploration of their inner and outer space. It fundamentally changes the way we approach sexuality education. Free of judgment, Stellar Sex Ed dismantles stigma and invites honest, compassionate curiosity about bodies, identities, and relationships.

Over the course of six lessons, participants will cover whole people, basic internal and external anatomy, intersex, body image, gender, orientation, power dynamics, healthy relationships, bias and discrimination, pregnancy, STIs, and prevention methods.

HVUUC is offering Stellar Sex Ed, developed by RISE: Healthy for Life, to this age group because it is a contemporary, inclusive, affirming approach to sex ed.

Covid Risk Level and Church Picnic Update

Covid Risk Level and Church Picnic Update

Starting today, the Risk Assessment Team has determined that we can move our Risk Level back to Medium. For full details see here: https://hvuuc.org/level-2-medium


This now means that:

  • We will still wear masks during Sunday Services because it's such a large group

  • Speakers & Singers no longer have to have a Rapid Test (though they should still test if they are uncertain of their health)

  • Everyone should still stay home if they are sick

  • Masks are now OPTIONAL in classes and small groups, when everyone present is vaccinated

  • Food and drink is now allowed indoors

Church Picnic Update


With the lowered Covid level, food and coffee are now allowed to be served in the church!


Please feel free to bring a dish to share, buffet style, for this Sunday's Picnic.

Hotdogs, chips, lemonade and ice water will be served.


Contact picnic@hvuuc.org with any questions. Or call/text Cynthia G.

Book Club

Book Club

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

Memorial Wall Biography Project

Memorial Wall Biography Project

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

Water Communion for Folks at Home

Water Communion for Folks at Home

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!

Church Work Day!

Church Work Day!

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.

Newbies Covenant Group

Newbies Covenant Group

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.

Water Communion

Water Communion

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.