Click through for a collection of upcoming news and events at HVUUC. Click the images to be directed to more information.
Join us for church on April 20, 2025!
9:30am Religious Education
11:00am Sunday Service
12:00pm Egg hunt and Open Mic
4:00pm Youth Group
An Easter celebration highlighting the diverse perspectives present within Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. This member-led service offers us an opportunity to hear about Easter, past and present, from four of our members, Denee Mattioli, Deb Helmer, Charlie Miller, and Lee Sinnot.
Our annual Flower Communion service is on Sunday, April 27th! Please plan on bringing a flower for this very special service: store bought, from your garden, or a roadside wildflower: all are welcome!
If you'd like to volunteer to bring in an entire vase-worth of flowers to share with people who didn't bring a flower, email minister@hvuuc.org to volunteer!
Registration closes April 30th, limited rooms still available as well as camping. INFO & REGISTRATION HERE: Www.tinyurl.com/hvuucwomen
THEME:
Radical Joy in Hard Times
PLACE:
The Peace Pentagon (www.peacepentagon.net)
88 Oracle Way, Independence, VA
We will have access to the entire campus which includes New River frontage, a babbling creek for water ceremony, turtle labyrinth, medicine wheel and peace pole as well as the picnic pavilion, bathhouse and, of course, the Peace Pentagon chapel.
CONVENER:
Rev. Becky Suzik, UU Peace Fellowship (https://uupf.org) Raleigh, NC;
Rev. Becky’s personal charity: www.joyfuel.org
The purpose of our gathering is to persist in bringing the frequency of JOY into our lives as we face difficult times. The greatest antidote to fear and separation is community, heart resonance and kindling JOY. And, yes, better together!
This gathering is flexible. Come Friday evening for a bonfire, drumming and stay on campus – rates ranging from $25/night camping to $100 for a private King bed and bath. Another option it to rent the whole house and share costs. Plus taxes.
OR – come for just Saturday.. arrive at 10 for a full day of JOY immersion.
PLANNING:
Are you interested in planning the details for the gathering? For example, food committee, leading a JOY activity, other?
REGISTRATION:
Fee: By Donation – No One Will be Turned Away;
INTERESTED? – More details as they are developed.
Email Noel: VP@hvuuc.org
Sarah White, former DRE and longtime dedicated member of our congregation, unexpectedly lost her father, David White, last Sunday. The visitation (5-7 p.m.) and service (7 p.m.) take place Friday, May 5, at Ridgeview Baptist Church, 234 Hurd Rd, in Church Hill. Sarah would appreciate HVUUC support. The The Caring Team has organized a meal train for Sarah, Eren, and Eli.
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
Join us for church on Sunday, April 30, 2023.
9:30am Religious Education, 11:00am Service
This week's Special Music features the talents of our own Charis Carter as she covers the soulful harmonies of Rising Appalachia.
In a congregation of our size it is impossible to personally know everyone in our congregation, but through affinity groups, fellowship groups, covenant groups, working groups and religious education we can create an environment where meaningful connections flourish. Rev. Tiffany will reflect briefly on how these interlocking circles of small communities within the larger community can help us thrive. Come for the service and stay for the annual congregational meeting!
Our Sunday Services need several tech-savy people every week to make them happen. If this is your cup of tea, please get added to our list of helpers by emailing tech@hvuuc.org
We need people to run the video camera, run any videos we have in the service, and do video production after the service ends to get our videos on YouTube. All jobs come with some training, and if you want to do video editing and don't have your own software, we can provide some. This may be the way to find your niche here at HVUUC!
April 23rd will be a very special Sunday where we gather for a church work day instead of a traditional sermon. This gathering invites you to come in clothes you don't mind getting dirty, as we get to work around the church! Religious communities, especially Buddhist temples, have a cherished tradition of making caring for our land and building a spiritual practice.
We will gather at 11:00AM and begin with a blessing before dividing into groups organized by our Facilities Task Force to work on projects that are much needed for the building and our grounds.
We will still have nursery and Religious Education classes.
There will also be projects for the kids, and we will have tasks for people who need gentler sitting tasks as well. If you've never participated in a work day before you will really enjoy the camaraderie that is built, and the satisfaction that comes from seeing our sacred space renewed!
Pizza will be provided!
There will be no YouTube service uploaded this week.
April 23rd will be a very special Sunday where we gather for a church work day instead of a traditional sermon. This gathering invites you to come in clothes you don't mind getting dirty, as we get to work around the church! Religious communities, especially Buddhist temples, have a cherished tradition of making caring for our land and building a spiritual practice.
We will gather at 11:00AM and begin with a blessing before dividing into groups organized by our Facilities Task Force to work on projects that are much needed for the building and our grounds.
We will still have nursery and Religious Education classes.
There will also be projects for the kids, and we will have tasks for people who need gentler sitting tasks as well. If you've never participated in a work day before you will really enjoy the camaraderie that is built, and the satisfaction that comes from seeing our sacred space renewed!
Pizza will be provided!
There will be no YouTube service uploaded this week.
Imagine not knowing the when or where of your next meal. The Kitchen of Hope serves dinner to well over 100 neighbors in Kingsport every day except Sundays. HVUUC has served on the first Monday of the month for several years. The need keeps growing. We're trying to start a second team to serve on the first Tuesday. Can you help?
We split up the tasks, to keep them manageable:
Preppers work roughly 1-3:15 PM, getting the carryout containers ready
Cooks work roughly noon-2 PM, depending on the menu
Servers work roughly 3-5:30 PM, including post-meal cleanup
No experience needed--we'll show you everything you need to know. It's lots of fun, too!
If you want to know more, or can help on either day--in any capacity--even if only SOMEtimes--please contact KOH@HVUUC.org or Kim Ray. Thanks very much!
We will hold our Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, April 30th immediately following the church service in the sanctuary. Childcare will be provided. Anyone who has been an official member of HVUUC for at least 60 days as of April 30th is eligible to vote at the meeting.
This will be an in-person event only. For those of you who are concerned about Covid, we will be providing seating in the Fred Ballroom and (weather permitting) on the back deck. We will have speakers available in both those locations. We will also have a runner that will count votes from those areas and run them to the front tallying area. We sincerely hope this will quell your concerns and allow you to attend. Sorry for the inconvenience.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ann Johnson at president@hvuuc.org.
Summer Religious Education sign-up is now available in the sanctuary. If you have an idea or activity for Summer RE, suitable for ages 6-18 (grades 1-12), then please sign up. If you have questions please contact the DRE Justin Ridley - dre@hvuuc.org .
Join us for church on Sunday, April 16, 2023.
9:30am Religious Education, 11:00am Service
A panel interview with our own Jon Anderson, a clinical therapist for Camelot’s in Kingsport, and Jacob Meadows, a foster care recruiter and trainer with Youth Villages. They will talk about foster care numbers and the needs here in our region.
Agenda for 2023 Annual Congregational Meeting
Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church
1. Welcome and Call to Order
2. Establish Quorum
3. Board and Nominating Committee Slate of Nominees for the 2023/2024 Fiscal Year
4. Budget
5. Motion 1: Joseph Viola “I move that HVUUC bestow the honor of Minister Emeritus upon Reverend Jeff Briere for his loyal and dedicated service.”
6. Motion 2: Joseph Viola "I move we place a flag that has been flown over our nation's capital building in the foyer of the church, and further that it be moved into the sanctuary on patriotic holidays."
7. Additional Motions from the floor
8. Thank you and Adjournment
Running Zoom during the Congregational Meeting (April 30th immediately following the service) would, in principle, allow people to participate from home. Unfortunately, we will not be able to make Zoom work at the congregational meeting. Cell service and wi-fi at the church are just too sketchy to guarantee that we could make it work for the whole meeting.
For those of you who are concerned about Covid, we will be providing seating in the Fred Ballroom and (weather permitting) on the back deck. We will have speakers available in both those locations. We will also have a runner that will count votes from those areas and run them to the front tallying area. We sincerely hope this will quell your concerns and allow you to attend. Sorry for the inconvenience.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ann Johnson at president@hvuuc.org.
The board has developed and approved the 2023-2024 proposed budget. Thank you for all your pledge commitments which have made this budget possible. This will be voted on at the Congregational Meeting on April 30th immediately following the service. Please read through it, and if you have any questions contact Charlie Miller at stewardship@hvuuc.org.
Seven Questions about proposed Article 2 Revisions
A big thank you to everyone who participated in the Article 2 Revision workshops. Great conversation and in-sights came out of both meetings. One exercise that we engaged in was a Question List during these workshops, with the promise that I would share them with the congregation. I think that these Questions could be helpful for all of us. So here they are:
