Join us for church on Sunday June 18, 2023

• 9:30 Religious Education

• 11:00 Sunday Service

How do we bridge the gap from meaning to moral?

As Unitarian Universalists, we share an ethical framework in our principles. Our individual moral stances may vary yet they converge in a democratic process to this common ground. Presumably the purpose of the 4th principle, how we search for truth and meaning, is to inform how we should act in the world. Yet knowing a truth or finding meaning in a narrative does not directly provide a moral direction. How do we bridge the gap from narrative to a personal moral? One must acknowledge a feedback loop from our communal ethic back to the individual. I’d like to introduce the concept of moral constructivism as a framework for investigating this question. The outcome should provide interesting questions for the individual to wrestle.

Upcoming News and Events

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 Sunday June 11, 2023

Theodore Parker

A Transcendentalist and an Abolitionist, Theodore Parker was a Unitarian minister in the 1800s that inspired a wide gamut of thinkers and writers including Martin Luther King Jr and Abraham Lincoln. Today we learn a little something about this important figure in Unitarian Universalist History

Please be warned that there is an email scam that uses a fake email address impersonating the minister or other staff to request membership information, urgent assistance with an unspecified task, and/or financial assistance - often in the form of gift cards. These messages are not generated by a HACKED email address or account, they use fake or SPOOFED email addresses. That means that there is nothing HVUUC or any individual can directly do to stop this - a password or account change does not help.

If you receive a message that seems like a scam, here is what you can do to ensure that the scam does not spread further:

DO NOT reply to these messages.

REPORT the email as spam and BLOCK the sender.

If you aren't sure and want to check the message's veracity, call the HVUUC office, or start a NEW email using the correct email address (minister@hvuuc.org or office@hvuuc.org), and ask.

NEVER send gift card numbers or financial information via email or otherwise.

Many email programs like gmail and outlook automatically save new email addresses to your account, so you may need to go into your comments and confirm that you have the correct email address, deleting any others you have on file so that future emails don't get lost to the scammers.

Links to more info about this type of scam:

https://www.cmu.edu/iso/news/2020/email-spoofing.html

https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/spoofing-and-phishing

Here is my solemn promise to you: If I ever need help, or am ever trying to help someone else, it will never be in the form of asking you to buy and send gift cards electronically. If for some reason that I cannot fathom right now I do need such a thing, I will reach out to you in a way other than email.

Special thank you to Caring ❤ Team member Alicia C. for her dedication as May coordinator.

The June coordinator is Joy B. along with newest member Judy T.

The Caring ❤ Team cares about you!

New members always welcome in this very worthy committee serving church members and friends.

If you are interested in joining us or just have questions email

caring@hvuuc.org

Thank you! ❤

Upcoming News and Events

Click through for a collection of upcoming news and events at HVUUC. Click the images to be directed to more information.

The new 2023-2024 Board of Trustees will be meeting on June 10th at 3:00pm at the Church. Our meetings normally take place on Zoom, but this meeting is in person following the BOT Annual Retreat. The date has been changed only for June due to some Board members and congregants participating in General Assembly which is during the week of our usual meeting date. Please contact Dottie Blades at President@hvuuc.org if you have questions about this change, or would like to be present for the monthly Board meeting.

Join us for church on Sunday June 4, 2023

Lighten Up

Humor is healing. Let's celebrate the human sense of humor this Sunday, and how it can make our lives better.

Headlines

• Minister’s Note

• Summer RE Activities

• Social Justice

• Scam Alert

• General Assembly Feedback

Click here to read the entire newsletter.

Click here for past newsletters.

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

We have some great Summer RE classes lined up for June! Take a look at the list below and come join us when you are able!

• June 4 - Nature Play w/Susan Cadwallader

• June 11 - Geology w/George Cross

• June 18 - Dutch Oven Cooking w/Greg Kramer

• June 25 - Sacred Spirals: The Math of Nature, Art, and Balance w/Cindi Huss

Don't miss out on these great opportunities!

For questions and inquiries contact Justin Ridley, DRE.

On Tuesday, June 13th at 7:00pm you can meet with Rev. Tiffany and our General Assembly Delegates to hear about upcoming votes at General Assembly and give your feedback about them. During this zoom meeting we will cover:

• The contested Nominations Committee vote

• A Business Agenda item about the UUA divesting from fossil fuels investments

During this time we will not discuss the Article 2 Revision Process as we have already spent quite a bit of time doing that this year. If you want to give feedback to your Delegates about Article 2, please use this Google form instead by June 5th.

Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpdeyqpjstE9ZuwUfsjJoBZvTgdc_45HT4

Please use the google form below to give feedback and indicate your voting preferences to the people who will be representing you at General Assembly this year. Deadline is June 5.

To see the full Article 2 Study Commission Report click here: https://www.uua.org/files/2023-02/article-II-study-report-2021-23.pdf

If you missed the workshops, you can find the Q&A by clicking here for more info.

Click here to take the short survey.

Upcoming News and Events

Click through for a collection of upcoming news and events at HVUUC. Click the images to be directed to more information.

Please email all submissions for the June newsletter by Tuesday May 30 to newsletter@hvuuc.org.

Join us for church on Sunday May 28, 2023.

NO Religious Education this week!

Memorial Day

Memorial Day remembers and honors the people of the US Military who have died while serving. Today we contemplate the stories of fallen soldiers and the military chaplains who serve them.

There will not be Religious Education on Sunday, May 28. Enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend!

To HVUUC congregation: The HVUUC Board of Trustees approved the first reading of two new policies at our board meeting on May 17th. In accordance with HVUUC Policy, after the first reading is approved, the new policy must be submitted to the congregation. If anyone would like to comment on the policies, please email secretary@hvuuc.org before the July 19th meeting. At that meeting, the board will consider all comments and a final vote will be taken on the policies (with or without changes). The two new policies are:

Facilities - Cremation Remains

HVUUC will allow disbursement of cremation remains of members and friends on HVUUC grounds with the minister’s approval and oversight. Approved First Reading: May 17th, 2023

Facilities - Flag Policy

Symbols of nationalism, including the American flag, shall not be installed on HVUUC premises (inside or outside) in accordance with the congregation vote at the 2023 Annual Congregational Meeting. Approved First Reading: May 17, 2023

Upcoming News and Events

Click through for a collection of upcoming news and events at HVUUC. Click the images to be directed to more information.

Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church members and friends,

When we lose a member from our beloved community through death we honor their name and memory with our Memorial Wall. The Memorial Wall is located outside, to the right of the sanctuary and includes the name, year of our friend’s birth, and year of their death.

In the year 2022/2023 we memorialized three from our beloved community: Michael Jones, David Calvert and Phyllis Holmes.

If you would like the name of someone in our community that has died to be added, you can fill out the form found here.

Member’s names may be added based on their documented request or the request of their family member or community friend.

Former members and non-members names may be added with board approval based on their documented request or the request of their family or community friend.

There is no cost to request a name be added to the memorial wall; however, the cost of adding a name to the wall is about $125.00. If you wish to donate to the Memorial Wall please write ‘Memorial Wall Fund’ in the ‘memo’ line of your next donation in our community offering plate.

Dottie Blades
Vice-President
HVUUC Board of Trustees

Join us for church on Sunday May 21, 2023.

9:30am Religious Education, 11:00am Service

Our special music this Sunday will feature a song by musical activist Holly Near.

More Ethical Than God

Stories told about "God" or "the gods" from ancient times often present a Deity that doesn't live up to more current Humanist ethics. How can Humanist wisdom help us be better people? And can there be any value found in these ancient stories still?