Join us for church on Sunday July 23, 2023

• 9:30 Religious Education

• 11:00 Sunday Service

Join us after the service for Coffee Hour!

Uncovering Our Stories: The Radiance of the Divine

We humans are meaning-making, pattern-seeking creatures. When we turn our attention to a text to discern its meaning and how it applies to our own life, we call that “exegesis.” This week, we will examine two texts - one ancient and one modern - in relationship with one another and what they can tell us about the human need to search for answers, whether in the stars above or the ground below our feet, or anywhere in-between.

Kids and youth are invited to bring their backpacks to be blessed during a backpack blessing on Sunday Aug 6th. It’s a way of us sending our support to our kids as the school year begins.

Homeschool kids are encouraged to bring a notebook or a pencil box if they don’t have a backpack.

We're getting low on church keys and are requesting those that are not using one regularly to return the key for others that need one.

If you have a church key that you no longer use, please return it to our Facilities Trustee, Doug Chaffin. We're getting low and having more keys made is costly. We appreciate you helping us out in this small way.

Email facilities@hvuuc.org should you have questions or to schedule a time to return a key.

A four-session Covenant Group focusing on the divine feminine will take place on Sunday afternoons from 12:30 – 2:30 upstairs in the REZ. Open to all who identify as women.

• 9/24

• 10/15

• 10/29

• 11/12

In these four sessions the group will explore a culturally diverse, feminine face of God and ask how we can live into Her and bring more of Her into the world. Four goddesses from matrilineal cultures in different geographic regions will be explored.

For more information, email divinefeminine@hvuuc.org.

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 July 16, 2023

• 9:30 Religious Education

• 11:00 Sunday Service

• 12:30 Congregational Meeting

Join us after the service for Coffee Hour!

Lessons in Community from the Muppets

It's the Muppet Show!!! What can these strange creatures of polyfoam and fleece teach us about ourselves, and community?

To HVUUC congregation:

The HVUUC Board of Trustees approved the first reading of a new policies at our board meeting on June 10th. 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 this policy, please email secretary@hvuuc.org before the August 16th meeting. At that meeting, the board will consider all comments and a final vote will be taken on the policy (with or without changes). The new policy is:

Facilities: Policy on Displayed Items

To ensure our values and covenants remain consistent in our environment, HVUUC requires approval before any item is displayed or handed out inside or outside of the church. This policy includes but is not limited to signs, pictures, icons, flags, figures, and symbols.

Approval can be given by the following people or groups: the Board of Trustees, the current minister, Facilities, or the Aesthetics Committee.

The aforesaid people or groups can only approve items that are relevant to their specific committee’s work.

Exceptions to this policy are promotions or sign-ups for church-specific events, items that the Religious Services Committee chooses to display for services, or items that church staff choose to display in their offices. These three exceptions are approved automatically.

Temporary hand-out items for special church services or events must be removed after two weeks of display. These temporary handout items include but are not limited to pamphlets, brochures, bumper stickers, pens, and postcards. Items left for more than two weeks may be disposed of. Approved First Reading: June 10, 2023

The Religious Education Collaborative is a group of volunteers that works with the Director of Religious Education to oversee all of Religious Education. This includes curriculum selection and implementation, volunteer recruitment, and special events such as the Easter Egg Hunt, Trunk or Treat, and the RE Teacher Appreciation Dinner.

From kids’ to adults’ classes it takes numerous volunteers to select, plan, and implement an RE program. As a volunteer teacher you will be at the forefront of our kids’ and youths’ Religious Education. This is a great opportunity to invest in the future of Unitarian Universalism and our community at large. You will have the opportunity to lead a group toward a deeper understanding of Unitarian Universalism and help them understand what it means to be in community.

Here’s an idea of what to expect:

• Volunteer one Sunday per month; Religious Education runs from 9:30am - 10:45am.

• Teacher Training is Saturday, August 12th from 1:00pm - 2:30 pm. And you will have the full support of the RE Collaborative and the DRE.

• Classes are K-2; 3-5; 6-8; and 9-12.

• Curriculum to be provided and determined by the RE Collaborative.

Volunteers are the backbone of RE programming! Thank you for considering committing your time. Please Contact our Director of Religious Education - Justin Ridley for more information or if you are interested. dre@hvuuc.org

This Sunday during the service we will explore what the Muppets teach us about ourselves and community.  And we're going to start by voting for our favorite Muppet.  Votes will be counted Friday July 14 at noon, so get those votes in!

Click here to choose your favorite.

If you want to show up on Sunday wearing any Muppet clothes or costumes that you have, it would be welcome!

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.

We are looking for more volunteers at the Kitchen Hope in Kingsport to prepare meals, serve and clean up. This is a great opportunity to help the less fortunate in our community.

We need volunteers for the 1st Tuesday of every month. It is a 2 hour slot, mostly 3:00-5:00, but could use your services earlier as well.
To volunteer, or for more information, please contact: hunger@hvuuc.org

Join us for church on Sunday July 9, 2023

• 9:30 Religious Education

• 11:00 Sunday Service

Join us after the service for a special Kitchen Reveal Celebration!

Our Lives Are Sacred Texts

Unitarian Universalism is an open path that embraces pluralism and draws the circle as wide as we can. While saying our sources of inspiration and guidance for how to walk that path are "everything" is accurate, but doesn't give us the specific pointers that we may need. Today is the first in a series on Exploring our Sources, and our first Source is "Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life”

Headlines

• Minister’s Note: Update from GA

• Summer RE Activities

• Social Justice

• Treasury Report

• Kitchen Update

Click here to read the entire newsletter.

Click here for past newsletters.

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

Church Family,

I have returned from Pittsburgh’s General Assembly three days ago (as of the day I’m writing this, June 28th) and I am still marinating in the inspiring worship services, intriguing workshops, and the challenging but fulfilling work of governance for our Unitarian Universalist Association.  There were several important votes that happened this year, and I want to let you know how they went.

Click through to read the full update about Article 2 Revisions

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 office will be closed Tuesday July 4th. Enjoy the holiday!

Join us for church on Sunday July 2, 2023

• 9:30 Religious Education (canceled)

• 11:00 Sunday Service

No Coffee Hour This Week!

Soapbox Sunday

Members of our own congregation hop up on the podium to give their two cents!

If the main way you experience our Sunday Services is through our YouTube services, we want to hear from you! We want to get feedback about how much of our services you watch, and what parts you watch, so that we can make good choices moving forward, please fill out this survey!

If you come to our services in-person fairly regularly, then please do not fill out this survey.

Click here to answer a few brief questions, it will only take a minute of your time.

Summer RE is in full swing and there is more to come in July! Here is the full list of activities for July RE.

• July 2 - NO RE!

• July 9 - Making Bird Houses w/Derek Sennes and Libby Ridley

• July 16 - Surgery w/Stephanie Hart and Sophia Peterson

• July 23 - A Window Between Worlds - RE and Covenant w/Justin Ridley and Jessica Bouchard

• July 30 - Astronomy w/Mike Frisch

Please join us as you are able! Don't miss out on these RE opportunities!

Please email all submissions for the July newsletter by Thursday June 29th to newsletter@hvuuc.org.