Jessica Bowman
From Genesis to the Universe Story

Join us for church on February 9, 2025!

  • 9:30am Religious Education

  • 11:00am Sunday Service

  • 12:00pm Potluck

“From Genesis to the Universe Story”

The Genesis Creation and Fall stories in the bible are foundational to our Unitarian Universalist Heritage. What does this 3000 year old myth mean to Unitarian Universalists today? Longtime member George Cross shares some of his thoughts about the Adam and Eve story.

From Genesis to the Universe Story
Jessica Bowman
Reimagining the Boundaries of Religion in ...

BEYOND THE CHURCH WALLS: REIMAGINING THE BOUNDARIES OF RELIGION IN APPALACHIA

PRESENTED BY DR. JENNIFER AXSOM ADLER

Saturday, February 15th, 10:00 a.m. First Presbyterian Church Elizabethton 119 West F Street, Elizabethton, TN

Click here to register

First Presbyterian Church Elizabethton is sponsoring a free lecture on Sat , February 15, by Dr. Jennifer Axsom Adler, titled "Beyond the Church Walls: Reimagining the Boundaries of Religion in Appalachia." This event will be conducted at the church and also streamed live from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Refreshments will be offered. For a head count, please register by going to fpcelizabethton.org. Thanks go to the Christian Education Committee for coordinating the program.

According to Adler, religion in Appalachia is much more complicated than is commonly recognized. "It is often imagined as predominantly Christian, with Baptists playing a particularly central role," she asserts. "But a thorough examination of the history reveals a much more complex and diverse narrative. For church groups, this exploration could offer a fresh perspective related to their own congregations histories.

A native of Bloomington, Indiana, Adler is currently an assistant professor of history at ETSU. She holds a bachelor's degree in government from Harvard College and a master's and doctorate in religion from Vanderbilt University. From the lecture, Adler would like attendees to gain deeper- appreciation for the rich diversity of religious practices and identities in the region. In addition, she plans to introduce the concept of 'vernacular religion," which scholars define as "religion as it is lived: as human beings encounter, understand, and interpret it." This concept offers a valuable framework for examining the lived experience of religion in Appalachia .

www.FPCelizabethton.org

Reimagining the Boundaries of Religion in Appalachia
Jessica Bowman
New Group Size Policy

According to our Congregation's policies, any time a new policy is proposed to be added to our Board Policy book, there is a "first reading" during a Board meeting where the Board votes to approve the policy. It is then shared with the congregation along with an email address to submit comments to the Board about the proposed policy. After the comment period, the Board will have a "second reading" where they can make amendments and vote on the policy.  Only after going through this process does a new policy become part of the Congregation's Policy Book.

The following policy has been voted by the Board of Trustees (BoT) to send to the congregation for comment:


The BoT has developed a new policy about types of groups within the church and the  privileges granted to them. There are some groups at HVUUC that are integral to the operation of the church like Choir, Social Justice, Small Group Ministries, Youth Group, etc. There are other fellowship groups that use the church facilities but do not ask for funding from the Church as a line item on our budget like MACHO, Women’s Group, BUUK Group, etc. And there are, or may be, other fellowship groups that would like to use the Church facilities and be funded as part of the church budget. To address the differences in the way both fellowship groups would be handled, the Board proposes the following:

 

 

Types of Groups and Their Privileges 

 

The definition of a ‘Group’ is the following: 

·         A number of people, including church members and friends 

·         People gather to do one or many activities for fellowship or education 

·         They are not a standing Committee of the church 

·         Their existence is acknowledged by Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church 

·         To form a Group, a minimum of (5) church members or friends must be committed to being members of the Group. Group of this size is called a ‘Level One Group’.

 

Privileges of a Level One Group are the following: 

·         Having a church email address 

·         Receiving support from the office and minister 

·         Having the ability to reserve the building or rooms in the church building 

·         Having the Group’s events in the church calendar and e-news 

·         Level One Groups do not have a line in the church budget nor are they provided funding from the church. 

 

If a Group would like funding from the church, they would have to become a ‘Level Two Group’. The requirements to become a Level Two Group are: 

·         At least five (5) members of the Group are church members and friends 

·         A written structure of organized leadership, including a process of rotating leadership 

·         A written internal covenant with the leadership and its members 

·         A written covenant with the Board 

·         A mission statement 

·         Meet at least four (4) times a fiscal year 

·         A record of attendance of every meeting submitted to their designated Board Trustee 

·         A yearly report submitted to their designated Board Trustee 

 

The privileges of a Level Two Group are all privileges of a Level One Group as well as the ability to be funded by the church. In exchange for being funded by the church, Level Two Groups are required to do at least two (2) of the following every fiscal year: 

·         Conduct and clean up Coffee Hour at least four (4) times a fiscal year 

·         Provide a Sunday service one (1) time a fiscal year 

·         Provide a Sunday potluck and clean up at least two (2) times a fiscal year 

·         Offer at least one item or service at the annual church auction 

·         Have at least 75% of Group members participate in church work days 

·         Conduct a fundraiser where the proceeds will be donated to the church 

·         Any item(s) or service(s) that is approved by the current Minister 

 

The Board has full oversight and final say on funding Groups and which Groups qualify. 

 

If you have any comments for or against this policy, please email your comments to president@hvuuc.org  by February 16, 2025, so that your comments can be reviewed prior to the Board's final vote on this policy.

New Group Size Policy
Jessica Bowman
Women's Night, Photo Archiving Event and ...

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.

Women's Night, Photo Archiving Event and Potluck
Jessica Bowman
Brigid: Goddess and Saint

Join us for church on February 2, 2025!

  • 9:30am Religious Education

  • 11:00am Sunday Service

  • 12:00pm Coffee Hour

“Brigid: Goddess and Saint”

Across the sea, in an island of green, the figure of Brigid looms large. Is she a Goddess? Is she a Saint? What would it mean to be both? And what can that teach us about our Pluralism?

Brigid: Goddess and Saint

Is Tolerance Passé?

Is Tolerance Passé?

Join us for church on April 21, 2024!

  • 9:30am Religious Education

  • 11:00am Sunday Service

  • 12:00pm Coffee Hour

“Is Tolerance Passé?”

Stephen Gallagher, a philosopher living in North Carolina, believes that tolerance is passè. He thinks "Tolerance is, by definition, one-sided. The tolerator graciously decides to tolerate the Other. The Other has no say in the matter, nor does the Other have the power to return the favor. Tolerance is thus a more or less naked deployment of power." Is he right? You decide.

2024 HVUUC Annual Congregational Meeting

2024 HVUUC Annual Congregational Meeting

SAVE THE DATE!

Our Annual Congregational Meeting will be held on Sunday, April 28th 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 28th is eligible to vote at the meeting. Items on the agenda will include:

A congregational vote on adding a new Trustee position: Membership Trustee. This Trustee position is being added as we are splitting the Fellowship Trustee into two (Fellowship Trustee and Membership Trustee). The Fellowship Trustee position alone has become unwieldy for one person.

Vote on the slate of Nominees for Board of Trustee positions recommended by the Nominating Committee.

Vote on the 2024-2025 Budget. Click here to see the proposed budget.

Any other items as needed.

The complete Agenda, nominations as well as a finalized budget for congregational approval are now presented to you.

We are not sure at this time if the Annual Meeting will be set up for a hybrid Zoom/In-person Annual Meeting so that members who do not want to attend in-person meeting will still be able to be involved. We’ll let you know about that option as soon as possible. 

Please contact Dottie Blades if you have any questions at: president@hvuuc.org.

Congregational Meeting Agenda for April 28th

(1)    Vote on the new position of Membership Trustee

(2)    Change Bylaws to reflect the addition of a Trustee as described below:

        Article VII: The Board

        1. The Board will consist of ten (10) members, four (4) Officers: President, Vice President Secretary, and Treasurer, five (5) Trustees: Facilities, 

            Fellowship, Membership, Programs, and Stewardship; and the Immediate Past President. The Minister will be a non-voting member of the Board. The terms

            of office for the President, Vice President, and Immediate Past President will be one (1) year. If the Immediate Past President is unable to serve on the 

            Board, the Nominating Committee will nominate another Past Present to serve. The terms of office for the Secretary, the Treasurer, and each Trustee will be 

            two (2) years.

(3)    Vote on slate of new officers determined by the Nominating Committee:

        Vice President : Noel Marshall

        Treasurer: Sarah Sanders

        Fellowship: Vacant

        Facilities: Steven Roberts

        Membership: Lori Krause

        Officers who will remain on the Board:

        President: Tish Kashdan

        Immediate Past President: Dottie S. Blades

        Secretary: Alicia Culbertson

        Programs: Bradley Quick

        Stewardship: Greg Kramer

(4)    Vote on Budget for 2024/2025

(5)    Meeting Adjourns

Musical Guest April 21

Musical Guest April 21

We have a guest musician coming for our Sunday Service April, 21. Laurel Hells Ramblers. From the Hills of Virginia, this 3 piece string band presents gothic mountain bluegrass. "How blue is my grass? Pretty darn blue, as it turns out – but not totally. The pickin’ is righteous and the tune has a pedigree so steeped in Appalachia that its author is lost to the mists of time, but the singing is far from high and lonesome: raw, raspy, scoured. It works like gangbusters." By Christopher Treacy and Dale Henry Geist of Country Gueer.

SUUSI

SUUSI

Note to UUs and UU friendly folks!

Hi all! 

We would love to invite you to join us at SUUSI this summer, July 21-27 in Radford, VA, a fantastic week long adventure with some of the most favorite people you will ever meet. 

The Southeast Unitarian Universalist Summer Institute is an intentional community of UUs and kindred spirits, including all ages and races, LGBTQIA+ friendly, singles, families, adventures from outdoor hikes to board game to nightlife to crafts to worship. We come together to explore our interconnectedness, delight in nature in the Blue Ridge Mountains, enjoy music, art, and learn new ways of seeing ourselves, our world and each other.

Visit SUUSI.org, and please sign up here to get our latest information. You may also follow us on Facebook and Instagram!  

Flower Communion

Flower Communion

Join us for church on April 14, 2024!

  • 9:30pm Religious Education

  • 11:00am Sunday Service

  • 12:00pm Youth Group Discussion

“Flower Communion”

A widely celebrated Unitarian Universalist tradition, the flower communion is an interactive service that invites us to contemplate what we bring to our community and what we receive from our community. Please bring a flower. It can come from the store, your garden, or even the roadside. Additional flowers will be provided so please come whether you have a flower or not.

Bridge Club

Bridge Club

For many years there has been a group of HVUUC-ers who get together on an approximately monthly basis to play bridge. It has been some time since the group has canvassed the congregation to learn if there are newcomers or others who would be interested in playing in such a group. This is a casual bridge group with player skills ranging from experienced to beginners. We play "party" bridge as opposed to the more serious "duplicate" game.

The group affords the opportunity to enjoy casual conversation and get better acquainted with some of your fellow congregants. If you would like to learn more about the HVUUC bridge group, please email bridge@hvuuc.org with your contact preferences so a current member can get in touch.

Garden Club Questionnaire

Garden Club Questionnaire

The HVUUC garden club would like your input on the garden redesign.  There are 3 poster sheets on the wall in the social hall.  Please write your responses to the 3 questions on those sheets to provide your input.  Our, you can email your responses to garden@hvuuc.org.  Please provide your response any time before the end of social hour this next Sunday, April 14.  

The 3 questions are:

  1. What are the priorities that should be taken when developing a new landscape plan for the church grounds?  (i.e.: low maintenance, budget restraints, year round interest, eco-friendly, organic, etc.)

  2. After an overall landscape plan is developed, which area should be prioritized for work and updating? (i.e. front entry garden, RE area, hills around the parking area that have erosion, playground area, around the sides of the church building, parking area, etc.)

  3. If you are willing to provide labor for a scheduled garden work day, please provide your name, email and phone number.  If you cant provide labor but will donate money to be used to purchase soil amendments, plants, etc.) please provide your name, email, and phone number.

Slate of Nominees 2024/2025

Slate of Nominees 2024/2025

The HVUUC Nominating Committee has placed the following members up for approval at the Annual Meeting on April 28th. Since we are likely to split the Fellowship Trustee position into a Fellowship Trustee and a Membership Trustee, that name will be sent to you as soon as possible before the meeting.

Board Of Trustees Nominations for June 24 – May 25/26 are as follows:

  1. Vice President – Noel Marshall

  2. Membership/Fellowship – Lori Krause

  3. Treasurer – Sarah Sanders

  4. Facilities – Stephen Roberts

Domestic Violence Awareness

Domestic Violence Awareness

Join us for church on April 7, 2024!

  • 9:30pm Religious Education

  • 11:00am Sunday Service

  • 12:00pm Coffee Hour

“Domestic Violence Awareness”

What is domestic abuse, and how can HVUUC better support survivors by creating a safe space for healing and holding abusers accountable? We will be addressing some hard but very important topics and acknowledge they can be triggering for some people. There will be childcare for children 3rd grade through high school in the RE building up the hill if your family would like to use it.

Blue Plum Volunteers Needed

Blue Plum Volunteers Needed

HVUUC will have a booth at the Blue Plum festival again this year on Friday June 7th and Saturday June 8th. If you would like to help plan for these days of fun, music, and community art, please join us for our planning meeting.

Planning Meeting

Sunday April 21st at 12:30 in the REZ

If you would like to volunteer at the booth, please email blueplum@hvuuc.org to sign up.

Who is Jesus? - (NO RE this week!)

Who is Jesus? - (NO RE this week!)

Join us for church on March 31, 2024!

NO RELIGIOUS EDUCATION THIS WEEK.

  • 11:00am Sunday Service

  • 12:00pm Coffee Hour

  • 12:00pm Easter Egg Hunt

“Who is Jesus?”

This Easter we take a look at Jesus through a variety of sources including the mystical poetry of Kahlil Gibran. His book "Jesus the Son of Man: His Words and His Deeds as Told and Recorded by Those Who Knew Him" is an imaginative work that showcases the humanity and mystery of Jesus from the point of view of people who would have known him. Just as the characters of Gibran's book wrestle with the identity of Jesus, so do we.