Join us for church on December 14, 2025.

• NO RE

• 11:00am Sunday Service

• 12:00pm Potluck

“Festivals of Light”

An annual, intergenerational service to recognize different holidays of light celebrated throughout the year from different faith traditions, including Hanukkah, Diwali, Advent, Humanlight, Bhodi Day, Winter Solstice, and the history of our own Unitarian Universalist chalice. The entire service will be lit only by candles and includes a candle lighting ceremony for everyone to participate in. Join us for this beloved service full of stories and songs where we will discover how each of us has our own light to share for the world.

We are still collecting Giving Tree items for children, women, and men such as:

• gloves

• hats

• scarves

• socks

• undies

• individual snacks

• hygiene items

• hand warmers

Please join us after church service on Sunday, Dec. 21st from 12:30-1:30 p.m. to package items which will be hung from the Giving Tree.

If you would like to volunteer to re-stock the Giving Tree, please visit the following link to sign-up with details and instructions:
tinyurl.com/givingtreevols

If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to givingtree@hvuuc.org.

Update on December's Potluck.  Let's turn this month's potluck into a party!  This Sunday bring holiday treats, hors d'oeuvres, snacks, or finger food.

In addition to your dish, please bring a printed recipe.  We will place the recipe beside your dish.  That way, anyone wanting the recipe can easily snap a pic.  All are welcome!

Email potlucks@hvuuc.org with any questions.

Holiday Happenings around HVUUC

Saturday December 13

Greening of the Sanctuary, 10:00am-1:00pm

Sunday December 14

Festivals of Light Service—No RE, Performers arrive by 9:00am.

Second Sunday Potluck after service.

Sunday December 21

Come say farewell to James at this Sunday Service.

No Youth Group this month

Wednesday December 24

Christmas Eve Gathering, 6:00pm

December 23 and 25

The office will be closed this week!

Sunday December 28

Pancakes and Jam! Breakfast starts at 10:30. No traditional service or RE this week, just yummy eats and a jam session.

Thursday December 1

The office will be closed!

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 December 7, 2025.

• 9:30am Religious Education

• 11:00am Sunday Service

• 12:00pm Green Arts Festival

“What's a UU anyway?”

How do you talk about being Unitarian Universalist to others? And why would we want to do that anyway? This Sunday Rev. Tiffany explores the idea of Elevator Speeches, and other ways of communicating why being Unitarian Universalist is important to you.

Headlines .…

• Social Justice Action

• Endowment Funds

• Leadership Opportunities

• Yule

• TN Renters United Potluck

• Greening of the Sanctuary

• Green Arts Festival

• Giving Tree Donations

Click here to read the entire newsletter.

Click here for past newsletters.

You can also find a few printed copies at our visitors table in the sanctuary.

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

Thank you to everyone who so generously donated to the Project Deck the Halls with new and gently used holiday decorations.  One year ago, many families in Washington County suffered unbelievable losses due to Hurricane Helene.  Many have begun the long journey to rebuild their homes and their lives.  Because of your generosity, they will also be able to begin making new holiday memories with the decorations you donated. 

It took 2 full SUV trunks to deliver the items to storage in Jonesborough.  The Washington County Long Term Recovery Group will distribute to the hurricane survivors right after Thanksgiving.  You've shared your holiday gifts and joy with neighbors who truly needed a kickstart to a Joyous Holiday Season.  

Thank you HVUUC!

Please email all submissions for the December newsletter by Monday December 1st to newsletter@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 November 23, 2025.

• 9:30am Religious Education

• 11:00am Sunday Service

• 12:00pm Coffee Hour

“Sisterhood, Solidarity and the Work of Spirit: Lessons from the Women Coal Miners Movement”

Women miners changed the often stereotyped narrative of coal mining, coal miners, mine safety, race relations, and the gendered workplace. But their impact went far beyond mine portals. This movement was women-run, beginning with the lawyer who sued 153 coal companies, organized women miners around the country, and opened doors unimaginable to their UMWA brothers. Marat Moore shares with us on this interesting and important piece of history.

Join us for church on November 30, 2025.

• 9:30am Religious Education

• 11:00am Sunday Service

• 12:00pm Coffee Hour

“Gratitude and Wonder”

Rev. Tiffany facilitates an interactive service where we explore and actually "do" spiritual practices of Gratitude and Wonder. This service is highly accessible for all ages, and should be a lot of fun.

At the Music Listening Circle we received the feedback that many in the congregation would enjoy hymn singing more if we did favorite hymns more frequently and let obscure and unknown hymns stay obscure and unknown!

We would like to create a list of favorite hymns. If you would like to give your input into the favorite hymns, please email hymns@hvuuc.org.

A few seats to events from Auction are available. 

If you couldn't attend the auction or were there but want more opportunities, there are still some seats available to fun events. You can connect with others, and all proceeds go to the church! You can purchase them for a set price by emailing Auction@hvuuc.org with the item number and how many spots you want. We will extend the "post auction sale" to November 30th. You can look up these events on the Auction web page to read more about them. 

Contact Auction@HVUUC.org to purchase a seat to a fun event, or a service or item. First come, first served. 

Deadline: November 30th 2025.

Click here to see what events and items are still available.

See the Auction Catalog for Item descriptions

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 excited to announce that we have entered into a contract with the Phoenix Homeschool Group for them to rent our Religious Education Zone building for their homeschool co-op from 12:30 to 4:30pm every Tuesday. 

The Phoenix Homeschool Group is closely aligned with our values, and are very excited to have a place to meet that is open and inclusive.

Join us for church on November 16, 2025. This Sunday is the last to donate holiday decor to the victims of Hurricane Helene.

• 9:30am Religious Education

• 11:00am Sunday Service

• 12:00pm Coffee Hour

• 4:00pm Youth Group

“Partnership and Peace: From Polycrisis to Paradigm Shift”

A shift into the “Fifth Spiritual Paradigm” seemed all but certain at the end of the 20th Century. Today, the decline in democracy, the advance of AI, and other elements of the polycrisis threaten the future of the humanity. In this talk, Rev. Laura George, JD explores the stalled paradigm shift and offers hope that planetary Partnership and Peace are still possible! 

Volunteers are needed to stay after service on 11/16 to bag items for the Giving Tree.

The Social Justice Committee is reminding everyone that it's the time of year for collecting Giving Tree items.  Our tree will be in need of items for children, women, and men such as:

• handwarmers

• gloves

• hats

• scarves

• socks

• underwear

The Giving Tree donation bin will be in the Fred Ball room next to the grocery card table.  You may leave items as they are packaged.  Or, if you choose, you may put items in ziploc bags, just not the zippered bags.

We will collect items all through the holiday season to keep the tree replenished. Additionally, monetary donations are welcomed, and we will do the shopping for you!

Volunteers are needed to stay after service on Nov. 16th to bag items in preparation for decorating the Giving Tree in downtown Johnson City on Fri. Nov. 28th at 11 a.m.  

Email givingtree@hvuuc.org with any questions.

This Sunday is the last day to help the survivors of hurricane Helene by donating new or gently used holiday decorations.  Just place your donations in the project Deck The halls bin in the social hall.  Thanks to everyone who has already donated and helped to share the holiday spirit with others.