Join CUUPS for a Wiccan full moon ritual. Ritual garb is encouraged but not mandatory. We will be honoring the time of the Pink Moon with a ritual observance.
Email cuups@hvuuc.org with any questions.
A fabulous baked potato bar is on the menu for April. Both white and sweet potatoes will be served with an astonishing variety of toppings. For the white potatoes: sour cream, cheeses, broccoli, bacon, scallions, chili, and chipped beef etc. And for the sweet potatoes: syrup, pecans-and do we need marshmallow fluff? Also we offer our large and elegant signature salad with toppings and croutons. Dessert is apple pie and something chocolate, of course!
$8 per person
$15 for two folks
$5 for kids under
Sign up by this Sunday, April 21st either by emailing WNS@hvuuc.org or in the Fellowship Hall at the sign up sheet.
The RE Collaborative is hosting a Teacher Appreciation Dinner, catered by Poblano's, on Saturday, April 27, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at HVUUC to recognize and thank our RE teachers, OWL and Stellar facilitators, and nursery volunteers.
If you have volunteered in one of these areas in the past year please RSVP to Justin Ridley, dre@hvuuc.org with your plus one so we can get an idea of how many people to expect. Childcare will be available and pizza for those 11 and under.
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.
Any other items as needed.
HVUUC’s by-laws allow members to add items to the agenda at the Annual Congregational Meeting. If you have an issue you feel should be on the agenda, please submit it to president@hvuuc.org by April 8th. Please submit items in the form of a motion (“I move…”). It would be helpful to discuss your motion with the President to develop wording that makes it actionable with the fewest possible modifications.
You will receive a complete agenda as well as a finalized budget for congregational approval at least 10 days prior to the meeting.
The slate of nominees for Board positions and Nominating Committee will be sent out at least 20 days prior to the meeting. Additional nominations may be made by members provided that notice of the nominees has been given to the President (president@hvuuc.org) at least ten (10) days in advance of the Annual Meeting.
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
CUUPS will host a ritual of Beltane celebrating the beginning of summer. Activities will include a ritual observation, a bonfire and dancing at the maypole.
Preparation and decoration begins at 5 pm and doors open at 7 pm
Please bring a dish to share for a potluck dinner.
Email cuups@hvuuc.org with any questions.
Award-winning singer/songwriter, guitarist and poet from northern Virginia's Blue Ridge. Nationally-acclaimed singer/songwriter and guitarist celebrates rural America, weaving his masterfully crafted songs, humorous stories and poetic drama into a musical soundscape sketched with shades of Appalachia, tasteful slide and jazzy blues, feisty anthems, and rustic folk.
Venue: The sanctuary will be set up with tables to create a coffee shop ambiance.
Food: The kitchen will offer Mexican-style cuisine such as quesadillas, nachos, and possibly burritos. Beverages will include coffee, water, tea, and potentially virgin margaritas.
Venue: Main Building, Sanctuary, and FBR
Doors: Open at 4pm.
Donations: We'll be accepting donations at the door, with a suggested amount of $20-30 (excluding food, which will be purchased separately). No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Music: The music will start at 4:30pm and continue until around 6pm.
Service: We're aiming to have servers attending to the tables as well.
HVUUC, the RE Collaborative, and RISE: Healthy for Life invite you to a documentary film screening of Under G-d, on Sunday, May 5, at 1:00 pm. A light meal will be provided after the service before the screening begins.
Under G-d
A film by Paula Eiselt
Under G-d is a documentary short about the national Jewish response to the Dobbs Decision woven through the lived experiences of impacted women and the various lawsuits currently being launched by Jewish and interfaith leaders to challenge the overturning of Roe v. Wade, state by state.
We will watch the film together, then facilitators from RISE will lead a discussion on the film and what actions we can take together in our community/state/country.
See the trailer below and visit the Facebook page to RSVP:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1137351984178387/?ref=newsfeed
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4aB-3Bxw3c
For questions or more information contact Justin Ridley - dre@hvuuc.org
Adam Dickson of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Alliance is back with us to lead us in a workshop designed to help us think about our own Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work within HVUUC and how we can support this vision of inclusiveness for our Tri-Cities area. A free light vegan meal will be provided at 6:00pm, and the workshop will begin at 6:30pm. Let us know you're coming at showup@hvuuc.org
For more information about the DEI Alliance visit https://deialliance.org/
If you want to go deeper into this learning, join Rev. Tiffany and our Social Justice Chair for the 2024 DEI Summit on May 17th in Kingsport: https://deialliance.org/summit/
All are invited to dance, pray and eat for peace. Come for the entire evening OR just the parts that speak to you.
DANCE: 5:30-6:30: We will gather on the back porch to learn the Universal Dances for Peace. These are fully accessible intergenerational dances: there are modifications for people who have movement limitations and children are very welcome! Dances are taught and led by Rebecca Nunley. Please consider bringing a minimum of $5 donation in gratitude for Rebecca and her musicians
PRAY: 6:30-7:00: Join us in the Sanctuary to offer prayers and songs for peace. There are currently 114 wars throughout the world, and we will be praying for everyone effected by those wars.
EAT: 7:00-8:00: Revive the time-honored tradition of finding peace by gathering around a shared table with a simple meal. Let’s share some vegan soup, bread and gluten-free crackers as we create peace between ourselves and envision peace for the world.
Email minister@hvuuc.org with any questions.
The Tri-Cities Mutual Aid Network is holding our next Steering Committee meeting on Sunday April 14th from 4pm-6pm at the Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.
We welcome any church or community members to join this meeting. Our team is currently brainstorming tangible plans to build our regional network into an effective resource hub and communication network for activism and advocacy efforts across Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. We would love to have as much community input as possible as we work towards this goal.
Email alesha@hvuuc.org with any questions.
Members of the Religious Education Collaborative and our DRE will be available during coffee hour on Sunday, April 14, to talk about ideas for kickstarting our Youth Group at HVUUC. Come with your ideas and suggestions and ready to answer the question
Youth and guardians are especially encouraged to attend -- we want to hear from you!
Email dre@hvuuc.org with any questions.
Women's night is for all who identify as women - a safe space to meet, talk, get ideas, and support each other. Come be uplifted, and uplift.
April's event is at the HVUUC church facility main building.
Bring your favorite snack or beverage to share, but if life is running away from you, it isn’t required. Your presence is most important.
Email womensgroup@hvuuc.org with any questions.
Join us on Sunday, March 31, at 12:00 pm after the service for an Easter Egg Hunt!
The RE Collaborative is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt for kids on Sunday, March 31, at 12:00 following the service. Kids should meet on the deck after the service to get a basket and wait for the hunt to begin. Come ready for a good time and a special appearance by the Easter Bunny!
Join us on Weds the 27th of March for a meal and conversations with friends. We start serving at 6pm.
The cost is:
$8.00 for one person
$15 for two
$5.00 for kids under 12
Sign up online WNS@HVUUC.org or in the Fellowship Hall sign up sheet by this Sunday March 24th at the latest!
We will devote a segment of the service on March 24 to the induction and welcoming of new members. If you have taken the Path to Membership classes and would like to sign the book, become a member, and participate in this ceremony, please email membership@hvuuc.org by or before Sunday, March 17.. Include a three or four sentence (50 word) introduction of yourself, written in third person, to be read to the congregation.
For anyone who has taken the Path classes and would like to join, but cannot or does not wish to participate in the New Member Ceremony, a private signing of the membership book can be arranged.
We are so pleased you have found this church. We welcome you to become a member of our congregation.
CUUPS will host a celebration of Ostara/the spring equinox. We will gather to decorate at 5 pm. Ritual and activities will begin at 6 pm.
Come celebrate Ostara with the CUUPS group! We shall be observing the spring equinox. Activates include a ritual, decorating eggs, singing, chanting and drumming.
Email CUUPS@hvuuc.org with any questions.
The Dollmaker is this year’s final film in our Appalachian themed series. Appetizers will be served at 6:30 and the film will be shown at 7:00.
This event was originally an auction item but anyone is welcome to join us at the cost of $10.00 per person.
Email movie@hvuuc.org with any questions.
Game Night! After a winter break, Game Night is back, now on the FOURTH FRIDAY, March 22nd at 6:30pm.
Rev. Tiffany and Kirk Roberts will be co-hosting and will have a variety of games to choose from.
Meet us on the lower floor of the REZ building, you may bring a snack or a group game if you wish, or just bring your smiling faces. For more information email minister@hvuuc.org
Join Michael Jones and Mike Frisch on March 16th for two presentations of geology and astronomy in our Solar System.
Michael will discuss Fire & Ice – Volcanism In Our Solar System. Volcanoes are not just confined to Earth and have occurred quite widely through the Solar System – in very different ways and forms.
Mike’s presentation – Through Saturn’s Rings – NASA’s historic Cassini Huygens Mission of discovery to the Saturn system’s beautiful rings and two very special moons which scientists speculate may hold the potential for extraterrestrial life!
The presentations will be at HVUUC – light refreshments at 1:30 and presentations begin at 2. This was originally an event from our annual Service Auction but we also have room for additional guests. The price for this event is $15 per person.
If you wish to be added to the guest list or have any questions, please email mike@hvuuc.org. Please reply before March 10th.
HVUUC is serving again this year as one of 162 pick-up sites across the state for the TN Environmental Council’s native tree planting event! Tree Day is March 16th , 2024. On the morning of March 15th on the HVUUC back porch we will organize and bundle seedlings and prepare them for distribution. On March 16th , we will be open for community members who have ordered trees to pick them up 9:00 am-1:00 pm.
Volunteers are needed to help one or both days. Also, the tree crew needs clean plastic shopping bags and newspaper for bundling orders. You can drop either in the Tree Day box in the Fred Ball room during February. Thank you!
To learn more about trees or to order trees: https://www.tectn.org/tennesseetreeday.html
If you would like to help please email environment@hvuuc.org
The ETSU Tenor-Bass Acapella Group, The Swashbucklers, along with American University's Tenor-Bass Acapella Group, On a Sensual Note will be offering a 30 minute mini-concert on Wednesday 3/13 from 5:30pm to 6:00pm. Come on out and hear some great singing!
Path to Membership will be facilitated in two parts held on successive Sundays in March. The first class, Sunday, March 3, will be dedicated to understanding Unitarian Universalism and our Covenant. The second class, Sunday, March 10, will involve sharing spiritual journeys, discussing how to become integrated into church life, and how our church is governed. Each class will run from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. Childcare will be provided.
Although these classes do not commit you to membership, they are necessary precursors for joining. They also allow you to get to know a small group of people on a more personal level. The number of participants will be limited. Get your name on the list, if you haven't already, by emailing membership@hvuuc.org. There will also be a sign-up sheet on the side counter in the sanctuary.
Please provide the following information when you sign up:
name
phone
whether you prefer emails or texts
If you require childcare, please provide the number of children and their ages.
We look forward to your participation!
Email membership@hvuuc.org with any questions.
First Friday Women's Group - March 1st, 2024
Your host is Nikki Rae, who will greet you with a smile and perhaps a game, some music, and who knows - maybe a signature cocktail?
Women's night is for all who identify as women - a safe space to meet, talk, get ideas, and support each other. This March 1st it will be at the HVUUC campus, in the main building around the kitchen. Be prepared to have some fun and connect with a supportive group. Bring a snack or beverage to share if you would like, but it is not required.
February's Wednesday Night supper will showcase the delicious casserole that our church makes for Kitchen of Hope once a month, accompanied by salad, bread and desserts as usual.
Must RSVP by this Sunday February 25th.
Email WNS@hvuuc.org or fill out the sign up sheet in the Fellowship Hall.
The price for this delightful time of fellowship and good food :
$8 per person
$15 for two people
$5 for kids under 12
Statewide day for Tennesseans to advocate for the freedom to live without fear of gun violence. Together we will demand action from the TN Legislature.
There us an opportunity to carpool from Tri-Cities to Knoxville and ride a bus, provided by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, from Knoxville to Nashville and back Knoxville at the end of the day.
If interested, please email brandi@hvuuc.org.
The Month of Solmonath (Cake Month) in Anglo-Saxon time keeping refers to the time of year that people baked hearth cakes, and offered them to the gods in exchange for fruitful land and bountiful blessings in the coming warmer months.
We will be doing a modern spin on this historical tradition. Please bring your favorite tea and/or flavor of cake/cookie and join us for a tea and cake offering and celebration.
Set up at 2pm, Event at 3pm February 25th 2024
Email cuups@hvuuc.org for more information.
During Sunday, February 25th's service we will have a speaker presenting from the Final Exit Network.
A former hospital and hospice chaplain, Kevin Bradley co-founded Interfaith Clergy for End-of-Life Options and has testified in the Minnesota legislature on behalf of the Right to Die. He has been with Final Exit Network since 2016, serving as an exit guide, counselor, board member, editor, and speaker. Final Exit Network provides educational resources and support to any mentally competent adult who is facing an unacceptable quality of life and wants to end life on their own terms.
Please also bring a brown bag lunch if you would like to stay for Kevin's talk and Q and A after the service beginning at 12:30.
This month, members of HVUUC have another opportunity to make our local waterways safer and more beautiful by signing up to reduce the flow of plastic, foam, and other trash into the TN River. Our friends at Keep the TN River Beautiful have invited us again to participate in a lake clean up on Sunday, February 18, 2024.
Removing litter from waterways protects fish, birds, and other wildlife from dangers of entrapment or accidental consumption of garbage and there are thousands of pounds of trash ready for collection by valiant volunteers.
The team will gather at Washington County boat ramp in Abingdon at 1:30 and be taken by boats to the lake shores most in need of care. Equipment is provided. Wear clothes that can get dirty and sturdy, closed shoes.
You must register to attend and secure your seat on the boat here:
https://www.keeptnriverbeautiful.org/southholston
Contact for questions: environment@hvuuc.org
Calling all Green Thumbs (and regular thumbs)!
“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.” Alfred Austin
Do you like plants? Seeds? Dirt? Bugs? Birds? Compost? Mulch?
Yes? Good news! We are forming a garden club and need participants and it doesn’t even have to be called “Garden Club.” Team members will dig up a name for themselves.
If you have the vision, education, experience, skills, or talent for enhancing the natural beauty of our grounds, please attend a meet-up on Sunday February 18 from 12:10 to 1:00 pm. Grab your coffee/tea and snack from Coffee Hour and make your way to the sanctuary.
If you don’t think you posses these attributes but are handy with a shovel, rake or just want to get outside with friends, feel free to attend the meet-up or wait for future emails about work dates.
Though it's technically still Winter, Spring is right around the corner. We need to make plans now so our gardens are beautiful later. There is plenty to tackle and your help, no matter what level, is needed.
For questions, email Garden@hvuuc.org or talk with Judy Wade.
Music Committee Meetings will be held on the 3rd Sunday of each month directly after Sunday Service in the Music Room off the front foyer of the Sanctuary Building.
The Music Committee is welcoming new members and visitors this year to our monthly meetings that take place in the Music Room from 12pm - 12:45pm. Core members will continue to meet until 1:30 pm. The time between 12:15 to 12:45 will be for people interested in getting involved with the Music Program at HVUUC, sharing ideas, making requests, and volunteering to help our program flourish.
This month’s BoT meeting will be Thursday, February 15 via zoom at 7:00PM. All members are welcome to attend.
If you’d like more information including the zoom link please email president@hvuuc.org
For our UU Christians and for those who are just curious, we will be having an Ash Wednesday gathering with ashes and communion on Wednesday 2/14 from 5:45pm to 6:45pm. The liturgy we will be using was created by Unitarian Universalist Minister and UUA Board Member Rev. Sam Trumbore, and is designed for small group contemplation.
For more information contact Rev. Tiffany at minister@hvuuc.org
Second in the Appalachian themed movies - NELL.
Heavy appetizers at 6. Movie at 7pm
Auction item, but all are welcome-pay $10 at the door if you want to join us.
A fun evening for all!
Rev. Tiffany Sapp and Justin Ridley, Director of Religious Education, will be leading a workshop focused on Religious Trauma at HVUUC on February 4, 2024, from 1:00 - 3:00 pm.
Are you curious about connections between religion and trauma? The evolving field of religious trauma is one that I have been exploring for the past six months, and my biggest take away so far is this – religious trauma is trauma. As such, there are a number of things we can do to raise awareness, combat stigma, and create spaces for healing. My own journey with religious trauma has spurred my curiosity in this field and sparked a desire to help our community as well.
Rev. Tiffany and I are developing a workshop to engage with anyone that has religious trauma, is curious about religious trauma, and would like to learn more about techniques for healing from religious trauma. The workshop will be a combination of didactic learning, small group sharing, and trauma related exercises. All are welcome who wish to explore, learn, and heal their own journey of religious trauma in a safe covenantal space.
The workshop will take place on Sunday, February 4, after the service beginning at 1 pm and ending at 3 pm. A light lunch will be provided beforehand. Please register before January 31, by emailing me at dre@hvuuc.org as spaces may be limited.
Jennifer M. has graciously offered to host the next Women's Group meetup.
You are invited to meet and mingle. These monthly gatherings are often a great reminder of the value of creating enduring bonds. Please join in while we strengthen old friendships and make room for new ones.
And, oh yes, we snack too ;) As usual, bring along your favorite food or beverage to share.
All who identify as women are welcome.
For more information email: womensgroup@hvuuc.org
SEE U SOON!!!!
CUUPs will be holding space for the observation of Imbolc.
There will be a Potluck dinner afterward so please bring a dish to share if you would like.
Set up begins at 5:30 pm and ritual will begin at 6:30 pm
Email cuups@hvuuc.org with any questions.
Wednesday night supper will be January 31st at 6:00PM.
Sign up by Sunday the 28th by emailing WNS@hvuuc.org or on the sign up sheet in the fellowship hall. Plan to stay afterwards to help with cleanup if you can - It's all part of the fun!
Join us for family friendly meal and conversations.
Vegetarian options are always available.
$8.00 for one
$15 for two
$5.00 for kids
Monday, January 15th, Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church will be marching in Johnson City’s Martin Luther King Day’s Unity walk. The walk starts at noon at the Carver Center but we’re going to try to gather around 11:30 around our banner to make sure we don’t miss anyone. See you there!
Email showup@hvuuc.org with any questions.
The Social Justice Committee, by approval of the Board of Trustees, is holding a congregational Social Justice Call to Action meeting on January 14, 2024 at 12:30pm in the Church Sanctuary for the purpose of approving a Statement of Support for Gun Safety. This meeting is being conducted under the provisions of HVUUC Bylaws Article XIII: Public Statements. The Statement must be approved by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of Church members present. For the benefit of those congregants who attended the July meeting considering this Statement, the only 2 changes are:
#1- The addition of the words in the first paragraph passed at the July Congregational Meeting in July: "...and should be declared a public health issue."
#2- The deletion of the phrase "...a national “red flag” law;..." objected to by members of the congregation.
Church members unable to attend in-person may submit a written statement of not more than 300 words related to the Statement to SJChair@HVUUC by January 13. These comments will be read at the meeting and will not constitute a vote.
HVUUC Statement of Support for Gun Safety
Our Unitarian Universalist principles affirm the inherent worth of every human life. Gun violence in our country is a major factor in destroying lives and should be declared a public health issue. The USA is an extreme outlier among other high-income countries in gun homicides, gun suicides, horrific mass shootings, and gun injuries. It is not just those who are killed who are the victims. The families, loved ones, and friends, and the witnesses can suffer the consequences for the rest of their lives.
We do not object to responsible gun ownership for personal protection or sport.
However, we as a congregation, cannot accept the status quo and “hope” as an antidote for the current unacceptable environment. Active shooter drills, turning our schools into fortresses, and vague suggestions about addressing mental health are not providing a solution. The easy availability of guns and military-style death weapons are a major contributor to this violence. Clearly, state-by-state weapon regulations have provided loopholes to any effective change.
Congregants are encouraged to petition legislators and work in all available forums, to include safety training programs as a mandatory condition for gun ownership and to require other actions, such as: increased mental health funding; background checks for ALL gun purchases, including private and gun show and online sales; government licensing before purchase; ban of the sale of high-capacity magazines; and, ban of the sale of automatic weapons.
