News
You can get daily or weekly digests of news posts, delivered by email.
Join us for church on Oct 5, 2025!
NO RE
11:00am Sunday Service
12:00pm Coffee Hour
12:30pm Reclaim the Vote Postcard Writing Campaign
“Take This Soul and Make It Sing”
Andy Brown, Executive Director of the Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council (ARCD) presents an overview of ARCD’s three core programs and how these impact our community: Farmland Conservation, Agricultural Enterprise and Nutrition and Food Access for All. Emphasis will be on the Nutrition and Food Access for All because ultimately that program has an impact for all of us. Relating this theme of nutrition/ ‘feeding the hungry” to the gospels of Jesus, and emphasized by Lao Tzu, considered the father of Taoism. And, offering a call to action that is in keeping with our UU principle of worth and dignity of every person.
We had an ENews delivery outage for about a week. Here are some things you may have missed!
During our Sunday service on October 12th, we will be welcoming new members with this season’s New Member Ceremony.
If you have taken the Path to Membership classes and would like to participate in the ceremony and become a member, email PTM@hvuuc.org by October 6th. Please include 3 or 4 sentences about yourself, written in third person, as an introduction to the congregation. Your introduction will be read to the congregation as you sign the membership book. (This portion of the Sunday service is not posted to YouTube.)
If you have taken the Path to Membership classes and would like to become a member this fall but cannot participate in this ceremony, a private signing can be scheduled.
We welcome you to our congregation and look forward to hearing from you!
Headlines
Scammers Alert
Voter Postcards Event
Listening Circle about Music
TUUCAN Fall Flock
Resistance to Authoritarianism
Service Auction Donations
Veteran’s Plaque
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.
Believe it or not. It's time to think about the Service Auction on November 8th.
If you’re new to HVUUC, our Service Auction is a much anticipated event every fall. Yes, it’s a fundraiser but really it’s more of a FUN raiser, where you and other congregants get together to offer a service, event, or item.
There’s no limit to the activities or the items you can “auction” off. You can offer handyman services, teach a paint party, host a dinner, auction off baked goods, original art, and more! Wherever your passion and talents lie, there’s room for it at the service auction.
Want to provide a meal but don't have the room? Use the churches kitchen for your event! You can check the church calendar on our website and reserve time and space by emailing office@hvuuc.org.
We would encourage you to donate items that can be redeemed any time during the next year.
Donate your services, event, or items using the Auctria website using the link below. Email auction@hvuuc.org with any questions.
Click here to donate now.
Join us for church on September 28, 2025!
9:30am Religious Education
11:00am Sunday Service
12:00pm Coffee Hour
“Fools, Wise and Otherwise”
For years now, Rev. Tiffany has been obsessed with the archetype of the Fool. Whether it's Taoism's Wise Fool, the Fool of the tarot beginning a new journey of transformation, or a court jester who uses his outsider status to speak truth to power, the fool is often more than they seem.
The Music Committee and Rev. Tiffany will be hosting a Music Listening Circle after potluck on Sunday, October 12th.
This is your chance to help shape the future trajectory of our music program. Whether you like to make music or just want to listen to it, we want your help and your input to make our future programming and staffing the best it can be for HVUUC.
Email minister@hvuuc.org with any questions.
The "Odd Fellow Cemetery" is a historical black cemetery in Elizabethton that has both enslaved people and freed blacks buried there. The Helene flooding really messed it up and people are trying to restore this historical site.
There are currently two dates scheduled for a clean up. Saturday Oct 4th and Saturday October 11th. Folks will be meeting at Eastside Elementary in Elizabethton at 8:45am on these days.
For more info contact 423-737-5089
For more information about the cemetery visit this local news article:
/www.wjhl.com/news/local/elizabethton-community-members-working-to-restore-historic-black-cemetery/?
Please email all submissions for the October newsletter by Monday September 29 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 September 21, 2025!
9:00am Religious Education
11:00am Sunday Service
12:00pm Coffee Hour
“Hurricane Helene Remembrance”
In late September of 2024, Hurricane Helene changed the landscape of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina forever. A year later, we gather to contemplate our interconnectedness with the land, the weather, each other, and our wider community of East Tennesseans in a service that will make space for grief and gratitude. Rev. Tiffany will facilitate our experience.
First of all, thanks to the Let's Chat Covenant group for hosting coffee hour on September 7. Much appreciated.
Secondly, a coordinator(s) is/are needed for the October 13 potluck, If you can help or have questions, please contact fellowship@hvuuc.org. THANKS!
And, finally, coffee hour hosts are needed for Sunday, October 19. Please sign up on the calendar beside the large coffee urn in the Fred Ball room or email coffeehour@hvuuc.org.
Thank you for all the help!
The Tennessee Unitarian Universalist Community Action Network (TUUCAN) invites all Tennessee UUs to Nashville for the Fall Flock on Saturday, October 18th, at First UU Church of Nashville (FUUN) from 9 am to 4 pm (Central Time)
We will share food, fellowship, and support each other during these difficult times in our cities, state, and country. We will learn how UU State Action Networks across the United States turn UU values into positive action. We will nurture deeper relationships, strengthen our social justice ecosystem, and create plans for a world with love at the center.
We hope to represent - in person or via Zoom - each of our 14 UU communities in Tennessee and beyond. Register at https://bit.ly/tuucan25 or email sjchair@hvuuc.org for questions or assistance.
If attending via zoom, keep in mind that the event will be 10:00-5:00 Eastern Standard Time
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 September 14, 2025!
9:00am Religious Education
11:00am Sunday Service
12:00pm Potluck
“Small Group Ministries”
In this service, Covenant Groups will be defined and demonstrated by our trained Facilitators. Selected former Covenant Group members will also offer a brief testimonial about the benefits of being in a Covenant Group. Congregation will have an opportunity to participate in a mini session lead by Facilitators in order to experience how a Covenant Group works. Following the service, congregants will have the opportunity to enroll in several upcoming Groups.
Believe it or not. It's time to think about the Service Auction on November 8th.
If you’re new to HVUUC, our Service Auction is a much anticipated event every fall. Yes, it’s a fundraiser but really it’s more of a FUN raiser, where you and other congregants get together to offer a service, event, or item.
There’s no limit to the activities or the items you can “auction” off. You can offer handyman services, teach a paint party, host a dinner, auction off baked goods, original art, and more! Wherever your passion and talents lie, there’s room for it at the service auction.
Want to provide a meal but don't have the room? Use the churches kitchen for your event! You can check the church calendar on our website and reserve time and space by emailing office@hvuuc.org.
We would encourage you to donate items that can be redeemed any time during the next year.
Donate your services, event, or items using the Auctria website using the link below. Email auction@hvuuc.org with any questions.
Click here to donate now.
Join us in the parade and visit our booth at TriPride on October 11th at Founder Parks in Johnson City.
We need volunteers for both the parade and the booth. Anyone wanting to volunteer can reach out to tripride@hvuuc.org. Booth volunteering will be for 1 hour slots. We also need 2 volunteers for set up at 7 am, and 2 volunteers to take down at 7pm.
For anyone wanting to just attend the festival for fun, it is a free event. See more information at https://www.tripridetn.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.
Poems and song lyrics can bring profound meaning and provide calm and understanding for our busy lives. A Poetry and Song Lyrics Covenant Group will explore poems and lyrics to be selected by the leaders and participants.
The initial gathering will be held at 1:00 – 2:45 p.m. Sunday, October 12 in the R1 on the first floor of the REZ. The final three sessions are scheduled via Zoom on Monday nights, October 20, 27, and November 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Covenant Group Co-leaders Linda Good and Beth Calvert will choose the selections for the initial meeting, and participants will select for Zoom meetings.
After each reading, members will have some time for journaling, then voluntarily share thoughts and personal impact of the selection with the group.
Linda and Beth can be reached at poetry@hvuuc.org for questions and sign-ups.
Join us for church on September 7, 2025!
9:00am Religious Education
11:00am Sunday Service
12:00pm Coffee Hour
“Mary Oliver”
This Sunday, American poet Mary Oliver will be preaching, though Beth, Sarah and Rev. Tiffany are the ones who will be bringing life to her voice. Join us for exploring selected poems interspersed with times for contemplation. If you haven't heard her earth-centered, contemplative style before, you are in for a treat!
Registration is now open for RISE: Healthy For Life's Adult Stellar Sex Ed Workshop hosted at HVUCC from September through November 2025.
Class Dates are:
Sunday, September 14
Sunday, September 28
Sunday, October 19
Sunday, October 26
Sunday, November 2
Sunday, November 9
Time: 9:30 - 10:45 am (during Religious Education)
Location: HVUUC Religious Education Zone (REZ); upstairs in the Meditation Hall (R6)
For more information on Stellar Sex Ed please visit this site: https://risehfl.org/our-whole-lives-comprehensive-sexuality-education-for-youth-and-adults
Register Here: https://forms.gle/k2hhKRdktXAYh1cR6
For questions please contact our DRE, Justin Ridley, dre@hvuuc.org
Do you enjoy reading and sharing what’s on your bookshelf—or on your nightstand? Our congregation is starting a new, low-pressure book club called Chapters.
Unlike traditional book clubs, Chapters is designed to be flexible and welcoming. Each month, participants can share what they’re currently reading and make recommendations to others. If there’s interest in reading the same book, wonderful—but there’s no expectation that everyone will be on the same page (literally!).
We’ll also need to decide on the best location for our gatherings, and folks are welcome to bring snacks to share as we chat. We will meet one evening a month. This is a space to connect over stories, ideas, and perspectives, while honoring our varied interests. Whether you’re an avid reader or someone who just enjoys the occasional good book, Chapters offers a relaxed and friendly way to build community.
Interested? Please email chapters@hvuuc.org about your interest and what nights work best for you. Let us know—you might just discover your next favorite read!
Short term 7-week Covenant Group forming: Heart to Heart, (sessions #8 – 14), based on the book by the same title.
No requirement to have attended the Part 1 sessions (#1-7) to attend Part 2.
Group will meet every Wednesday morning from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon in the REZ, beginning on October 1 and ending on November 12, 2025.
Subjects vary per week (Nature, Success/failure, Friendship, Endings, etc.).
Facilitator: Wanda Earp
Enroll via heartsgm@hvuuc.org no later than Thursday, Sept 25th .Limit of 10 members. (Book can be purchased from Wanda for $5 or you can obtain your own copy).
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 August 31, 2025!
NO RE THIS WEEK
11:00am Sunday Service
12:00pm Coffee Hour
“General Assembly Reports”
How will our church meet the calling of this moment in history? That was the question that drove programming at this year's General Assembly, the annual international meeting of Unitarian Universalists. Our delegates, Noel, Dana and Alesha report on what they saw and learned at General Assembly.
Headlines
New Book Club
Wendy Hearl and the Chaos Crew Concert
Church Dance Party
Dream Covenant Group
Mabon Ritual
Path to Membership
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
It is super easy for someone who has our church's directory, or is just accessing our group hvuuc emails from our website, to create a fake email account, steal pictures from our website, and pretend to be the minister or other staff members. The best thing we can do is just ignore these things, since after you reply they then know that your email is a valid email and may target you in other ways.
Please keep the following things in mind:
1. We will NEVER ask for financial assistance via gift cards
2. We will NEVER reach out to individuals by email for financial assistance like this
3. Check the email that it's coming from, if it's not tiffanysappuu@gmail.com or tiffanyfaeanderson@gmail.com, it is not the minister!
Thanks you all, hang in there and I'll see you soon!
Rev. Tiffany
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 August 24, 2025!
9:30am RE
11:00am Sunday Service
12:00pm Coffee Hour
“Intimate Strangers”
This sermon looks at the Good Samaritan story alongside real-life moments from hospital chaplaincy and wisdom from many faiths. It’s about how even short, unexpected encounters with strangers can become sacred when we choose to show up with compassion. In a world of passing strangers, we are called to be neighbors.
Looking for more?
Use the search bar below or see the full News list.