"New UU Class" Continues This Sunday,
September 22nd
What does it mean to be a Unitarian Universalist? Guided by the Tapestry of Faith Curriculum, we will offer a three-part series that explores important themes in UU congregational life--our worship and theology, history, covenant and polity, faith development, social justice, and membership. This program is particularly focused on introducing newcomers to Unitarian Universalism, but those of us who have been here for awhile will also be able to share and connect with others as we explore our own beliefs and how they intersect with the UU tradition.
Everyone is welcome! The first two classes are not a prerequisite! The class continues next Sunday morning, September 22nd. Take advantage of this chance to learn and share. Meet for coffee or tea at 9:00 a.m.; discussion starts at 9:15. Pam Korb and Nancy Finley will facilitate the discussion. Contact Nancy Finley (finleyn@uah.edu) for further info. Childcare will be available for this event.
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 WE CAN REACH 100! Your Social Justice Committee asks that we bring non-perishable food and hygiene items for the food basket this Sunday, to be donated to the Huntsville Assistance Program. The basket is in the church foyer. Our Goal: 100 Food Items per month! |
Guiltless Pleasure
Fair Trade, Organic, "Kaffeeklatsch" coffee for sale! Bags of coffee are available at the back of the sanctuary after Sunday services.
Proceeds are used to help fund Social Justice projects--everybody wins!
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Upcoming Services
Sunday September 22nd, 2013
Angel Hundley & Alli Johnson
We know we are all connected. So what responsibilities do we have to people across the world or those near us whom we do not know? What does it mean to live a life of kinship? Reverend Alice Syltie puts it this way, "The seventh Principle, which we Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote, is respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. In my mind, that is the circle of Kinship to which we belong, and to which we are accountable.... Indeed, UUism is arguably all about extending our circle of kin. Whenever we feel the temptation to limit that circle, our faith challenges us to open further...And, yes, this opening and extending of self comes with sacrifice and the weight of greater responsibility...This can seem a burden. But it is a burden that quickly dissolves into grace."
Join Angel Hundley and Alli Johnson this week for a service of sights, sounds and songs that will challenge us to think about our wider kinship and the sacrifice and grace that come with it.
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This Sunday in Religious Education
Peace Group
We Are Many, We Are One
Justice Group
Holidays and Holydays
Searchers Group
Building Bridges
Over-Achievers Group
Building Bridges
Nursery care (ages 0-3) will be provided as usual.
For more information, contact our Director of Religious Education, Erin Reid.
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From Your Minister Last Sunday, September 15, marked the 50th anniversary of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, in Birmingham, Alabama. As part of our month long exploration of Kinship, I intended to honor the memory of the four girls killed in that horrendous act, and to acknowledge that event as one that, as President Obama said "galvanized Americans all across the country to stand up for equality and broadened support for a movement that would eventually lead to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964." It was a moment of recognizing our kinship across lines artificially drawn, lines that create barriers between people. At an event in Oakland, California, Angela Davis offered these words of caution to those gathered: "remembering and paying tribute to this tragic event, let us not pretend that we are simultaneously celebrating the end of racist violence, and the triumph of democracy." The statements by Obama and Davis are worthy of our consideration. On Monday, I read a post from a friend from the Birmingham UU Church who now lives in another area of the country. She was disappointed that her "otherwise wonderful church did nothing to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing" on that day. I think because 50 years later the date fell once again on a Sunday, it made remembering the day in worship even more significant. Of course, the 16th Street Baptist Church planned and held a major anniversary event, and congregations across the nation paid tribute, as well. I am immensely grateful to all the Worship Committee members and others who are pitching in to help create wonderful worship while I am having an unexpectedly long stay with David at MD Anderson. By the time you read this article, I hope to be home again. And on a Sunday in the near future I will share with you stories in memory of Unitarian Universalists who responded with courage and compassion on that day 50 years ago. In Love and Hope, Rev. Alice
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Interweave Potluck and Game Night!
 UUCH's Interweave is an Outreach Group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) peoples and their friends and allies. On the 3rd Friday of each month, we hold a "Potluck and Game Night" to eat, play, and have a good time in a "safe zone" for the LGBTQ. We hope that our allies will come out and join in the fun so that we have a good mix of LGBTQ and A's participating. Everyone is Welcome.
This Month's Potluck/Game night will be held Friday, Sept. 20th, from 6:30-9pm, here at the church.
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Interfaith Mission Service (IMS)
Day of Service and Unity
When: Saturday, September 21, 7:30 am-12:30 pm
Who: You! All ages are welcome--youth and children are encouraged to attend!
Where: Meet up at Faith Presbyterian Church, 5003 Airport Road, (at the corner of Airport Road and Whitesburg Drive).
What is the IMS Day of Service and Unity?
The Interfaith Mission Service is a Huntsville-based cooperative of congregations, including UUCH, which works to bridge religious, denominational, cultural, and racial differences.
The Day of Service and Unity was developed by IMS as a positive response to the tragedies of September 11, 2001.
It is a great opportunity for our congregation to join with other churches in a day of interfaith community service. The day begins with a yummy breakfast, then participants divide into groups to volunteer at various locations such as the Harris Home, the CASA garden, Operation Green Team, etc.
How Do You Get Involved?
If you plan to attend, please let Tonia Betts know (kevin.m.betts@saic.com or 256-882-9891) so we have a rough headcount. Of course, last minute additions are always welcome!
Why Should You Get Out of Bed at the Crack of Dawn on a Saturday Morning to Do This?
IMS does beautiful work to make Huntsville a more open-minded and tolerant place. Let's have a strong UUCH turn-out in support of this great organization and work!
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"May the Force Be With You"
All-Church Movie Night This Saturday!!
 Join all ages for a screening of Star Wars, Episode IV, the original, this Saturday, September 21st. We will gather at the church at 6 pm with snacks and treats; show time is 6:30 pm. Bring themed refreshments to share, wear a costume, be prepared for Jedi awesomeness. This event is sponsored by the Children and Youth RE program. All are invited! Contact DRE Erin Reid for more information at eereid@hotmail.com.
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UUCH Book Sale! We Need Your Books!!
What Can YOU Do To Help?
- Donate your books to this great cause (and get a tax deduction). Bring your books to church NOW through Sunday, Oct. 6th.
- Help Sort! Plan to stay after the Oct. 6th potluck for a book-sorting party!
- Invite your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers (book sale flyers can be found on the name-tag table).
- Shop at the Sale!
Bring your Book Donations This Sunday! We have storage, so bring in your books!
Contact pamkorb@mindspring.com or uuch@uuch.org to volunteer to work a shift at the sale.
Come to the Book Sale! Two Days to Shop!
Friday, October 11th,
12pm-7pm!
Saturday, October 12th,
8 am-3pm!
(Free admission)
There will be no pre-sales!
HUGE selection of used books, audio, video, magazines,
rare finds and old favorites--get there before the good ones get away!
"When I get a little money I buy books and if any is left I buy food and clothes."--Desiderius Erasmus
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Social Justice Meeting this Sunday
 Our next Social Justice Committee meeting is this Sunday, September 22nd at 9:30 am. We'll discuss fall outreach activities and more.We'll have bagels. Everyone is welcome! Childcare is available for this meeting. If you have questions, you may call Tonia Betts at (256) 882-9891.
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Work Day at Our Dear Old Church Property
 It is time to get our old church ready to sell. We will be gathering on Saturday, October 5th to clean up the Governor's Drive church property. We'll start at 9 AM, and will finish by 1 PM. We will mostly be clearing brush and making the grounds presentable. It will be a fun fun time for all! There will be jobs for every skill level--and a light lunch will be provided.
If you have the, please bring work gloves, pruning shears, hand saws, and rakes!
Families are encouraged to participate with their children and youth for any amount of time. Children will be under their families' supervision for volunteer activities. Childcare with space for rest and play will be provided all morning as needed.
If you have any questions, please contact Property chair George Fletcher at fletcher35801@comcast.net.
See you there!
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Start Reading! Need a Book?  Heads up everyone! The Adult RE committee is sponsoring a book discussion on the book Reason and Reverence: Religious Humanism for the 21st Century, by William R. Murry. For anyone who may have difficulty getting the book, we have a few to lend. Look above the coffee bar at the back of the sanctuary for a book sign-out sheet. Anyone needing the help is welcome to borrow a copy of the book; please read and return within a reasonable time so that others have the opportunity to read it as well. Jon Fox and Nancy Finley will begin the discussion October 6th. More details will follow in future newsletters and announcements.
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We're Getting the Team Back Together! For the 4th year, UUCH is forming a team to enter the 10th Annual Liz Hurley Ribbon Run to benefit breast cancer awareness. This is an all ages 5K run/walk that takes place on Saturday October 19th. This year the men's & women's events are combined, with the race starting at 8am. The race winds through downtown Huntsville, starting and ending at Huntsville Middle School. On a beautiful Fall day, what more could you want than exercising with friends while raising money to find a cure for an illness that has touched so many in our church community. To register, go to www.lizhurleyribonrun.org and sign up to join team "Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville". Cost is $20. Registration is limited to the first 6500 people. Last year they had to close registration early after they met that goal, so sign up early. You must register by October 8 to be officially counted on our team, but you can still register individually after that date. Look for further team announcements like where to meet on race day for our annual team photo.  | | Last Year's Winning Team!! |
Please contact Becky Ellingwood (beckyel22@gmail.com) if you have any questions. Start stretching now. Go Team UUCH!
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Broadmor Briefing
We had a great property work day at the Broadmor facility on Saturday, September 14th. More than 70 children, youth, and adults showed up to help spruce up our new church home's interior and exterior. It was a beautiful day and we far exceeded what we hoped to get done.
Some of the major tasks completed were:
- Removed all trees and bushes that had grown up against the building
- Cleaned up the front flower beds
- Trimmed low hanging tree branches
- Removed weeds and brush throughout the property
- Removed a broken down fence and poles
- Removed and bagged all of the pine needles in the rear courtyard
- Removed all of the material from the offices, religious education classrooms, and kitchen that were left behind by the previous owner.
- Sorted the material into different piles where some will be sold in our next yard sale, some will be recycled, some could not be saved, and the rest will be used when we move into the facility.
Many thanks to all for the great work towards making this our new church home! I especially want to thank the folks who led the volunteer teams in different areas of the facility. Those team leads were Becky Ellingwood, Nancy Finley, George Fletcher, Audrey Fox, Jon Fox, Catherine Hall, Gary Hitt, Pam Korb, Deedee Moore, and Erin Reid. It was definitely a team effort!
If you were not able to come out to the work day on Saturday, please drive by the facility when you can and see the great work that was done. The address is 3921 Broadmor Road, Huntsville, AL 35810.
I am truly proud of the work that was done in less than 6 hours! Thanks to all!
--Brad Korb, Renovation Committee Chair
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 Care List
There were many requests for Candles on September the 15th:
A candle of joy for Ilene Sparks. "I have survived a serious staph infection and the aftermath of adverse effects of the antibiotic medication, losing 4 pounds in two weeks. I am fully recovered! Also today is the birthdate of my middle son, Joe Sparks, 71 years old."
A candle of concern for Pam Siegler. "Comfort and an eventual 'forever home' for the 100+ dogs rescued from a dogfighting ring run in three states. And strength to the volunteers of the US Humane Society taking care of them."
A candle of sorrow for Laurel Bollinger. "Please light a candle for David whose grandmother, Virginia Martin, died a week ago."
A candle of joy for Heather Kyemba. "My son Torin is officially out of the nursery and starting in the Peace Class today! Yay!"
A candle of joy for Kathy Fisher. "Happy birthday to my son and also my son-in-law, both named Rob, who have birthdays this week."
A candle of joy for LaDawn Edwards. "My brother Tyler in Iowa recently completed his CNA and is looking for his first job."
A candle of sorrow for George Fletcher. "A dear friend and mentor from Maryland passed away on Friday after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 75."
A candle of concern for Vanessa Miller Mantis. "We appreciate your continued support in George's job search. He has another out-of-state interview this week. Thank you for your prayers and kind thoughts."
A candle of joy for Jack Long. I am 63 years old on Wednesday. As the Grateful Dead said: 'What a long, strange trip it's been.'"
Note from Care Committee: A reminder that there is a Caring Bridge website to read updates and offer messages of support for David and Rev. Alice Syltie as David continues his treatment at MD Anderson in Houston. We are all concerned and eager to help the Sylties in any way we can, so please visit the site to read the Journal entries that Alice posts, and to sign the Guestbook. The link to the site is http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/davidsyltie . Click on Journal to see the updates, and Guestbook to leave a message.
When you fill out a Circle of Candles form to be read during the service, please indicate on the form if you do not want your concern mentioned in this newsletter.
If you have pastoral care needs, please contact the Reverend Alice Syltie at revaluu@aol.com. Barbara Hitt is Chair of the Care Committee, and may be reached at home, (256) 881.2531; on her cell, (256) 348.5845; or by email at bghitt1@comcast.net.
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UUCH 13-14 Board MembersPresident: Kevin Betts
V.P. Denise Hunter-Gilbert
Secretary: Bobby Hall
Treasurer: Jerome Belcher
Trustees: Nancy Finley, Kathy Heath, & Laurel Bollinger
Do you have an Agenda Item for the Board?
The Board respectfully requests that all agenda items for the meeting be submitted to Board President Kevin Betts, no later than one week prior to the meeting, i.e. the Tuesday before.You may leave a copy of your request in his Mailbox at the church office, or contact him at
Next UUCH Board Meeting will be on October 1st, 2013 at 7pm. Thanks for your cooperation!
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From the Overlook is a publication of
The Unitarian Universalist Church,
2222 Governor's Dr. Huntsville, AL 35801
Minister: The Reverend Alice Syltie
Board Pres: Kevin Betts
Editorial Board: Laurel Bollinger, Kathy Heath
Newsletter deadlines are each Monday at midnight!
Please send submissions to news collator Deedee Moore at uuch@uuch.org
Admin. Office Hours:
Monday 10am- 1pm; Thursday 9:30am-12pm ; Friday
10am-2pm
Office phone: 256.534-0508, email: uuch@uuch.org
Minister's Phone: 256.539-9607, email: revaluu@aol.com
Web: www.uuch.org
Sunday Services are held 10:45am to 12 noon;
Children's Religious Education held concurrently.
Nursery available for age 3 years and under.
For further info on any event, call the church office:
256. 534-0508.
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