This year I am breaking my eleven-year history of perfect attendance for Sunday morning worship. I remember one time standing in front of the pharmacy waiting for it to open at 10 am to get migraine medication, hoping it would take effect before the 10:45 starting time for worship. Even this year, I've conjured up nearly crazy schemes to be present on Sunday morning. Thank goodness some of you are feeding me my own advice, and I am listening and accepting your support at a difficult time.   

A lot of what I do is invisible to all except the person or people with whom I am directly relating.  Sometimes it's individuals, sometimes the Board, Council or a particular committee. There are numerous phone calls, emails, and face-to-face conversations. With all the technology at our hands, one can keep up with a lot of that from a distance.   Even so, a lot of people are working extra hard to keep things on track, and to offer the support I need to do the best thing for my family.  Like some of my work, one of our committees does work that can be hidden from view.   As chair of the Care Committee, Barbara Hitt deserves thanks for coordinating volunteers among you to make sure that my family does not go hungry, and that I am well nourished for this unexpected expenditure of energy. This is enormously helpful. I'm sure we would not have been eating so well if it was left to me to plan, shop, cook, and clean up from meal preparation. In addition, the time I save gives me more time to attend to church work.  Barbara also set up the Caring Bridge site, so that I can more easily communicate with you about David's health and treatment.    

What is most visible--and probably creates the greatest impact, especially for new people--is what happens between 10:45 and noon on Sunday mornings. Thanks to Angel Hundley, chair of the Worship Committee, along with the entire committee and a number of others who have worked with Angel and me, we have continued to have creative and imaginative worship each and every Sunday morning. 

I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks and to tell you that I think UUCH must be one of the most caring places to serve as minister. I am looking forward to all the new and exciting things coming our way. One of those exciting new things is our opportunity to serve as a teaching congregation, as we walk with our new intern minister, Denise Gyauch, on her journey to becoming an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister. Many of you have met Denise, as she has been a presence in Sunday services and at several meetings. In the coming weeks and subsequent newsletters there will be more information about the internship process. This is a big step for me, as her supervising minister, and for our congregation. I am looking forward to the richness of this new relationship. 

In hope and love, 

Rev. Alice

Please reduce your speed and plan to attend the Community Construction Zone on Saturday, November 16th at the church. Be aware that fun is doubled within the Zone. We want that fun to last!

Donate a service and build the foundation. Donate a dinner, a hike, a party, a monthly dessert delivery! You'll be surprised how easy it is to construct your community. Contribute a homemade item that brings to mind YOU every time it's used! Be creative. Share your talents. Construct new relationships.

Please make your donation before midnight on November 10th. There are three ways to donate:

1. Paper--Fill out a paper donation form and drop it into the box in the foyer.
2. Email--Send your donation info in an email to stevendherold@gmail.com
3. Online--Donate online at www.CommunityAuctionServices.com/register/uuch2013

Don't miss the food, the fellowship, and the fun on Saturday, November 16th. The doors open at 6PM. Door prizes will be awarded during  the evening. You must be present to win. No need to get a sitter--childcare will be provided.

See you there!

Run, UUs, Run!  

Come out and support the team!! 

For the 4th year, UUCH has formed a team to enter the 10th Annual Liz Hurley Ribbon Run to benefit breast cancer awareness. Registration is now closed, but we have 11 people on our team! 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--the race starts at 8am.   The race winds through downtown Huntsville, starting and ending at Huntsville Middle School. Come watch the action! And check next week's newsletter for results!

Go Team UUCH! 

Halloween Spooktacular!
It's a boo-tiful thing!

Ghosts & Goblins, Creatures & Critters, Kids & Adults--come one, come all to our all-church Halloween party! Saturday, Oct. 26, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Even though the Halloween party is sponsored by Children's RE, this is an all-ages party, for children and adults alike! We'll have dancing, a cakewalk, and "best costume" contests for children and adults. Favorite dance tunes for all generations will be provided by the Music Machine DJ. Fun for everyone!  

Watch for sign-ups for bringing Halloween snacks, spooooky cakes for the cakewalk, and helping with set-up and clean-up. For more information contact Erin Reid at  eereid@hotmail.com or Becky Ellingwood at  beckyel22@gmail.com.

UUCH held its bi-annual Book Sale on Friday and Saturday, October 11th and 12th, and raised over $1,100.  Many members and friends replenished their home libraries with new reading materials at bargain prices.  An estimated 4,000 books were donated to UUCH for the sale.

Many thanks go out to those who participated in the sale in the following ways:

• Sorting Party held Sunday afternoon, Oct. 6th:   Many people stayed after the 1st Sunday potluck and made quick work of organizing a huge quantity of books. 
• Worked Shifts at the Sale: Anna Bertone, Peter Bertone, Jerome Belcher, Tonia Betts, LaDawn Edwards, Becky Ellingwood, Will Garrison, Nancy Finley, Bob Gregory, Catherine Hall, Bonnie Herold, Steve Herold, Angel Hundley, Laurie Keller, Brad Korb, Pam Korb, Megan Lewallen, Steven Lewallen, Meagan Lykins, Theresa Miller, Tim Miller, Deedee Moore, Eleanor Schweinsberg, Lisa White, and Nick Wilbourn.
• Special Support: Steve Herold, Nancy Finley, Becky Ellingwood, Jerome Belcher, Paulette Bernstein, Anna Bertone, Peter Bertone and Pam Korb for boxing, loading and delivering the leftover books; Deedee Moore for publicity assistance; LaDawn Edwards and Millicent Simmons for additional pre-sale sorting; Dave Stone for bookends used on each table; Sage Betts for helping with last minute sale details; and Autumn and Rose Betts for giving shopping bags to customers. 
• Members and Friends who bought books: We really appreciate those who came to shop and replenish their home libraries.  Thanks so much for shopping with us!
• Donors: This sale could not have happened without the generous donations of books from members and friends.  We appreciate your generosity!  Tax donation forms are available in a folder at the rear of the sanctuary (near the name tags), or you may email or call the church (534-0508 or uuch@uuch.org) to request that a form be mailed to you.

Unsold books were donated to the following two non-profit organizations, and a few boxes were retained to be sold at the spring UUCH yard sale:

1. The Village Marketplace, Inc., a local thrift store raising money for local anti-poverty programs.   www.facebook.com/VillageMarketplaceOnline.
2. Huntsville Friends of the Library Bookstore.   http://hmcpl.org/friends. 

And we all thank Booksale Coordinator Pam Korb for her excellent ringleading of this extravaganza! --ed.

Broadmor Briefing

The Renovation Committee continues to make progress with the Broadmor facility renovations as follows:

• Obtained a free energy audit by a TVA engineer; the focus was on the HVAC and lighting systems and the engineer will provide a written report in a few weeks with suggestions on how to improve energy efficiency within the facility.
• Received an offer by one of the Chalice Circle small groups to renovate part of the playground for their service project.
• Received concurrence from the UUCH Board to establish an Aesthetics subcommittee that will begin evaluating color schemes, flooring options, and other improvements that will enhance the beauty of the facility and provide an aesthetic continuity within the facility.
• Continued to work with potential HVAC engineering firms and architects to obtain estimates for their services.

--Brad Korb, Renovation Committee Chair

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

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.