This Sunday, January 5th, is a Sharing Sunday!
On the first Sunday of each month, we
Share the Plate during the offering,
Share our Lunch with each other during Potluck and
Share our Bounty by bringing Food Items for the Food Basket!
Your Social Justice Committee asks that we bring non-perishable food items for the food basket this Sunday, to be donated to the Huntsville Assistance Program. The basket is in the sanctuary, near the coffee counter at the back. Our Goal: 100 Food Items per month!
Food items are welcome at any time, but we're making a special effort to bring items on the first Sunday of each month; we will share food with the larger community as we share with our Church friends and families.
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This Sunday's Potluck: Bring Your Own Plate
In a move to a more environmentally sustainable world, our Social Justice committee has suggested that we Bring Our Own non-disposable plates, cups, etc. to our monthly Sunday Potlucks. You may also want to remember to bring a bag for transporting home your dirty items! We'll continue to provide disposables for those who need them.
(In addition to being "green," bringing your own plates also saves the church money to help fulfill other goals!)
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Hot Chocolate for Cold Weather!
This Sunday, Equal Exchange Fair Trade chocolate will again be for sale in the back of the sanctuary.
In addition to the yummy chocolate bars, we will be selling hot cocoa, baking cocoa, and chocolate chips. Proceeds are used for social justice projects, and our congregation's purchase of Equal Exchange products supports UUSC.
We also have
Fair Trade, Organic, "Kaffeeklatsch" coffee for sale!
With Fair Trade products, everyone wins!
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Upcoming Services
Sunday January 5th, 2014
"What to Take, What to Leave:
A Fire Communion Ceremony"
The Reverend Alice Syltie
January fifth is Twelfth Night, a day of festivities in both ancient and modern times. In medieval England it marked the end of a Winter Festival that started on All Hallows Eve. Today many celebrations focus on the conclusion of the Christmas season, and the beginning of Carnival season. Whether we observe a liturgical year, or the calendar year, a seasonal change is upon us. With a new month, we have a new theme. Character is our theme for January and the question is, "What does it mean to live a life of character?" As 2013 becomes a memory and we embrace the new year, an exciting future awaits our UUCH Community. What will we carry forward into the new year, and what will we let go of in order to make space for something new? You are invited to reflect on that question in anticipation of our Fire Communion Ceremony this Sunday.
This Sunday we Share the Plate with New Futures, Inc. Please see the article below.
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This Sunday in Religious Education
Children and Youth RE classes will resume as we begin our spring program, continuing the theme, "Good churches make good neighbors." Children and youth will go to their regular RE rooms. Welcome Back!
Nursery care (ages 0-3) will be provided as usual.
For more information, contact Erin Reid, our Director of Religious Education (256.694.6786 or eeried@hotmail.com).
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Wrapping Up a Guest At Your Table  As the holiday season ends, so does our participation in the Guest at Your Table (GAYT) program which is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC). Hopefully you were able to pick up a GAYT box and/or the Stories of Hope booklet with a white envelope inside. The Stories of Hope booklet helped put some faces to the many grassroots organizations that the UUSC supports within the United States and around the world, and helped us visualize the Guests we support through our contributions to the UUSC. There are three ways that you can send in your contribution to the UUSC's Guest at Your Table program: 1) Bring your GAYT box or envelope to church and leave it in the basket in the foyer. 2) Mail your GAYT envelope or check directly to the UUSC at: Guest at Your Table UUSC P.O. Box 808 Newark, NJ 07101-0808 3) Charge your contribution on-line at the website: https://guest.uusc.org/uuch.
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"New UU" Class Starts January 5th  What does it mean to be a Unitarian Universalist? Guided by the UU Tapestry of Faith Curriculum, this three-part series explores important themes in UU congregational life such as worship, theology, history, covenant, faith development, social justice, and membership. This program focuses on introducing newcomers to Unitarian Universalism, but those who have been at UUCH for a while 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! So mark your calendars now for the Sunday mornings of January 5th, 12th, and 19th for 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 Pam Korb (bradkorb@mindspring.com) for further info. If you need childcare during these classes, please contact Pam at least a week before the event.
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Adult RE Hosts Classes on
Awareness Through Movement
UUCH Adult RE focuses on the whole spiritual person--mentally and physically. Starting in January, we will host a class on gentle movement that can assist us in being more comfortable and pain-free in our everyday activities. Come learn how to use the core of your body to improve movement, balance, and chronic pain.
 This verbally guided Awareness Through Movement ® class is for anyone who wants more ease and comfort in their movements. Class is drop-in, no experience necessary, and will be led by Sally Locklear. Everyone is welcome. Wear comfortable, loose clothing, and bring a bath or beach towel to use as head support for comfort in side-lying. Saturday morning at 10:00-11:15 starting January 4, 2014.
For further information, contact Nancy Finley at finleyn@uah.edu. If you need childcare for this event, please contact Nancy at least a week before the event.
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We Share the Plate* with New Futures, Inc.  New Futures, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, founded in 1990, addressing the need in Huntsville and Madison County for an organization that serves homeless, intact families. New Futures Inc. operates the Marilyn Mabry Family Lodge, a homeless shelter that allows families to remain together in a safe, family-friendly environment. They are the only homeless transitional housing program in Madison County that accepts families with children up to 18 of both genders, single fathers with minor children, and single mothers with sons over age 10. By keeping families together, the Lodge will enhance the positive outcomes for all family members, and ultimately for the community of Madison County. 
New Futures' shelter is dormitory style, with private rooms and shared bathrooms and common areas. Through its transitional housing program, New Futures acts as a catalyst for homeless families to obtain skills, education, and successes to empower themselves and overcome extreme poverty to achieve independence. Services include a Shelter Program--90 day program, job prep, job search assistance, case management; and a Transitional Housing Program--including Education Services (including GED, Certificate & assistance), Job Placement, Job Coach/Resume Building Classes, Transportation, Counseling, and Daycare assistance. For more information, see their website: newfuturesriseabove.org
*When we "Share the Plate," all cash collected on the first Sunday of each month in the quarter (January, February, and March), along with any checks noted as "Share the Plate," will be halved with New Futures, Inc.
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 Care List
Sunday, December 29th, our Circle of Candles included:
A Joy for Dina Hughes: "My son Brian is here with me or the week. This makes me so happy!"
A Sorrow for Jon Fox: "Thinking of my mother as she begins treatment for breast cancer, diagnosed last week."
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
Vice-President: 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 Tuesday, January 28th, 2014 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 President: 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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