This Sunday, March 6th, is a Sharing Sunday!
On the first Sunday of each month, weShare the Plate during the offering,
Share our Lunch with each other during Potluck, and
Share our Bounty by filling the Food Basket!
Please don't forget to bring non-perishable food and hygiene items for the food basket, to be donated to the Huntsville Assistance Program.
All donations are welcome and appreciated!
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Awareness Through Movement!
(NOTE: There will be no ATM class held on March 5th, but we will resume the following Saturday, the 12th.) Everyone is welcome! This Feldenkrais group class is designed to improve self-awareness and mobility. The class will be verbally guided through gentle movement sequences. These new movement patterns will enable you to move with greater ease and fluidity.
This Adult RE class is drop-in, no experience necessary, and is led by Sally Locklear. Wear comfortable, loose clothing, and bring a bath towel to use as a head support. Classes are held on Saturday mornings at 10:00 a.m. until further notice.
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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Safe Space for Children and Youth
For the safety and enjoyment of our all-ages community, parents/guardians are asked to supervise children and youth in the church facility and grounds when they are not in their planned RE activity.
A very important note on safety at the church:
Remember that your first stop on Sunday morning is to check-in at the RE Welcome Area in the foyer and pick up a nametag. The grounds are large, and we ask as always that children be in parents' or guardians' supervision at all times, especially on the playground.
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Mmmm-mmm Good!
If you are a coffee connoisseur, the Social Justice Committee invites you to visit the coffee table in the Fellowship Hall to order your Certified Fair Trade and Organic coffee from the Kaffeeklatsch. Provide your name, contact info, and type of coffee, grind, and amount you want and deliveries will be made the following Sunday (unless you arrange otherwise). Should you not make it that next Sunday the coffee will go into the church kitchen's freezer with your name on it. All profits go in support of our Social Justice efforts.
In addition to Certified Fair Trade and Organic coffee from the Kaffeeklatsch, Your Social Justice Committee also sells Fair Trade chocolate from Equal Exchange.
Right now we have dark chocolate & almond bars, as well as chocolate Easter Eggs! (Fair Trade means no bunnies were harmed during the egg-laying process.) Pick yours up in the Fellowship Hall after Sunday morning services!
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Upcoming Services
Sunday, March 6th, 2016
"What's Religious About Sexuality Education?"
The Reverend Alice Syltie and
Erin Reid, Religious Education Director
Have you heard people around the church talk about OWL and wondered what it was? OWL, or Our Whole Lives, is a comprehensive, lifespan sexuality education curricula developed by the UUA in collaboration with the United Church of Christ, UCC. OWL may well be one of the greatest gifts we offer our young people, and soon we will offer it to the adults in our congregation, as well. OWL is a social justice approach to inclusive sexuality education. The Our Whole Lives program is taught in the context of our Unitarian Universalist religious values. It is designed to help transform a cultural climate of fear and confusion into a new reality of lives lived congruent with the values of our principles, particularly the inherent worth and dignity of each and every person.
This Sunday we Share the Plate with Friends, Inc. For more about this program, please see the article below.
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This Sunday in Children and Youth Religious Education
We continue our shared journey with Heart Talk for Kids with all ages, this week focusing on Session 14: Anger, Empathy, and Conflict Resolution. Childcare for ages 0-3 will be offered as usual in the Nursery.
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Sunday "Brunch" Potluck, March 6th!
Please join us for our First Sunday Potluck. Join the fun and bring a favorite dish! We will have two fragrance-free tables at the potluck.
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Our Shared Journey Update
 The UUCH Annual Budget Drive (ABD) is in full swing! ABD pledges account for 90% of our budget and allow us to plan for what is possible during the upcoming year (which starts July 1st). We celebrate what we are accomplishing, including the highest children's RE registration, highest UUCH membership, and highest average Sunday attendance on record. We celebrate the wealth of opportunities offered in Adult RE and Social Justice and the way that we care for one another and take the time to know one another. We celebrate our music and worship programs and our professional staff that works so well together. We love our new space and want to make it better for all to enjoy.
This year, if pledges allow, the focus is on living out two of our principles. We'll focus on the inherent worth and dignity of every person by making continued accessibility improvements to our church space, improving the audio and visual experiences of our community, and enhancing the outside church space for all to enjoy. We'll focus on a free and responsible search for truth and meaning by expanding our Religious Education programs by moving from the current part-time Children's RE position toward a full-time Director of Lifespan Religious Education over the next few years.
We've had a great start, with pledges totaling $70,600 so far. Thank you to all that have already pledged! We look forward to hearing from everyone!
Jason Aycock, 2016 ABD Chair
Kevin Betts, 2016 ABD Co-chair
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Adult RE SoulCollage® Workshop
This Coming Monday!
SoulCollage® is a creative process that requires no artistic ability. Using collage techniques, cards are designed based on intuition. The cards reflect our inner self and help us get to know ourselves better, discovering our own wisdom.
This journey begins with the first card so it is never too late to get started with your own SoulCollage® cards. The process is designed to allow each person to work as deeply and intensely as they are comfortable doing, knowing the pace is right for them.
 The only skill needed is the ability to use scissors. That's it, just cut and paste images from the hundreds we've pulled from magazines to your 5" x 8" card. Come prepared to be surprised at what you find.
Denise Runnels and Nancy Finley will co-facilitate the workshop. We will meet in the UUCH fellowship hall Monday evening, March 7th, at 6:00 p.m. and create until 8:30 p.m. Check out soulcollage.com for more information about the SoulCollage® process we are following developed by Seena B. Frost. Or ask Denise (drrunnel@gmail.com) for more information about the process and/or the workshop.
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Can You Help with Meal Pack Supplies?
 The Social Justice Committee and Children and Youth Religious Education Program will be holding a RE Creative Service on Sunday, March 20th, where children and youth will assemble meal packs for distribution in the community.
As a congregation-wide social justice activity, all are invited to bring an item to share with the church's homeless outreach. If you would like to donate, please place items in the collection areas in the foyer or Fellowship Hall.
Items needed: individual servings of Vienna sausage, pudding cups, granola bars, juice boxes, fruit cups and packs of crackers; also travel size toiletries and personal care items. And of course, gallon-sized Ziplock bags!
This will be an ongoing collection through Sunday, March 13th. Thank you!
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Grades 5-6 Our Whole Lives (OWL) Parent Meeting, Sunday, March 13th
 The initial parent orientation session for Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality education programs for grades 5-6 will be held Sunday, March 13th, 12:30-3:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall of the church, sponsored by the Children and Youth Religious Education Program. We will offer some light refreshments, and childcare will be provided as needed. This is a mandatory session for parents who are interested in their youth participating in the program. The OWL sessions will begin April 10th (revised date), with a joint meeting for parents and participating youth. The meeting on March 13th is just for parents. The parent orientation session will offer an overview of the curriculum as well as the principles and values behind the program.
OWL offers a beautiful curriculum in keeping with UU values for building holistic identity and sexuality awareness in young people. OWL fosters authenticity, safety, age-appropriate understanding, self-worth, and, in general, provides the tools a young person needs to make healthy choices. OWL classes will be led by a committed team of trained facilitators. Read more about OWL at http://www.uua.org/re/owl/.
Please contact RE Director Erin Reid at eereid@hotmail.com with any questions or childcare needs for this meeting.
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UUCH BOOK SALE!
Four Days of Book Buying!
Wednesday, April 20th through Friday, April 22nd,
from Noon until 7:00 p.m.
AND Continuing
Saturday, April 23rd, from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Admission is FREE!
There will be no pre-sales!
Come browse through the HUGE SELECTION of used books, audio, video, magazines, rare finds and old favorites at BARGAIN PRICES--get there before the good ones get away!
What Can YOU Do To Help?
- Donate your books to this great cause (and get a tax deduction).
- Invite your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.
- Bring your books to church any time before Sunday, April 17th, and leave them in front of the North Hall doors.
- Plan to stay after church on Sunday, April 17th, for a book-sorting party!
- Volunteer to work a shift at the sale. Look for sign-up opportunities during the month before the sale.
"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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Why I Give Freely of My Time and My Money in Support of Our Church
--by Susan Coddington
The Annual Budget Drive theme for this year is Our Shared Journey. Today, I'd like to share with you a part of my shared journey.
Tim and I moved to Huntsville in 2002. We had lived in many places and had decided that it was time to settle at least for a bit. Our boys were young, Raine was 7 and Liam was 4, and we wanted to give them some sort of stability during their school years. We selected Huntsville mostly because it was closer to my family but also because of the high-tech opportunities in the area.
I had grown up in Alabama not too far from Huntsville, so I was fully aware of what we would be facing both socially and politically. Everywhere else we had lived, the question of where we went to church was never an issue. Thank goodness, because we didn't go to church. But I knew that in Alabama that would not be generally acceptable. Unfortunately, I no longer believed in 2002 as I did when I left Alabama in 1983. I say "unfortunately," but I really mean "fortunately" because my search for a new church home led me to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville. Our Unitarian Universalist principles rang true for me and I knew after attending this church for several weeks that I had found a group of kindred spirits; I had found "my people."
Quickly, I became active in the church. As part of my journey, I have spent many years as an RE teacher, starting with our older youth and working my way down to the lower grades. Currently, I am one of the teachers for the Justice class. I'm also a trained OWL facilitator, providing sexual education to our youth. I have learned so much and have become a better person by being a part of our RE and OWL programs. Most importantly, I've learned that the children in our congregation are amazing. Each week, I am surprised by their ability to think for themselves and to be comfortable enough in this place, our church, to voice their thoughts, opinions, and dreams. We did this. We as a congregation have made this a safe place for our children to grow and mature not into mini-me's of us, but into their own intelligent selves with the basics to continue growing and developing into leaders for the next generation. We are allowing them to continue the journey.
From my first visit to this church, the music here has touched my soul. So obviously, a big part of my shared journey with this church involves music. I have been a member of the choir for many years. Not only am I the current Music Chair, I occasionally fill in as the pianist. I love singing in this choir. On NPR, I heard about a study that found that the heart rates of choir members calm when singing together, and most importantly the heartbeats fall into a shared rhythm, becoming synchronized with the song's tempo. So being in choir is really my therapy. I am calmer after choir practice mostly because I am sharing my journey in a very physical way as my heartbeat synchronizes with the other choir members.
So on this Valentine's Day, I am reminded of how much I love this church. I love the environment that we have provided for our children here. I want this community to be around for many generations after I'm gone. That's why I give freely of my time and my money in support of our church. I want our current and future members to have a church home that is a safe place where we can grow together, be ourselves, and share our thoughts, dreams, and desires. In committing my money to UUCH, I am ensuring that our shared journey continues.
Thank you,
Susan Coddington Susan first shared these thoughts with the congregation during the service on February 14th.
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We Share the Plate* with Friends, Inc.
 Everyone Needs A Friend...
When a person is diagnosed with a serious illness or disability, they face a variety of new situations, treatments, and changes in lifestyle brought about by that illness. Through caring volunteers, and with no cost to the patient or their family, FRIENDS, INC. offers multiple support services to seriously ill and disabled patients, helping them to cope with their new circumstances and enabling them to maintain their independence. 
FRIENDS, INC. volunteers receive ongoing training and support. FRIENDS, INC. is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of the seriously ill, disabled, and elderly in Huntsville and Madison County.
As a non-profit organization, Friends, Inc. relies on grants, private donations and community support to meet our mission and vision.
*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 Friends, Inc.
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 Care List
At our Circle of Candles on
Sunday, February 28th, candles were lit for:
Gina and Steve Rittenberg, a candle of joy: "Joy for the shawl received from the Care Committee. It will keep Gina warm and remind us of all of you at our next visit to M.D. Anderson in early March."
Kathy Fisher, a candle of joy: "Last weekend our family had a huge reunion and party as we celebrated my nephew's wedding in Cincinnati. And my grandson turned 12 Saturday. He was three when we went to Egypt!"
Jo Broussard, a candle of joy: "A quote used with permission by Danny Ricketts, 'All the people in your church are really nice people, everyone!'"
Barbara Hitt for Care Committee:
"Please light a candle of concern for Echo Long. Echo was in the hospital with a kidney infection for three days last week, and she is still recovering from her last round of aggressive chemo. It is difficult for her to eat, and she is down to 97 pounds. She says she now realizes that it is actually possible to be too thin, despite the saying 'One cannot be too rich or too thin.' Echo, we are all pulling for you and sending our thoughts, love and care."
"Please light a candle of concern for Catherine Hall. Catherine has been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, and she is starting to experience problems with coughing, breathlessness, and fatigue. We have enjoyed Catherine's piano playing as well as her regular attendance at Sunday services and her handmade baby sets for the Knit Wits over the many years that she has been a valuable member of our congregation. Catherine, we offer our encouragement and support."
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 15-16 Board Members
President: Laurel Bollinger
Vice-President: Angel Hundley
Secretary: Ed Bernstein
Treasurer: Jerome Belcher
Trustees: Millicent Simmons, Jon Fox, & Denise Runnels
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 Laurel Bollinger, no later than one week prior to the meeting, i.e. the Tuesday before. You may leave a copy of your request in her Mailbox at the church office, or contact her at UUCHBoardPresident@uuch.org.
The next UUCH Board Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 29th, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. Thanks for your cooperation!
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From the Overlook is a publication of
The Unitarian Universalist Church,
3921 Broadmor Rd. Huntsville, AL 35810
Minister: The Reverend Alice Syltie
Board President: Laurel Bollinger
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: 10:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. Mon-Tue-Thu-Fri.
For Wednesday access, please call in advance.
Office phone: 256.534-0508, email: uuch@uuch.org.
Minister's email: revaluu@aol.com.
Website: www.uuch.org
Sunday Services are held 10:45 a.m. to 12:00 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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