INSIDE THIS WEEKLY MISSIVE
- HUUF Leadership Opportunities
- Reflection from Amy Day, Director of Lifespan Religious Exploration
- OWL
- Sunday Services & Fellowship Engagements
- HUUF Halloween Fest 2022!
- Fellowship Happenings
- Caring Connection
- From the UUA: Ingathering Message from Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray
- Community Bulletin
- Staff Office Hours
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HUUF Leadership Opportunities
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Join the HUUF Leadership Team
Three board opportunities are currently available for service starting in September.
HUUF’s Board will be an integral part of our transition and growth.
This is an amazing opportunity for HUUF members to help guide our beloved organization while upholding the values that we represent.
Collaborating and learning while deepening Fellowship relationships is a spiritual practice.
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Reflection from Amy Day, DLRE
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To the Beloved Community,
“The ancient question, ‘Who am I?’ inevitably leads to a deeper one: ‘Whose am I?’ – because there is no identity outside of relationship. You cannot be a person by yourself. To ask “Whose am I” is to extend the question far beyond the little self-absorbed self, and wonder: Who needs you? Who loves you? To whom are you accountable? To whom do you answer? Whose life is altered by your choices? With whose life is your own all bound up, inextricably, in obvious or invisible ways?” ~Douglas Steer
At every step along the way of my time here at HUUF there has been a distinctive pattern. One first of Connection – Conversation – a coming together of minds and hearts – and then Expansion. From the moment, I tentatively (and very sparingly) stepped in as the Youth Choir Director to my role serving under DRE Therese Fitzmaurice, assisting and unofficially apprenticing with her, to the circuitous route that led to the creation of my title as Fellowship Engagement Coordinator, to the position I now hold. Every step of the way, the path has been one of gracious collaboration, co-creation and growth. Here was the clear and articulated need. Here was the compensation offered. Did I have the skills, energy and desire to fill it? Yes. I did.
It is only at this juncture that I have begun to feel that beautiful and fluid patterning grind to a halt.A while ago, I expressed my desire and excitement at the prospect of re-imagining our existing leadership structure to meet the needs of our Fellowship. To see what we can do with the resources and heart-led, committed folks we have right here in front of us, rather than just casting our hopes upon the potential magic and prowess of an outside force or professional we have yet to meet. What I have heard coming from members of the congregation and by way of recommendations from the Ministerial Relations Committee, is a recommendation to enter into an Interim Ministerial Team covenant and agreement with Bridgette Garuti and myself for the next two years. Re-defining our roles and titles and compensation guidelines, and providing additional support, as needed to properly and holistically address the needs of our congregation. What I believe is needed is a thorough re-imagining of how we tend to the ministerial needs, and family, intergenerational needs, and business, technical and administrative needs of this Fellowship given ALL the resources we currently possess. A discarding of the old and an a welcoming and embracing and crafting of the new.
A thorough, open-hearted conversation between those seated here inside this congregation and those occupying the very weary seats of staff.
Connection. Conversation. Creation. Expansion.
Sadly, I have seen little over the course of the past several months to lead me to believe that such a thing is possible herein.
I have loved and been immensely blessed by my time here at the Fellowship, in all my various roles and iterations. I am so grateful to have been in relationship with the many elders, children, families and members of the community with whom I’ve connected here. This blessing and my deep reverence for it cannot be overstated.
However, the current system as it has been proposed, I know, is untenable and inequitable and I cannot, in good faith, move forward with it as it currently stands.
With that, it is not without considerable prayer and forethought, that I must announce to you my decision to resign from my post as your Director of Lifespan Religious Exploration. I will continue on through the end of December of 2022 to ensure the Board and the Congregation have adequate time to make whatever personnel decisions you see fit and find someone new to fill the needs as you see them. And I will do my best to complete and hand off the many projects and tasks which I currently hold, as I am able.
I have loved “belonging” to you all in the various iterations and forms in which we’ve come together over the past several years.
And I look forward to connecting with many of you over the next few months, and hopefully, beyond.
What a beautiful (& challenging) journey we’ve been on.
I look forward to what comes next.
yours,
in grace & (DEEP)gratitude,
Amy Day (she/her)
Director of Lifespan Religious Exploration, HUUF
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Our Whole Lives (OWL) human sexuality education returns!
Bek Paez and Jodi Smith will be starting up an extended cohort for the 7th-9th grade age group beginning at the end of this month. This is a multiple month commitment and journey, designed this way to help your youth integrate this vital information over time, rather than try to wolf it down all at once.
Parents’ Orientation will be Sept 27th, 6-7:30 pm.
Weekly sessions will take place on Tuesdays from 4:30-6:30 at HUUF, with two overnight retreat sessions included as part of this learning journey, as well. More information will soon be made available on the website, including a sign-up sheet and detailed registration costs. In the meantime, if you have any questions or interest in this particular cohort, you may contact Bek @ 430bek@gmail.com
Though we’ve received several requests to host another 4th-6th grade cohort this Fall, unfortunately, due to a lack of available facilitators, we will not be offering this until next Spring. If you have a child who you are interested in participating in this group, or the younger K/1 cohort, please contact Amy and she will add you to the waiting list.
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Sunday Services & Fellowship Engagements
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The Play’s the Thing!
Sunday, September 4th
11 am at HUUF
Multi-Generational Worship
with Worship Leader: Amy Day
Maria Montessori famously wrote that, “Play is the work of the child.”
In an extractive, capitalist culture such as ours, too often we adults are taught to prioritize only those labors that culminate in an end product, a paycheck, or some other tangible, commodified outcome. Yet where, in our work-driven society, do we set aside time and space for the element of play?
In this ALL AGES service, Director of Lifespan Religious Exploration Amy Day will move us through a multifaceted experience designed to re-orient us to the value and impact of play, curiosity, and delight, and invite us to create space for these life-affirming qualities and practices inside our world once more. Come join in the fun!
Join us in person
OR…Join us on ZOOM
All Fellowship Potluck and Squash Derby
On September 11th, following the Gathering of the Waters Service. We’ ll get a chance to socialize, reconnect with people we have not seen for awhile, dine on delicious food and have a zany Squash Car Derby.
Each team will build a race ‘car’ with oversized zucchini squash as the base. You will drill holes for the axles and mount wheels. You can decorate it anyway you wish. You can use the materials provided or make one at home prior to the event. Each team will consist of a parent and child, two children/ youth, two adults, or any combination of 2 or more people. We will put a cardboard ramp on the rolling slope of the playscape and see whose race squash goes the furthest. Come be a part of the fun.
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The Future of Worship and You
Were you unable to attend any or all of the Sunday series of three discussions on the future of worship? Have you had further thoughts on the questions? It’s not too late to share your feedback.
The Program and Worship Committee invites you to follow the link below to give your input!
https://huuf.org/future-of-worship-discussion-forms/
(This link is also available on the HUUF website and in the newsletter)
The portal will be open through September 10 for your responses to the questions.
The Program & Worship Committee will report on the results in the October newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you as we shape the future of the Fellowship’s Worship.
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The Ministry of Welcoming
You can help us create an easeful and welcoming atmosphere each Sunday by signing up for one or more of the following….
Pre-Service Greeter (2) ___________________ Sign Up HERE
Pre-Service Chair/Canopy Set up (3) ________ Sign Up HERE
Coffee Set Up (2) ________________________ Sign Up HERE
Post -Service Cup Washers(2) _____________ Sign Up HERE
Bring Flowers __________________________ Sign Up HERE
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Yoga & Art at the Fellowship!Mondays, 5:30-6:45 pm,
Sept. 12-Oct. 3
The best of all possible worlds coming together at HUUF! For 4 more consecutive Mondays, we will be hosting two parallel activities for folks interested in the healing and creative arts.
Both of these classes are lovingly sponsored by our Fellowship Engagement and RE programs. Donations welcome and gratefully accepted, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
REMINDER: NO Classes this Monday- 9/5 – in observance of Labor Day.
– join Jamie or Debbi on 9/12, 9/19, 9/26 and 10/3
Several Soul Matters groups are currently in formation.
- The third Tuesday of each month beginning September 20th, 7-8:30 pm on Zoom Amy Day will be offering this online open group. The Zoom link can be accessed here, and will soon be available/visible on the website, as well. Check back soon.
- The second and fourth Wednesdays of the month In Person at HUUF beginning September 14h, 7-8:30 pm Margy Emerson is organizing a twice-monthly, in-person group that will meet inside the CARE building 7-8:30 pm. This will be an open group, so please feel free to stop by and check it out. No long-term commitment is necessary to engage here. Come as you are and when you can. We welcome you.
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Our beloved Halloween Festival looms upon us – in theory, at least. This wonderful and whimsical community offering has always been one made almost entirely possible by the energies, imagination and vast creativity of folks like YOU. Our projected date to put this well-loved event on would likely fall on Saturday, October 29. Much work needs to be done in the interim to make that a reality, and at present, we have no dedicated volunteers for this year’s event. If you would like to be involved in helping to make this year’s festival come to fruition – an idea for a song, skit, craft, sacred observance or would like to help set up, clean up, or make some cupcakes – We welcome you! Please note that the format for this sweet offering is, by no means SET in stone. What we create this year depends entirely upon who shows up to craft this vision into life! So, please bring your ideas and inspiration to our first Halloween Festival Team Meeting happening Thursday, Sept.15, 5:30 – 7:00 pm on Zoom.
Please, sign up for that Zoom event by going here. |
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- In Observance of Labor Day: The HUUF Office will be closed Monday September 5
- In Memory of Thea Gast! – I Block Party 2022: Join the fun and festivities 12-6PM on Monday, September 5th – Free admission, Live Music, Raffle, Silent Auction, BBQ & Local Brews See the full flyer below in the Community Bulletin section of the Weekly.
- Next All Congregation Meeting! Sunday, September 18:As announced in the HUUF September Newsletter, we have an important congregational meeting coming up – However, the date of this meeting has shifted slightly. Please mark your calendars and plan to join the meeting on Sunday September 18 directly after Service at 12:30. Your attendance is a key component to supporting our consensus structure.
- HUUF’s September Newsletter has posted to the website!: View it HERE
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Caring Connection
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Beloved Fellowship member, Ann Compton, passed away peacefully last Thursday. She was surrounded by loved ones as she embraced her journey home.
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An Ingathering Message from Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray
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Bayside Corners invites you to join the Bayside Bazaar & Community Yard Sale
Saturday August 27!
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OFFICE – Congregational Administrator, Bridgette Garuti, office@huuf.org: on campus: 9:30-4:00 Monday-Wednesday, available by email only on Thursdays.
DLRE – Amy Day, comm@huuf.org: on campus: Tuesday and Thursday on vacation during the month of July
TECH – Anna Bressers, it@huuf.org: available by email
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