- President Ruth Milledge
- Rev. Dr. Molly Housh Gordon
- Jamila Batchelder, Director of Religious Education
President’s Perspective – President Ruth Milledge
Dear UUCC,
I first became acquainted with UUCC when I heard a radio announcement about an interesting activity here. During that activity, I learned that UUCC needed volunteers in order to provide
hospitality to guests needing shelter from cold winter nights. I was both interested and intimidated. I had no idea what to expect. Volunteering overnight when most guests were asleep
allowed me to dip my toe in. That initial step led to rewarding associations with UUCC.
I learned to work Sudoku. We discussed the books we were reading. I saw the care that the other volunteers had for our guests. I began attending services.
Soon, I was comfortable with our guests. I volunteered during other shifts which allowed us to become better acquainted. One night, a guest called the attention of others to the writing by the
doors of our church, “In the spirit of courageous love, we forge a community of radical welcome and deep connection that moves us together to heal the world.” A spirited discussion followed.
They were impressed, and many voiced the opinion that the phrase “a community of radical welcome” was especially cool. Our mission statement has been dear to me ever since. I often wonder over the wisdom and heart of the community that labored together to create such a statement.
Now, our Mission and Vision Team is busy planning wonderful ways to engage the congregation in a review and revision our Mission and Vision Statements. I look forward to experiencing this process with you and to the cool results.
Ruth Milledge,
2024-25 President
Rev. Dr. Molly Housh Gordon
Dear UU Churchers,
In 2023-24, we spent the September-May program year talking about how to move together well through precarious times. For 2024-25, we’ve zeroed in on “Care” as one of our most powerful responses to all that is uncertain and unsettled and still possible and emerging all around us. Care is an active and responsive kind of love. It is attentive and and nurturing. Care is gentle and rigorously committed to thriving. Wherever we are headed together, “Creating a Culture of Care” will be one of the things that sustains us.
In so many conversations about the future we are co-creating, we are being offered a choice between care and control. Care for or control over our bodies, our spirits, our neighbors, the land, the creatures around us, the collective, and the very future we all share. As Unitarian Universalists we strive to choose care. Yet, we know this is not always the simple choice we make it out to be. It bears deep examination and continual re-commitment.
This year we’ll thinking about care together, talking about care together, and also building and re-building real, embodied relationships of care and mutuality in our community. What does a culture of care look like and feel like and act like in our life together, and how does it then extend beyond our walls? Let’s figure it out together!
See you in church,
Rev. Molly
Our worship themes for 2024-25:
| MONTH | THEME | UU VALUE |
| September | Culture of Care | Love |
| October | Care for Difference | Pluralism |
| November | Care for Possibility | Justice |
| December | Care for Spirits | Transformation |
| January | Care for Bodies | Equity |
| February | Care for Each Other | Generosity |
| March | Care for Collective | Covenant |
| April | Care for Earth | Interdependence |
| May | Culture of Care | Love |
Jamila Batchelder, Director of Religious Education
We are focusing this year on creating a culture of care, and I personally think there is no better way to care for our community than to get involved in our children’s programming! We have a lot of ways to get involved. Here is some of what we have planned this year.
Sunday Morning Programming
Potter Class: Our preschoolers will be doing the important work of learning about friendship and community building, as well as celebrating the wonders of our world.
Barton Class: Our Kindergarten through second grade class will be learning about our newly articulated seven values through a lego-based curriculum.
Latimer Class: Our third and fourth graders will be learning about famous UUs and how they were inspired by their UU values.
Adams Family Class (joined by Young UUs): Our fifth through eighth graders will be watching Star Trek episodes and discussing some of the big ideas and questions presented in them.
Sunday Afternoon Teen Programming
YRUU: The high schoolers in our YRUU program will design their own curriculum and mixture of fun activities, service projects, workshops and discussions.
Second Friday Evenings Middle Schoolers Programming
Junior Youth: The middle schoolers in our Junior Youth group meet for a variety of fun activities and service projects.
R.E. Family Parties (last Saturday evening of the month)
We had an amazing R.E. Kick-Off Party in August, and we are planning another one for the end of October. If you would like to get involved in helping to plan R.E. Family Parties, please let DRE Jamila Batchelder know – she would love the help!
Jamila Batchelder
Director of Religious Education