From Jeremy Wagner, UUCC Director of Music Ministry

I want to congratulate everyone for their contributions to our music service on Sept. 22. You are now officially all budding musicians, and I greatly appreciate all of the thoughtful, meaningful words you gave to be shared during our service. I appreciate them so much that I decided to hang every index card I received in my office as a daily reminder of the wonderful humans, musicians and musical allies we have in this church.

Thank you all and please come stop by my office any time. If the light is on and I am here, I am open to having a discussion with every person who comes knocking.

To all parents of children in 3rd-8th grades

In the spirit of our music service and furthering our musical outreach in the church and in the community, I would like to extend an invitation to you and your children for the beginning of our very own UUCC Youth Choir, Pulchram Vocem, which translates to Beautiful Voice.

We are looking for a weekly meeting time, and I will reach out to you all individually to see when it would be possible for you and your children to be in attendance. The goal of this choir is to have fun creating music together and exploring what music means to us and how becoming musicians helps shape our lives. We are hoping to get this going as quickly as possible so our premiere performance can be at the Nov. 24 multigenerational Thanksgiving service.

To all non-choir members

Yes, I’m back once again wanting your voice in choir rehearsals Wednesday nights from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Centering Room. The only requirement for this choir is that you have a love of music and that you want to share that love with the world. You DO NOT need to be able to read music. All that we ask is that you come to rehearsal wanting to get better every day. After all, our mission as musicians and as humans is to improve ourselves every day. I believe firmly that there is no better way to improve our humanity than through sharing the gift of music. Please, join us. We would love to have you.

To everyone

Last, I want to thank everyone once more for being so welcoming, warm, generous, gracious and beautiful to me as I have come into the church. I greatly appreciate every person with whom I have conversed and who has expressed a desire to share their gifts with the congregation. You all make this the easiest job there is with your love, acceptance and warmth. Thank you all.

Resistance and Transformation: UU Social Justice History

6:30-8 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 1-Nov. 19
Kickoff Potluck – 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1

Our fall Adult RE program, “Resistance and Transformation: UU Social Justice History,” will be offered from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday evenings starting Oct. 1 and continuing through Nov. 19. We’ll kick off the semester with a potluck dinner at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 1.

Join teaching team Kyna Byerly, Tim Dickerson and Connie Ordway to learn about the social justice actions of our forebears and consider how to apply their lessons to our work today.

Curriculum authors Collin Bossen and Julia Hamilton write:

Grounded in the belief that even “failures” in our history can be instructive, this program presents the ongoing struggle of our tradition to live up to its ever-evolving ideals of social transformation. Themes include abolition, peace-making, civil rights, free speech, utopianism, counter-culture, the women’s movements of both 19th and 20th centuries, sexuality education, and LGBT equality.

Sunday, Nov. 3 after 11 a.m. worship

Please join the Sanctuary Team and Honduras Ministry Team for a lunch with delicious Honduran tamales and other delicacies cooked by Yadira. There is no set price – please give as you wish and can. All donations will be split between the two ministries.

The Sanctuary Team will continue to support Yadira and family by supporting their sponsoring family. The Honduras Ministry will use the funds raised for latrine-building supplies and other needed items for their service trip in late December and early January.

For more information, email Dottie Mathews or Allie Gassmann.

Nov. 16, 2019 at 5:30 p.m.

The Honduras Ministry’s 8th Annual Trivia Night fundraiser will be held at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16 at UUCC to benefit our Honduras work. This is a change from our usual January or February date because our fifth service trip to Honduras is scheduled in late December and early January.

Funds raised at the Trivia Night will be used for latrine construction, urgently needed El Pital clinic supplies, scholarship funds for trip participants who otherwise wouldn’t be able to make the trip, other projects that we will be asked to help out with, and to support the microfinance group Adelante.

Tickets are $20 ($15 for students). There will be six people per trivia team. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at church on Sundays starting Oct. 20.

The event will feature child care, good food, a silent auction, 50-50-raffles, a chili cook-off, and, of course, much trivia fun! Bring chili to share by 5:45 p.m. for a chance to win a beautiful Honduran bag!

For more information, email Allie Gassmann.

The Social Action Team enthusiastically participated in the Sept. 7 Justice-Making Summit with the Rev. Ashley Horan. We were energized to see 28 UUCC members there to affirm our commitment to our various ministries of love in action in our community and beyond.

The SAT will continue its work along the fronts of economic justice, anti-racism and diversity as much as our forces allow. We invite any church member or friend who would like to find their social justice “sweet spot” (the intersection of their skill and their passion with community need) to join us in creating our agenda for this church year (i.e. in addition to our ongoing work).

We usually meet the first Sunday of each month in the Forum room after the second service; however, our October meeting will be the second Sunday, Oct. 13.

Please mark your calendars:

• Loaves and Fishes on Sunday, Oct. 20. Sign up here.
• Honduras & Sanctuary Teams Fundraising Luncheon – Sunday, Nov. 3
• Honduras Trivia Night – Saturday, Nov. 16. Our Honduran siblings are in urgent need of solidarity: Please see this link from UUSC to see how you can help.
• Room at the Inn at UUCC – Dec. 8-22
• Honduras Solidarity Trip: Tentatively scheduled Dec. 28-Jan. 8. Email Allie Gassmann for more details.

By Mindy McPherson, 2019-20 President

September marked the beginning of our church year. Are you feeling the energy surge flow through our community? Kids tumbling down the stairs for religious education. The music ministry swinging into high gear. Connections within our community being (re)established and nurtured. We’re moving to the rhythm of our congregational ministry.

The natural world, likewise, is moving to the rhythm of the seasons: autumn, winter, spring and summer. Do you have a favorite? There is something that I love about each “distinct” time of year, but I particularly enjoy the transition from one season to another. I’m still waiting for the hot, steamy, late-Missouri summer to give way to crisp, cool nights, though I have started to see a few leaves turning maroon around the edges.

The seasonal changes, or the flip of the calendar, might suggest a time to start anew, to steady ourselves amidst change or to chart a new course. We reflect on the work of the past and move forward, adjusting our path or setting set new goals and intentions. The transitions can be exciting, filled with anticipation and intrigue. They can also be busy, overwhelming and stressful, as we strive to find a balance and maintain our focus.

For me and my family, as well as many in our church community, September carried us deeper into the academic calendar. Parenting Schweitzer-aged children and being immersed in the world of higher education, I’m in a swirl of pedagogical thoughts and plans. I’m working to model, and encourage the development of, a growth mindset for my children and my students. Ask questions, dig for deeper understanding, revisit lessons with new perspectives, and continue developing as lifelong learners.

As we push through the transition to fall, we must take this opportunity to reflect upon our collective growth mindset and the work of our church community. Together we can use this seasonal change, this start of our church year, as an opportunity to ensure that our goals are set and our focus is sharp.
I encourage you to re-examine our mission and vision. Reflect upon our past intentions and efforts. Consider how we can challenge ourselves and work together as a multigenerational community committed to our own growth and committed to sparking growth in the wider world.

Hans Bridger Heruth became our staff collaborative pianist in September 2019. Hans is an award-winning composer as well as a conductor, pianist, singer, and violinist. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Composition at the University of Missouri-Columbia. As our collaborative pianist, Hans will help shape our music program.

Hans was born in Kansas City, Mo. and began studying both voice and piano at age 3, training as a boy soprano. He began studying violin at age 9 and started composing shortly after. His chamber opera, “A Certain Madness,” based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, premiered with critical acclaim and sold-out houses. His current projects include a new work entitled “Wytchkraft” for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Gemma New.

An active collaborative pianist, Hans is also a staff accompanist at MU, where he accompanies the flagship choral ensemble, the University Singers. As a budding conductor, he has made a number of appearances with various ensembles. Most notably, he conducted Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” with the Show-Me Opera Program.

From Jeremy Wagner, Director of Music Ministry

Hello all you talented, lovely people. I have been so impressed at the level of musicianship present in our congregation, and I would like to ask you to use your gifts as you are able. Please click the button below for a signup sheet listing a number of Sundays that would be opportunities for you to wow both me and the congregation with your talents. Please do not feel obligated to sign up every possible opening, but consult your schedule or the church calendar to see if it is doable for you and/or applicable to the content of the week’s message.

Musician Signup

Also, I would like to informally meet with everyone who plays an instrument to discuss your ideas about music in the church and to also get a better idea of comfortabilities and possible pairings. I would like to meet with as many of us as possible at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15 in the Greeting Area. If you are unable to meet during that time, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me by email to set up an individual appointment.

Starting Sunday, Sept. 8, you will notice that the front two rows of chairs on the west side of the Sanctuary have been removed and replaced by a large rug for children to sit on.The rug will have quiet items like crayons, paper and foam blocks. Parents, teachers, and other adults are invited to join the rug community too!

The reasons we are trying this are several. The first and most important is that we have designed the first part of the liturgy to be engaging to children and meaningful to folks of all ages, but it is hard for children to see and participate when they are sitting in the back of the room behind a bunch of adult heads! We believe children will feel more comfortable in our sanctuary, learn our rituals, and begin to engage more fully when they are nearer the “action” on the chancel.

The second is that creating a designated space for children front and center communicates that their presence in our worship life is important to the adults of our community and that learning to be a part of our services  is an important part of their religious education, one we know takes time and patience.

The third is to create a clearer pathway in the back of the sanctuary for people with all kinds of mobility needs to get where they need to go. We know families with children often sit in the back for easy access to the door in case a child needs to take a break in the Greeting Area. By placing the rug at the west side of the sanctuary, we hope families will still have easy access to the exit if they need it. Additionally we hope to continue fostering an atmosphere that truly welcomes the energy of children!

We’ll check in after a while to see how it’s going, and we are always happy to hear your thoughts directly – email either Rev. Molly or Director of Religious Education Jamila Batchelder, or both.

From Intern Minister Alexis:

Dear UUCC Community,

During a sermon in February, I talked about how being in meaningful relationships with people and engaging with different ideas can call us to adjust the stories we write for ourselves. Little did I know how my intended storyline was about to change!

I write to you, dear community, with a mix of excitement and sadness, to let you know that my story is calling me to explore a new path, one that means ending my internship.

My time as an intern paralleled with seminary courses delving into aspects of Christian theology and biblical studies that captured my interest. As I had time to reflect upon my seminary experiences over the summer, I was surprised to realize these interests were calling me down an ordination track different from what I originally expected. After talking with trusted mentors, I have discerned a desire to explore another faith tradition, namely Disciples of Christ, a progressive Christian denomination.

This exciting new development is accompanied by sadness, because it means I will be leaving my internship to give my whole attention this new path.

Serving UUCC has been a great joy and honor, and I am full of gratitude for each one of you. I will miss you very much. The fact that my inspiration to explore another faith tradition is due to revelation rather than hardship is a great gift.

Thank you for being a space that allowed me to develop as a minister. Thank you for providing support and learning that will always be a part of whatever good I do in ministry.

I will be at both services on Sept. 8 to formally punctuate the transition from being your intern, and I hope to see you there to thank you in person. You are welcome to contact me by email if you’d like between now and Sept. 8.

In Gratitude,
Alexis

From Rev. Molly Housh Gordon:

Dear UU Churchers,

What a gift it has been to have Alexis learning and working with us over the last year. She has brought so many skills and talents to bear upon our ministry, and it has been an honor and a joy to be a part of her formation into ministry. I know that she will be a gifted minister in the tradition that calls to her heart and that we will always share the work of loving this world together.

We are sad to see her go, but it is the work of Unitarian Universalism to support the conscience and resource the spiritual journey, even when that work occasionally leads people away from us. We can be proud to be an important part of Alexis’ journey.

I hope that you will join us in worship on Sept. 8 for a ritual of release to send Alexis off into the rest of her journey with our blessing, love, and very best wishes.

And I hope and believe that with Alexis having paved the way, we will have many future opportunities to serve in a teaching and mentoring role for ministers-to-be. I look forward with you to those opportunities.

In Faith,
Rev. Molly

In an effort to bring UU adults together in homes of UUs, we will begin another year of “Dinners for 8.” The dinners beginning in September are a great way to get acquainted and experience good food. The dinners are essentially theme potlucks that are organized in advance. Dates for the dinners in September, October, November, January, February and March will be suggested by the host in consultation with the randomly-chosen members of the host’s dinner group.

In early December we have a Holiday Hors D’oeuvres Party, and in April we have a Spring Finale. Both events will take place at the church. Drinks for both events and entrees for the Spring Finale will be paid for from our dues.

Right now is a good time to email Linda Lou Brown to let her know you are interested in joining our groups. Please send your name, address and phone number, and let her know if you are able to host one or two times during the year.

Dues are $25 for couples and $12.50 for singles. You may pay your dues with a check designated for “UU Dinner Groups” and place it in the offering basket at church.

Bon Appetit!
Linda Lou Brown – 573-447-3939
Melinda Farhangi – 573-445-6325

From Rev. Molly and the Music Director Search Team:

We are very pleased to introduce to you our new Director of Music Ministry, Jeremy Wagner!

Jeremy stood out to our search team because of his passion for building community through music and his gifts for working with singers of all ages and levels, including a gift for working with children and youth. He was recommended by his mentors and peers as an excellent and accessible conductor and showed himself through conversations with our search team to be dedicated, effective, and creative! We are so excited to begin working with Jeremy.

Jeremy will be getting oriented this week and next, and his first Sunday with us will be July 28. He also looks forward to gathering and meeting the choir in mid-August, and will be available for a meet and greet to the whole congregation after the service on July 28. Please plan to stay for coffee on Sunday the 28th and welcome Jeremy to our beloved congregation!

Jeremy is a promising music educator, performer and conductor who recently earned a Bachelor’s of Science-Education degree (with an emphasis in Vocal Music), as well as a Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Growing up in Edmond, Oklahoma, and living in New York, Texas, and Missouri, he found that no matter where he lived he was able to find friends and nurture his love for music through school choirs. During his time in both the School of Education and the College of Arts and Science at Mizzou, he was able to work alongside and learn directly from his mentors, Dr. Wendy Sims, Dr. Brandon Boyd, and Dr. R. Paul Crabb.

Additionally, he was given opportunities to work with local public educators and students from Columbia Independent School, Rock Bridge High School, Locust Street Expressive Arts Elementary School, and Jefferson Middle School. Through his participation in the community, he has also established himself as a performer, singing a number of roles with Show-Me Opera’s productions and Missouri Symphony Society. His musical gifts and focused work ethic led to him being named the Director of Music at First Christian Church in Centralia, Mo., where he served for three years. He also worked as an intern for the Choral Arts Alliance of Missouri.

In Glad Song,
Rev. Molly & Your Music Search Team – Pack Matthews, Jamie Meadows, Neil Minturn, Jeanne Murphy

Beginning in June, Rev. Molly’s Community Office Hours will be held at Kaldi’s Coffee downtown on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (instead of Tuesdays).

Rev. Molly is also always happy to meet by appointment with members, visitors, newcomers and community partners. Regular office hours at church are 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays, but appointments can be scheduled on other days and at other times, including evenings and weekends.

Please do reach out if you’d like to chat about life, find your place in the church, process something difficult, find a listening ear, or discuss a project together!

You can schedule an appointment with Rev. Molly here or by sending her an email.

On Sunday, March 24, the Accessibility and Inclusion Ministry (AIM) Team presented the lay-led service, “Living Up to Radical Welcome,” and made a small change in the sanctuary while we were at it. As we’ve heard a number of questions about this change, we thought it was about time we shed some light on it.

If you’ve been to services during the past couple of months, you have likely noticed a section of chairs in the back of the sanctuary topped with yellow pillowcases. This sunny addition was inspired by feedback we’d received from congregants who have fragrance and chemical sensitivities. These individuals had been unable to enjoy services because of the migraines, allergies, and other reactions caused by these products, which many of us don’t think twice about applying. While we can’t control what products each person uses before joining us for worship, we can create a space in which people who live with sensitivities or allergies to those products can, hopefully, be more comfortable and feel more radically welcome.

The AIM Team requests that the fragrance-free seating area be reserved for individuals who are not wearing perfumes or scented products. We thank you for your help with this step towards being more accessible to and inclusive of all members and guests.

– Gretchen Maune, Chair
Accessibility and Inclusion Ministry Team

Our minister, the Rev. Molly Housh Gordon, warned congregants on Friday, May 10 that It appears email scammers are targeting our church and other Unitarian Universalist churches across the country. The scam involves using the names of staff members or church leaders with a Gmail address. The first email usually asks for urgent help, and if you reply, the scammer tends to ask for a gift card donation for a charitable cause.

The UUA’s MidAmerica Region has also issued a warning that UU churches have reported their members are receiving these scam emails and that at least one person has lost money to these scams. This scam is also targeting other religious denominations. Read more.

Rev. Molly asked our members and friends to remember that any emails from her will come from her email address ending “@uucomo.org” or through our email list showing an address of “Rev. Molly Housh Gordon via All.” She added, “If you are suspicious about any email from me at any time, please start a new email to me and ask about it. And I will NEVER email you asking for gift cards!”

Our members and friends also should be aware that UUCC only accepts online payments through this website on the Donations and Pledge Payments pages of this website and does not request gift card donations.

The UUA reports it has seen an increase in “phishing” attempts of all kinds. Phishing is a form of “social engineering” whereby a hacker with bad intentions sends an email (or text or phone call) pretending to be someone the recipient trusts and asks the recipient to take an action which can have adverse effects. Sometimes, they request money. Other times, they invite the recipient to click a link or open an attachment that can trigger malicious code.

A good rule of thumb with emails you’re not expecting is to:

• Reach out to the sender through another channel such as a separate email, telephone call, or smartphone text message, and
• Not click on a link (or send money, gift cards, etc.) without getting verification from a trusted source.

After a two-year lapse in the availability of UUCC T-shirts, the UUCC Social Action Team now has three designs of T-shirts available for purchase at $20 apiece. The shirts are perfect for rallies and other activities and events. Look for them in the Greeting Area.

Some of the shirts feature the design that first became available in 2017 before the UUA General Assembly. On the front this design includes the official church logo and the church motto. On the back, it features the logo and the following words from our Mission Statement: “Courageous Love, Radical Welcome, Deep Connection – Healing the World.”

The other two designs are specific to the Social Action Team.

You can see the shirts in the photo slideshow below. Click the arrows to see the next or previous photo.

The Faith Voices of Columbia Moral Agenda 2019 was unveiled at a press conference on Feb. 4, 2019 and presented to the Columbia City Council the same evening. Read about the press conference and see a photo in The Columbia Missourian. Our minister, the Rev. Molly Housh Gordon, was one of the spokespersons for Faith Voices of Columbia.

• Read the Moral Agenda (PDF).
• Sign up to support the Moral Agenda

Our Social Action Team voted at its January 2019 meeting to endorse the Moral Agenda.

We invite all church members and all friends who have an interest in social justice issues to join our Social Action Team to help us shape and strengthen our work.

There are five important aspects of UUCC Social Justice Work

1. Direct Service (e.g., Loaves and Fishes, Room at the Inn).
2. Fundraising (e.g., through Faith-to-Action offerings, fundraisers such as the Honduras Trivia Night, sales of artisan crafts, and more, to support social justice work).
3. Education (learning about systems of injustice, our role in them, and how to effect systemic change).
4. Advocacy and witness (e.g., work with Race Matters Friends, showing up at City Council, Solidarity Network events, working with Missouri Faith Voices, the Sanctuary Team, letters to congressional representatives, work with MADP, the Center Project, etc.)
5. Community building and deep connection (to sustain ourselves in the work, but also to create the world we want to see).

Besides joining the SAT itself, we encourage participation in any of our subcommittees or other teams such as the Sanctuary Team, the Missouri Faith Voices work, or the Green Sanctuary team. Together we create the change we want to see while being who we want to be in the world. We welcome your comments, suggestions – and of course action items.

– Caya Tanski, SAT Chair – email

From Rev. Molly Housh Gordon:

I am very pleased to introduce to you our next Church Administrator, Suzanne Clark.

Suzanne has recently returned to Columbia after a number of years residing near family in Rochester, NY. She spent the last 15 years working at Temple B’rith Kodesh, a Reform synagogue in Rochester, where she performed administrative duties as assistant executive director. Congregational life and the rewards of working with a community were main motivators for her in applying for the position with us. She is looking forward to meeting everyone and adjusting to a new working environment.

Suzanne will start Monday, Sept. 17, and work with retiring Administrator Kathie Bergman for the next two weeks learning the ropes. Kathie’s official retirement date is Sept. 30, although we are very grateful that she will remain available to Suzanne for a time for any questions that may come up.

Save the date for Sept. 30 after church to celebrate Kathie’s long and wonderful tenure, and get excited to welcome Suzanne warmly among us!

Our YRUU youth carried our church banner in the banner parade at the opening
session of the UUA General Assembly in Kansas City, Mo. on June 20. In the first part
of this short video, they are seen on their first pass through the convention hall.
After the transition, they are seen on their way out of the hall.

The Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly was held this year from June 20 to 24 in Kansas City, Mo. What is GA? It’s part inspiration and spiritual sustenance. It’s an opportunity to mingle with UUs from all over the country and some other countries and engage in issues important to our UU faith. But also, it’s a time to conduct a lot of the business of the association.

This year there were 2,814 registered attendees, including 134 youth. 522 congregations from all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Mexico were represented by 1,570 delegates, including 199 off-site delegates.

Our voting delegates this year were Rev. Molly, Todd Iveson, Peter Holmes, Gretchen Maune, Connie Ordway, and Steve Scott. About 15 other members of our church also attended all or part of GA, and a number of them served as volunteers performing various tasks to keep the show running, in exchange for which they received free registration for GA. For example, Maria Oropallo and Kathie Bergman staffed an information booth to answer questions from attendees, and Larry Lile assisted with the tech staff that provided audio/video services.

The business of the General Assembly takes place in General Sessions. All registered attendees are welcome at these sessions, but only voting delegates can vote.

At the business sessions there was broad consensus for aggressively challenging the criminalization of migrants, people of color, and indigenous people. Delegates overwhelmingly selected “Undoing Intersectional White Supremacy” as a multiyear Congregational Study/Action Issue.

Delegates also endorsed three Actions of Immediate Witness, which all emphasize the urgency of supporting people of color and indigenous people. The first calls for congregational action to draw attention to predatory medical fees charged to incarcerated people, who are disproportionately people of color; the UUA’s Church of the Larger Fellowship developed the resolution in partnership with its 870 incarcerated members.

A second resolution pledged solidarity with indigenous “water protectors,” who have been fighting the placement of liquid natural gas pipelines near Native American lands and who face federal charges for disrupting construction of the pipelines.

The third resolution demanded immediate action to improve U.S. treatment of asylum seekers and migrant families to keep families together. Among other demands, the resolution advocates the abolition of Immigration Customs Enforcement “and the implementation of a system that understands the causes of migration, provides a non-carceral solution while asylum seekers await a decision on their case, and has a fundamental commitment to keeping families together.”

Delegates also approved a group of bylaw changes to bring the UUA’s governing document up to date with current understandings of gender diversity. A proposal introduced last year to change Unitarian Universalism’s “Second Source” from “words and deeds of prophetic women and men” to “words and deeds of prophetic people” passed easily.

A second bylaws amendment changed all gendered pronouns in the bylaws to the gender-inclusive “they/them/their.”

A third bylaws amendment will allow religious educators who are active members of the Liberal Religious Educators Association to serve as voting delegates at future GAs.

The assembly also approved bylaws changes adding two youth trustees to the 11 at-large trustees on the UUA Board of Trustees; allowing the role of moderator at GA to be filled by more than one person; modifying the length of terms of service on committees; and simplifying the social witness resolutions process.

The mission of the Member Connect Program is to assist UUCC members and friends in finding their place in our church community through deeper connection, service, and spiritual exploration. To do this a team of connectors is available to have a conversation with every member of the church who is interested. These conversations will give members a chance to reflect on their spiritual journey, their connection with the church, and their level of involvement in church life.

If you would like to participate in a meeting with a connector or would like to volunteer to be a connector, email Peter Holmes or Rosie Geiser. 

– Peter Holmes and Rosie Geiser, co-chairs

Our observance of the 67th anniversary of our church’s founding at worship services on Jan. 28, 2018 included dedication of a beautiful new metal chalice purchased and given to the church by a member couple.

The late Naoma Powell made the chalice we had been using since 2006 after the congregation’s previous chalice broke, and it was always intended to be temporary. Naoma’s chalice served us long and well, but was showing signs of wear. To protect this beloved artifact, it is being officially “retired” from active duty but will always have a place in our sanctuary and will still be used for special occasions.

The new chalice is larger and will be easier to see from all parts of the sanctuary, in keeping with the needs of our growing congregation. It was dedicated with Naoma’s own January 2006 words of dedication of the chalice now being retired:

Though chalice changes, the flame burns bright.
Not holder, not cup but flame that offers light.
Flame that lights the darkness.
Flame, in its burning, illumines night.
Flame, its double halo, bringing light to shadow, warmth to shade.
Flame, re-igniting
Constant.

Meet the Chalice Artist

Our new chalice that was dedicated at the Jan. 28 worship services was crafted by Ryan Schmidt, a metal artist based in Cumberland Gap, Tenn.

Ryan owned and managed a motorcycle repair shop in Kansas City before moving to Tennessee in 2015. Shortly after moving he met a neighbor, William Brock, a traditional blacksmith who taught Ryan the art of blacksmithing. Ryan’s passion is creating custom-made functional objects, ornamental ironwork, sculptures, and furniture. He is a member of several professional blacksmithing groups.

When Ryan is not creating art at his shop, Mitty’s Metal Art (https://www.mittysmetalart.com/), he likes to get out and explore the surrounding Appalachian region on his Harley or mountain bike. Ryan is not a UU but is familiar with our denomination through friends.

Do you do online shopping at Amazon? If so, your purchases can now benefit our church with a contribution from Amazon of 0.5% of the purchase price.

Here’s how to get started:

1. In your browser, go to https://smile.amazon.com.

2. Sign in using your normal Amazon username and password.

3. Next you will see a screen with a box on the right asking you to “Select a charity.”

4. In the bottom of that box, where it says “Or pick your own charitable organization,” type “Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia” in the box and click the “Search” button.

5. Next you will see a screen showing our church with the location listed as “Columbia MO,” and there may be other churches listed. Click the “Select” button next to our church’s name.

6. Finally, you will see another screen with a checkbox to indicate that you understand that you must always start at https://smile.amazon.com to support our church. After clicking the checkbox, you can click the “Start Shopping” button which will take you to the main Amazon screen.

A tutorial covering the above steps and including screenshots is available in a printable PDF.

In the future, always start your Amazon shopping at https://smile.amazon.com so that your purchases will benefit UUCC. You will find all the same Amazon products and prices there as regular Amazon.

Tip: If you have set up a bookmark or favorite for Amazon, be sure to change it to the new address.

Finally, don’t forget that you can also donate to UUCC when you do grocery shopping at Schnucks – read more.

UUCC was given an award recognizing our social action work and Rev. Molly’s exemplary leadership in social action – particularly our sanctuary work – at the annual dinner of Mid-Missouri Peaceworks on Saturday evening, Nov. 11, at the Missouri United Methodist Church.

Allie Gassman of our Social Action Team accepted the award on behalf of our church.

Allie said, “It was a great honor to be able to accept the award on behalf of our church – especially in the presence of all the seasoned activists in the room.”

The framed award certificate, shown in the photo below, is on display on the credenza in our Greeting Area.

Please welcome our new Sunday Morning Assistant, April Rodeghero, who began her work with us in October.

April is mother to a seven-year-old and to one-year-old twins. She has worked with MU Adventure Club, Missouri Afterschool Network and the Columbia Housing Authority. Now she works as a postpartum doula, supporting parents in their new roles. She has attended UUCC occasionally in the past year or so.

April will welcome your friendship and your help in the church kitchen – especially on potluck days for setup and cleanup! Please let’s show April our radical welcoming spirit!

Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray was selected by delegates as the first elected woman President of the Unitarian Universalist Association at the June 21-25 General Assembly in New Orleans. She had been the lead minister of the UU Congregation of Phoenix, Ariz., where she became well known for her work on behalf of immigrants, since 2008. Read more.

More than 4,000 UUs attended G.A., including some 1,800 delegates from more than 500 UU congregations. UUCC’s delegates were Rev. Molly Housh Gordon, Patty Daus, Tracey Milarsky, Jeanne and Dennis Murphy, and Gena and Steve Scott.

Also attending from UUCC were DRE Jamila Batchelder along with four YRUU members and one 9-year-old. The young people carried our UUCC banner in the banner parade at the opening celebration on June 21.

Our UUCC banner was carried by five of our young people in the banner parade at the Opening Celebration of the UUA General Assembly (G.A.) in New Orleans on June 21, 2017. In this short clip they are seen entering the Great Hall of the New Orleans Convention Center and later proceeding out of the hall.

Read more about the many important actions taken by delegates and the UUA Board of Trustees at G.A.

Our Social Action Team sponsors a food collection year-round for the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri.

Donations of canned meats and fish, stews, peanut butter and powdered milk are especially appreciated, but other non-perishable food items are welcome.

Help us to help individuals in need! If you wish to have a receipt for a tax deduction, talk to Suzanne Clark, church administrator.

Shoppers – support the church with your purchasing power!

If you shop at Schnuck’s Supermarket in Columbia, here is an easy way to earn money for our church! Follow these steps:

1. Ask for a My Schnucks card at the Customer Service counter.
2. When next at your computer, go to Schnucks.com.
3. Hover over the “Programs” menu and select “Schnucks Fundraising” from the drop-down menu.
4. Click on “eScrip” in number 2 under “How It Works.”
5. Fill in the form to become registered.
6. When you come to the choice of charities under “Select your school or nonprofit,” find “Unitarian Universalist-Columbia, Mo” in the drop-down list and click on the box to mark a check.
7. Then click Update.

That is all! Just keep your user name and password for the Schnuck’s website in case you wish to return to it. UUCC will get a little bonus every time you shop at Schnuck’s and show your My Schnucks card at the checkout.