Weekly News Update

General Church News

Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026

Featured this week
Coming up Sunday
Announcements
What’s happening soon?
Joys and sorrows
More activities

Featured this Week

Forum will resume on Sept. 13

The  Forum Discussion Group will resume meeting at 9 a.m. Sept. 13 after its annual summer break. Forum will not meet on Sept. 6 because that falls on Labor Day weekend. Be on the lookout for the schedule of September Forum programs in the September Searchllght newsletter.

Forum is an adult issues-and-answers discussion program that meets from September through May from 9 to 10 a.m. each Sunday. The meetings are held in the Forum Room/Library at the southeast corner of the lower level. The lower level is wheelchair-accessible by elevator.

2026-27 church officers selected

At its July 16 meeting, the Board of Trustees selected church officers for 2026-27. Jeremy Duke, selected by the previous board as President-Elect, will be the  2026-27 President. Other 2026-27 officers will be:

  • President-Elect – Mark Price. This means Mark will be the 2027-28 President.
  • Secretary – Shannon Mulvania-Beck. This will be her second year as Secretary.
  • Treasurer – Jeff White. This will be his second year as Treasurer.

Retreat for prospective members set on Sept. 13

Are you considering joining our congregation as a member? If so, please register for the Sept. 13 “Getting to Know UU Newcomers Retreat and Dinner.” Learn more about the history of Unitarian Universalism and about the rich story of our own church.

This will be our last new member retreat in 2026. It will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 13 at the church. Please register here.

If a virtual option is needed, please email our minister or the Membership Team.

Check us out on the UUCC Facebook Group Page

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Coming up Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026

For Forum meetings, meditation and worship,
drop-in childcare is provided. No reservation needed.

9 a.m. – Forum Discussion Group – No Meeting 

The Forum Discussion Group takes a break from June through August. Forum meets at 9 a.m. Sundays from September through May except holiday weekends.

9 a.m. – Mindfulness Meditation – Fire Circle or Lower Level-Centering Room

Mindfulness Meditation takes place at 9 a.m. every Sunday. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome. If the outside temperature is 55° F. or higher and weather permits, meditation will take place at the Fire Circle behind the church. Otherwise, meditation will be in the Lower Level-Centering Room. For more information, email Anna Lingo or Susan Pereira.

10:30 a.m. – Worship Service – Sanctuary

Water Ceremony and Ingathering Service – Rev. Dr. Molly Housh Gordon and DRE Jamila Batchelder

Join us for our beloved annual all-ages water ceremony, when we gather in from the summer months and collect and bless the water that will hold our joys and sorrows all year long. You are invited to bring water either literally or symbolically from a place that has refreshed your spirit this summer.

 Livestream options  – Zoom • Facebook 

Submit Joys and Sorrows by 8:30 a.m. Sunday before worship:

Joys and Sorrows Submission

Online Donation or Pledge Payment

Visitors participating in our online worship services
are invited to fill out our Visitor Connection Card:

Visitor Connection Card

10:30 a.m. – Youth Religious Education – All-Ages Worship – No Classes

The 10:30 a.m. worship service will be for all ages. There will be no children’s religious education classes. Children will be with us during worship – please welcome them and their families. Free nursery care for infants to 3-year-olds will be available until 11:45 a.m. Read about our Youth Religious Education program.

After Worship – Coffee Hour – Greeting Area

Enjoy beverages and conversation in the Greeting Area after worship.

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Announcements

Siding replacement start date delayed

The siding replacement project at UUCC originally was set to begin Aug. 5, but due to supply chain issues, it now appears the work will not begin until September. All the work will take place outside, and the building will remain accessible. However, on dates to be announced, the electricity will be turned off.

Siding replacement is necessary because last fall it was discovered that the existing siding, original to the more than 30-year old parts of our building, is suffering from dry rot decay.

The Board of Trustees has approved a contract for about $105,000 with TAPS Exteriors to perform the work.

The proposed new siding is an innovative product made of recycled carpet fibers, is rot-resistant, mimics the look of wood, and can last up to 50 years. The siding is available in a color and style similar to our current siding, enabling us to maintain the appearance and charm of our beloved building.

2026-27 Faith-to-Action recipients announced

Our Social Action Team received a more-than-sufficient number of nominations for 2026-27 Faith-to-Action recipients by the July 1 deadline, and the team has now announced the recipients for the church year starting in September. They are:

  • Caring Hearts and Hands of Columbia
  • Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture
  • Heart of Missouri CASA
  • IN*TACT
  • Local Motion
  • MADP (Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty)
  • Missourians for Justice in Palestine (MJP)
  • New Day Columbia
  • Scholarship Program
  • UUCC Honduras Ministry
  • UUCC Rapid Response Fund
  • Voluntary Action Center (FISH Fund)

View descriptions of the recipients here. The descriptions also are linked on the Faith-to-Action Collections page.

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What’s happening soon?

Weekly and bi-weekly recurring events

Gentle Yoga with Karen Dwyer – canceled in August

Gentle Yoga will resume in September at the church at these times:

    • 10 to 11:15 a.m. Tuesdays and Fridays
    • 6 to 7:15 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays (except the first Thursday each month)

For more information, email Karen Dwyer or call the  church office.

Living Earth Meditation – 9 a.m. Saturdays

Weekly Living Earth Meditation – silent meditation outdoors with an opportunity to share insights and reflections – resumed on April 4 and will be held at 9 a.m. every Saturday at 1400 Gary Street. The sessions will be facilitated by Jared Belden, M.A., Peter Holmes, Ph.D., and Tricia Straub. The focus of the sessions is to be at home in nature while building a connection between spiritual practice and ecological awareness. This is a collaborative program of UUCC, the Columbia Friends Meeting and Show Me Dharma.

Scheduled events coming soon

Men’s Group – 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29 – online

The UUCC Men’s Group meets online via Zoom on the second, fourth, and fifth Saturdays of each month. For more information, contact Wiley Miller at 573-864-8574 or by email.

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Joys and sorrows

You can read the Joys and sorrows shared with the congregation by clicking the button below. The page is also accessible from the Members/Friends drop-down menu. The Joys and Sorrows page is password-protected, so you must be logged in as a registered user of our site to see it. If you have not already registered, you can do so here.

Read Joys and Sorrows

You can submit joys and sorrows online by clicking this button:

Submit Joys and Sorrows

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More activities

View Online Calendar

View Upcoming Events Page

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