Congregation established 1836

August 2^nd

“Creative Spirit” – A Faith Rocket service

August 16^th

August 23^rd

Presented by:   Tracey Howe-Koch

August 30^th

Presented by:   Robyn Berkley

Worship Associate: Jerry Johnson

If people need help with doing their worship service videos for YouTube please get in touch with Alex J. Hoeft   He would like to have the videos at least by the Friday before your service.

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ZOOM COFFEE HOUR

Every Sunday at 10:45 a.m.

Contact Robyn Berkley for zoom login information.

Pastor Amy Brooks Resigns

Board President Robyn Berkley announced this week that Pastor Amy Brooks has decided to not renew her contract with our church. Pastor Amy started at First Unitarian in August 2017 and served through June 2020.   She will now be serving as part-time Assistant Minister at the UU Church in Springfield IL.

We thank her for her service to our church and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Please note that UUA guidelines indicate that there should be no contact between a departing minister and members of the congregation for two years.

Worship Service Plans

Given we do not have a minister at present, the Worship Associates will continue to prepare and provide our services.   Look for messages from the Worship Associates about ways you can be more engaged with our Sunday services.

Worship services are already scheduled through October with Speakers and Worship Associates.   The group will meet again in the early fall to plan services for the next quarter. Eric Johnson (M. Div. and UU Chaplain) will be helping to coordinate Sunday services.  These services will be “virtual” until further notice.

If you would like to serve as a Worship Associate this year, or if you would like to give a sermon, please contact Eric.

Our condolences go out to Michael and Sheila on the passing of Michael Tarabulski’s mother,  Catherine Ann Phillips Tarabulski Van Skiver, on July 21, 2020 in Cowan, West Virginia.

Looking Ahead to Next Month

Our In Gathering is coming soon on September 6th!  Because we don't know if we will be able to meet in person because of Covid 19 we are creating a meaningful and inclusive service that will bring us together no matter where we are!  Each member and family of church both past and present is going to be invited to participate and join us for this very special In Gathering Service!

BUT THE WORSHIP COMMITTEE AND THE CHURCH BOARD NEED YOUR HELP!  We are going to be contacting a lot of people and ask that you help us contact past members or even folks who have come to a service before but haven't been back lately.

WE WANT TO INVITE THEM TO THIS SERVICE. This is the time when we need our Liberal Faith in this world the most!

Not only do we want to invite them. We are hoping that all who attend will actually participate in the service.

BUT HOW?, you ask!  We would like for folks to take a 3-5 second video or a still picture of lighting a Chalice, a candle, or a tealight in their home.  These videos will be compiled into a video with their names beside it.  You're going to get to see all the people who care about and love our church KEEPING THE FLAME OF OUR FAITH ALIVE where they are!  But there's a lot of folks to invite and ask to participate, and also those who need assistance in participating.

More information will come later, but if you'd like to help invite or have questions please contact Eric Johnson.

Congregational Zoom Meeting Update

On Sunday, July 26, 2020 a congregational meeting, called for by five or more members (as per the bylaws), was held at 10:45 a.m. via Zoom. The purpose of this meeting was to elect a new Board of Officers.

It was announced that there was a quorum present on zoom and the slate of officers as presented was approved, with one abstention vote mailed in.

Later in the day, following the congregational meeting, a conflict of interest was identified, and as a result, the seven newly elected Board members voted by email on July 27 through July 28, their approval to appoint Nathan Brown as Treasurer and Carol McGrew as a Member at Large.  This action was in keeping with Article VI, Section 2 of the Bylaws.

The Board members chosen for 2020-2021 are:

President: Robyn Berkley

Secretary: Mary Johnson

Treasurer: Nathan Brown

Member at Large: Aiden Crist

Member at Large: Alex Hoeft

Member at Large: Carol McGrew

Member at Large:   Pat Moore

4^th Saturday Distribution

Due to ongoing safety concerns about safe distancing and mask wearing we will not have a personal care distribution in August.

However, in July we supported the efforts of First Presbyterian at one of their Saturday carry out lunches. There we distributed 20 of the “Dollar Tree” $10 gift cards we had purchased at the end of June. We may do something like that again this month to provide assistance to those in need.

A Note from Sabrina Trupia

There is a new project at first St. Louis that I have signed up for (and will be involved in as an intern) which promises to be very interesting and useful. It’s called the ARREST Project and it is part book club, part film club, with weekly discussions. It is entirely free.

For more info or to sign up go to here:

https://www.firstuustlouis.org/news/2020/6/18/arrest-project

ARREST Project:   Anti Racism Religious Education
& Solidarity Training

A 6 month film and discussion project created by members Cory Lovell and Cathy Rauch.
Every Thursday, beginning July 16th at 7:00 pm. A weekly film & discussion series focusing on the history of Black & Queer Liberation and the role of Unitarian Universalists in radical change and justice-making.

This series will help us as an entire congregation to engage in our own transformative community activism and foster a culture of solidarity and accountability based on a common historical foundation.

Participants in this comprehensive class will explore history through the thoughts and experiences of the people who themselves moved our nation.

The Men’s Lunch group will meet at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 13^th via Zoom. If you’re not already on the Men’s Lunch email list contact Nick Pendergrass for the Zoom meeting ID.

 Get Well Wishes go out to Jim Moore who had complications soon after a successful valve replacement surgery and has been in and out of the hospital and in and out of rehab for the last several weeks.

CHURCH LEADERSHIP as of August 2020

2020 - 2021

Board Members

President: Robyn Berkley robynberkley@yahoo.com

Secretary: Mary Johnson /span> mejohnson@mindspring.com

Treasurer: Nathan Brown nathan.brown0621@outlook.com

Member at Large: Aiden Crist arexboi@gmail.com

Member at Large: Alex Hoeft alex.j.hoeft@gmail.com

Member at Large: Carol McGrew   carol_mcgrew@yahoo.com

Member at Large: Pat Moore patjimmoore@charter.net

President Elect: To be Determined

Youth Representatives: To be Determined

Building & Grounds

Co-Chair - Tom Cochran

Co-Chair - Michael Tarabulski

Grounds - TBD

Endowment Fund

Jerry Johnson

Tracey Howe-Koch

Fund Raising

Co-Chair - Peg Flach

Co-Chair - TBD

Membership

Co-Chair - Mary Weber

Co-Chair - TBD

Newsletter

Mary Johnson

Pastoral Care Associates

Dee Evans

Ruth Maskow

Pat Murrell

Sandy Shaner

Mary Weber

Pledge Drive

TBD

RE Council

Joy Hoeft

Jennifer Lewis

Kayci Combs-Lueker

Social Events Coordinator

Co-Chair - Pat Moore

Co-Chair – TBD

Social Justice

Co-Chair - John Herndon

Co-Chair - Ed Navarre

Social Media

Nathan Brown

Alex Hoeft

Sunday Support Services

Paula Moore

Carol McGrew

Worship Associates

Robyn Berkley

Peg Flach

John Herndon

Joy Hoeft

Tracey Howe-Koch

Eric Johnson

Jerry Johnson

A Zoom-Time Affirmation Prayer

However we meet, we are held in Love and find communion with each other. No walls confine us.

May our faith be strengthened, and may our practice of loving kindness enrich all lives.