Late summer is that time of year when many people enjoy family reunions as well as school and church ingatherings and homecomings. But what does "homecoming" mean? Does it change across the lifespan? And can you ever really go home again? Join us for a rich Sunday on the exploration of home.
Maureen Porter will be our Worship Associate,
Emily White will give the Time for All Ages,
with music provided by Ryan Pagels.
9:45 AM - Meditation, Upper Gage Hall Participants gather for an hour to practice insight meditation and discuss various aspects of the meditative path and its interplay with our lives. 9:30 AM - Nursery Opens, Annex - Children ages 7 and under are welcome in the nursery 9:30am - 12:15pm
9:30 AM - RE Volunteer Training, Upper Gage Hall - If you are interested in being an RE Volunteer this year, please email Emily even if you can’t make the orientation but would like to volunteer. Emily@charlestonuu.org
Childcare will be available in the nursery starting at 9:30 a.m. Kids of all ages are welcome, while their caregivers are at the volunteer meeting.
11:00 AM - Worship Service, Gage Hall (see more information below)
12:00 PM - Coffee Hour, Gage Hall Immediately following the service you are invited to stay in Gage Hall and join us for coffee and light refreshments.
Sunday Services in Gage Hall Until Further Notice
We ask for and appreciate everyone's help putting up chairs immediately following service to allow space for coffee hour.
Visitors who would like to see the Sanctuary after service, can meet Christine, our Director of Finance and HR, by the membership bulletin boards. From there, a member will take visitors over to see the Sanctuary.
Lowcountry Food Bank Volunteering Saturday, August 15; 9:00am LCFB 2864 Azalea Dr, North Charleston
WE NEED YOUR HELP! Come volunteer with us this Saturday! We meet at 9:00 a.m. and usually finish by 11:30. Closed-toe shoes required. Children 12 and older with an adult and 16 and older are welcome to participate; LCFB staff will sign for school volunteer hours.Sign up HERE and contact Leslie Gergen or office@charlestonuu.org if you have questions.
Death Cafe Monday, August 17; 7:00pm Lower Gage Hall
The Unitarian Church in Charleston is pleased to host a monthly Death Cafe. At a Death Cafe people gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death. Our objective is "to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives." A Death Cafe is a group-directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counseling session.
Third Thursday Happy Hour Thursday, August 20; 5:00pm Taco Boy - 217 Huger St, Charleston
All are invited to our monthly churchwide happy hour! Join us for this intergenerational event to spend time with new and longtime church friends. This month is hosted by Rev. Rebecca and Lily Colburn!
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS
🌿 RE Volunteer Orientation, this Sunday 8/16
Did you have an impactful classroom or Sunday school teacher in your life? Give that to the next generation by volunteering with RE this year! If you are interested in volunteering with Religious Education, join us this Sunday from 9:30–11:00 a.m. for our Volunteer Orientation, in Upper Gage Hall.
There are lots of ways to participate this year and the time commitment is flexible. RE classes are Sunday mornings from 10:00–11:00 am, and you can choose how often you participate. We send out a sign-up sheet in advance, and you choose the Sundays that work for you, so you can plan ahead and fit volunteering into your schedule.
Please email Emily even if you can’t make the orientation but would like to volunteer. Emily@charlestonuu.org . Childcare will be available in the nursery starting at 9:30 a.m. Kids of all ages are welcome, while their caregivers are at the volunteer meeting.
SOCIAL JUSTICE NEWS
Voter Registration Drives Aug. 14, 21, and 28; 10:30am - 3:30pm at NAACP Office, 91 Hannover St
September 4; 10am - 12pm at James Lewis Apartments
Our congregation is proud to be partnering with the NAACP this fall to Get Out the Vote! Please join us this month to help register voters. And watch for further opportunities in the weeks ahead as we continue to support the NAACP in their efforts to knock on doors, send postcards, and so much more!
SAVE THE DATE
Minister's Book Club 4th SATURDAY of the Month; 10:00am Lower Gage Hall
August 22nd - "How Western Christianity Got it Wrong: Replacing the God of fear with a spirituality of healing" by Randy Woodley
September 19th - "The AI Mirror: How to reclaim our humanity in an age of machine thinking" by Shannon Vallor (NOTE: the September meeting will be on the third Saturday)
October 24th - "A World Appears: A journey into consciousness" by Michael Pollan
9/11 Day Volunteer Opportunity September 10 and 11
Gaillard Center
9/11 Day is the nonprofit that founded and leads the National September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance. As we prepare to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11, 50,000 volunteers in 50 cities will come together to pack 20 million meals for people experiencing food insecurity. We are organizing the largest day of service in American history and we need your help!
Event Support Volunteers do not pack individual meals but instead are the support and backbone to the event's success, helping welcome participants, lead meal-packing teams, keep supplies moving, and ensure the event runs smoothly. Volunteers must be 18+, and all positions are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Event Support Volunteer Opportunities (Assigned as needed) Table Captains – Lead and energize meal-packing teams Heavy Lifters / Runners – Keep supplies moving and meal-packing stations stocked Hospitality & Registration – Welcome, check in, and assist volunteers Set-Up & Break-Down Crew – Help prepare and reset the event space Learn more about the event and register for Charleston directly HERE
Together, let's honor the 25th anniversary of 9/11 through compassion, unity, and service. We hope you'll join us for what will be our most meaningful and ambitious year yet.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sign up to fill our Blessing Box
With the school year around the corner, families will be stretched thin as school supplies are purchased and new activities begin. Our backup pantry stock is almost empty. Please consider signing up to bring donations on an upcomingSunday: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044EAAA82EAAF49-57940404-fall#/
Blessing box donations can be placed directly in the box, if there is room, or in the storage cabinet in the storage area of Gage Hall (where the folding chairs are stored.) Throughout the week, staff refill the box outside as space allows, but we have been limited in our restocking ability since our storage cabinet is often close to empty!
To share a significant life event (births, deaths, celebrations, transitions and other joys and sorrows) send to Marcia Castano at BookOfLife@CharlestonUU.org by Saturday evenings at 6:00 p.m. or write them in person on Sunday morning.
The physical book is kept at the front of the church near the pulpit.
Interested in joining our wonderful church community?
Click here to learn more about membership.
