In honor of Labor Day, instead of reflecting on our jobs, let’s reflect on our meals and how they may inform the rest of our lives. Join us for a morning of mindfulness.
Scott Morgan will be our Worship Associate,
with music provided by our House Band: Sue Findlay, Regina Ruopoli, Sheila Russell, Mark Farnham, Frank Ruopoli, James Gergen, and Ryan Pagels,
Stream this Sunday's Service here We apologize that the service stream has failed for the last several weeks. We are making upgrades to our Wi-Fi to be able to effectively stream from Gage Hall. Learn more about what we are doing below.
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. (There will be no meditation next Sunday, September 6 due to Labor Day weekend and the Welcome Back Breakfast) 9:30 AM - Nursery Opens, Annex - Children ages 7 and under are welcome in the nursery 9:30am - 12:15pm
10:00 AM - Bubble Ceremony, Parterre / Churchyard - Everyone is invited to join us in this kickoff event. We'll speak our prayers, blessings, and intentions for the new year, and then blow them into bubbles to welcome our new year together. The ceremony will be followed by lawn games and popsicles. The whole congregation is invited to share this with us, along with RE parents, volunteers, and participants. Support our next generation of UUs by welcoming this new year of classes, together.
11:00 AM - Worship Service, Gage Hall
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.
12:15pm - Make-up RE Parent and Volunteer Orientation Anyone who plans to participate this year needs to come to orientation. Upstairs in Gage Hall. If you can’t make it, please contact emily@charlestonuu.org
An Update on Service Streaming
First, we would like to apologize for the failed streams and lack of communication about this issue over the last month. We know so many of you join us virtually, and we are sorry that you have not been able to worship with us.
Unfortunately our internet network has been unable to support streaming in Gage Hall. It has been difficult and slow to work with our service providers to make improvements this summer. This week, we have taken steps to improve our streaming capacity and are hopeful we will be able to successfully stream this Sunday Service.
Moving forward, if the stream does fail, our A/V technician will post a comment in the YouTube livestream comments noting that the issue is on our end, not yours. Staff will also update the member Facebook group. Immediately following the service, staff will upload the recorded service to the YouTube channel so that it is available to watch later that day. You can watch previous services you have missed on the church YouTube, under the videos tab.
Additionally, for both security and bandwidth purposes, we are changing the Wi-Fi password in Gage Hall. Those who are joining us in person who need to access the Wi-Fi network can find the new password posted on the wall in Gage Hall, near the steps up to the stage.
Men's Group Tuesday, September 1; 6:30pm Lower Gage Hall
Men's group is back after our brief summer break! Join us on the first Tuesday of every month to come together and share your life concerns, interests, and hopes for the future. We specifically aim to provide emotional support, foster bonding, social interaction. Contact Mark Farnham or office@charlestonuu.org with any questions.
Millennial-Z Happy hour Thursday, September 3; 6:00pm Bay Street Biergarten
Our millennial and Gen-Z group gathers on the first Thursday every month. Join us this month downtown at Bay Street Beirgarten!
Voter Registration Drives 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!
Eden Keepers Saturday, September 5; 9:00am Churchyard
Each month the Eden Keepers gather to maintain our beautiful and historic churchyard. All are welcome and no gardening experience is required – simply a love of plants and an appreciation of this wonderful green space. Bring gardening tools if you have them, gloves, water to drink while working and bug spray. We will work from 9-12, weather permitting. If you can't get there at 9, come when you can.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS
🌿 Upcoming Sunday Activities🌿
August 30 →Bubble Ceremony, 10:00am in the churchyard
The whole congregation is invited and encouraged to come celebrate with us, or to help make the magic happen by volunteering. We'll speak our prayers, blessings, and intentions for the new year, and then blow them into bubbles. A kid-friendly way to welcome our new RE year together. Followed by lawn games and popsicles.
Volunteers needed: set-up, run activities, cleanup, taking pictures Sign Up Here *If it’s too hot to be outside, we’ll be upstairs in Gage Hall.
After the service:Make-up RE parent and volunteer orientation. Anyone who plans to participate this year needs to come to orientation. Upstairs in Gage Hall. If you can’t make it, please contact Emily emily@charlestonuu.org
September 6 →Kids' Table at the Welcome Back Breakfast
Join us in Lower Gage for food and something fun with the whole congregation! Nursery care available.
Afterwards: join us for a Blessing of the Classroom, Upper Gage Hall.
Decorating and house-warming party for our elementary classroom. Join in if you love decorating!
September 13 → First day of RE classes! 10:00-11am
Elementary class and Youth Sample days begin
SAVE THE DATE
Welcome Back Breakfast Sunday September 6; 11:00am
Lower Gage Hall
It is time for our annual Welcome Back Breakfast! Join us Labor Day Weekend for this breakfast and preview our fall programs, events, and opportunities to get involved in our church community. You can bring your food items beginning at 10:00am. The breakfast itself along with a short welcome and update from Rev. Rebecca and staff will kick us off at 11:00am. All children and youth are invited to join the breakfast though childcare for children 6 and under will be available in the nursery.
For the month of September we are hosting a Pancake Drive to benefit James Island County Outreach food pantry. Bring a box of pancake mix and syrup to Gage Hall anytime in September and we will deliver it to JICO at the end of the month!
Alliance Fall Rummage Sale Saturday September 12; 9:00am
Lower Gage Hall
The Alliance will begin accepting donations to the Rummage Sale next week. Starting on Monday, August 31 you can bring your items to donate to Gage Hall during the week to store on the stage, behind the curtain. Call Lily in the office: (843) 723-4617 ext 2 to make sure she or Willart will be present to assist you. You can also bring items on Sunday September 6 during the Welcome Back Breakfast.
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.
SCUUJA Fall Festival Saturday, September 26; 9:30am - 4:15pm UU Columbia
One topic the festival will spotlight is Environmental Justice. In the morning, we'll hear from Robby Maynor, Policy Advocate at Southern Environmental Law Center, who will give a workshop titled Protecting South Carolina's Environment in the Digital Age. In the workshop, he'll discuss data centers in South Carolina and the polluting gas infrastructure being proposed to serve them. You'l also learn more about the community and environmental impacts of these facilities, and how you can engage at the local and state levels to advocate for better protections.
In the afternoon, our Environmental Justice Action Team will meet and strategize next steps. They'll be joined by Robby Maynor and SCUUJA Board Member Evan Renshaw, who also serves as the Partnerships and Engagement
Manager at the Conservation Voters of South Carolina.
Join our Music Program!
The Choir practices every Wednesday at 6:45pm in Lower Gage Hall
Now is the perfect time to get involved with our music program! The two primary ways to be involved are our Chancel Choir, which meets Wednesdays at 6:45pm, and our House Band which typically meets once a month. Prior professional training/experience not needed! For any questions, please reach out to our music director at ryan@charlestonuu.org
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 and supply allows.
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.
