This Sunday, May 4th, will be Danielle's final Sunday with us as a member of the staff. During the service, we will be taking a moment to recognize her contributions and express our sincere gratitude.
We will have a basket available both during and after the service for anyone who wishes to contribute to a special Love Offering for Danielle. Please feel welcome to bring cards and/or a monetary gift as a token of our collective appreciation and support as she moves forward. For those who may forget, we will also have a card available for everyone to sign.
We’re excited to begin planning a redesign of our UU website, led by Maria Dilling—and we want your input! Join us for a Zoom session on April 6th at 7pm, where all congregants are welcome to share feedback, ideas, and hopes for the new site. Your voice matters and will help us create a website that truly supports our community’s needs.
The goal of this meeting is to gain a deeper understanding of how different people use the site and what they need from it, so this information can be relayed to the developer and help create a final product that serves all the groups who rely on it.
If you can attend, please email Maria at mariahdilling@gmail.com so she can send you the Zoom invite. If you can’t make it but would still like to share your thoughts, feel free to reach out to Maria to set up a time to connect.
ANNUAL MEETING NOTICE Sunday, May 18th after church
Our Constitution requires that the Annual Meeting of the Congregation will be in May each year. This year the Annual Meeting will be held on May 18, immediately following the church service. As members, we are the owners of the Unitarian Church in Charleston and as such, we have the responsibility of making important decisions that will affect the future of our church. Please put this date in your calendar and plan to attend. A zoom option with a voting mechanism will be available.
Members, look for an email with more information this Friday.
Connie Hayes
Chair, Vestry Board
Sunday Coffee Hour Volunteers Needed!
Judy Manning, our awesome Sunday coffee hour volunteer, will be heading to cooler climes this summer. We are looking for a crew of coffee hour volunteers to make coffee, and set up / clean up for coffee hour. Judy will be here to train folks on May 11 and May 25.
If you can't make it, Judy also has created a set of detailed instructions.
To sign up to get trained or volunteer for a future Sunday, click here
Pledge month may have ended, but it's never too late to pledge!
As of today, we still have a little under $20,000 to go to make our goal of $405,000.
The chalice flame is the symbol of our UU faith. Our worship service begins with the sacred ritual of lighting the chalice. If you would like to light the chalice, contact Mary Ann Terry at 843-364-6612 or Maryannterry813@gmail.com
The Eden Keepers gathers 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, followed by a potluck lunch in Gage Hall. For more information, please contact Laura Moses at 843-364-1976 or lauramoses@yahoo.com.
Sunday, May 4; 12:30 PM-3:30 PM
Now in its seventh year, the self-guided snack tour of houses of worship is a rare opportunity to tour downtown Charleston’s sacred spaces and taste the foods associated with them.
Spirited Brunch is free, and no RSVP is required. You can visit as many or as few venues as you like, in whatever order you choose. See you on Sunday!
Books and Coffee Sunday, May 4, 2025;5 PM
Ron and Judy Bruce's Home
Franke in Mt. Pleasant
We will review Noam Chomsky's
THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM
A book about American foreign policy and how capitalistic interests often override all other concerns including humanitarian concerns.
Tuesday, May 6; 6:30 PM
Gage Hall
For thoughtful men to come together on a regular basis and share their life concerns, interests, and hopes for the future. Specifically, to provide emotional support, foster bonding, social interaction. Contact Frank Hardie at fwhardie@yahoo.com.
WEDNESDAY, May 7; 6:45 PM
Choir meets on Wednesdays
from 6:45 PM-8:15 PM (7 PM on New & Good nights),
and Sundays at 10am
(when Choir is present).
If you're interested in singing in the choir, please contact Ryan at ryan@charlestonuu.org
The LCFB is located at 2864 Azalea Drive, North Charleston.
You may watch a volunteer orientation online. Close-toes shoes required.
SATURDAY, May 10; 10 AM
Women's Group
Main Library, 68 Calhoun Street
Meeting Room A
This meetup is for women and those identifying as women to come together on a regular basis and share their life concerns, interests, and hopes for the future. Specifically, to provide emotional support, foster bonding, social interaction. Contact Diane Hopkins at dianeehopkins77@gmail.com for more info.
SATURDAY, May 10; 5 PM
RSVP FOR LOCATION
Families are invited to come together for a time of community and fellowship. Children will get to know one another while caregivers have a guided discussion. Childcare will be provided.
Please RSVP HERE and location details will be sent to you as we get closer to the date.
Free concert! May 10; 7:30 PM
Music Director Ryan Pagels and Steinway Artist
Dr. Michael Rickman present a special 2 piano concert.
Featuring the works of Mozart, Poulenc, Milhaud, and Lutoslawski.
THURSDAY, May, 20; 6 PM 68 Calhoun Street, Main Library, Meeting Room A
These sessions focus on deep listening and spiritual reflection.
If you have been looking for a way to explore your spirituality, share resources, and connect with new people, this is the group for you!
SCUUJA invites you to sign up for the Zoom workshop, "Speaking the Language of Our Faith for Justice: Faith in Action!" with the Rev. Deanna Vandiver, Director of the UU College of Social Justice. It will be held on May 17 from 11 am to 3:30 pm. It's a spiritually grounded justice education event designed to equip you for faithful action in this political moment. You will deepen your faith and bring justice to life through your own participation and practice.
About the presenter: Rev. Deanna Vandiver (she/they) is a called auntie, a collaborator, an artist, an affiliated community minister for love and liberation with the Church of the Larger Fellowship, the Director of our Unitarian Universalist College of Social Justice (www.uucsj.org), and the founder of Ever Unfolding. Deanna lives with her partner on the land of the Suquamish nation, “people of the clear salt water,” in Washington state, still being shaped by deep and faithful justice education in Bulbancha, Louisiana.
There's no cost to the workshop, but we do suggest that you donate $10.00 or more if you can to the UU College of Social Justice. SCUUJA will collect the donations and send them to the UU College of Social Justice. Donate at www.scuuja.org/donate.
Read as many or as few of the books as you like - come to one session or come to them all! We meet on the fourth Saturday
at 10am in Gage Hall.
* May 31: Revive Us Again: Vision and Action in Moral Organizing by The Rev. Dr. William Barber II * June 28: No Straight Road Takes You There by Rebecca Solnit
Book of Life
To share a significant life event (births, deaths, celebrations, transitions and other joys and sorrows) send to Marcia Castano at marciapate5@gmail.com 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.
In recognition of Earth Day, Indigenous teaching and worship
lead by Richard Guess. His talk, “Growing the Sacred” is based on the writings of Richard Charleston, Native American Elder and former Episcopal Bishop of Alaska.
Interested in joining our wonderful church community?
Click here to learn more about membership or reach out
to Danielle Lopez at danielle@charlestonuu.org
