Drawing from the wisdom of modern-day prophets like Steven Charleston of the Choctaw Nation, and the late, great renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, Richards' remarks will explore ways to keep hope alive and even reshape the impact and trajectory of what feels at times like an impending apocalypse.
Cat Nelson will give the Time for All Ages,
Scott Morgan and Nancy Simpson will be our Worship Associates,
with music provided by Keepers of the Word, a Native American drumming circle, and Ryan Pagels.
9:30 AM - Nursery Opens, Annex - Children ages 5 and under are welcome in the nursery 9:30am - 12:15pm.
- Children ages 7 and under are welcome after RE classes until 12:15pm.
9:45AM - Meditation Group, 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.
10:00 AM - RE Classes, Upper Gage Hall & Annex (please meet in the Churchyard just before 10:00am)
- Following RE classes, children will join the service in the Sanctuary.
- Elementary aged students (K - 5th grade) will meet in Upper Gage Hall.
- Youth (7th - 12th grade) will meet in the Annex.
10:00 AM - Forum, Lower Gage Hall CARING ETHICS - Families and Biomedical Ethics - the other side of the bed: In this forum we will explore some of the questions and issues families might face if/when called on to make heart breaking and mind bending biomedical ethical decisions. This is not a how-to forum. It provides an opportunity to think about possibilities and options beforehand. Fair warning: there are no clear-cut answers. Its purpose is to foster us in becoming more forgiving understanding and helpful people. Bob Morris will be our speaker. His career as a clinical hospital chaplain involved him in both academic and community healthcare and as an educator.
This month we will discuss the October Soul Matter them, Cultivating Compassion in the evening of October 16 in the Annex building of the Church.
Coffeehouse Extravaganza - Social Justice Fundraiser Saturday, October 18; 7:30pm
Gage Hall
Join us for this fall Social Justice Council event for night of the best acoustic music in Charleston featuring John Holenko and Mike Kaufman, "Together Again". All proceeds benefit Mitchell Elementary School Science Field Trip Program.
Lowcountry Food Bank Volunteering Saturday, October 18; 9:00am 2864 Azalea Drive, North Charleston
Please join us on the 3rd Saturday of each month to volunteer at the LCFB. 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. Please sign up here: Sign up Genius for Food Bank Volunteers any last minute joiners are always welcomed!
Additionally, please note the updated volunteer dates for the next several months. Our regular 3rd Saturday schedule is subject to change based on holidays, etc. Upcoming dates: November 15, December 13, January 24, and February 28. Contact Lisa Hajjar at hajjarlm@gmail.com if you have questions.
Sacred Spaces Tour
Sunday, October 19; 2:00pm, Reception to follow at 3:00pm
UCC Sanctuary and St. John's Sanctuary
Come meet our neighbors and learn more about our space and theirs in this event co-hosted with the Charleston Interreligious Council.
Death Cafe
Monday, October 20; 7:00 - 8:30pm
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. The objective is "to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives." To learn more about Death Cafes in general, click here.
Religious Education News
Help Us Bring OWL Back Next Year!
🦉We’re hoping to offer OWL (Our Whole Lives), UU’s comprehensive, values-based sexuality education program next year, and we need trained facilitators to make it happen. Online facilitator training begins in November. If you’re interested in supporting this life-changing program for our youth, please reach out to Emily (emily@charlestonuu.org) for more information. 🦉
Quarterly Giving Statements Sent Today
Quarterly giving statements are going out today! Check your email and contact lily@charlestonuu.org with any questions or corrections.
JUST ANNOUNCED
Period Products Packing Party Sunday, October 26; 12:30-1:45
Gage Hall
Come and help assemble menstrual supply packets for the Lowcountry Period Pixies! Whether or not you can participate in the packing party, please bring donations of pads, liners, and tampons to church this Sunday or next Sunday – be sure all products are individually wrapped. We hope you can join us! Co-sponsored by the Women’s Group and the Social Justice Team.
CAJM House Meetings
*MULTIPLE DATES with New Dates Added!*
10/19; 3:00pm at Lisa's Home
10/20; Evening at Franke at Seaside (Hosted by Ellie)
10/26; 12:30pm in Upper Gage Hall
10/26; 3:00pm at George's Home
Have you been considering how to take action for social justice and make a difference in our community? Please join our Social Justice team and the Charleston Area Justice Ministry (CAJM) and participate in our CAJM House Meetings (Listening Session) on Sunday, October 26 following Sunday service.This session is designed to build relationships with other church members and asks you share your own stories and ideas about “what keeps you up at night”. These shared experiences will be collected and help to determine the issues that CAJM will focus on this year. Learn how you can get involved in our Church’s most important Social Justice activity! If you can't make it on Sunday October 26 after the service, please attend another date listed above and contact Amy Bradshaw or the host of the alternative House Meeting for further information.
Please contact Amy Bradshaw at amariahiel@gmail.com with any questions!
SAVE THE DATE
Phatasmagorical and Halloween Party Sanctuary and Churchyard
Saturday, October 25; 5:30pm
Join us for the annual spooktacular, family-friendly concert celebrating Halloween! Featuring chilling music, poetry, dance, a costume contest and party! Purchase tickets online before they sell out!
Minister's Book Club Lower Gage Hall
Saturday, October 25; 10:00am
In honor of Banned Book Week (Oct. 5-11) we will be reading one of the most banned books in recent years: All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson. This memoir about growing up Black and queer in America explores such topics as gender identity, masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, consent, and Black joy.
Join Rev. Rebecca in Lower Gage Hall for a Saturday morning of coffee and conversation about these important themes and how we can join the fight to stop book banning.
Women's Book Club
Tuesday, October 28; 6:00pm
Main Library Branch, Charleston
Join us on the last Tuesday of the month to discuss the October selection, Broken Country, by Clare Leslie Hall.
We meet in person at the Main Library downtown, but there is also an option to join via Zoom. Contact Diane Hopkins dianeehopkins77@gmail.com for more information.
Planned Giving Luncheon Sunday, November 2; 12:30pm Lower Gage Hall
Please join us to celebrate the history of planned giving in our church and to learn more about how you can leave an enduring legacy beyond your yearly commitments. Your gift, no matter how large or small, helps ensure the future of this church with its mission of love, inspiration and service to create a better world as well as a vibrant liberal religious presence in the Lowcountry for generations to come. All are invited and encouraged to attend and you are under no obligation to give by attending this event.
Interested in joining our vibrant Music Program?
For the singers, our Chancel Choir rehearses every Wednesday! Interested singers are welcome to attend. For other musicians, we have a house band that plays in the Sunday service monthly and rehearses 1-2 times prior to that service. Please email our music director at ryan@charlestonuu.org for more details about our music program.
Join the Docent Program! Each week Friday - Sunday, for three hours, our beautiful sanctuary is open to the public. Docents from our congregation are on hand to tell visitors about our history and answer questions about our philosophy. Docents serve one day a month from September to the end of May.
Anyone can be a Docent! Training is on the job and a new Docent is paired with an experienced one. All the informational material is printed and available in the sanctuary and online in advance. This program is especially enriching for new members. It is not only a way to share our wonderful church building and culture with the community and tourists, but also a vital piece of how we pass down the oral and written history of this congregation.
While we are always in need of new docents, we are particularly in need this fall. We have had to cancel several days of tours due to a lack of available volunteers.
The Sanctuary is open for Docent tours Friday and Saturday 10:00am - 1:00pm and Sunday after church 12:30 - 3:00pm.
If you are interested, email our Docent Team Leader, Ginny Morgan at ginn363@gmail.com.
Blessing box donations can be placed directly in the box, if there is room, or in the storage cabinet in the southwest corner of Gage Hall. Throughout the week, Willart will refill the box outside as space allows.
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.
Interested in joining our wonderful church community?
Click here to learn more about membership.
