When Compassion Feels Impossiblewith Reverend Rebecca Hinds
It's hard to have compassion for someone we don't like or for someone
who has hurt us. This Sunday we will explore this tension between
cultivating compassion towards those who have harmed us and
preserving of our sense of self, our dignity, and our boundaries.
Come grow in compassion even though it's difficult!
This Sunday we will share the plate with the Boone Project.
The Boone Project offers financial support and healing
community to young adults with cancer.
Emily White will give the Time for All Ages,
Janet Watts will be our Worship Associate,
with music provided by Ryan Pagels and our new House Band!
Stream this Sunday's service here
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
The Greek goddess Persephone: Archetypal
Figure of Personal Transformation:
Jackie Morfesis will present the story of the Greek
goddess Persephone as a figure of transformation.
Her talk will address the way in which the language
of myth functioned in a very real sense both religiously
and ritually for the ancients and how it still inspires and
influences our modern world.
10/2 - UU Millennial Potluck Dinner,6:00pm, Mt. Pleasant 10/3 - Steve Agan Memorial, 3:00pm, Mt. Pleasant 10/4 - Eden Keepers, 9:00am, Churchyard 10/4 - SCUUJA Fall Festival, ALL DAY, Columbia, SC 10/5 - Auction Volunteer Meeting, 12:00pm, Upper Gage Hall 10/5 - Jazz Concert Fundraiser, 4:00pm, Sanctuary 10/5 - Interfaith Pride Service, 5:00pm, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church 10/7 - Men's Group, 6:30pm, Lower Gage Hall 10/9 - EIB Quarterly Meeting, 10:00am, Zoom 10/11 - Charleston Pride Parade & Festival, ALL DAY, Charleston 10/11 - Women's Group, 10:00am, Main Library Branch 10/11 - Family Circle, 5:00pm, West Ashley
10/12 - Beyond the Binary Book Bash, 12:30pm, Lower Gage Hall
10/12 - Books and Coffee,4:30pm,Franke at Seaside 10/14 - Coffee with the Minister, 9:00am, Vintage Coffee Cafe 10/16 - Soul Matters with the Minister, 6:00pm, Lower Gage Hall 10/18 - Low Country Food Bank Volunteering, 9:00am, LCFB 10/18 - Fall Coffeehouse Extravaganza, 7:30pm, Gage Hall 10/20 - Death Cafe, 7:00pm, Lower Gage Hall 10/25 - Minister's Book Club, 10:00am, Lower Gage Hall 10/25 - Phantasmagorical Extravaganza, 5:30pm, Sanctuary 10/26 - CAJM House Meeting, 12:30pm, Upper Gage Hall 10/28 - Women's Book Club, 6:00pm, Main Library 10/30 - Vestry Board Meeting, 6:30pm, Zoom
For more information on events listed here keep reading the Gateway, click the blue links (if applicable), reference the church calendar: https://www.charlestonuu.org/eventscalendar, or contact lily@charlestonuu.org
THIS WEEK AT CHURCH
Religious Education News
This month we will focus on our theme of cultivating compassion and prepare for an exciting month of activities ahead!
Family Circle October 11, 5:00pm
Location upon RSVP
Please join us next weekend as we return to our regular, second Saturday schedule. Meet with others who are raising children in the church for a time of friendship, good food, and thoughtful conversation (plus an hour of child-free adult interaction). Location details will be shared by email on the Friday before the event. RSVP via Signup Genius.
Planning for our annual Phantasmagorical and Halloween Party on Saturday, October 25 is underway!
We’re looking for:
Volunteers to plan and facilitate games for the children (bring your own materials; this is a collaborative project).
Volunteers to set up spooky experiences or stations (also bring your own materials).
Volunteers who simply want to show up on the day to help with what’s already planned.
Folks willing to donate outdoor Halloween décor or inflatables to help transform our space for the party.
If you’d like to be part of the fun, or have decorations to lend or donate; please reach out to me. We’d love to include you! emily@charlestonuu.org
TONIGHT: UU Millennial Kick-Off Social and Potluck Dinner Thursday, October 2; 6:00 - 8:0pm
Mount Pleasant RSVP to mariahdilling@gmail.com for address
Steve Agan Memorial Service Friday, October 3; 3:00pm
J Henry Stuhr Mount Pleasant
Eden Keepers Saturday, October 4; 9:00am - 12:00pm
Churchyard
Every month we gather to maintain our beautiful and historic churchyard. All are welcome and no gardening experience is required! Bring gardening tools if you have them, gloves, water to drink while working and bug spray. We will work from 9-12, weather permitting, but there will be NO meeting or lunch.
New gardeners and friends are always welcome and deeply appreciated!
As Eden Keepers we eliminate plants that damage tombstones, thus serving the dead. By tending a gloriously disheveled landscape of native and other desirable plants, we create opportunities for pursuing peaceful acceptance that we live in a complex world. By providing a clear reminder that what seems to be perfect or permanent is fleeting, we serve the living.
Jazz Concert Fundraiser Sunday, October 5; 4:00 - 5:30pm
Sanctuary
Join us for a musical treat! Local Jazz favorites, the Kevin Patton Quartet, and Charleston's reigning queen of song, Alva Anderson, will be performing in the Sanctuary.
Kevin uniquely merges Gospel and Jazz into a powerful combination that's never been heard before. Much of Kevin's repertoire is original music, striving to be pioneers to a new generation while Alva's richly beautiful voice is complimented by a deep understanding of American music and its Low Country roots. The powerful Kevin Patton Quartet and the splendid Alva Anderson have performed on multiple jazz projects, including performances with the Charleston Jazz Orchestra. It will be fun to hear how they integrate their sounds. Now, that's real Jazz.
Auction Volunteer Interest Meeting Sunday, October 5; 12:00pm
Upper Gage Hall
Whether you have been a long time volunteer or this is the first you're hearing of "The Auction" we are looking for your help coordinating and planning our biggest fundraiser of the year! We are specifically looking for help soliciting food, gift card, experience, hotel, and homestay donations for the auction. We also are looking for folks interested in helping run the software "Auctria" and event planning for the auction day itself.
If any of this piques your interest, please attend our meeting after service on October 5 in Upper Gage Hall. We will share information about the auction, various volunteer roles, and further define what the auction will look like this year. If you are not able to attend the meeting, but would like to learn more or are ready to volunteer, contact lily@charlestonuu.org.
THIS WEEKEND: On October 4, UUs from across the state will gather in Columbia, SC for a day of community, conversation, and action with the SC UU Justice Alliance Fall Festival.
Workshops topics include: The state of Medicaid and SNAP, solidarity with immigrant communities, and a tutorial on talking to your state legislators. There will also be action team meetings for: Climate Justice, LGBTQ+ Justice, Immigration, Racial Justice, Economic Justice, and Democracy & Voting.
There are intergenerational activities all day including: Puppet-Making & Performance, Arts & Crafts, Singing, and Drumming.
Sunday, October 5; 5:00pm
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
Start the week of Charleston Pride off with our interfaith community in this service celebrating the beauty and diversity in our community.
Men's Group
Tuesday, October 7; 6:30 - 8:30pm
Lower Gage Hall
For thoughtful men to come together on a regular basis and share their life concerns, interests, and hopes for the future. We meet monthly specifically to provide emotional support, foster bonding, social interaction. Contact Mark Farnham at mfarnham@bellsouth.net
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.
SAVE THE DATE
Endowment Investment Board Meeting Thursday, October 9, 10:00 am
Zoom
The next Endowment Investment Board meeting is scheduled for October 9 at 10am on Zoom. A maximum of 5 members of the congregation may attend if registered to attend two days in advance. You can register to attend by October 7 with Karen Ruef, EIB Secretary, kruef@icloud.com.
CharlestonPrideParadeandFestival
Saturday, October 11
Parade @ 9:00am; Downtown Charleston
Festival @ 12:00pm; The Refinery
We are looking for lots of folks to ride / walk with our float in the parade and also 12 volunteers to work our booth during the festival in the afternoon. The booth will include a pop-up tent, table, banner, informational materials, giveaways, and a kids activity. Please contact office@charlestonuu.org with any questions. Check out the Charleston Pride website for more information on this year's festivities.
Beyond the Binary Book Bash
Sunday, October 12; 12:30pm
Lower Gage Hall
Join us as we celebrate authors, writings, and experiences of the transgender community. Contact julie@charlestonuu.org for more information.
Books and Coffee
Sunday, October 12; 4:30pm
Franke at Seaside, Mount Pleasant
For the next Books and Coffee we will review the book PATHOGENESIS: A history of the world in eight plagues by Jonathan Kennedy.
At the September meeting we had a spirited discussion of books read over the summer and our summer fiction selection JAMES. Eight people attended despite the monsoon rain! Contact rhsetser@aol.com for more information.
Coffeehouse Extravaganza 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.
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.
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.
