Justice, Equity, and Compassion:
Annual Social Justice Sunday Servicewith Reverend Rebecca Hinds
It's our annual Social Justice Sunday!
And this year it happens to fall on the same weekend
as Charleston Pride. Join us for a powerful morning
devoted to LGBTQ+ justice. We will also explore the
role compassion plays in justice work and how we can
avoid compassion fatigue.
Emily White will give the Time for All Ages,
Carolyn Parker will be our Worship Associate,
with music provided by Susan Conant and Ryan Pagels.
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
Congregational Survey: The Results Are In!
Gale Simmons, Chair of the Vestry Board and
Lisa Ross, third year vestry member, will join
us for a special forum to hear the exciting results
of our annual church survey. The Vestry has examined
the congregation’s feedback regarding the 2024-2025
church year, and this is your opportunity to get a first
glance at what members had to say. We’ll celebrate our
strengths and explore our vision for the future of our
beloved congregation.
We are looking for lots of folks to ride / walk with our float in the parade and still need 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.
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. 🦉
🎃 Halloween Volunteers Needed!
Join the Halloween party fun. Volunteers are needed to help with games, decorations, and set-up. Email Emily (emily@charlestonuu.org) to get involved! 👻 The Halloween Party is Saturday, October 25, directly following the Phantasmagorical Extravaganza Event.
Women's Group
Saturday, October 11; 10:00am
Main Library Branch, Charleston
We will discuss the October Soul Matters packet on Cultivating Compassion. Please know you are welcome whether you preview the packet or not. Contact dianeehopkins77@gmail.com for more information.
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 the exact address and more information.
Coffee with the Minister
Tuesday, October 14; 9:00 - 10:30am
Vintage Coffee Cafe, Mount Pleasant
Join Rev. Rebecca at Vintage Coffee Cafe in Mount Pleasant to chat with her and other members!
Soul Matters with the Minister
Thursday, October 16; 6:00pm
The Annex*
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.
*Please note this is a change from the previously announced location.
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.
JUST ANNOUNCED
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.
CAJM House Meeting
Sunday, October 26; 12:30pm
Upper Gage Hall
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!
Please contact Amy Bradshaw at amariahiel@gmail.com with any questions!
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.
SAVE THE DATE
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.
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 and contact Lisa Hajjar at hajjarlm@gmail.com if you have questions.
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.
Share the Plate Update
For our September Share the Plate Partners, we raised $702.50 for the Period Pixies and $453.50 for the MARSH Project! Thank you for your continued support of the church and our community partners.
Our Share the Plate program not only raises funds, but raises awareness about local non-profits. Donations given to Share the Plate are split 50/50 with the church and the organization each month.
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.
