In-Gathering
Water Ceremony
with Reverend Rebecca Hinds
The Water Connects Us: We are back in the Sanctuary this week as we kick off September
with our annual ingathering service and Water Ceremony!
Bring a small amount of water to church with you and join us for this
beloved tradition of community, connection, and belonging.
(If you forget to bring water we will have plenty to share!)
Emily White will give the Time for All Ages,
Maureen Porter will be our Worship Associate,
with music provided by the choir, Bill Gesin and Ryan Pagels.
There is an RE Orientation upstairs in Gage Hall at 10:00.
Children will stay with their grown ups in the sanctuary during the service.
The nursery in the Annex will be open at 9:30 AM.
Children ages 7 and under are welcome in the nursery from 9:30 AM-12:15 PM.
Stream this Sunday's service here
Saturday, September 6 – 4:00 p.m. Volunteer Orientation
Sunday, September 7 – 10:00 a.m. RE Family Orientation
Sunday, September 14 – 10:00 a.m. First Day of RE Classes
We need helping hands for our Sunday Religious Education classes—no experience required, just a caring spirit. Even joining us for an occasional Sunday makes a big difference! Come to the Volunteer Orientation this Saturday at 4pm to learn more.
Please email me: emily@charlestonuu.orgor speak to me after this Sunday's service if you'd like to volunteer!
This Sunday, September 7, we will have a professional photographer taking photos of our first service back in the sanctuary. All attendees will be asked to complete a photo release form before the service begins. You can skip the line and complete the form online now!
Please note that a section of the church will be a designated "No Photos Zone" for those who prefer to be excluded from or have their face obscured in the photos.
This month's Share the Plate organization is the Lowcountry Period Pixies. The Lowcountry Period Pixies’ mission is to assure that every menstruator is afforded dignity by providing period products, education, and advocacy in our area. They regularly distribute menstrual supplies in the tri-county area.
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 for one month.
Eden Keepers Saturday, September 6th
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
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, but NO committee meeting or lunch.
Open to new gardeners and friends -- no experience needed!
For more information, please contact Laura Moses at 843-364-1976 or lauramoses@yahoo.com.
It is time for our annual pancake and syrup drive
to benefit the James Island Outreach food pantry.
Please bring any brand of pancake mix and syrup to church on Sunday, September 7 and 14th.
Donations will be accepted in Gage Hall each Sunday.
We have several church volunteers who help at the Outreach on a weekly basis.
The Outreach is experiencing a 60% increase in client activity
at the food pantry in the last six months.
All donations are greatly appreciated.
Call Priscilla Shumway with any questions 843-425-1850.
Welcome to our new Church Administrator
Lily Colburn
Born and raised in Manhattan, KS, I am a third generation Unitarian who recently moved to Charleston, SC. Prior to her move to Charleston, I lived in Washington, DC where I worked for US Representative Sharice Davids as an operations manager, scheduler, and staff assistant. I am a proud graduate of Kansas State University with degrees in political science, environmental science, and nonprofit leadership. In my free time I love to bake (cakes and chocolate chip cookies are my specialty), craft, and go on walks around my Park Circle neighborhood with my partner, Zac, who is an officer serving at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command. I spent most of my life loving the tallgrass prairie in landlocked Kansas and am excited to explore the wetlands and beaches of the Lowcountry.
Help spread the word about parking at the church
during the week!
In addition to our 24/7 spaces, we have two leases on our parking lot: Charleston Day School and Southeastern Management. Each lease allows church members to park on certain days/times. If you are parking during the week, whether during the day or in the evening, please read the signs carefully to determine if that space is available. And always make sure to put your parking pass on your rearview mirror.
Because parking is limited downtown, random folks are frequently parking in our parking lot. Cars are now being booted or towed. If you are not in a church parking space, your parking pass does not guarantee that you will be safe from towing. We don't want our members to get caught up in that inadvertently!
Musicians Wanted!
This fall we will be forming a UC- CHS "House Band," which will play for the service one Sunday a month.
This volunteer group will cover a wide variety of styles and genres, depending on the themes of the service. We are primarily looking for drums, guitar, electric bass, keyboard, and singers; however we are open to other instruments! Time commitment is minimal, 1-2 rehearsals per service beginning in late September/early October.
Interested?
Please click the link below to respond to this quick questionnaire.
Our Chancel Choir resumes rehearsal on August 20th! If you've been interested in joining us, now is the perfect time! We're also having a choir party on August 30th. interested singers are welcome to attend. Please email our music director at ryan@charlestonuu.org for more details.
Books and Coffee
Ray and Elliie Setser will host
Books and Coffee at their home on Sunday, September 7 at 5:00pm.
The book being reviewed is Percival Everette's "James" a fictional account by Jim
from Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn".
Please bring suggestions for a nonfiction selection for October.
Coffee and snacks will be served.
Call (843)-571-3417 to RSVP and get address.
Coffee with the Minister! Tuesday, Sept. 9th at 9am
Mercantile and Mash
701 E Bay St
SAVE THE DATE
Memorial Service
for Paul King Saturday September 20
2:00 pm
Reception in Gage Hall to follow
Family Circle Returns September 20: Save the Date!
Are you raising children or teens in our church? If so, Family Circle may become your favorite church activity. Each month we meet at a member’s home for a potluck meal together. Afterwards, kids play together under the supervision of paid childcare providers while adults have a guided conversation on a theme relevant to our faith and the many challenges and delights of parenting.
Ordinarily we will meet on the second Saturday of each month, but in September we’ll gather on Saturday, September 20, 5-7pm in West Ashley. More details will be provided as the date approaches. Watch for a signup genius coming next week in the Gateway. If you have any questions or would like to help out, please contact Allison Sterrett-Krause (allisonsterrett@gmail.com).
LowCountry Food Bank Fall Schedule for UU Volunteers
On September 20th, we will dedicate our work in memory of Paul King who volunteered with us as recently as this spring. Paul's life was dedicated to helping others stay healthy and active, so this work was meaningful to him and Kathleen. A strong showing in honor of Paul would be
Our church has a long history of volunteering with the Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB), primarily packing BackPack Buddies boxes for school children, Senior boxes, or sorting donated food for folks with food insecurity throughout coastal SC. Please join us on the 3rd Saturday of each month to volunteer at the LCFB (located at 2864 Azalea Drive, N. Chas)
Fall dates include September 20th, October 18th, November 15th, and possibly December 20th (to be confirmed).
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 using
Significance of Location: Newmarket Creek, along with Gadsden and Halsey Creeks, is part of the proposed “Just Ecological Corridor” of sustainability on the peninsula, that has come out of the M.A.R.S.H. Project (see its website). M.A.R.S.H. is a possible CAJM extension of the Gadsden initiative. Relevance to Church: Sweep is organized by church member Dave Ruef, with other community groups and members participating. The M.A.R.S.H. Project was co-founded by our Dr. Blake Scott who will be leading an exciting forum about the project with several speakers on Sept 21, before Rev. Rebecca's environmental sermon and a cool post-sermon fair of related info tables. A weekend of events to not miss! Oh yes, the 7th UU Principle!!! Event Address: Downtown Charleston near the forthcoming Lowline: Huger Street between King and Meeting Streets, meet outside the entrance to parking garage of Meeting Street Lofts on Huger St.
Family Friendly: eligible for county school youth community service credit
Logistics: 2 hr free pkg in garage (additional across street at former Palmetto Brewery), wear closed toe shoes, long sleeves and pants for insects, bring hat/water/bug spray/sunscreen/ gardening type gloves if you have (latex ones supplied). Registration:NCreekSweep@gmail.com-- provide name, # in party and reference the church Need more info: contact Dave @ (215) 219-6059, Ruefassoc@gmail.com
See you there! (rain or shine unless pouring)
Alliance Rummage Sale Saturday, September 27, 2025
Click this link to register
for the SCUUJA Fall Festival bit.ly/scuuja
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.
