Mystery Pals get revealed, we hold a New Member Ceremony, and afterward, we have our semi- annual Congregational Meeting

Take action to protect yourself from Covid-19 based on local risk conditions.  

Feel free to wear a mask anytime.

FUUBC encourages all those who can be vaccinated to be vaccinated, including boosters, as appropriate.

To attend by Zoom, click on this link: uuberks.org/zoom-worship. (If this is the first time
you’re using zoom, you may be prompted to download a launcher app).

To connect by phone (audio only):
1) Dial the phone number: 1-646-558-8656
2) When prompted for the “Meeting ID”, enter: 921 4271 5512#
3) When prompted for the “Participant ID”, enter: #

Please plan to arrive or log on by 10:20-10:25 am to enjoy the gathering music, and,
for those on zoom, to establish a connection before worship is scheduled
begins. Zoom participant mics are muted throughout the service.

This Weekend:

• Tonight’s Story is Maybe Something Beautiful words by F Isabel Campoy, Theresa Howell, and illustrations by Rafael López.
• Soul Matters shares:  This is a book about one of the ways to be creative and original.  It’s about how an artist called a muralist brought color, joy, and hope to a neighborhood.  It is based on the true story of the Urban Art Trail in San Diego, California.  The book shows how we can find new ways of creating beauty even in a gray city. 
• Watch it here.  Or find it here.

SUNDAY

9:45 AM :Adult RE 

• In Person: meeting room off gerber room.  (Teens welcome with accompanying parent/guardian)

• Faith Formation – 3rd Sunday in May: discussion based on Gutsy Women, folks who attended last week – you have a woman to share about.  Folks just joining this week, we have a few yet unassigned 🙂   email Ginny Chudgar for more info (see directory for address)

• Onsite Only 

9:45 AM: Children’s RE  

Elementary Ages:  Onsite/Online, email Ebee Bromley by Saturday noon if you’ll be attending online

• On site: Kidspace Classroom 2nd floor * teens may help, let us know you’ll be coming
• Children’s RE – We share in show and tell – bringing one thing from home that helps you be creative.

10:30- Worship Service- All Ages

What are friendships for? 

• How to make visual art directed by breath 

• Coloring Sheet: How Could Anyone – coloring pages set

• Use a printed or hand labyrinth to find renewal as you attend worship this morning. Here’s a labyrinth you can print out and trace.  Labyrinth Printable

• Practice your Searching and Creative skills with A Challenge to get from one heart to the other Maze

10:45 – 11:45 Youth Group:  

Grades 7th – 12: meet to celebrate your year and dream about next year.

?? Mystery Pals ??

Week 6 of 6: registered participants have received information to send and receive correspondence!  What do you want to know next?

This Sunday is Mystery Pal Reveal day in worship!  Registered participants look out for the email from Ebee with instructions

The goal of this program is to build a relationship with Pals across generations, make a connection with them, and for participants kids and teens to know they are loved in their church community. 

Monday – Thursday 

Weekly posts on our covenanted RE Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/UUBerks.RE.page/?ref=share
check out our Remind classroom.
If you need to signup link here: remind.com/join/refuucbc

Mark your calendars now for the End of Summer Picnic on Sunday, August 27th at 12pm at Farming Ridge Park in Exeter. The picnic will begin after the worship service and there will be a basket raffle during the picnic. We will be sharing more information in the Univoice later this summer. We will need help organizing and running the picnic. I am hoping that Rev. Amy will lead us in an old-time worship service before the picnic that lasts 3-4 hours like our church used to have 100 years ago. As one of the co-chairs of the Picnic Committee, I decree that all the picnic volunteers will be officially excused so as to be able to help with the picnic.

Contact Frank W. if you are able to help or have questions/suggestions.

I hope this mid spring beautiful weather is finding you all well!!

As we are all seeing new growth in nature in this season- I find that being of service is also a path to growth for us humans 🙂   We currently have a dedicated list of volunteers which is very much appreciated but as summer gets closer- I realize there are other adventures we will be heading out to do so there are currently a lot of open spots for the upcoming Sundays.  This is a wonderful way to connect with the rest of the community, get to know more about our amazing church and as an added bonus- gets you to church when sometimes you may not feel like getting out of your pajamas and hear the priceless messages in each of the services.

With this said- we need your help!!   If you are available or want to know more about being a greeter -please reach out to me by phone, text or email

Blessings,
Joanne K.

• Finalized search committee nomination process.  Now in Asking Phase.

• Voted to present FY 2023-24 Budget from Finance Committee at the Congregational Meeting on May 21st

• Rev. Amy summarized UUA Leadership Training – Lab #4 with the BOD

• Updated the Covid-19 Gathering Policy

• Reviewed the schedule of board activities for Settled Minister search

Have you seen our amazing congregation handprint canvas in the Gerber room? Now you can get it on a T-shirt for $20! You can pre-order a shirt for yourself now through May 21st on the order form in the Gerber room- find the shirt and you’ll find the form. Ask an RE volunteer for assistance.

The Eighth Principle Committee invites you to read What Does It Mean to Be White? Developing White Racial Literacy by Robin DiAngelo and then share your reactions to this important work in conversations with others, starting in July.  This is an opportunity to build community by telling stories and grappling with societal oppression. We have a limited number of copies available for $12.  Please contact Be Y. to get your book. We look forward to lively discussions this summer.

The Helping Harvest Food Bank held at our church on the 3rd Saturday of each month, is on 5/20/23 this month. To prepare, we need to set up a “store” in the Gerber Room with tables and shelves around 8:30 AM. We will receive a delivery truck from Helping Harvest around 9:30 AM, which contains hundreds of pounds of food that must be carried in from the street. We will unbox all of the items and place them on the tables and shelves. Once the “store” is ready, we will guide families through it, one or two at a time, and assist them in selecting items that they can take home for free. Afterwards, we will break down all of the boxes and put away the tables and shelves.

We require many volunteers to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Currently, we are in need of more help. Would you be able to spare a few hours on Saturday morning to assist us? Typically, things are slow until the delivery truck arrives, so we could use more help with unloading, managing the different food areas in the “store” and cleaning up afterwards. Last month we were done before 12 noon. If you have any questions, please contact Frank W.

FUUBC is part of the Giant charitable grocery scrip program that gives 10% of all gift cards sold back to our church. You can purchase cards as needed or sign up for a monthly gift card order that will be sent directly to your home the first week of each month.

When you receive your order you will also receive a return envelope to mail your check to the church. Checks can also be dropped in the Gerber room drop box or in the plate collection. Checks should be made out to FUUBC with giant card in the memo line.

If you would like to purchase Giant cards please return the form below to Melissa at office@uuberks.org. One time cards can also be purchased from Melissa at coffee hour twice a month.

Giant cards are available in $50 and $100 increments.

Giant Card Form

Friends, the time for submitting an article has come while I am simultaneously
participating in a weeklong meeting (online) of Interim Ministers AND packing up
my life from Elkhart IN. I hope that you will enjoy this link, or the printed lyrics
of my favorite song for May. Recorded by 10000 Maniacs, sung by Natalie
Merchant, These are Days.
Written by Buck Robert, Jerome Augustyniak, and Natalie A Merchant
https://open.spotify.com/track/786h4kDeZiX5nYvOwA3wtE

These are days
These are days you’ll remember
Never before and never since
I promise
Will the whole world be warm as this
And as you feel it
You’ll know it’s true
That you are blessed and lucky
It’s true that you
Are touched by something
That will grow in you, in you
These are days you’ll remember
When May is rushing over you with desire
To be part of the miracles you see in every hour
You’ll know it’s true that you are blessed and lucky
It’s true that you
Are touched by something
That will grow and bloom in you

These are days
These are the days you might fill with laughter until you break
These days you might feel a shaft of light
Make its way across your face
And when you do you’ll know how it was meant to be
See the signs and know their meaning
It’s true
You’ll know how it was meant to be
Hear the signs and know they’re speaking to you, to you

In peace with love,

Rev. Amy

Creativity happens when we ask ourselves – what if? It’s our ability to dream things up, hold them in our minds and then make them real in the world. It’s easier to be creative when you are connected to more than yourself. That connection can be with a group of people like your family, your friends, a group you belong to. That connection can be to a place, somewhere you travel to, somewhere that’s home. Often times that connection is more than one thing.

Our youth group all year met twice a month to practice creativity through the lense of our 8 principles in their curriculum. Our kids met each week to explore the theme of the month through creating posters, and stories, and even developing a song. Some of our families engaged with the theme of the month through Soulful Home arts, games and stories. Here’s a way you can playfully engage with creativity for a week this month from Soulful Home. If you think you can’t be creative or can’t draw – this practice is especially for you.

(Family can be those you connect with daily or weekly.)

Choose seven of the items below and challenge your family to do a drawing a day for a week. Make a thick stack of scrap paper and a jar of pencils in easy reach of everyone in the family. At whatever point throughout the day makes the most sense, each person draws the daily picture. Create a collage on the fridge or on a message board for the family to see the next day.

uuberks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/picture-list-420×286.jpeg 420w” width=”549″ style=”border: 0;height: auto !important;outline: none;text-decoration: none;-ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic;”>

by nadine j. smet-weiss
spiritual director

breath
by
breath
choice
by
choice
through
each moment
of each day
creating
this work of art
we call
our life