UU’s are changing our bylaws to reflect less of a list of principles and more of a cluster of values, based in love.  Let’s talk about what this means for us.

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:

• This month’s story is The Invisible Web: by Patrice Karst. Soul Matters writes, Our theme this month is the Gift of Interdependence. Another way of saying that we are all interdependent with one another is to say that we are all connected to each other. So, with that in mind, I want to share a story with you about how we all have invisible strings that are connected to one another in The Invisible Web. 

• Find it at your local library! 

• Hear it read online! 

SUNDAY

9:30 AM : Adult RE 

• In Person: back of the chalice house meeting room.

• Faith Formation in April: We explore the gift of interdependence!  Topic this week will be our fourth and final look of this series at “Gaza, Israel, Palestine”.

• One of the goals of the Adult RE program is to get to know each other better.  What fascinating people sit around our table and how much we have to learn from each other.  There’s a place for you at our table.

• email Ginny Chudgar for more info (see directory for address)

• Onsite Only 

9:30 AM:Children’s RE: The Gifts of Our Faith – 2 classes

Elementary Ages: 

• Lower elementary: kids space cozy room

  • The Gift of Change of the Weather Game

• Upper Elementary: social hall meeting room

  • The Gift of Interdependence.

10:30- Worship Service- All Ages

We meet together to sing, to reflect, and to explore our world. 

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

10:30 – 12 Youth Group:  

Grades 7th – 12: Building our Spiritual Toolbox: the music we put in our toolbox

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

This Weekend:

• This month’s story is The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson. Soul Matters writes, “This story is about how it can sometimes be hard when we are different from others. But if we have the courage to proudly tell our unique stories, the world around us transforms. It begins to open up and make room for us.

• Find it at your local library! 

• Hear it read online! 

SUNDAY

9:30 AM : Adult RE 

• On Easter Break: no discussion this week. Back April 7th.

  • We’ll have the tea kettle on and some Easter treats out in the Gerber room for those who would like to ease into their Sunday morning.

9:30 AM: Children’s RE: The Gifts of Our Faith – 2 classes

Elementary Ages: 

• Elementary Ages: kids space cozy room

  • The Gift of The Change from Sad Hearts to Hopeful Hearts; Remembering that Bad Times Won’t Last Forever

10:30- Worship Service- All Ages

We meet together to sing, to reflect, and to explore our world. 

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

10:30 – 12 Youth Group:  

Grades 7th – 12: meets next April 7th

11:30 – 12 All Ages: *** Easter Egg Hunt ***

Participate in this year’s Easter egg hunt. Our upper elementary kids created and decorated eggs for you to find, learn about local endangered species and turn in for prizes! 

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

We invite the upper elementary families (grades 3-6th) to attend our spring game night! Bring a game to play, a snack to share, and be ready to have some fun together! Will we see you there? Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Thank you!

https://uuberks.org/Game_night

Our Ministry and Operations committee is looking for members to help shape and support our church. If you are interested in hearing more about our M&O team contact Maria Couchman at ms_krauss@yahoo.com

Hymnody has evolved over two hundred years in our congregations. We’ll explore how our music has grown and changed. An introduction to the traditions of Unitarian, Universalist, and UU hymns and hymnals. For ministers, musicians, new UUs, and you! Registration isn’t up yet, but follow AUUMM here to stay tuned.

Mark your calendars: Our FUUBC 2024 Service Auction is on Saturday, April 13.  The live auction is an in-person event, but just like last year, we will be using the Auctria website to host the two silent auctions. Watch the Univoice for more details in the coming weeks.

We are still in search of donations. Have you seen our Donation Ideas page? If you are not sure what to donate, take a look for some ideas. We have found all kinds of suggestions from past auction catalogs and from other UU service auction sites and posted them on this page.  I like the idea that I saw on another UU page of purchasing 2 extra tickets to an event and putting them up for sale — it is a great way to get to know other members and it helps out our church. Homemade food items like pickles, sauerkraut, salsa or homemade fresh bread are really nice too. Remember we need your donations to make this event a success. Auction item donations must be submitted by Wednesday, Apr 3 to be included in the printable program (use the Auction item donations page to make donations)

Finally, We need your help. Service auctions only work if there are items to bid on and people volunteer to help make it happen. We have a signup where you can RSVP for the live auction, sign up to share food & drink and volunteer to help. Contact us at g.service.auction@uuberks.org with your questions, your suggestion & offers to help.   Many thanks from the Service Auction Committee.

Do you like to decorate and throw parties?  We need your help with the 2024 Service Auction on Saturday, April 13th.

The Service Auction is an important fundraising event for the church. Frank Wilder has volunteered to be in charge of the service auction tech: donations, the auction catalog, the auction and bid winner billing.

We need someone else to be in charge of the “entertainment” part for the event.: choose a theme for the event, decorate the church for the event, manage the food & drink, and help clean up after the event. If you are interested in helping, please contact Melissa at office@uuberks.org

Photos from the 2023 Event

Save the date for the following events:

• Saturday, April 13: Annual Service Auction
• Thurs, April 18^th Family Promise Meet & Greet at Christ Lutheran Church
• Friday April 26th -Saturday April 27th: Group Camping at French Creek
• Sunday May 19th- Spring Congregational Meeting
• Sunday, August 25: Church Picnic in the Park

Good news. “Solar in the City” is coming soon. We have an install date planned for Monday, April 8th. Solar States expect the project to take 3 days.  We are hoping to capture some photos of the install and share them with local media. Watch the Univoice for more details.

This year General Assembly will be fully virtual. It is a great opportunity for members to serve as delegates from the comfort of your own home. Delegates have the honor of representing UU Berks and voting on issues that impact the greater UU world. If you are interested in serving as a delegate, contact Melissa at office@uuberks.org

Hymnody has evolved over two hundred years in our congregations. We’ll explore how our music has grown and changed. An introduction to the traditions of Unitarian, Universalist, and UU hymns and hymnals. For ministers, musicians, new UUs, and you! Registration isn’t up yet, but follow AUUMM here to stay tuned.

We’re gearing up to go camping at the end of April 2024 (Friday the 26th – Saturday 27th).  The site is local.  There will be drop in and overnight camp options.  Let us know you’re thinking about attending by signing up here https://uuberks.org/camp

Are you wondering what camping will be like next month? Check our welcome letter out:
https://uuberks.org/camp_info

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

April is upon us with its April showers, and Earth Day, and our theme of
interdependence. For this month, more than reading and writing meaningful
words, I propose we use this space to do meaningful things. Like, notice when we
need somebody or something just as much as it/they need us.
Interdependence, depending on each other.
Our cat brings joy and love and we give her joy and love, and food and care.
When necessary, she used to hunt mice. This is a mutually beneficial
interdependence.

Making sure to shop, when possible, at small businesses and not corporations. If
my money keeps them going, and they stock things I need, that is interdependence.
Notice when you do something for somebody else, or the reverse. Small, like,
because a housemate bought the coffee this time, you will prepare a cup for them
along with yours.

Or large, because you believe in the mission of the church, you support them
financially. It is a cycle with no end no beginning. The church gives you
something you need, your money keeps it going, and the cycle of interdependence
continues.

Where does interdependence, mutually relying on each other, show up in your life?
More than transactional, more than simple sharing, you need each other, you
depend on each other.

Look for, notice, and mark on your heart, not just the naturally occurring
interdependence of all the earth, but the specific places this cycle of
interdependence shows up in your life and in the world around you.
Doing so will make you feel less alone, more valuable, and maybe connect you to
your own spirituality better.

Happy April, and may you revel in its examples of interdependence all around!
In peace,

Rev. Amy

This year we’ve subscribed to a resource called Soulful Home. Each month’s packet, created by Teresa Honey Youngblood, Soul Matters’ Family Ministry Coordinator, contains treasures to spark, fuel and enrich your spiritual lives at home from Monday to Saturday. This month, let’s take a look at the On The Message Board section. I wonder what’s one act you’ve done recently to support our interdependence? Has it been to participate in mystery pals? Has it been to share food together? Will an act of interdependence happen at our camping trip this month? Check out the full packet of resources when you visit https://uuberks.org/Soulful_Home

From Teresa:

The On the Message Board section lifts up a theme-related mantra, graphic,

quote, or gesture for your family to carry with them throughout the month. Think

of these “family sayings” or “family signs” as tools for the journey, reminders that

help us refocus and steady ourselves and our kids as we navigate through life’s

challenges and opportunities. Each month, write this mantra on your family

message board, or on a sticky note to put on your bathroom mirror, or the fridge.

Make it part of your routine to share the mantra each morning so that it becomes

something you all carry with you throughout the day.

April’s Mantra: “All of us need all of us to make it.”

There are a few phrases that get right to the heart of UU theology, and this is one

of them. Bless its author, the Rev. Julián Jamaica Soto! What a gift.

Use this phrase when you find yourself stuck in us versus them thinking, or when

you find yourself seeking out only individuals who think, look, sound, and act like

you.

Use it also when you are seeing more scarcity than abundance, when it seems like

there is just not enough _________; fill in the blank–love, land, trust, sense,

security, etc. to go around.

Use it when the news of the day feels raw and overwhelming, when policy and

strategy and election cycle and law and injustice seem to all be versions of the

same, threatening disconnection.

Use it when you feel separate from the life force that animates each tiny plant,

animal, and fungus around you, when you’re not sure what you’re doing here or

why.

Use it when you are reluctant to ask for help, when your conditioning against

burdening another with your needs prevents you from reaching out, though

connection and care is exactly what you require.

And finally, share this sentiment. Tell it to anyone who will listen this month. It’s

core to our interdependence.

by nadine j. smet-weiss
spiritual director

they said
most people
come here
for community
not
for spirituality
stunned
gave way to
dumfounded
gave way to
wonder
is not
the very definition
of community
the spiritual practice
of love