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Weekly News for the week of:
October 6 , 2024 |
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Join us as we “flip the switch” on our new solar power system and celebrate our call to be stewards of the Earth.
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 establish a connection before worship is
scheduled begins. Zoom participant mics are muted throughout the service. |
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This Month’s Theme is Deep listening –
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This month’s bedtime story is The Very Quiet Cricket One day a tiny cricket is born and meets a big cricket who chirps his welcome. The tiny cricket tries to respond, but there is no sound. The quiet cricket then makes his way into the world, meeting one insect after another, each of whom greets the little cricket with a cheery hello–the hum of a bee, the whirr of a dragonfly, the whisper of a praying mantis. The cricket rubs his wings together each time, but nothing happens, not a sound. Until the day he meets another cricket, a female, and something different happens . . .
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Find it at your local library!
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Purchase it for your home library!
SUNDAY
9:30 AM : Adult RE
9:30 AM:Children’s RE: The Gifts of Our Faith – 2 classes
Elementary Ages:
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
10:30 – 12 Youth Group:
Grades 7th – 12: No Youth Group this weekend we meet again on 10/13
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
Register for 2024-2025 learning year: each year we need a new registration – fill yours out today www.uuberks.org/registration
Register for 2024-2025 learning year: each year we need a new registration – fill yours out today www.uuberks.org/registration
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Sunday Volunteers:
Greeters: Dennis W. & Liz E.
Ushers: Joanne K. & Cookie L.
Coffee Crew: Be Y. & Louise L.
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| Get ready to shine bright!
The American Solar Energy Society’s National Solar Tour is coming up October 4th-6th, both in-person and virtually. This is the nation’s largest grassroots event showcasing solar power, renewable energy, and sustainable living practices. Our church is participating! We’ll be hosting tours on Sunday, October 6th from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Help us spread the word by sharing this with your friends!
RSVP today: https://www.nationalsolartour.org/
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| Solar Dedication
We are excited to announce a special dedication ceremony celebrating the installation of its new solar photovoltaic system. The ceremony will take place on this Sunday, October 6th during our 10:30 am service.
State Senator Judy Schwank will be a special guest speaker at the dedication ceremony. Senator Schwank will share her insights on the importance of renewable energy and the positive impact of solar power on our community.
The installation of the solar photovoltaic system is a significant step towards the church’s commitment to environmental sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint. This investment will not only generate clean energy but also help to lower the church’s energy costs.
All members of the community are invited to attend the dedication ceremony. For more information, please send an email to office@uuberks.org or call 610-372-0928.
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| Contemplative Companions
Contemplative Companions will be regathering in October. New and ‘renewed’ participants are welcome! Our October gathering will be held on Sunday October 6th at the Penn State Berks Labyrinth following the service. You are invited to bring a brown bag lunch and may want to bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating. Following lunch/reconnection time, Jane will offer a brief Labyrinth, we will then walk the Labyrinth as a group, followed by sharing time. For further information contact Jane Rohrbach at windowsjmr@gmail.com or Nadine at njw1258@hotmail.com
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Share the Plate
Our September share the plate will benefit Safe BerksSafe Berks, formerly Berks Women in Crisis, provides a safe haven and ongoing support system for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault
Please make checks out to FUUBC with Safe Berks in the memo line. Checks can be left in the collection plate or in the wooden box in the Gerber room. Cash can be donated in the collection plate on the last Sunday of the month.
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Dear UU Berks Community,My husband, Drew, and I are very pleased to introduce you to the newest member of our family. Lillian Eileen Bromley Carpenter (Lillian E.B. Carpenter) was born the evening of Sunday, September 22nd, after 41 hours of labor. She clocked in at 7 pounds, 0.04 ounces and 20 inches long.
We are finding our way. It has been and is hard work. We thank you for your well wishes as we journey through life with a newborn and the life we are building for the days, months and years to come.
With Joy and Gratitude, and sleep deprivation,
Thank you, beloveds.
Ebee, Drew and Lillian
  
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| A Big Thank You!
The Building Keepers would like to thank everyone who participated in the garden cleanup last Sunday. The garden areas now look fantastic, and we’re sure everyone will notice on Sunday for the Solar Dedication ceremony.
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| UU Climate Justice Revival @UUBerks – Moved to February 2025
UUBerks has decided to push its UU Climate Justice Revival programming to February 1-2 2025. This time frame provides more lead time for congregants to mark their calendars for the event and it allows leadership ample time to plan. Please mark your calendars and watch this space for more information!
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CROP Walk Team Nears Goal … Have You Donated?
With nine people signed up for the First UU team for the Reading-Berks CROP Walk, we have
our largest numbers ever and are closing in on our goal of $4500, a quarter of which stays local
with the Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank, the supplier of our monthly food pantry!
The CROP Walk will be held starting with registration and other activities at 12:30 p.m. Sunday,
13 October, at the Grings Mill Recreation Area off Tulpehocken Road in Spring Township. The
actual walk along the Tulpehocken Creek begins at 1:15 p.m.
Easiest way to donate to the team or any of the individual walkers is to go to
https://events.crophungerwalk.org/cropwalks/team/first-uu-berks-county
Cash and check donations also will be accepted after church on the remaining Sundays until the
walk. |
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Special Plate Nominations Being Accepted
The Special Plate Program aims to promote the well-being of our broader community in a collaborative manner that demonstrates the principle of the sacred interdependent web of all existence and our value of Generosity through the sharing of faith, presence, and resources. In 2023, we donated over $4800 to eight local organizations .At our May Congregational Meeting, we resolved to add TWO more organizations to our Special Plate Program (for a total of ten). This is your opportunity to nominate other community partners. We will compile the list of candidates for a vote at the December Congregational Meeting.
You may email your nominations to g.social.justice@uuberks.org or use this form to submit as many organizations as you’d like. So far, folks have suggested Habitat for Humanity, Connections Works, Spotlight PA, Healing Garden (under Cafe Esperanza), NAACP Reading Branch, and the GRIP Dreamer Scholarship Fund.
Special Plate NOMINATIONS Please respond by Oct 1, 2024.
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REV. JOHN’S MINISTERIAL START UP WORKSHOP & LUNCH POTLUCK
Join our UUA regional representative Lenore Bajare-Dukes (bio), Rev. John, and UUBerks leadership on Saturday, October 26th from 10 am to 1 pm in the Gerber Room for a start up workshop and lunch potluck! This event is a key stepping stone to our path to successfully transitioning to having a new minister, and our UUA rep will guide us on this journey. This is a time for all members to gather to discuss hopes and expectations for the year ahead with our new minister and engage with each other on who we want to be as a congregation.
Stay tuned for the potluck signup and childcare details.
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| Clothing Drive for Hope Rescue Mission
We did such a good job collecting items for Hope Rescue Mission last year that they have asked us to do it again! Starting in October, we will be collecting coats, hats, scarves, gloves, belts, and purses. They are very much in need of new men’s underwear in all sizes from small to 3x.
Donations can be left in the bin that will appear in the Gerber room in October.
Thanks for your help!
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| Building Maintenance Goes Digital!
The Building Keepers are excited to announce a new, streamlined way to submit maintenance requests! Now, you can easily report any issues using a convenient Google Form accessible from your smartphone or laptop. This digital system will help us track and resolve projects more efficiently.
Here’s how to submit a request:
- Look for QR Codes: Scan the QR codes posted around the building using your smartphone’s camera app.
- Direct Link: Alternatively, you can access the form directly by visiting this link on your laptop or phone’s browser: https://uuberks.org/bk-ticket
We appreciate your cooperation in using this new system. It will allow us to better serve you and maintain our facilities effectively.
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| Help Our Youth Grow in 2024-2025!
We need you and your gifts to make next year’s RE program all it can be! How will you help our RE Children and Teens Grow this coming year? Share your level of interest with us so we know what we can plant in our learning garden and who will be tending it
www.uuberks.org/interest
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| Attention Giant Shoppers! Did you know you can shop at Giant and make money for the Church at no cost to you?
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
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by nadine j. smet-weiss
spiritual director
shhhhh
listen
for the sound
of your own
breath
settle in
to the experience
of life
flowing
through you
be
with your
being
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