Please make checks payable to FUUBC with Safe Berks in the memo line. Checks can be donated throughout the month. Cash and check donations can also be made in the collection plate on the last Sunday of each month.

Joy in the Ordinary

As the weather warms up, the signs of spring are all around. Settling into our new home, Jess and I have fallen upon the new joy of discovering what the previous owners had planted around the house. Every day, new patches of hyacinth and daffodils emerge from the mulch around the house, a riot of purples and yellows. Our neighbor’s tree, which arches over our backyard has burst into white flowers, and now others in the neighborhood have followed suit.

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Joy is all around us.  Sometimes we just have to search it out.  

How many times have you heard the saying “Just for fun!”?  

These “just for fun” moments can bring us so much joy.  

This month how will you practice joy?

This month will you dismiss the opportunity for joy? 

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by nadine j. smet-weiss
spiritual director

seeds of joy
abound
in our moments
in our memories
in our imaginings
give them air
give them light
tend them well
let them blossom
through you

Meditation offers a way to approach life with greater kindness, confidence, and curiosity in these challenging times. This group is open to anyone interested in meditation, whether you’re a beginner looking for a gentle introduction or a seasoned practitioner seeking to deepen and stabilize your practice.

Our gatherings will include guided meditation, discussion, and practical tools to bring mindfulness into daily life. Together, we’ll explore presence, self-awareness, and how meditation can transform our relationships—with ourselves, our families, our community, and the world. As we build this group within the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and the larger Reading community, we invite you to be part of the journey.

Tentative dates are April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, May 13, 20, 27 and June 10. Please check the church website for any changes.

Please arrive at UU Berks between 6:30 and 7 pm for some tea and snacks.  Sitting will begin at 7 pm, and guided meditation will be offered. After sitting, we will have a discussion topic or brief talk and plan to finish between 8 and 8:30 pm.

Lights, Camera, Auction – The Next Act

Our online Silent Auction starts Sunday, April 6th, and will continue for two weeks, ending on April 19th. The Live Auction, both in-person at the church and via Zoom, will take place on Saturday, April 12th @ 5PM. We have a signup sheet for the Live Auction where you can RSVP, bring food or drinks, and volunteer. Please sign up as soon as possible to help us plan accordingly.  

Here is the link to the auction website: uuberks.org/auction. If you are planning to donate to the auction, please get your donations in today on the auction website. Auction item donations must be submitted by Friday, Apr 4 to be included in the printable program.

You will need to register and purchase a $10 ticket to be able to bid on Silent & Live Auction items. A single ticket can be shared by everyone in your household to bid on Silent Auction items, but you will need a ticket for each adult attending the Live auction in the church. If you just want to watch the Live auction over Zoom, there is no fee.  

To bid on items in the Silent and Live Auctions, a $10 registration ticket is required. This single ticket allows your entire household to participate in the Silent Auction. However, each adult attending the Live Auction at the church must purchase a separate ticket. Viewing the Live Auction via Zoom is free. You can purchase a ticket on the auction website: uuberks.org/auction.

There will be a dedicated Silent Auction page on the auction website where you can view the different items and place bids, if you have registered and purchased a $10 ticket. The first one will open on Sunday, Apr 6 at 12:01 PM. and close late on the afternoon of Saturday, Apr 12th. The second one will open on Sunday, Apr. 13th, and close 1 week later.   Once the silent auction is open, you will be able to access the silent auction page on our auction web site at the link above, or you can use the Auctria Mobile Bidding App (Android version,  Apple Version), Just like on the website, with the Auctria app on your smartphone you will be able to browse the catalog and place bids.  For those power users out there, you will also be able to use the app to place bids directly on Live Auction items, while you watch the Live Auction on Zoom on your desktop/laptop/tablet.

Finally, if you would like to volunteer to help with the auction or have a question/suggestion, send us an email at g.service.auction@uuberks.org. Many thanks from the Service Auction Committee.
 

What does it mean to be a voting member of First UU Berks? Come find out on Sunday, April 13th at 11:45 AM in the back of the Chalice House. It’s our small circle class to meet with Rev. John and long-time members.

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Do you have a joyous event happening in your life or a struggle that you are enduring? Our caring circle wants to know! Please reach out to our Caring Circle at: g.caring.circle@uuberks.org

 GA is something every UU should experience.  This four-day gathering is the largest annual UU event, bringing together thousands of UUs from across the country. It culminates in an awe-inspiring worship service that celebrates the beautiful diversity of our faith—a truly unforgettable experience.

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