Did you know that UU Berks is one of 6 historically Universalist PA congregations that meet every year to keep that spirit alive?  The PA Universalist Convention has been held since 1831 and was revitalized in the 1970’s.  Come and learn about, or be reminded of, this piece of our history and our current practice.

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:

• From SoulMatters: Just Ask!  Be Brave, Be Different, Be You words by US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and pictures by Rafael López.  Is a story about how forgiveness and apology unleash and make room for new possibilities.  Connected to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

• Find it on Berks County Public Library  or Youtube Storytelling

SUNDAY

9:45 AM :Adult RE 

• In Person: open to all 18 yrs and up, in back of chalice house

• Faith Formation Fall – In the second week of our fall series, we’ll rotate to learning about a neighboring faith. Ginny Chudgar shares an intro to hinduism. [Building Bridges – Hinduism]

• 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: back in 2nd floor RE kidspace * teens may help, let us know you’ll be coming

• RE Hangout – starting to craft our trunk or treat theme with Ms Corrinne & Ms Cyndi

10:30 AM: Youth Group 

Grades 7th – 12:  Onsite 

• On site: back chalice house.  Gathering by name tags cart before start.

• ALL 8 first session: this year we dive into all 8 principles through art making and brain storming.

10:30- Worship Service- All Ages

What does it mean to have Universalist roots (history)?  What does it mean to build a Universalist Future? 

• How to make visual art directed by breath 

• Coloring Sheet: Chalice Flower Coloring Page by Rev Cyn

• 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 Spark Maze

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

Registration is open now for our program year. We have some exciting things planned and look forward to what will emerge as we seek, nurture and serve together this year! To let us know how you plan to engage with our programs this year please visit. https://uuberks.org/Registration.

Registered families will receive occasional mailings including birthday cards from the church, invitations to events, seasonal updates on what we’re programming together this year.

Our offerings  depend on the congregation and on participating families to happen. If you want to be part of shaping programming or can lend a hand to help make them happen, please email Ebee: director.religious.education@uuberks.org. 

• October 21st we will be holding a Spooky movie night at church.  Details to come in next few weeks
• October 29 Trunk Or Treat. UUBerks will have a decorated car at the Antietam Pool’s trunk or treat.  If you would like to help us come up with decorating ideas click here https://5kbf37pfvmh.typeform.com/to/aO40lkrY
• If you would like to help up sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0c4eada62da1fd0-2022

The food bank will be moving back indoors starting this October 15th (inside the church) at 8:30am and yes it will take place on the 3rd Saturday of the month. So come out and help out with a great cause. We will be having an optional training session this Sunday (October 2nd) at noon if you want to learn more and get a better idea of what we do at the food bank. Here are the dates for the rest of the year.

        Saturday October 15th

        Saturday November 19th

        Saturday December 17th

If you have any questions or would like to volunteer but cannot me here on 10/2, please contact Mark Burton at selliott42@comcast.net

Last chance to support church’s CROP Walk team!

Thanks to so many of you, the First UU CROP Walk team—Rick Bromley, Mona McCormick, Nic Stoltzfus, Be Young, Louise Lorenz, and Jim Beidler—has nearly met its $4000 goal for the anti-hunger event (Note: as of this writing earlier in the week, we’re at $3745!). It’s not too late to lend your support, either by signing  up to walk or stopping by Beidler’s house (1423 Old Bernville Road, Leesport, PA 19533) on CROP Walk day (this Sunday, Oct 9) at 3 p.m. to celebrate with a cookout. Please email Jim at jamesmbeidler@gmail.com or call/text to 717-507-7237 if you’re planning to come.

The Annual Reading-Berks CROP Walk, sponsored by Church World Service, supports anti-hunger efforts around the world and in our area. A quarter of the funds raised stay local with the Berks Schuylkill Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank, which supplies the monthly food pantry sponsored by First UU.

To join the team or donate, please go to this URL: https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2022 and click on either “Join or Start a Team” or “Make a Donation” as appropriate. “Spirit Walkers” who help raise funds for the cause but cannot or choose not to walk are welcome!

On Oct 9 from 12- 1 we’re having an info and interest session for Our Whole Lives that will focus on plans our community has for this year and future years.  We’re hoping you’ll attend.  www.uua.org/re/owl

Did you know that our principles and sources have grown and evolved? They’ve seen many changes over the years since the Unitarian Universalist Merger in 1961? However, it’s been a while. The principles were last revised in 1987!

It’s time for such a review and revision process. The Unitarian Universalist Association has put together the Article II Study Commission and they’re asking for every UU’s help in this process. Find out more behind their timeline by visiting www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission

Please attend one of the zoom sessions to engage with the draft language they have so far. They have six meeting times to choose from this month followed by a new round of revision feedback in late October / early November. Register to engage with this pivotal moment of UU faith www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission

Sign up to engage with the draft revisions for our principles and sources! An exciting time in our UU faith.

VISIT WWW.WCRCENTER.ORG FOR TICKETS! 

PRESENTS EXCLUSIVE SCREENING EVENT 

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS LYNN NOTTAGE & LUIS A. MIRANDA, JR. ON JULY 14, 1970, THE YOUNG LORDS MADE THEIR CRIES FOR DECENT HEALTHCARE KNOWN TO THE WORLD.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 

2 PM 

FREE PUBL IC SCREENING & TALKBACK 

7 PM 

TICKETS $35 TALKBACK WITH MEET & GREET RECEPTION POST FILM PANEL DISCUSSION FEATURING: 

EMMA FRANCIS-SNYDER – DIRECTOR 

TONY GERBER – PRODUCER 

CLEO SILVERS – YOUNG LORD 

PATTY TORRES – MODERATOR FOR 2 PM 

ANTHONY OROZCO – MODERATOR FOR 7 PM 

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS 

DR. MICHAEL BAXTER, LOUISE & JUDGE ARTHUR GRIM, DR. NEI L A. HOFFMAN

TICKETS & MORE INFORMATION 

WCR CENTER FOR THE ARTS 140 N F I FTH STREET READING, PA

Please be aware that once again someone is impersonating our Minister by sending fake emails asking you to purchase gift cards. This is not being sent by Rev. Amy. At no time will Rev. Amy or anyone else from the church ask you to purchase gift cards for them. If you have received an email like  like this please do not  open or respond to it.

Maybe this is a good time for us to offset our electric usage by adding a solar panel array on the church roof?

Solar power has been an ongoing interest of the Building Keepers for a few years. With our church’s strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility, we at FUUBC want to do our part. The Building Keepers are looking for volunteers to help with a temporary ad hoc Solar Team Subcommittee to evaluate (1) adding solar panels on the church buildings and (2) upgrading our natural gas heating systems to electric heat pumps.  To do this, we will have a series of meetings (both in-person and/or virtual) to evaluate the different proposals from solar/HVAC companies and then prepare a final proposal to take to the M&O Team for final acceptance. Contact Frank Wilder at frank.wilder@uuberks.org if you are interested.

We are currently looking for anyone who is interested in volunteering to be a Greeter and when the time comes- to be an Usher.  This is a great way to get to know your fellow members or get to know them better    And of course- being of service can provide comfort to you and others!!

Currently we have a group of  approx 10 of us that rotate and fill in when we can but if we can get another 10 volunteers- then this will mean you would be a greeter every 6 -8 weeks and provides back up for our busy summer months.

We like to have two greeters at each service & when RE sessions are occurring on Sunday’s- one greeter arrives at 9:40 to greet those arriving for RE at 9:45 & the 2nd greeter arrives at 10 am to be available for those attending the Sunday service.

Please take time to consider this and please contact me, Joanne Koehler at jkbluesky@icloud.com or my cell 610-914-8827 if you are interested or have any questions.

• Free parking is available on Sundays on the street and in the library parking lot.
• The parking garage across the street (4th and Cherry streets) has changed to a pay by app system. The app is called ParkMobile. It can be downloaded in the apple store or on the google play app. At this time we are unable  to offer discounted parking vouchers.

We have established a Zoom service tech line if you are having trouble logging into our Sunday service. If you do not get an immediate answer, leave a message and your call will be returned momentarily.Dial 484-925-1684.

by Rev. Amy

October’s theme is Courage

Growing up unchurched, I knew what spirituality felt like.  But the first time I felt like mine fit into an existing, established way of thinking or believing was when I studied Existentialism.  In the philosophy and practice of existentialism we learn that we are always in a state of becoming, that, while there is free will, life is in our own hands, and it takes work.  Humans are responsible for, and agents of, the creation of what gives our lives purpose and meaning.

It all seems rather heady and big words get used, like ONTOLOGICAL, which means the study of existence–that if we can imagine something, it exists.  There are many writers and philosophers who are existentialists—Rollo May, Karl Jaspers, Kierkegaard, and Chicago theologian Paul Tillich, to name a few.

When I read Tillich’s “The Courage To Be,” things fell into place for me.  It is courage that drives us. We might possess intelligence or talent or even privilege, but courage is how we exist.  Without the courage to simply be, to exist, nothing else matters.

It takes courage to face each day.  Every day determines the purpose of our lives, not because God or government or school or anybody else tells us what to do.  We have the courage within us to find purpose in our thoughts and actions, and courage to make meaning of that which happens in our lives.  Courage is not just a great theme for the month but a spiritual practice for many.

Courage to be who we are is real and it promises an existence we can truly embrace as our own.  You might be an existentialist and not know it!

In peace

Rev. Amy

For hundreds of thousands of years singing and songs have been a tool to bolster our courage.

Another way we can “have heart” when faced with a path that feels daunting is to use curiosity and a spirit of adventure!

In September we sang a song written many years ago by children from Adelphi College’s Children’s Center for the Creative Arts.

Listen to our congregation sing “The Adventurer“

Read these words.

We’re on our way on the Adventurer

In search of treasures rare

To find ourselves within a world

To find within ourselves a world

And what we find we share.

– from the Children’s Center for the Creative Arts, Adelphi College, 1982

– thank you to Emily Bengels, director of music for First Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hunterdon County in Baptistown, NJ for sharing this song with me.

nadine j. smet-weiss

spiritual director

have you

looked

in the mirror

lately

come

face to face

with the truth

of you

marvelous

miracle

of being

daring

to become

your dream