Thursday, October 29, 2026 |
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Don't forget to set your clocks back an hour
on Saturday night/Sunday morning! |
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| "Honoring our Ancestors" with Rev. Holly Brown: This week we remember those that we have lost in the last year in recognition of Samhain, All Souls/All Saints Days, and Day of the Dead. Part of remembering is about sharing stories and recognizing the legacies that connect us to one another and the ancestors that have gone before us.
Join us in Clemson at 10:30am.
This service will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel. |
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| Hello Beloveds,
I want to start by saying, if you haven't had the chance to vote please do so! If you need help getting to your polling place let me know so we can find someone to help get you there.
So what's next? We cannot clearly predict the outcome of the election. We will not know the impact of those outcomes until next year after those elected take office. One thing I know for sure, community matters and our values continue to make a difference in the world.
Because of these unknowns and the blessing of community, we have planned an event for Friday, November 6th from 6-7:30 pm. There will be two options to come together to process election results. One option will be a bonfire outside and the other will take place inside to include music, meditation, and processing. Weather permitting, both will take place. There will be some food and beverages provided. If you would like to help with food we would appreciate a few volunteers (perhaps something like soup or chilli and fixings) If you have any questions please reach out to Rev. Holly at minister@uufc.org.
May you be well, Rev. Holly |
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| JOYS, CONCERNS, & MILESTONES: Do you have something you are celebrating? Or maybe something you are struggling with? Let us know! Significant personal accomplishments and hardships may be shared below, with permission. Please submit Celebrations and Concerns on one of the cards (green) at Sunday service or use this simple form. On Sunday's paper submissions, you must check the "I give permission to share. . ." box for your submission to be considered for publication. Personal items will not be shared without express permission to do so from the parties involved.
- Elizabeth Branstead has been moved to hospice care.
- Mike Kohl shares that he has recovered from surgery and is happy to be back at UUFC.
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Care Request Form: Request extra care (eg: meals, rides, cards, texts, calls, visits, etc.) for yourself or another congregant during a difficult time.
Care Response Form: Let us know if you are willing and able to provide various kinds of care to congregants in need. |
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| UUFC ANNOUNCEMENTS Want to advertise your upcoming UUFC event or share some UUFC news? Let us know! Please keep in mind this newsletter is specifically for UUFC news, UU news, and member updates. Email newsletter submissions no later than Tuesday for inclusion in that week's Weekly Connection.
newsletter@uufc.org |
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FROM THE UUFC BOARD: The Board is looking to fill the President-Elect position as well as positions on several committees. Please contact any member of the Board or the Nominating Committee (Leslie Vissage, Jon Hoskin, Elaine Faithful) if you are interested or want to learn more. |
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FROM THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: Our New Member Recognition will be on Sunday, November 15th. If you have been thinking of becoming a member, please let Karen York, Sarah McNeill, Cindy Lee, or Rev. Holly Brown know. Or talk with whoever is at the Welcome Table in the atrium. |
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LEARN WEST AFRICAN DRUMMING: Join us in the UUFC Social Hall where Bon Findley (mistycamo@proton.me), a certified drum instructor, will teach drumming techniques & rhythm. We have several loaner drums available; let Renee Mendola (rdmendola@gmail.com) know ASAP if you need one. Cost is $60/student per series
- 11/8, 11/15, 11/22, 1:30-3:00. We'll build on the basics of the initial classes with a new rhythm, Kuku.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH @ 6:00 - 7:30 POST ELECTION GATHERING: There will be two options to come together to process election results, whatever that might be. One option will be a bonfire outside and the other will take place inside to include music, meditation, and processing. There will be some food and beverages provided. If you have any questions please reach out to Rev. Holly at minister@uufc.org.
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH: @ 3:00 SHOWING UP & STAYING WELL: UUFC will be hosting Darin DeAngelis, a counseling student from Prescott College for a special presentation, “Showing Up and Staying Well: Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth.” The presentation will be combining history, current issues, and a practical self-care tool for advocates. Join us!
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| RECURRING UUFC EVENTS Weekly on Mondays
- UUFC Choir at 6:00pm: We always welcome new members -- join us! Singing experience not required, we welcome singers of all abilities! If you're interested or if you have any questions, please text Elaine Fredendall (864-650-6824) or Sara Summers-Hoskin.
Weekly on Tuesdays
- Tuesday Evening Buddhist Meditation Group Join us Tuesdays at 7:00 starting with a 40-minute sitting meditation, followed by a short break, and then discussion. Appropriate for beginners or experienced meditators, come join us. For more info, contact Darrell Yardley.
Weekly on Thursdays
Monthly
- Sunday Sangha 2nd Sundays at Noon: This Buddhist study group meets monthly on Sundays. We will begin at 12 noon in the sanctuary. Join us! Contact Renee Mendola for more information.
- Common Read Book Club 3rd Sundays, following service: Love is at the Center: Unitarian Universalist Theologies by Sofia Betancourt is the UUA Common Read this year. We will explore 1-2 essays and discussion questions. Please email Rev. Holly at minister@uufc.org to sign up or for more information.
- Socratic Café 2nd Mondays, at 10:30 - 11:45am: Join us in the Founders' House conference room on November 9th for a guided discussion on the topic: "How do we define spirituality? Specifically, in what ways might it differ from (or be similar too) 'being religious'?” Please contact Alan Goldsmith for more information.
- Plate Pals - UU Women's Lunch Group 2nd Tuesdays of each month. Join us for camaraderie, fun, support, and fellowship. To join us, email UUPlatePals@gmail.com.
- Novel Circle Book Club 1st Wednesdays at 7:30pm. All are welcome at this UUFC Book Club which meets in person (social hall) and online (Zoom) every 1st Wednesday at 7:30 PM. Please contact Gail Brownlee or Cindy Lee for more information.
- November 4th: The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
- December 2nd: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
- January 6th: Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
- Habitat for Humanity UUFC works with the Pickens County Habitat for Humanity Anyone who would like to join in on this fun is welcome--reach out to Michael Elder.
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PenPal with a UU Incarcerated Inmate: The current UUA World reports an amazing success story for bringing UU services into an Iowa prison (p. 23.) This success began with UU penpals. The Church of the Larger Fellowship continues to seek UU letter writers (which is turning away from pen-to-paper and to emails instead). Currently, Kathy and 3 other UUFC members are 4 of the 550 active penpal writers. The CLF reports that there are 200 incarcerated UUs on a waiting list. Please consider becoming a penpal. For more information, talk with Kathy and/or see this website. |
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| COLUMBO'S RECEIPTS BRING MONEY TO UUFC Having a pizza night? When you check out at Columbo's Pizza, ask to have your receipt stamped and then drop that receipt at the UUFC office. Columbo's gives us a percentage of the receipt totals.
LITTLE RED WAGON Every Sunday during service, the children collect donations for Clemson Community Care and place them into our little red wagon. They need donations of food to help meet the needs of the community. Current needs are as follows: green beans, corn, canned meats, pork and beans, soap, toiletries, and diapers (size 4, 5 & 6).
LISTENING DEVICES AVAILABLE We have small radio receivers that pick up the sound from our AV system and transmit it to your ears, via headphones or telecoil. These are on display in the back left corner of the sanctuary, beside the AV systems. If you have hearing aids with telecoil, all you have to do is turn it on and use one of our T-coil necklaces. Otherwise, you can use one of our new headphones. Stop by before the next service and try it out!
UUFC DIRECTORY Our congregational directory is not available online. If you'd like the most recent version (updated monthly) emailed to you, please contact Becky, our office administrator.
UUFC PHOTOS Photos of UUFC folks doing UUFC things are always welcome! Please send photos to newsletter@uufc.org for our archives. All submitted photos may be chosen for publication and/or display unless specifically requested NOT to publish. |
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SHARED VALUES At the Unitarian Universalist Association's General Assembly in the summer of 2024, UUs voted to amend our by-laws to describe our Shared Values instead of Principles. Don't worry--the Principles did not vanish entirely; much of the sentiment can be found in the Values and now they're easier to share in graphic form. This helps frame our UU message in 21st century language. Our shared values are: Interdependence, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Generosity, and Justice. These are centered around Love at the core. |
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CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES: The number of calls on each topic are recorded and if enough people express their dismay, they might just respond favorably. Emails carry less weight, since they can be copied, pasted and mass-mailed; constituents who take the time to pick up the phone sends a message. So pick up the phone and make the calls! Let your representatives know that you're watching, that you're engaged, and what you want them to do. If you don't know who to call, you can call the Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 and they'll help you connect, or you can visit usa.gov/elected-officials. For additional information, ideas and call scripts, you can visit 5calls.org. Call your reps daily, if you can. This is faith in action. |
| FLOWERS FOR SUNDAY: Each week, volunteers provide flowers for Sunday service. If you'd like to volunteer to bring flowers, please sign up on the sheet on the Opportunity Table in the Social Room. 11/1: Charlotte Sherman 11/8: 11/15: Ally Driver |
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