Thursday, August 13, 2026 |
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| "One Water" with Rev. Holly Brown: This is our Annual Ingathering and Water Communion service. You are invited to bring a small portion of water with you representing you - your home, a nearby trail, or trip further afield that you would like to bring. The merging of these individual waters represents the ways in which we form a community when we come together. Don't worry, if you forget, there will be a pitcher of water available.
This service will be a multigenerational: all ages are invited to fully participate in this special service.
The nursery will be open for younger children.
Join us in Clemson at 10:30am.
This service will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel. |
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| FROM OUR MINISTER Hello Beloveds,
I have some great news, we have a new internet provider in the main building which has greatly improved the quality of our livestream the last two weeks according to the feedback we received thus far. The upload speed is much higher so this should continue to be the case. We still need to add a booster to have wifi access in all areas of the building consistently.
It has been and will continue to be important to us that remote viewers are able to enjoy the service. We have made upgrades to the sound system which helped some, but the internet continued to be the main issue. This upgrade took much longer than we expected and I regret that. I know that it has been frustrating when the sound and video were not working consistently. Please let us know about your experience if you are tuning in from home so we can continue to make improvements if others are needed.
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.
- Wei-Huan Chen has finished his service with the Peace Corps and will be taking on a new job in Chiang Mai, Thailand, as a study abroad resident director for American Councils. He is now with his family in Taiwan. He misses everyone back home dearly!
- Jim Few shares, "I have survived double-hernia surgery"
- Kathy shares this joy, "I am just back from a road trip of love to Texas and celebrate the privilege and wonder that I had the gas, the safe roads and the support for this journey. It's good to now be home."
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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 to newsletter@uufc.org no later than Tuesday for inclusion in that week's Weekly Connection. |
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RE SUMMER EXPLORER SERIES: Last Sunday, Cindy Lee and Kathy Crain shared their trip to New York with the Sierra Club, with a little help from Gordon Crain. This Sunday will be our annual multigenerational Water Communion service, so if you collected water on your summer travels, bring it in! |
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FINANCE COUNCIL NEWS: The Income and Expenditure data as of July 31, 2026 is posted in the entrance way on the bulletin board by the door. At the end of July we were 58.2% through the fiscal year. Our income was 59.45% of the annual budget projection. Expenses year-to-date were 64.66% of the annual budget projection. The Finance Council will present the proposed 2027 budget to the Board at the August Board meeting. |
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SOCIAL ACTION TEAM: We are tackling democracy work in September & October. With grant funding, we are launching a three-pronged approach: a banner, postcarding, and distributing information on voting in Andersosn, Oconee, and Pickens Counties. We want you to play a role in making this happen! Please attend one of two upcoming meetings (or reach out to Holly Ulbrich directly) to get involved.
- Tuesday, August 18th at 5:30 at UUFC
- Wednesday, August 19th at 5:30 via Zoom
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COMMUNITY SING THURSDAY, AUGUST 13TH & 20TH @ 4:30: Music is good for you and it's fun! Come join our song circle in the sanctuary! Bring your favorite tune to share, or just sit and let the good vibes wash over you. Contact Elaine Fredendall or Sara Summers-Hoskin for more info. |
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CAMPOUT OCTOBER 1ST - 4TH: Save the Date! The group campsite at Oconee State Park has been reserved for UUFC campers, hikers and pot-luckers This is a fund-raiser activity for UUFC; all are welcome! Stay tuned for more information.
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| RECURRING UUFC EVENTS Weekly on Mondays
- UUFC Choir at 7:00pm: UUFC Choir Rehearsals will resume Monday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary. For more information contact Elaine Fredendall (864-650-6824) or Sara Summers-Hoskin.
Weekly on Tuesdays
- Tuesday Evening Buddhist Meditation Group resumes Tues 8/18 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.
- Socratic Café 2nd Mondays, at 10:30 - 11:45am: Join us in the Founders' House conference room on September 14th for a guided discussion, led by Adam Gies, on the topic: “What are the costs and benefits of technological innovation? Historically, do benefits outweigh the costs?” Please contact Alan Goldsmith for more information.
- Sounds Like Fun! 1st Tuesdays at 10:30am - 12:00pm: When the going gets tough, go for the jocular! September 1st is our next morning of improv comedy, new and old party games, and creative arts exploration in the Social Room. Please RSVPlay to Alan Goldsmith if you plan to attend.
- 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.
- September 2nd: This Other Eden by Paul Harding
- October 7th: The Miniaturist’s Assistant by Katherine Scott Crawford
- 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. Our workday this month will be Saturday, August 29 at 9 am. Anyone who would like to join in on this fun is welcome--reach out to Michael Elder.
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BANNED BOOKS FROM SCUUJA: There are 22 titles gifted to UUFC from the South Carolina UU Justice Alliance (SCUUJA) from the list of books banned by the state of SC in 2025. They are available to borrow from our Adult Faith Library. Contact Karen (dlff@uufc.org) for more info! |
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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. 8/16: Ally Driver |
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