Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Tuscaloosa News Feed

A Unitarian Universalist  Ingathering and Water Communion       On Sunday, September 21,  2025, UUCT will have their annual Ingathering and Water Communion. The Ingathering celebrates the time we all come back together after our summer wanderings. It may seem odd since many of us have not been wandering away for the summer so why the need to "gather" back? Well, there's a history to this. It used to be that Unitarian churches didn't meet during the summer. They were found mostly in New England and the churches didn't have air conditioning, even after it became more common. It was too hot and stuffy some days so the congregants just went their own way for the summer and gathered back in the fall. The old joke was that we were the only people that god would let out of his sight for that long. Well, today A/C is common and we now meet through the summer but we still come back together ceremoniously. In the Water Communion we bring back water from our travels o...

 

  In the UU tradition of the flower communion members are asked to bring a flower on Sunday to place with other flowers at the front of the church. In the ritual, they then select a flower that they did not bring to take home with them. The ritual was created by Nobert Capek, founder of the Unitarian Church in Czechoslovakia. In 1923 at his church in Prague he first invited his congregation to bring flowers to the service. Later, in 1940, this ritual was brought to the United States by his wife, Maja. Many UU churches around the US celebrate this each spring. The UU Congregation of Tuscaloosa will celebrate it this year on Sunday, May 11. Note that the rest of the story for Rev. Capek was a sad one. During WWII he stayed in Prague and was arrested, along with his daughter, by the Gestapo. He was imprisoned in Dachau and tried for treason where his sermons were used against him. He was murdered in the gas chamber.

  All are invited to our annual Easter egg hunt. The weather is shaping up to be beautiful, just perfect for searching the grounds for those hidden treasures. The hunting will begin shortly after the end of the service.

 Greetings UUCT Members and Friends, I am so happy to be joining y'all again as your Sabbatical Minister while Rev. Julie is away for a few months.  I have such fond memories of my time with you from 2018-2021.  Hasn't a lot happened since then! We are living in "interesting times" and you may, like I, wish for duller days!  There is a lot in the news designed to frighten and outrage us, and fear and anger are appropriate responses to much of what we hear and read.  However, it is vital that we also protect our mental and emotional well-being.  So I urge everyone to take the news in small doses and make sure you are pursuing healthy, positive input every day. A walk down the street, at a park, around your backyard to enjoy the outdoors can be very healing (allergies not withstanding!).  Other positive activities might be reading a good book, watching distracting entertainment, visiting with friends, meditation, attending group gather...

  As we approach this season of gratitude and reflection, we warmly invite you to join us for our Thanksgiving Celebration. Together, we will gather in community to give thanks for the blessings of the year, share in heartfelt moments of connection, and affirm the values of love, justice, and compassion that unite us. Sunday, Novermber 17 at UUCT immediately after the service. All are welcome, whether you are a member of our community or a guest. Please feel free to bring a dish to share if you are able, and we encourage you to bring a heart full of gratitude and a willingness to celebrate the many gifts life has to offer.

 It is time again for our annual bread sale, bringing you the wonderful breads from the Touch of Home Bakery in Livingston, AL. We take all orders online and will have the website open until November 24. Orders should be back for pickup or delivery on the December 13 and 14. These make great gifts for friends, family, and co-workers. You can find our store at https://shop-uutuscaloosa.square.site/