To help with Sunday morning hospitality, click here.

This Tuesday I worked with the family of Jamila and Damian Pulliam to create a memorial and celebration of life service for Jamila’s sister. Samira, who died last week after a short but fierce fight with cancer.  Together with VUU volunteers and paid assistants we hosted an amazing, inspiring ritual and community gathering that held nearly 300 family and friends of Samira.  It was an opportunity to share our space and serve a member family with love.  Ryan was able to livestream the service, and it has been viewed by hundreds of people.  The room included people of many different faith backgrounds from Muslim to different versions of Christian to UU.  Our space and our faith community are uniquely positioned to be able to host diverse communities because we have few religious symbols and we already have practice creating pluralistic worship that is open and welcoming.  I am grateful for the opportunity to open our doors in this way and hope we will have more such opportunities coming our way.  

We are working on better promotional materials for renting our buildings, and to this end Tricia Amato has taken some professional photos of several spaces and is working on a digital design that highlights what we have to offer.  Todd and I have been working on the processes for renting these spaces and also managing them.  I hope this will be one way we can grow our financial resources.  

But there’s something more important in this story, and it's the people who showed up to create a welcoming space and the people who now know we exist that might never have known otherwise.  It’s the family that was held with love and commitment by members and friends at a time when community was needed more than anything else.  VUU will have a future not just because we committed funds and resources to support its ministries, but because we made commitments to each other to show up when life’s inevitable storms started brewing.  VUU will have a future because we made sure the doors were open when others needed a place to mourn, to celebrate, to learn, to worship and gather in all the ways that humans gather.  Our property is just one of the containers for the ministries we engage to make the world a better place.  We don’t give money and time to the container, but rather to the ministries held within.  For this reason, I am willing to mop and stack chairs and lead services alike–because our shared ministry needs a container, and all of us can do this work together.

Rev. Sarah Oglesby-Dunegan

Bob Hardy Memorial

Bob Hardy's daughters, Janine and Lisa, invite you to a light, informal, reception on Friday October 13 from 5:00-7:00 PM in the Board Room. They would like to see some of Dad's friends and thank them for the love and support they offered him over the years. If you have questions or wish to contact us Janine's number is 804.761.1651 and her email is janinewhoward@aol.com. We hope to see you Friday!

Membership Team Developing

If you have been interested in helping develop a membership team to assist in leading new member classes and luncheons or plan activities and programs to deepen our connections, please send me an email so I can include you in a meeting to get started. minister@vuu.org Please put “Membership” in the subject line.

Registration for UU Senior High Winter Camp is now open!  

Wednesday, 12/27/2023 - Monday, 1/1/2024

Youth currently in 9th-12th grade are welcome and welcomed back to join us this winter at Camp Carry UUn. Campers will spend five nights/six days playing games and laughing with friends, both old and new! During camp, youth will have the opportunity to connect with one another during small group discussions and workshops, fun group events like our s’mores making party by the cozy lodge fire, the talent filled variety show, the always entertaining youth auction, and the festive New Year’s Eve dance!

Campers can learn and unwind together during the many bonding opportunities camp offers! As usual for winter camp up in the mountains, prepare for snow, hot chocolate, and building snowpeople! We hope to see you there :)

Adult Deans: Patti Buck & Mary Carter Vail

Youth Deans: Lilly Astudillo & Cady Cole

Art Masterpiece Volunteers Needed

This year’s training sessions will begin later this month. There will be 2 days/2 hour training sessions that prepare you well for the presentations. The actual program is from Jan to May, 2 times a month. It’s a lot of fun and very satisfying. For more information contact Perii Skolnick (sperii1@gmail.com.)

The Happenings Team

Your Happenings Team compiles the news and calendar each week to make sure you receive all the information you need every Thursday at noon. Most of the work is done on Wednesdays, and each team member takes the lead every second or third week (about three hours), while the others pitch in to edit (30-60 minutes) on their off weeks. To join the team or find out more, contact The Happenings Team here.

SprUUce Up the Library

Hey booklover, would you like to help organize the library? Sign up BY CLICKING HERE and join us to catalog, label, and shelf books in the library on Saturday, October 21st, at 9am. There is limited space, so sign up soon. Treats and coffee provided! Submitted by the Facilities Committee, Mikaela Young, chair

Finance Training: VUU Style

The goal of this is to help anyone at VUU more easily read our financial reports. After all, if you want know what an organization is up to, first follow the money! We've schedule 90 minutes of training, hosted by the Finance committee.

Food will be provided.

The Page Turners' Book Club

We are open to all members, visitors and friends. Save the date - October 19 at 7p. Our book will be The Daughters of Erietown by Connie Schultz.

Details to come.

VUU Scouts

The VUU Scouting group has begun meeting. Thanks to all the adults who pitched in to make our first meeting a great success! The kids had fun and learned a little about first aid (Thanks for leading this Katie Hurstwicker!) For more information or to enroll an elementary aged child in the VUU Scouting group contact Scouting@vuu.org

Affordable Housing in Mesa

Do you know someone who has struggled to find an affordable place to live? Had

to move because they couldn’t keep up with rent increases? Dealt with onerous

apartment fees and regulations? Been unable to find even a modest home to buy?

VIP has been hearing these stories for years, and we’re ready to take action. RSVP here for an assembly on Wednesday, October 18, at 6:30pm at St. Matthew United Methodist Church in Mesa to tell our elected officials that they need to address the housing affordability crisis. We need a good turnout to prove this is an issue that matters to voters, so spread the word!

Affordable Housing in Mesa

Wednesday, October 18, 6:30 pm

St Matthew United Methodist Church

2450 W Baseline Rd, Mesa

Affordable and safe housing is increasingly unavailable for working families in Mesa. VIP has head from members of our congregations and we have met with leaders and developers in the city. We believe that the right political decisions can improve the housing situation in Mesa. We call on members of our congregations to join together to confront the issue of affordable workforce housing. We invite Mesa elected leaders to hear our stories and support our request for: 1) Affordable housing for new developments at Mesa’s Site 17 and at the former Fiesta Mall; 2) Affordable housing as a goal in the revised Mesa General Plan; and 3) Increased city funding for legal assistance regarding tenant rights issues such as eviction.

I-Help Dinner

You are invited to sign up for our October 23 IHELP Dinner. We're serving chili and cornbread. Please click on the link here to view the online sign up sheet.