Sundays in March

Sunday, March 24: “Jesus, The Peaceful Revolutionary: A Palm Sunday Reflection.” Led by Rev. Sarah, Joel Sannes.

Sunday, March 31: “Being A Community of Transformation: A Theology for Transgender Visibility.” Led by Rev. Sarah, guest speaker TBA. This service celebrates Transgender Day of Visibility and the many ways that we embody transformation as a community of justice and love–as Jesus might if he/they were leading us today. *Easter activities for the kids on the Education Side of campus. Pancake Breakfast before service, fundraiser for 2024-25 Coming of Age Program. Closing of Stewardship campaign.

Easter 2024 Pancake Breakfast (a fundraiser for the Coming of Age Heritage trip to Boston)

Sunday, March 31, 8:00-10:00 am in the VUU Sanctuary, seating on the patio.

Advance purchase tickets: $10.

Breakfast includes 2 pancakes, 2 sausage links, chile cheese egg bake, fresh fruit and coffee OR juice. Gluten free and vegan options available. Free mini meal for children 3 and under.

Click here to access the order form and payment link.

Important Reminders to our 300 Roommates…

Friends, if you chair a committee, lead an activity or group here on our campus please, please, please remember to do these things EVERY time you plan to meet:

1. Contact our office to make sure your event, meeting or activity is in the VUU calendar and that information is accurate admin@vuu.org.
2. Request space for every date you plan to meet–through Todd, our office administrator. Even if the space you want is a “common area” like the patio or the Sanctuary, because multiple groups use these, we need you to request the space–it may already be full. If it is, we’ll help you find something else.  
3. Make sure you hear back where you’ve been scheduled. Don’t assume the space you want is available.  
4. Check the calendar before you make requests–you can sometimes tell if space is tight or being used already.
5. Make sure you’ve cleaned up and closed up as needed (door locked, lights off, etc.)

Please don’t take items from one space and move them to another one without checking with the office first or decide to move your activity to another space because it seems available. Sometimes chairs or tables or rooms have a planned use you may not be aware of (or belong to someone in particular), and changes to cleanliness or set up may impact someone else. Please don’t get rid of an item unless it belongs to your committee, program or activity. If you’re not sure of the provenance of an item, please check with staff before giving it away, throwing it away or otherwise removing it from campus. 

As a courtesy to our staff, please remember that there are many moving parts to how our campus is used and managed, and we are in communication everyday with many people. We want to accommodate all of you whenever possible. We also rent our facility to other organizations and people, which helps us fund our budget. Some of these folks also store items in our shared spaces and need to be able to find and use them when they are here.  

Thanks in advance for your help in maintaining systems that help us minimize the ways we can sometimes “bump into each other” as we go about the business of being a community!

Environmental Action Team (EAT) Meeting

Monday, March 18 at 6:30 pm

Join us on Google Meet (not Zoom). We'll open with, "What was your most memorable Earth Day like?"

We'll also discuss upcoming plans for UU the Vote (surely of the utmost importance to many of us), as well as FLP (Food for Life and the Planet), updates on VUU's Solar goals, and our next Environmental Action events.

Bring your ideas. ALL Are Welcome!

-Submitted by Linda Stenholm

Celebration of Life

Our dear friend and VUU member, Rachel Smith, passed away peacefully on March 12. For so many of us, Rachel was our exemplar of courage and steadfast perseverance. This year, she published a book, "The Art of Living with Huntington's Disease," inspiring us all to make the best of what life brings. Rachel was engaged in living fully to the end. She was excited to vote in the current primary election, closing out a lifetime of activism that took her from participating in sit-ins in the 60's through volunteering in every Democratic campaign cycle through 2016, and carrying signs in women's marches in her wheelchair. Rachel was an amazing mom, grandmother and sister. We will miss her loyal friendship.

Please join us at her Celebration of Life on Friday, May 17, 1:00 pm, at VUU.

-Submitted by Perii Skolnick

2024 Valley Unitarian Universalist Retreat in Prescott, AZ

A chance to get to know friends and members of Valley UU AND a weekend in the Pines - Who could ask for more? Fellowship, campfires and s'mores, volunteer run activities/crafts, optional camp run activities for an additional fee.

Camp Friendly Pines -133 acres in the Ponderosa Pine forest.

Friday, April 19 (check in 2 pm) - Sunday, April 21 (check out 11 am) [You will miss the service at VUU, not to worry, Rev. Sarah will help us have a special outdoor worship.]

Cost: $159 per person (includes 5 meals). Cabins sleep 6-10, in twin sized bunk beds, bring your own bedding and towels. Extra fees: 1) $25 for families to have a cabin to themselves 2) some camp run activities: axe throwing, ropes course, giant swing, archery, & climbing wall.

Use this form to register and access the link to pay your deposit. Deadline to register and pay your balance: March 31, 2024.

If you can't join us but are interested in contributing to a scholarship fund for the retreat use this online giving link, mention "Retreat Scholarship" in notes,  https://vuu.breezechms.com/give/online  Choose VUU Prescott Retreat (under "other funds")

Singles Dinner Out

Friday, March 22, 6:45 pm

Location: Pier 54

5394 S Lakeshore Drive, Tempe

480-820-0660

The weather will be perfect for their outdoor tables. Located in the beautiful Lakes neighborhood of Tempe, Pier 54 is an outdoor only lakeside-restaurant/bar that offers a great food selection, a unique view over the lake, and a relaxed atmosphere. There will be live music. Make your reservation early! They will only seat 8 people max and the reservation spots fill up fast, so we can’t add another table. Note the different time this month. It was already sold out for 6:30.

RSVP to this email or contact Claudette by phone or text 973-768-6047

-Submitted by Claudette Wassil

Border Support

Humanitarian Crisis at Sassabe: Thank you so much for donations that go directly to the border! 

99 Cent Stores have great prices as used quickly so expiration date not a problem. 

No water bottles, too bulky to transport 

Small cups: ONLY Applesauce, fruit, jello or puddings. Squeeze packets: vegetable or fruit.

Ongoing Clothing Donations: Cleaning out closets? Your donations have reached into the TON category! Used up quickly at area Asylum Seeker Shelters, so remember to bag up your donations and bring them to the sanctuary. Babies, toddlers and children all sizes. Men and women adult and teen sizes, small and medium. All seasons accepted. 

-submitted by Sharon Kopina