November, 2023

Our latest band of talented decorators gathered together the day after Thanksgiving to bedeck our halls with the holiday spirit.  It is hard work, but there is always a lot of laughter as we turn our spiritual home into something rather magical.

July, 2023

Lis and Phil Turner offered a three-part vegan cooking class through Adult Religious Education.  They began with possible breakfast offerings including Phil’s delicious waffles, Overnight Oats, a Green Smoothie, and a vegan version of an Egg McMuffin.  The second class covered lunch possibilities (mock egg- and tuna-salad, anyone?). We wrapped things up with beet hummus for an appetizer along with a Rose Cooler, build your own Buddha Bowls for the entree, and oat milk ice cream sundaes for dessert.  It was both a fun and enlightening experience.

December 28, 2022

Barbara Bates-Smith enjoyed a Holiday breakfast with the first Story Circle group that she organized at the UUCC.  Phil Turner hosted the group and fixed an oatmeal buffet with a large selection of toppings including chocolate, dried fruits, fresh fruits and nuts.  After the breakfast they enjoyed a brief Story Circle as a perfect way to wrap up the old year!

December 18, 2022

The only reason that this could be considered a Fun Activity is that there was cake!  It was with mixed feelings that we bade farewell to our long-time (and absolutely perfect) Administrator, Andrea Dudick.  She has made us all look good for many years .  We shall miss her wisdom and expertise but are happy for her as she moves on to a new chapter in her life.

December 17, 2022

The Winter Sing began out of necessity as the pandemic precluded us from singing together indoors..  Our music director, Anna Hamilton came up with this idea to allow us to make fun music together on our patio.  This year was better than ever and a new musical tradition is firmly established.  We gathered to listen to and sing the musical traditions of many religions.  We can’t wait to see what Anna puts together for us next year!

December 16, 2022

It was a long time coming. but our Holiday Party tradition came back with great joy.  The group was large, and the food was plentiful.  It is something we have come to anticipate with excitement and this year did not disappoint…right down to the moving candle ceremony out in the night chill.

November 24, 2022

Thanks to Jim Kimbler for organizing this year’s Thanksgiving potluck dinner (and Linda McLeod for giving pointers about the way she has done it in the past)!  The tables were set up beautifully.  We had a large turnout

and the food was plentiful and delicious. But the camaraderie was the best part of all.  If you haven’t made it to one of our extravaganzas yet, there is always next year.  You only have to prepare one dish to get an extraordinary feast!

May 12, 2022

The men of UUCC get together once a month for camaraderie and a great breakfast at various establishments in the greater Columbia area.  On this date, they met at Ray’s Diner where they enjoyed a fun time getting together with friends.  Check the Ongoing Happenings tab for information about  the next breakfast meeting.

April 8-17, 2022

The UU Mountain Learning and Retreat Center counts on volunteers to keep the facilities and grounds in good shape. UUCC’s built shelves, organized the shop, folded laundry, cleaned rooms, made beds, washed windows, and prepared meals among other things. Happy Hours on the deck over looking the mountains from Little Scaley Mt. renewed friendships and energy.

December 3, 2021

Time to Deck Our Halls once again.  This usually involves a decorating party and lots of fun making things festive.  Unfortunately, these are extraordinary times and no parties are allowed.  Lis and Phil Turner tacked the job accompanied by their grandchildren, Sabine and Quentin.  the decor was not as extravagant as in years past, but still set a festive mood.  the fun lasted until December 29th when that same intrepid group took it all down again.

October 12, 2021

The Ladies LUUnch BUUnch on the Patio met on Tues after a long hiatus due to covid.  We were happy to get back under the shade of the trees and enjoy each other’s company.  Don’t miss the next one on November 9th at noon! Hope to see you there!  https://www.facebook.com/events/248210680472852/

February 20, 2021

The Covid 19 Pandemic has kept us sheltering in place and meeting via Zoom for about a year now, but vaccines are finally becoming available and Spring fever is striking.  Thanks to Karen Brown and her Adult Religious Exploration Committee, we have started Saturday Walk and Talks.  John Logue has agreed to lead us around and point out interesting information about the flora and fauna we come across as we walk.  There doesn’t appear to be anything about local plants and animals that escapes John’s knowledge and we are so lucky to have him as our guide.  For our first outing, we went to the Riverwalk and spent a fun and informative morning walking and talking with friends and listening to John.

April 12, 2020

Well, if there was ever any doubt before, today the UUCC proved that they know how to have a good time in spite of Social Distancing Restrictions.  Our members and friends got together virtually to show off their beautiful Easter bonnets and listen to an inspirational sermon on how to make lemonade out of lemons.  Thank you, Jane Lawther, for your wise words at these difficult times.

February 9, 2020

Our annual celebration of all things chocolate was wonderful fun again this year. It involved four exciting parts and it is hard to pick one as a favorite.  First you have the option to fill your plate with chocolate goodies for a mere $5.  You could also purchase raffle tickets to try to win Terrence Sullivan’s beautiful heart cake.  But there was more fun to be had by bidding on items in the silent auction which included many cakes and even a beautiful gift basket put together by Sara Williams.  And finally the cake walk where the odds may be against you, but you’re always sure this time will be the lucky one!

January 26, 2020

CYRE hosted the annual CANstruction food drive and fundraiser for Harvest Hope Food Bank. The UU congregation generously donated over 300 canned, boxed, and bagged food items for the students to use as construction materials. The entries were very creative, and included a castle, a fort, a Chinese dragon, a scene from the Twilight Zone (“To Serve Man”), and the Harvest Hope logo. The 3rd-5th grade classroom won first place, but the real winners were our neighbors who depend on Harvest Hope. This year, we collected 437 pounds of donated food items and raised $430, which is enough to sponsor 2,150 meals for our neighbors in need! Thanks to all of the students and teachers for their hard work and dedication, and most especially to the congregation for their generosity.

January 25, 2020

Cabaret 2020, “Singers in the Spotlight” provided a memorable evening with stellar entertainment, an array of raffle and silent auction prizes, an expansive, delectable buffet, all amidst an intimate setting, … anticipated hallmarks of the Partner Church Cabaret. Financially the net earnings are happily a bit over $2000. As a result, we of the UUCC are able to continue our normal pattern of support for the Hungarian speaking Beszterce congregation, which includes sending funds twice a year to that congregation plus underwriting Zsolt’s 5 hour drive commuting costs. As well, we are building funds for a LONGER RANGE commute for him a visit to us in 2021!!!

December 15, 2019

 CYRE Winter Celebration

This was an opportunity for the students to thank the congregation for their great support all year long, so THANK YOU! The congregation was treated to songs from the Children’s Choir and the Adult Choir, as well as inspirational readings from many different faith traditions and a holiday sing-along. It was an opportunity to celebrate this time of year which is so important to our Christian friends, but also our Pagan, Jewish, and Islamic friends as well.

December 14, 2019

Holiday Party

Our Membership Committee sponsored another great Holiday Party at the Turner’s home.  We had a lot of fun that night.  So much in fact that nobody remembered to take any photos at the party!  The only things photographed were Ginny Verne’s penguins.  Thanks to all who made it such a success!

December 6, 2019

Wreaths and Wassail

What a fun afternoon we spent learning how to make wreaths while eating treats and drinking hot wassail!  Thanks to Ruthie Saunders for her excellent teaching skills and Lis Turner for providing the food.  All of this merriment helped to contribute over $100.00 toward the purchase of our new shades in the sanctuary.

December 6-8. 2019

Scooby DUU Mystery
Five of our UUCC High School students went on a youth convention at The Mountain from Dec. 6 – 8, 2019. The theme was “A Scooby DUU Mystery,” and everyone had a great time! Thanks to Bethany Storlazzi and Richard Culler for volunteering to be drivers and chaperons for this fun event.

November 30, 2019

Decking our Halls

We had a fun day preparing the Sanctuary/Social Hall/Classroom Hallway/Grounds for the Holidays.  Lis Turner was the woman with the plan and ia two-page list of things that had to be done.  She is so grateful to Jane Lawther, Regina Moody,Patty Drews, Linda and Richard McLeod, and Pat Mohr.  Honorable mention goes to Phil Turner who climbed ladders that were too tall and lifted things that were too heavy.  Very special thanks once again goes to Ruthie Saunders for not only making all of the wreaths and garlands for the CYRE Wing, but also contributing the expense of the materials.  She also arrived early and stayed late on the 30th, even festooning one more garland for the Social Hall.  Many thanks to all who made this such a successful day!

November 28, 2019

Annual Thanksgiving Dinner

Our UUCC Social Hall was the meeting place for a joyful Thanksgiving dinner gathering, keeping our long time tradition of sharing this holiday with members, friends, and their families. The tables were decorated with fall colors and an abundance of delicious food. We welcomed new faces and found this a perfect opportunity to enjoy getting to know each other. We had 42 attend this year and of course we always have room more. This was a wonderful way to begin the holiday season.

November 21, 2019

Prepping for dishwasher installation

Starting early Thursday morning, J. P. Flood and Phil Turner worked in our kitchen to create room for our new second dishwasher.

It was a task even more difficult than it sounded because of the structure requirements necessary to keep the countertop up and functioning.  Honorable mention goes to Bill Dolley who came by and offered to help, and did help in finding a plumber for us who arrived  the next day and completed the job.  Although it might not have been fun, it sure was gratifying!

Nov. 17, 2019

The CYRE hosted a chili cook-off to raise funds for the 2020 youth Boston trip. Trophies and gift cards were awarded to Tim and Judi Ray (1st place), and to Quentin and Sabine McGrievy (2nd place and Children’s Choice). A BIG thank you to Swiftwater Beads, Cantina 76, and Rosewood Market for supplying the gift cards, to all the chili chefs and volunteers, and to all the attendees for making this event a success – over $600 was raised! Thank you!

October 26, 2019

Painting back CYRE Wing windows

A small group of fearless, hard-working members spent the better part of one of their precious Saturdays climbing up tall ladders to sand, clean, glaze, and paint windows that desperately needed the process.  It may be a stretch to call this a “fun activity”, but it sure was a gratifying one.  Be sure and thank Andrea, Brian, Bill, Karen and Lis when you see them.

July 14, 2019

Rev, Dr. Neal Jones Visits

It was a day of celebration when our former minister (with us for 10 years), Neal Jones, came to visit.

He treated the children to a wonderful story about friendship and teamwork (Ricky the Rock that Couldn’t Roll), and the rest of us to a wonderful sermon (The Difference between “Freedom From” and “Freedom For”).

We finished off the time with a sumptuous pot luck feast, expertly organized by Linda McLeod and her tireless kitchen crew.

March 31, 2019

New Member Joining Ceremony and Reception

We introduced eight new members to our congregation on March 31, 2019.  A wonderful spread of food was enjoyed by the congregation, thanks to the contributions of Committee Chairs, the Kitchen Committee, the Membership Committee, and other generous souls.  It is always a joyful time when we welcome new members, but this time was especially fun as we changed our format and made it a daytime affair, thus affording the entire congregation the opportunity to personally welcome the new members,