UUFC
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clemson
A Welcoming Congregation
You Are
Welcome Here!
Welcome to uufc.org, the online home of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clemson (UUFC).
If you're searching for a progressive spiritual community that celebrates a tolerant and thoughtful search for spiritual meaning, we hope you will find a home with us.
At UUFC you will discover a diverse and lively community of seekers and skeptics that will welcome you just as you are. We are an open, welcoming and caring community.
Whatever your age, gender, social background, orientation, or ethnic origin, you are welcome here.
Sunday, June 27
UUA General Assembly Sunday Morning Worship
10:30 am
The Sunday Service will be available to watch on the UUFC You Tube Page:
The Serivice will post at 7am on Sunday
Explore, Ask Questions, Join In!
The members and friends of UUFC look forward to getting to know you. Here are a few ways to explore our welcoming community!
Social Media
Site Map
List of Everything on the Website
Weekly Connection Newsletter
Newsletter Sign Up Here
Sunday Service at 10:30 a.m.
Upcoming Events
Covenant, Mission and
Vision Statements
Fire Pit Gatherings at the Founders House
Next Date: May 22nd at 7:00pm
Sign up here to reserve a spot!
Join us for a socially-distant fire pit gathering! Bring your own chair and snacks. Attendance is limited to 10 people, so please sign up each individual in your party (including kids!). Click the image to see the full-size flyer. Would you like to host a Fire Pit Gathering? Contact Rev. Christina (minister@uufc.org) and she will help you set it up!
UUFC Campout at Oconee State Park
DATE: Thursday, June 10 - Sunday June 13
Come for some or ALL of the weekend. Your own camping gear is required. UUFC will have the primitive group camp site. Cost: $10/person per night (includes swimming fee at the park lake) This is a favorite activity that UUFC members and friends have enjoyed for many summers during our years together. RAIN or SHINE! All the necessary details can be found here.
UUFC Virtual Congregational Membership Meeting
DATE: Sunday, June 13, 2021 @ 12:00 pm via Zoom
The link to the Zoom meeting will be emailed to UUFC members.
The agenda is as follows:
-
Vote on proposed bylaws changes (Click here to view the proposed bylaw revisions)
-
Financial update from CFO Michael Elder
-
Extending the interim period to a third year
-
Leadership changes and vacancies
-
Reopening Q&A
Mark your calendars and plan to attend
Depolarizing Within; A Braver Angels Workshop
DATE: Saturday June 19 3:00 - 5:30 on Zoom
Much of today’s epidemic of toxic polarization is driven by how we talk with like-minded people about those on the other side. Too often we stereotype, dismiss, or ridicule our fellow citizens who support the other political party, its leaders, and its policies. Although political polarization in some form has always been around, it was less problematic when people interacted more outside their own silos. Nowadays, people on the other side have become not just strangers but enemies. How we talk among ourselves about them fuels fires that threaten our democracy.
What if we learn the discipline of non-polarizing attitudes and words about the political “Other” with whom we do share a national past and future?
This workshop will:
-
Help you become more aware of your inner polarizer
-
Help you learn ways to depolarize yourself so that you can disagree without demonizing, dismissing, or stereotyping the millions of people who differ from you politically
-
Teach you skills for how to intervene in social conversations with like-mined people when those conversations veer into contempt and ridicule for people who hold other political views
Workshop offered by Braver Angels and to UUFC members and guests, as well as members from other UU congregations in our area.
Please direct questions to Del Kimbler (dkimbler@braverangels.org).
Monthly Benevolence
Here's the list!
Use our NEW donate button to make your contribution any time! It's in the upper right corner of any page.
Online Zoom/Google Gatherings
Wednesdays
Coffee with Christina at 2:00pm
Thursdays
Bingo at 6:30pm
Sundays
Social Time Chat at 11:30am
1st and 3rd Mondays
Meditation with Jeanne at 8:00pm
The links are published in UUFC's newsletter, The Weekly Connection. Please email admin@uufc.org to subscribe!
UUFC's In the News
To see which UUFC members have been making or in the news click on the link here.
Parenting While UU Covenant Group
Parents and caregivers want to do everything they can to support the well-being of a child or youth. Unitarian Universalists believe that parents, often supported by the local congregation's religious education program, are the primary spirituality and faith educators for their children.
It is through nurturing religious and spiritual experiences and values for their children that caregivers grow their own spirits, finding within themselves strengths and capacities to be their children's primary spiritual guides and mentors. As a resource for parents, we would like to offer a once-monthly covenant group for parents at a time to be determined. If you are interested in joining this group, please sign-up here.
Policy for Returning to Church
If you test positive for COVID-19, or become aware of another individual at UUFC who tests positive for COVID-19, please refer to the Pandemic Exposure Procedures.
At the behest of the Board, the Council of Committees took over the work of the Re-Entry Task Force to establish policies and guidelines for a safe and responsible return to our physical facilities during the novel coronavirus pandemic. A significant number of our members, friends, staff and their households are in one or more high risks groups. Our faith tradition calls us to make the safety of all of these individuals our highest priority. That same tradition also calls us to respect the guidance of science when making decisions concerning reopening our facilities.
Criteria for Reopening
Any transition to reopening, or any transition from one phase to another of reopening, must be informed by the relevant data regarding COVID-19 cases in the area (specifically, Anderson,Oconee, Pickens and Greenville counties in SC, and Hart county in GA), with a minimum of 14 days of a downward trend in new cases........ Click Here to open and read the full pdf version...
The current UUFC Pandemic Exposure Procedures can be view and read by clicking here.
Virtual Tea Tasting Sunday March 28th at 2:00 PM
The Virtual Tea Tasting workshop online (zoom) will be similar to the previous virtual chocolate workshop. Participants will need to obtain three or four tea samples ahead of time. My suggestion would be for a white, green, oolong and black tea. If you are interested and respond via email ( chocolate.tea.jon@gmail.com ), I will send you some specific suggestions for small samples available from Upton Tea. (The sample size is suitable for 3-4 cups.) However, feel free to buy whatever you like or use tea you already have. A virtual tea tasting means that each participant or small group will be brewing tea during the workshop so you might want to visualize the best way to accomplish this process ahead of time. It shouldn't last more than an hour but that depends on the questions at the end. Additional information and links will be provided if you respond to the above email address. Note that the SWIM crowd and others will be invited. (SWIM has a weekly get together every Tuesday at 6:30 and all are welcome.) Take care and stay safe.
Enrollment Now Open
New Online Covenant Groups
Interested in joining an online covenant group?
The Rev. Christina Branum-Martin will facilitate
up to two new online groups (unfortunately,
COVID-19 does not yet permit in-person
meetings) beginning this fall. Covenant groups are a great way to get to know other members and friends better, and, of course, to get to know our new interim minister! If you would like to participate, please fill out the online form here. For more information, contact Karen Hiebel, dlff@uufc.org
Monthly meal at Our Daily Rest
UUFC is providing a monthly meal at Our Daily Rest, the homeless shelter in Seneca. If you are interested in contributing, please contact Janie Shipley at ourdailyrest@uufc.org for information on the menu, the schedule, updates on COVID protocol, etc. Aside from the meal, they have some basic needs such as cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, paper towels, coffee/creamer/hot chocolate. If you are able to contribute such supplies you may deliver them to Our Daily Rest at 525 East Main St, Seneca or contact ourdailyrest@uufc.org.
New UU and You
June--Date and Time TBD
Have you been considering joining our fellowship? Now would be a great time! We are planning to have a "New UU and You" class in June - date and time to be determined based on participation. Please contact Rev. Christina (minister@uufc.org) or our membership team (membership@uufc.org) if you are interested in membership at UUFC.
BINGO (online)
DATE: Thursdays at 6:30 pm
Join us every Thursday! Email our administrator, Becky (admin@uufc.org), for a bingo card. Email Karen (hospitalitygroup@uufc.org) with any questions.
Meditation with Jeanne (online)
DATE: 1st and 3rd Monday of Each Month at 8:00pm
Jeanne Malmgren will lead an online evening meditation on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. All are welcome to attend.
Coffee with Christina (online)
DATE: Wednesdays at 2:00pm
Join Rev. Christina for a cup of coffee via Zoom on Wednesdays at 2pm. All are welcome to stop by for a chat.
UUFC Novel Circle
DATE: First Wednesday of Each Month at 7:30pm
For June's Meeting: One Good Mama Bone by Bren McClain
All members and friends of UUFC who enjoy reading novels and discussing their relevance to our lives are invited to participate in our Novel Circle. Please contact Gail Brownlee or Cindy Lee at novelcircle@uufc.org for more information and the Zoom link. (and if you want to get a head start, July's book is Call My Name, Clemson: Documenting the Black Experience in an American University Community by Rhonda Robinson Thomas)