Sunday October 26th

Hiding Behind the Masks We Wear: A Halloween Service

Two services at 9:30am and 11:30 am; in person and online at www.uuaa.org/service

Halloween is a time when we don masks and costumes.  Yet, costumes and masks can become things that we hide behind.  What kinds of things do we wind up hiding?  What might be the power in allowing our full selves, our full life journey, to be seen and held by others, in a safe and non-judgmental way?  Join us this Halloween Sunday as we explore the spiritual nature of masks and hiding.  

Everyone is welcome to come in costume; no weapons or full face masks please, remembering this is an inter-generational service.  The Chalice Sparks will join us in the second service.

There is a social hour following each service. Join us for coffee and conversation; Learn more about how you can engage with our UUAA activities.

A PDF version of the order of service is available by Saturday of each week at https://uuaa.org/oos [You can use the electronic version to help UUAA with our Zero Waste goal.]

October 19th, following each service; Social Hall

Please join us in the Social Hall after both services on October 19th to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ordination of our senior minister, Reverend Manish Mishra-Marzetti. Please bring a note or letter with your greetings, memories, and appreciation, or write and decorate one at the note station during the celebration. We will serve cake after the first service, and a light lunch after the second service. We hope you can join us as we appreciate and celebrate Rev. Manish!

Potluck Oct 22nd

Our next meeting will be a potluck on Wednesday, October 22 at 7:00pm in the Fahs Chapel. Please join us to learn and be part of the effort to foster healing, repair, and transformation.

Contact:  restorativejusticeinfor@uuaa.org                                                                                          

Volunteers like you keep our Sunday morning services running smoothly! We are looking for congregants to help out with tasks on Sundays. If you are able and interested in helping out as a greeter, usher, with newcomer welcome, or other setup tasks, please fill out this interest form or contact James Jandro at james@uuaa.org.   

October & November, Social Hall; Gifts due Dec 3rd

Every year, Community Action Network (CAN) collects thousands of gifts for under-resourced children and teens. The holidays are often a very difficult time for the families that CAN works with, and children often feel isolated.

On October 19th and through November, a table in the Social Hall will be set up with information for all the children UUAA congregants may help for the 2025 holiday season. You will find cards with the child’s gender, age, size, and gifts for that child to receive. This display will last until ALL the children/teens are sponsored. A table is reserved through the month of November. Gifts are due December 3. 

Each child receives two gifts they NEED and two gifts they WANT. Young children get unwrapped (the family will wrap them) gifts, while older teens get gift cards. Please use gift cards purchased from our UUAA Scrip Program for these children. VISA Cards for the older children can be used for any specialty store on the list, and Meijer and Target cards can be used to purchase the younger children’s gifts. 

Questions? Contact cderaud@canwashtenaw.org or 734-994-2985 ext. 124  Northside Community Center 809 Taylor Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48105.

October Events at Alpha House – GIMME SHELTER Oct 16th

Alpha House is a shelter for families experiencing temporary homelessness. Homelessness in our community is on the rise, with over 150 families currently waiting for shelter. 

To be part of the solution:

  1. Alpha House is expanding to a new location in Ypsilanti. You can help prepare the new shelter during October and November. Alpha House will share flexible tasks such as installing door locks, cleaning, and organizing. Sign up here 
  2. UUAA regularly provides meals for homeless families at Alpha House. On October 3 from 4:30pm – 6:30pm, you can get an overview of the commercial kitchen at the Jackson Road shelter location in Ann Arbor, as you help our committee chair prepare a meal for 24 residents! Email AlphaHouse@uuaa.org for more information. 
  3. Join the Alpha House committee! We need people to help with communications, volunteer recruitment, fundraising, and the holiday wishes gift drive! Contact AlphaHouse@uuaa.org to find out more… 
  4. Purchase tickets here for the Alpha House food truck fundraiser: GIMME SHELTER! On October 16, from 6:00pm – 9:00pm, the jazz band 5 Miles More will entertain from the patio, dining will be al fresco with a dinner of tacos or BBQ & mocktails/dessert included. Come join us for this celebration of volunteers, staff,  and the new location!

Sundays thru October 19

Ann Arbor Girl Scout Troop 40809 is supporting the African Library Project by collecting 1,000 to 1,200 books for a preschool through eighth grade library in Uganda. They have collected about 700 books so far and are looking to collect 200 to 400 more. The initiative is sponsored by SGD and the UUAA Library teams.

The troop will have a table in the Social Hall after both services on Sunday, September 7. Please stop by and meet the girls, learn about the project, and add your books to the collection box. Donations are welcome through October 19!

Sunday, October 19, 3:00pm, via Zoom

From spyware and facial recognition to drones and bio-metric databases, Israeli technology has become a powerful tool for controlling the lives of Palestinians. These systems are also marketed as “battle-tested” to oppressive regimes around the world. Panelists will discuss how Israel has turned Palestine into a testing ground for technologies of surveillance and repression and their impact on human rights globally.
Watch the curated videos for free at your convenience. Click here to access the videos and register for the discussion. 

Join the Q&A discussion with:

  • Helga Tawil-Souri: Palestinian-American scholar and associate professor, NYU; filmmaker
  • Omar Zahzah: assistant professor, AMED Studies, San Francisco State University
  • Mohammad Natsheh: Palestinian human rights activist in South Hebron Hills
  • Bianca Peracchi (moderator): co-founder of Esperanꞔa Solidária; intern at Nonviolence International

Click here to watch the trailer.

Thursday, October 23, 11:00am & 3:00pm

“Steering the Skid,” a performance about memory care, is coming to the UUAA Social Hall on October 23rd.  Tickets are free, but reservations are necessary due to limited space. Through 12 short scenes, this play takes you on a one-year journey with Tim and Amanda in their car, bearing witness to the early progression of dementia. 

The event includes a facilitated discussion and provides valuable resources for you, your family, or friends who are experiencing the effects of memory loss. Choose between the 11:00am performance, which includes a light lunch, or 3:00 pm, which includes refreshments. Both events last approximately 2 hours. This event is offered by Dementia Friendly Services, the recipient of UUAA’s Share the Collection for October. Sponsors are the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and Michigan Public Health Institute. To make a reservation for either performance, send a request to pastoralcare@uuaa.org.  

Thursday, October 23, 7:00pm

Join us for the October Accessibility and Inclusion Ministry (AIM) meeting on Zoom to discuss our congregation’s accessibility and inclusion priorities for the coming church year. We need everyone’s input and participation to build a more disability welcoming and inclusive community. For more info, please email aim@uuaa.org.  

To receive the Zoom link, please fill out this form. 

Friday, October 24, 5:30pm – 8:30pm

Friday Fun Night welcomes people of all ages to gather for food, fun, and a celebration of community. October’s event is our annual Halloween celebration! We will have pizza, salad, and dessert, with gluten-free and vegan options available. Activities include a costume parade, fishing for candy, mummy wrap, crafts, and the spooky Haunted House created by our youth. Please bring your own place setting. Suggested donation is $5. 

Please RVSP here.

We need lots of volunteers to make this event run smoothly. Please sign up here. 

Sunday, October 26, 4:00pm, Pease Auditorium 

Around 35 of our Chalice Singers will take part in a public concert at Eastern Michigan University, alongside the Beyond Choir. 

Eternal Light is a concert of radiant sacred music that spans centuries of choral tradition. The centerpiece of the program is Gabriel Fauré’s moving Requiem, a masterwork beloved for its serenity, lyricism, and message of consolation. This will be inspiring choral music, community, and a beautiful evening out. Use code GRACE5 for $5 off each ticket. 

Click here to view the event on Facebook. 

Purchase tickets here.

Friday, October 31, 6:00pm – 9:00pm

Please join us for a Spooky Backyard Bonfire from 6:00pm-9:00pm at 2041 Weldon Blvd, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Bring your favorite fall treat. Costumes are encouraged. This event will be hosted by Lindsay White and Tina DeGeorge.

Email with questions to womuunscouncilinfo@uuaa.org 

Thru 10/28/25

To keep up-to-date information regarding all groups and teams at UUAA, we invite all leaders to share updated information, such as leaders’ names, contact information, meeting days/times, etc., by using this Google form, which can always be found in the Lay Leaders Tools tab on the homepage of our website.  We strive to update this information yearly, but if any changes occur at any time during the year, this is the form for you!! You can review your group’s current information in this spreadsheet or on this web page. 

Questions, email debita@uuaa.org 

The Scrip program is an easy way to support the congregation at no cost to you. You purchase gift cards to use yourself for your favorite stores or use as gifts for loved ones, and our community earns money. Cards can be purchased during Social Hour at the Scrip table, ordered online at RaiseRight, or on your mobile device with the app RaiseRight. Use scrip enrollment code F9F626FE2L951 to set up your account.

The Scrip table is open only after first service, but almost every Sunday. If you have questions or need help establishing your account with RaiseRight, please contact scrip@uuaa.org. 

Tuesdays, 10:00 am – noon

Do you love being outdoors and getting your hands in the soil? We’re looking for volunteers to help us grow and maintain our beautiful gardens. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, your time and energy can make a big difference. Our Garden Stewards team invites you to help us plant, weed, water, and share in the joy of cultivating something beautiful together.

Right now, the group meets each Tuesday from 10:00am to noon. If you aren’t available at that time but would still like to help out, we can identify tasks that you can do when you have time. 
To learn more, send an email to gardeninfo@uuaa.org.

ONGOING… 11:30 am, Social Hall

It is the season for produce sharing!  

Growers: Have an abundance of vegetables/herbs  from your garden (or CSA) you can’t eat? Bring the extra on Sunday to share. Leave your bounty on the Food Justice table in the Social Hall. Please label what you bring.

Eaters: Take home to enjoy!

For more info: FoodJustice@uuaa.org 

First Wednesday, via Zoom, 6:00pm

Join us for a Vespers Service: A Time of Pastoral Caring and Sharing offered on the first Wednesday of the month, starting September 3.  The service will be led by Rev. Theresa on Zoom and will last for about 30 minutes. The format may shift from month to month, but most often will include centering music, a chalice lighting, pastoral sharing, and some time for silence and/or a meditation. 

Consider joining this time to pause, rest, re-set in the middle of your week. Take time to be present and feel held in community. 

Register here

First Wednesday, Hot Pot Chen, 5:30pm

We are reviving a long-standing tradition that expired when Covid hit. Once again, UUAA folk and friends will gather on the first Wednesday of each month at Hot Pot Chen at 2255 W. Stadium in Ann Arbor to enjoy excellent Chinese food and great conversations.

First Saturday, 8:30am, Holiday’s Restaurant,  8:30am

Men of all ages are welcome to join us at 8:30am on the first Saturday of each month at Holiday’s Restaurant, 2080 W. Stadium, Ann Arbor. We will be partaking in wonderful breakfast choices, discussion, and friendship. No RSVPs are required; we’ll either have a seat waiting for you, or we’ll find one.

Note that there will not be an October men’s breakfast, as the UUAA Men’s Retreat is occurring that weekend. Click here to register for the men’s retreat.

See you there!

Womens Community regular events

Upcoming Events:

  • First Saturdays of the month at 8:30am: West Side Breakfast at Alpha Diner on Jackson Road in Ann Arbor
  • Second Sunday of the month at 8:30am: WomUUn’s Council Meeting, via Zoom. We are always looking for volunteers to join us, or just come to find out what we are working on.
  • Third Sunday of the month at 1:15pm: East Side Lunch at Tuptim on Washtenaw Avenue in Ypsilanti.
  • Fourth Friday of the month: WomUUn’s Social. Potluck dinner, crafts, and lively conversation at UUAA. Get more information and sign up here.

For more information, please contact WomUUnsCouncil@uuaa.org

First Saturday, 11:00am – 1:00pm, Young Room

Third Wednesday, 7:00pm – 9:00pm, via Zoom

Join us for a time of creativity and connection! Whether you enjoy knitting, crocheting, embroidering, painting, doodling, or any other form of art and craft, you’re welcome to participate. All skill levels are welcome—whether you are a beginner seeking support or an experienced artist.  

If you are interested in information about our Saturday workshops, making comfort shawls or baby blankets for Pastoral Care, getting the Wednesday Zoom link, or have any questions, please send us an email at crafters@uuaa.org. 

Third Wednesday, Fahs Chapel

11:30am – 1:00pm

The UUAA Lunch Group is a multigenerational gathering that meets on the third Wednesday of each month. Please bring your own lunch, and we will provide coffee, tea, and dessert. Our Lunch Group is multi-generational, and all are welcome!

Our guests for September are Kim Clugston and Nancy Schewe. They will talk about the work of the UU Garden Stewards and our memorial gardens. Later, Kim and Nancy will explain Planned Giving at UUAA and the re-energizing of the Sunderland Society.

Second Monday, 12:00pm – 1:30pm, via Zoom

A new group will begin on the second Monday of the month via Zoom. If you were previously in one of the grief support groups you will receive information about how to join this new group if you are interested. For anyone new to the grief support group, email Rev. Theresa at theresa@uuaa.org to express interest. This is a group for anyone who feels they would benefit from the support of those who are experiencing grief, whether from recent or past losses.  Everyone will have an opportunity to share with the group, and as time permits, discussion will continue. The focus of the group is on loss from the death of a loved one; it is open to new membership at any time. 

The time will be a space for being together in grief and offering support by our presence and deep listening, facilitated by rev. theresa. We will have a chalice lighting, some centering words or music, and then each person present will have an opportunity to share what is on their heart that particular day.  After each has a time of uninterrupted sharing, we may respond to each other’s stories. As Unitarian Universalists we will ground our sessions in love and respect. Remember you are not alone in your grief.

Third Sunday, 1:00pm – 3:00pm, Zoom and Brown Room

Do you like to write? If you would like to meet with a group of others who share a love of writing, come as a guest to one of the monthly gatherings of the Community of Writers. If you like hearing what others write and the positive comments that follow, and you think, “I would like to do that, too,” just let the group know. You may request the Zoom link by emailing Writers@uuaa.org. 

Our prompt for September 21: Birth families, found-families, soul families, spiritual families—there are many different kinds of families. Families help form who we are; they can nurture and/or conflict us. Families mean different things to different people, and mean different things at different times in our lives. What does family mean to you? As always, we are free to write to the prompt or not.

First Sunday, via Zoom, 4:00pm

The Woodlands is a monthly online gathering designed for trans children, youth, and adults—as well as the parents and caregivers of trans people. Each session will begin with a shared message and grounding ritual, followed by breakout rooms tailored to different communities within our circle, and we come back together for a release. Sessions will be about an hour and a half.

Each breakout room—co-facilitated by two chaplains—will offer space for meaningful check-ins where we can honor our grief, celebrate our joy, and support one another. The spirit of each room will reflect the people within it. Click here to register.

“Caregiver Companions” is a program offered through Dementia Friendly Services (formerly Dementia Friendly Saline, the organization that offers the memory cafes at UUAA twice a month). The program provides one-on-one support for primary caregivers of a person with dementia with the goal to connect caregivers to a dedicated companion who will provide a listening ear, a shoulder to lean on, words of wisdom and encouragement, and lessons learned during their own personal caregiving experiences.

Current Caregivers

Are you the primary caretaker for a loved one with dementia? Could you benefit from a supportive, encouraging, non-judgmental companion? This is a free service to all primary caregivers.

Future Companions 

Do you have experience caring for a loved one? Would you like to use your experience to help someone else on the journey? Dementia caregiving experience is helpful but not required. Contact pastoralcare@uuaa.org, and you will be provided the contact information to participate as a caregiver companion or to request one.

The Vision Support Committee (VSC) created a complete list, of the many groups, teams, and committees here at UUAA and is making it available in spreadsheet format. This living Google doc is continuously updated as leadership changes, new groups are formed, etc. Always go to the online version to get the most current information on group names, meeting times, how each serves our UUAA Vision and more. If you see that your group is not listed or you have updates or questions, contact vision@uuaa.org.

The information can be accessed with the direct link, or by going to the UUAA website and clicking on “Groups and Teams at UUAA” (from the home page menu bar). Take a look, explore, learn, and get involved today!

Drag outdated events & news items below this post

Vanquishing Evil: A UU Honoring of the Hindu New Year  

Two services at 9:30am and 11:30 am; in person and online at www.uuaa.org/service

In a time when so much around us can feel off track, it is possible to understand actions that we don’t like or that we consider as causing harm as fundamentally bad or evil.  How does the Hindu tradition relate to the concept of evil and how might we Unitarian Universalists relate to this concept?  Join us this Sunday as we honor the Hindu new year, known as Diwali, and further explore the themes connected to this holiday.

We welcome back to Ann Arbor guests musician, singer/songwriter Tret Fure, who will provide music during the service.

There is a social hour following each service. Join us for coffee and conversation; Learn more about how you can engage with our UUAA activities.

A PDF version of the order of service is available by Saturday of each week at https://uuaa.org/oos [You can use the electronic version to help UUAA with our Zero Waste goal.]

Sunday, October 12, 12:45pm – 2:30pm

Join us after the second service to help with some projects in our beautiful Memorial Garden. There will be something to do for all ages and abilities. Families are encouraged to come and work together on kid-friendly activities. If your gardening days are over, feel free to participate from our new memorial bench, providing conversation and encouragement! You are welcome to wear your gardening clothes to worship that day, including closed-toe shoes. If you have any rakes or pruners, please bring them with you.

We will gather in the small west parking lot (near the dumpsters) at 12:45 for a quick pizza lunch before the work begins. Please use this link to sign up here so we know how much pizza to order.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0d4daaaa2ea02-outdoors#

Saturday, October 11, 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Saturday, November 8, 12:00pm – 2:00pm

The Yummy Plant-Based Potlucks are for you if you can eat at least one meal a month without animal products and share the recipe. But the more you eat plant-based foods, the greater the health benefits. Come for your health, climate health, and animals’ lives. Everyone is welcome. Bring a curious friend with you.

Bring a plant-based dish (no animal products) to pass, place settings, and a recipe. Some people will bring plant-based dishes that have no salt, sugar, or oil; others eat no gluten. No need to RSVP, just show up with food to share, and join in the feast. The plant-based potlucks are sponsored by the UUAA Food Justice Team.

Native Advocacy: Education and Action

Two services at 9:30am and 11:30 am; in person and online at www.uuaa.org/service

Join us this Sunday as we celebrate and honor Indigenous People’s day through story, song, and ritual.  We are honored to have the presence of Andrea Pierce, a citizen of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians as our special guest speaker this morning.  She will address several issues that are of urgent importance in the indigenous communities in Michigan, and offer us a call to action to move us individually and collectively to action.  

There is a social hour following each service. Join us for coffee and conversation; Learn more about how you can engage with our UUAA activities.

A PDF version of the order of service is available by Saturday of each week at https://uuaa.org/oos [You can use the electronic version to help UUAA with our Zero Waste goal.]

A Sanctuary of Hope

Two services this Sunday, 9:30am and 11:30 am; in person and online at www.uuaa.org/service

Join us as we explore the sacred calling to be a sanctuary of hope—where peace and safety can take root in an anxious world. Together we’ll reflect on how faith, community, and compassion help us build spaces of refuge and renewal for ourselves and for others. The Chalice Bells will offer their musical gifts this Sunday.

This Sunday also marks the start of our annual stewardship campaign.  Throughout the month you will hear from members who will share their stories of why they make a financial contribution to UUAA and what this community means in their lives.     

A reminder that there is a social hour following each service.

A PDF version of the order of service is available by Saturday of each week at https://uuaa.org/oos [You can use the electronic version to help UUAA with our Zero Waste goal.]

Friday, October 3, 5:00pm – Sunday, October 5, 11:00am, off-site

Please join us for this year’s retreat October 3 to 5 at the YMCA Storer Camps in Jackson, Michigan. This year’s theme is “How We as Men Grow from Loss.” We will share past and ongoing experiences of loss with an opportunity to reflect on and affirm a sense of purpose in our lives.

The retreat will begin with a potluck dinner Friday at 6:00pm. Meals will be provided throughout the day Saturday and breakfast on Sunday. Activities are planned through Sunday morning. Contact mensretreat@uuaa.org for more details.

Sunday, October 5, 1:00pm

CROP Hunger Walks are community-based walk fundraising events held in cities and towns across the United States, created to support the global mission of Church World Service, a faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement, and disaster. 

If you are interested in walking to raise money to alleviate hunger in our local community and abroad, consider joining the Interfaith Round Table (IRT)’s team (link below to register).

Here’s a list of the local agencies that will receive proceeds of the CROP Walk:

  • Breakfast Program at St. Andrew’s
  • Love Thy Neighbor at FUMCAA
  • Community Action Network (CAN)
  • FedUp Ministries
  • Packard Health
  • Growing Hope

In the face of cuts to social safety net programs in the US and to foreign aid, people of faith and people of no faith must come together to support the most vulnerable in Washtenaw County and around the world. 

Click here to sign up to walk or donate

 Anyone who walks with us can be one of the first to receive a cool new IRT T-shirt.

Second Friday, every other month, 6:00pm – 10:00pm, off-site

The conversations can be exceptional at Round Robin dinners! We gather on the second Saturday every other month to meet friends, make new ones, share a potluck meal, and talk about our activities, current events—whatever is at the top of our minds.

Typically six to eight UUAAers gather at a host’s home. Everyone brings something to contribute to the meal—appetizer, wine, salad, entrée, vegetable, or dessert. Depending on how many sign up, there will be a number of dinners around town. You can choose to be a regular or an occasional diner, to attend or be a host.If you’d like to be on the list to be invited to Round Robins, send your request to RoundRobinInfo@UUAA.org.

Third Wednesday, 11:30am – 1:00pm, Fahs Chapel

The UUAA Lunch Group is a multigenerational gathering that meets on the third Wednesday of each month. Bring your own lunch, and dessert; coffee and tea will be provided. This is not a closed group. ALL are welcome.

This September, our guest is Kim Clugston. Kim will talk to us about her work with the Garden Stewards, maybe garden plans for the coming year, and the important role these stewards play in the life of our community. In addition, as a member of the UU Immigration Action Team, Kim will share some of the valuable work she and others have done over these past few months.

Sunday, September 21, 10:30am, Social Hall

Join us Sunday, September 21, for the UUAA’s annual Social Justice Fair. Find your beacon and discover how to get involved with our social justice groups.

What we stand for: 

  • Anti-racism and anti-oppression
  • Climate action and climate justice 
  • Radical welcome

What you can do: 

  • Speak up: Silence supports the status quo. 
  • Learn: Educate yourself and others. 
  • Engage: Volunteer, vote, organize. 
  • Listen: Especially to those whose experiences differ from yours.

Our message:

Justice is not a destination; it is a journey we share.

Tuesday, September 16, 7:00pm – 8:30pm, Zoom

Join us for the upcoming AIM meeting as we shape our congregation’s accessibility and inclusion priorities for the coming church year. Your input and participation are essential as we work together to build a more welcoming and responsive community.

For more info, email aim@uuaa.org 

Unrecognized Work: Labor Day Weekend Reflections

10:30 am; in person and online at www.uuaa.org/service

What does society consider “labor?”  What do we ourselves count as the work we are devoting our energy, time, and skill to?  Join us this Labor Day weekend Sunday as we reflect on the nature of labor.

A social hour follows the service in the social hall.

A PDF version of the order of service is available by Saturday of each week at https://uuaa.org/oos [You can use the electronic version to help UUAA with our Zero Waste goal.]

Wake Now, My Senses: Embodied in UU Values and Action

Two services this Sunday, 9:30am and 11:30 am; in person and online at www.uuaa.org/service

JUUAA has articulated a vision to ground and guide our community for years to come.  As an anchor, as something that holds us firm, how is that firm grounding brought alive day-to-day in community and in our lives?  Join us this Sunday as we explore our UU commitment to values and action.

A reminder that there is a social hour following each service.

A PDF version of the order of service is available by Saturday of each week at https://uuaa.org/oos [You can use the electronic version to help UUAA with our Zero Waste goal.]

Anchored in the Depths: UUAA’s Annual Ingathering, Water Communion Service

Two services resume this Sunday, 9:30am and 11:30 am; in person and online at www.uuaa.org/service

Join us this Sunday as UUAA holds its annual fall ingathering service, known as Water Communion. Attendees are invited to bring a small amount of water from their homes or recent travels for inclusion in our communion ritual. And, if you forget, no worries! There will be water on hand from our UUAA home. We begin the new church year with musical offerings by the Chalice Singers and the Chalice Bells.

A reminder that this Sunday is the start of the new church year and we resume 2 services at 9:30 and 11:30 am, with a social hour following each service.

A PDF version of the order of service is available by Saturday of each week at https://uuaa.org/oos [You can use the electronic version to help UUAA with our Zero Waste goal.]

Wednesday, September 17, 6:00pm

Meditation and mindfulness can be foundational for personal wellbeing and compassionate actions. Anyone 18 years or older interested in starting or building a meditation/mindfulness practice may join either or both of two groups: a Vipassana (Insight) Meditation in the Buddhist Tradition group (ongoing), and a 6-session Compassion Meditation group.

Interested folks are asked to attend an in-person session at UUAA on September 17 at 6:00pm.  If unable to make this meeting, please contact organizers at  mmbt@uuaa.org. All levels of practitioners (including those first exploring a practice) are welcome.

Vipassana (Insight) Meditation will meet twice monthly, with traditional sitting and walking practice in the Theravada tradition; plus instruction, readings, and dharma discussions. Facilitators Terra Merrill and Brent Williams plan to begin leading these events every first and third Wednesday in person at the UUAA, beginning October 1. 

Compassion Meditation (Sessions 1 and 6 in person, 2 – 5 via Zoom) will instruct and guide participants in developing a Tibetan compassion-based meditation practice. Please attend all six sessions if possible. Sessions will take place on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:00pm, beginning September 24, facilitated by Brenda Cole.

Potential participants are asked to please fill out a brief interest form by September 10 describing your interests and experience with meditation/mindfulness practice.

Those interested in participating or learning more and not comfortable or able to access the interest form may contact Terra Merrill, Brent Williams, or Brenda Cole at mmbt@uuaa.org.  

Friday September 5, 7:00 pm, UUAA parking lot

Kaleidoscope, UUAA’s LGBTQIA+ group, invites you to a bonfire in the UUAA lower parking lot! Bring your own chair and snacks. BYOB (soft drinks, beer, and wine welcome, but no liquor please). 

All are welcome! Bring friends!

For more information, please send us an email at kaleidoscopeinfo@uuaa.org.

colorful photo of a bonfire

Monday, August 16, 9:00am, off-site

Tuesday, August 19, 4:30pm, off-site

Wednesday, September 10, 4:00pm

Alpha House is a shelter for families experiencing temporary homelessness.

Sign up to learn from an experienced volunteer:

  • August 16, 9:00am – Sorting kids clothes in the basement (there is no elevator, but there is access from the back, without stairs if needed)
  • August 19, 4:30pm – Dinner volunteers with Sandy
  • September 10 – Craft with Jennifer

We are also signing up people to get more information on volunteer roles: Handy Helpers, Meal Captains, Meal Helpers, Activity Captains, and Collective Cooks! Lots of hands will be needed this October and November!

See more details and signup here 

Contact AlphaHouse@uuaa.org to find out more! 

PS: Save the date—Thursday, October 16, 6:00pm to 9:00pm! Join IHN at Alpha House on Jackson Road, Ann Arbor for their annual Gimme Shelter fundraiser and celebration of volunteers. Come see the boots-on-the-ground work that we have all been doing together!

Sunday, August 24, 1:00pm – 2:30pm, Fahs Chapel

Rich Fein from Citizens Climate Lobby will give a non-technical presentation on saving money and saving the planet, introducing practical tips on how to:

  • reduce home energy consumption
  • use cleaner energy
  • save money with federal, state, local, and utility incentives

Rich is the chair of the Building Efficiency and Electrification Action Team; chair of the Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL)—Ann Arbor Chapter; and CCL statewide representative to the Michigan Building Decarbonization Coalition. He has given presentations at several other congregations and will try to have the most up-to-date information, given the constant change in federal incentives.

Freedom in Community: UUAA’s Annual Newcomer/Visitor Sunday

Two services this Sunday, 9:30am and 11:30 am; in person and online at www.uuaa.org/service


 Founded in the spirit of rebellion, Unitarian Universalism sought greater individual and communal freedom within religion.  That freedom is liberating – a salvific (life saving) force in the lives of many – and, it comes with responsibility.  What does it mean to live into Unitarian Universalism’s liberating sense of freedom, balanced in community with others?


If you would like to join UUAA staff in “wearing your values” this Sunday, please do! Perhaps a T-shirt, a cap, or even just a button that states what you believe. And we have buttons available near the entrance if you don’t have anything at home.  

A reminder that there is a social hour following each service.

A PDF version of the order of service is available by Saturday of each week at https://uuaa.org/oos [You can use the electronic version to help UUAA with our Zero Waste goal.]

What’s in YOUR backpack?

10:30 am; in person and online at www.uuaa.org/service

The new school year brings new adventures, challenges and joys.  Knowing that a new school year often means change, and not just for the youngest ones, we’ll reflect on how we all manage change.  We’ll take a look into our metaphorical backpacks to see just what it is we are carrying around.  Do we carry too much?

Youth are encouraged to bring the bookbags to the service to receive a blessing and a small gift as we send them off into a new school year. All are invited to join the Y’all Come Singers in the sanctuary one hour before the service to learn the music for today’s worship.

A social hour follows the service in the social hall.

A PDF version of the order of service is available by Saturday of each week at https://uuaa.org/oos [You can use the electronic version to help UUAA with our Zero Waste goal.]

Starts Thursday August 21

The first rehearsals of the year for both the Chalice Bells and the Chalice Singers will take place Thursday, August 21, and we want you! No prior hand bell or choral experience is necessary. Join an inviting community while growing your musical knowledge and skills through a fun and focused rehearsal process.

For more information, including how to get involved, please contact Director of Music Ministries Dusty Francis at dusty@uuaa.org.

Sunday, August 17, 3:00pm, Zoom

Since 1967, Israel has imprisoned over one million Palestinian men, women, and children. Many have been imprisoned for years, subjected to mental and physical abuse and torture. Thousands are in “administrative detention,” which is imprisonment without charges or a trial. The panel will discuss Israeli arrest practices, prison conditions, prisoner abuse, and the impact on families and communities. Watch the videos for free at your convenience before the discussion. 

Our panel members:

  • Arab Barghouthi: Palestinian political activist; COO, Axsos Academy
  • Hind Shraydeh: writer and journalist, Jerusalem
  • Sahar Francis: director, Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
  • Steve Tamari (moderator): professor emeritus of Middle East and Islamic history, SIUE

Register to join the discussion and receive access to the films.

Honoring Our Connection to Animals

10:30 am; in person and online at www.uuaa.org/service

Join us for a two-part Animal Blessing Sunday at UUAA, intentionally designed to be as friendly as possible for including our congregation’s animal family members at UUAA this Sunday.

Part One: At 10:30am, UUAA will have its regular Sunday service in the Sanctuary, reflecting on our human relationship with animals. Congregants are invited to bring a photograph or memento of any beloved animals/pets that they wish to hold in memory during our creation of a memory altar honoring deceased animals.  While we are not blessing animals in the Sanctuary this year, congregants may bring their animal family members to this service.

Part Two: At 12:15pm, animals/pets and their human family members are warmly invited to join us in the church yard (immediately behind the social hall), for an outdoor in-person blessing of pets and animals.  All kinds of pets/animals (including stuffed animals and photos of pets) are warmly welcome to the 12:15pm blessing.  Animals/pets and their human family members may travel to the church yard for the blessing ceremony via the paths behind the SGD wing or directly through the building.  (If it rains, this blessing ceremony will occur in the Social Hall.)

A social hour follows the service in the social hall.

A PDF version of the order of service is available by Saturday of each week at https://uuaa.org/oos [You can use the electronic version to help UUAA with our Zero Waste goal.]