Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia

Contact Administrator  () if you have questions.

Sunday Services begins at 11:00 a.m.   We will be live-streaming the service in addition to the in-person meeting.  See News Tab/Meeting Info (above) for connectivity details.  Sunday sermons are recorded and available from the Service Archives found on the Home Page.

Sunday Service Pre- and Post-Zooms
These provide an opportunity for those viewing the service to be together virtually starting at 10:30 am and continuing for approximately 30 minutes after the service ends.  The links to access these events can be found here or on the “Meeting Info” page which can be found under “News” above.

Sunday Services
In Person or live on YouTube

May 11, 2025 Hands that Heal” by Rev. Stephen Robinson

11:00am Service Music:  Featuring mother-daughter duo Laura Brashears and Isabelle

Forum Discussions
The UUCC Forum meets every Sunday from 9:30 to 10:45 in the Library.  We start with a brief catch-up and social time (about 15 minutes), so if you are a little late (15 min),  it’s OK.  Our topics are mostly about current items and issues. We have an email list where some suggested links are sent prior to the meeting -If you are on the Forum email list, please check your email for documents to read ahead of time.  If you would like to be included on the Forum email list,or have questions, contact Jeanette Walton (please text and include your name (803)466-0594).

May 11, 2025 Forum Topic: Stealth Authoritarianism

Children and Youth Religious Exploration
See the Learning tab above for information about our Children and Youth Religious Explorations, or how to register.  The CYRE Calendar will tell you about the latest activities.

Extended Childcare on Sunday Mornings: May 18th
Childcare for infants through elementary will be available from 9:30am-10:30am. Parents are invited to join the choir, volunteer in our kitchen, or enjoy a quiet moment in your own way. Please pick up your children at 10:30am; but, infants and toddlers may remain in the nursery. Questions? call/text Bethany at 803-873-7455.

Social Action Activities
Our church keeps busy making a difference in our world.  Check out what we’re doing now here.

Music at UUCC

Chalice Voices Sings 1st and 3rd Sundays in May
Let’s Sing! Our choir, Chalice Voices, welcomes teen and adult singers of all experience levels. We will rehearse this spring on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month in May: 9:30-10:30 AM rehearsal and sing in the service.

Chalice Voices Sings in May
Let’s Sing! Our choir, Chalice Voices, welcomes teen and adult singers of all experience levels. Here’s what’s coming up!
Saturday May 3, 75th Anniversary Party! arrive 3:15 PM for short rehearsal
Sunday May 4, rehearse 9:40-10:30 AM and sing in service
Sunday May 18, rehearse 9:30-10:30 AM and sing in service

Classical Piano Concert, Saturday, May 17, 11am
The next concert in Matthew Ganong’s series will be on Saturday, May 17, at 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary. For this performance Matthew will be joined by violist Daniel Sweaney, associate professor of viola at the USC School of Music. Mr. Sweaney has participated in international ensembles and music festivals such as Camerata Salzburg, Vienna Musikverein, the Würzburg Mozart Festival, the Singapore Arts Festival, and the Lincoln Center’s Great Performance Series, among others. Prior to joining the USC faculty, he taught at the Cleveland School for the Arts, Rice University Preparatory Department, the Interlochen Viola Institute, and the University of Alabama. He and Matthew will perform works by Polish-German composer Philipp Scharwenka and British composer Rebecca Clarke, as well as a new piece for viola and piano by Matthew Ganong. Admission free; donations welcome. A portion of the donations will benefit the UUCC. For further information, contact UUCC Music Director Anna Hamilton: .

Sunday May 18th, Chalice Voices and UUCC Youth Sing Together
Let’s Sing! Our choir, Chalice Voices, welcomes teen and adult singers of all experience levels. We will have our final Sunday rehearsal (9:30-10:30 AM) and sing in the service on May 18th.
All UUCC kids and youth are invited to join us in singing! Please arrive at 10:15 AM to rehearse in the Sanctuary before the service on May 18th.
For more information about choral events and scheduling, please contact Music Director Anna Hamilton to be added to the choral email list: 

Morning mUUsic, Monday, May 19, 10:00-10:30 AM
Join us for a free fun Music Play class for 0-5 year olds and their families at the UUCC, 10:00-10:30 AM. Bring a comfy blanket to sit on. We’ll sing, move, use our imaginations, and have fun making music together! Classes will be led by UUCC Music Director and Music Educator, Dr. Anna Hamilton. Questions? Contact: 

Morning mUUsic, Monday, June 9, 10:00-10:30 AM
Join us for a free fun Music Play class for 0-5 year olds and their families at the UUCC, 10:00-10:30 AM. Bring a comfy blanket to sit on. We’ll sing, move, use our imaginations, and have fun making music together! Classes will be led by UUCC Music Director and Music Educator, Dr. Anna Hamilton. Questions? Contact: 

Prism Sings in April (UUCC Treble Voices Choir)
Prism is a UUCC choral group for treble voices, welcoming female, femme, and non-binary adult and teen singers. We’ll resume rehearsals in April in the UUCC Sanctuary and sing in the April 27th Beltane service!
Rehearsals: Monday April 7 and 21, 6:30-7:30 PM
Service: Sunday April 27th, rehearse 9:30-10:30 AM

Prism Sings in May (UUCC Treble Voices Choir)
Prism is a UUCC choral group for treble voices, welcoming female, femme, and non-binary adult and teen singers. Here’s what’s coming up!

Saturday May 3, attend and sing at the UUCC 75th Anniversary Party, rehearsal 3:40 PM

Mark Your Calendars for the 75th Anniversary Party!
Saturday May 3, 2025 at 4pm – 5pm: Gather, socialize, bar open (bar serving beer, wine and soft drinks) 5pm – Catered buffet dinner. There will be more information coming about a program.

Vegan Potluck, Thursday, May 8, 6pm, Social Hall
The UUCC Animal Ministry will be hosting its next monthly Vegan Potluck on May 8th beginning at 6pm in the Social Hall for vegans, vegetarians, and people exploring a plant-based lifestyle. Everyone is invited to bring a vegan dish to share. Future meetups will take place on the second Thursday of each month. If you have any questions or would like ideas for items to bring, please contact Patty Drews, our Animal Ministry’s liaison for these events, at .

Every other month (next happening in June) our monthly Vegan Potluck will view a series of movies to honor animals and will be referred to as, “For the Love of Animals.” Each movie shown every other month will give attention to some positive aspect of animal life, while at the same time be educational and entertaining. Questions? Anita Grossman, Chair of the Animal Ministry ()

Saturday May 10, 10am, Social Hall Save the Date, and Share With Friends and Neighbors Profiteering Off Secret Nuclear War Planning in South Carolina: Exposing the “Conspiracy Reality” of On-Going Planning for Full-Scale Nuclear War. Led by Tom Clements, Director, Savannah River Site Watch. The Department of Energy (DoE) Savannah River Site (SRS) located near Aiken, SC is a key element in the current nuclear arms race.
Learn details- history, boondoggles, and plans- that the media is NOT covering.
Learn about past and current legal victories.
Participate in a discussion on what we can do about it.

Saturday May 10, Games and sign making!
We will meet at 7pm and enjoy a night of games and protest sign making. This will be from 7pm to 10pm. Come join us! Questions? Ask Bethany at 803-813-7455

UUA Virtual Event: The Gathering – Rooted in Love, Rising for Justice
Monday, May 12, 8pm, Online
People of faith have always come together to resist injustice and build a better world. Now, it’s our time. Join The Gathering, a new monthly virtual event from Side With Love, to strengthen your spirit, understand the threats to democracy, and take meaningful action alongside others.
Join The Gathering: Second Monday of every month | Online | Register now

UUCC Women’s Lunch, Thursday, May 15, 11:30am, Social Hall
Ladies Lunch begins at 11:30am with a social hour and we eat at 12pm
The UUCC Women’s Lunch is held on the third Thursday of every month in the Social Hall. Please bring food or drink to share and let Joan Watterson ( or 803-381-7208) know if you have any questions. Also let us know if you would like a ride or are able to help clean up.

Women’s Book Club, Thursday, May 15, 3pm, Room 10
The new women’s book club meets at 3:00 PM in Room 10 on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Whether you are an avid reader or just getting started, please join us; everyone is welcome. Questions? Email .

SAVE THE DATES for upcoming Partner Church events:
July 16 – 23 Rev. Zsolt Solymosi and Beszterce congregant Katinka Fulop will visit Columbia.
Tentative plans include an all-church picnic on Saturday, July 19th. Zsolt and Stephen Robinson will conduct a service together on July 20.

BTW, Rev. Zsolt is bringing his 45 member youth choir on a “Dream Tour,” April 11-28 up the east coast from April 13 in Arlington, VA to Concord, MA. This is the John Sigismund Unitarian Academy Choir, performing mainly at UU churches. Rev. Zsolt is their Assistant Principal.

In Partner Church News
Our Easter card, written in Hungarian and signed by UUCC members and friends arrived in Transylvania on time!
In other news three Transylvanian past pilgrims, Lee Minghi, Joan Watterson, & Susan Robinson, traveled to Washington DC for a short visit with Rev. Zsolt Solymosi on April 13. We attended the first concert of the Unitarian Academy of Cluj/Kolosvar choir at the Arlington, VA Unitarian Church. Zsolt’s full time job is Assistant Principal of the school. On behalf of UUCC we presented a large Easter basket to the 40 member choir and the 5 adults traveling with them. As Zsolt exclaimed, it was a typical American basket, complete with “peeps.”

The PC Committee is planning now for a visit from Zsolt and Katinka Fulop from July 16-23. SAVE THE DATES!

Our UUCC Pledge Drive in 2025
Your pledges make up the largest part of our annual income with plate collections, building rental, fundraising and investment income constituting about 10%.
Since our Pledge Drive kickoff on March 2, we have received 43% (about $98,000) of all member pledges. Our highest pledge year yet was in 2022/2023 when pledges of $199,436 covered much of our $208,111 in expenses that fiscal year. Last year we adopted a pledge budget of $230,000, more than a 9% increase over the previous year. The budget requests from committees for 2025/2026 currently stands at $318,973, a 38% increase over last year. The majority of the increased categories this year relate to personnel wages, with a proposed and much-deserved 2.5% increase in wages as well as increased wages in youth-related functions, a priority of UUCC.
We look forward to receiving your pledge cards so we can avoid budget cuts. We will update you weekly, then discuss the draft budget with you on April 27th following the service. The congregation will vote on the final budget on June 8th following the service.

Thank you for your gifts and pledges that make possible all the good work we do.

Joan Watterson: Text 803-381-7208
Emilio Jorge-Perez: Text 803-553-2212
Marleen Trader: Text 803-394-6666
Jeanette Walton: Text 803-466-0594

Follow UUCC Social Media for the Latest Updates!
UUCC now has their own social media accounts.  This is a great way to stay connected when we can’t be together.  Submit your posts to Emilia Gunning at .  Follow us: FacebookInstagramYouTubeTwitter