UNIVERSITY UNITARIAN CHURCH
News
News about events at UUC and other items of interest to church members and friends are publicized via four main channels: our UUC News blog below, The Gateway weekly e-newsletter, our Facebook page, and the weekly Family Ministry newsletters.
UUC News

UUC’s chapter of UUs for Justice in the Middle East (UUJME) has endorsed a letter of support for Palestinian activist Mohsen Mahdawi . In publicly taking this position, we join the national UUJME organization, the ACLU, and UU congregations and individuals across the country in advocating for immigrant justice, free speech, and the inherent worth and dignity of every person. We encourage members of our beloved community to join us in signing the letter of support . Mohsen moved from Palestine to the United States in 2014, and attended Columbia University, where he co-founded Columbia University Apartheid Divest coalition, and the Palestinian Student Union. Like many students who have participated in actions for Palestinian solidarity, Mohsen has been targeted by the U.S. government for his work, under the guise of upholding immigration law. While attending what he thought to be a routine interview as part of the process to obtain U.S. citizenship, Mohsen was arrested and detained for over two weeks in a Vermont prison. He was later released on bail. In February 2026, a federal immigration judge dismissed the government’s attempt to deport Mohsen, but that ruling was overturned by the U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals at the request of the Trump administration. In May 2026, another judge ordered that Mohsen be deported. Currently, Mohsen remains under imminent threat of deportation. The following is from the letter of support: “Unitarian Universalists are diverse in faith, ethnicity, history and spirituality, but aligned in our desire to make a difference for the good. We have a track record of siding with love, justice, and peace and believe in the inherent dignity of all people. When speaking about Mohsen, Rev. Karen G. Johnston, the Senior Minister at First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington said ‘Mohsen has been a Unitarian Universalist nearly as long as he has been a Vermonter; he is often heard naming both as part of his wide family whom he embraces and who embraces him. As UUs, we are enriched by Mohsen's spiritual depth, his moral courage, and his authentic commitment to Love at the Center and the possibility of universal healing through justice.’ As Nate Freed Wessler, deputy director of the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project said, ‘Mohsen should never have been detained for his speech, and a federal judge has already agreed. The government’s continued persecution of our client for his beliefs should send a chill down the spine of everyone in this country, because once we start allowing exceptions to the First Amendment for speech the current government doesn’t like, there’s no telling where the censorship will stop.’ As Unitarian Universalists, our foundational commitments rest upon values of pluralism, justice, inquiry and debate, and democratic freedom of expression for all people. It is these commitments that compel us to sign this letter of support and rally behind Mohsen Mahdawi in his defense against the administration’s attempts to use his case as a means to directly silence him and to set alarming precedents in our legal system.” The members of UUC's UUJME group believe that adding our support to this letter is a way of living out our congregation’s vision statement, “We will vocally and actively oppose injustice and stand in prophetic judgment of all that would diminish the equality and dignity of human beings or harm the web of life.” It is also a direct exercise of the following UU values: -Justice -Equity -Interdependence -Pluralism -Generosity -Love Our signing supports UUJME’s mission to educate and mobilize individuals and congregations to recognize and counter inequality and injustice in Palestine and to support our allies in the global justice and anti-oppression movements. For questions or concerns, please contact Emily Joseph , co-chair of UUC's UUJME group.

Next chance to contribute: Sunday, October 11, both services The school supplies donated during our September 20 worship service were well received at Eckstein Middle School last week. Their social worker, Erica, was THRILLED and also loved that they were included in the Blessing of the Backpacks. She said all of the items were so helpful and would absolutely be used by the kids. Erica also expressed immense gratitude for our Eckstein Community Cupboard project overall. Contributions from the UUC community have helped free up funds she would normally have spent on household products, thus allowing her to provide more hygiene items and food. This work is already doing so much good for our neighbors, and would not be possible without your support. Our next donation collection is October 11. We are currently in need of toilet paper (6-roll packs), fragrance free laundry detergent, paper towels, 13-gallon trash bags, sponges, and dish soap . Any contributions will be greatly appreciated.

Sunday, October 11, 1:00 p.m. in Knatvold Pink Haven is returning to our regular second-Sunday meetings. We welcome new and returning participants interested in ways to welcome and/or host trans and non-binary people who have to leave their homes in trans-phobic states in order to seek gender-affirming community and services. Contact a group leader for more information: Allison Jansen , Leah Evison or River McCallum . The Pink Haven Coalition is a national coalition responding to the baseless and severe discrimination against trans and non-binary individuals in red states who need assistance in moving to blue states. Our UUC group is part of this effort, in partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, to create a welcome network for trans/non-binary individuals and their families who are fleeing their homes in order to live freer lives and, if needed, to obtain gender affirming care.

If you were at church last Sunday, you might have noticed that the chairs used by the ministers were different. We have UUC member Eric Valpey to thank for this beautiful addition to our church. Eric used his incredible artistic and woodworking skill to design and create new frames for the chairs, in keeping with the style of the other chancel furniture. The wood used for all the chancel furniture is African mahogany, salvaged when the UUC was remodeled.

On September 19, UUC's Eckstein Community Cupboard held its first distribution day! A handful of Eckstein parents came by to pick up household goods from our initial stocking, and we look forward to that number increasing as the school year goes on. Patricia Graesser, Alisan Tucker-Giesy, Cynthia Salzman, and Emily Joseph had a great time meeting the Eckstein families. The next day, on Sunday, September 20, congregants donated school supplies and household goods, and the items were blessed during the service. The team is so grateful for the continued support of our Beloved Community. If you’re interested in getting involved with the Eckstein Community Cupboard team, reach out to Emily Joseph or Patricia Graessar .





































