News Articles

On November 12, 2023, Heritage Church welcomed new members.

David Bourne and Julie Heath

David Bourne and Julie Heath were members of a UU church outside of Memphis, Tennessee, before they moved to Cincinnati in 2012, but say they never really “clicked” at any church here in Ohio “until we came here [to Heritage] in July. From the first moment, we felt welcomed, accepted, and seen. The respect and care that is shown here on a weekly basis is palpable. We are happy to become members of a community so firmly rooted in the articulation and practice of love.”

Both are retired Economics professors, who taught for many years at the University of Memphis. Eleven years ago, Julie was offered a position as the Executive Director of the Alpaugh Family Economics Center at U.C., and the couple moved to Cincinnati. The Center is involved in applied research that provides economic and financial education for students in grades K through 12. They recently retired, and we are glad they did, as that led to a renewed spiritual search – which in turn led them to Heritage.

Both were raised in the Methodist church, but say they felt varying degrees of disconnectedness from that faith as they became adults. When they lost an infant daughter, Katie, it became clear to them that the type of religion they had grown up with was, as they put it, “too small for our grief.” After spending many months simply trying to survive, they found Neshoba Unitarian Universalist Church in Memphis, and a community of searchers that felt like home. 

Julie and David now live in Sycamore Township, and love to hike. As they put it, “we’re outside whenever and wherever we can find a trail.” They have two sons, from David’s first marriage, and three grandsons who live in Louisville. Their daughter Maggie lives in Northside with her husband, Neil. 

Julie Lusk

Julie Lusk is pleased to join Heritage, she says, “because of your values, beliefs, activities, music, and especially the friendly, caring people and church leadership.” Her current interests include playing Native American flutes and the gold flute her husband Dave handmade for her. She is delving into sound baths and healing with a Reverie harp, Tibetan bowls, harmonium, and various drums, bells, and rattles.  She also “sings . . . out-of-tune.”

Julie has taught yoga for nearly 50 years, and even taught here at Heritage, in the Great Hall, for about five years pre-COVID. She currently teaches in person in Milford, as well as on Zoom.  She is a SoulCollage© facilitator.  

She’s also the author of six professionally published books and numerous audios on guided relaxation, imagery, and meditation. She says she never planned to be an author after getting an F-minus-minus on a college English composition, but her books seem to “come to her” in a remarkable and surprising manner that you can ask her more about.

Julie was born and raised in Kenwood with 12 years of Catholic schooling. Her eclectic career has included working as a college dean for career development and wellness, a decade at a large medical clinic as director of health management, and as regional director at Mercy Holistic Health and Wellness. She’s also done a lot of community organizing. 

Julie and Dave, her husband of 46 years (who does all the cooking), live in Milford.

1. Michelle Kelly has accepted a job in St. Louis and will be moving there at the end of November, so she has resigned her position as Vice President of the HUUC Board of Trustees.  Julie Kane will be stepping in to the Vice President role for the remainder of the 2023-24 fiscal year, and Kate Wells will be joining the Board for the remainder of Michelle’s term, expiring at the end of June 2024.  Michelle, thank you so much for all of your service and dedication to our community—we will miss you!  Julie, thank you for taking over the Vice President role!  Kate, welcome to the Board!
2. Les Tacy has decided to step down from the HUUC Endowment Committee, and Rae Jane Arujo will be taking over his position, running through June 2026.  Les and Rae Jane, thank you both for your service!
3. We’re going to revitalize our bulletin boards in the front hallway!  Jaime Castle has volunteered to spearhead the update of our members’ photo area, and we are working on a plan to update the remainder of the boards.
4. HUUC will be switching banks, from Fifth Third to CenterBank.  We feel that we will get better service at a better price at CenterBank.  Thank you to the Finance Committee for all their work in investigating and assessing our different banking options!

Image: Heritage UU Church Board of Trustees for 2023-2024, left to right: Garry Wilson, Michelle Kelly, Rebecca Pace, Meredith Meyer, Julie Kane, Luke Walczewski, and Jaime Castle.

Former Choir Director Erin McCamley is playing Cincinnati Zoo’s own little celebrity, Fiona the hippo, in Fiona: The Musical. Performances take place at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. The show runs from November 29 through December 29, and the word is to get tickets now because the show is selling out fast.

For at least the past ten years, a Unitarian Universalist team (led by St. John’s UU Church) has participated in Cincinnati’s “Out of the Darkness Walk.” This walk is in support of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and is designed as a journey of remembrance, hope, and support. On October 1, Heritage Church’s Rebecca Pace (first person on the left in the picture below) participated in the 2023 walk.

When the school year began last month, a student-painted mural at Nagel Middle School was painted over at the behest of the Forest Hills School Board and Superintendent Larry Hook. Though it no longer adorns a wall at Nagel, the mural—which had been specifically designed by middle school students as an expression of diversity and welcoming inclusion—has taken on a second, much more visible life.

Much like the word “diversity” did a couple of years ago when the same School Board cancelled Turpin High School’s Diversity Day, the image from the mural is now appearing all around the district, on yard signs (like this one at the church), on T-shirts, on bumper stickers, etc. In fact, it has become a conspicuous symbol for local students and parents who are concerned about hatred, bullying, exclusion, and a lack of awareness and sensitivity to diversity issues in our local school system.

Copies of the mural design are available in the lobby at church.