Announcements

 Be involved with HUUC and share information about your activities and events by submitting an article or information about your involvements to the Heirloom. The precise submission date will vary every month for a variety of reasons but will typically fall on the last Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m.

For the next edition, that deadline occurs on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 5 p.m. Please sent your submissions to Barb Barnes at

If you have any questions about submitting an article, you can contact her at the address above. Basic questions about writing an article, please consult the Website and Newsletter Submitter’s Guide that outlines the content policy, rules for pictures, timing, and submittal methods. This guide can be found at  https://huuc.net/website-and-heirloom-newsletter-submitters-guide/

Image source: https://tinyurl.com/4kaa5pf9

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Starting Sunday, June 8, 2025, worship will begin at 10:00 a.m. instead of 10:30 a.m. We’ll follow this new “Summer Hours” schedule through August 31.

Summer is the perfect time to explore new possibilities, including how worship fits into the flow of our Sundays.  

We recognize that this summer is already a season of transition. As our minister retires at the end of May, the Worship Team is committed to holding steady, ensuring meaningful services are in place throughout the summer. “Summer Hours” is one way we’re approaching this moment with care, creativity, and curiosity.

Some in our community have shared that an earlier start helps them stay connected to worship while still making it to other Sunday plans. Others simply enjoy having a bit more space in the day once church ends.

Of course, not everyone will love the change—and that’s okay! This is an experiment, and your feedback will help shape what comes next.
Our Board of Directors approved this change as a limited summer trial, with the intent to revisit it thoughtfully in the fall.

We’ll be asking for your input in August as we reflect on how “Summer Hours” worked and what we might carry forward.

Questions or thoughts in the meantime? Reach out to Bethany Rogers at bbljrogers@gmail.com.

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HUUC Worship Team Members
Bethany Rogers (Lead), Bruce Bowdon, Jen Ciolino,
Kathy Wade, Les Tacy, Steph Tacy, Laci Adams

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The Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that it has signed a two-year contract with Rev. Bill Lyon to serve as its full-time minister starting September 1, 2025. After one year, the Board may pursue an extension of the contract or recommend that the congregation call him to settled ministry.

Rev. Bill was recently ordained by Heritage along with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington. Bill served that congregation for two years as its ministerial intern under the supervision of Rev. Dr. Brian Chenowith.

In January of this year, the Ministerial Fellowship Committee of the UUA granted Bill “Preliminary Fellowship.” He received his Master of Divinity degree from Meadville Lombard Theological School in May 2024. Bill also holds a Master of Science in Financial Services degree from The American College and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from The Ohio State University.

Before shifting his career toward religious leadership, Bill led The Lyon Group – a holistic financial advisory practice – for nearly four decades. He lives in Anderson Township with his wife Barb Lyon where they and their adult children (Frank and Grant) have been active members of the Heritage community.

The HUUC Board of Trustees and the Ministerial Transition Team congratulate Rev. Bill Lyon on his appointment to his new position within our community and we look forward to our future together.

HUUC Board of Trustees: Jaime Castle – President, Susan Conley – Vice President, Rebecca Pace – Treasurer, Luke Walczewski – Secretary, Antonio Ciolino, Garry Wilson, and Roger Miller

Ministerial Transition Team: Garry Wilson, Jaime Castle, Bob Lamb, Louise Lawarre, Les Tacy, Mimi Sinclair, and Katie Kpaeyeh. 

Image source: Lisa Sullivan used with permission

Every UU member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is encouraged to send delegates to the annual General Assembly (GA) each year, either physically or virtually. The 2025 GA runs from June 18 – 22. Delegates will vote on various proposals presented during the several days of business meetings.

Each certified congregation is allowed a member delegate for every 50 members. HUUC is allowed four member delegates. We will also have a religious professional delegate in Laci Adams as our DLFD.

In our congregation, the board selects the member delegates from volunteers. This year the delegates will be:

• Rebecca Pace – online
• Bill Lyon – in person
• Barbara Barnes – online
• Open

If you would like to volunteer for the open slot, contact a HUUC Board Member by June 8, 2025.

Our congregation’s practice is to allow these delegates to vote their mind and conscious. However, most delegates would like to hear what the congregation feels about the issues they will be voting on as our delegates. Items requiring votes are potential business resolutions, AIWs (Acts for Immediate Witness), CSAIs (Congregational Study Action Issues), and potential bylaws amendments.

At the time of this publication, there is no information on a potential business resolution although time is dedicated to its discussion on the current draft of the GA 2025 business agenda.

According to UUA.org, an AIW is a statement about a significant action, event, or development in the world that necessitates immediate engagement and action among UU member congregations and groups. Unlike a Statement of Conscience, an AIW does not carry the full authority of the UUA; rather, it expresses the conscience and carries the authority of the delegates at the GA at which it is passed. The Final AIWs will be determined June 6.

Currently, five AIWs are proposed for GA. Delegates will discuss and vote on the five proposals listed below and three will advance to the General Sessions for voting at GA. Click on the links below for more information on each proposed AIW.

Bringing a Feminist and Womanist Lens to Resistance and Activism  – (https://tinyurl.com/dbmuez7z)

Faithful Defiance of Authoritarianism: Reaffirming Our Covenants for Democracy and Freedom – (https://tinyurl.com/yyjcnhjr )

Funding Global LGBTIQ Freedom Amid Crisis: A Call for Immediate Action and Solidarity – (https://tinyurl.com/yb4bje7e)

Voter Justice and Racial Equity for the Citizens of the Nation’s Capital – (https://tinyurl.com/y58pujdf)

We Declare and Reaffirm: All People Have Inherent Worth and Inalienable Rights -( https://tinyurl.com/39jwyf87)

According to UUA.org, CSAIs “are issues selected by Unitarian Universalist member congregations for three years of study, reflection and action. The purpose is to provide member congregations of the Association with an opportunity to mobilize energy, ideas and resources around a common issue. The end result will be a deeper understanding of our religious position on the issue, a clear statement of Association policy as expressed in a Statement of Conscience, and a greater capacity for congregations to take effective action.”

The proposed CSAIs for 2025 and their associated website links are as follows:

1. Abolition is Faith Formation – https://www.uua.org/action/process/abolition-faith-formation-2025-csai
2. Fat Liberation: Building Justice and Inclusion for Larger Bodies – https://www.uua.org/action/process/fat-liberation-building-justice-and-inclusion-larger-bodies
3. Housing: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – https://www.uua.org/action/process/housing-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-2025-csai

At the time of this publication, there is little information about proposed bylaw amendments. The current information from the Bylaws Renewal Team 2024-2026 Work Plan suggests pre-GA info sessions; however, the current draft of the GA business agenda dedicates time to potential bylaws amendments discussion.

Check https://UUA.org/  for the most current information on both AIWs and proposed bylaws amendments as time approaches the 2025 GA. If you have specific opinions about what is up for a vote on at GA, please your feelings with our HUUC 2025 GA delegates.

Image source: https://tinyurl.com/2962kntu and https://UUA.org/