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Former resident of Rice Lake and current Board member of BHUU, Jim Bradley, Ph.D professor emeritus of Auburn University Alabama, will conduct the Sunday Service at Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 10 a.m. July 25.

Noting that in 2020, for the first time ever an all-female research team won a Nobel Prize in science – American molecular biologist, Jennifer Doudna, and French microbiologist, Emmanuelle Charpentier, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on a gene-editing technology now known as CRISPR.  This technology is revolutionizing cancer treatment and offering cures for certain genetic diseases such as sickle cell anemia. Both benefits and risks of the future use of CRISPR are significant and far-ranging.

Jim invites the fellowship to explore this together and “to contemplate how CRISPR challenges UU principles of respect for inherent, personal, human dignity, respect for the Democratic process, and respect for the interdependent web of life of which we are a part.”

BHUU has returned to in-person gatherings at 230 W. Messenger, and alternates weekly services on Zoom with some recorded for access by members later.  The zoom link will be sent to members; all those interested in attending may contact Ken Hood at ken@bluehillsuu.org for the link needed.    Those lacking cyberlink connection or equipment to enable participation are invited to meet in the fellowship hall located at 230 W Messenger, masked if not vaccinated, to watch the presentation on large screen ZOOM.

Blue Hills Unitarian Universalists will once again meet via ZOOM at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 18^th, in order to enjoy the Service conducted by the Rev Erin Walter of Austin, Texas.   Rev Walter calls to us to “Dance in the Desert” as we continue attempts to return to normal after the isolation of 2020. 

Drawing upon the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke and scripture, as well as her own spiritual practice of music-making, Rev. Walter will reflect on how we may endure ongoing struggle while embracing joy along the way.  This service will include the diverse musical sources of Rev Walter’s and she encourages those attending to “Bring a tambourine!”

BHUU has returned to in-person gatherings at 230 W. Messenger, and alternates weekly services on Zoom with some recorded for access by members later.  The zoom link will be sent to members; all those interested in attending may contact Ken Hood at ken@bluehillsuu.org for the link needed.    Those lacking cyberlink connection or equipment to enable participation are invited to meet in the fellowship hall located at 230 W Messenger, masked if not vaccinated, to watch the presentation on large screen ZOOM.

On Sunday July 11, Blue Hills UU’s will tackle the topic “Death” during our Service at 10 a.m.  Our visiting Chaplain Dennis Peters of Hillsdale assures us “this will be fun!  It’s summer.  Bright sunshine.  Warm (Hot!) days. Baseball games.  Concerts in the bandshell.  Picnics.  Fireworks—some sponsored, other… spontaneous!  Green trees, lazy hammocks, walks with friends. What better time to talk about death?”  Discussion always follows the Service, with time for fellowship and coffee after.

We will meet in the church, 230 W. Messenger St in Rice Lake;  BHUU has returned to in-person gatherings, alternating weekly services on Zoom with  some recorded for access by members later.  All those attending in the fellowship hall are asked to be vaccinated; those who are not, please wear a mask.  Please see our website at bluehillsuu.org for specifics.

Sunday, July 4^th, the Blue Hills UU”s will gather at Roux Park in Rice Lake for a potluck celebration and picnic.  Time 11:00.  Located at 1129 W Marshall, Roux Park is approx 3 blocks north of RL High School, where Poskin Street dead ends into Marshall.

Like our Memorial Day Picnic, please bring your utensils/plates, beverage and a dish to pass.  We had such a great time then, let’s DO IT AGAIN!

Sunday June 27^th marks the gathering of our annual UUA General Assembly, which will meet virtually this year at the First Universalist Church of Minneapolis.   Our Blue Hills fellowship will meet in the church to watch the livestream event together on the big screen. 

Please note the change in time > 11:00 < should you plan to attend with us.  

The video access to the Worship Service may also be accessed at home with the link:   https://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2021/sunday-worship.  This marks the largest annual gathering of UU’s in worship, with a “video & chat” to take place at 12 pm.

Fathers Day will be commemorated with special guest Rev Suzanne Wasilczuk conducting the service at Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 230 W Messenger in Rice Lake, 10 a.m.   Rev Wasilczuk offers “May the Sun be Your Light” as we reflect on our Fathers and their impact in our lives.   BHUU’s monthly potluck will follow.

A graduate of Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, Rev Wasilczuk’s previous career was as a registered nurse, and now resides in Duluth, Minnesota with her husband. She preaches at the Mesabi UU Church in Virginia, Minnesota and also serves as part-time consultant to the Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

BHUU has returned to in-person gatherings at 230 W. Messenger, but will alternate weekly services on Zoom, some to be recorded for access by members later.  June 20th will be held in the fellowship hall and require all those attending be vaccinated.  If there are those who are not, please wear a mask.  Please see our website at  bluehillsuu.org for specifics.

The UU’s of the Blue Hills Fellowship in Rice Lake welcome Chaplain Dennis Peters of Hillsdale to conduct the Sunday Service, June 13t at 10 a.m.   Ch Peters invites us to explore “Stardust.”   Using Carl Sagan’s famous observation “The cosmos is within each of us.  We are made of star-stuff …”  from the calcium in our teeth, to the iron in our blood “we are a way for the universe to know itself.”   Ch Peters invites us to consider the Sagan assessment as a jumping off point to understand what “stardust” may actually mean to us.

BHUU has returned to in-person gatherings at 230 W. Messenger, with some alternating Services to continue on Zoom.  June 13^th will be held in the fellowship hall, and require all those attending be vaccinated.  If there are those who are not, please then wear a mask.  Please see our home page for specifics.

Blue Hills Unitarian-Universalists mark a full return to gathering en masse this coming Sunday, June 6^th, meeting in the fellowship hall at 230 W. Messenger in Rice Lake.  Our music leader and member Brian Rude will lead the 10:00 Service with one of his always provocative explorations into the habits of our lives, with an inquiry into “Talks –and More Talks”.   A lively discussion is expected to follow.

Returning to in-person gatherings will require all those attending be vaccinated; if there are those who choose not to or cannot, please then wear a mask.   Should there be singing during the service, all will be asked to wear their masks during that.

The Blue Hills UU Fellowship will end the budding Spring of 2021 on a positive uptake, by meeting all together, outdoors and face to face, for the first time in over a year with a potluck picnic on May 30^th.

We’ll gather from 11:00-2:00 at “Veterans Park” in Rice Lake, which is a few blocks north of the Post Office, by the lake; we’ll meet near the large music stage. Bring a dish to share, your utensils and a beverage; no program is planned for the morning, but to mark a “return” to fellowship, for in June we will also begin a return to use of our building as well.

The decision is to alternate services for a three month period:  each month will offer at least two BHUU services in our fellowship hall, but retain the  two other Sundays via Zoom for the benefits we’ve found they offer.  Details will be posted each week on both our website and Facebook.

The caveat to returning to in-person gatherings in the building is that all those attending be vaccinated.  If there are those that choose not to, or cannot,  we ask they wear a mask.   Should there be singing during the  service, all will be asked to wear their masks for that.

Let’s celebrate on Sunday!

Order of Service

Rice Lake’s Blue Hills Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship is excited to bring to Sunday Services May 23^rd. Cheyenne Otto-Defoe of Superior, WI to share her insight and experiences.   As an enrolled member of the Red Cliff Reservation, Gidagaakoonsikwe grew up in Ashland and graduated from Northland College.  Through the skill acquired working with “Take Action, Minnesota”, she became a lead organizer in “Progress North” based in Superior, WI.

With a goal of connecting grass roots organizations in the area to “build long term progressive infrastructures” Cheyenne calls on her Anishinaabe roots to guide her in efforts to focus on marginalized communities.  With a belief that “Solidarity connects our humanity to one another and allows trust to flourish” her goal is to bring changes to build the kind of Wisconsin where all can thrive.  

All are invited to attend on Sundays, as BHUU continues to hold services on Zoom at 10 a.m., although some changes will take place in June with  intermittent return to the Fellowship Hall.  The internet link will be sent to members – visitors may contact Ken Hood > ken@bluehillsuu.org < for the link needed.    Those lacking cyberlink connection or equipment to enable participation, are invited to meet in the fellowship hall located at 230 W Messenger, masked and distanced, to watch the presentation on large screen ZOOM.