​One of our own, member Robert Leon, passed away unexpectedly earlier this week. Robert was a longtime Boone UU member who served on the Board and joined us for many of our August retreats. Many of you may remember his son Jackson as a participant in RE events. We love Robert, and are heartbroken over his passing.

Robert's family has planned a Celebration of Life service for this Saturday, February 1, at 4pm, in our Fellowship Sanctuary. Robert's family and friends will be in attendance, and our beloved friend Reverend Tommy Brown will preside. Please join us if you can to remember Robert and celebrate his life. 

A few important notes for those planning to attend the service on Saturday: We expect parking to be very tight, and would like to reserve it for Robert's family if possible. To this end, we are are organizing a carpool/shuttle service from the New Market parking lot beginning at 3:30 on Saturday. Please plan on arriving early and parking in the Southeast corner of the New Market lot (where the SECU ATM used to be); we'll have at least 2 cars to shuttle people to the Fellowship between 3:30 and 3:50, and then back to New Market after the service.

Many of us are likely wondering how we can help with the service, and help Robert's family at this difficult time. Plans for food and further time for fellowship after the memorial are not yet finalized, but we will convey updated information to the fellowship once we hear more from his family. Please contact Catherine Fountain at catherine.fountain@gmail.com with any questions or concerns, and also if you're willing to help with our parking/shuttle plans.

To read Robert's obituary and leave a remembrance online, go here (Hampton Funeral Home).

Do you have photos of Boone UU Fellowship events? Craig Fischer is compiling a database of pictures taken at Boone UU, for inclusion in the events this year to commemorating the 50th anniversary of the signing of our Fellowship’s charter. Old and new pictures are wanted. If you have digital pictures, please send them directly to Craig. If your photos are printed, Craig will borrow them briefly, to scan them and with your permission make digital copies. In both cases, Craig may do a little follow-up with you to identify, to the extent possible, the people and events in the photos. If you can share any images, please contact Craig via email.

The Social Action Committee in collaboration with Adult Forum is initiating “All Boone UU Reads” starting Sunday, January 26, 2020.  The book is The Faces of Poverty in NC by Gene Nichols. It was published in 2018 so the information is up-to-date and very relevant to the current situation in our state.  The SA Committee’s thought is that by reading this book together, the Boone UU community can establish a framework in which to study and discuss how we might plan our outreach going forward. The plan is to read a chapter per week and discuss it each Sunday during the 9:30 am Adult Forum.  For Sunday, January 26, Connie Green can email the first chapter to you. Contact her at greencr1983@gmail.com if you are interested.

A small group of us met today after Sunday Service on January 19th and were able to discuss what each person hoped for with the group. The group of interested women are of all ages. We made a few decisions. 
1. The BUUF WOMEN'S FORUM will meet 2x/month- the 2nd and 4th Sundays, after Church Service. On the 4th Sunday, we will attend Serendipity pot luck and meet immediately after.  We will be meeting in Founders House, either downstairs or upstairs. 
2. This is an OPEN GROUP and attendance is not  mandatory. Each session will include a separate topic, so that all might join-in at any meeting. 
3. Our first meeting is NEXT SUNDAY, January 26- upstairs in Founders House after the potluck lunch, or bring a plate upstairs. 
4. ": Self-nurture in an Overextended Lifestyle".  We will discuss the following:
     a. Describe yourself with 10 Adjectives that do not involve roles you have with other persons (not wife, mother, partner, teacher etc. ) ;
     b. What are 3 nuggets of wisdom that you would offer our younger women of today regarding the topic. 
A handout from the book Circle of Stones, Judith Duerk, was circulated.

​Questions! Contact Katie Mack at kmack18477@juno.com.