August 7, 2026

Dear Ones,

I made it through my first week at UUCSS! Wow! There is so much that I have to learn and so many of you that I want to get to know. Unfortunately, I cannot get all of that done in “Week 1” so this will be a process. But it is a process that I am looking forward to. I hope you are, too.

I had a great meeting this week with the wonderful people who have been foundational for UUCSS’s Faith Development / Religious Education (FD/RE) program, and we came up with a couple of ideas. This coming Sunday, we are going to try something new to make sure that any child who finds themselves in the service knows that we are thinking of them and that we want them here. And so, beginning this week, there will be a coloring activity on the back of the Sunday bulletin, and we will also be making colored pencils or crayons available. This is a small effort, but I think it will be the first of many.

The other thing we would like to do for our children and youth is to start a task force, not a committee, that will be limited in duration and that will look at and recommend options for FD/RE when fall starts, when we move to our temporary home in Wilson Chapel, and lastly when we move to Loudon Rd. What we do with this important aspect of UUCSS programming is important for our growth and crucial to our long-term health, not just for our congregation, but also for our denomination. We must do what we can to meet the needs of those who have children and youth and who choose to be a part of this community.

I truly believe there are great things in store for UUCSS. I am happy to be a part of it. and I look forward to working with all of you. And so, as we begin our journey, I close my Reverie this week with a musical acknowledgment that “We’re All in This Together,” sung by Ben Lee.

In peace and love,

Rev. Viola

Rev. Viola observes Monday as her personal sabbath, but if you want to make an appointment with her on another day, you can do so by visiting her Calendly page at https://tinyurl.com/SS-Mtg-w-RevVee.