UUFA News

UUFA Art Exhibit “Black in White” Runs Through July

In the UUFA Welcome Hall Gallery from June 3 to July 28

The gallery is open each Sunday from 10:30 until 1 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. Contact the office for other times/days.

“. . . I look for what is forgotten in a shared history, and I use that past to interrogate our present condition.” Rodney Grainger

On June 19, 2022, at 12:30 p.m. the Racial Justice Team will sponsor a lecture by local artist Rodney L Grainger whose work will be on display starting June 3rd..Rodney’s work focuses on the American Black experience, both the terrors of racism and the comforting Black household workers with whom he grew up in Alabama. 

Rodney art has been exhibited in various galleries: Atlanta Art Gallery, Spirull Gallery, City Gallery East, Gertude Herbert Institute of Art, Georgia State University Gallery, Agnes Scott College, Beacon Hill Artists, among others. He is the recipient of the Artist Merit Award, Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Augusta, GA and is a Fellow at the Artist Residency Program at The Hambidge Center in Rabun Gap, GA. 

About his work, Rodney says “Race, gender and class are recurrent themes in my work as I seek to give voice to those in our collective history who are less often, if ever, heard. I am interested in creating an appealing aesthetic that accesses deeper levels of personal awareness rather than simply polemical or editorial statements. My narrative works examine cultural forgetting and acts of remembrance which are deeply influenced by my experiences of growing up in a racially segregated Birmingham, Alabama during the 50’s and 60’s. I have relied on charcoal drawing (actually paintings in black and white) as my principal medium because it is so closely aligned to writing. It is the most visually graphic, and black and white is the primary language of memory, dreams and the unconscious. “

You can see some of Rodney’s work from the Atlanta Art Gallery here: http://atlantaartgallery.com/Artist%20Pages/Grainger.html

Highlights of Upcoming Special Events


Groups on hiatus for the summer include Book Talks Discussion Group and Second Lookers. Check with your group on Realm/Connect for updates.


August

  •  1st – Submission Deadline:  UUFA Justice Partner–AADM–Call for Presenters:  Ending the School-to-Prison Pipeline aadmovement.org
  •  2nd – Worship Playground, 1 – 3 pm. (Rev Pippin & Amber). Childcare provided, all interested/curious about co-leading any part of worship are encouraged to attend.
  •  2nd – Coven Craft Coven Lammas Gathering 3:00 pm
  •  3rd – First Sunday Forum–Meet Your Justice Partner:  Athens Pride and Queer Collective
  •  3rd – Singing Meditation AWE Rm 12:00 pm
  •  3rd – Priceless Sale in the Fellowship Hall after service.
  •  9th – AADM 2025 Dance for Justice: Line Dancing Fundraiser
  • 10th – Backpack Blessing service followed by ice cream social.
  • 10th – Back to RE family meetup
  • 11th – The Gathering from Side with Love (virtual here)
  • 13th – Simple Supper (Kahla)
  • 16th – 2025-26 Circle Supper Kickoff
  • 23rd – Leadership Summit 9 am to 12 pm
  • 24th – Religious Exploration volunteer training
  • 22nd – Athens Immigrant Rights Coalition (AIRC), 5:30 to 7 p.m., Oconee St. United Methodist Church (OSUMC)
  • 23rd – UUFA Leadership Summit (2025-2026)  (9 a.m.-noon) Register here. 
  • 23rd – Justice Partner–Athens Pride and Queer Collection (APQC)– athenspride.org
  • 24th – Religious Exploration volunteer training
  • 24th – Book Discussion of UUA Common Read
  • 24th – Start of Family Promise Week (partnering with Holy Cross Lutheran Church)

September

  • Diaper Drive All Month
  • 7th – Annual Ingathering worship service
  • 7th – Priceless Sale
  • 7th – Food for Life Class
  • 8th & 9th – Artist Dropoff for Invitational Art Exhibit  
  • 9th – Second Lookers
  • 12-14th – UUFA Gathering at The Mountain! Register soon!
  • 13th – UUFA Justice Partner (AADM) Event–End School to Prison Pipeline Conference
  • 19th – Athens Immigrant Rights Coalition (AIRC), 5:30 to 7 p.m., Oconee St. United Methodist Church (OSUMC)
  • 20th – Latinxfest, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 
  • 21th – International Day of Peace – A Walk of Faith in Resistance to Mass Deportation (sponsored by the Interfaith Sanctuary Coalition) (Walk from Emmanuall Episcopal, have a ecumenical service at the federal courthouse, and then return.), 2 p.m.
  • 21th – Goddess Group and Spring Equinox Circle Dance, 2 p.m.

October 

  • 5 th – First Sunday Forum (sponsored by the Earth Ministry Team) featuring Glenn Donnahoe

November

  • 9th – Start of Family Promise Week (partnering with Holy Cross Lutheran Church)
  • 15th-16th – UU GA LAN (Legislative Action Network) Third Annual Conference

Looking for regular meetings? Join groups in Realm/Connect and check the summary on this page to the left.  Don’t know about Realm yet? Contact Meredyth at members at uuathensga.org to learn more.  

Rather see this as a calendar grid? Visit uuathensga.org/calendar .Â