Committee and Group News and Activities
To learn about CAG’s summer plans, including possible hikes and reading groups, join our listserv by emailing
Published in the Beacon 6/16/26
At our 2023 annual meeting the congregation passed the 8th principle. This principle calls us to action to implement this principle and not just “pass it and forget it”. Our congregation has lived up to this in an awe inspiring way.
The Racial Justice Team spoke with several teams and committees and put together the attached report. We are both impressed and grateful to see just how integrated this principle has become to the work we do as a congregation. We are excited to share this document with you as yet another great example of the vibrant, involved community we have here at USNF.
Please see the report at Living the 8th Principle at USNF.
Published in the Beacon 6/16/26
Join USNF's Partner Church committee for a trip to the birthplace of Unitarianism, where the spirit of religious freedom was born and the Edict of Torda was proclaimed. This trip is sponsored by the Bishop of the Unitarian Church, Rev. Istvan Kovacs. The trip will include 9 different sites and many opportunities to explore Transylvanian life. Included will be transportation (not airfare) and 5-star hotels, group leaders, expert-led lectures and trips, coach, bus, airport transfers.
The cost of the entire trip is $3,200 or $267 per day (minus meals each day and airfare expenses).
Published in the Beacon 6/16/26
Greetings all! As of this writing the reconstruction and restoration of the Great Hall ceiling plaster is completed and curing for two weeks preparatory to the priming and painting process.
At the June 7 Community Dinner, we were able to take a dozen or so people up onto the scaffolding to view the ceiling up close. What they saw was, for all appearances, a new hand-plastered ceiling just a few days into its two-week curing process.
We are securing a moved-up schedule with the remaining trades because, although the restoration of the ceiling was more involved structurally and, in terms of plaster work, we could not proceed with the consolidation steps due to the thinness of the plaster. So, time has been saved, and funds as well, although the replacement procedures had their own complexities. Soon, the promise that the Great Hall would appear as if we had not done anything much at all will come to pass!
The work has been beautifully and efficiently done, and the surrounding structural repairs, ventilation etc., all contribute to a comprehensive result that really covers all the bases. One of the most refreshing and unusual dimensions is the willingness of John Canning & Co. staff to share their knowledge, expertise and recommendations about important parts of the work that they were NOT doing.
We now expect earlier completion, likely in mid-August, after the painting, insulation, scaffolding removal, organ unwrapping, cleaning etc., are buttoned up. When we have hard dates, we will make sure the information is well circulated. It will be exciting for all to see the finished result very soon.
Published in the Beacon 6/16/26
You can still email Massachusetts Legislative Leadership requesting maintaining controls on new nuclear power plants. For guidance on contacting your legislators and why it's important, and to view a fact sheet and a map of high level nuclear sites near us, view a helpful info sheet compiled by the Climate Action Group.
Published in the Sunday Times - 5/15/26
We acknowledge and recognize that as a congregation we enjoy Traditional Black music that was created long before music was licensed and royalties paid. This is many of the old Negro Spirituals we both sing and love. We chose the Community Music School of Springfield for their scholarship/financial aid program. We felt we wanted to keep our donation both local and one that supports our effort to make acts of Reparation when and where we can. This donation of $300 represents the Racial Justice Team annual budget allowance. We are grateful to the congregation for supporting that in the annual budget.
Published in the Sunday Times - 5/15/26
The Nolumbeka Project is hosting a Day of Remembrance on Saturday, May 16 at the Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls. An 11am meet the artists event inside is followed by a Commemoration Ceremony 12:30-3:30pm on the lawn. Details of performers and speakers are on the Nolumbeka Project website.
Published in the Sunday Times - 5/3/26, 5/17/26
Special Congregational Meeting of Members
May 3, 2026 — Meeting Agenda
Immediately following the 10 am Service
Notice of business to be transacted at a meeting of the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence
ALL MEMBERS ARE CALLED TO PARTICIPATE
Friends are welcome. Only members may vote.
Please Join!
Join via Zoom or In-Person, as you prefer.
The Zoom link will be the same one as our Sunday Services.
If you have concerns about being able to participate, please contact USNF’s Administrator Michael Taylor at 413-584-1390.
Agenda
- Call to Order
- Vote to call Rev. Melissa Carvill Ziemer as USNF’s next settled Minister
Anonymous Balloting will be employed - Adjourn
More information:
- Introducing Our Minister Candidate
- Announcement of a Special Congregational Meeting of Members to Call a New Settled Minister (April 12, 2026)
- A letter from the President's Team about the vote to call a settled minister (published in The Beacon on April 1, 2026)
- Minister Search page to learn about our search process
On Sunday, May 2nd, USNF members donate clementines and apples to support the Weekend School lunch program at Bridge Street, Ryan Road, Jackson Street and Leeds Schools. This program allows students with food insecurity to have breakfast and lunches over the weekends. Fresh fruit is distributed to the bag lunches and local congregations donate fruit each week. There will be a crate in the entrance to USNF on May 2nd. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
Published in the Sunday Times - 4/24/26
The Board-Approved Policy on Voting Procedures was sent to every member via Church Center. The full text of the policy is available for review in the Members Only Section of our website.
For our next congregational meeting, you will see these procedures in action. The Board anticipates using anonymous ballots for our vote to call a new settled minister at the meeting currently scheduled for May 3rd.
Published in the Sunday Times - 4/12/26, 4/24/26
Our RE class has added a Little Free Food Pantry to the Little Free Library on our front lawn. We are collecting non-perishable foods and personal care items at the front and side doors of our building. View a list of suggested items to donate [PDF].
Published in the Sunday Times - 4/11/26, 4/24/26, 5/15/26
UU Mass Action has joined with several dozen grass roots immigrant justice groups to call for the Senate to strengthen the House version of the PROTECT Immigration Justice Act. This is on the Senate floor now. We are each being asked to contact our State Senators (for us, that’s Comerford, Marks, or Velis) to ask them to contact Senators Spilka, Friedman, and Payano and urge them to support the Peoples’ PROTECT Act platform. Read the Action Guide to Support the People’s PROTECT Act, scroll down to “Email and Call Script” and follow the instructions.
Published in the Sunday Times - 4/17/26, 4/24/26, 5/3/26
Michael will be out of the office May 2-May 17.
Please submit your building reservations for events between those dates and Sunday Times announcement,
Published in the Sunday Times - 4/24/26
- Stock up on Grocery Gift Cards
- May Day March in Holyoke
- Volunteers Needed for Future Simple Social Hours in the Parlor
- 2025-2026 Religious Education Registration and Information
- Social Media Team Annual Report 2026
- Racial Justice Team - 4/21/26 Beacon
- Looking Up - Great Hall Renovation Project Report
- Coordinating Council Corner - 4/21/26 Beacon
- Board of Trustees Report - 4/21/26 Beacon
- Democracy Action Team - 4/21/26 Beacon
- May Day Is Coming
- Accessibility Team - 4/21/26 Beacon
- Much Gratitude for a Successful Stewardship Campaign - 4/21/26 Beacon
- Climate Action Group report - 4/21/26 Beacon
- Need Help with Social Hour on April 26th
- Want to Change What Emails You Receive from USNF?
- Change to the "masks required" section of the Great Hall
- Fundraising for the Weekend School Lunch Program
- Digital piano wanted
- Ann Darling talk with Climate Action Group