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An open religious experience for children and adults. ​ Learn More WELCOME We're Glad You're Here Unitarian Universalism is a caring, open-minded religion that encourages you to seek your own spiritual path. Our Faith draws on many religious traditions, welcoming people with different beliefs. ​We are united by shared values, not by creed or dogma. Our congregations are places where people gather to nurture their spirits and put their faith into action by helping to make our communities and the world a better place. Sunday Service Jo in us in-person or via Zoom eve ry Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Services typically include announcements, lighting of our chalice flame, a sermon, choir, congregational singing, and a variety of traditional and contemporary readings. See Upcoming Services See Previous Services Join via Zoom Visitor Information Welcome! We are glad to have you. Read more about what to expect when you visit Starr King. What to Expect Events and Announcements Date with Death Club Date with Death Club has returned! Next in person session is April 21st. Open to anyone high school age or older - come to one session, some or all! Learn More Get Involved with Starr King! WORSHIP TOGETHER Our Sunday worship draws on diversity of belief, theology and the Living Tradition of Unitarian Universalism. You may recognize the order of service, but be surprised as well! View Services CONNECT There are many opportunities to become involved in our community through a variety of activities, as well as worship, service, spiritual and personal development, and lots of fun. Get Involved GIVE Members and contributing friends volunteer their time and make financial contributions to help advance our mission and make a difference in our community. Make a Gift “Under the direction of Sarah Dan, our rich music program enhances each service. Each week, she and Rev. Linda weave together soulful and inspiring services.” Mary H. Giving Back Support from our members and friends helps cultivate more love in the world and nurture more love for the world. ​ Learn more about how your contributions to Starr King make a difference to the Fellowship and in the community. Make a Gift

Minister & Staff Rev. Linda Grace Reverend Dr. Linda Barnes Minister Rev. Dr. Linda Barnes came to New Hampshire from the Midwest in 2016. Her life has been a rich tapestry of experience that includes nearly twenty years as a community college biology professor and organic farmer. Linda received a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology in 1996 from Iowa State University and a Master of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago in 2015. Her studies included a two-year internship at First Unitarian Church of Des Moines. She also served as a chaplain at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. She was ordained in April 2016. Contact Linda. Sarah Dan Jones Director of Music Ministry Sarah Dan has been a UU professional musician since 2003 and has been with Starr King UU since 2013. Her mission is to “spread the Unitarian Universalist faith through music, which I do by empowering congregational singing, shared ministry and active participation in the UUA.” Sarah Dan’s instruments include piano, guitar, flute, voice and djembe. She holds a BA in Music Performance from North Georgia College and State University. E-mail Sarah Dan or visit her website. Grace Kennedy Director of Religious Education Grace Kennedy has always had education at the center of her career and is passionate about finding creative ways to communicate complex ideas. She has focused her time on the fields of environmental and outdoor education, as well as science communication. Her love of nature and curiosity about the mystery of life spill into all she does. Grace grew up on the coast of Maine, attending the Sanford UU Church and in 2015 she moved to Monteverde, Costa Rica. There, she co-founded a non-profit, Palo Vivo, that conducts environmental education and reforestation in her community. She is a certified Our Whole Lives instructor, has been a counselor at Ferry Beach Camp and Conference Center’s kids camp, and is thrilled to now serve as the Director of Religious Education at the Starr King UU Fellowship. ​ Grace can be reached at dre@starrkingfellowship.org Sharon Warga Office Administrator Sharon Warga is our office administrator. ​ Sharon can be contacted at admin@starrkingfellowship.org Margaret Rieser Ministerial Intern Margaret Rieser is our Ministerial Intern. She is taking the final steps in her journey to graduate from Meadville Lombard Theological School with a master's degree in Divinity in 2024 with the goal of becoming a UU minister. Margaret grew up in Philadelphia, PA, graduating from Swarthmore College and Bryn Mawr College with a master’s degree in social work, and one in law and social policy. She has lived in rural New Hampshire since 1996. She was a clinical social worker for many years, ending this career as the area director of a community mental health center. After a stint as a stay-at-home parent -during which she had a large garden, raised pigs, volunteered in many capacities in her community, and fell in love with Unitarian Universalism at her home congregation in Tamworth, NH - Margaret decided to attend seminary and has not regretted this decision for even one second. Margaret can be contacted at intern@starrkingfellowship.org.

Upcoming Services Sunday Services are held in-person and via Zoom on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. We focus on creating a welcoming environment that fosters curiosity, joy, and deeper community connection. Services follow a traditional Unitarian Universalist structure. Religious Education for children is held simultaneously. There is a “family corner” with children’s toys for children who would like to stay in the Service with their parents. Starr King Fellowship no longer requires COVID vaccinations and masks for those entering the building. We always welcome those who choose to wear masks and will continue to supply masks at entrances to the building. If you test positive for COVID, please stay home until you test negative or after 10 days. As always, if you do not feel well for any reason, or remain uncomfortable in group settings, please join us on Zoom. Join Us Via Zoom This Week's Order of Service Watch Our Most Recent Service Missed our last Sunday Worship? Prefer to worship with us from home? You can view our most recent and past services on our Vimeo channel. View Past Services

Welcome! If this is your first visit to Starr King Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, you're in the right place! WELCOME We're thrilled to meet you! Exploring our website is an excellent way to get an overview of our Starr King community. However, it's only a taste of who we are and what we do. Once you have looked through our site, if you like what you see, plan on visiting us for a Sunday Service (in person or on Zoom) at 9:30 a.m. We also offer Vespers, a contemplative evening service the first Friday of the month at 6 p.m. Everyone of any age is welcome at our services. Religious Education and nursery care is available for young people on Sundays. Since our faith is non-creedal, we don’t adhere to one set of religious doctrines. Instead, we appreciate and explore purpose and meaning using a variety of religious sources, poetry, music, and lived experience. When you visit you'll find yourself welcomed by a diverse people held together not by belief, but a shared commitment to justice, the earth, and to finding a home in loving community. Our mission statement, “At Starr King Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, we cultivate more love in the world and nurture more love for the world.” is at the core of everything we do: ​ Our Fellowship welcomes and cares for people of all ages and varied identities. We experience joy as we build community and use our relationships with each other to create a more loving world. Our Fellowship embraces what is meaningful and beautiful. We offer diverse experiences in worship, music, and the arts through our services, events, and the use of our building. We live and model our values, collectively creating social and environmental justice with direct action and financial support. ​ Justice. Respect. Love. Unitarian Universalism is a caring, open-minded religion that encourages you to seek your own spiritual path. Our Faith draws on many religious traditions, welcoming people with different beliefs. We are united by shared values, not by creed or dogma. Our congregations are places where people gather to nurture their spirits and put their faith into action by helping to make our communities and the world a better place. We are a Welcoming Congregation - meaning we embrace, celebrate and welcome people of various identities regardless of class, nationality, race, gender or sexual orientation. You're welcome to participate at a level that suits your personal needs. There are many ways to participate , such as Second Sunday Hikes, Book Group, Soul Matters, Date with Death Club, Climate Action, and Reproductive Justice, to name a few. Sign up for our mailing list to discover all the options. Just know that you are always welcome here! What is UU? Unitarian Universalism is a caring, open-minded religion that encourages you to seek your own spiritual path. Our Faith draws on many religious traditions, welcoming people with different beliefs. ​We are united by shared values, not by creed or dogma. Our congregations are places where people gather to nurture their spirits and put their faith into action by helping to make our communities and the world a better place. Read More What to Expect Our Sunday worship draws on diversity of belief, theology, and the Living Tradition of Unitarian Universalism. You may recognize the order of service but be surprised as well. A sermon, choir, and congregational singing are featured, plus a variety of traditional and contemporary readings. We light our chalice flame, which may be explained as a symbol of “the light of truth found in the cup of life.” ​ Click here for more information. WORSHIP TOGETHER Our Sunday worship draws on diversity of belief, theology and the Living Tradition of Unitarian Universalism. You may recognize the order of service, but be surprised as well! View Services CONNECT There are many opportunities to become involved in our community through a variety of activities, as well as worship, service, spiritual and personal development, and lots of fun. Get Involved GIVE Members and contributing friends volunteer their time and make financial contributions to help advance our mission and make a difference in our community. Make a Gift Meet Our Minister Reverend Dr. Linda Barnes came to New Hampshire from the Midwest in 2016. Her life has been a rich tapestry of experience that includes nearly 20 years as a community college biology professor and organic farmer. Read More Becoming a Member Membership is open to all individuals sixteen years and older regardless of race, creed, national origin, gender or sexual orientation who are in harmony with the visions, goals and principles of Starr King Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Learn More Watch Our Most Recent Service Miss our last Sunday Worship? Prefer to worship with us from home? You can view our most recent and past services on our Vimeo channel. Watch a Past Service

Stewardship Drive 2024-25 Dear Starr King Members and Friends, This year is different. Last year, we completed our Stewardship drive and then discovered that we were short of the amount needed to support our Fellowship through the 23-24 Fiscal Year. Following a special appeal, your pledges increased to $187,000. Additional one-time gifts also helped us close the gap. With this increase and some painful budget cuts, we generated enough for essential operations. This year, our Finance Committee has established a budget of $200,000 which restores some of the cuts made last year and accounts for inflationary and other increased costs. We do not want to be in the position of another special appeal this year. Instead, we are being clear up-front about our Fellowship’s needs to sustain our dedicated staff, our building, our Sunday services and other programs, and our community work. We can achieve our $200,000 budget goal if a sufficient number of members and friends who have not previously pledged are able to pledge this year, and those who pledged last year are able to increase their pledge by about 6.5%. We understand that this is more than some can manage, and that others could do more than 6.5% to help compensate. Those newer to our community and pledging for the first time can consult the guidelines in the Stewardship packet. Here are some links to our Stewardship packet which includes a letter from Reverend Linda , a review of our financial data , and ways to pledge for the 2024-2025 budget year. We will also send you a brief email regarding your pledge. We invite you to sign up for a cottage meeting at the home of one of our members for food, fellowship, and an opportunity to share your ideas regarding our community. In addition to the cottage meetings, there will be a Zoom meeting option and a brunch following a Sunday service. To sign up click here . Last year your pledges to our stewardship campaign provided essential support for our Fellowship and you stepped up in response to our special appeal. We hope you will reflect on the value of our community to you and help us to keep on moving forward by again pledging to the best of your ability and increasing your pledge to help us achieve our needed 6.5% increase. In these dark and challenging times our Fellowship is a beacon of hope and love for us, the community and the world. Please do everything you can to help us sustain the light. With love and gratitude, your Stewardship Committee, Mary Hazelton, Chair Sandy Mucci, Vice Chair Nancy Chaddock Bob Gannett Susan C. Scrimshaw A Message from Cindy Spring, Member

Worship UPCOMING SERVICES Worship With Us Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Join us in-person or via Zoom . Sunday Services typically include announcements, lighting of our chalice flame, a sermon, choir, congregational singing, and a variety of traditional and contemporary readings. ​ Vespers First Fridays at 6 p.m. (October through June) For an end-of-week slow down, come for 30 minutes of contemplation followed with pizza and fellowship. ​ During the summer months, our services become more casual and are often lay-led. We do not hold Vespers during the summer. View Upcoming Services View Past Services Meet Our Minister Reverend Dr. Linda Barnes came to New Hampshire from the Midwest in 2016. Her life has been a rich tapestry of experience that includes nearly 20 years as a community college biology professor and organic farmer. Read More Religious Education The Religious Education program is offered for children and youth of all ages. Grade school programs are held concurrently with the Sunday worship service. All types of activities, play, creativity, and sharing are used to assist in faith development of our children and youth. The Youth group meets twice monthly. Check the calendar for times. Learn More

Planned Giving There are many ways in which you can make a significant gift to the Fellowship. Included here are references to important provisions of the Fellowship’s Gift Acceptance Policy, approved by the Governing Board in March 2019. The Form of the Gift A significant gift, sometimes referred to as a planned gift, might be a bequest provided for in a will or it might be a gift made during your lifetime. The gift might be restricted, that is directed by the donor to benefit a specific purpose. Donors are encouraged to make restricted gifts to established funds of the Fellowship which are identified in this document. Or the donor might leave the decision to designate the gift’s allocation to the Governing Board. The latter type of gift is referred to as an unrestricted gift. Unrestricted gifts to the Fellowship are highly appreciated as they provide opportunities for direction to whatever purpose may be most needed at the time the gift is received. The gift itself can take many forms and in this regard the Gift Acceptance Policy has established rules for what can, and cannot, be accepted. We summarize some of those rules here—the actual Policy should be consulted. Gifts Requiring Approval of the Governing Board These include any gift valued at more than $500, real estate, personal property, goods or services, securities not publicly traded, gifts whose source is not transparent, and gifts that are restricted requiring Governing Board review. Anonymous Gifts The Fellowship will respect a donor’s request to remain anonymous. The Legacy Circle The Fellowship will also be pleased to learn of donor intentions made, with the full understanding and appreciation that provisions in wills are sometimes contingent on certain things happening and that life changes and other circumstances might alter the plans that have been made. In 2012, The Legacy Circle was established. This continues to exist. You can become a member simply by informing one of the Fellowship’s designated planned giving contacts that the Fellowship has been named as a beneficiary in your will. No details or documents are needed to become a member. IRA Rollover Gifts If you have an IRA and have reached the age at which you must take minimum distributions, you may be eligible to make a charitable gift to the Fellowship and enjoy several tax-advantaged benefits. If the gift is transferred directly from your IRA provider to qualified charities like the Fellowship, one of the benefits to you is that such a gift counts toward your annual Required Minimum Distribution. Established Funds The Governing Board has approved a number of established funds to which gifts may be directed. Donations to these funds are the only restricted gifts not requiring a review by the Governing Board: Starr King UU Fellowship Endowment Fund Monies spent from this Established Fund must have one of the following two purposes: For outreach to the community; or to benefit programs that are external to, or above and beyond, operating fund programs of the Fellowship. Donations to the Endowment help to ensure the growth of the fund and the activities resulting from that growth. No Endowment monies can be spent to meet the needs of the Fellowship’s Operating Budget. Endowment funds cannot be made available for purposes and amounts exceeding the Fund’s provisions without approval of 2/3 of the Fellowship’s Membership present for a meeting called for a change in the provisions, and with a quorum of 50% of the Membership present. The elected Endowment Committee is responsible for all aspects of the Endowment except for investments which are overseen by the Finance Committee. ​ Minister’s Discretionary Fund This fund provides our Minister with monies to assist persons in our Fellowship or in the wider community who are facing an emergency financial need. The Fellowship’s operating budget provides funds each year to assist this important ministerial work. In addition, donations to this fund have been made annually by those present at the Christmas Eve service. Mary Hazelton Music Fund Named to honor member Mary Hazelton who for many years served as the volunteer leader of the Fellowship’s choir. Distributions from this fund are made to purchase music and to create, enhance or supplement musical activities that are external to, or above and beyond, operating expenses normally covered by the Fellowship’s Operating Budget. Donations to this fund have been made by those present for the annual Music Sunday. ​ Jules Doner Sanctuary Fund This fund was created to honor past member Jules Doner who worked for many years to maintain the good condition of the Meetinghouse. Distributions from this fund provide for the ongoing maintenance of the Sanctuary. Donation to this fund are to be made by those present for the annual April Fool’s Sunday, in acknowledgment of Jules’ humor. ​ Please note that the Endowment operates differently from the other three Established Funds. Monies contributed to the Starr King UU Fellowship Endowment are invested in stocks and bonds. Annual spending is limited to less than 5% of the 3-year average market value of the total assets. Monies contributed to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund, the Mary Hazelton Music Fund, and the Jules Doner Sanctuary Fund are fully expendable up to whatever limits might be imposed. Disbursements from each fund are administered by the Minister, the Music Director, and the Facilities Chair, respectively. Replenishment of the funds spent is highly dependent on annual fundraising events and additional gifts. ​ Available through UUA Opportunities exist to have the expertise of planned giving specialists at the UUA work with you directly to enhance what can be done for the benefit of you, the Fellowship, and, if you wish, the UUA itself. View information about what the UUA offers . Additional Information Speak with any member of the Fellowship's Planned Giving team. Before making a gift you may need to consult your attorney and/or tax advisor to help you determine what is best for your situation.

Top of Page SharePoint SimpleChurch CRM By-Laws & Policies Committee Descriptions Annual Report Donate Planned Giving Endowment Fund Request Reserve a Space Member Resources Area SharePoint SimpleChurch CRM SharePoint Click the SharePoint image to access the Starr King Document Repository where you can view Board and Committee Minutes and more. ​ Please be sure to have your user name and password ready! SimpleChurch CRM Click the SimpleChurch image to access our online directory, send group e-mails, and donate. ​ Did you know you can download the SimpleChurch CRM app on your phone? Connect with the "skuuf" domain. To log in, your username is as follows: firstname.lastname First time logging in or forget your password? Click "Forgot Password" to reset your credentials. By-Laws & Policies ​ Download the By-Laws PDF ​ Download the Policies ​ ​ Starr King Committee Descriptions Review the current Starr King Committee descriptions 2023 Annual Report Read the 2023 Annual Report ​ View the Annual Meeting ​ ​ Donate to Starr King ​ Submit a Pledge ​ Donate Today! Planned Giving If you're interested in learning about the planned giving opportunities of the Fellowship, please click the links below to download our brochures. ​ Gift Opportunities ​ Established Funds ​ Gift Info from UUA Additional information is available by contacting any one of the members of the Planned Giving Team. Endowment Fund Request The Endowment Fund enhances the mission of Starr King Unitarian Universalist Fellowship apart from the general operation of the congregation. Submit Your Request Reserve a Space If you are interested in using space in the Fellowship for a meeting or event, please submit your inquiry using the request form below. ​ See Available Spaces ​ Submit a Fellowship Space Reservation Request Form By-Laws & Policies Committee Descriptions Annual Report Planned Giving Donate Endowment Fund Request Reserve a Space

Weddings & Dedications Child Dedications Unitarian Universalists welcome infants and children into our community with a ritual we call a Child Dedication. ​ ​ When the child is a part of our church community, the dedication may happen as a part of a regular Sunday morning worship. Often it takes place during the Christmas Eve Service. Child Dedications are typically planned by the minister and the child’s parent or parents. Our Child Dedications typically include: ​ a blessing for the child an expression by the parents of promises to and hopes for the child a promise from the congregation to help support the family and nurture the child Weddings Wedding services are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the love of two individuals who have chosen to come together in marriage, and to offer an opportunity for a couple to make promises to one another in the presence of friends and family. Because of our strong respect for each person’s individual beliefs and values, Unitarian Universalist weddings are custom-crafted with the couple to reflect their personalities and relationship. In addition to blessing heterosexual unions, we joyfully bless same-sex marriages. Inquire About Weddings Plan Your Event Interested in holding your wedding or a child dedication at Starr King? Contact Us

Music & Choir Starr King Music Ministry has a long, rich history. ​ For thirty years, this vital part of our community was led by Mary Hazelton, a founding member who believed in the value of music in worship. A myriad of people participated, and that foundation is the base of where we are today. In 2013, Sarah Dan Jones was hired as the Musician for Starr King, continuing the focus on collaborative ministry towards cohesive worship. The Starr King Singers is a committed group of volunteers that practice three times a month on Thursday evenings and sing at least twice a month on Sundays. In addition, there are musicians of all ages and abilities that also contribute to the weekly worship. Our music ministry spreads to the entire community. We believe that congregational singing is important to the collective worship experience. Because social justice is a core of our Faith, music is often included at public witnesses. Taking part in events that are sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association keep us connected with one another is song. If you are interested in Starr King’s Music Ministry program on any level, please join us! Contact our Director of Music , Sarah Dan Jones.

Date with Death Club: A Multi-Session Curriculum to Explore Mortality in Community The Date with Death Club (DwDC) is an opportunity to learn, share, and deepen your own understanding of what death means to you and how you want to approach death—particularly your own. “This class can help us face death with less fear and more curiosity, with less euphemism and more reality, with less conformity and more creativity.” [1] ​ Classes meet from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm on one (or two) Sundays per month, September through June. Dates: January 14 February 18 March 17 April 21 May 19 June 9 Topics: Owning Your Own Dying* Good Life & Good Death Hospice, Palliative Care, & End of Life Documents, Oh My! * Grief: Loving & Losing, Learning & Living* Medical Aid in Dying/Death with Dignity Aging: Better than the Alternative *Sessions offered in the previous year Practical Offerings ​ What to do with a Dead Body Writing Your Own Obituary Planning Your Own Funeral, Memorial, or Celebration of Life Service. Hospice, Palliative Care, & End of Life Documents, Oh My! Medical Aid in Dying/Death with Dignity ​ Emotional/Spiritual Offerings ​ Getting Comfortable with Death Talk Afterlife/Afterlives Owning Your Own Dying Good Life & Good Death Grief: Loving & Losing, Learning & Living Aging, Better Than the Alternative [1] https://datewithdeathclub.com More Date with Death Club NEWS ! ​ We will offer the Date with Death Club ONLINE for 6 sessions on Wednesday afternoons, from January to March 2023. The meetings are open to anyone ages 16 and up. We will meet twice a month over Zoom, for two-hour sessions, to discuss important but sometimes hard to talk about topics, like “Getting Comfortable with Death Talk” and “Owning your Own Dying”. Please contact Margaret Rieser at intern@starrkingfellowship.org with questions, and to let her know that you are interested in attending. The meetings will be from 3-5 pm on Wednesday afternoons via Zoom on the following dates: January 10 & 24 February 7 & 21 March 6 & 20 You are welcome to attend as many sessions as you like. Zoom link here Date with Death Club To attend a Date with Death Club meeting, complete our contact form or e-mail us at admin@starrkingfellowship.org . Be sure to let us know what dates you’d like to attend and please feel free to share this and invite friends. You can direct questions to Linda Barnes at minister@starrkingfellowship.org . Let us know you're coming! Bringing a friend or have questions? Share that info in the Message field below. First name Last name E-mail Message Send Thanks for contacting us about the Date with Death Club! We will be in touch soon.

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