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Sunday Morning Service at 10:30am
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December 23
“The Truth About Santa Claus” A theological reflection about Santa Claus for grown-ups, beginning with the story “The Polar Express” (for all).
December 24, 7:00 pm
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service: “The Gifts of Christmas” Reflections on divinity, humanity, possibility, and the gifts that matter. Christmas Eve service with stories, carols, and candle lighting. Rev. Connie Grant leading.
Cookies are welcome for coffee hour to follow the service.
Click here for December Worship Services
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CUUPs Full Moon In Cancer Ritual & Potluck
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December 22 at 7:00pm Room UL302
Come join us as we celebrate the full moon in Cancer. Krista Mann will be leading this ritual and afterwards we'll have a small potluck. Please bring yourself and a dish to pass.
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Ruth Ellis Center Donations
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 The holiday season is hastening its way towards us, as is winter and our annual winter clothing, blanket, and scarf drive for the Ruth Ellis Center. If you have any winter clothing in good condition (e.g. hats, scarfs, gloves, mittens, coats) or if you would like to donate a blanket, we will be collecting these items until Sunday January 20, 2019. NOTE: Please do not donate any rainbow or brightly colored clothing due to the sensitive nature of the situation many homeless LGBTQ youth find themselves in. The Ruth Ellis Center is a shelter, community center, and support service for homeless and at-risk LGBTQ youth. Many LGBTQ youth are not accepted by their families and are left homeless; places like the Ruth Ellis Center provide a variety of resources and services for LGBTQ youth who need a safe haven and an advocate. If you have any questions regarding this collection, please contact Jacob Guettler: [email protected], 989-492-4414
Jacob Guettler, Living Our Values Everyday (LOVE) Team - LGBTQ Issues Contact Person
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Photos For Member Directory
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In an effort to get to know the congregation better, we would like to add photos next to names in the Member Directory on the password-protected section of the website. Couples and families can be photographed together. Photos and/or names of children will be included at the discretion of their parents.
The photo shoots will take place after each Sunday service on January 6, January 13, January 20, and January 27 at 12pm. Photos will be taken in the upstairs meeting room, room UL301. To sign up to get your photo taken on a preferred Sunday, please see Christina Van Poucker or email her at [email protected].
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 We are in the midst of winter holidays, approaching the end of the calendar year. Many of us have known losses and disappointments in our own lives, and are concerned—even fearful—about events in our country and in our world. What do we have to be thankful for this year?
Perhaps this: Glimmers of hope and moments of joy. And perhaps most importantly, perhaps we can be thankful for opportunities to create and cultivate glimmers of hope and moments of joy in our own lives and in others’ lives.
What are you thankful for this year, specifically? That’s what I ask whoever gathers at my family’s table when we celebrate Thanksmas each year. The date is determined by when the members of our immediate family (three adult children, two spouses, and two grandbabies) can all manage to get together, and is usually in November, December, or January. This year January 12 looks like the auspicious day. The holiday usually includes turkey and presents. And lots of thankfulness.
One of our customs is to to put writing, on our Thanksgiving tablecloth, what we are thankful for, specifically. We started this family ritual thirty years ago, and the writings (and scribbling of babies and tracings of puppy feet) on the tablecloth provide a record of who was there and of the big and little things that were going on in their lives. On the cloth there are writings of family members now departed and of friends now out-of-touch. When he was a junior in college my son Kevin wrote that he was thankful for language, sharing, and communication and for people who use those tools to heal. One year my son Ryan wrote “I am thankful that our extended family is here and that they make our family seem normal enough.” When she was four, my daughter Megan looked around and said “I am thankful for persons.” Then she pointed to each one at the table and said “I’m thankful for you, and you, and you, and you.”
What are you thankful for, specifically? Where is there a glimmer of hope, a moment of joy? I’m thankful for you, the members, friends, and staff of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Midland, individually and collectively. You give me hope and joy.
I’m heading to Chicago on Christmas morning, and then to Phoenix for Thanksmas. I’ll be back in Midland on January 16, and I’m excited about all we’ll do in our remaining months together. The Worship Team has organized Sunday services for the three Sundays I’ll be away, and the Pastoral Care Team is available to you. I’ll be working on a couple of projects and taking some vacation, and I’m always reachable in the usual ways in the event of an emergency.
May you find happiness in this holiday season!
In faith and hope,
Connie
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MINISTERIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE
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We want to thank everyone for your help and support throughout the Search process. At this point, we have completed the requirements to present our Fellowship to ministers who are also in search.
During early January, we will be reviewing the information from candidates that have expressed interest, checking references and selecting from those for telephone conference interviews. Those interviews take place the second half of January, and from that group, we will select up to four individuals to visit our community, see our facility, and to see them preach in at a UU Church in Michigan (referred to as a neutral pulpit).
Those visits will take place in February and March. We then expect to select our final candidate from that list, present them with an offer and bring them to meet the congregation in late April for “Candidating Week” and ultimately to join our Fellowship as our new settled minister.
This is a very confidential part of our work. We’re essentially “going dark” and will be unable to provide any specific information on our progress from this time until we are ready to present a candidate.
Although we are able to provide only generalities, please know that we are continuing to fulfill the duties with which you have entrusted us. Please keep us in your thoughts as we work toward a successful conclusion of this journey.
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Will You Welcome a Guest At Your Table?
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 The idea behind Guest at Your Table is to take a box home and place an amount of money in the box each day over the winter holidays, an amount that we might spend to host a guest in our homes. Guest at Your Table donations support the work of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, protecting and promoting basic human rights.
This year’s Guest at Your Table theme is Justice Across Borders. From the Northern Triangle of Central America, to deserts of Mexico and Arizona, to detention centers in the United States, the road away from danger is paved with injustices. Partnering with grassroots allies along the Central American migration trail, UUSC addresses root causes, supports migrants in transit, and protects the right to seek asylum. Join with UUSC for Guest at Your Table to learn more about UUSC’s and our nation’s involvement in Central America – historically and presently – and our courageous Migrant Justice partners.
Please pick up a box or envelope at the Events board and bring it back to the Fellowship by February 3. If you have any questions, please contact Amanda Clifton at [email protected].
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Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network Donations
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The Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network is a cooperative effort of area churches and other organizations to provide food and supplies to people in Midland County who have emergency needs and are living near or below the Federal poverty level income guidelines. At UUFoM, we collect donations for the Food Pantry Network on an ongoing basis. Bring your donations with you when you come to the Fellowship and place them in one of the bins in the UUFoM Donation Center outside the sanctuary, and we will transport them to the Food Pantry.
81 donated items were taken to the Food Pantry from UUFoM congregants last week!
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Empty Ink Cartridge Collection
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 The UUFOM can receive $1.00 each for recyclable empty ink cartridges. Not all cartridge types are eligible, but please bring to the Fellowship any empty cartridges you have and they will be turned in, with a credit then being issued to the UUFOM for eligible cartridges. Ineligible cartridges will be properly disposed of. This is an on-going collection effort that in the past was facilitated by RG Converse. Please bring in empty cartridges and deposit them in the labeled collection bin in the UUFoM Donation Center outside the sanctuary. If you are allowed to collect empty ink cartridges from your workplace this can greatly increase our return.
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This Week at the Fellowship
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Fellowship Office Hours
The Fellowship Office is usually open Mondays through Thursday from 9:30 am until 1:30 pm. Please email the office or call 989-631-1162 if you need to get in touch at any other time. The Fellowship Office will be closed December 24 through January 2 and will reopen for normal business hours on January 3.
| Fri 12/21 |
10:00am |
Pastoral Care Team Meeting |
| Sat 12/22 |
7:00pm |
CUUPS Ritual & Potluck |
| Sun 12/23 |
10:30am |
Sunday Service |
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7:00pm |
AA Meeting (Rental) |
| Mon 12/24 |
7:00pm |
Christmas Eve Service |
| Wed 12/26 |
5:00pm |
Three Jewels Sangha Tea & Meditation |
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8:00pm |
AA Meeting (Rental) |
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Calendar
Reserve a space.
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Pastoral Care Ministry Team
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December Contact: Gisela Bailey 989-708-1344
Our Pastoral Care Ministry Team is here for you. We can provide a meal, a ride, some respite or a supportive ear and a cup of coffee.
We maintain a volunteer list where you can identify ways to help a Fellowship member in need. Please click here to fill out the Pastoral Care Volunteer Form online.
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You can access the Member Directory on the password-protected Member section of the website. The Member Directory contains names and contact information for all members and pledging friends. Please notify the office if you need to change your information or you do not wish your information to appear in the online directory.
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The Weekly Candle Flame is published each Thursday. Submission deadline is Monday for Thursday publication. Please send submissions to Wendy Altmeier, Office Assistant, using only this address [email protected].
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The Fellowship Office will be closed December 24 through January 2 and will reopen for normal business hours on January 3.
Fellowship Office Hours
Monday - Thursday 9:30am-1:30pm
[email protected]
Rev. Connie Grant
Interim Minister
Office Hours
Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday 11am-3pm
[email protected]
(847) 840-8542
In case of a pastoral emergency, call anytime
Heather Cleland-Host
Director of Religious Education
Office Hours by appointment only
[email protected]
Wendy Altmeier
Office Assistant
Office Hours
Monday - Thursday 9:30 am-1:30 pm
[email protected]
989-631-1162
Sandy Hay
Sexton
[email protected]
(918) 698-0311
In case of building emergency, call anytime
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