February 17
“Why We Tell Stories; Art, Faith and Animation”  The strange world of imagination, often relegated to the children’s library, preserves clues and mysteries that ask us to look closer and to think differently about firmly held beliefs. I have found that imaginative works from folk literature, art history and children’s picture-books, often cause me to reconsider the role mystery plays in our lives. Much of what I know about my own faith I have come to understand through the language of story.  I have found that the storytellers who draw specifically from faith and folk traditions resonate with me most deeply and remind me that my own journey is part of a much larger story.  Stephan Leeper, guest speaker, is Associate Professor of Animation in the Department of Art and Design at Central Michigan University.  Steve has produced short films using pixilation, stop-motion, digital cutouts and drawn animation.  You can see examples of his personal and commercial work on his JSL Studio/Vimeo page.

Click here for February Worship Services

To the congregation - THANK YOU! Your generosity shined warm and bright during our most recent winter clothing and blanket collection for the Ruth Ellis Center in Detroit. With your support, we were able to collect fifteen winter coats and six bags of winter clothing and blankets to deliver to homeless LGBTQ youth. We all know it's been a cold winter, but hopefully your hearts are warm knowing we as a congregation were able to provide something to warm those in need. 

Yours in gratitude,

Jacob Guettler 

Living Our Values Everyday (L.O.V.E.) Team
LGBTQ Issues Contact Person
([email protected], 989-492-4414)

Registration for Chalice Sparx Family Camp & Retreat Now Open
 
Registration for Chalice Sparx Family Camp & Retreat is now open. Join us July 11-14 in Sturgis, Michigan for an amazing all ages experience at lovely Amigo Centre in Sturgis, Michigan.

At Chalice Sparx camp and retreat for families you will experience a truly multigenerational community. There are no camp counselors here to whisk away the children separate from their families. Here we learn together, worship together and explore together in a community of all ages – including elders who complete our multigenerational village.

We also have fun together. Swimming, hiking the trails and the labyrinth, canoeing, archery, popcorn popped in a kettle over an open fire, and of course, S’mores and singing camp songs.

Check out the website of our non-profit organization run by Unitarian Universalist religious educators, ministers and lay persons from all over the Midwest: www.chalicesparx.org. Like us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/chalicesparx/ and join us July 11-14.
 

Contact Amy Rogers or Linda Rector with questions.
                    

Sunday, February 24 at 12:00pm in the Sanctuary

Would you like to strengthen your connections with others at UUFoM and enhance your participation in the Fellowship, while deepening your own spiritual life? Try a Covenant Group!

This will be an opportunity to try out the Covenant Group experience before deciding whether you want to join (or even facilitate) an ongoing group.  This sample session will include a focus reading, chalice lighting, a short check-in for each participant, and a discussion of the topic, followed by a brief check-out and closing reading.  Whether or not you decide to be part of an ongoing group, this session offers the possibility of learning something about yourself and each other!

A Covenant Group consists of up to ten people who gather around an interest, affinity, or activity to meet regularly over time for spiritual growth, community building, and congregational participation.  Group meetings follow a specified format, and each group is led by a trained facilitator who also participates in an ongoing facilitators’ group. The facilitator’s role is to help the group stay on track and accomplish its purpose.  Each group establishes covenants including ground rules for the group’s relationship and interaction, commitment to welcome new members to the group, and service to the Fellowship and the community. 

If would like to consider facilitating a group or if you have questions, please contact Rev. Connie Grant at [email protected], or Sara Clavez, Covenant Group coordinator, at [email protected].

A light lunch will be provided for the February 24 Covenant Group Experience if you register by February 17.  Please register here! 

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."
— John Quincy Adams, sixth President of the United States

Saturday, March 2, 1:00pm - 3:00pm in Room UL302
Presented by Sara Clavez, Shannon Sonoras and the Rev. Connie Grant. 
Please register here.

We will explore our experiences becoming leaders and learning how to exercise leadership, explore connections with our sense of the divine/ultimate, identify ways our faith has changed over time, and become familiar with the work of James Luther Adams, a 20th century Unitarian theologian.

In 2019, the Engagement Team plans to continue to offer monthly workshops based on the "Harvest the Power" program developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association.  There are no prerequisites, no obligation to participate in all the workshops, and no cost to you for participating.

Friday, March 8 at 6:30pm (signup deadline is March 3).  

What’s your favorite game, and would you like to play it with UU friends? Both euchre and non-euchre players are welcome at our next Euchre/Game Night FUNdraiser, to be held on Friday, March 8 at 6:30 PM.  Sign yourself and your game-playing friends up soon.  Light snacks, drinks and dessert will be provided.  $10 per person--and for euchre players, make sure to bring quarters in case you get euchred!  Signup deadline is Sunday, March 3 for both game-players and childcare.  If you have any questions, contact Janelle Dombek or Michaele Malecki.

We have 16 repsonses so far. The survey is closing February 20, Don't forget to fill out the Social Activities Survey. 

Do you like to go for walks at Dow Gardens? Play Bingo? Would you like to attend a local theater production? How about wine tasting with friends, or something else you enjoy?  The list is endless. The Social Team would like to know what YOU and your family  enjoy doing. Then we'll plan activities for folks from UUFoM to enjoy together. 

The Activities Survey will give you the opportunity to tell us what you'd like to do with other UU's. There's even a place for you to let us know what you'd like to do and if you're willing to help with planning events. Please complete the survey before February 20. Thanks in advance for your input. Questions? Contact Linda Rector or Amy Rogers.

Click here to fill out the Activities Survey!

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 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. Non-perishable foods, self-care items, paper products and cleaning supplies are accepted.  The Food Pantry is unable to accept any types of medication, including vitamins and over the counter medications. 

Birthday Kits
The Emergency Food Pantry Network does not like to see a child celebrate a birthday without something special. To address this need, EFPN stocks birthday kits for children. When the Coordinator interviews the family, she inquires about the ages of the children and if they will soon be celebrating a birthday. When the client goes to pick up their order at one of the pantries, they are given a birthday kit if they have a child celebrating a birthday. The minimal supplies for a birthday kit include a cake mix, frosting, and candles.

We delivered 39 items last week to the EFPN.

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.