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Sunday Morning Service at 10:30am
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December 29
"Beneath the Snow" In the cold and dark of winter in the Upper Midwest, it is easy to succumb to depression and "cabin fever." It is a good time to tend one's body, mind, and spirit and to look beyond the surface of things. What might we find beneath the snow? The sacred dark, perhaps, and surely more. Eric Severson, minister, leading.
For upcoming Sunday Services, click here.
Please remember to silence your phones and that only covered drinks are allowed in the sanctuary.
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Eric Severson's Ordination and Installation
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Leadership Workshop - Dancing on the Balcony
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When: Sunday, January 12, 2020, at 4:00pm
UUs from around the country are coming together to attend the #UUtheVote Launch on January 12, 2020. The UUA National UUtheVote Team will be hosting a nation-wide Zoom call and are asking people to watch in groups at their congregations, at house parties, and on-line together.
The January 12 watch parties will bring UUs together who are bringing their passion to the polls through issue-based advocacy, voter registration, outreach, and organizing around the 2020 elections to #VoteLove and #DefeatHate.
The #UUtheVote Campaign will support congregations and UU organizations in activating thousands of UUs to collaborate with partners to mobilize voters, counter voter suppression, leverage resources, and engage in spiritually grounded, values-based issue conversations with voters in our communities.
On the call we’ll hear from the National UUtheVote Team, from UUs already organizing in their communities and states, and from partner organizations who are working with UUs.
When UUs show up with our values, our bodies, and our resources at the ready, we can have big impacts in bending the arc of the universe toward justice. Let’s UUtheVote!
Sign up to host a watch party here. Those who sign up will get a host packet emailed to them closer to the date of the event with video conferencing details and a draft agenda. It will be one-hour online together and we strongly encourage people to then hold a group discussion to reflect and brainstorm together.
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Worship Team Announcement
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Do you have ideas and suggestions for Sunday worship? Would you like to be a part of choosing themes, developing lay-led services and shaping the overall worship experience? Join the Worship Team! We meet the second Sunday of each month after service. Please let Sarah Nuss-Warren know if you are interested.
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Holidays at the Fellowship for Children and Families
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We will not be holding regular lessons during winter break, and our Director of Lifespan
Religious Education will not be on site on December 22 and December 29. So, what is
happening over winter break?
One Room Schoolhouse
We invite children to come join Jan Shea, Lisa Janetski, and Amanda Clifton and other adult volunteers for an all ages program in one room (or maybe two). All ages will have programming in room UL303. Children will start out in the service as usual and go upstairs with our volunteers.
December 29 – Snow! Lisa Janetski and Jan Shea will be leading activities centered around snow. Some of the activities planned include snowflakes and cottonball snowmen. Stories about snow and snowmen will be available for reading.
Have a wonderful holiday break and a blessed celebration of the New Year! Regular religious education classes will resume on January 5.
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Giving to the Minister's Discretionary Fund
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One of the ways our fellowship gives back to the community is through the Minister’s Discretionary Fund. Occasionally the minister will provide, through a checking account that is separate from and independent of any other fellowship funds, financial support to persons in need, both within and outside our fellowship. In the past this has included money for food, gasoline, auto repair, rent, utility bills, and other such needs. Requests for support have been nearly constant through the fall months.
This fund is fully dependent on private donations, which are not tax-deductible. If you are in a position to contribute to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund, please provide cash or a check directly to Eric Severson. Let him know if you have any questions. Thank you!
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December Theme - "The Unexpected/Awe"
December 29
"Beneath the Snow" In the cold and dark of winter in the Upper Midwest, it is easy to succumb to depression and "cabin fever." It is a good time to tend one's body, mind, and spirit and to look beyond the surface of things. What might we find beneath the snow? The sacred dark, perhaps, and surely more. Eric Severson, minister, leading.
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December Fellowship Office Hours
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The Fellowship Office will be closed beginning Monday, December 23, and will re-open on Monday, January 6, 2020. The Office can still be reached at [email protected] at any time.
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Sundays are busy and exciting at our Fellowship! Sunday worship activities, religious education classes and coffee hour run from 9:30am until 12:30pm in the building. In addition, many groups are meeting after the service.
Please use the following guidelines when scheduling your meetings to better facilitate transitioning throughout the building:
All rooms may be reserved beginning at 12:30pm. UL301 and LL104 (food permitted) or the sanctuary (food not permitted) may be reserved beginning at 12:00pm.
Please do not disturb worship and religious education programming in order to set up. Please store any supplies for Sunday meetings in UL305 or the kitchen, not in the classrooms. If childcare is requested, please communicate with your participants where and when childcare will take place.
If you have any questions, please contact Wendy Altmeier, Office Administrator.
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The UUFoM Library is now located in its permanent home - UL301. Enjoy reading a book in a comfy chair upstairs or bring a book home to read. If books are your thing, our library group is looking for some helpful volunteers. Please contact Marsha McDonald if you are interested!
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PERSONAL CONNECTIONS AND
DEVELOPMENT
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Interested in Circle Dinners?
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Would you be interested in participating in a Circle Dinner, spring 2020, on the weekend of April 19 or 25? Please vote for a weekend in our doodle poll! So far, interest is evenly split. If enough members express interest, the Engagement Team will assist with organizing these dinners.
Circle Dinners are held in the homes of UUFoM Members. The goals are to:
- Make new friends
- Grow and learn
- Share a meal together
This is a modified potluck. Your host(s) will provide an entrée and you and other guests will bring the rest of the meal. Your host will help you decide what to bring.
Vote here!
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Over the next few months, you will see changes to our website: some major, some minor. Then, a major overhaul in 2020. While we are making these changes, we would like to know what kind of things you like and dislike about our website currently. What type of changes would you like to see? What kind of topics would you like us to address? We want the good, the bad and the ugly. We are interested in the slightest changes. Share your recommendations and suggestions here. If you need access to the Members section of the website, please contact Wendy Altmeier, Office Administrator.
Currently, when you access our website via Google, the link does not take you to our current website. It takes you to a website that we cannot access in the Fellowship Office. We are working towards resolving this issue with Google. We recently set the link up to go to our Facebook page for the present time as that is much more accurate than the page it was linked to. We ask for your patience as we attempt to manage the situation.
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There are two hearing aid headphones available for use during Sunday services. If you would like to use one, please let an usher know at least five minutes before the service.
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We collect donations on an ongoing basis for the Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network. Place your donations in one of the bins 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. Thank you!
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Rhode Island Convention Center and Omni Providence (Headquarter Hotel)
Providence, RI
June 24-28, 2020
General Assembly (GA) is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). Attendees worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process. Anyone may attend; congregations must certify annually to send voting delegates.
Early Registration Open!
Adult full-time registration is $400 through March 15.
NEW! Registration Payment Plan: With a $50 down-payment, the cost of registration can be paid over the course of several weeks. Final payment must be received by February 29, 2020. When the final registation is complete, special consideration for dormitory lodging bundles, financial aid and volunteer opportunities will become available.
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2020 MidAmerica Regional Assembly
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The Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford, IL
April 18, 2020
Please save the date for our upcoming Regional Assembly (RA) which will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford, IL, on Saturday, April 18, 2020. Our keynote speaker will be Taquiena Boston, Special Advisor to the UUA President for Institutional Inclusion, Equity, and Change. The day will feature worship, the annual business meeting, lunch, keynote presentation, and select workshops. On Friday evening, April 17, the UU Church in Rockford will graciously host an evening gathering for those in town.
uua.org/midamerica/RA
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This Week at the Fellowship
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Fellowship Office Hours
The Fellowship Office is normally open Tuesdays through Thursdays, from 9:30am until 2:30pm. The Fellowship Office will be closed beginning Monday, December 23, and will re-open on Monday, January 6, 2020. Happy Holidays! If you have any questions about upcoming events, please email the office or call 989-631-1162.
| Sun 12/29 |
10:30am |
Sunday Service |
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7:00pm |
AA Meeting (rental) |
| Wed 01/01 |
8:00pm |
AA Meeting (rental) |
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Calendar
Reserve a space.
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Have you noticed a burned-out light bulb or something in need of repair at the Fellowship? Please fill out a Maintenance Request form, located in the rack outside the office door, and return it to the top slot in the rack. Our sexton, Sandy Hay, will fix the problem as soon as possible! Please respect that Sandy does not work on Sundays.
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Pastoral Care Ministry Team
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December Contact: Mary Johnson 989-859-1490
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 Friday. Submission deadline is Monday for Friday's publication. Please send submissions to Wendy Altmeier, Office Assistant, at [email protected].
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Wi-fi password for the Fellowship is yellowdeer807.
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Fellowship Office Hours
Tuesday - 9:30am-2:00pm
Wednesday - 9:30am-2:00pm
Thursday - 9:30am-11:00am
Eric Severson
Minister
Office Hours
Tuesday - Thursday 11:00am-3:00pm
Other times by appointment.
[email protected]
(608) 738-2694
Unavailable Mondays, except in emergencies.
In case of a pastoral emergency, call anytime.
Heather Cleland-Host
Director of Lifespan Religious Education
Office Hours by appointment only
[email protected]
Wendy Altmeier
Office Assistant
Office Hours
Monday - Thursday 9:30am-3:00pm
December Hours
Tuesday-Thursday 9:30am-3:00pm
[email protected]
(989) 631-1162
Sandy Hay
Sexton
[email protected]
(918) 698-0311
In case of building emergency, call anytime
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