We look with uncertainty
Beyond the old choices for
Clear-cut answers
To a softer, more permeable aliveness...
~ Peter Morales
Worship Matters
The theme for this coming Sunday, October 26 is “Thresholds.” Ancient peoples believed that the equinoxes (as at the time of Samhain (SAH-win)/Halloween) are times when the door between the worlds, between what was and what may be is very thin. At this seasonal threshold – literally “threshing place” - we turn our attention to the metaphorical thresholds we occupy in our lives, both as individuals and as a community of faith.
• Upcoming Sunday service themes can be found here.
Think Before You Spritz
This message is a request for mindfulness as well as an effort to raise awareness. There are people who attend services and other activities at our fellowship who have fragrance allergies/chemical sensitivities. Being in close proximity (which is difficult to avoid in our small space) to folks wearing cologne, perfume - even heavily scented soaps/shampoos - can cause a range of uncomfortable symptomatic reactions. While we like to think of ourselves as a diverse bouquet as a faith community, the literal mixing of so many different scents (as opposed to the metaphorical mixing) can be a health hazard for some of us. We ask that you keep this in mind when considering your choice of personal care/hygienic applications. Thank you!
Fellowship Life Meeting This Sunday
There will be a Fellowship Life meeting immediately following service this Sunday. The agenda will include this year's Restoration House program, and the newly formed Congregational Life Team.
Path to Membership Class
Are you interested in finding out more about our fellowship and how to become a member? If you are, you are invited to the next orientation class which will be offered this Sunday, October 19 from 1 - 3 p.m. at the UU Center. You will learn more about the history of Unitarian Universalism, its principles and sources, the history of our fellowship, our governance structure, ministries and expectations. Class will be facilitated by UUFCM minister, Dawn Daniels, and past board president, Gisela Moffit. Please let Gisela (772-1602; gbmoffit@gmail) know if you are coming and if you need child care. We look forward to hearing from you.
UUFCM Men’s Group
UUFCM men's group will meet on Monday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m. at Justin Henry's home, when we will choose some topics for future discussion. Ongoing, we'll meet on the third Monday of the month, from 7:00-8:30 p.m., but nothing is written in stone. Contact Jim Dealing with questions or suggestions - deali1jr@cmich.edu or 772-0269.
RE Event and Middle Level Sleepover
The RE Program is planning a trip to Chippewa Nature Center on October 25, for the Nature at Night Halloween celebration. The event runs from 6:00 to 8:30. Details can be found at chippewanaturecenter.doubleknot.com/event/1468983. This event is free and no registration is required.
Following the Nature Center, Midland UU is hosting a sleepover for grades 4-8. If interested, please contact our Director of Religious Education, Roze Finn (rozeofmanycolors@gmail.com or 989.400.7674), so we can let Midland know how many guests to expect. Hope you can join us!
Adult RE Book Discussion Planned
We will be reading Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide over four consecutive Sundays, October 26 - November 16 from 12:00-1:30 p.m. This is an opportunity to engage deeply with a book that is “a passionate call to arms against our era’s most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world.” More detail about this text can be found here. For more information, contact Jim Dealing - deali1jr@cmich.edu or (989) 772-0269.
CUUPS to Celebrate Samhain
Covenant of UU Pagans (CUUPS) will have a Samhain Ritual at the UU Center at 7:00 p.m. on November 1. Samhain marks the end of the harvest of the "lighter half" of the year and the beginning of the "darker half" of the year. It is also a time to celebrate the lives of loved ones who have passed to the next phase. Please feel free to bring a picture or small memento of a passed loved one for our altar.
We gather at 6:30 p.m., hold ritual promptly at 7 p.m., and our potluck takes place between 7:30 and 8 p.m. Please bring a dish to pass and/or a dessert to share.
Social Justice Interest Survey
While the newly-formed UUFCM Social Justice Coordinating Team will regularly announce events and needs, we would also like to directly alert members and friends who might have an interest in a specific issue. To this end, we ask that you fill out this survey and e-mail your completed survey to Norma Bailey at baile1nj@cmich.edu. Alternatively, printed surveys are available at the fellowship - just put your completed survey in the envelope provided.
Plot Changes!
Readers Theatre has been changed indefinitely to 6:45 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. Interested in joining us? Please see Jim Dealing (deali1jr@cmich.edu or 772-0269) or Ricky Courlander (magicwalnut@charter.net or 772-4457) for more information.
Pots, Pans, & Serving Bowls
If you have any pots, pans, and/or serving bowls you no longer use, please consider donating them to our fellowship kitchen! If we get duplicates, we will donate them. Look forward to seeing your mustard yellow serving bowl displaying someone else's cuisine! Thank you!
You are Invited!
The congregation is invited to join Roze and Justin as they celebrate their marriage on October 28th, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Steeped in the traditions of mythology, yet lighthearted with the customs of the upcoming holiday, our ceremony will be a unique celebration of our religion and our favorite holiday, Halloween. We encourage our guests to join the pageantry with costumes. Our theme is ‘A Seelie-Unseelie Faerie Wedding’, so faery and creature costumes are encouraged, but other costumes are also welcome. Please, no scary or gory costumes. This is a family-friendly event and children are invited and especially welcomed! The event will be held at the UU Fellowship. Doors open at 6:30, ceremony to begin at 7:00, followed by cake, coffee and plenty of candy for the young and young at heart.
• • • Area Community Events • • •
Get to Know Your Candidates!
The League of Women Voters is sponsoring a candidate forum on Thursday, October 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Mt. Pleasant City Hall. State Senate candidates Fred Sprague and Judy Emmons will respond to questions from the audience. This will be followed at 7:30 p.m. by a meet and greet session with the School Board and City Commission candidates. It is a great opportunity to meet candidates in person and hear their responses to questions that voters care about.
At CMU...
In response to our UUFCM mission statement – Fueled by love, transforming our lives and our world – we encourage you to make efforts to continue to learn about the many peoples and issues surrounding us. One way to do this is to attend some of the many events held at Central Michigan University, sponsored by their various diversity centers. Please see the links below for current flyers.
• Soup and Substance Series Schedule - October 23 and November 18
• Women's and Gender Studies Fall Events Schedule - November 5 and 18
Women’s Aid Service
The fall fundraiser for Women’s Aid Service - the Chocolate Fantasy - is at 5:00 p.m. on October 17th at the Comfort Inn. For tickets, contact Joyce Henricks at 773-4709 or joyce.henricks@cmich.edu.
Election Alert
Polls are open Tuesday, November 4 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.for a statewide election. Know before you go. View your ballot ahead of time by visiting michigan.gov/vote. Candidate Forum dates for upcoming contests are available on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall.
Needle Craft Group at VML
Dr. Malone-Beach has recently started a needle craft group which meets Fridays from noon to 3 p.m. (drop in) at Veteran' Memorial Library. We do knitting, crocheting, quilting, needle point, and tatting. This is a great opportunity to learn how to do one of these crafts or to share and grow in one's crafting! All ages and experience levels are welcome!
falling leaves
hide the path
so quietly
~ John Bailey, “Autumn”
The deadline for submissions to the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly e-News is
Sunday at 10:00 p.m. Please send all submissions to admin@uufcm.org
UUFCM Board of Trustees for 2014-2015
President: Laura McBride (989.772.5512; lmcbride010@gmail.com)
President Elect: Annette Pratt (989.400.0173; ampratt@cybersingerscafe.com)
Past-President: Gisela Moffit (989.772.1602; gbmoffit@gmail.com)
Treasurer: David Macleod (989.772.0595; macle1d@cmich.edu)
Secretary: Vicki Chessin (989.463.3076; vechessin@aol.com)
Trustee: Scott Daigle (989.506.5750; sndaigle@gmail.com)
Trustee: Capalene Howse (989.488.8714; capalene.howse@gmail.com)
Trustee: Jennifer Prout (989.400.3130; poutyprouty66@yahoo.com)