In Worship
Our worship service for this Sunday, April 17 will be in honor of Earth Day 2016 - “Our Blue Boat Home: An Earth Day Celebration for All Ages.” Please join us!
“I pledge allegiance to the earth on which I stand, and to the environment of which I am a part,
one planet in a Process, with soil, water and air like one body, indivisible, with resources to be
cherished and protected by all.” ~ Vern Barnet
Fellowship Life Meeting - This Sunday
The agenda for our monthly Fellowship Life meeting this Sunday (following worship) will include plans for upcoming Fellowship Work Day(s), the All-Congregation Retreat, and changes in RE leadership.
Welcome to UU Class – *This Sunday, 4/17
This ninety-minute orientation class is geared to newcomers, visitors, and those seeking to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and this UU fellowship. This month’s session will begin immediately following the Fellowship Life meeting this Sunday. *Due to Common Read discussion group scheduling, this session was bumped from the 4th Sunday to the 3rd.
Religious Education (RE) News
A big thank you to Roze Bentley, our Director of Religious Education (DRE) for the past two years for her creativity, generosity, and devotion. Roze has resigned her position as of April 1 due to a full-time employment opportunity, but she will continue to work with our children occasionally. And a big welcome to Anna Van Arsdale Hoot who has been approved by the UUFCM Board to take over the DRE responsibilities for the month of April and serve as our DRE for the coming year 2016-2017. During the months of May through August, we will continue to provide both child care and curriculum for our children; what that will look like will be announced in the near future.
Please join us on Sunday, May 1, as we recognize all those who have led our RE program for this year – Roze Bentley, Justin Bentley, Justin Henry, Aaron Jiskra, Anna Van Arsdale Hoot, Sela Damer-Daigle and Elliott McBride.
Shocking News!
UUFCM has an AED! This is an Automatic External Defibrillator that can be used in the event of a cardiac arrest anyone – yes, you –can use this to save a life. It is located in its own box on the wall to the left as you start down the stairs to the restrooms. Whether you were able to attend the mini-training session after worship this past Sunday or not, please view this video and spend 6-7 minutes becoming familiar with our HeartSmart AED and its use.
Nepal Handicrafts to Support Butterfly Home - a Message from Mari Potter
Thanks to many of you, I was given the opportunity to volunteer at the Early Childhood Development Center/ Butterfly Home orphanage, with Pushpa Basnet, in Kathmandu Nepal, for a month, last July. While I was there, I told Pushpa that I would be willing to try to sell, in the USA, some of the handicrafts that the children, and their mothers in prison, created to raise money for extracurricular activities. This Sunday and also on the 17th, during Coffee Hour, I will have a table set up in the Social Hall with the handicrafts and a slide show of my photographs from Nepal. I have not priced any of the goods, but instead will ask for a donation for each item. The goods include hair accessories; stone jewelry; embroidered placemats, table runners and coasters; and embroidered or painted tote bags.
I want to thank you for your past and future support of me, Pushpa Basnet and the Butterfly Home. I will be returning there for 3 weeks in July to volunteer at the new Butterfly Home where Pushpa’s family moved into in January 2016. Check out the home and the handicrafts!
An Invitation: Neighbor Understanding Neighbor
On Wednesday, April 20 you are invited to a potluck dinner from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 1250 Watson Rd. Mt. Pleasant as we have a time of getting to know our interfaith neighbors as we share dinner, fellowship and have conversation. We will be spending the evening with members of the Islamic Center of Mount Pleasant, sharing together about faith traditions and learning about each other and our beliefs. Join us as we get to know our neighbors through face to face conversation. If you have questions, please contact Andrew Miller, andrewlmiller1@gmail.com or 773-9609.
Our Next “Common Read”
Discussion group opportunities have been scheduled for the third installment of our year-long “Common Read” series on racial justice: Sunday April 24 and Sunday May 1 – both sessions will begin at 12:00 p.m. following worship.
The Selma Awakening by Mark Morrison-Reed is the book that is most personal to us as UUs for it poignantly articulates our own history with the civil rights movement – our triumphs and our shortcomings – and how it continues to shape us as a faith community. A few copies of the book are still available for purchase at the fellowship – cost is $18.00 per copy.
Mark Your Calendars: April 30 All-Congregation Retreat!
The UUFCM Board of Trustees has scheduled an all congregation retreat for Saturday, April 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the UU Center. For those of you new to us, our congregation gathers for an all-day (or partial-day, as in this case) retreat once a year to collectively engage deeply with a particular issue(s) of importance to the community. The agenda for this year’s retreat is still being finalized, so stay tuned for details to come...
UU Young Adult Conference – May 6-8 in Kalamazoo
This year’s UUA Mid-America Region Young Adult Conference will be at People's Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan from May 6-8, and it is open to young adults aged 18-35. The conference is called CONtinUUing EdUUcation, and it will be focused on issues related to education in the United States. There will be contemporary worship, as well as opportunity to play, learn, eat, and enjoy fellowship together, interspersed with engaging workshops and social justice activities.
Meals are provided, and participants may sleep at the church or make other arrangements for overnight lodging.
Registration link
Scholarship application
There is a sliding scale registration, to be paid at the door, is $25-$75 for the weekend.
Interfaith Reproductive Justice Conference
The Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network (MUUSJN) and the Interfaith Reproductive Justice Coalition are sponsoring an Interfaith Reproductive Justice Conference at the Woodside Church, United Church of Christ, in Flint on Friday, May 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be updates on legislation, skills training workshops, issues workshops, and speakers from three national organizations. Registration is $20 (early bird) and is done individually (see flyer). Norma Bailey is attending, so please contact her if you would like to share rides (989-560-3952 or baile1nj@cmich.edu).
Marching in the Alma Highland Festival Parade
We are again going to march in the Alma Highland Festival Parade on Saturday, May 28 (Memorial Day weekend). While the parade starts at 10:30 and is completed by about 11:30, we would need to be there to line up no later than 10:00. Vicki Chessin is organizing us and getting our parade banner ready, so please contact her (vechessin@aol.com) or Norma Bailey (baile1nj@cmich.edu) to join us. We would love to have a large contingent of Mt. Pleasant UUs!
Our worship service for this Sunday, April 17 will be in honor of Earth Day 2016 - “Our Blue Boat Home: An Earth Day Celebration for All Ages.” Please join us!
“I pledge allegiance to the earth on which I stand, and to the environment of which I am a part,
one planet in a Process, with soil, water and air like one body, indivisible, with resources to be
cherished and protected by all.” ~ Vern Barnet
Fellowship Life Meeting - This Sunday
The agenda for our monthly Fellowship Life meeting this Sunday (following worship) will include plans for upcoming Fellowship Work Day(s), the All-Congregation Retreat, and changes in RE leadership.
Welcome to UU Class – *This Sunday, 4/17
This ninety-minute orientation class is geared to newcomers, visitors, and those seeking to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and this UU fellowship. This month’s session will begin immediately following the Fellowship Life meeting this Sunday. *Due to Common Read discussion group scheduling, this session was bumped from the 4th Sunday to the 3rd.
Religious Education (RE) News
A big thank you to Roze Bentley, our Director of Religious Education (DRE) for the past two years for her creativity, generosity, and devotion. Roze has resigned her position as of April 1 due to a full-time employment opportunity, but she will continue to work with our children occasionally. And a big welcome to Anna Van Arsdale Hoot who has been approved by the UUFCM Board to take over the DRE responsibilities for the month of April and serve as our DRE for the coming year 2016-2017. During the months of May through August, we will continue to provide both child care and curriculum for our children; what that will look like will be announced in the near future.
Please join us on Sunday, May 1, as we recognize all those who have led our RE program for this year – Roze Bentley, Justin Bentley, Justin Henry, Aaron Jiskra, Anna Van Arsdale Hoot, Sela Damer-Daigle and Elliott McBride.
Shocking News!
UUFCM has an AED! This is an Automatic External Defibrillator that can be used in the event of a cardiac arrest anyone – yes, you –can use this to save a life. It is located in its own box on the wall to the left as you start down the stairs to the restrooms. Whether you were able to attend the mini-training session after worship this past Sunday or not, please view this video and spend 6-7 minutes becoming familiar with our HeartSmart AED and its use.
Nepal Handicrafts to Support Butterfly Home - a Message from Mari Potter
Thanks to many of you, I was given the opportunity to volunteer at the Early Childhood Development Center/ Butterfly Home orphanage, with Pushpa Basnet, in Kathmandu Nepal, for a month, last July. While I was there, I told Pushpa that I would be willing to try to sell, in the USA, some of the handicrafts that the children, and their mothers in prison, created to raise money for extracurricular activities. This Sunday and also on the 17th, during Coffee Hour, I will have a table set up in the Social Hall with the handicrafts and a slide show of my photographs from Nepal. I have not priced any of the goods, but instead will ask for a donation for each item. The goods include hair accessories; stone jewelry; embroidered placemats, table runners and coasters; and embroidered or painted tote bags.
I want to thank you for your past and future support of me, Pushpa Basnet and the Butterfly Home. I will be returning there for 3 weeks in July to volunteer at the new Butterfly Home where Pushpa’s family moved into in January 2016. Check out the home and the handicrafts!
An Invitation: Neighbor Understanding Neighbor
On Wednesday, April 20 you are invited to a potluck dinner from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 1250 Watson Rd. Mt. Pleasant as we have a time of getting to know our interfaith neighbors as we share dinner, fellowship and have conversation. We will be spending the evening with members of the Islamic Center of Mount Pleasant, sharing together about faith traditions and learning about each other and our beliefs. Join us as we get to know our neighbors through face to face conversation. If you have questions, please contact Andrew Miller, andrewlmiller1@gmail.com or 773-9609.
Our Next “Common Read”
Discussion group opportunities have been scheduled for the third installment of our year-long “Common Read” series on racial justice: Sunday April 24 and Sunday May 1 – both sessions will begin at 12:00 p.m. following worship.
The Selma Awakening by Mark Morrison-Reed is the book that is most personal to us as UUs for it poignantly articulates our own history with the civil rights movement – our triumphs and our shortcomings – and how it continues to shape us as a faith community. A few copies of the book are still available for purchase at the fellowship – cost is $18.00 per copy.
Mark Your Calendars: April 30 All-Congregation Retreat!
The UUFCM Board of Trustees has scheduled an all congregation retreat for Saturday, April 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the UU Center. For those of you new to us, our congregation gathers for an all-day (or partial-day, as in this case) retreat once a year to collectively engage deeply with a particular issue(s) of importance to the community. The agenda for this year’s retreat is still being finalized, so stay tuned for details to come...
UU Young Adult Conference – May 6-8 in Kalamazoo
This year’s UUA Mid-America Region Young Adult Conference will be at People's Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan from May 6-8, and it is open to young adults aged 18-35. The conference is called CONtinUUing EdUUcation, and it will be focused on issues related to education in the United States. There will be contemporary worship, as well as opportunity to play, learn, eat, and enjoy fellowship together, interspersed with engaging workshops and social justice activities.
Meals are provided, and participants may sleep at the church or make other arrangements for overnight lodging.
Registration link
Scholarship application
There is a sliding scale registration, to be paid at the door, is $25-$75 for the weekend.
Interfaith Reproductive Justice Conference
The Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network (MUUSJN) and the Interfaith Reproductive Justice Coalition are sponsoring an Interfaith Reproductive Justice Conference at the Woodside Church, United Church of Christ, in Flint on Friday, May 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be updates on legislation, skills training workshops, issues workshops, and speakers from three national organizations. Registration is $20 (early bird) and is done individually (see flyer). Norma Bailey is attending, so please contact her if you would like to share rides (989-560-3952 or baile1nj@cmich.edu).
Marching in the Alma Highland Festival Parade
We are again going to march in the Alma Highland Festival Parade on Saturday, May 28 (Memorial Day weekend). While the parade starts at 10:30 and is completed by about 11:30, we would need to be there to line up no later than 10:00. Vicki Chessin is organizing us and getting our parade banner ready, so please contact her (vechessin@aol.com) or Norma Bailey (baile1nj@cmich.edu) to join us. We would love to have a large contingent of Mt. Pleasant UUs!
••• Community News •••
Save the dates and attend these important social justice events!
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Events through April 14. For complete information, visit this calendar of events.
CMU Pride Week 2016
Events April 11-15. Download the flyer here. Offered by CMU's Office of LGBTQ Services.
Walking with Our Sisters Memorial Coming to the Ziibiwing
April 23 through May 7 at the Ziibiwing Centre. For more info:
Walking with Our Sisters is a commemorative art installation to honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous Women of Canada and the United States; to acknowledge the grief and torment families of these women continue to suffer; and to raise awareness of this issue and create opportunity for broad community-based dialogue on the issue.
“Our Changing Climate: Through Artists’ Eyes”, April 18-23 at Art Reach on Broadway
Artists can evoke not the only urgency and dangers of climate change but, just as importantly, the power of hope and vision for a livable world. The goal of this juried exhibit is to bring climate change to the forefront of public awareness with evocative art that fosters productive public discourse on climate solutions.
Artists’ Reception April 18, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Max & Emily’s will provide refreshments.
“Earth /Words: Writers Respond to Climate Change”, April 18, 7-8:30 p.m.
After the artist’s reception, local writers will share original work on the theme of climate change and the environment. The reading is sponsored by Mt. Pleasant Citizens Climate Lobby and will be hosted by Robert Fanning of the CMU English Department. The event is free and open to the public.
“Effects of Climate Change on Coffee Growers” April 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the UUFCM
Jose Vasquez from Chiapas, MX, will present a program. Vasquez is a Mayan, a small-scale coffee farmer and an activist. Our coffee sources (Higher Ground Coffee) and his livelihood are being threatened by a coffee fungus which is the result of climate change. The program is sponsored by the Mt. Pleasant Citizen’s Climate Lobby and Greentree Cooperative.
Save the dates and attend these important social justice events!
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Events through April 14. For complete information, visit this calendar of events.
CMU Pride Week 2016
Events April 11-15. Download the flyer here. Offered by CMU's Office of LGBTQ Services.
Walking with Our Sisters Memorial Coming to the Ziibiwing
April 23 through May 7 at the Ziibiwing Centre. For more info:
Walking with Our Sisters is a commemorative art installation to honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous Women of Canada and the United States; to acknowledge the grief and torment families of these women continue to suffer; and to raise awareness of this issue and create opportunity for broad community-based dialogue on the issue.
“Our Changing Climate: Through Artists’ Eyes”, April 18-23 at Art Reach on Broadway
Artists can evoke not the only urgency and dangers of climate change but, just as importantly, the power of hope and vision for a livable world. The goal of this juried exhibit is to bring climate change to the forefront of public awareness with evocative art that fosters productive public discourse on climate solutions.
Artists’ Reception April 18, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Max & Emily’s will provide refreshments.
“Earth /Words: Writers Respond to Climate Change”, April 18, 7-8:30 p.m.
After the artist’s reception, local writers will share original work on the theme of climate change and the environment. The reading is sponsored by Mt. Pleasant Citizens Climate Lobby and will be hosted by Robert Fanning of the CMU English Department. The event is free and open to the public.
“Effects of Climate Change on Coffee Growers” April 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the UUFCM
Jose Vasquez from Chiapas, MX, will present a program. Vasquez is a Mayan, a small-scale coffee farmer and an activist. Our coffee sources (Higher Ground Coffee) and his livelihood are being threatened by a coffee fungus which is the result of climate change. The program is sponsored by the Mt. Pleasant Citizen’s Climate Lobby and Greentree Cooperative.
Service Cancellation Policy
In case of inclement weather, a decision to cancel the service will be made by 9 a.m. An announcement will be posted on our web site (uufcm.org) and on Facebook as well as sent directly via email. Those who are not online will be phoned. If you have questions, call Annette Pratt (989-400-0173). We hope we won't have to resort to this very often, but we live in Michigan after all, so we need to be prepared!
Got News?
The deadline for submissions to the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly e-News is
Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. Please send all submissions to admin@uufcm.org.
UUFCM Board of Trustees for 2015-2016
President: Annette Pratt (989.400.0173; ampratt@cybersingerscafe.com)
President Elect/Past-President: Laura McBride (989.772.5512; lmcbride010@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: Carol Rard (989.561.2969; cprard@gmail.com)
Trustee: Janis Shinn (989.400.3724; janis_shinn@yahoo.com)
In case of inclement weather, a decision to cancel the service will be made by 9 a.m. An announcement will be posted on our web site (uufcm.org) and on Facebook as well as sent directly via email. Those who are not online will be phoned. If you have questions, call Annette Pratt (989-400-0173). We hope we won't have to resort to this very often, but we live in Michigan after all, so we need to be prepared!
Got News?
The deadline for submissions to the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly e-News is
Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. Please send all submissions to admin@uufcm.org.
UUFCM Board of Trustees for 2015-2016
President: Annette Pratt (989.400.0173; ampratt@cybersingerscafe.com)
President Elect/Past-President: Laura McBride (989.772.5512; lmcbride010@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: Carol Rard (989.561.2969; cprard@gmail.com)
Trustee: Janis Shinn (989.400.3724; janis_shinn@yahoo.com)
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