“...I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.
So I have spent almost all the daylight hours in the open air.”
~ 
Nathaniel Hawthorne, 10th October ,
 1842


UUFCM Cottage Meetings
Transition Team announces cottage meetings to begin our interim work
We are now ready for the first of two rounds of "cottage meetings" to understand our past and present as the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan (UUFCM) and to contemplate our future. Our goal is to include as many member voices as possible in discussing who and where we have been, who and where we are now, and who and where we want to be in the future.

For our first round, we have established five "cottage meetings," informal gatherings of 8-10 members, each facilitated by two of the members of the Transition Team, to gather our stories of why we came to the UUFCM, why we continue to come, what the role of the fellowship is in our lives, and what our involvement is with the fellowship.

The dates and places of the gatherings are:
Sunday, October 20, 4:00 - 6:00 pm - home of Justin and Niki Henry              
Sunday, October 20, 7:00 - 9:00 pm - home of Scott Daigle and Cynthia Damer
Tuesday, October 22, 7:00 - 9:00 pm - home of Beth and David Macleod
Friday, October 25, 7:00 - 9:00 pm - home of Gisela and Tom Moffit
Saturday, October 26, 1:30 - 3:30 pm - home of Laura McBride

We are inviting all members to sign up for one of the five gatherings. We will have sign-up sheets available on Sunday mornings, October 6, 13, and 20, or you can contact Norma Bailey (989-560-3952 or [email protected]) to sign up. If you have questions about the goals and/or the process for the cottage meetings, you can contact Reverend Joe (989-400-4933 or [email protected]) or any member of the Transition Team (Norma Bailey,Jim Dealing, Laura Frey, Joyce Henricks).

If you are not a member and wish to take part in these conversations, we welcome your participation. 
Please contact either Joe or Norma.

Movie Night
Movie Night is every second Saturday at 7 p.m. at the UU Center. The movie for Saturday, October 12th is “Queen to Play”. A hotel maid (Sandra Bonnaire) sees a couple playing chess. In her effort to learn to play - with some help from her employer (Kevin Kline) - she changes profoundly how she sees herself and how she is seen by those around her. Contact Jim Dealing with any questions - [email protected] or (989) 772-0269.

Youthful Noise!
The children's choir, Youthful Noise, will be performing this Sunday for a noisy collection to benefit the Peace Pole project. Be sure to bring some change!

Sunday Worship
The sermon for October 13th is “Bring Many Names: Exploring God”. “Why do you go to the forest in search of the Divine? God lives in all, and abides with you too. As fragrance dwells in a flower, or reflection in a mirror, so the Divine dwells inside everything; seek therefore in your own heart.” ~ Tegh Bahadur

Planning for Silent Auction in Full Swing
On Saturday, October 19 at 7 p.m. we will have our biggest fundraising event of the year. It will be a fun-filled evening with lots of great items and services to bid on. There is no cover charge so bring your friends and relatives. Child care will be provided off site. If you want to bring your children, contact Norma Bailey ([email protected] or 560.3952) no later than Sunday, Oct. 13. 

Please bring your items for the auction to the UU Center by Wednesday, 
Oct. 16. If you bring them on Sunday, leave them in your car until after the service as we don’t have enough storage space earlier. Thank you for your understanding. If you have other questions, call Gisela at 772-1602 or email at [email protected].

Looking forward to another fun adventure!

“Universalists are often asked to tell where they stand.
The only true answer...is that we do not stand at all, we move.”

~ Rev. Lewis B. Fisher




First Friday Potluck
Our monthly gathering to share a meal and have a fun social time together is happening Friday, October 4 at 6:00 p.m. Gisela and Tom Moffit will be hosting the potluck this month. Simply bring a dish to pass and your week-worn weary self to the UUFCM social hall for nourishment and rejuvenation - at least as much as can be gained from sharing a meal, conversation and laughter with friends. We hope you'll join us!



Sunday Worship
The sermon for October 6th is “Join the Move”. This is a time for transition not just for UUFCM but for the UUA as well, and not just because the UUA's mailing address is changing from 25 Beacon to 24 Farnsworth. What are the changes that Unitarian Universalism faces now? How are the ways UUFCM is changing and growing part of the changes in Unitarian Universalism?

First Sunday Food Collection
Great need continues for many people in our own community for assistance in meeting the basic needs of life. This Sunday, October 6, please bring non-perishable food items (canned goods), baby items, paper products and personal care products for donation. Your offerings will be collected by the children at the opening of the worship service. Thank you in advance!

If you want to find out more about the needs of the hungry and poor in our own community, read the article by Ed Fisher in The Morning Sun of Monday, August 26.

Movie Night
Movie Night is every second Saturday at 7 p.m. at the UU Center. The movie for Saturday, October 12th is “Queen to Play”. A hotel maid (Sandra Bonnaire) sees a couple playing chess. In her effort to learn to play - with some help from her employer (Kevin Kline) - she changes profoundly how she sees herself and how she is seen by those around her. Contact Jim Dealing with any questions - [email protected] or (989) 772-0269.

Searching for Hormonal Balance 
If you attend services regularly, you may have noticed that the choir is a bit under-
represented by male voices. In the spirit of equality and Hank Graff, we are currently having a "push, pull, drag him in" event. If you know of anyone who might consider being dragged in, please have them join us on Wednesday evening at 7:00 or on Sunday morning at 9:45. If you enjoy singing in the car, in the shower, or at karaoke night please join us. If there are any questions, contact Chris Bauerle at 989-330-8457 or at [email protected].

Do's and Don'ts for the Silent Auction - 
Saturday, October 19 at 7:00 p.m. - No Door Charge!

Do attend this fun-filled event.
Do bring friends. This is not just for UUs
Do donate one or more services: massage, transportation, raking, babysitting/time with a child, host an event, teaching something you do...
Do think creatively of items to donate: something nice you no long use. childrens’ items, tools, dishes, a quilt; something you make: food, music, art, time at your cabin...
Do let us know if you can help set up from 10 - noon on Saturday, Oct. 19.
Do let us know if you can help that night with greeting, cashing out or bringing finger foods to go with the wine and cheese.
Do stay and help clean up. Many hands make it go quickly when we are all tired.  
 
Don't miss this event! If all life allows this year is your presence, come and have fun. We want you there!

Last year's auction was our biggest fundraiser. For more information contact Gisela Moffit,  Vicki Chessin or Norma Bailey. 
Slips for donations of services and items are available at the UU Center or via email from Gisela or Vicki. Everything needs to be dropped off at the UU Center by October 16, please .

Get to Know Kristin and Rev. Joe
As a way of helping Rev. Joe get to know us, the Transition Team has been organizing dinners for Rev. Joe with members. We'd like to see these dinners continue, especially now that his partner, Kristin, is in town! But there's no need to use the Transition Team as a go-between. If you'd like to get to know Rev. Joe and Kristin better over dinner, you can extend that invitation to Rev. Joe at [email protected] or call him at the fellowship: 989-400-4933.



“Listen! the wind is rising,
and the air is wild with leaves.
We have had our summer evenings,
now for October eves.”

~ Humbert Wolfe, P.L.M.: Peoples, Landfalls, Mountains, 1936