eNews June 4, 2026

6/4/2026

eNews for Thursday,

June 4, 2026

Worship Matters

We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, June 7, to worship with a message from Rev. Drew on "Flower Communion." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.

"The special ritual of Flower Communion is celebrated by Unitarian Universalists everywhere. All are invited to bring a flower to the service if you can (we will have extras to share). Each person places a flower in the common vase to represent what you bring to the congregation; at the end, each person takes home a different flower to represent what you receive from the congregation. Please join us!"

Zoom Invitation for Sunday Service:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 402489218

One tap mobile
+16468769923,,402489218#
Phone - audio only
+1 646 876 9923

Upcoming Services

June 7: Flower Communion
June 14: Celebrating Pride Month
_______________________________
June 21: General Assembly worship service (virtual only - 11:00 am) - no in-person service this day, the building will be closed in the morning. Look for link to Sunday Service in the calendar

In Case You Missed It...

Many past sermons are available on our website under Sermon Videos and Archives.

In order to access any services 2024 on, go to the website and click on Worship, then Sunday Services.

Minister’s Column: “Gratitude for Leaders”

In the annual life-cycle of this Fellowship, June is a time of transition. We have recently had our annual business meeting, summarizing the accomplishments of last year and looking ahead to the next; this week we celebrate the Flower Communion which bookends the year. During the summer months, the minister takes several weeks off and we have a slightly different routine for our summer worship. And in terms of governance, key leadership committees such as the Board of Trustees and the Shared Ministry Team also end their terms on June 30.

This year was especially challenging for the dedicated lay leaders of UUFCM. We are trying to hold together a Fellowship that serves as a sanctuary from a rising tide of authoritarian oppression and inspires us to defend our freedoms. We worked endless hours, with tears and heartbreak, to enact a sex offender policy that tests the limits of our value of radical inclusion—holding in love those who support the policy and those who feel unsafe because of it. I’ve worked with these leaders through regular meetings, emergency meetings, heartfelt one-on-one conversations, and deep faithful discernment about what is right for this congregation. They have given their time and energy to this work out of profound love for this congregation and this UU faith.
More...

Upcoming Events

Most meetings and events are hybrid (in-person/Zoom). Please contact the event or meeting leader if you are not sure. Event and meeting details and links can be found on the UUFCM Calendar.

A Joyful Noise Choir Rehearsal On Hiatus until Fall...
Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm
Crafty U - 3rd Tuesdays at 10:30am
First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm This Friday!
Sleepy Time Yoga - 3rd Sundays at 6:30pm On Hiatus until Fall...
Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm
Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm
Readers Theater - 2nd Tuesdays at 6:30pm This Tuesday!
UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am
UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom
Welcome to UU Orientation - last Sunday of the month at 12:00pm unless otherwise indicated.

All members and friends are welcome to attend our UUFCM Board meeting as well as the various team meetings that occur monthly. If you are interested in attending any specific team meeting, please contact the team leader for information.

Team Meetings

Social Justice Team: Monday June 8 at 6:30pm

Fellowship News

Welcome Justin!
Thank you Claire!

Congratulations to Justin Fleer, who is now the Technology Assistant for UUFCM. Justin has been a member of the Fellowship for years and now becomes an employee. Conversely, Claire Lester is going from being a paid employee to being a regular congregant. She's not leaving us! Thank you Claire for four years of great service as tech assistant.

Infant Pantry Sunday, June 7

Donations for the Infant Pantry are collected on the first Sunday of each month. You can donate online to the Monthly Donations for Infant Pantry on our website, or checks can be sent to our treasurer made out to UUFCM with Infant Pantry in the memo.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Care Request Form for UUFCM Community

The UUFCM Caring Team supports members and friends of the congregation in practical ways such as offering rides to medical appointments, meals for those temporarily unable to cook for themselves, and help with moving. Our ability to help, of course, is limited to the capacity of our volunteers. To facilitate delivery of these helping services, you are invited to fill out this online form on behalf of yourself or others if you want to request such assistance. Cynthia Damer coordinates this effort; others members of the Caring Team are Phoenix Thompson, Lou Ann Ashley, Laura McBride, Victoria Sladek, and Rev. Drew Frantz. Click HERE.

Tabling at Farmer's Market - Volunteers Needed

We will have a table at the farmer's market on certain days this summer and fall. Please sign up in the Fellowship hall if you can help. This gives us a chance to be more visible in the community, sharing our message of love and inclusion. Here are the dates:

Saturday, June 13
Saturday, July 4
Thursday, July 16
Saturday, August 8
Thursday, August 27
Saturday, September 12
Thursday, October 29

Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival June 20

The 5^th annual Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival will be held on Friday, June 20, from 2-5 pm at Broadway Park (2451 Nish Na Anong Drive), and the Social Justice Coordinating Team (SJCT) is sponsoring a table. If you would like to help with the table, please contact any member of the SJCT. As well, we encourage you to attend the event – an event full of life and love!

Community News

Honoring, Healing & Remembering

Indivisible Meetings & Protests Continue!

Join Indivisible Central Michigan for a Celebration on June 14!

On June 14, while President Trump once again tries to turn Flag Day into a mockery centered on himself, we’re choosing something different. We’re choosing community over ego. We are celebrating solidarity, participation, and shared purpose. We are having an un-birthday party for our democracy warriors!

Join Indivisible Central Michigan at The Commission on Aging, 2200 S Lincoln Rd, for an uplifting evening that celebrates the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment. Food and fellowship start at 6:30 PM. We will livestream the "Rise Up, Sing Out!" concert beginning at 7:30 PM. Pizza, iced tea, and water provided. You are welcome to bring any non-alcoholic drinks you’d like, as well as snacks or desserts to share.

This 90-minute concert celebrating First Amendment freedoms will feature Rufus Wainwright, Bette Midler, Patti Smith, Sasha Allen, Joy Reid, Jane Fonda, and more. In a moment when our fundamental freedoms are under threat, music has always led the way. From the civil rights movement to today, artists have been at the forefront of the fight for justice and free expression.

Please RSVP HERE by June 10th!

Indivisible Central Michigan plans on continuing their weekly Saturday protests at the usual location (corner of Mission and Broadway). The time is 11:00-1:00. In case of extreme weather, a cancellation email will be sent out by 10:00. Email [email protected] to get on the email list.

Donate Now!

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan is funded solely by its members and friends.

For your convenience, you can make a donation electronically with the button below. Please consider the option of offsetting the cost to the Fellowship for providing the convenience of making an online donation.

If you prefer not to donate electronically, you may also write a check payable to UUFCM and send it to: UUFCM, P.O. Box 41, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804-0041

Got News?

The deadline for submissions to
the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly eNews
is Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Please send all submissions to [email protected].

Drew’s Contact Information

Please contact Drew via email, phone, or text.
[email protected]
Phone/text: 440-935-0129
Office Hours
Tuesdays 10am-noon
Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm

UUFCM Board of Trustees for 2025-2026
*Phone numbers available in our UUFCM Directory
President: Norma Bailey ([email protected])
President-Elect: Guy Newland (newla1g [email protected])
Treasurer: David Allan ([email protected])
Secretary: Jennifer Davis ([email protected])
Trustee: Annette Pratt ([email protected])
Trustee: Jennifer Prout ([email protected])
Trustee: Matt Collins (colli2mr@gmail.com)

Team and Committee Leaders

Adult Religious Education Team - Aaron Jones
Building, Grounds & Safety Team - Norma Bailey
Caring Team - Laura McBride
Communications Coordinating Team Annie Peters
Fellowship Life Coordinating Team - Laura McBride
Membership - Laura McBride
Welcome & Hospitality - Gisela Moffit
Social Fun - Jen Prout
Social Justice Coordinating Team - Norma Bailey
Worship Team - Drew Frantz
Youth Religious Education (RE) Team - Norma Bailey

We are a religious community guided by love, transforming our lives and our world.

Copyright © 2025 Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan. All rights reserved.

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eNews 5/28/26

5/28/2026

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eNews for Thursday,

May 28, 2026

Worship Matters

We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, May 31, to worship with a message from Rev. Drew on "Child Dedication." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.

"This Sunday we honor the children in our congregation with a dedication ceremony. In Unitarian Universalist tradition, this is usually done with the gift of a rose with the thorns removed–representing the way we protect young children from harm to the best of our ability. At a coming of age ceremony for teenagers, the rose is presented intact with the thorns–representing the mixture of beauty and challenge in life that we try to prepare our children for. Recognizing that children are vital to the flourishing of our congregation, we dedicate ourselves to the children of the congregation, for whom all of us share love and responsibility."

Zoom Invitation for Sunday Service:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 402489218

One tap mobile
+16468769923,,402489218#
Phone - audio only
+1 646 876 9923

Upcoming Services

May 31: Child Dedication
June 7: Flower Communion
June 14: Flourishing Together
June 21: National broadcast: worship from General Assembly

In Case You Missed It...

Many past sermons are available on our website under Sermon Videos and Archives.

In order to access any services 2024 on, go to the website and click on Worship, then Sunday Services.

Minister’s Column: “Old Man's Cave”

On Saturday I found myself with a crowd of humanity in a narrow gorge in Ohio. It was Memorial Day weekend and I was in Hocking Hills, Ohio. Just southeast of Columbus, this is the most popular natural area in the state. it is all winding roads and green rolling wooded hills. Limestone rock formations, carved by glaciers and aeons of flowing water, give the area its distinctive beauty—cliffs of rock with small streams forming waterfalls. And the heart of the Hocking Hills area is a series of short trails at Old Man’s Cave.

So I was in the most popular spot, in the most popular tourist region of Ohio, on the busiest weekend of the year. I was there for a weekend getaway with my son who lives in Columbus. The whole weekend turned out to be rainy—except for a window of a few hours on Saturday. Naturally, Dalin and I decided to head out to Old Man’s Cave during the break in the weather—and so did everyone else. More...

Upcoming Events

Most meetings and events are hybrid (in-person/Zoom). Please contact the event or meeting leader if you are not sure. Event and meeting details and links can be found on the UUFCM Calendar.

A Joyful Noise Choir Rehearsal On Hiatus until Fall...
Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm
Crafty U - 3rd Tuesdays at 10:30am
First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm
Sleepy Time Yoga - 3rd Sundays at 6:30pm On Hiatus until Fall...
Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm
Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm
Readers Theater - 2nd Tuesdays at 6:30pm
UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am
UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom
Welcome to UU Orientation - last Sunday of the month at 12:00pm unless otherwise indicated. (There will not be a Welcome to UUFCM class at the end of May. If anyone has questions they are encouraged to contact Laura McBride at 989.772.5512 or [email protected].)

Team Meetings

Building Team: Monday, June 1 at 5:30pm

Fellowship News

June Birthdays!

Betty Clason
Nancy White
Daria Kingman
Dave Macleod
Audra Daniels
Claire Lester
Karen Turnbull
Roxanne Fleer
Carol Rard
Jess Lawson
Alan Heise

For the year to come, we wish them much joy, good health for body and mind, and new (ad)ventures. May it be so.

2026 Results of Congregational Voting:

The slate of candidates, the by-laws amendment, and the budget were approved. Thanks to all for participating in voting.

2025-2026 Annual Report

We held our annual meeting on Sunday, May 17, at the end of the worship service. Besides reviewing the ballot issues and recognizing the multiple volunteers who carry out the work of the Fellowship, we handed out the 2025-2026 Annual Report, a compendium of the work of the minister, Board of Trustees and teams and committees. We encourage you to read it to better understand all that makes up the life of UUFCM. LINK

Tabling at Farmer's Market - Volunteers Needed

You're Invited to a Baby Shower!

You are invited to a baby shower!!! Please see the invitation and additional details:

We are collecting money to purchase gifts to benefit Rain and the family. If you wish to bring a gift of your own, please do! Otherwise, any contributions are welcome. Laura McBride is collecting money for a community gift and has suggestions from Annie for possible items, if you are interested. The last day to give money is Sunday, May 24th so Laura has time to shop and wrap.

We will have a special treat in addition to our usual tasty offerings. Please stay, meet Rain and welcome her into our community.

Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival June 20

Looking for People to Paint

The Building and Grounds Team is looking for people who like to paint. Once the weather warms up to consistently above freezing in the mornings, we want to get both front doors repainted red and, as well, the “triangle” to the right of the door on Wisconsin Street needs to be scraped and repainted white. Please contact any member of the Team if you are willing – Norma Bailey, Bob Busch, Daniel Davis, Kirsten King and Kurt Roeder.

Community News

A Conversation with Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson

Co-sponsored by Citizens’ Climate Lobby and Citizens’ Climate Education, there will be a presentation of a conversation with Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson documenting the impact climate change has on children at Art Reach of Mid Michigan on Monday, June 1 at 7pm-8:30 pm.

Indivisible Meetings & Protests Continue!

Donate Now!

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan is funded solely by its members and friends.

If you prefer not to donate electronically, you may also write a check payable to UUFCM and send it to: UUFCM, P.O. Box 41, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804-0041

Got News?

The deadline for submissions to
the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly eNews
is Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Please send all submissions to [email protected].

Drew’s Contact Information

Please contact Drew via email, phone, or text.
[email protected]
Phone/text: 440-935-0129
Office Hours
Tuesdays 10am-noon
Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm

Team and Committee Leaders

We are a religious community guided by love, transforming our lives and our world.

eNews 5/21/26

5/21/2026

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eNews for Thursday,

May 21, 2026

LGBTQ+ Capitol Day in Lansing

On May 13, four of us traveled down to Lansing to participate in LGBTQ+ Capitol Day to advocate for issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. Rev. Drew, Norma Bailey, Al Heise and Kim Joki had to the opportunity to meet with Michigan Representatives and Senators to share our concerns and stories. See Drew's reflection in the Ministers Column below.

Worship Matters

We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, May 24, to worship with a message from Norma Bailey on "Reflections on Memorial Day." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.

Considered by many Americans to simply provide a three-day weekend kicking off the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day, a federal holiday celebrated on the last Monday of May, has a rich history. Norma Bailey will provide that history as well as several brief readings to help us reflect on its true meaning.

Zoom Invitation for Sunday Service:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 402489218

One tap mobile
+16468769923,,402489218#
Phone - audio only
+1 646 876 9923

Upcoming Services

May 24: Reflections on Memorial Day

In Case You Missed It...

Many past sermons are available on our website under Sermon Videos and Archives.

In order to access any services 2024 on, go to the website and click on Worship, then Sunday Services.

Minister’s Column: “Michigan LGBTQ+ Capitol Day”

Last week I went to my first Michigan LGBTQ+ Capitol Day, along with Kim Joki, Al Heise and Norma Bailey. More than 400 people attended. Our intention was to speak with lawmakers about issues affecting the queer community. The organizers equipped us with a page of talking points about each of two issues: gender affirming care and HIV. We got some training, both ahead of time and at the event, about how to engage with the lawmakers: introduce ourselves; tell a personal story about how LGBTQ rights/freedoms/safety affects our lives; ask the lawmaker if they have any questions about the issues; and ask them to commit to voting with us. The organizers had scheduled everything before we got there, and we were assigned to 30-minute meetings with a small group of lobbyists for each lawmaker.

The House and Senate lawmakers who represent Mount Pleasant are both Republicans, and both declined to meet with our lobbying delegation. Instead, I wound up attending two meetings with Democratic House representatives: Jason Morgan from Ann Arbor and Jimmie Wilson from Ypsilanti. Jason Morgan turned out to be a gay man, so he was already on our side and well-informed. When I asked Jimmie Wilson, a black man, if he had any questions about LGBTQ legislation, he basically said that he trusts his LGBTQ colleagues to inform him and guide him in those votes, while he informs them about issues that affect the Black community. This is coalition politics. More...

Upcoming Events

Most meetings and events are hybrid (in-person/Zoom). Please contact the event or meeting leader if you are not sure. Event and meeting details and links can be found on the UUFCM Calendar.

A Joyful Noise Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7:00pm
Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm
Crafty U - 3rd Tuesdays at 10:30am
First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm
Sleepy Time Yoga - 3rd Sundays at 6:30pm On Hiatus until Fall...
Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm
Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm
Readers Theater - 2nd Tuesdays at 6:30pm
UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am
UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom
Welcome to UU Orientation - last Sunday of the month at 12:00pm unless otherwise indicated. (There will not be a Welcome to UUFCM class at the end of May. If anyone has questions they are encouraged to contact Laura McBride at 989.772.5512 or [email protected].)

Team Meetings

Communications Team Meeting: Wednesday, May 27 5:10pm

Fellowship News

Our UUFCM Banner Is Flying Downtown!

The banner painted by our UUFCM youth and adults is now flying on Broadway Street (across from Art Reach and Jimmy John’s) with the other Festival of Banners contributions.

Movie Night Saturday, May 23

"Scent of a Woman" Al Pacino portrays a blind army veteran who is taught by a young prep school student, played by Chris O'Donnell, about the value of life and he in return is taught how to live.

Join us at the Fellowship Hall at 7:00.

2025-2026 Annual Report

Sign Up to Help with Our UUFCM Partial Week at the Homeless Shelter!

UUFCM is in charge of providing meals and volunteers for ICRH (the homeless shelter) part of the week of Sunday, June 7 through Saturday, June 13. We’ll need people to participate, bringing food and/or volunteering mornings and evenings, so please bring your calendars to church on Sunday to sign up for your part in this summer project UUFCM has committed to. If you are not able to be in church on Sunday, please contact Norma Bailey ([email protected] or 989-560-3952) who will find a spot for you.

Tabling at Farmer's Market - Volunteers Needed

You're Invited to a Baby Shower!

Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival June 20

The 5^th annual Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival will be held on Friday, June 20, from 2-5 pm at Broadway Park (2451 Nish Na Anong Drive), and the Social Justice Coordinating Team (SJCT) is co-sponsoring a table with the UU Fellowship of Midland. If you would like to help with the table, please contact any member of the SJCT. As well, we encourage you to attend the event – an event full of life and love!

Looking for People to Paint

Community News

A Conversation with Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson

Indivisible Meetings & Protests Continue!

Donate Now!

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan is funded solely by its members and friends.

If you prefer not to donate electronically, you may also write a check payable to UUFCM and send it to: UUFCM, P.O. Box 41, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804-0041

Got News?

The deadline for submissions to
the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly eNews
is Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Please send all submissions to [email protected].

Drew’s Contact Information

Please contact Drew via email, phone, or text.
[email protected]
Phone/text: 440-935-0129
Office Hours
Tuesdays 10am-noon
Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm

Team and Committee Leaders

We are a religious community guided by love, transforming our lives and our world.

eNews 5-14-26

5/14/2026

View this email in your browser

eNews for Thursday,

May 14, 2026

Worship Matters

We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, May 10, to worship with a message from Rev. Drew on "The State of Our Union." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.

As we near the end of the Fellowship’s program year, this Sunday is the annual meeting where we conduct the business of the Fellowship. While the annual meeting focuses on finance and governance, it’s also a good opportunity to reflect on the health of the congregation as a covenantal community of support and spirituality. Like a US president delivering a State of the Union address, the message from the pulpit will be a reflection on the state of our fellowship.

Zoom Invitation for Sunday Service:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 402489218

One tap mobile
+16468769923,,402489218#
Phone - audio only
+1 646 876 9923

Upcoming Services

May 17: The State of Our Union
May 24: Reflections on Memorial Day

In Case You Missed It...

Many past sermons are available on our website under Sermon Videos and Archives.

In order to access any services 2024 on, go to the website and click on Worship, then Sunday Services.

Minister’s Column: “No More Stolen Sisters”

Two Sundays ago, I marched with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe in their event to raise awareness for missing and murdered indigenous people. Joining with several others from UUFCM, we walked through Island Park and downtown Mount Pleasant, wearing T-shirts with the message “No More Stolen Sisters.”

Gathering at the pavilion on Island Park before the march, a group of drummers sang an honor song; elders smudged the marchers with sage; and tribal leaders as well as law enforcement officers spoke. They named some of the history of violence and abduction--against Native women especially—that have prompted this event. According to the National Indigenous Resource Center, “The alarming rates of abduction and murder of Native women represent one of the most devastating issues facing Tribal communities. On some reservations, Native women face murder rates more than ten times the national average. These disappearances and murders are often directly linked to domestic violence, dating, trafficking, and longstanding harms impacting Indigenous communities.”

Along the route of the march were signs proclaiming the facts behind this ongoing tragedy, as well as red dresses displayed everywhere—the symbol of this event.

I felt many things attending this event, including wonder, sadness, anger, gratitude, and joy. My sense of wonder is that I’m still amazed that I live in a place where the local Indian tribe is so visible. This wasn’t true in my home state of Massachusetts or the state I lived in recently, Ohio. I felt sad and angry hearing the disturbing facts about how many of my Native cousins are harmed and killed…and I felt gratitude and joy to be part of the event. The organizers did an amazing job with every part of the planning and implementation of the march, and it was joyful to be together in common purpose.

Coming up is another important event on the local calendar, similarly highlighting a tragic part of the Native American story: the commemoration of the closing of the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School. This history is acknowledged every year on June 6, the anniversary of the school’s closing. I think that every Mount Pleasant resident should witness this event and acknowledge this disturbing piece of our history.

PRAYER:
Great Spirit, we are here on this land living together, Native and non-Native. All of us mourn when any of us are abducted or harmed. All of us together say, “No more.”

Grant power and wisdom, courage and strength to the law enforcement units investigating these crimes; grant peace and strength to the families whose loved ones have gone missing.

Aho. Ashe. May it be so.

Rev. Drew Frantz
May 12, 2026

Upcoming Events

Most meetings and events are hybrid (in-person/Zoom). Please contact the event or meeting leader if you are not sure. Event and meeting details and links can be found on the UUFCM Calendar.

A Joyful Noise Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7:00pm
Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm
Crafty U - 3rd Tuesdays at 10:30am This Tuesday!
First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm
Sleepy Time Yoga - 3rd Sundays at 6:30pm On Hiatus until Fall...
Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm This Monday!
Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm
Readers Theater - 2nd Tuesdays at 7pm
UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am
UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom
Welcome to UU Orientation - last Sunday of the month at 12:00pm unless otherwise indicated. (There will not be a Welcome to UUFCM class at the end of May. If anyone has questions they are encouraged to contact Laura McBride at 989.772.5512 or [email protected].)

Team Meetings

Youth RE Team Meeting: Sunday, May 17 at 3:30pm
Worship Team Meeting: Thursday, May 14 at 3:30pm

Fellowship News

Special Plate Collection this Sunday – ICRH

The special plate collection on Sunday, May 17 is for the Isabella County Restoration House, the agency providing temporary shelter and a path to self-sufficiency for their guests - the homeless population in Isabella County. This year so far they have been able to serve the guests 24/7 with the support of churches and donations. You can donate online to the Social Justice Special Plate Collection Fund HERE or checks can be sent to our treasurer made out to UUFCM with “ICRH” indicated in the memo line.

UUFCM Annual Meeting: This Sunday May 17th

The 2026 Annual Meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan (UUFCM) will be held on Sunday, May 17, 2026, right after the worship service. This meeting, while open to all members and friends, is the time when the members of the Fellowship will vote on the business of the Fellowship.

During the meeting, we will present the slate of nominees for next year’s Board of Trustees, the proposed 2026-2027 budget, and one proposal for revising the Bylaws. After the meeting, electronic ballots will be sent to all members and will be due by 5pm the following Wednesday (5/20/26). Members and friends are welcome at the business meeting, but only members will vote.

Please review the meeting materials by clicking the link below before the meeting. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you might have at the meeting.

Click below for annual meeting materials (PDF document):

Agenda, Slate of Nominees, Proposed Bylaw Changes, and Proposed Budget

Please come prepared to participate in this most important democratic process of our Fellowship. Since we are a self-governing body, each member’s vote is critically important.

Looking forward to your participation in our annual meeting and in the voting process.

Sincerely,

The UUFCM Board of Trustees

Game Night - Monday, May 18 at 7:00pm

We meet on 3rd Mondays from 7-9pm in the UUFCM social hall and have fun with a variety of games decided by consensus. It is a great opportunity to learn new games and meet people with similar interests!

The Crafty U’s - Tuesday, May 19 at 10:30am

Group meets in our fellowship hall on the third Tuesday of the month at 10:30am. It is an informal, drop-in group for anyone working on craft projects, especially fabric arts.

We Are Hiring!
Tech Assistant starting June 1

UUFCM is looking for a Technology Assistant for Sunday mornings because Claire Lester has decided to leave this position at the end of May. The starting pay will be $16.25-$18.05 based on experience.

Please see full job posting here.

Please contact Rev. Drew to apply or to ask any questions.

Evaluation of Shared Ministry
invitation for feedback before 5/20

Once a year at this time, a small group works with Rev. Drew to solicit feedback about our "shared ministry"--the ministry that we all offer to one another, including the work of the minister. This year we are focusing on four categories:
-Sunday worship
-pastoral care (providing emotional as well as practical support)
-the sex offender policy
-response to the political and social crisis of our times

For each of these 4 areas we ask: What is the minister doing well in this category? What could he do better? What is the congregation doing well in this category? What could we do better?

The evaluation task force has already chosen and interviewed some congregants for each category. Everyone in the Fellowship is invited to offer their feedback if they wish. Please contact Jennifer Davis, Guy Newland, Cynthia Damer, Kristen King or Rev. Drew to offer your feedback. We would like to hear from you before May 20 so that we can report our findings to the Board and other UUFCM leaders.

You're Invited to a Baby Shower!

Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival June 20

The 5^th annual Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival will be held on Friday, June 20, from 2-5 pm at Broadway Park (2451 Nish Na Anong Drive), and the Social Justice Coordinating Team (SJCT) is co-sponsoring a table with the UU Fellowship of Midland. If you would like to help with the table, please contact any member of the SJCT. As well, we encourage you to attend the event – an event full of life and love!

Attend General Assembly Virtually

General Assembly (GA) is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where we conduct business, explore our faith’s theological foundations, and fully embrace our mission and principles. This year, GA will be held virtually.

Would you like to participate? We have a Leadership Fund that can cover the costs for you. If you're interested in attending, see www.uua.org/ga for information. If you need more details, contact Norma Bailey ([email protected] or 989-560-3952).

Looking for People to Paint

Community News

A Conversation with Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson

Indivisible Meetings & Protests Continue!

Ted Clayton to Speak at Next Indivisible Meeting

The Indivisible Central Michigan meeting on Thursday, May 14, at 6:30 pm in the Library Annex will feature a presentation by Ted Clayton, a political science professor at CMU, speaking about “Women in the Age of Right-Wing Authoritarianism and Fascism.”

Donate Now!

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan is funded solely by its members and friends.

If you prefer not to donate electronically, you may also write a check payable to UUFCM and send it to: UUFCM, P.O. Box 41, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804-0041

Got News?

The deadline for submissions to
the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly eNews
is Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Please send all submissions to [email protected].

Drew’s Contact Information

Please contact Drew via email, phone, or text.
[email protected]
Phone/text: 440-935-0129
Office Hours
Tuesdays 10am-noon
Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm

Team and Committee Leaders

We are a religious community guided by love, transforming our lives and our world.

eNews 5-7-26

5/13/2026

View this email in your browser

eNews for Thursday,

May 7, 2026

Missing and Murdered Indigenous People:
March for Justice, Awareness, and Remembrance

A number of us from UUFCM participated in the program and march on Sunday, May 3. The March for Justice, Awareness, and Remembrance of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People started at the main pavilion at Island Park and included speakers and music before marching through downtown Mt. Pleasant. Thanks to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe for organizing this powerful event.

Worship Matters

We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, May 10, to worship with a message from Rev. Drew on "It's All Right to Cry." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.

Humans are the only species that cries tears to express emotion. Unfortunately, we often suppress this natural bodily function because crying has a negative connotation in our society. Crying has great benefits that are emotional, spiritual, social and physical. It is time that we reclaim the power of crying and re-set the cultural norms around it.

Zoom Invitation for Sunday Service:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 402489218

One tap mobile
+16468769923,,402489218#
Phone - audio only
+1 646 876 9923

Upcoming Services

May 10: It's All Right to Cry
May 17: The State of Our Union

In Case You Missed It...

Many past sermons are available on our website under Sermon Videos and Archives.

In order to access any services 2024 on, go to the website and click on Worship, then Sunday Services.

Minister’s Column: "Mother's Day"

On Mother’s Day I honor and celebrate all the mothers in my life, beginning with my immediate family. It’s also a day of great personal significance for me because my first child was born on Mother’s Day 1996. And, the way we think of and celebrate this holiday today is far from its original intention. When Julia Ward Howe proposed this holiday, it was a Women’s Peace Day dedicated to the eradication of war. These are her words, written in 1870:

Arise, all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears! Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.

“Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”

From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says, “Disarm, disarm! The sword is not the balance of justice.” Blood does not wipe out dishonor nor violence indicate possession.

As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace, each learning after his own time, the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God.

In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality may be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace.

Julia Ward Howe was a Unitarian, and thus we claim her as an ancestor. Her words are in our hymnal. I find this particularly appropriate today, as once again our nation is at war. And all the political and military leaders I can see are men. A general congress of women promoting the great and general interests of peace seems like a good idea today, as it did in 1870.

PRAYER:
Spirit of Life and Love, may this Mother’s Day bring joy to families across this nation. May those who are mothers be honored and appreciated. May all of us celebrate mothers, aunts, mentors—anyone who has played a nurturing and supportive and loving role in our lives.
May this be the moment when we agree, across all nations, that we will not send our sons to injure and kill one another over oil, land, or ideology.
May peace and love prevail on Mother’s Day and every day.
Amen.

Rev. Drew Frantz
May 5, 2026

Upcoming Events

Most meetings and events are hybrid (in-person/Zoom). Please contact the event or meeting leader if you are not sure. Event and meeting details and links can be found on the UUFCM Calendar.

A Joyful Noise Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7:00pm
Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm
Crafty U - 3rd Tuesdays at 10:30am
First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm
Sleepy Time Yoga - 3rd Sundays at 6:30pm
Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm
Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm
Readers Theater - 2nd Tuesdays at 7pm
UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am
UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom
Welcome to UU Orientation - last Sunday of the month at 12:00pm unless otherwise indicated. (There will not be a Welcome to UUFCM class next weekend nor at the end of May. If anyone has questions they are encouraged to contact Laura McBride at 989.772.5512 or [email protected].)

Team Meetings

Board Meeting: Saturday May 9 at 1pm
Social Justice Team Meeting: Monday, May 11 at 6:30pm

Fellowship News

We Are Hiring!
Tech Assistant starting June 1

UUFCM Annual Meeting: Sunday May 17th

You're Invited to a Baby Shower!

Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival June 20

The 5^th annual Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival will be held on Friday, June 20, from 2-5 pm at Broadway Park (2451 Nish Na Anong Drive), and the Social Justice Coordinating Team (SJCT) is co-sponsoring a table with Indivisible Central Michigan and the UU Fellowship of Midland. If you would like to help with the table, please contact any member of the SJCT. As well, we encourage you to attend the event – an event full of life and love!

Attend General Assembly Virtually

Looking for People to Paint

Community News

Indivisible Meetings & Protests Continue!

Ted Clayton to Speak at Next Indivisible Meeting

Donate Now!

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan is funded solely by its members and friends.

If you prefer not to donate electronically, you may also write a check payable to UUFCM and send it to: UUFCM, P.O. Box 41, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804-0041

Got News?

The deadline for submissions to
the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly eNews
is Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Please send all submissions to [email protected].

Drew’s Contact Information

Please contact Drew via email, phone, or text.
[email protected]
Phone/text: 440-935-0129
Office Hours
Tuesdays 10am-noon
Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm

Team and Committee Leaders

We are a religious community guided by love, transforming our lives and our world.

eNews 4-30-26

4/30/2026

View this email in your browser

eNews for Thursday,

April 30, 2026

Successful Spring Clean-Up!

Thanks to Norma Bailey, Bob Busch, Daniel Davis, Jennifer Davis, Drew Frantz, Al Heise, Kim Joki, Kirsten King, Darlene Ritchie, and Kurt Roeder for sprucing up our grounds on Saturday! Especially take a look at the youth banners now hung on our picket fence!

Worship Matters

We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, May 3, to worship with a message from Rev. Drew on "Speaking the Name of God." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.

"In our multi-religious denomination we have many different ideas about the divine, images of the divine, and names for the divine. Richard Rohr tells us that in the Jewish tradition, the name for God cannot be spoken–but it can be breathed. Seeking ultimate truth and trying to give a name to it is as old as humanity itself. Unitarian Universalism calls on us to engage in that quest on our own terms."

Zoom Invitation for Sunday Service:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 402489218

One tap mobile
+16468769923,,402489218#
Phone - audio only
+1 646 876 9923

Upcoming Services

May 3: Speaking the Name of God
May 10: It's All Right to Cry
May 17: The State of Our Union

In Case You Missed It...

Many past sermons are available on our website under Sermon Videos and Archives.

In order to access any services 2024 on, go to the website and click on Worship, then Sunday Services.

Minister’s Column: "Awakening Curiosity"

PRAYER:
Spirit of Life and Wonder,
We come carrying questions we barely know how to ask.
In a world that rewards quick answers and sharp certainty,
something in us is still hungry for questions that leave us hanging and unknowing.
Stir in us a living curiosity.
When we meet what is unfamiliar, turn our fear into wondering.
When we feel the pull to shut down, grant us one more honest question.
May we notice anew what we have walked past a hundred times.
May we listen for stories we have never heard before.
May we meet this day not as a problem to solve
but as a mystery to explore.
And my this help us better know the mystery that is us.
Amen and blessed be.

The prayer above is from my colleague Rev. Michelle Collins, offered in connection with the Soul Matters theme for the month of May: “Awakening Curiosity.”

This theme is very UU. We are a people who do not feel satisfied with established answers or familiar ways of thinking; we are questioners. For me, a favorite thing to say when welcoming newcomers on a Sunday morning is, “please talk to us at coffee hour where we would love to answer any questions you may have—and to question any answers you may have.” Another way that I say it is: that we are all seeking truth and meaning, and none of us has found all the answers. Curiosity, you might say, is a core trait of Unitarian Universalists.

More...

Upcoming Events

Most meetings and events are hybrid (in-person/Zoom). Please contact the event or meeting leader if you are not sure. Event and meeting details and links can be found on the UUFCM Calendar.

A Joyful Noise Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7:00pm
Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm
Crafty U - 3rd Tuesdays at 10:30am
First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm This Friday!
Sleepy Time Yoga - 3rd Sundays at 6:30pm
Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm
Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm
Readers Theater - 2nd Tuesdays at 7pm
UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am
UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom
Welcome to UU Orientation - last Sunday of the month at 12:00pm unless otherwise indicated. (There will not be a Welcome to UUFCM class next weekend nor at the end of May. If anyone has questions they are encouraged to contact Laura McBride at 989.772.5512 or [email protected].)

Team Meetings

Fellowship Life Coordinating Team Meeting: Sunday, May 3 at 12pm
New Website Planning Meeting: Sunday, May 3 at 12pm
Building Team Meeting: Monday, May 4 at 5:30pm

Fellowship News

Infant Pantry - Sunday May 3

CUUPs Beltane Ritual - Sunday, May 3

Beltane is a time to celebrate fertility and the greening of the earth, to honor the arrival of spring and new life.

We invite those of you who are interested in participating. We will hold the ritual promptly at 6pm.

May Birthdays

Nancy Roeder
Felix Jones
Scott Daigle
Cynthia Damer
Kate Swier
Jodi Fisher, Rob Peters
Larry Hall
Hal Downs,
Helenan Cavalieri
Phoenix Thompson
Mary Alsager

For the year to come, we wish them much joy, good health for body and mind, and new (ad)ventures. May it be so.

We Are Hiring!
Tech Assistant starting June 1

2026 LGBTQ+ Capitol Day on May 13

The 2026 Michigan LGBTQ+ Capitol Day, hosted by Equality Michigan, takes place on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing. This annual advocacy day connects LGBTQ+ residents with state legislators to discuss critical issues such as health care access, safety, and equality. Please contact Norma Bailey ([email protected] or at 989-560-3952) if you are interested in attending.

Save the Date for the Annual Meeting May 17th - Directly Following Worship Service

You're Invited to a Baby Shower!

Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival June 20

The 5^th annual Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival will be held on Friday, June 20, from 2-5 pm at Broadway Park (2451 Nish Na Anong Drive), and the Social Justice Coordinating Team (SJCT) is co-sponsoring a table with Indivisible Central Michigan and the UU Fellowship of Midland. If you would like to help with the table, please contact any member of the SJCT. As well, we encourage you to attend the event – an event full of life and love!

Care Request Form for UUFCM Community

Scam Alert

Several congregants have received emails and texts purportedly from UUFCM leadership. If you receive a message that seems suspicious, please remember that we would never solicit money or ask for help in this way, and do not respond to the message.
Read more here.

Attend General Assembly Virtually

Community News

March for Justice Sunday, May 3

The Mt. Pleasant Community is invited to participate in the March for Justice, Awareness, and Remembrance of MMIP (Missing and Murdered Indigenous People) sponsored by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan on Sunday, May 3 at 3:00 pm at Island Park. Please wear red to spread awareness of the MMIP Movement. Red Dress exhibits will be found in multiple locations in the Mt. Pleasant area through the middle of May to bring recognition to this powerful movement.

Gender Affirming Care Drive

The Mt. Pleasant Pride Center, supported by a grant from the American Humanist Association that Gracee Day received, is asking for donations for a gender affirming care drive. The Center is collecting clothing (particularly business and formal wear as well as ties and makeup bags); unused/unopened makeup/makeup brushes; hair-styling supplies (curling irons, hair dryers, flat irons, rollers, etc.); new to lightly used men’s shoes in smaller sizes; new to lightly used women’s shoes in wide sizes; tote bags; and binders and bras. Donations can be placed in the labeled box in the Fellowship Hall.

Indivisible Meetings & Protests Continue!

Donate Now!

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan is funded solely by its members and friends.

If you prefer not to donate electronically, you may also write a check payable to UUFCM and send it to: UUFCM, P.O. Box 41, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804-0041

Got News?

The deadline for submissions to
the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly eNews
is Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Please send all submissions to [email protected].

Drew’s Contact Information

Please contact Drew via email, phone, or text.
[email protected]
Phone/text: 440-935-0129
Office Hours
Tuesdays 10am-noon
Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm

Team and Committee Leaders

We are a religious community guided by love, transforming our lives and our world.

eNews 4-23-26

4/23/2026

View this email in your browser

eNews for Thursday, April 23, 2026

Worship Matters

We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, April 26, to worship with a message from Rev. Drew on "Follow Love." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.

"'When love beckons to you follow him, though his ways are hard and steep,' begins the poem On Love by Kahlil Gibran. When we are striving to live our best lives, fulfilling and true to our values, we are following love. It may be romantic love, love of humanity, or some other variation of love–but it calls us to risk everything and go on a journey of faith. Hearing the inner voice calling us toward love is an important spiritual practice."

Zoom Invitation for Sunday Service:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 402489218

One tap mobile
+16468769923,,402489218#
Phone - audio only
+1 646 876 9923

Upcoming Services

April 26: Follow Love

In Case You Missed It...

Many past sermons are available on our website under Sermon Videos and Archives.

In order to access any services 2024 on, go to the website and click on Worship, then Sunday Services.

Minister’s Column: "Hare and Tortoise"

Billy Collins is one of my favorite poets. Here is his poem entitled “My Hero:”

Just as the hare is zipping across the finish line,
the tortoise has stopped once again
by the roadside,
this time to stick out his neck
and nibble a bit of sweet grass,
unlike the previous time
when he was distracted
by a bee humming in the heart of a wildflower.

It dawned on me after reading this poem that the poet is reversing the outcome of the famous race. It is supposed to be the hare who is slowed down and therefore loses. He is so confident in winning that he takes a nap. So in that original version, the hare represents overconfidence and wasted talent; while the tortoise represents cleverness and determination. In the Billy Collins poem, however, the hare is fast and efficient; the tortoise is slow, distracted, and enjoying life. And the title of the poem, “My Hero,” suggests that the poet values this way of living life more highly: it is more fun and satisfying, and lends to a richer life, to be the tortoise.

More...

Upcoming Events

Most meetings and events are hybrid (in-person/Zoom). Please contact the event or meeting leader if you are not sure. Event and meeting details and links can be found on the UUFCM Calendar.

A Joyful Noise Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7:00pm
Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm
Crafty U - 3rd Tuesdays at 10:30am
First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm
Sleepy Time Yoga - 3rd Sundays at 6:30pm
Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm
Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm This Saturday!
Readers Theater - 2nd Tuesdays at 7pm
UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am
UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom
Welcome to UU Orientation - last Sunday of the month at 12:00pm unless otherwise indicated. (There will not be a Welcome to UUFCM class next weekend nor at the end of May. If anyone has questions they are encouraged to contact Laura McBride at 989.772.5512 or [email protected].)

Team Meetings

Website Taskforce Meeting: Sunday 12:00

Fellowship News

Movie Night Saturday, April 25

Good Will Hunting

Matt Damon portrays a troubled teen, who is a math savant, yet failing the lessons of life. Robin Williams is a psychologist trying to reach him before he is sent to jail. This Oscar contender for best picture, came out in 1997.

Join us at the Fellowship Hall April 25 at 7:00.

Fellowship Clean-Up This Saturday!

Saturday, April 25 10:00am-noon
Rain date: May 2, 10:00am-noon
Now that spring is definitely here, we are planning a clean-up of the outside of our building! We’ll pick up sticks, rake, weed, and clean, so please bring rakes, gloves, weeding tools, and clippers; we’ll provide the other materials and snacks! Please text, call, or email any one of the Building Team members – Norma Bailey, Bob Busch, Daniel Davis, Kirsten King and Kurt Roeder, and let us know you’re coming to help beautify our church grounds!

2026 LGBTQ+ Capitol Day on May 13

We Are Hiring!
Tech Assistant starting June 1

You're Invited to a Baby Shower!

Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival June 20

The 5^th annual Mt. Pleasant Pride Festival will be held on Friday, June 20, from 2-5 pm at Broadway Park (2451 Nish Na Anong Drive), and the Social Justice Coordinating Team (SJCT) is co-sponsoring a table with Indivisible Central Michigan. If you would like to help with the table, please contact any member of the SJCT. As well, we encourage you to attend the event – an event full of life and love!

Attend General Assembly Virtually

Community News

Gender Affirming Care Drive

Indivisible Meetings & Protests Continue!

Donate Now!

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan is funded solely by its members and friends.

If you prefer not to donate electronically, you may also write a check payable to UUFCM and send it to: UUFCM, P.O. Box 41, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804-0041

Got News?

The deadline for submissions to
the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly eNews
is Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Please send all submissions to [email protected].

Drew’s Contact Information

Please contact Drew via email, phone, or text.
[email protected]
Phone/text: 440-935-0129
Office Hours
Tuesdays 10am-noon
Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm

Team and Committee Leaders

We are a religious community guided by love, transforming our lives and our world.

eNews 4-16-26

4/16/2026

View this email in your browser

eNews for Thursday, April 16, 2026

Worship Matters

We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, April 19, to worship with a message from Rev. Drew on "Earth Day." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.

"Partnership with the natural world and respect for the interdependent web of life are core Unitarian Universalist values. To honor Earth Day, we reflect on these values and how we are called to act for environmental justice. Our worship will be informed by the perspectives of the Artemis II astronauts, who have been moved toward greater reverence for the Earth and her people."

Zoom Invitation for Sunday Service:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 402489218

One tap mobile
+16468769923,,402489218#
Phone - audio only
+1 646 876 9923

Upcoming Services

April 19: Earth Day
April 26: Follow Love

In Case You Missed It...

Many past sermons are available on our website under Sermon Videos and Archives.

In order to access any services 2024 on, go to the website and click on Worship, then Sunday Services.

Minister’s Column: “Pope Leo”

“War is always a defeat for humanity.”

-Pope John Paul II

This week, our U.S. president is criticizing the current Pope, and then posting an image of himself as Jesus Christ. No person of faith—or of moral character--should be silent about this. The context is that Pope Leo XIV has expressed the Catholic values of peace and compassion, speaking out against the war in Iran and the ICE deportations. This caused President Trump to post a lengthy attack against the Pope….and then, inexplicably, an image of himself as Jesus healing the sick.

Ironically, the Iranian president—our “enemy” in this war—responded with this post:

To His Holiness Pope Leo XIV: I condemn the insult to Your Excellency on behalf of the great nation of Iran, and declare that the desecration of Jesus, the prophet of peace and brotherhood, is not acceptable to any free person. I wish you glory by Allah.
More...

Upcoming Events

Most meetings and events are hybrid (in-person/Zoom). Please contact the event or meeting leader if you are not sure. Event and meeting details and links can be found on the UUFCM Calendar.

A Joyful Noise Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7:00pm
Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm
Crafty U - 3rd Tuesdays at 10:30am - This Tuesday
First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm
Sleepy Time Yoga - 3rd Sundays at 6:30pm - This Sunday
Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm - This Monday
Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm
Readers Theater - 2nd Tuesdays at 7pm
UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am
UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom
Welcome to UU Orientation - last Sunday of the month at 12:00pm unless otherwise indicated

Team Meetings

Worship Team: Thursday April 16 at 4:30pm

Fellowship News

Social Justice Special Plate Collection - Sunday, April 19

This Sunday, a collection will be taken to support the Isabella County Soup Kitchen which provides free meals in a warm and safe environment, needed by so many of our community neighbors. You can put a donation into the passed plate on Sunday, donate online to the Social Justice Special Plate Collections Fund at our website, or checks can be sent to our treasurer made out to UUFCM with Soup Kitchen in the memo.

Are You Digitally Secure? - This Sunday!

The Adult RE team is pleased to announce its final presentation of the 2025-2026 church calendar year! Aaron Jones will present a 1-hour entry-level overview of basic digital security, including best practices for passwords, online communication, and identifying and protecting against phishing attempts. Please join us in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, April 19th, after coffee hour.

Sleepy Time Yoga - Sunday, April 19 at 6:30pm

Join Kelly Lawson for an evening of Yoga Nidra 6:30-7:30 pm in the UU sanctuary. Bring a yoga mat, blankets, pillows, or anything to get cozy. The evening is donation-based, and all donations will go to the homeless shelter (ICRH).

The evening will begin with gentle movement before finding rest in Savasana (final resting pose) for a guided meditation.

Game Night - Monday, April 20 at 7:00pm

The Crafty U’s - Tuesday, April 21 at 10:30am

Group meets in our fellowship hall on the third Tuesday of the month at 10:30am. It is an informal, drop-in group for anyone working on craft projects, especially fabric arts.

Don't Forget to Turn In Your Pledge Forms!

If you are reading this and haven’t turned in your pledge materials, please do! The stewardship campaign officially ends on April 17. You can return your pledge form to the church by mail or in-person or you can complete the online pledge form linked HERE.

After April 17, members of the stewardship team will begin reaching out to people we haven’t heard from. Nobody likes this part of the work, so please return your pledge materials or let us know you don’t intend to pledge so we don’t have to bother you.

Fellowship Clean-Up

We Are Hiring!
Tech Assistant starting June 1

Attend General Assembly Virtually

Community News

Documentary Film: “Did You Guys Eat? at Commission on Aging

Gender Affirming Care Drive

Indivisible Meetings & Protests Continue!

Donate Now!

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan is funded solely by its members and friends.

If you prefer not to donate electronically, you may also write a check payable to UUFCM and send it to: UUFCM, P.O. Box 41, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804-0041

Got News?

The deadline for submissions to
the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly eNews
is Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Please send all submissions to [email protected].

Drew’s Contact Information

Please contact Drew via email, phone, or text.
[email protected]
Phone/text: 440-935-0129
Office Hours
Tuesdays 10am-noon
Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm

Team and Committee Leaders

We are a religious community guided by love, transforming our lives and our world.

eNews 4-9-26

4/9/2026

View this email in your browser

eNews for Thursday, April 9, 2026

Worship Matters

We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, April 12, to worship with a message from Rev. Drew on "Embracing Possibility." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.

"As the poet David Whyte asks, “What shape waits in the seed of you/ to grow and spread its branches/ against a future sky?” Like a growing tree, each person is full of possibility – at whatever age and stage of life we may be in. The idea of embracing possibility also offers us hope in the context of national and international turmoil. Outcomes are not pre-determined, but shaped by our will and our values. Realizing this is empowering and liberating."

Zoom Invitation for Sunday Service:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 402489218

One tap mobile
+16468769923,,402489218#
Phone - audio only
+1 646 876 9923

Upcoming Services

April 12: Embracing Possibility
April 19: Earth Day
April 26: Follow Love

In Case You Missed It...

Many past sermons are available on our website under Sermon Videos and Archives.

In order to access any services 2024 on, go to the website and click on Worship, then Sunday Services.

Minister’s Column: “Peace Prayer”

Life in America today has the strange feeling that we are going about our regular daily lives --work, school, buying groceries--while we are at war in Iran. Today (Tuesday April 7) has been especially surreal because the news was all about President Trump’s blasphemous Easter morning post threatening to destroy the civilian infrastructure of Iran, only to back down at the 11th hour and agree, seemingly, to a ceasefire.

The sickening anti-religious element of Trump’s post bothers me especially as a person of faith. He threatened a Muslim nation with military annihilation, ending the message with a sarcastic Muslim prayer. This is disgusting and immoral, and people of faith everywhere should be appalled.

In contrast to the war-mongering behavior of my government, I am buoyed with hope over two things I saw this past week. First, while driving through Chicago, I saw a highway billboard that read:

RAMADAN MUBARAK
Blessings of Peace
from your Muslim neighbors More...

Upcoming Events

Most meetings and events are hybrid (in-person/Zoom). Please contact the event or meeting leader if you are not sure. Event and meeting details and links can be found on the UUFCM Calendar.

A Joyful Noise Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7:00pm
Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm
Crafty U - 3rd Tuesdays at 10:30am
First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm
Sleepy Time Yoga - 3rd Sundays at 6:30pm
Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm - Resumes in April at 6:00 pm
Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm
Readers Theater - 2nd Tuesdays at 7pm Returning April 14
UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am
UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom
Welcome to UU Orientation - last Sunday of the month at 12:00pm unless otherwise indicated

Team Meetings

Board Meeting: Sunday April 12 at 1:00pm
Social Justice Team: Monday April 13 at 6:30pm
Worship Team: Thursday April 16 at 4:30pm

Fellowship News

Readers Theater Meets April 14th

The Readers Theater group is meeting on Tuesday, April 14, at 6:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Roles have already been cast for this play. If you haven’t gotten your script yet, you can find it in the Fellowship Hall with your name on it. For information about the group, contact Roxanne Fleer ([email protected]).

Don't Forget to Turn In Your Pledge Forms!

2026-2027 UUFCM Board of Trustees Candidates & Proposed Bylaws Change

Our fellowship’s Bylaws outline the process for selecting the slate of candidates for next year’s Board. If you’re unfamiliar with the nominating procedures, please refer to Articles 9.2, 9.2.1, and 9.2.2 in the current UUFCM Bylaws.

This year’s Nominating Committee consists of Guy Newland (chair), Jennifer Davis, and Joyce Henricks. The committee is pleased to present the following slate of candidates for the open Board positions:

• President-Elect: Laura McBride

• Treasurer: David Allan

• Trustee At Large (Two-Year Term): Katie Zapoluch

• Trustee At Large (One-Year Term): Kurt Roeder

We sincerely thank these individuals for their willingness to serve and encourage all members to consider future opportunities to join the Board.

Alternative Nominating Procedure
If you or another member would like to add a nominee for any of these positions, you may do so through the Alternative Nominating Procedure (see Bylaws section 9.2.1). To submit a nomination, send a petition signed (electronically or handwritten) by three members supporting the nominee to Guy Newland ([email protected]) and cc President Norma Bailey ([email protected]) no later than Sunday, April 12. Please ensure the nominee has given their consent before submission.

Please note: All elected candidates will begin their terms on July 1 and serve through June 30 of the appropriate term length, as outlined in the Bylaws. Additionally, nominations from the floor will not be accepted at the annual meeting. If you wish to nominate someone not listed above, please follow the Alternative Nominating Procedure.

Bylaws Amendment
In addition to Board elections, we will discuss a proposed Bylaws change at the annual meeting. Please review the proposed change before the meeting.

This year’s annual meeting will be held after service on Sunday, May 17. Elections for Board officers and the Bylaws amendment will take place electronically in the days following the annual meeting.

Thank you for your engagement in this very important process!

Norma Bailey
UUFCM Board President
[email protected]

Book Discussion Hosted by UUFCM Member
"The Sacred Awakening" by Sami Awad

“What if Jesus didn’t start a religion, but sparked a revolution of consciousness? The Sacred Awakening invites us to embody Christ’s radical path - not worship him. Through history, scripture, and lived experience, Sami Awad reveals a hidden power of love and presence that can heal, transform and awaken our true humanity.”

This invitation is from Cathryn Young. Please contact her directly if you're interested:

I have begun reading “The Sacred Awakening: Reclaiming Christ Consciousness by Sami Awad. Sami is a Palestinian activist who I came to know in Bethlehem. Sami is “committed to nonviolence, healing and transformation….and living life through radical love.” He comes from a prominent Christian family, and created quite a stir when he stepped away from Christianity, and found Jesus outside of organized religion. He says, "When I stepped away from Christianity, it was not to abandon Jesus but to seek him beyond the institutional filters placed over his life and message. I found a figure far more disruptive, radical, and liberating than anything the Church had ever presented."

In “The Sacred Awakening” Sami explores the Beatitudes, the Sermon on the Mount, as a framework for transformation, not of belief or dogma, but a way of embodying radical love, transforming not only ourselves, but the world. I am super excited about this book, and would love to find several others who would like to explore it together. Identifying as a “Christian” is not necessary to exploring the themes and ideas in the book. Meetings would need to be at my home due to my caregiving responsibilities. Days and times could be determined together if there is interest. The book is available on Amazon and Reverend Drew has ordered several copies.

Save the Date! - Saturday, April 25

We’ll have our annual spring clean-up on Saturday, April 25, 10:00 am - noon. Lots of outside work will need many hands! Please put the date on your calendar!

Attend General Assembly Virtually

General Assembly (GA) is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where we conduct business, explore our faith’s theological foundations, and fully embrace our mission and principles. This year, GA will be held virtually.

Would you like to participate or serve as a UUFCM delegate? We have a Leadership Fund that can cover the costs for you. If you're interested in attending, see www.uua.org/ga for information. If you need more details, contact Norma Bailey ([email protected] or 989-560-3952).

Community News

Gender Affirming Care Drive

ICRH Fundraiser – Party for a Purpose

ICRH Requests for Household Donations for Party for a Purpose

ICRH is holding its annual fundraiser on May 2 and is looking for items for prizes for their paddle auction. If you have any new or unused item to donate (see list in Fellowship Hall or click here), please see Norma Bailey for delivery.

Indivisible Meetings & Protests Continue!

Donate Now!

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan is funded solely by its members and friends.

If you prefer not to donate electronically, you may also write a check payable to UUFCM and send it to: UUFCM, P.O. Box 41, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804-0041

Got News?

The deadline for submissions to
the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly eNews
is Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Please send all submissions to [email protected].

Drew’s Contact Information

Please contact Drew via email, phone, or text.
[email protected]
Phone/text: 440-935-0129
Office Hours
Tuesdays 10am-noon
Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm

Team and Committee Leaders

We are a religious community guided by love, transforming our lives and our world.

eNews 4-2-26

4/2/2026

View this email in your browser

eNews for Thursday, April 2, 2026

Many UUFCM members participated in the No Kings Rally!

Worship Matters

We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, April 5, to worship with a message from Joyce Henricks and Norma Bailey as worship leader on “The Meaning of Life: What’s It All About?" The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.

"What makes life worth living? Is it family? Friends? A job or career? Is it a sense of accomplishment or fulfillment—a sense that it means something, has value?? Or is it simply feeling happy? We’ll be discussing these questions on Sunday, but, as Kurt Vonnegut says, “Plato claims that the unexamined life is not worth living. But what if the examined life turns out to be a clunker as well?” So, don’t expect profound answers. Sunday’s discussion is just a start!"

Zoom Invitation for Sunday Service:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 402489218

One tap mobile
+16468769923,,402489218#
Phone - audio only
+1 646 876 9923

Upcoming Services

April 5: The Meaning of Life: What’s It All About?

In Case You Missed It...

Many past sermons are available on our website under Sermon Videos and Archives.

In order to access any services 2024 on, go to the website and click on Worship, then Sunday Services.

Minister’s Column: Minister on Spring Break

Upcoming Events

Most meetings and events are hybrid (in-person/Zoom). Please contact the event or meeting leader if you are not sure. Event and meeting details and links can be found on the UUFCM Calendar.

A Joyful Noise Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7:00pm
Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm
Crafty U - 3rd Tuesdays at 10:30am
First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm
Sleepy Time Yoga - 3rd Sundays at 6:30pm
Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm - Resumes in April at 6:00 pm
Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm
Readers Theater - 2nd Tuesdays at 7pm Returning April 14
UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am
UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom
Welcome to UU Orientation - last Sunday of the month at 12:00pm unless otherwise indicated

Team Meetings

Building Team: Monday at 5:30

Fellowship News

Rev. Drew on Spring Break

Our minister Drew will be out of town for the next two Sundays, March 29 and April 5. There will be no minister's column during that week. Although not available for regular Fellowship business, Rev. Drew can be contacted by cell phone with anything urgent. He will be back in the office April 7 and back leading worship on April 12.

Infant Pantry Sunday, April 5

Care Request Form for UUFCM Community

Stewardship Campaign 2026

Our stewardship campaign began with our Spring into Joy…Together! karaoke party on Saturday, March 21! Twenty-four pledges have already been turned in, so we have gotten off to a great start!

We mailed the other stewardship packets on Monday, March 23, so you should have received yours by now with explanations and directions about how to make your pledge as well as explain our interesting incentives - incentives to turn in your pledge form early, increase your pledge and/or pledge for the first time! There is also a new volunteer form to let us know ways in which you would like to share your time and talents.

Please be sure to read the materials right away and take action. If you have questions, contact anyone on the Stewardship Committee - Mary Alsager, Norma Bailey, Drew Frantz, Kelly Lawson, Darlene Ritchie, Don Socha and Victoria Sladek.

2026-2027 UUFCM Board of Trustees Candidates & Proposed Bylaws Change

• President-Elect: Laura McBride

• Treasurer: David Allan

• Trustee At Large (Two-Year Term): Katie Zapoluch

• Trustee At Large (One-Year Term): Kurt Roeder

We sincerely thank these individuals for their willingness to serve and encourage all members to consider future opportunities to join the Board.

Bylaws Amendment
In addition to Board elections, we will discuss a proposed Bylaws change at the annual meeting. Please review the proposed change before the meeting.

Thank you for your engagement in this very important process!

Norma Bailey
UUFCM Board President
[email protected]

Book Discussion Hosted by UUFCM Member
"The Sacred Awakening" by Sami Awad

This invitation is from Cathryn Young. Please contact her directly if you're interested:

Save the Date! - Saturday, April 25

We’ll have our annual spring clean-up on Saturday, April 25, 10:00 am - noon. Lots of outside work will need many hands! Please put the date on your calendar!

Attend General Assembly Virtually

General Assembly (GA) is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where we conduct business, explore our faith’s theological foundations, and fully embrace our mission and principles. This year, GA will be held virtually.

Would you like to participate or serve as a UUFCM delegate? We have a Leadership Fund that can cover the costs for you. If you're interested in attending, see www.uua.org/ga for information. If you need more details, contact Norma Bailey ([email protected] or 989-560-3952).

Scam Alert

Community News

ICRH Fundraiser – Party for a Purpose

ICRH Requests for Household Donations for Party for a Purpose

Indivisible Meetings & Protests Continue!

Donate Now!

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan is funded solely by its members and friends.

If you prefer not to donate electronically, you may also write a check payable to UUFCM and send it to: UUFCM, P.O. Box 41, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804-0041

Got News?

The deadline for submissions to
the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly eNews
is Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Please send all submissions to [email protected].

Drew’s Contact Information

Please contact Drew via email, phone, or text.
[email protected]
Phone/text: 440-935-0129
Office Hours
Tuesdays 10am-noon
Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm

Team and Committee Leaders

We are a religious community guided by love, transforming our lives and our world.

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