Perhaps home is not a place, but simply an irrevocable condition.
~ James Baldwin
Calling all UUFCM members and friends…newcomers, too – we need you! It’s time for us to have a conversation about our welcome ministry – how we welcome, greet, and interact with newcomers and other people in our fellowship – to review our practices and share ideas about how we can update them. A “mindfully brief” gathering for this congregational “tune-up” has been scheduled for Saturday morning, November 14 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. – coffee, tea and delicious nosh will be provided. Gisela Moffit and Dawn Daniels will be facilitating. Please attend – we all have a stake in this place and we need your voice at the table. And if you need child care, please contact Gisela (772-1602 [email protected]) by Sunday, Nov. 8. Thanks in advance for your support.
In Worship
Our worship theme focus for much of the remainder of November and part of December will be “Covenant and Belonging.” We begin this Sunday, November 15 with “Behaving, Believing, Belonging” – we hope you will join us!
“There may be something incredibly naïve about the notion that we can have meaningful human relationships without any mandated behavior or commonly-held belief. Perhaps if it were more easily accomplished, divorce lawyers would find themselves out of work. Yet we try as a religious community to live into this noble ideal. We do not say that behavior and belief are unimportant, but we do say—through word and deed—that our distinguishing characteristic is that we are a people who belong to one another. We covenant together, making voluntary commitments with our spiritual neighbors, viewing one another as kindred spirits, and interacting with love and compassion.” ~ Stefan Jonasson
CROP Walk Donations
Our total donation to the CROP Walk effort this year came to $459.00 – thank you to all who generously contributed! There are still four outstanding donations - that the church covered for – that need to be collected. Please see Dawn after service on Sunday if you’re aware that you pledged an amount but perhaps forgot to turn in the funds.
Restoration House News
Restoration House opened on Sunday, November 1 - the UUFCM is again serving as the Intake/Welcome center. If you are willing to serve as an intake volunteer from 4:15 to 6:00 any day of the weeks ahead (until the program ends on April 6), please contact Joyce Henricks at 773-4709, or [email protected]. We are also in need of volunteers to provide meals the week of November 14 and November 30 – please contact Joyce if you are able to volunteer. Thank you!
Read the WiRE!
WiRE is our new weekly newsletter about happenings in RE. Upcoming events and opportunities, what parents and youth need to know ahead of Sunday RE, and more can be found here on our website. This week includes updates on the Star Wars movie marathon, what to wear for RE this Sunday, and more…
Movie Night Cancelled
Movie Night is cancelled for November 14 as it conflicts with the Democratic Debate. We'll be back in December!
Fellowship Life Meeting - November 15
An election for a replacement member for the board of trustees will take place on November 15th, directly after service. Janis Shinn has offered to fill the vacant seat.
Memorial Service for Linda Damer
There will be a memorial service for Linda Damer on Saturday, November 21 at 2:00 p.m. at the UUFCM.
Harvest Feast - November 22
Our beloved yearly tradition of the Harvest Feast is quickly approaching - Sunday, November 22nd immediately after the service. Sign up sheets are available in the UU Social Hall along with aluminum pans for hot food to be brought in to the Library Annex. We need help setting up on Saturday 3:30-6:00 and cleaning up after the meal if you are not a baker or cook.
If you would like to be added to the sign up sheets, contact Laura McBride at [email protected] or 989.772.5512. Thanks giving to one and all!
New to UU?
If you are a newcomer to out fellowship - or perhaps have been around for a while – and would like to learn more about this fellowship and UUism as a whole, our next “Welcome to UU” class is scheduled for Sunday, November 29 following worship at 12:15 p.m. These classes are being offered every month, typically on the 4th Sunday, but due to our annual Harvest Feast being held on November 22, we’ve moved the class to the 29th.
Tellabration!
The Mid-Michigan Area Storytellers (MAST) will present an evening of storytelling at the UUFCM on Friday, November 20 at 7:00 p.m. Admission is $5, and includes refreshments. Rumor has it that our minister has been invited to be part of the program…
Religious Freedom Restoration Act Interfaith Workshop
Inclusive Justice, the Michigan UU Social Justice Network (MUUSJN), Equality Michigan and other organizations are co-sponsoring an interfaith workshop for clergy and leaders to get ready for action to stop the Religious Freedom Restoration Act legislation in Michigan. This workshop will be held on Monday, November 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Edgewood United Church of Christ in East Lansing located at 469 N. Hagadorn Road, East Lansing, MI 48823. Norma Bailey will be attending and would love to have others join her. Please contact her at 989-560-3952 or at [email protected] if you are interested.
CAMFED Collection
We are collecting pledges/donations for the CAMFED program - Campaign for Female Education. Our treasurer asks that you write your check out to UUFCM, with an indication at the bottom that it is for CAMFED, as we want to send our contributions as a congregation, rather than as individuals. The donations gathered will be sent by November 30, 2015. We hope to do this twice a year.
Just Mercy Discussion Group – New Additional Date
We’ve added an additional discussion group opportunity for those of you (and you know who you are!) who missed the first three sessions – we know, everyone’s so busy…but many of you admitted being almost finished with the book, so here’s the deal: you have until Sunday, December 6 at 12:15 p.m. to get your act together and join the discussion about this very compelling book. That’s even enough time for those who haven’t opened the book yet to get involved. Our commitment this year is to more deeply educate ourselves about the racial injustices that continue to be embedded in our culture – to better equip ourselves as allies and advocates for justice. This is where we start this journey together.
Book Collection for Christmas Outreach
We are collecting children's book for Christmas Outreach this year. The books should be new or gently used. They can be from age 4 through young adult. Please leave them in the box marked Books for Kids on the table in the fellowship hall. The deadline is December 7th.
Save the Date!
On Saturday, January 30, 7:00 – 9:30 p.m., you are all invited to our First Annual UUFCM Justice Party! Adults, children and friends invited. More details to follow.
Native American Heritage Month
November 18: Dakota 38 Documentary and Discussion
Bovee UC, Auditorium 3 - 5:00 p.m.
The documentary film tells the story of Jim Miller's vision to remember the 38 Dakota men who were executed in Mankato, MN on December 28, 1862.
Sponsored by:Native American Programs
November 19: Keynote Speaker Joseph Boyden
Anspach 161 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Joseph Boyden is a Canadian novelist and short story writer. He was named the winner of the 2014 edition of Canada Reads. He is best known for the Three Day Road and Through Black Spruce. **Book signing following. Sponsored by: Native American Programs, Ziibiwing Cultural Center, Multicultural Academic Student Services, KCP Visiting Professors
Speak Up Speak Out
November 19: Life Interupted: Meeting the Challenge of Refugee Crises
Park Library Auditorium, 7 9:00 p.m.
The CMU Student Forums
We have given up understanding…that we and our country create one another….
As we and our land are part of one another, so all who are living as neighbors here…
are part of one another, and so cannot possibly flourish alone.
~ Wendell Berry
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 [email protected]
UUFCM Board of Trustees for 2015-2016
President: Annette Pratt (989.400.0173; [email protected])
President Elect/Past-President: Laura McBride (989.772.5512; [email protected])
Treasurer: David Macleod (989.772.0595; [email protected])
Secretary: Vicki Chessin (989.463.3076; [email protected])
Trustee: Scott Daigle (989.506.5750; [email protected])
Trustee: Carol Rard (989.561.2969; [email protected])