Hope is like peace. It is not a gift from God. It is a gift only we can give one another.
~ Elie Wiesel
December 10 – Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day is tomorrow, December 10. This past Sunday, information was shared during worship about two upcoming events in Lansing (one tonight and one tomorrow) that you may be interested in. The one taking place this evening is a gun violence vigil and tomorrow morning is a water justice lobbying event. Read more about both of these events here.
Handout passed out concerning the Michigan Water as a Human Right Bill Package can be accessed here. Contact state representative Kevin Cotter at 517.373.1789 or at [email protected] concerning the proposed bills.
And here is a simplified version of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In Worship
Join us this Sunday for our annual “Festival of Lights” multigenerational worship service; a special service packed with light, life and laughter as we share and reflect together through stories and songs of the season. Childcare will be provided, if needed. This service will be followed by our annual “Sweets & Tea” celebration in the social hall.
Upcoming Services
December 20: “What Are We Waiting For?”
Thursday, December 24 at 7:00 p.m.: “Carols by Candlelight”
December 27: “The Burning Bowl”
Holiday Sweets & Tea - This Sunday
This Sunday morning marks the first of several December traditions...our Holiday Sweets and Tea Celebration after the service! Please bring a sweet treat (cookies, cake, bar cookies, candies, etc. to enjoy with several teas, coffee, and cocoa. The tables will be decorated with the colors of the season while we visit in our fellowship hall. The more goodies provided, the sweeter the sharing! Bring your platter to the hall before the service. If you have any questions, contact Laura McBride at 989.772.5512 or [email protected].
More on Just Mercy…
Thank you to all who participated in the discussion groups on Bryan Stevenson’s book Just Mercy. I know that even more of you have read or are currently reading the book and/or were unable to attend any of the offered discussion opportunities – thank you for your engagement with this compelling work. This Sunday, while our Sweets & Tea celebration is going on, I plan to set up my laptop in the sanctuary to show Bryan Stevenson’s TED talk for any of you who are interested in viewing it…it is very good. ~ Pastor Dawn
Calling All Carol Singers!
The UUth ensemble would like to invite you for a community carol singing event on Sunday, December 13th, following the Holiday Tea. We will gather at the Fellowship at 1:45 to carpool. We will be singing at Prestige Center at 2 p.m. and Crestwood Village at 3 p.m. Lyric booklets will be provided. Please come and spread some holiday cheer to our community's elders!
Evening of Remembrance
This Sunday, December 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the UU Fellowship of Midland there will be an “Orange Walk” to honor the lives of those lost to gun violence. “Orange is the color hunters wear to stay safe and visible in the woods. It represents to value of human life, and it’s become a powerful symbol of the gun violence prevention movement.” You can RSVP for the event here.
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 rehearsal plans ahead of this Sunday's performance in service, and alternate plans for Sunday Night RE this Sunday.
CUUPs Yule Ritual - Sunday, December 20
Yule, the winter solstice, is a time of great symbolism and power. It marks the return of the sun, when the days finally begin to get a little longer. It's also a time to celebrate with family and friends, and share the spirit of giving. We invite those of you who are interested in participating in this ritual to bring an item of food or drink to share at the potluck that follows the ceremony. We will gather at 6:30 p.m. and begin our ceremony promptly at 7:00 p.m.
December Calendar Changes
Ladies Who Lunch will not lunch in December, but will resume lunching in January.
Movie Night is cancelled for December. We'll see you in January!
Sewing Circle will not meet December 21, but will resume in January.
Restoration House News
Volunteers are still needed. 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]. Thank you!
First Friday Potluck - Hosts Needed
We are still in need of hosts for upcoming potlucks. If you are willing to host a potluck, please use this form to sign up to sign-up or email/phone Chris Bauerle directly at [email protected] or 989-330-8457. The upcoming dates include: February 5, March 4, April 1 (really!), May 6, June 3 and August 5. If you enjoy the potlucks, please consider hosting - it is fun and easy!
Community Justice Party
You are all invited to our “Community Justice Party” fundraiser for MUUSJN (in lieu of a plate collection) on Saturday, January 30, 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. The evening will include a silent auction of social justice items, performances (music, poetry, and readings focused on the three current issue priorities of MUUSJN – Income Inequality (includes classism, racism); LGBT rights/Reproductive Justice; and Environmental Justice (includes water justice). It will also include a youth group bake sale, a cake/dessert walk, and light refreshments. The suggested donation for adults is $10.00 (although more will gratefully be accepted for MUUSJN), and children are free (with child care provided for the nursery).
If you have a social justice item (poster, pin, picture, t-shirt, etc.) that you would like to donate for the silent auction, a social justice performance (song, poetry, reading) that you would like to share, or a cake/dessert that you would like to donate, please contact any one of the four planners (Norma Bailey, Laura Frey, Joyce Henricks, or Jen Prout.
Please feel free to invite your friends and family members who are also interested in social justice for this fun and meaningful social event!
Human Rights Day is tomorrow, December 10. This past Sunday, information was shared during worship about two upcoming events in Lansing (one tonight and one tomorrow) that you may be interested in. The one taking place this evening is a gun violence vigil and tomorrow morning is a water justice lobbying event. Read more about both of these events here.
Handout passed out concerning the Michigan Water as a Human Right Bill Package can be accessed here. Contact state representative Kevin Cotter at 517.373.1789 or at [email protected] concerning the proposed bills.
And here is a simplified version of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In Worship
Join us this Sunday for our annual “Festival of Lights” multigenerational worship service; a special service packed with light, life and laughter as we share and reflect together through stories and songs of the season. Childcare will be provided, if needed. This service will be followed by our annual “Sweets & Tea” celebration in the social hall.
Upcoming Services
December 20: “What Are We Waiting For?”
Thursday, December 24 at 7:00 p.m.: “Carols by Candlelight”
December 27: “The Burning Bowl”
Holiday Sweets & Tea - This Sunday
This Sunday morning marks the first of several December traditions...our Holiday Sweets and Tea Celebration after the service! Please bring a sweet treat (cookies, cake, bar cookies, candies, etc. to enjoy with several teas, coffee, and cocoa. The tables will be decorated with the colors of the season while we visit in our fellowship hall. The more goodies provided, the sweeter the sharing! Bring your platter to the hall before the service. If you have any questions, contact Laura McBride at 989.772.5512 or [email protected].
More on Just Mercy…
Thank you to all who participated in the discussion groups on Bryan Stevenson’s book Just Mercy. I know that even more of you have read or are currently reading the book and/or were unable to attend any of the offered discussion opportunities – thank you for your engagement with this compelling work. This Sunday, while our Sweets & Tea celebration is going on, I plan to set up my laptop in the sanctuary to show Bryan Stevenson’s TED talk for any of you who are interested in viewing it…it is very good. ~ Pastor Dawn
Calling All Carol Singers!
The UUth ensemble would like to invite you for a community carol singing event on Sunday, December 13th, following the Holiday Tea. We will gather at the Fellowship at 1:45 to carpool. We will be singing at Prestige Center at 2 p.m. and Crestwood Village at 3 p.m. Lyric booklets will be provided. Please come and spread some holiday cheer to our community's elders!
Evening of Remembrance
This Sunday, December 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the UU Fellowship of Midland there will be an “Orange Walk” to honor the lives of those lost to gun violence. “Orange is the color hunters wear to stay safe and visible in the woods. It represents to value of human life, and it’s become a powerful symbol of the gun violence prevention movement.” You can RSVP for the event here.
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 rehearsal plans ahead of this Sunday's performance in service, and alternate plans for Sunday Night RE this Sunday.
CUUPs Yule Ritual - Sunday, December 20
Yule, the winter solstice, is a time of great symbolism and power. It marks the return of the sun, when the days finally begin to get a little longer. It's also a time to celebrate with family and friends, and share the spirit of giving. We invite those of you who are interested in participating in this ritual to bring an item of food or drink to share at the potluck that follows the ceremony. We will gather at 6:30 p.m. and begin our ceremony promptly at 7:00 p.m.
December Calendar Changes
Ladies Who Lunch will not lunch in December, but will resume lunching in January.
Movie Night is cancelled for December. We'll see you in January!
Sewing Circle will not meet December 21, but will resume in January.
Restoration House News
Volunteers are still needed. 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]. Thank you!
First Friday Potluck - Hosts Needed
We are still in need of hosts for upcoming potlucks. If you are willing to host a potluck, please use this form to sign up to sign-up or email/phone Chris Bauerle directly at [email protected] or 989-330-8457. The upcoming dates include: February 5, March 4, April 1 (really!), May 6, June 3 and August 5. If you enjoy the potlucks, please consider hosting - it is fun and easy!
Community Justice Party
You are all invited to our “Community Justice Party” fundraiser for MUUSJN (in lieu of a plate collection) on Saturday, January 30, 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. The evening will include a silent auction of social justice items, performances (music, poetry, and readings focused on the three current issue priorities of MUUSJN – Income Inequality (includes classism, racism); LGBT rights/Reproductive Justice; and Environmental Justice (includes water justice). It will also include a youth group bake sale, a cake/dessert walk, and light refreshments. The suggested donation for adults is $10.00 (although more will gratefully be accepted for MUUSJN), and children are free (with child care provided for the nursery).
If you have a social justice item (poster, pin, picture, t-shirt, etc.) that you would like to donate for the silent auction, a social justice performance (song, poetry, reading) that you would like to share, or a cake/dessert that you would like to donate, please contact any one of the four planners (Norma Bailey, Laura Frey, Joyce Henricks, or Jen Prout.
Please feel free to invite your friends and family members who are also interested in social justice for this fun and meaningful social event!
To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,
Every cubic inch of space is a miracle.
~ Walt Whitman, “Leaves of Grass”
Service Cancellation Policy
In case of inclement weather, a decision to cancel the service will be made by 9 a.m. An announcement will be posted on our web site (uufcm.org) and on Facebook as well as sent directly via email. Those who are not online will be phoned. If you have questions, call Annette Pratt (989-400-0173). We hope we won't have to resort to this very often, but we live in Michigan after all, so we need to be prepared!
Got News?
The deadline for submissions to the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly e-News is
Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. Please send all submissions to [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])
Trustee: Janis Shinn (989.400.3724; [email protected])
In case of inclement weather, a decision to cancel the service will be made by 9 a.m. An announcement will be posted on our web site (uufcm.org) and on Facebook as well as sent directly via email. Those who are not online will be phoned. If you have questions, call Annette Pratt (989-400-0173). We hope we won't have to resort to this very often, but we live in Michigan after all, so we need to be prepared!
Got News?
The deadline for submissions to the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly e-News is
Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. Please send all submissions to [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])
Trustee: Janis Shinn (989.400.3724; [email protected])
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