The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that
all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy.
~ Henri Nouwen
Ministry Matters – On Stewardship
- by Dawn Daniels, UUFCM Minister
Where your treasure is…there is your heart.
In case you’ve missed the signs, this is the time of year when we as a fellowship reflect deeply on our existence as a community of faith – we look at the process of our work together over the past year(s) and consider our dreams for the future. We ask ourselves again important questions about what the UUFCM means in our lives – as individuals, in the lives of our children, and as a vital presence in our community. But we don’t stop there – we’re also asked to reflect on our support of this congregation with our time, talent and treasure, consider our level of giving, and re-commit our support of the UUFCM for the coming year. If you’ve been in worship any of the Sundays in the past three weeks, you’ve had the opportunity to hear from several of our members their very thoughtful personal reflections on what stewardship of this church means in their lives. If you missed any of these, please visit the homepage of our website to read each of these wonderful reflections. May their stories inspire you.
Within the next week, all members and friends of the UUFCM will be receiving the annual stewardship “packet” in the mail. As your minister, I ask each of you to remember that much loving concern and effort went into the creation of this year’s articulation of our needs. We are a young church still learning how best to do all of this…and the lay leaders who generously give of their blood, sweat and tears on behalf of us all in the annual stewardship drive deserve our most tender embrace. This is hard, challenging work…and I’m guessing we all know why. That “M” word: Money. So let’s all take a deep breath as we go through this together. And to those of us who habitually twitch (and sometimes snarl) when the topic of money comes up in church – you take extra big breaths and hold the hand of someone near. Know that we’ll be exploring aspects of stewardship in worship throughout the month of March and that I and members of the UUFCM board are most willing to speak with you if you have questions or concerns. And also know that I am in this with you – I have decided to remain a pledging member of this congregation as I serve as your minister. The only privilege I will forfeit as a member is my vote in congregational matters. My personal goal this year is to pledge 5% of my income to the UUFCM. I believe in and value the vision and mission of this faith community.
What does this sacred place mean to you?
“I have found everything I could need or ask for
is right here in flawed abundance.”
~ Mark Nepo
In Worship
The worship theme for Sunday, March 8 will be “An Ethic of Gratitude.” Please join us!
“The feeling of awe emerges from experiences of the grandeur of life and the mystery of the divine. We happen upon a sense of inexpressible exhilaration at being alive and a sense of utter dependence upon sources of being beyond ourselves. This sense of awe and dependence should engender in us a discipline of gratitude, which constantly acknowledges that our present experience depends upon the sources that make it possible. The feeling of obligation lays claim to us when we sense our duty to the larger life we share. As we glimpse our dependence upon other people and things, we also glimpse our duty to them. This sense of obligation leads to an ethic of gratitude, which takes our experience of transcendence in the present and works for a future in which all relationships ”among humans, as well as between humans and the physical world” are fair, constructive, and beautiful.” ~ Galen Guengerich
First Friday Potluck - This Friday
The host for March 6 is Annette Pratt. The theme of the evening will be Irish/St. Patrick's Day. You may sign up here or by logging onto perfectpotluck.com with the host name: Pratt, and password: 0306. If you have questions, contact Annette (989-400-0173 or [email protected]).
Daylight Saving Time Begins This Sunday, March 8
Even if it doesn't feel like spring, it is almost time to move your clocks ahead an hour! Most digital devices will automatically reflect the change, but your analog clocks will need to be adjusted.
Movie Night
Movie Night is every second Saturday at 7 p.m. at the UU Center. The movie for March 14 is Nebraska, directed by Alexander Payne, who did Sideways and The Descendants. It's a black and white road trip drama starring Bruce Dern (an Academy Award nominee in 2013) as a tempestuous Missouri father who's convinced he's won a million dollars magazine sweepstakes, and Will Forte as the son who grudgingly agrees to drive him to Nebraska to claim his winnings. Elegant in it's simplicity and poetic in it's message; insights into old age, pearls of wisdom and gags galore. 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Contact Jim Dealing with any questions - [email protected]or (989) 772-0269.
Thanks to Our Youth!
A big warm thanks to all our youth, teachers, and Norma Bailey for planning, hosting, speaking, serving, and cleaning up last Sunday at the UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee) Luncheon held at the Library Annex. You educated and fed us, and raised money for an important program.
Reporting Building Concerns
If you notice something that needs to be tended to related to our lovely building, there is a clipboard inside the kitchen area between the pass-through window and the door. It is called Building Concerns Log. Please share your observations on it. It is checked several times weekly. If we are out of an item in the kitchen area, please put that on the notepad in the same area. We appreciate your support in these tasks.
• • • Community News • • •
CMU Events
2015 Pow Wow - March 21-22
Soup and Substance Spring Series calendar
- by Dawn Daniels, UUFCM Minister
Where your treasure is…there is your heart.
In case you’ve missed the signs, this is the time of year when we as a fellowship reflect deeply on our existence as a community of faith – we look at the process of our work together over the past year(s) and consider our dreams for the future. We ask ourselves again important questions about what the UUFCM means in our lives – as individuals, in the lives of our children, and as a vital presence in our community. But we don’t stop there – we’re also asked to reflect on our support of this congregation with our time, talent and treasure, consider our level of giving, and re-commit our support of the UUFCM for the coming year. If you’ve been in worship any of the Sundays in the past three weeks, you’ve had the opportunity to hear from several of our members their very thoughtful personal reflections on what stewardship of this church means in their lives. If you missed any of these, please visit the homepage of our website to read each of these wonderful reflections. May their stories inspire you.
Within the next week, all members and friends of the UUFCM will be receiving the annual stewardship “packet” in the mail. As your minister, I ask each of you to remember that much loving concern and effort went into the creation of this year’s articulation of our needs. We are a young church still learning how best to do all of this…and the lay leaders who generously give of their blood, sweat and tears on behalf of us all in the annual stewardship drive deserve our most tender embrace. This is hard, challenging work…and I’m guessing we all know why. That “M” word: Money. So let’s all take a deep breath as we go through this together. And to those of us who habitually twitch (and sometimes snarl) when the topic of money comes up in church – you take extra big breaths and hold the hand of someone near. Know that we’ll be exploring aspects of stewardship in worship throughout the month of March and that I and members of the UUFCM board are most willing to speak with you if you have questions or concerns. And also know that I am in this with you – I have decided to remain a pledging member of this congregation as I serve as your minister. The only privilege I will forfeit as a member is my vote in congregational matters. My personal goal this year is to pledge 5% of my income to the UUFCM. I believe in and value the vision and mission of this faith community.
What does this sacred place mean to you?
“I have found everything I could need or ask for
is right here in flawed abundance.”
~ Mark Nepo
In Worship
The worship theme for Sunday, March 8 will be “An Ethic of Gratitude.” Please join us!
“The feeling of awe emerges from experiences of the grandeur of life and the mystery of the divine. We happen upon a sense of inexpressible exhilaration at being alive and a sense of utter dependence upon sources of being beyond ourselves. This sense of awe and dependence should engender in us a discipline of gratitude, which constantly acknowledges that our present experience depends upon the sources that make it possible. The feeling of obligation lays claim to us when we sense our duty to the larger life we share. As we glimpse our dependence upon other people and things, we also glimpse our duty to them. This sense of obligation leads to an ethic of gratitude, which takes our experience of transcendence in the present and works for a future in which all relationships ”among humans, as well as between humans and the physical world” are fair, constructive, and beautiful.” ~ Galen Guengerich
First Friday Potluck - This Friday
The host for March 6 is Annette Pratt. The theme of the evening will be Irish/St. Patrick's Day. You may sign up here or by logging onto perfectpotluck.com with the host name: Pratt, and password: 0306. If you have questions, contact Annette (989-400-0173 or [email protected]).
Daylight Saving Time Begins This Sunday, March 8
Even if it doesn't feel like spring, it is almost time to move your clocks ahead an hour! Most digital devices will automatically reflect the change, but your analog clocks will need to be adjusted.
Movie Night
Movie Night is every second Saturday at 7 p.m. at the UU Center. The movie for March 14 is Nebraska, directed by Alexander Payne, who did Sideways and The Descendants. It's a black and white road trip drama starring Bruce Dern (an Academy Award nominee in 2013) as a tempestuous Missouri father who's convinced he's won a million dollars magazine sweepstakes, and Will Forte as the son who grudgingly agrees to drive him to Nebraska to claim his winnings. Elegant in it's simplicity and poetic in it's message; insights into old age, pearls of wisdom and gags galore. 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Contact Jim Dealing with any questions - [email protected]or (989) 772-0269.
Thanks to Our Youth!
A big warm thanks to all our youth, teachers, and Norma Bailey for planning, hosting, speaking, serving, and cleaning up last Sunday at the UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee) Luncheon held at the Library Annex. You educated and fed us, and raised money for an important program.
Reporting Building Concerns
If you notice something that needs to be tended to related to our lovely building, there is a clipboard inside the kitchen area between the pass-through window and the door. It is called Building Concerns Log. Please share your observations on it. It is checked several times weekly. If we are out of an item in the kitchen area, please put that on the notepad in the same area. We appreciate your support in these tasks.
• • • Community News • • •
CMU Events
2015 Pow Wow - March 21-22
Soup and Substance Spring Series calendar
When a person doesn't have gratitude, something is missing in his or her humanity.
~ Elie Wiesel
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 here on our web site and on Facebook as well as sent directly via email. Those who are not online will be phoned. If you have questions, call Dawn Daniels (989-763-6315) or Laura McBride (989-772-5512). 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
Sunday at 10:00 p.m. Please send all submissions to [email protected]
UUFCM Board of Trustees for 2014-2015
President: Laura McBride (989.772.5512; [email protected])
President Elect: Annette Pratt (989.400.0173; [email protected])
Past-President: Gisela Moffit (989.772.1602; [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: Capalene Howse (989.488.8714; [email protected])
Trustee: Jennifer Prout (989.400.3130; [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 here on our web site and on Facebook as well as sent directly via email. Those who are not online will be phoned. If you have questions, call Dawn Daniels (989-763-6315) or Laura McBride (989-772-5512). 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
Sunday at 10:00 p.m. Please send all submissions to [email protected]
UUFCM Board of Trustees for 2014-2015
President: Laura McBride (989.772.5512; [email protected])
President Elect: Annette Pratt (989.400.0173; [email protected])
Past-President: Gisela Moffit (989.772.1602; [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: Capalene Howse (989.488.8714; [email protected])
Trustee: Jennifer Prout (989.400.3130; [email protected])
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