Wholeness does not mean perfection: it means embracing brokenness as an integral part of life. Knowing this gives me hope that human wholeness – mine, yours, ours – need not be a utopian dream, if we can use devastation as a seedbed for new life.”
~ Parker Palmer
- UUFCM Clean Up Days: Saturday, May 2 & 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wear old clothes for cleaning, raking beds, washing windows, painting, etc. Get to know church members better and improve our building and grounds. Lunch onsite, details later!
- Annual Meeting in place of Fellowship Life meeting: Sunday, May 17th immediately following service to vote on bylaw proposals, election, budget, etc. More details later!
First Friday Potluck - May 1
The First Friday potluck and games will be held on May 1. The meal theme for the evening will be in honor of the Tigers' historic start to the season "take me out to the ball game." Some ideas are hot dogs, kielbasa, nachos, barbecue, dill pickles, chips, peanuts, etc. Josh Bauerle will host with some help from friends. Chris: 989-330-8457 or [email protected]. The link to Perfect potluck is: http://www.perfectpotluck.com/meals.php?t=GVEY7986
RE Youth Visit to Ziibiwing Center
On Saturday, May 2, the RE youth will visit Ziibiwing. Middle level youth and teachers are scheduled for a guided tour starting at 11:00 a.m. Ziibiwing is also holding its Bird Day celebration from 1-5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. RE youth of all ages are encouraged to attend. For more details, please see the flyer on the Ziibiwing website (http://www.sagchip.org/ziibiwing/) Please contact Roze Bentley with questions at (989) 400-7674.
In Worship
In this week of tragic loss and devastation brought about by extremities of both earthly and human turmoil, we embark on a month-long sojourn with the worship theme of “Hope” – at this moment nothing seems more appropriate…or more challenging. We begin this Sunday, May 3, with “The Substance of Hope.” Joining us in service will be guest musician (French horn) Penny Daab Cushway - Jean Daab’s daughter. We hope you will join us!
“Hope requires that we experience and participate in life’s multiple-dimensions, not just in its pleasant aspects. To believe that we could fend off difficulty, deny the darkness, and find peace by clutching our little candle of hope away from the messiness of life, shielding it in a protective corner beyond the reach of the wind, is to deny hope its power. Hope must be brought to bear on life as it is.” ~ Julie E. Neraas
Worship Theme Resources for May
- Apprenticed to Hope: A Sourcebook for Difficult Times - by Julie E. Neraas
- The Impossible Will Take a Little While - a citizen's guide to hope in a time of fear, a timely and honest anthology of hope, edited by Paul Rogat Loeb.
- An Interrupted Life and Letters from Westerbork - by Etty Hillesum. The diary and letters of a vibrant, articulate and artistic young woman writing in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam.
Infant Pantry Collection - May 3
Donations for the Infant Pantry are collected on the first Sunday of each month. Most needed items are diapers, creams, shampoos, lotions, and tissues. Baby food and formula are not needed at this time. Please contact Tom Moffit ([email protected] or 772-1602) with any questions. Thank you for last month’s most generous collection. The need continues, so please continue your help.
CUUPs – Covenant of UU Pagans Celebrates Beltane
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 in this ritual to bring an item of food or drink to share at the potluck that follows the ceremony. We will gather on Sunday, May 3 at 6:30 pm and begin our ceremony promptly at 7:00 pm.
Memorial Gift
We received a generous donation in memory of Valerie Stephens by an anonymous donor. We are very grateful and want to thank them. Valerie was a founding member of our fellowship and an active advocate for social justice. She dedicated her life to help the abused, the outsiders and the discriminated, and we aim to follow her example.
Men's Group Game Night - May 4
We meet on first Mondays for board games, such as Catan and Cards against Humanity. The event location is Justin Henry's house, located at 901 S. Elizabeth.
Movie Night
Movie Night is every second Saturday at 7 p.m. at the UU Center. The movie for May 9 is The Lunchbox, an Indian film, 2013. A young housewife and a lonely widower begin an unlikely correspondence when Mumbai's famously reliable lunchbox delivery service makes a mistake. An engaging examination of "love"between two people who remain strangers. A 96% Rotten Tomatoes rating, as well as a peoples choice film festival award. Contact Jim Dealing with any questions - [email protected] or (989) 772-0269.
UUFCM Garage Sale - Help Needed!
The UUFCM garage sale will be held on Thursday, Friday and (half day) Saturday, May 21-23. If you have items to contribute, please contact Norma Bailey (989-560-3952 or [email protected]) to find out how and where to drop them off. We will need tables, saw horses and wide flat boards, and hangers for the sale too. Please contact Norma letting her know which of these items you have as well as when you will be able to help either setting up the garage sale (sorting and pricing) and/or selling on the days of the sale. Norma will have sign-up sheets for various shifts available the next several Sundays at church, so bring your calendars to church! This is a major enterprise for our Fellowship, so all hands are needed to help!
Homestretch for Stewardship Drive
We have great news to share! Our stewardship pledge drive is nearing its end and has been a great success. We want to thank all of our members and friends for their generosity and dedication to our fellowship. We were especially grateful for the 14% increase over last year's donations.
Never before have we come that close to our goal, but we are not quite there yet. It will take less than $2000 to meet our proposed budget for next year. If you have not yet submitted your pledge or would like to make an addition to your pledge, click here to get the form and send it in as soon as you can (UUFCM, PO box 41, Mt. Pleasant, MI, 48804-0041). It will make our treasurer's day!
To All Members of the UUFCM:
Per our bylaws, you have officially been notified of the annual meeting of the UUFCM on Sunday, May 17, at 11:45 a.m. or immediately after the worship service. Please review the agenda for the meeting, which includes the election of the new trustees for the Board, and the proposed budget and proposed by-law changes. There will be a vote on accepting the mission statement (following a collection of input at a focus meeting and review of it by the Transition Task Force). The mission statement will be distributed for review following the board meeting on May 10, 2015.
Looking forward to seeing you all there!
Your UUFCM Board of Trustees
A great deal of what is called hope in secular culture and popular religion
is really wishful thinking, utopian fantasy, desire wrapped in illusion.
~ Roy Fairchild
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])