eNews For Thursday, April 18

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View this email in your browser eNews for Thursday, April 17 Worship Matters We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, April 21, to worship with Rev. Drew Frantz and with our Religious Education Youth Coordinator, Marhea Fay, who will present "Multigenerational Earth Day Celebration." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.   "All are welcome to an honoring of Earth Day that includes stories, songs, drumming, games and more. At our best, we are in harmony with the earth. We recognize that this harmony includes taking from the earth and giving to the earth, in symbiosis. We can heal Mother Earth and we can be healed by her." 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 21 - Multigenerational Earth Day Celebration April 28 - Poetry Service April Youth Religious Education Classes April 21 - Multigenerational Earth Day Celebration April 28 - Earth Day Outdoors The UU kids will be planting pollinator seeds for their garden, as well as placing their birdhouses and feeders out for our furry friends! If you dig it, come get dirty with us! If you happen to miss being in worship, please check out Sunday Services on our website for sermon video and/or text. 2023 and prior year sermon video and/or text are located under Sermon Archives. Minister’s Column Volunteerism has suffered a decline in recent months and years, as I often hear from my colleagues in ministry. On social media this week, one Unitarian Universalist minister was asking others of us what to do when no one volunteers to lead the Board of Trustees. Several of my colleagues had advice to offer because they had been through that situation in a UU congregation themselves. Read the column here. 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. - Welcome to UU Orientation - Last Sundays at 12:30pm - UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom - Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm - Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm - UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am - Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7pm - Drawing Workshop - 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 10am - First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm - Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm - Monthly Soul Matters Small Group Discussion - Thursday, April 25, at 6:30pm 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 Youth RE Team - Sunday, April 21, at 3:30pm If you are interested in helping any of these teams or committees, please fill out the Volunteer Opportunity Form if you haven’t already. Stewardship Campaign Ourstewardship campaign officially ends on Sunday, April 21. If you have not yet had the opportunity to turn in your pledge by mail, online or in the Sunday offering plate, please do this by this Sunday. After Sunday, our stewardship committee will be reaching out to the members we haven’t heard from yet. Please save everyone’s time by returning your pledge materials by this Sunday. If you have questions, contact anyone on the Stewardship Committee – Mary Alsager, Norma Bailey, Cynthia Damer, Drew Frantz, Gisela Moffit, and Amy Voege. Social Justice Special Plate Collection - THIS Sunday, April 21 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. Fellowship Clean-Up - Saturday, April 27 Saturday, April 27, 10:00am-noon Rain date: May 6, 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, edge sidewalks, and wash windows, 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, Daniel Davis, or Kurt Roeder, and let us know you’re coming to help beautify our church grounds! Movie Night - Saturday, April 27 Join us on April 27, at 7:00pm as we watch Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti portray a crusty, prep school teacher who must spend the Christmas holiday supervising some students who have no where to go in The Holdovers. Between the students and the head cook, it's sure to be a contrary time.  Poetry Service - Sunday, April 28 On April 28, Stacey Pattison and Laura McBride will lead the service in celebration of National Poetry Month. During this interactive service, friends and members of the congregation will read a favorite poem to the congregation. This will be in lieu of a regular sermon message. You are encouraged to contact Laura ([email protected] or 989.772.5512) or Stacey ([email protected] or 989.330.1832) with your favorite poem to share with us! It could be silly, poignant, descriptive, or evocative. You may share your own poem or that of another poet. Please consider being a part of this service as we welcome warmer days and sunny skies! Book Discussion Group - May 5 and May 12 The Adult RE Team and Reverend Drew are offering a book discussion group using the UUA Common Read “On Repentance and Repair” for two sessions - Sunday, May 5 and May 12, at noon. See Drew to get your copy of the book.  Path to Membership Workshop - Saturday, May 11 Saturday, May 11, at 1:00pm Contact: Laura McBride This workshop is designed for those who want to understand the membership commitment to UUFCM. In this one-and-a-half to two-hour interactive hybrid session, we explore the deeper meanings and expectations of membership and shared ministry. Please contact Laura McBride to sign up.  • • • Community News • • • April Earth Month Activities Central Sustainability, a registered student organization on CMU’s campus, has planned multiple events throughout the month to celebrate and strengthen sustainability on campus and in the community. See the flyer below and newsletter to find out about the various activities. Dial for Democracy Join Voters Not Politician's "Dial for Democracy" List! Activists across the political spectrum can all agree that picking up the phone and calling your elected officials is the most effective way to make your voice heard. In fact, many elected officials and their staff members have stated that a phone call from a constituent holds more weight than an email, tweet, or a fax. By joining VNP's "Dial for Democracy" list, you will receive exclusive alerts when it's time to call your lawmakers on legislation or decisions that impact Michigan's democracy. These alerts will contain info and tips to help you have an easy and productive call to your local lawmaker! If you aren't receiving exclusive Dial for Democracy alerts yet, sign up here. You'll receive alerts when critical legislation is introduced along with your state legislators' contact information and a script to use during your call. Become an Election Worker If you are interested in becoming an election worker in the Mt. Pleasant area, fill out the application and submit it to the appropriate location.  At this time, the City of Mt. Pleasant has enough election workers, but Union Township and the surrounding townships do not.  See Norma Bailey for further information ([email protected]). Free COVID Tests  Get free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests this fall on COVIDTests.gov Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order an additional 4 free at-⁠home tests beginning November 20. If you did not order tests this fall, you may place two orders for a total of 8 tests. Your order of COVID tests is completely free – you won’t even pay for shipping. You can order your test kits HERE. 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, or via the GivePlus Church App. 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 (in person and/or Zoom):    Tuesdays 10am-noon   Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm Office Hours Zoom Link UUFCM Board of Trustees for 2023-2024 President: Cynthia Damer (989.506.5750; [email protected]) President-Elect: Aaron Jones (989.501.0672; [email protected]) Treasurer: Terrie Robbie (989.400.2495; [email protected]) Secretary: Laurie Meadows (989.317.8299; [email protected]) Trustee: Victoria Sladek (989.506.7039; [email protected]) Trustee: Monica Jean (616.443.8782; [email protected]) Trustee: Mary Alsagar (989.330.2226; [email protected]) Team and Committee Leaders Adult Religious Education Team - Jodi Fisher Building, Grounds & Safety Team - Norma Bailey Caring Committee - Laura McBride Communications Coordinating Team  Fellowship Life Coordinating Team - Gisela Moffit   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. 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