eNews for Thursday, August 1

Keep up with all that’s happening at the UUFCM!

View this email in your browser eNews for Thursday, August 1 First Friday Potluck – This Friday, August 2 Please join us in the UUFCM Fellowship Hall at 6:30pm (doors open at 6:15) for food, conversation, and games! Coffee, hot tea, and water will be provided. If you are able, please bring a dish to pass. Worship Matters We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, August 4, to worship with with Laura McBride as Worship Leader and Kurt Roeder, who will present a "Summer Reflection." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.   "Welcome to summer! Summer worship will be different and somewhat shorter; we will still have a hymn, chalice lighting and extinguishing, sharing of joys and sorrows, and an offertory.  However, each Sunday a different member of the congregation will briefly reflect on one of the following prompts: “What I would have done differently in my life” OR “What I wish I would have known as a younger person,” and then we will open up discussion in response to their reflection.  We hope you will join us each Sunday for our summer worship series, which runs through August 11." 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 August 11: Summer Worship Series - Katie Zapoluch 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 There is no minister’s column this week because Rev. Drew is away on vacation. He will be back in the office on August 12. Read previous columns 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 Resumes August 14  - First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm - Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm 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 Coordinating Team - Sunday, August 4, at 12:00pm Worship Team - Thursday, August 8, at 7:00pm Summer Schedule Minister’s Time Off Rev. Drew will be off and will return August 12. Although regular office hours are suspended for the summer, you may still contact Drew with any urgent Fellowship business if needed, or with significant pastoral care needs. Texting 440-935-0129 is the best way to reach Rev. Drew. August 6 Primary and Early Voting A reminder that August 6 is the date of the Michigan Primary with polls open from 7:00am – 8:00pm.  Early voting will occur for nine days: July  27 – August 4.  Early voting for Mt. Pleasant and Union Township will take place 8:00am – 4:00pm at Powers Hall, Central Michigan University, on Washington Street.  Early voting for all other townships will take place 8:00am – 4:00pm at the Commission on Aging, on Lincoln Street. The League of Women Voters provides www.vote411.org for information about candidates, ballot measures, your voter registration, your polling place, drop box location and more. To see the entire ballot for other areas of the county visit: https://www.isabellacounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Isabella-August-2024-OFFICIAL-V3B.pdf Remember: when casting a vote in the August Primary, voters may only vote in one party column. If you decide to vote in the Democratic primary, you cannot cast a vote in the Republican primary - and vice-versa. If a vote is cast in both party's columns, the ballot will be invalidated.  Infant Pantry Collection – THIS Sunday, August 4 Donations for the Infant Pantry are collected on the first Sunday of each month. You can donate online to the Monthly Donations for Infant Pantry on our website, or checks can be sent to our treasurer made out to UUFCM with Infant Pantry in the memo. Questions? Contact Tom Moffit (989-772-1602; [email protected]). Thank you in advance for your generosity. Make Joyful Noise! The Joyful Noise Choir will begin rehearsals for the fall starting on Wednesday, August 14 at 7:00pm. If you like to sing – even if you don’t read music – now would be a perfect time to join us as we are beginning to learn new music! Contact Norma Bailey at 989-560-3952 or [email protected] if you have questions. Lammas Ritual - This Sunday, August 4 In Earth-based traditions, Lammas is usually celebrated on August 1, honoring the first harvest of the season. The days are starting to grow shorter, but the weather is at its peak of warmth and sunshine.  We invite those of you who are interested to participate on Sunday, August 4. We hold the ritual promptly at 6:00pm, in hybrid format (in-person/Zoom). Picking Vegetables at George's "Farm!" The Youth RE program is inviting all young people to pick vegetables for the Soup Kitchen at the “farm” of George Lentz on Saturday, August 17. We’ll meet at the church at 9:00am, carpool out together, pick veggies, and have lemonade and snacks together. Please let any member of the Youth RE team know if you plan to join us – Norma Bailey, Carla Jensen, Jennifer Davis and Monica Jean. Annual UUFCM Picnic - Sunday, August 18 Please join us for the UUFCM Annual Picnic at Isabella Township Park in Rosebush at 1:00pm on Sunday, August 18. Please bring your own table service. Hamburgers, hotdogs, veggie dogs, water, iced tea, and lemonade will be provided. Sign-up sheets for helping and additional food will be available online (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B48ACA622A6FE3-50293047-uufcm) and at the UU Building. We look forward to seeing you there!   Women’s Circle - Fall Start! Exciting news! The Women's Circle is a program for UUFCM women to get together once a month to discuss whatever the group is interested in. There is enough interest to restart the Women's Circle this fall. If you'd like to join and help determine the meeting times, please reach out to Joyce Henricks at [email protected] to be added to the contact list. Youth RE Team Looking for a Book Shelf The Youth RE Team is looking for a bookshelf that would hold some tall children’s picture books.  If you have one to donate that might work, please contact Norma Bailey at [email protected] or at 989-560-3952. • • • Community News • • • We Are Invited! UU Fellowship of Midland's Summer Picnic Potluck Wednesday, August 7 (drop by after 4:00pm) Plymouth Park, Midland MI - Shelter F You're invited to a summer picnic potluck at Plymouth Park! Bring your family for an unforgettable evening filled with delicious food, fun activities, and great company. Burgers, hot dogs, and vegetarian dishes are provided! Please bring a dish to pass! RSVP: Online (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B48ACA622A6FE3-50116400-uufoms) (Bathrooms and parking on-site; ADA-accessible picnic tables) 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 2024-2025 President: Aaron Jones (989.501.0672; [email protected]) President-Elect: Norma Bailey (989.560.3952; [email protected]) Treasurer: Terrie Robbie (989.400.2495; [email protected]) Secretary: Laurie Meadows (989.317.8299; [email protected]) Trustee: Annette Pratt (989.400.0173; [email protected]) Trustee: Monica Jean (616.443.8782; [email protected]) Trustee: David Allan (989.941.7349; [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 Scam Alert Several congregants have received emails and texts purportedly from UUFCM leadership. If you receive a message that seems suspicious, please remember that we would never solicit money or ask for help in this way, and do not respond to the message. Read more here. We are a religious community guided by love, transforming our lives and our world. Copyright © 2024 Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan. All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.