eNews For Thursday, February 15

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View this email in your browser eNews for Thursday, February 15 Worship Matters We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, February 18, to worship with Rev. Drew Frantz, who will present "Justice & Equity." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.   "In Unitarian Universalism, justice and equity are two of our core values. What is fair and how do we define it? How can we grapple with the instinct for greed that is part of human nature--and a big part of American culture? Current issues in the public arena, such as ballot questions for public projects, give us an opportunity to see how our values translate into actions." 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 February 18 - Equity & Justice February 25 - Hope Beyond Hope March 3 - Personal Transformation March 10 - A Changing World 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 I’m writing this week’s column with a heavy heart because my mother passed away on Monday morning. She was 86 years old and had been suffering a long decline from Alzheimer’s disease. I’m very grateful that she died peacefully in her sleep. Read the column here. Rev. Drew Frantz is on bereavement leave and will return to the pulpit on Sunday, February 18. 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 1:00pm - 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 - February 29, 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, February 18, at 3:30pm Stewardship Committee - Tuesday, February 20, at 5:30pm If you are interested in helping any of these teams or committees, please fill out the Volunteer Opportunity Form if you haven’t already. Community Justice Party - This Saturday! This is it!  Our fourth bi-annual Community Justice Party is this Saturday, and you are all invited to come and bring family members and friends for an evening of entertainment and fun!   There will be a program in the sanctuary of music, skits, poetry, two original music compositions, and a “Guess the Activist” contest highlighting several social justice issues! After, we will meet in the Fellowship Hall for light refreshments and a rousing cake walk! You don’t want to miss this terrific event to brighten up the February doldrums!  See you there! Saturday, February 17, at 7:00pm Adults: $5 suggested donation (donations benefit local League of Women Voters) Special Offering Collection - This Sunday On Sunday, February 18, a special plate collection will be taken to support the work of MUUSJN, the Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network. MUUSJN is a very active state-wide network of the 24 Unitarian Universalist congregations and allies in Michigan who work together for progressive change. Its mission is to foster the worth and dignity of people by promoting social justice and community service. You can donate online to the Social Justice Special Plate Collections Fund on our UUFCM website, or checks can be sent to our treasurer made out to UUFCM with MUUSJN in the memo. We are also very much encouraging individual people to become members of MUUSJN. The work of the MUUSJN director and the three project organizers we employ has led to many accomplishments each year that support our UU values (linked to document here and also posted on our bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall). Thus, when you become a member, you spread your small donation well beyond our UUFCM walls. Budget Hearing - Sunday, February 18 This Sunday! At the Fellowship Life meeting after the worship service on Sunday, February 18, the Board will hold our annual budget hearing where congregants can give initial feedback to the proposed budget for 2024-2025.  Please plan on attending. Game Night! - Monday, February 19 We meet on 3rd Mondays from 7-9pm in the UUFCM Fellowship Hall and have fun with a variety of games decided by consensus. It is a great opportunity to learn new games and meet people with similar interests! Questions? Contact James Scott at [email protected]. Movie Night - Saturday, February 24 Our February's movie is based on the true story of Brian Banks, a 16-year old with a bright future ahead of him - including attending USC. He has a dream of playing in the NFL. All that ends when he is falsely accused and convicted of rape and kidnapping. After serving five years in prison, Brian is released and seeks out the Innocence Project to clear his name. What happens next? Come find out February 24, at 7:00pm at the UUFCM's Fellowship Hall when we watch "Brian Banks." Are You Interested in Serving on the Board of Trustees? It's that time of year and we are looking for people to serve on the Board of Trustees next year. The open positions for next year are:  Trustee Position                              Duration of Term    President-Elect                                      1-year  (really 2-years) Treasurer                                                2-years + 4 months   Trustee-At-Large                                  One 2-year  Trustee-At-Large                                  One 1-year  If you are interested or would like to nominate someone, contact Aaron Jones ([email protected]) or Terrie Robbie ([email protected]) Twelve Months to a More Conscious You! February 2024 Adult RE Initiative The February tool kit is here!!! See how you can make personal progress to protect our precious Great Lakes and state waters!!!  There is still time to submit your January points to Jodi Fisher at [email protected]. Remember, you participate as much or little as you want and can join at any time. Contact Jodi or Karen Turnbull at [email protected] for more information.  Click here for February's toolkit! • • • Community News • • • Soup and Substance - Thursday, February 15 CMU invites community members to its Soup & Substance on Thursday, February 15, at 12:00pm. Nour Ali from CAIR-MI (The Council on American-Islamic Relations), a nonprofit grassroots civil rights and advocacy group, will be discussing the parallels of liberation across nations. Please click the following link to RSVP: https://forms.gle/7CDZdv2xpmoypF5y6. Sacred Activism Workshop - Monday, February 19 Zoom Monday, February 19, at 7:00pm Presented by Rev. Dr. Roland Stringfellow. Register here. Black History Month Activities - February 2024 The Black History Month activities at CMU are posted at https://www.cmich.edu/offices-departments/multicultural-academic-student-services/cultural-celebrations/black-history-month/calendar-of-events Poor People’s Campaign in Lansing - Saturday, March 2 On March 2, at 11:00am, the Poor People’s Campaign will hold simultaneous rallies at 30+ statehouses to demand our elected leaders take real action to end death by poverty, and the Capitol in Lansing will hold one of those rallies. Norma Bailey is planning on attending and would love to have others join her. If you are interested, please contact her (989-560-3952, [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]) 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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