eNews for Thursday, January 5

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View this email in your browser eNews for Thursday, January 5 Worship Matters We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, January 8 to worship together with our minister Drew Frantz, who will present “Finding Our Center.” The Zoom call starts at 10:00 for social time, and the service starts at 10:30.   “Part of self-awareness is to know what we each have at our center. What are our core beliefs? Our core attributes? Just as we need to be aware of our physical center of gravity to move in balance, we need to find our spiritual center to live with balance and purpose.” Zoom Invitation for January 8: Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 402489218 One tap mobile +16468769923,,402489218# Phone - audio only +1 646 876 9923 Upcoming Services January 15: Martin Luther King: Love at the Center If you happen to miss being in worship, please check out our website sermon archive for sermon video and/or text. Minister’s Column On New Year’s Eve I was able to reconnect with my friend Bo, whose home represents community gathered around music. On the day we met, at a softball game almost twenty years ago, we quickly found out that we both enjoyed playing music. Over the next fifteen years our friendship included parenting, working together, and many music sessions… Read more here. COVID Update We continue with hybrid services (in-person/Zoom). Our current policy is that everyone entering the building must be vaccinated (unless exempt), which applies to children also. Masks are optional for worship services and small group meetings.   Singing by the congregation and the choir is allowed with masks on.   Anyone vaccinated may attend services.   Small groups can meet in person if they wish, or continue meeting on Zoom – or do a mixture. This includes all of our teams and the Board itself. We will do our best to publish how meetings are going to be held, and please check with the leader of each meeting if you're not sure.   Indoor eating events are allowed – coffee hour, Friday night potlucks, and our annual Harvest Feast – as long as people are vaccinated. Please be aware that the situation is fluid. We are monitoring the situation frequently, so stay tuned for updates. 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. - Sunday Worship - Welcome to UU Orientation - Last Sunday of the month at 12:30 pm - 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 - First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm - Coffee House Open Mic - Cancelled until further notice - Annual All-Congregation Retreat - Saturday, January 21 at 8am 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 Stewardship Committee - Thursday, January 5 at 7pm UUFCM Board - Sunday, January 8 at 1pm Fellowship Life Coordinating Team - Sunday, January 8 at 1:30pm Covid Task Force - Sunday, January 8 at 7pm Adult RE Team - Monday, January 9 at 7pm Social Justice Coordinating Team - Tuesday, January 10 at 7pm If you are interested in helping any of these teams or committees, please fill out the Volunteer Opportunity Form if you haven’t already. Share Your Soles! Now that winter has arrived, be aware that the need for boots is great with our homeless/indigent population in Isabella County. If you have replaced your old boots with new ones, be sure to donate those used boots and any shoes to our “Share Your Soles” collection which will be delivered to Clothing, INC for distribution through February. You can deliver them to our box in the Fellowship Hall. All-Congregation Annual Retreat and Business Meeting January 21, 2023, 8am-Noon Please join us for our annual all-congregation retreat – 8:00 hot breakfast followed by the meeting at 9:00. We will begin with a brief business meeting regarding the UUFCM bylaw changes that you have received. The topic of the retreat itself will be the draft revision to Article II of the UUA Bylaws, which include the 7 Principles. First Friday Potluck – January 6 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. Has Your Contact Information Changed? We are in the process of updating our Directory. If you made any changes since August (postal address, phone number, email, your name, or added children), please check our online version to see if it needs updating. If so, contact Gisela at gbmoffit@gmail.com or Kirsten at admin@uufcm.org before January 22. Contact Gisela for the password if necessary. Thank you very much for helping us to keep the Directory current. • • • Community News • • • Empowering Refugees Through Education Benefit Dinner January 13, 2023 at 5:30pm Powers Hall Ballroom at CMU Join the Refugee Outreach Collective for a special benefit event featuring former refugee Dilli Gautam as our keynote speaker. Dilli is the Associate Director of Community Engagement at Bethany Christian Services who will share his inspiring story of resilience and determination, and discuss the intersection of educational access and refugee health. Enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres and refreshments at no cost, and take part in our silent auction to support refugees and education. All proceeds go towards supporting refugees and providing them with access to education through the Global Classroom Program. R.S.V.P. Today! Free COVID Tests The US government is again offering free COVID home tests. They also provide an explanation of how to secure additional tests through your insurance. 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   Together We Grow! 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 admin@uufcm.org. Drew’s Contact Information Please contact Drew via email, phone, or text. minister@uufcm.org  Phone/text: 440-935-0129​ Office Hours:    Tuesdays 10am-noon   Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm UUFCM Board of Trustees for 2022-2023 President: Stacey Pattison (989.330.1832; staceyp555@gmail.com) Past-President: Norma Bailey (989.560.3952; normabailey.uufcm@gmail.com) President Elect: Cynthia Damer (989.506.5750; ckdamer@gmail.com) Treasurer: Terrie Robbie (989.400.2495; tlrobbie1@gmail.com) Secretary: Elaine Emerick (989.621.6063; ebundy84@gmail.com) Trustee: Victoria Sladek (989.506.7039; victoriasladek@gmail.com) Trustee: Debbie Reid (989.854.9830; debbiereiduufcm@gmail.com) Trustee: Penny Swart (989.330.3587; ps.unicm@gmail.com) Team and Committee Leaders Adult Religious Education Team - Jodi Fisher Building, Grounds & Safety Team - Norma Bailey Communications Coordinating Team - Debbie Reid Fellowship Life Coordinating Team - Gisela Moffit   Membership - Laura McBride   Arms Around - Gisela Moffit   Welcome & Hospitality - Gisela Moffit   Social Fun - Jen Prout Social Justice Coordinating Team - Norma Bailey Worship Team - Drew Frantz Youth Religious Education (RE) Team - Carol Rard Anti-Racism Task Force - Norma Bailey Coronavirus Task Force - Drew Frantz   We are a religious community guided by love, transforming our lives and our world. Copyright © 2023 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.