eNews for Thursday, January 7

1/7/2021

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eNews for Thursday, January 7

A Letter from Kendra Peffers

I have been incredibly fortunate to serve this congregation as the Director of Religious Education (DRE) since 2018. Stepping down from the position on Monday is very bittersweet. I am looking forward to graduate school in speech-language pathology, while at the same time I am already missing all the involvement with families, children’s events, and RE lessons. Watching the children grow, having our rich Sunday morning lessons, getting to know families and congregants, and becoming more involved in the community at UUFCM have given me memories and experiences that I will treasure forever.

I am more than excited to welcome in the new DRE, Jakobe Neal. His friendly manner, obvious experience with children, and level of enthusiasm for getting started tell me that the RE Program will be in good hands. In the meantime, you can find me at Sunday services, game nights, and other fellowship events for as long as I can attend – what can I say, I’ve grown attached to UUFCM! Thank you to Drew and the children, families, RE Team, RE staff and volunteers, Worship Team, and congregation for contributing to the RE Program and creating the wonderful community that is UUFCM.

Worship Matters

We will gather online via Zoom this Sunday, January 10 to worship together with our minister Andrew Frantz who will present “Imagining the Best.” The Zoom call starts at 10:00 for social time, and the service starts at 10:30.

“Our worship theme for the month of January is ‘imagination’. In a world where sorrow and joy co-exist, where despair and hope are both present, how can we imagine and create the best possible life for ourselves and our community? This Sunday we will also make time to say good-bye to our departing Director of Religious Education, Kendra Peffers.”

Zoom Invitation for Sunday, January 10

Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 402489218

One tap mobile
+16468769923,,5527667326#

Phone - audio only
+1 646 876 9923

If you happen to miss being in worship, the texts to previous sermon messages (and some of the readings as well) can be found in our website sermon archive.

Upcoming Services

January 17: Celebrating Diversity - multigenerational service

Minister’s Column

Read the Minister’s column at uufcm.org/andrew-frantz.

Upcoming Events - with Zoom Links

Click the link to join in!

- Sunday worship
- RE Lesson & Kids’s Coffee Hour - Sundays at 10:45am
- Welcome to UU Orientation - 4th Sundays at 12:30pm
- Choir R ehearsal - Sundays at 7pm
- UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am
- Check-In Circle with Drew - Wednesdays at 4pm
- Game Night - Wednesdays at 7pm
- Soulful Sundown - 1st Thursdays at 7pm - Tonight!
- Women’s Circle - 4th Thursdays at 7pm
- Coffee House Open Mic - 1st Fridays at 7pm (January 8)
Event links can also be found on the UUFCM Calendar.

Team Meetings - with Zoom Links

Click the link to join in!

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. Links for the various team meetings will be posted in the eNews and on the UUFCM calendar.

If you are interested in helping any of these teams or committees, please fill out the Volunteer Opportunity Form 2020-2021 if you haven’t already.

UUFCM Board - Sunday, January 10 at 1pm
Worship Team - Monday, January 11 at 6pm
Environmental Issues - Monday, January 11 at 7pm
Social Justice Coordinating Team - Tuesday, January 12 at 7:30pm

Meeting links can also be found on the UUFCM Calendar.

All-Congregation Retreat - January 23

You are all invited to our vitally important all-congregation retreat on Saturday, January 23, from 10-12 via Zoom. At the retreat, we will discuss in small groups what is working well in our religious community, what is not working well, and what our fellowship needs going forward. This discussion will help us each make an informed vote about whether a person recommended by the Search Committee is a good fit for our needs - to be our called/settled minister. We will then conduct a secret, members-only email ballot, similar to what we did for the general business meeting in May, with the results to be announced on Sunday, January 31. Should you have any questions, feel free to contact any member of the Search Committee: Norma Bailey (baile1nj@cmich.edu), Jim Dealing (deali1jr@cmich.edu), Laura McBride (lmcbride010@gmail.com), Guy Newland (newla1gm@cmich.edu), and Katie Zapoluch (katie.zapoluch@gmail.com).

Soulful Sundown - Tonight!

Join us on the first Thursday of the month for an uplifting service of songs, drumming, poetry, and reflection, beginning at 7 p.m. All are welcome: all ages, all genders, colors, beliefs. This month’s theme is Imagination. Join us via Zoom.

Coffee House Open Mic - January 8

Bring your favorite beverage and join us for a virtual coffee house on the first Friday of the month at 7pm. We will follow an open mic format: anyone can share some music or poetry. Aim for 5 minutes for your song or poem. Signing up ahead of time is encouraged: contact Drew at minister.uufcm.org or 440-935-0129. Get ready for a groovy time! Join us via Zoom.

UUFCM Board of Trustees Open Positions

In May we will have elections for four positions on the UUFCM Board of Trustees. Those positions are: President-Elect, Secretary, and two Trustees.

The President-Elect automatically becomes President for the following year and Past-President for the year after, so will serve for three years in leadership.
The Secretary has a two-year term on the Board.
One Trustee position has a two-year term.
One Trustee position has a one-year term.

If you would like the Nominating Committee to consider you as a possible candidate for one of these four positions, or if you have related questions, please contact Carol Rard (989.561.2969) or Guy Newland (newla1gm@cmich.edu) during January.

Remind App - Stay Informed!

We use an app called Remind to send out urgent notices such as service cancellations, special announcements, and fraud alerts. Please send Laura McBride your phone number and/or email address so you can receive these notices. You may add the Remind app to your smartphone, or once your info is added to the app, you will get an invitation from Remind explaining how to add the app to your phone. If you have questions, contact Laura McBride (lmcbride010@gmail.com; 989.772.5512). She is adding names and info as they come in. If you received a notification, please respond to it!

Has Your Contact Information Changed?

We are in the process of updating our Directory. If you made any changes since August 2020 (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 23. Since it is a new year, the password has changed – contact Gisela for the new one if necessary. Thank you very much for helping us to keep the Directory current.

Environmental Issues News

Want to do something good for you and the climate? The Environmental Issues Committee encourages you to check out the Sierra Club’s New Year 1.5 Challenge to commit to 1.5 miles or a 15-minute workout of your choosing each day. Let us know if you choose to participate!

Why 1.5? The UN's 2018 report stated that temperature increases must be kept under 1.5°C to avert the most devastating effects of the climate crisis.

Save the Date - February 14

Our annual Holiday Tea will have a new theme this year: Mardi Gras! Please plan to join us (virtually) after service on February 14. Details coming soon!

Are You in Need of Assistance?

At this time of social distancing, it is important that we keep in close contact via technology. Drew has encouraged you to reach out to him if you want to talk to him via email or phone/text (minister@uufcm.org; 440.935.0129). Please do so if you need emotional support or to share your concerns. If you are experiencing financial hardship, the minister's discretionary fund may be able to help. Please contact Drew for more information. Assistance from this fund is strictly confidential.

For those of you who are shut in and can’t get groceries or your meds, let Gisela know (gbmoffit@gmail.com; 989.772.1602). We now have 6 volunteers who are willing to pick up your orders for you. Many thanks in advance to those willing to help out.

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

Take all that you need; give all that you can!

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 Office Hours and Contact Information

Please contact Drew via email, phone, or text.
minister@uufcm.org
Phone/text:
440-935-0129

UUFCM Board of Trustees for 2020-2021
President: Guy Newland (989.944.0534; president@uufcm.org)
Past-President: Carol Rard (989.561.2969; carol4uufcm@gmail.com)
President Elect: Norma Bailey (989.560.3952; baile1nj@cmich.edu)
Treasurer: Terrie Robbie (989.400.2495; tlrobbie1@gmail.com)
Co-Treasurer: Jen Prout (989.400.3130; poutyprouty66@yahoo.com)
Secretary: Elaine Emerick (989.621.6063; ebundy84@gmail.com)
Trustee: Jennifer Davis (989.280.7010; jenmarsh40@gmail.com)
Trustee: Aaron Jones (989.501.0672; jones3aj@cmich.edu)
Trustee: Mel Bailey (989.600.6460; babycatching@gmail.com)

Team and Committee Leaders

Worship Team - Drew Frantz
Religious Education (RE) Team - Mel Bailey
Social Justice Coordinating Team - Norma Bailey
Coordinating Team - Gisela Moffit
Building, Grounds & Safety committee - Norma Bailey
Voting Rights committee - David Wagstaff
Environmental Issues committee - Daniel Davis
Communications committee - Sally Armstrong
Membership - Laura McBride
Arms Around - Gisela Moffit
Welcome & Hospitality - Gisela Moffit
Coronavirus task force - Drew Frantz

We are a
religious community
guided by love,
transforming our lives
and our world.

Copyright © 2021 Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan. All rights reserved.

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