eNews for Thursday, October 10

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

View this email in your browser eNews for Thursday, October 10 Thanks to Our Letter Writers! 750 Letters Sent! Thanks to all of our writers who wrote letters to citizens in underrepresented communities in Michigan encouraging them to vote in this important election: Norma Bailey, Joyce Henricks, Kelly Lawson, Laura McBride, Drew Frantz, Beth Macleod, Dave Macleod, David Allan, Victoria Sladek, Alan Jackson, Katie Zapoluch, Jim Dealing, Liz Dealing, Joyce Riddick, Laurie Meadows, Mary Obuchowski, Janet Olson, Jenny Main, Mary Alsager, and Tom Moffit. We wrote and sent the 750 letters on Wednesday, October 2!   If you would yet like to write letters encouraging people to vote, contact Norma Bailey ([email protected]) for information. Also, see below for information about election outreach through UU the Vote.  Worship Matters We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, October 13, to worship with Guy Newland, who will present "A Budget is a Moral Document." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.   "How do we consider issues of justice as we use our resources––our time and our money?  The UUA calls on us to fight “racism and other oppressions.” Only racism can account for many gross distortions in American society. Yet the invention of race is rooted in economic exploitation that continues today, harming people of all races––and leaving almost half the folks in our Isabella County struggling to make ends meet." 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 October 20 - Win, Loss or Tie October 27 - Deep Listening​ 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 In the Jewish tradition, these are the Days of Awe. The holiday of Rosh Hashanah was last week on October 2; Yom Kippur is October 11. The days in between are the time for reflection, as explained on the Wikipedia page for Yom Kippur: “During the Days of Awe, a Jew reflects on the year, goals, and past actions, how his or her behavior has possibly hurt others and seeks forgiveness for wrongs done against God and against other human beings.” 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. A Joyful Noise Choir Rehearsal - Wednesdays at 7pm Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm Crafty U - 3rd Fridays at 10:30am  First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm Soul Matters Discussion Group - 4th Thursdays at 6:30pm (Sept-Jun) UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom UUFCM Women's Circle - 3rd Thursdays at 7pm Welcome to UU Orientation - Last Sundays at 12pm 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 Board of Trustees - Sunday, October 13, at 1:00pm Building Team - Monday, October 14, at 6:00pm Election Outreach Through UU the Vote Unitarian Universalists are organized nationally for non-partisan election outreach through UU the Vote. These efforts are aimed at getting voters registered and voting; and at promoting ballot initiatives that square with UU values, such as reproductive freedom. Find more at uuthevote.org Upcoming events include:  October 15, 7:00-9:00 pm - calling Pennsylvania voters October 16, 6:00-8:00 pm - phoning or texting Minnesota voters Outdoor Cleanup - Saturday, October 19 Saturday, October 19 – 10:00am-12:00pm (snacks provided) We’re planning to trim the evergreen bushes, clip off the dead lilac flowers, bring in the hoses, pick up sticks, rake, weed, etc. Darlene Ritchie will be dividing hosta and iris plants; if you are interested, bring pots. Please come and help out as many hands make the work much lighter! Bring your yard tools if possible. Or if you want to tackle one of these tasks on a different day, contact Norma Bailey ([email protected]) and she will get you situated! UUFCM Annual Harvest Feast - October 27 It's Harvest time! Join us after the church service in the Library Annex on Sunday, October 27, for our Annual Harvest Feast. Let's come together to share delicious food and warm conversation. Want to help? There are plenty of opportunities to lend a hand, and sign-up sheets are available in the fellowship hall. Here's how you can contribute: Set-up (Saturday, October 26th, late afternoon): Help us arrange tables and chairs, decorate, and bring supplies over from the church. Clean-up (after the feast): Pitch in to wash dishes, put away chairs and tables, and return items to the church. Bring a dish to pass: Casseroles: Bring your favorite hearty dish! Desserts: Yes, please—sweets are always welcome! If you attend via Zoom and can’t sign up in person, feel free to call or text Jennifer Prout at 989-400-3130 with how you'd like to assist. Thank you! Many hands make light work! Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B48ACA622A6FE3-51955596-harvest Sleepy Time Yoga - Monday, November 4 Kelly Lawson is offering an evening of Yoga Nidra on Monday, November 4, 7:00-8:00pm in the UU sanctuary. Bring a yoga mat, blankets, pillows, or anything to get cozy. The evening is donation-based, and all donations will go to the renovations of the homeless shelter (ICRH).   Join Kelly for this gentle and restful practice of Yoga Nidra! The evening will begin with gentle movement before finding rest in Savasana (final resting pose) for a guided meditation. Boot Drive for Kids! - October 15-November 15 The Social Justice Coordinating Team (SJCT) is leading a Boot Drive for Kids to collect new and very gently used boots, any size, for school children and teens. The drive goes October 15-November 15, and the boots will be donated to Clothing, INC, in time for parents to get boots before winter hits. Please place them in the box provided in the Fellowship Hall by November 15. If you’re not a shopper, any member of the SJCT will be glad to shop for you! Hiring Youth Religious Education Assistant As Seally is starting her employment, Jolie Damer-Daigle is moving on. This leaves an opening for Youth Religious Education Assistant, to be filled as soon as possible.   The position pays $15 per hour for 2-3 hours per week, and we are looking for someone at least 15 years old with experience working with children. The full job posting is HERE. Applicants should contact Rev. Drew. • • • Community News • • • Hispanic Heritage Month Events Central Sustainability Central Sustainability, a CMU registered student organization, shares information (click here) about its sustainability month activities which are open to the community. Free COVID 19 Tests Available The program for ordering free at-home COVID-19 tests are available. Check this link https://special.usps.com/testkits for further information. 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. 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 Team - 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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