eNews for Wednesday, August 2

Grace is caring for one another in the midst of being disappointed, giving one another
mercy  and love simply because we are human beings walking this earth together.
Not because we deserve it, not because we have earned it,
but simply because we believe in the promise of humanity.

~ Lisa Bovee-Kemper

Special Thanks!
We received this letter from MUUSJN:
Special thanks to your Fellowship for taking a shared plate collection and holding a special fundraiser that raced $345 for the Michigan UU Social Justice Network.
Your Fellowship’s support helps our statewide UU network stand up for the rights of women, the LGBTQ community, people of color, low-income people, working families and others who may be oppressed.

I want to personally thank Norma Bailey for her new leadership as Co-Chair of the MUUSJN Board of Directors. Please also accept my appreciation to several other people from your congregation who helped with the recent fundraiser and who attended last month’s workshop on MUUSJN’s new Interfaith Challenging Racism Toolkit.
​
Sincerely, Randy Block, MSW
Director, Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network

In Worship
Our worship service this coming Sunday will feature a message titled “Called to Community,” presented by UUFCM Board President and our service leader for the morning, Norma Bailey. Please join us!

“When we come together, we are more powerful, more kind, more prophetic, and more able to change
the world. The world is changed heart by heart, one by one, connection by connection, community by community. Our sense of belonging in this community is fed by the grace we give one another,
​and the ways we reach out within this community and without it.”     ~ Rev. Lisa Bovee-Kemper

And if you missed service this past Sunday (we missed you!), you can find the transcript for the reading and sermon reflection, “Kindness Over Niceness,” in our online sermon archive.

Upcoming Services
August 13: “Recognizing Joy from the Edge of Life”
August 20: “Someone Should Start Laughing Now”
August 27: “The Stories We Choose to Tell Matter”
September Worship Theme: “What Does It Mean to Be a People of Welcome?”

First Friday Potluck - August 4
Join us for our August First Friday communal nosh! We will also be celebrating the August birthdays of Bob McBride, Barb Andersen, ​Bob Corbett, Terrie Robbie, Liz Dealing, Bob Clason, Ethan Kolek, and Betty McBride. The potluck begins at 6:30 p.m. - helping hands are welcome at 6:15 p.m. to assist with set-up preparations.

We need hosts for upcoming potlucks! If you are willing to host a potluck, please contact Jen Prout
(989-400-3130 or [email protected]) or George Lentz (248-346-4039 or [email protected]). Upcoming dates include: August 4, September 1, October 6, November 3 and December 1. If you enjoy the potlucks, please consider hosting - it is fun and easy!

Infant Pantry Collection - This Sunday, August 6
Donations for the Infant Pantry are collected on the first Sunday of each month. Most needed items are  things for baby care - diapers (especially sizes 5 and 6), creams, shampoos, lotions, and baby food in jars. Formula is not needed a this time. If you want to donate money, then the check should be made out to CCN (Community Compassionate Network) with memo “Infant Pantry.” Please contact Tom Moffit ([email protected] or 772-1602) with any questions.​

We Need to Hear from You If…
…you moved, got a new phone number or an additional email address, etc. We are in the process of updating the Directory, and want to be as accurate and current as possible. So we need your help! Please check your listing here. It is password protected, so if you do not remember the password, contact our administrative assistant, Kirsten at [email protected] or Gisela at [email protected]. Many thanks for your help!

Path to Membership Workshop - August 19, 1-4 p.m.
This workshop is designed for those who are ready to make the membership commitment to UUFCM. In this interactive session we explore the deeper meanings and expectations of membership and shared ministry; it is a three-hour session: there may be a shorter timeframe if we have a small group.

Isabella County Restoration House Fundraiser - September 7
Isabella County Restoration House (ICRH - the rotating homeless shelter) has a fundraiser at Texas RoadHouse on Thursday, September 7. Download and print the flyer for the coupon to participate.

Environmental Task Force
The Michigan UU Social Justice Network (MUUSJN) is forming an Environmental Task Force to address environmental issues at the local, state and national levels. See this announcement to see how you can get involved.

What then is sanctuary? The sanctuary is often something very small.
Not a grandiose gesture, but a small gesture toward alleviating human suffering
and preventing humiliation. The sanctuary is a human being. Sanctuary is a dream.
And that is why you are here and that is why I am here. We are here because of one another.
We are in truth each other’s shelter.

~ Elie Wiesel

​Mindfulness in Parking Requested
Let us be mindful to leave the parking spaces directly across from our Wisconsin entrance open
​for our friends who have mobility issues. Thank you for your consideration.

Got News?
The deadline for submissions to the Order of Service Insert and the UUFCM weekly e-News is
Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. Please send all submissions to [email protected].

UUFCM Board of Trustees for 2017-2018
President: Norma Bailey (989.560.3952; [email protected])
Past-President: Laura McBride (989.772.5512; [email protected])
President Elect: Mary Alsager (989.773.2595; [email protected])
Treasurer: Chris Bailey (989.775.8257; [email protected])
Co-Treasurer: Ricky Courlander (989.772.4457; [email protected])
Secretary: Brigitte Bechtold (989.954.1123; [email protected])
Trustee: Janis Shinn (989.400.3724; [email protected])
Trustee: Joyce Henricks (989.400.9743; [email protected])
Trustee: Ethan Kolek (413.387.7321; [email protected])