We are not human because we think. We are human because we care.
All true meaning is shared meaning.
~ Forrest Church
Summer RE News Our RE youth have picked their sixth produce from the raised gardens – a cucumber, a batch of green beans, a full-sized tomato, many more of our cherry tomatoes, and a dozen green peppers – which have been delivered to the Soup Kitchen. The children have weeded and watered each week to keep the gardens in good shape. Good job, RE youth! |
The message for our worship service this coming Sunday, September 4, will be “A People So Bold: 2016 General Assembly Report” presented by our minister and UUFCM delegates. Please see below for another special event taking place during worship this week… We hope you will join us for this service!
“Humanity is our responsibility; human beings are that part of the total universe that we can
do something about. Perhaps we cannot make heaven be so, but to our children we can give our love,
our care, our respect.” ~ adapted from words by Kenneth Patton
Upcoming Services:
September 11: “Radical Hospitality”
September 18: “Return to the River: The Annual Water Service”
+ Annual UUFCM Picnic & RE Registration (details TBA)
September 25: “To Be Truly Inclusive”
– to be followed by our “Black Lives Matter” Banner Dedication (details TBA)
Baby Naming and Dedication
This Sunday all are invited to attend as community witnesses to the baby naming and dedication ceremony for Janis Shinn’s infant grandson – we will meet her daughter, Janie, and all the family participants as the ceremony will be part of our worship service. Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of this most sacred event of welcome.
Infant Pantry Collection - This Sunday
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,and lotions. Baby food and formula are 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.
Caring Team News
George Lentz had hip replacement surgery on Monday and all went very well. He is now at home recuperating, and his grown children are taking good care of him. He would enjoy receiving phone calls and/or cards at this point, but not visits (248-346-4039, 5565 Madison Rd., Alma, MI 48801). As well, if you would yet like to come out to pick some of his prolific garden produce, please call ahead to arrange a time so he can have one of his children show you the various gardens.
Photos Needed!
We are in need of a consistent flow of new photos of fellowship activities and events that we can use on our website and in our eNews publication. Most people find us by way of our website and no matter how bright and shiny our words are, pictures often depict more about who we are as a community. So bring your camera along or pull out that oh so smart phone from your pocket and document for us some of the life being lived in this community – thank you!
Make Joyful Noise!
The Joyful Noise Choir will begin rehearsals for the fall tonight, Wednesday, August 31, at 7:00 pm, and we would be delighted if others would join us! Contact Norma Bailey at 989-560-3952 or [email protected] if you have questions.
First Friday Potluck - This Friday
Minister Dawn Daniels will host the September 2 potluck. The theme is Late Summer Favorites. Your dish should serve 6-10 persons. If you plan to attend, it is helpful to contact Dawn ([email protected] or
763-6315) to add your dish to the list, but it is not a requirement. If you are willing to host an upcoming potluck, please email/phone Chris Bauerle directly at [email protected] or 989-330-8457.
Birthdays to be celebrated this month: Alicia Genia, Carol Messick, and Gisela Moffit.
Updating Our Directory
Many changes have occurred since February when we published hard copies of our Directory. People moved to and from Mt. Pleasant, got married, divorced, changed their phones, emails or postal addresses. We try to be current on-line, but we also publish a hard copy Addendum in September. Please help us by letting us know if anything has changed in your life. Check your entry on our website (on the bottom right side of the Home Page) and send your corrections to our administrative assistant no later than September 12. If you do not know the password, contact our administrative assistant or Gisela Moffit (772-1602; [email protected]). Thank you in advance for your help to keep our contact information current and accurate.
Fourth Quarter Report Update
The Fourth Quarter financial report will be provided by Chris Bailey following service on September 11.
Please stay for this update!
Upcoming Congregational Vote
(Bless her!) Norma Bailey has come forward and decided to run for the open President Elect position on the UUFCM Board of Trustees. We will hold that vote during announcements on Sunday, September 18th at the beginning of service. We chose to wait until more membership is attending regularly and could participate in this election. Thank you to Norma for her willingness to participate in the governance of our fellowship!
Social Justice Coordinating Committee (SJCC)
Members of the Social Justice Coordinating Committee (SJCC) are frequently asked, “What does SJCC do?”
As the UUFCM Social Justice Coordinating Committee, we are committed to alerting congregational members and friends to events/needs, etc., in our local, regional, state, national and global world, so that individually and/or collectively we can, inspired by love, work to transform ourselves and our world.
While we will regularly announce events and needs through the e-News, the bulletin board in the fellowship hall, the order of service and on our closed Facebook page, we also directly alert members and friends who might have an interest in a specific issue. To this end, we ask that you fill out the attached survey and submit a hard copy to any of the members of the committee or e-mail your completed survey to Norma Bailey at [email protected].
Upcoming events: MUUSJN, along with Inclusive Justice, the National LGBTQ Task Force, Equality Michigan and several other organizations, is hosting a conference and training to build a statewide faith network dedicated to justice and the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in our congregations and society-at-large. It will be held in Brighton, MI on Saturday, September 17, form 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. We are hoping that a good number of us from UUFCM will attend as we are focusing on gaining a better understanding of transgender issues as a continuation of our Welcoming Congregation efforts this year. Contact Norma Bailey at 989-560-3952 or at [email protected] to arrange carpooling. Download the Save the Date flyer. |
The Community Action Dialogues for Black Lives Matter will have its first meeting this year on Tuesday, September 27, at 7:00 pm in the Bovee UC Terrace Rooms. We encourage you to attend the meeting and join one of the action teams working in our Mt. Pleasant Community. Download the Flyer. |
It isn’t love that makes the world go round but compassion –
starting over in gentleness when love hasn’t been enough or other factors have failed:
a gentle refusal to blame oneself or others and just begin again.
~ Nancy Shaffer
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 2016-2017
President: Laura McBride (989.772.5512; [email protected])
Past-President: Annette Pratt (989.400.0173; [email protected])
Treasurer: Chris Bailey (989.775.8257; [email protected])
Co-Treasurer: Ricky Courlander (989.772.4457; [email protected])
Secretary: Vicki Chessin (989.463.3076; [email protected])
Trustee: Scott Daigle (989.506.5750; [email protected])
Trustee: Janis Shinn (989.400.3724; [email protected])
Trustee: Brigitte Bechtold (989.954.1123; [email protected])