Pause.
Breathe.
Repair your universe.
Proceed.
- Anonymous
Worship Matters
In worship this Sunday, February 11, we will continue our examination of the question “What does it mean
to be a people of perseverance?” with a message from our minister titled “Love Doesn’t Make Us Stupid –
It Makes Us Brave.” Please plan to join us for this weekly gathering that is the heartbeat of who we are as
a community.
We can move away from anxious identification with love as submissiveness or giving in. We don’t have
to limit our notion of love to romance. We can challenge our conditioning that tells us that loving
someone also mandates our liking them and wanting to spend time with them. We can remember that,
as the Buddha taught, love is the antidote to fear, not the countervailing force to wisdom. Love doesn’t
make us stupid; it makes us brave. ~ Sharon Salzberg
You can read more about our monthly theme as well as explore some supplemental resources here.
And if you happen to miss being in worship on any given Sunday, the texts to previous sermon messages
(and some of the readings as well) can be found in our website sermon archive.
Upcoming Services
February 2018 Worship Theme: What Does It Mean to Be a People of Perseverance?
February 18: What I Learned Falling to Earth: Habits of Resilient People
Film Festival Features Social Justice Documentaries
The Central Michigan International Film Festival will take place Wednesday, February 14 through Sunday, February 18. Screenings will be at the CMU Park Library Auditorium and at Celebration Cinema. Two films may be of particular relevance to the social justice interests of the UUFCM congregation. Whose Streets is a documentary recounts the uprising in Ferguson, Missouri following the killing of Mike Brown told by the leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement (Friday, February 16 at 4:00 p.m., and Saturday, February 17 at 6:30 p.m. in Park Library Auditorium). Nor Any Drop to Drink is a documentary focused on the ongoing Flint water crisis (Sunday, February 18, Noon at Celebration Cinema). Visit cmfilmfest.com for a complete schedule of feature films, documentaries, and shorts, and to purchase tickets in advance of screenings.
Challenging Racism Workshop at UUFCM - Sunday, February 18
The Social Justice Coordinating Team is facilitating three more workshops to engage members and friends in racial justice work, utilizing the Interfaith Toolkit on Challenging Racism developed by MUUSJN. We will continue these adult RE sessions in the sanctuary on February 18 and March 4 and18, from 12:00-1:30 p.m., and a light lunch will be provided. Our sessions will involve articles, video clips, activities and discussion, with an emphasis on deeper understanding of white privilege and systemic racism. If you plan on attending, please contact Norma Bailey (989-560-3952; [email protected]) so that we can know numbers for the light lunch. Feel free to come even if you were unable to attend the first workshop.
RE News
Want to Sing in Our Choir?
If you like to sing, we hope you’ll consider joining our Joyful Noise Choir. We meet on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 and Sunday mornings at 9:30 to rehearse, and you don’t need to be able to read music to sing with us as we learn the music together. Feel free to contact Norma Bailey (989-560-3952 or[email protected]) if you have any questions. We’d love to have you!
Notice: Announcements Prior to Worship
It has been our practice to allow time prior to the beginning of our worship services for the sharing any necessary additional announcements or highlights of items already noted on the order of service insert – most often communicated by our minister. In order to relieve her of this task that often conflicts with her other necessary preparations prior to service, the UUFCM Board is making a change to this practice. Following the minister’s “welcome to worship,” a Board member will step forward to share any necessary additional announcements for the morning. From now on, all requests for additional announcements and/or highlights need to be given to either Laura McBride (first and fourth Sundays of the month) or Norma Bailey (second, third and fifth Sundays of the month) prior to the service. Please note that our intention is to keep any necessary additional announcements prior to service to a minimum – so you may instead be asked to make an oral announcement in the Fellowship Hall during coffee hour. Thank you for your support in this matter.
Volunteering for ICRH
The Isabella County Restoration House (ICRH), which provides the day shelter and the rotating shelter for our homeless community members, is in need of volunteers for both those efforts, including intake. Please go to www.icrhouse.org and sign up for specific days and times. Feel free to contact Norma Bailey (989.560.3952; [email protected]) or Joyce Henricks (989.400.9743; [email protected]) if you have any questions.
Poor People’s Campaign
The Social Justice Coordinating Team is encouraging you to participate in the Poor People’s Campaign - A National Call for Moral Revival, a nationwide effort to continue the work begun by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Led by the Rev. Dr. William Barber and the Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, the Poor People’s Campaign was officially launched on December 4 at the National Press Club. Go to poorpeoplescampaign.org to find out how you can participate and complete the provided sign-up form.
In worship this Sunday, February 11, we will continue our examination of the question “What does it mean
to be a people of perseverance?” with a message from our minister titled “Love Doesn’t Make Us Stupid –
It Makes Us Brave.” Please plan to join us for this weekly gathering that is the heartbeat of who we are as
a community.
We can move away from anxious identification with love as submissiveness or giving in. We don’t have
to limit our notion of love to romance. We can challenge our conditioning that tells us that loving
someone also mandates our liking them and wanting to spend time with them. We can remember that,
as the Buddha taught, love is the antidote to fear, not the countervailing force to wisdom. Love doesn’t
make us stupid; it makes us brave. ~ Sharon Salzberg
You can read more about our monthly theme as well as explore some supplemental resources here.
And if you happen to miss being in worship on any given Sunday, the texts to previous sermon messages
(and some of the readings as well) can be found in our website sermon archive.
Upcoming Services
February 2018 Worship Theme: What Does It Mean to Be a People of Perseverance?
February 18: What I Learned Falling to Earth: Habits of Resilient People
Film Festival Features Social Justice Documentaries
The Central Michigan International Film Festival will take place Wednesday, February 14 through Sunday, February 18. Screenings will be at the CMU Park Library Auditorium and at Celebration Cinema. Two films may be of particular relevance to the social justice interests of the UUFCM congregation. Whose Streets is a documentary recounts the uprising in Ferguson, Missouri following the killing of Mike Brown told by the leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement (Friday, February 16 at 4:00 p.m., and Saturday, February 17 at 6:30 p.m. in Park Library Auditorium). Nor Any Drop to Drink is a documentary focused on the ongoing Flint water crisis (Sunday, February 18, Noon at Celebration Cinema). Visit cmfilmfest.com for a complete schedule of feature films, documentaries, and shorts, and to purchase tickets in advance of screenings.
Challenging Racism Workshop at UUFCM - Sunday, February 18
The Social Justice Coordinating Team is facilitating three more workshops to engage members and friends in racial justice work, utilizing the Interfaith Toolkit on Challenging Racism developed by MUUSJN. We will continue these adult RE sessions in the sanctuary on February 18 and March 4 and18, from 12:00-1:30 p.m., and a light lunch will be provided. Our sessions will involve articles, video clips, activities and discussion, with an emphasis on deeper understanding of white privilege and systemic racism. If you plan on attending, please contact Norma Bailey (989-560-3952; [email protected]) so that we can know numbers for the light lunch. Feel free to come even if you were unable to attend the first workshop.
RE News
- Saturday, February 24 Sleepover! This event is for all RE kids 3rd grade and up - we will be making homemade cinnamon rolls to give away on Sunday morning, watching the film, Moana, talking about perseverance, and playing games together. Parents/Guardians: Please drop kids off at the fellowship at 6:00 p.m. - a taco dinner as well as breakfast the next morning will be provided. Pick-up will be the next morning following the worship service. Any questions or offers to assist with this event should be directed to RE Director Anna V. (517.930.6927; [email protected]). Please RSVP by February 20th so we have time to acquire the needed supplies for everyone.
- This month our RE classes will be talking about and doing activities together that help us explore the question of what it means to be a people of perseverance - our themes in RE each month are in concert with what the grown-ups are exploring together in worship...so all of us are sharing together in our learning. If you would like your child to attend but have difficulty getting them to church on Sundays - please let us know! Contact Anna V. (517.930.6927; [email protected]).
Want to Sing in Our Choir?
If you like to sing, we hope you’ll consider joining our Joyful Noise Choir. We meet on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 and Sunday mornings at 9:30 to rehearse, and you don’t need to be able to read music to sing with us as we learn the music together. Feel free to contact Norma Bailey (989-560-3952 or[email protected]) if you have any questions. We’d love to have you!
Notice: Announcements Prior to Worship
It has been our practice to allow time prior to the beginning of our worship services for the sharing any necessary additional announcements or highlights of items already noted on the order of service insert – most often communicated by our minister. In order to relieve her of this task that often conflicts with her other necessary preparations prior to service, the UUFCM Board is making a change to this practice. Following the minister’s “welcome to worship,” a Board member will step forward to share any necessary additional announcements for the morning. From now on, all requests for additional announcements and/or highlights need to be given to either Laura McBride (first and fourth Sundays of the month) or Norma Bailey (second, third and fifth Sundays of the month) prior to the service. Please note that our intention is to keep any necessary additional announcements prior to service to a minimum – so you may instead be asked to make an oral announcement in the Fellowship Hall during coffee hour. Thank you for your support in this matter.
Volunteering for ICRH
The Isabella County Restoration House (ICRH), which provides the day shelter and the rotating shelter for our homeless community members, is in need of volunteers for both those efforts, including intake. Please go to www.icrhouse.org and sign up for specific days and times. Feel free to contact Norma Bailey (989.560.3952; [email protected]) or Joyce Henricks (989.400.9743; [email protected]) if you have any questions.
Poor People’s Campaign
The Social Justice Coordinating Team is encouraging you to participate in the Poor People’s Campaign - A National Call for Moral Revival, a nationwide effort to continue the work begun by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Led by the Rev. Dr. William Barber and the Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, the Poor People’s Campaign was officially launched on December 4 at the National Press Club. Go to poorpeoplescampaign.org to find out how you can participate and complete the provided sign-up form.
• • • Community Events • • •
Screening of Walk With Me - Monday, March 5 at 7pm, Reserve by February 23
at Celebration Cinema in Mt. Pleasant
Walk With Me takes place inside the world-famous monastery of Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh, and captures the life of a monastic community who have given up all their possessions for one common purpose – to practice the art of mindfulness. This screening will only happen if enough people reserve tickets by February 23. You're only charged for tickets if we’re successful in getting the minimum (or more) reservations. If you plan on attending, please reserve your ticket at https://gathr.us/screening/22302.
Screening of Walk With Me - Monday, March 5 at 7pm, Reserve by February 23
at Celebration Cinema in Mt. Pleasant
Walk With Me takes place inside the world-famous monastery of Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh, and captures the life of a monastic community who have given up all their possessions for one common purpose – to practice the art of mindfulness. This screening will only happen if enough people reserve tickets by February 23. You're only charged for tickets if we’re successful in getting the minimum (or more) reservations. If you plan on attending, please reserve your ticket at https://gathr.us/screening/22302.
She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her away, she adjusted her sails.
~ Elizabeth Edwards
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].
Service Cancellation Policy
In case of inclement weather, a decision to cancel the service will be made by 9 a.m. There are multiple ways to learn the status of a Sunday service in our snowy months. Members and friends may request to join the
Remind app and receive cancellation news via a text or email. In addition, an announcement will be posted on Facebook as well as sent directly via email. Those who are not online will be phoned. If you have questions, call Laura McBride (989-772-5512). We hope we won't have to resort to this very often, but we live in Michigan after all, so we need to be prepared!
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)
Assistant 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])
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].
Service Cancellation Policy
In case of inclement weather, a decision to cancel the service will be made by 9 a.m. There are multiple ways to learn the status of a Sunday service in our snowy months. Members and friends may request to join the
Remind app and receive cancellation news via a text or email. In addition, an announcement will be posted on Facebook as well as sent directly via email. Those who are not online will be phoned. If you have questions, call Laura McBride (989-772-5512). We hope we won't have to resort to this very often, but we live in Michigan after all, so we need to be prepared!
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)
Assistant 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])
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