Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Please join us and a special guest tomorrow, Thursday, July 13 at 6 p.m. at the Fellowship Hall for a program about wind energy in Isabella County. The purpose of the meeting is to learn about the plans for Isabella Wind, what we can do to support renewable energy in mid-Michigan, and the property rights of rural farmers who are involved in the project. We will also be joined by a guest from the American Wind Energy Association in Washington, DC who has traveled to Mt. Pleasant to speak with our group about advocacy at a national level, and answer all your questions. The program is sponsored by Apex Clean Energy.
Dinner will be provided. Please feel free to bring friends.
In Worship
Our worship service for this Sunday, July 16, will feature a message titled “Turn the Principles Upside Down,” with Ricky Courlander leading worship. Please join us!
“Better no longer roosts on the same branch as More.” ~ Bill McKibben
Upcoming Services
July 23: “A Bright Golden Thread”
July 30: “Kindness Over Niceness”
Laura Frey's New Life Adventure
At service on July 2nd, I shared that had I resigned my position at Central Michigan University, was leaving Mt. Pleasant on July 6 to move to Macomb, Illinois. I am now the Chairperson of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction in the College of Education and Human Services at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois.
It has been a privilege and a blessing to be a part of the UUFCM congregation for the past 13 years. I am grateful for your presence in my life. You contributed to the strength needed to be ready to take on this new professional opportunity.
I am also so very ready to be geographically closer to my beloved family. I will be less than four hours from my sister Carol and most of my extended family who are almost all in NE Iowa. It has been 30 years since I lived this geographically close to them; they have been waiting patiently. Although I will now be geographically farther away from UUFCM, in my heart you are always close-up; right there. Onward in life with excitement, optimism, fortitude, love, and the foundation of UUFCM!
You can reach me at: P.O. Box 486, Macomb, IL 61455-0486. You can also email me at: [email protected] ~ Laura
RE News
- We still need summer volunteers! During the summer months, the RE curriculum does not run like it does during the school year. Instead, our youth tend to a vegetable garden and help provide fresh food for the Isabella Soup kitchen. Volunteers will not be expected to create activities/provide stories (although they are more than welcome to!), they will be prepared ahead of time. To sign up, email Anna at [email protected] or sign up during coffee hour after service.
- Thank you to the RE volunteers who taught in June: Kevin Daum, Roze Bentley, Annette Pratt, and Victoria Sladek! Your help was much appreciated.
- We are revamping our nursery! Please contact Anna if you have any new or gently used items you would like to donate.
Fellowship Life Meeting - Sunday, July 16
The agenda includes an explanation of our Board retreat for visioning and strategic planning, the announcement of our teams with their liaisons, and the uses of our garage sale profit.
Special Plate Collection - Sunday, July 16
This Sunday a special plate collection will be taken to supplement the minister’s discretionary fund. Our minister Dawn is often contacted by people in the community who might need gas money, money to pay an electric bill, a night in a hotel, etc., and she uses her discretionary fund to provide this. While we have a line item in our budget, it does not suffice for the needs like this in the community, which is why we take a special plate collection to supplement the fund. Checks for this fund should be made out to UUFCM with “Discretionary Fund” indicated in the memo line.
Scrap Metal Drive - Saturday, July 22
The scrap metal drive for the UUFCM leadership training fundraiser is on Saturday, July 22 from 10-11:00 a.m. You may call or text Laura McBride at 989-772-5512 on July 15 or later to bring your scrap metal items to put into her trailer.
Welcome to UU Class - Sunday, July 23
This class is geared to newcomers, visitors, and those seeking to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and this UU fellowship. It is the first in a series of three steps to membership at the UUFCM, and is offered every month on the fourth Sunday at 12:15 p.m. Sessions run approximately ninety minutes.
Are You Missing a Metal Folding Chair and/or a Canvas Folding Chair?
If you worked on the pre-garage sale set-up or the first morning of the sale, Norma still has a metal folding chair and a blue canvas folding chair in her possession that was left behind. Please contact her (989-560-3952 or [email protected]) to claim it. Thanks.
Minister’s Summer Schedule
Dawn is off and away on vacation through July 17. She will be back at work July 18-30, then off again to attend a seminary intensive course at ESR in Richmond, Indiana, July 31-August 11. Pastoral care needs in her absence should be directed to the UUFCM Arms Around ministry team via Gisela Moffit (989-772-1602 or [email protected]).
Forming a Building Team
At the annual meeting on May 20, many suggestions were made for ways to utilize extra monies that were pledged for the 2017-2018 year. While we won’t be spending any money from those pledges at this point, we are forming a building team to prioritize those suggestions. If you are interested in serving on this team (one, maybe two, meetings this fall), please contact Laura McBride (989-772-5512 or [email protected]).
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.
Vicki's family has created a website that they’ve asked be shared with you all:
https://posthope.org/vicki with the password Alma.
If you haven’t yet had a chance to purchase one of these lovely yard signs for $20 that lands a bit of extra cash into our leadership training fund – please see our minister or Annette Pratt after service on Sundays.
Rise above the storm, and you will find the sunshine.
~ Mario Fernandez
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])