eNews September 11, 2025

Keep up with what's happening at UUFCM

View this email in your browser eNews for Thursday, September 11 Worship Matters We will gather online via Zoom and in person this Sunday, September 14th, to worship with Rev. Drew Frantz who will present  "All Are Called to Serve: Honoring Rev. Brigitte Bechtold." The Zoom call starts at 10:00am for social time, and the service starts at 10:30am.   "Brigitte Bechtold was a longstanding member of this Fellowship before discerning the call to ministry. In recent years she completed her seminary training, became ordained as a UU minister, and now serves the Beacon UU Congregation in Troy, Michigan. Today she returns to UUFCM where we honor her journey and reflect on the ways that each of us is called to serve humanity and goodness." 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 September 14 - All Are Called to Serve: Honoring Rev. Brigitte Bechtold September 21 - Truth-telling and the Eternal Child: Education is Sacred September 28 - Hope in the Face of Devastation In Case You Missed It... Many past sermons are available on our website under Sermon Videos and Archives.  In order to access any services 2024 on, go to the website and click on Worship, then Sunday Services.  Minister’s Column: "Street Protest"    A friend and colleague of mine, UU minister Rev. Ben Atherton-Zeman, was arrested recently for protesting against the removal of a Black Lives Matter street mural in St. Pete, Florida. The mural was next to a museum of African-American history in the city and was being removed due to a Florida state law banning street art. Eradicating a Black Lives Matter mural next to an African American history museum is in line with other authoritarian efforts I see in our nation today: erasing history and monuments to civil rights leaders while celebrating confederate leaders. On local TV news, both Rev. Atherton-Zeman and a fellow (Methodist) clergy member who was also arrested spoke about their calling and their commitment to oppose injustice and oppression. More...   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 7:00pm Central Michigan Sangha - Tuesdays at 6:45pm Crafty U - 3rd Tuesdays at 10:30am - Cancelled for September First Friday Potluck - First Fridays at 6:30pm  Sleepy Time Yoga - 3rd Mondays at 6pm - This Monday, September 15 Game Night - 3rd Mondays at 7pm - This Monday, September 15 Movie Night - 4th Saturdays at 7pm  Readers Theater - 2nd Tuesdays at 7pm - This Month September 23rd 6:45pm Soul Matters Discussion Group - next meeting to be announced UU Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10am UUFCM Men’s Group - 1st Mondays at 7pm on Zoom UUFCM Women's Circle - On hiatus until further notice Welcome to UU Orientation - last Sunday of the month at 12:00pm unless otherwise indicated  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 Worship Team: Thursday, September 11 at 7:00pm Board Meeting: Sunday, September 14 at 1:00pm Fellowship News Scam Alert Several congregants have recently 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. Sunday Is the Last Day to Update the Directory We are in the process of updating the Directory by printing an Addendum with any changes since February. Do you have a new phone number? new email address? new postal address? new pronouns?  Please send any updates to Gisela ([email protected]) no later than Sunday, September 14, 2025.  Thanks in advance for your help !   Game Night this Monday! Sleepy Time Yoga - Monday, September 15 Kelly Lawson is offering an evening of Yoga Nidra on Monday, September 15, 6:00-7:00 pm 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 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. CUUPS Mabon Ritual – Sunday, September 21 CUUPs - Covenant of UU Pagans Contact: Annette Pratt  This is the second time of the year to specifically commune with nature. The autumn equinox focuses on the cooler aspects of the summer solstice. The festival is represented by the harvest of corn, along with the other products in your garden that are ready to be harvested. We will hold the ritual promptly at 6:00pm. Invitation to a Letter Writing Party The Social Justice Coordinating Team (SJCT) invites you to a letter-writing event on Friday, September 26, 5:30-7:00pm to support a Pennsylvania Supreme Court election coming up on November 5.  We will provide instructions, materials and snacks.  Join us in making a difference with our action!    Save the Date for October Cleanup   Save the date for our outdoor cleanup on Saturday, October 25, 9:30-12:30.  More information later! Community News Household Waste Collection Let Peace Reign          In recognition of International Day of Peace, there will be an annual event titled “Let Peace Reign” in the Town Center from 3-6 pm on Saturday, September 20.  There will be a peace walk, local speakers on peace, a moment of silence, and other peace-promoting activities.   All are welcome. ICRH Open House       ICRH (the homeless shelter) is inviting everyone to an open house celebrating the new permanent shelter at 555 N. Main St. on Wednesday, September 24, 4:00-6:00 pm.  The ribbon-cutting will be at 4:00, with guided tours of the building after. Ballot Proposals for November 2026 – Know What You Sign! The League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund has compiled a summary of each of the ballot proposals that are being considered for the November 2026 election.  While the League has not taken a position on all of these yet, they are reminding people to be sure to know what they are signing before they sign.  See the link HERE to the summary. There are two petitions being circulated concerning rules about voting in Michigan, both of which are trying to make it harder for eligible citizens to register to vote, vote at a precinct, and/or vote absentee. In essence, these petitions, if they garner enough signatures, will go on the ballot in the 2026 midterm election requiring people to prove that they are citizens with documents such as birth certificates or passports. Unfortunately, if on the ballot, they will probably pass because many people will not read the complete language but simply vote “yes” because, of course, we want to make sure that only citizens can vote (already a requirement to vote). The action needed by all of us to keep these two issues off the ballot in November 2026 is to educate everyone we know – family, friends, neighbors – to NOT sign these two petitions. If you are asked to sign a petition having anything to do with voting, we urge you to NOT sign. If you would like to do more, please contact Norma Bailey ([email protected]) who can share more information with you and/or give you “decline to sign” flyers to hand out to people. Click HERE for flyer. 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. 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    Tuesdays 10am-noon   Wednesdays 1-3pm and 8-9pm   UUFCM Board of Trustees for 2025-2026 President: Norma Bailey (989.560.3952; [email protected]) President-Elect: Guy Newland (989.944.0534; newla1g[email protected]) Treasurer: David Allan (989.941.7349; [email protected]) Secretary: Jennifer Davis (989.280.7010; [email protected]) Trustee: Annette Pratt (989.400.0173; [email protected]) Trustee: Jennifer Prout (989.400.3130; [email protected]) Trustee: Marco Muñoz-Fortino (989-600-6738; [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 Annie Peters  Fellowship Life Coordinating Team - Laura McBride   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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