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Speak the truth, but not to punish.
~ Thich Nhat Hanh
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A New Threat to Reproductive Justice
The Michigan Interfaith Reproductive Justice Coalition is providing a program tomorrow, Thursday, March 15, at 7:00 pm in Southfield. The program will include speakers presenting the truth and the consequences of a new federal Civil Rights division, Conscience and Religious Freedom, as well as a legislative briefing on reproductive justice. For a list of speakers and other specific information, download this flyer. If you are interested in attending, please contact Norma Bailey at (989-560-3952; baile1nj@cmich.edu).
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Worship Matters
What does it mean to be a people of balance? This is the guiding question for our worship services for the month of March. Please join us this Sunday, March 18, as we gather for worship with a message from our minister titled “In Defense of Imbalance.”
“I said that imbalance is dynamic. Balance is also dynamic because it includes imbalance. When riding a bicycle, you have balance because of momentum – but you have momentum because you pedal on one side first and then the other and then back, and so on. You maintain balance through moments of imbalance; otherwise, you are not moving. This sort of imbalance is healthy and productive, if a bit difficult to manage. In this way, imbalance is the threshold from an old balanced center to a new balanced center.”
~ Douglas Taylor
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
March 2018 Worship Theme: What Does It Mean to Be a People of Balance?
March 25: Something in the Way – sermon by Guy Newland
Special Plate Collection This Sunday – THAW
The March special collection this Sunday is for The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) that helps Michigan families – seniors, the disabled and families with children, those who struggle to pay their utility bills - to keep healthy, safe and warm during Michigan’s winters. If you prefer to write a check, please address it to The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW).
RE News
- Slime-a-palooza - This Saturday at 2 p.m.
We will be making all sorts of slime and having some snacks. Please let Anna V. know if your children will participate as soon as you can!(517.930.6927; vanar1ae@cmich.edu).
- This month our RE classes are talking about and doing activities together that help us explore the question of what it means to be a people of balance - 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; vanar1ae@cmich.edu).
Fellowship Life Meeting - This Sunday, March 18
Our monthly “Fellowship Life” meeting will be held this coming Sunday immediately following our worship service. This brief meeting is an opportunity for our board of trustees to update the fellowship on current events and/or issues of concern. Please plan to attend!
Challenging Racism Workshop - This Sunday, March 18
The Social Justice Coordinating Team is facilitating one more workshop to engage members and friends in racial justice work, utilizing the Interfaith Toolkit on Challenging Racism developed by MUUSJN. We will conclude this adult RE session in the sanctuary this Sunday, March 18, 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; baile1nj@cmich.edu) so that we can know numbers for the light lunch.
Stewardship Drive 2018-2019
The theme for our Stewardship Drive is:
Stewardship: Taking care of each other, taking care of our church, taking care of our world.
Reflections on stewardship are being shared in worship services for our fellowship's stewardship season. Aaron Jones and Norma Bailey shared their hearts with us regarding why they come and support our lovely fellowship (see Norma's reflection here!). Join me to hear more messages sprinkled in through March and April with the voices of Susan Paton, Brigitte Bechtold, Katie Zapoluch, Carolyn Hancock, and Kevin Daum.
A letter and the budget will be coming your way so you may plan your stewardship giving on Sunday, April 22, 2018. There will be forms and charts available online and on the counter near the name tags by the end of the month. Activities for our one-day Stewardship Sunday-Earth Day Festival are being confirmed and available soon!
If you are interested in learning more about UUFCM, consider attending the next Welcome to UU orientation session on Sunday, March 25th at 12:00 pm with Laura McBride and friends. Additionally, if you are interested in becoming a member of our fellowship, please attend the Path to Membership workshop on Saturday, April 14th, 1-3 pm. Childcare is available for both sessions! Let Laura know by email, phone call, or at church if you would like to attend any classes at Lmcbride010@gmail.com or 989.772.5512.
Cash Donation Reminder
If you would like to be able to deduct for tax purposes any cash offerings you make to the UUFCM, please be sure to place your offering in one of the envelopes provided in the offering basket (envelopes are also kept on the little table next to the sanctuary door and in some of the seatbacks). Be sure to write your name on the outside of the envelope so our treasurer can keep track of any donations you make throughout the year and provide you a final statement at tax time.
Welcome to UU - Sunday, March 25
This orientation is geared to newcomers, visitors, and those seeking to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and this UU fellowship. It is offered every month on the fourth Sunday at 12:15 p.m. Sessions run approximately ninety minutes.
CUUPs Celebrates Ostara - Sunday, March 25
Ostara is a pagan celebration of the Spring Equinox. It is a ritual that welcomes the full promise of Spring and the turning of the wheel towards the Summer Solstice.
We invite those of you who are interested in participating in this ritual to bring an item of food or drink to share at the potluck that follows the ceremony. We will gather at 6:30 pm and begin our ceremony promptly at 7:00 pm.
UUA Survey Regarding Study Topic
The UUA Commission on Appraisal invites your participation in a brief survey to help them as they prepare to select our next UUA study topic. Your UU Board has sent in a UUFCM congregational response; as well, they also are seeking input from individual Unitarian Universalists. This is the link if you wish to respond.
ICRH Party for a Purpose - April 7
The Isabella County Restoration House (ICRH) is putting on a fundraiser which looks to be a great deal of fun as well as to raise much-needed monies for the day shelter and rotating shelter which serve the homeless in Isabella County. The $25 ticket includes a delicious buffet of soups dinner, cash bar, a hand-crafted ceramic bowl, and a paddle auction to bid on dozens of items with quarters (we'll explain at the Fellowship Life meeting). We think it would be great to have a couple tables (16) of UUFCM members and friends to enjoy the evening as well as one another’s company. Norma Bailey has tickets for sale in order to guarantee our tables. You can find more information at the ICRH website.
Seriously, Don't Miss This Opportunity!
This year we have the opportunity to send a good number of people from UUFCM to the General Assembly (GA), the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). Attendees worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process. This year the GA 2018 will be held in Kansas City, MO, June 20-24.
Attending a General Assembly is an amazing experience! If you’ve never been to a GA, feel free to see other people who have – Laura McBride, Dawn Daniels, Gisela Moffit, Jim and Liz Dealing, Chris Bailey, Mary Alsager and Brigitte Bechtold, and they will confirm! You can also find a great deal of information at uua.org/ga. Just poke around a bit!
Because an anonymous donor has given money in support of leadership development to send more people to GA this year, all expenses will be paid (registration, housing and transportation [car]) except for meals. If you are interested, please contact Norma Bailey at 989-560-3952 or at baile1nj@cmich.edu. We will have to have the final count by April 15.
Our Whole Lives (OWL) Survey for Parents
A George Mason University researcher seeks UU parents for a survey that may support the use of the Our Whole Lives/ Sexuality and Our Faith curricula as well as the Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators Small Group Ministry curricula to be published online later this year.
Participants Needed: Seeking Unitarian Universalist parents (includes biological or adoptive parents, legal guardians, foster parents, and stepparents) to participate in a study focused on parent-child communication around sexual health. Parents interested in participating in this study will need to meet the following criteria:
- Attend a Unitarian Universalist congregation in the United States
- Have at least one child between 12- and 15-years-old
If you are interested in participating, please complete the online survey. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Amanda Gordon, M.S. The survey should take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.
Institutional Review Board, Project Number: 1178132-2
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• • • Community News • • •
Dinner of Abrahamic Traditions
– a dinner with a panel presentation focusing on dialogue as a fundamental principle within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Featured speakers: Dr. Joanne Gilbert, Rev. Andrew Pomerville, and Dr. Ferhat Ozturk. Thursday, March 15 - 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Tyler Van Dusen Commons, Alma College. To register and for more information please contact Kate Blanchard, Professor of Religious Studies blanchard@alma.edu or (989) 463-7136. Registration will be open until all tables are filled.
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Mid-Michigan Area Storytellers present Words Spoken, Lives Shared
– a unique performance workshop of traditional tales and personal stories – at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 17 at Art Reach of Mid-Michigan, 111 E. Broadway in Mt. Pleasant. Cost $10 for adults and families. See their Facebook page for more info.
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Celebrating Life Pow Wow
March 17 & 18 at the
Kulhavi Events Center,
McGuirk Arena in Mt. Pleasant
Grand entries are on Saturday at 1 and 7 p.m. and Sunday at noon. Doors open to the public at 11 a.m. General entry (11+) is $7; children 10 and under are free. SCIT members with ID and CMU students with ID are free. For more information, see Native American Programs at cmich.edu/powwow.
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Almighty: Courage, Resistance, and Existential Peril in the Nuclear Age
Book Discussion with Dan Zak, Washington Post reporter and author
Monday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at Alma College
Dan will lead the discussion on his book in the Dow Science Center Auditorium (L-1). The book focuses on religious protesters against continued production of nuclear weapons, their arrest and trial and raises vitally important questions about the relationship of religion and military policy. The event is free and open to the public. Contact Dr. Ed Lorenz at 989-463-7203 with questions.
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March for Our Lives
1:00 p.m. March 24 at Island Park,
331 N. Main St. in Mt. Pleasant
In solidarity with students around the nation in support of conversation about gun control, there will be a local March for Our Lives on Saturday, March 24, at 1:00 pm at Island Park. For more information, visit March for Our Lives: Mt. Pleasant.
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The words black and dark don’t need to be destroyed or ignored, only balanced and reclaimed in their wholeness. The words white and light don’t need to be destroyed or ignored, only balanced and reclaimed in their wholeness. Imagine a world that had only light—or dark. We need both. Dark and light. Light and dark.
~ Jacqui James
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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 admin@uufcm.org.
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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.
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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; baile1nj@cmich.edu)
Past-President: Laura McBride (989.772.5512; lmcbride010@gmail.com)
President Elect: Mary Alsager (989.773.2595; malsager@yahoo.com)
Treasurer: Chris Bailey (989.775.8257)
Assistant Treas: Ricky Courlander (989.772.4457; magicwalnut@charter.net)
Secretary: Brigitte Bechtold (989.954.1123; becht1bh@cmich.edu)
Trustee: Janis Shinn (989.400.3724; janis_shinn@yahoo.com)
Trustee: Joyce Henricks (989.400.9743; joyce.henricks@cmich.edu)
Trustee: Ethan Kolek (413.387.7321; ethank3535@gmail.com)
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