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Dear Ones,
How good it is to be back!
After serving as your Intern Minister last year, I am so thrilled to be back in the Fox Valley and back at the Fellowship as your Assistant Minister for the 2021-2022 program year. In this new position, my role is to support our Associate Minister transition by overseeing pastoral care and outreach. Rev. Leah’s move to Oregon and her subsequent departure in November is certainly a hefty transition for our community and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here to help ease the process this year.
Why just a year? Our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has rules in place to ensure that congregations and ministers maintain healthy boundaries and relationships. One of these rules states that, unless at least three years have passed, a minister cannot settle in a congregation where they have been previously employed. This means that our UUA has found it to be best practice for a congregation to not hire their intern right after their internship. However, because of the unique circumstances of the current pandemic and our Associate Minister transition, the Fellowship was able to get special approval to bring me back for one additional year while our community figures out what comes next.
This one extra year with the Fellowship feels like such a gift. I look forward to the coming months together! If you would like to connect one-on-one, please do not hesitate to reach out to me by email (ali@fvuuf.org) or by calling the Fellowship (920-731-0849).
How good it is to be back!
With love,
Ali
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Sunday Services
9:00 AM Central in-person
10:45 AM in-person & livestream
Truth and Conspiracy: Monster Month #1
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
Click HERE for Worship Service Zoom Information and the Order of Service
- Listen to past sermons HERE.
- Watch some of our past services on our Youtube channel.
- See the religious education section below for details about online and in-person classes. See our website (here) for more information about all Religious Education classes for children and youth.
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It’s Monster Month! Join us on Zoom (10:45 am CT) or in-person (9 or 10:45 am) throughout the month of October to explore different ways our society makes monsters of the things we fear. We will use these monsters to gain insight into each other and our complex world. Learning and living our UU values can be deep, thoughtful, AND fun! Happy Halloween!
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Pop-Up ChoirThis Sunday (October 3), singers of all ages are welcome to join our Pop-Up Choir to sing Brian Tate’s fun “Monster”. Please arrive by 8:10 am for the 9:00 am service, or 10:20 am for the 10:45 am service, and be sure to wear a well-fitting mask. Contact Steve (Steve@fvuuf.org) if you would like to see lyrics, recordings, or music ahead of time.
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UU101: Quick Version!Tuesday, October 12; 6:30-8:00 pm CT
Join Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy, Assistant Minister Ali Peters, and Director of Congregational Life Marie Luna in a shortened version of our UU101 class to learn about Unitarian Universalist history, Fellowship programs, and more! This is a great opportunity to meet others in the Fellowship and get more connected. Contact Marie at marie@fvuuf.org with questions. This program will be offered in-person and on zoom. Link information will be listed here.
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WellspringOctober 13, 6:30-8:00 pm CT, in-person and online
Artistic Expressions – Exploring art and the physical and emotional impact it has on our health with Colleen Prendergast
Click here for details.
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Book Discussion: Burnout
Join Rev. Christina on October 14 from 6:30-8:00 pm CT for a discussion of the book Burnout- The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski (available at local libraries). Please don’t feel pressured to read the whole thing—if you only have time to read a bit, the first segment (chapters 1-3) is the most useful! Even if you can’t read anything at all, please still feel free to join the discussion which is sure to be rich.
The discussion will take place in person and virtually, see our website HERE for log-in details.
Burnout came out in early 2020, right before the pandemic (prescient!), and is an easy-to-read and often funny exploration of the science behind stress. It offers understandable and useful ways to let go of stress in our bodies more effectively. This book is written for people who identify or were socialized as women, and there are many discussions of the ways society treats women differently, but after the 18 months we’ve all experienced, Rev. Christina has no doubt that anyone of any gender could find useful parts of this book!
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QPR TrainingSunday, October 17th; 2:00-3:00 pm CST
Register by October 4th by emailing cyndi@fvuuf.org
We can all save lives! The QPR mission is to reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical, and proven suicide prevention training. The signs of crisis are all around us. We believe that quality education empowers all people, regardless of their background, to make a positive difference in the life of someone they know. Clear, Concise, Efficient: Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. QPR is the most widely taught Gatekeeper training in the world!
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Hello and See You Soon!
The only constant is change, and that continues to be true here at the Fellowship!
Recently we hired an additional Audio Visual Technician to help on Sunday mornings. Don't worry, Adam isn't going away, but he sometimes needs to take a weekend off so we hired Jonathan Steffen to take care of the AV on those Sundays. Welcome and hello, Jonathan!
Sadly, our Religious Education Assistant, Eve Rosera, needed to step away from her role as of this week, to focus on her health and self-care. We appreciate all of Eve's RE help, joy, and enthusiasm with our young people, especially these difficult past 18 months. We will continue to see Eve around as she will continue her membership at the Fellowship and will volunteer in RE when she's ready. We will begin the process to hire a new RE Assistant as soon as possible. Thank you and see you soon, Eve!
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Under the Hood in Two HoursSaturday, October 30th; 10:00am-12:00pm
Have you wondered what happens behind the scenes at the Fellowship and how to help shape this community? Come to this one-time learning opportunity for information about the groups, committees, governance, and leadership opportunities at the Fellowship. Explore healthy spiritual leadership, deepen your commitment to Unitarian Universalist values and actions, and become empowered to make an impact! Email Cyndi at cyndi@fvuuf.org to sign up by Monday, October 25.
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 A Message From the Care Team
Join the Care Team! Click HERE for the position description and application. | |
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Community Office HoursJoin Rev. Christina for informal conversation over a cup of something delicious. We can just get to know each other or you can bring something you’d like to discuss—the conversation will be guided by whoever shows up! Christina will also have a bag of conversation prompts if needed, and sometimes our staff, board president, or other lay leaders will join us. Thursdays from 12:30-1:45 pm CT as noted below, and the location will rotate monthly to reach different parts of our community.
September 30 – ACOCA Coffee & Café, 500 W. College Ave., Appleton
October 14, 21, 28 (none on 10/7) – Seth’s Coffee and Bakery, 106 E Main St, Little Chute
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UU Women's Connection Fall Retreat 2021"Celebrating, Honoring, Healing"
October 8-10
IN-PERSON at DeKoven Center in Racine, WI, and ONLINE via Zoom.
Click HERE for details and registration.
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New Member JoiningWednesday, November 3; 6:30-7:30 pm CT
Becoming a member of the Fellowship is a meaningful step for many people. If you have been thinking about becoming an official member of the Fellowship, Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy and director of congregational life Marie Luna invite you to join them on November 3! Contact Marie at marie@fvuuf.org for more information or to sign up.
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click the image for current information
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| Religious Education - Children and Youth
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Stewardship in REOur elementary-aged children in grades 1-6 will begin a weekly stewardship offering as a spiritual practice this Sunday. We will be taking a small collection each week during our classroom rituals. If you would like your child to participate, please send them to class with whatever amount you see fit, or even better, have them bring their own to give! Pennies and loose change accepted.
This offering will go to the Fellowship, but at the end of the year, the children will vote for how they would like their accumulated collection to be used. Children who don’t have money to put into the basket will symbolically and lightly “blow” a kiss as their contribution to spreading love to the Fellowship.
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Crossing PathsStudents in 7th grade and above will meet in the Legacy Room or on Zoom every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month throughout the program year. Youth in these grades who are present at the Fellowship on “off” Sundays (2nd and 4th) must be in the sanctuary; there will be no supervision in the building and they will not be permitted to wander on their own. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The worship staff looks forward to welcoming them!
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Sunday Religious Education Programs
Virtual and In-Person Offerings
RE classes have resumed. This year we are offering two platforms for children’s religious education:
Nursery
9:00 and 10:45 Services: We will provide child care for 6-month through toddler-aged children during both services.
4K/K
9:00: Zoom classes will be on the first and third Sundays of each month. Parents with registered children will receive the link.
10:45: In-person classes will meet in the Capek Room before service begins.
1st-6th grade
9:00: Zoom classes will be on the second and fourth Sundays of each month. Parents with registered children will receive the new link.
10:45: In-person classes will meet in the Fellowship Hall before service begins.
7th-8th grade
10:45: In-person classes will meet every other week in the Legacy Room. This class will also be live-streamed to registered students.
Check out our website for class information for nursery through 6th grade HERE and 7th through 12th grades HERE. Programs are offered from mid-September through late May.
Health and Safety:
• All Students and volunteers must wear a mask. To test the mask, try to blow out a candle with the mask on. If you can, it is not sufficient for Covid-19 protection.
• Surfaces and doors will be sanitized prior to the class and afterwards.
• Hand sanitizer will be provided in each classroom.
• Students and volunteers will maintain social distancing.
• The classrooms will be aired out after each class.
• We will conduct classes outside as the weather permits.
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 | Photo by Linda Eller-Shein from Pexels
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Registration ReminderOur Religious Education registration for 2021-2022 is open. If you have already registered your child(ren), thank you! If you have not registered yet, please do so immediately HERE.
Once registered you will be added to our contact list (this may take a few days) for the program year and you will receive links to zoom classes, monthly calendars, and information pertinent to the religious education programs. Registration also gives us important information that will assist us in providing safe, nurturing, and enriching experiences for all of our students.
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| Small Groups: A great way to connect!
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Join a Small Group!All are invited to check out our Small Groups for connection and spiritual growth. The full list can be found on our website! Click on the image to learn more about our groups.
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The Justice Hub webpage has information about our JAMs, justice events, and opportunities here at our Fellowship and out in the community right at your fingertips any time you need it.
This week: Read more about each of these on the Justice Hub webpage!
• ESTHER interfaith community organizing information
• ESTHER and Menominee Tribal Enterprises dedicate a Tree on Indigenous People’s Day – October 11
• UUA’s Side With Love offers resources at the Action Center
• Book Sale for college scholarships (AAUW) book donations now through Oct. 5
• Fox Cities Book Festival: Oct. 13-17, reading George (aka: Melissa’s Story)
• Volunteers needed to pack boxes of indigenously sourced food through Feeding America
If you want to share something on the Justice Hub webpage, please do so by completing this form by Thursday to be posted when the page is updated each weekend. Submissions may be subject to staff approval and editing.
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