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Healthy Online Communication by John Duffin
After a year of pandemic restrictions on in-person social life, the Healthy Congregation Team sends its wishes that Fellowship members are well and feeling more hopeful. Given the strain of spending so much time isolating from others, including not being able to congregate in person at the Fellowship building, we thought this would be a good time to encourage healthy online communication.
One effect of interacting with each other primarily through email, Zoom discussions, and social media posts is that we don’t get the immediate feedback of facial expressions, voice inflection, postures, and other nonverbal signals. Without such in-person responses, it seems to make it more likely that we might engage in more critical or negative behavior than usual. The social distance of online statements also seems to increase polarization of views.
So, as I (we) write online comments or opinions, it is especially important to be positive and compassionate as much as possible. When reading digital communications, remember to consider the source. The writer may have implicit biases and assumptions that lead to the stated views. If some comments are inflammatory, try to understand the other person’s stress level or different perspective rather than allowing oneself to be hurt deeply. Calm, constructive feedback to them might help the other person realize they have said hurtful things.
As always, the Healthy Congregation Team encourages direct, respectful communication and active listening to each other. If you have positive examples or constructive concerns for us, please tell us by using the Fellowship’s “Feedback Form,” always accessible via the Fellowship Forms link at the very end of the Scroll.
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Sunday Service10:00 AM Central
Bridging Sunday
with Kim Hartman, Director of Religious Education, and Fellowship Bridgers Aaron Thibodeau, Lilly Wait, and Rose Williams
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.
- Click HERE for information on hosting a traveling chalice in your home.
- Students in Prek-K through 6th grade will meet at 9:00 am CST for Children’s Chapel. We can’t wait to see all of our friends! See our website (here) for more information about all Religious Education classes for children and youth.
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VOTE NOW! Coming up on May 30th, we will celebrate the “Best of Online Worship” here at the Fellowship with a special service focusing on some of the fun, creative, silly, and enjoyable experiences we had in the past 15 months of online worship—making the best of a situation none of us would have expected! Please take a couple minutes and CLICK HERE to vote on some of your favorite memories and let us know if you’d like to participate in the service (not required).
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Last Chance to Update or Turn In Your Pledge!We are grateful to all who responded to our appeal to turn in your pledge or update your existing pledge if you are able. We are still short of the pledges we need to keep the Fellowship operating at 2019-2020 levels and avoid drastic cuts. If you missed our previous messages and want to read more detail please click here.
To make a new pledge or update your existing pledge please click our online pledge form, or contact Phyllis Schmitt, director of finance and operations, Phyllis@fvuuf.org or 920.731.0849 to request a paper pledge form to be sent to you via mail. Our Fellowship has been resilient this year, and we need your help by May 2 to continue that resilience into the future.
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Resolution to Reaffirm!by Eric Riggers
As you've seen in the recent all-Fellowship email and Scroll article, we'll be asking the congregation to approve by-laws changes related to the merger of the Stewardship and Planned Giving Committees. Because the Planned Giving Committee (PGC) was established via special resolution back in 2000, we are also asking the Fellowship to reaffirm the importance of the Endowment, while eliminating the requirement for the PGC. Long-time member (and occasional parliamentarian) Terry Dawson had some questions on the resolution and we thought you may too. Click here to learn more, and stay tuned for details on the Pre-Annual Meeting Q & A on Wednesday, June 2 at 6:00 pm CST.
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Fellowship Book Read with Intern Minister Ali PetersSee No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love
By Valarie Kaur
A quote from the book jacket: “Tested, and tempered by suffering, but rising up with hope and joy, Kaur shows us how to love others, opponents, and ourselves in ways that will bring us closer to the Beloved Community. This book will change your life.” - Parker J. Palmer
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Wellspring: The Religious and The Secular with Ali Peters Wednesday, May 12; 6:30-8:00 pm CST
The world around us seems to be carved up into categories of "secular" and "religious." How might these categories be helpful and how might they limit us? Join Intern Minister, Ali Peters, at our May Wellspring program to learn more about how "secular" and "religious" came to be and to consider them in new ways. Click here for login information.
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| Religious Education - Children and Youth
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Youth Led Credo Service May 23Join us for our annual Youth Led Credo Service. All of the young people who participated in our brand new Being A Teen (BATs) program will host this special service. The youth who completed the Coming of Age track of the program spent the past year working with a mentor towards creating a personal credo, a Latin word that means “a set of fundamental beliefs or a guiding principle.” They will share their personal statements that address the question, “What do I believe?” as the centerpiece of this popular and inspiring service.
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Our virtual Sunday programs for young people meet at 9:00 and 11:00 am. We are excited about our classes which have been designed to be fun and engaging with online learning in mind. Don’t miss connecting with our Fellowship friends and family this year!
Program Year Format for Registered Students:
• Pre-K through 1st grade meets the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month at 9:00 am CST
• 2nd through 6th grade meets the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at 9:00 am CST
*All students are invited to attend all classes; however the classes will be geared for the target ages.
• 7-12th grade meets each Sunday at 11:00 AM CST
Please visit our website for more information about our classes. Contact director of religious education, Kim Hartman, at kim@fvuuf.org with questions.
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The Justice Hub webpage has information about our JAMs, justice groups, justice events, and opportunities here at our Fellowship and out in the community right there at your fingertips any time you need it.
• Final week for the plastics audit
• Updates and pictures from the Earth Day climate justice rally
• ESTHER interfaith community organizing information
• Update from the WISDOM Madison Action Day and ways to continue to comment on the proposed Wisconsin state budget
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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Meals Needed!We always offer support through our Ministry Meals team to people who could use nourishing help. Right now we have two more extensive needs, and would greatly appreciate your help!
Marie Luna, director of congregational life, has a short video explaining these needs, so click the play button to learn more.
Click on the mealtrain links below for more information about these requests and to sign up to help. If you would like to be on our Ministry Team meals list to help out more often, please contact Marie Luna at marie@fvuuf.org.
Boushele-Walter Family: HERE
Molly McCarty: HERE
Thank you for your loving support!
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New Member Joining InvitationSunday, May 2nd at 9:00 am CST
Joining the Fellowship can be a meaningful step on your journey! If you have been thinking about becoming an official member of the Fellowship, Rev. Leah Ongiri and director of congregational life Marie Luna invite you to join them for our next new member joining. Contact Marie at marie@fvuuf.org for more information or to sign up and get the zoom link.
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Time for Art! Painting Party with Side with Love and UU Ministry For EarthFriday, May 14 at 5:00 pm CDT
Join together in community to have fun painting an image with Sharon Davis, Artist, Owner and Instructor of Time for Art! This event is child and youth-friendly -- great for individuals, families, congregational teams or RE programs, everyone!
We will be painting an original image made by Sharon’s, depicting two human figures underneath a rainbow with the earth and a heart image towards the top. The overarching message of the imagery is one of multicultural, Beloved Community, with love for one another and our shared Earth home. The image is already etched onto a black canvas that will be mailed to all participants. You are responsible for sourcing all other painting party supplies (paints, water and paint containers, brushes, snacks, etc).
Since we are mailing canvasses to participants, please only register if you can make a firm commitment to attend! Register HERE.
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Vaccine Appointment Help OfferedIf you need help getting a vaccine appointment, please let Marie Luna, director of congregational life, know at marie@fvuuf.org or 920-731-0849. We are here to help!
If you can help people find vaccine appointments, contact Marie. She will connect you with people who reach out.
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Virtual General Assembly General Assembly is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where we conduct the business of the Association, explore the theological underpinnings of our faith, and lean fully into our mission and principles. Virtual GA allows us to retain our dedication to community and make our experience more accessible and more environmentally sustainable.
More information and registration available HERE. If you are planning on attending and would like to be credentialed as a delegate, please email marie@fvuuf.org.
2021 WARE LECTURE: STACEY ABRAMS AND DESMOND MEADE
The UUA President invites a distinguished guest each year to address the General Assembly as the Ware Lecture. Please join us Saturday, June 26 at 6:00 p.m. CDT. General Assembly registration is required to view. More information about the Ware Lecture HERE.
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Images Needed “Flourishing” Theme
Take a photo of something that means Flourishing to you.
Our preferred method for submission is via this Google Form. You need a Google account to use the form, but if you’ve ever used Google Docs, you might already have one! Google accounts can be created with your current email address, a Gmail address is not required.
If you do not have a Google account, please email your submissions to photos@fvuuf.org.
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click the image for current information
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Click HERE for details about these groups.
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- Gathering Circle - Fourth Mondays, 6:30-8:00 pm CST
- Joyful Mind Zen Sangha; Saturdays, 7:00 am CST
- Men's Group, First Wednesdays & Third Tuesdays, 7-9:00 pm CST
- Music-Making Online - Click the small groups link for information
- PoC, Email PoC.global.majority@gmail.com for meeting information
- Senior Wonders - Contact Janet Hughes for information
- Smiling Dandelion Sangha, Sundays, 6-7:30 pm CST
- Spill it Sister, Second Thursday of the month, 6:30-8:00 pm CST. Contact Kate Hancock-Cooke at rugbykate@new.rr.com with questions.
- Third Thursday Book Club, Third Thursday of the month, 2:00 pm CST. Contact CyAnn Martin at cmartin25@new.rr.com for meeting information.
- UU Parenting Support Group, Contact Erin Vandenlangenberg for information at vand0379@umn.edu.
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