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We Need You to Nominate Our January Share the Plate Recipient!
Each Sunday, our Fellowship shares our “plate” (financial offering collected during services and online) with outside organizations. Typically, we split the offering between the Fellowship’s mission and a worthy organization in the wider community.
Throughout the year we ask our Governing Board, X-Team, and social justice teams to suggest organizations. However, this coming January we will share the plate with YOUR CHOICE!
USE THIS LINK to nominate a local organization whose mission you support.
Between now and November 5, we will collect your nominations. Then we will invite you to vote for the 3 most nominated qualified organizations. Each Sunday in January we will “share the plate” with the winning organization.
For the 2024-25 program year we have shared, or are planning to share, our offerings with RCI REACH, Zion Lutheran Church Affordable Housing Project, UU Disaster Relief Fund, Help & Hope Together, ESTHER, Habitat for Humanity, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.
Thanks very much for your help!
Your Generosity and Engagement Ministries (GEM) Team:
Ann Fisher, Will Anderson, Hilary Haskell, Andrew Kramp, Heather Maass, Nan Middleton, Marti Wheeler
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Join us for a “hauntingly” good time at the YoUUth Halloween Party!
Grab your costumes* and get ready for fun! All youth and young at heart are invited to join us for games, snacks, treats, tricks, and FUN for all ages! Join us at the Fellowship on October 27 from 2-4:00 pm – RSVP to Matt or Angie Demers (angiebaby826@yahoo.com or matthew_demers@yahoo.com) asap so we know how many people to expect. If you’d like to help us set up, decorate, run a game, or clean up – we’d love to have extra hands helping out!
*Costumes are encouraged but not required!
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Sunday, October 27
9:00 am Central Time in-person
informal coffeehouse-style service with conversation
11:00 am Central Time in-person & livestream
traditional service with sermon
Grief: How to do it and Support Others Through It, A "Tools for Being Human" Service by Rev. Hannah Roberts Villnave
Click HERE for Worship Service Zoom Information & the Order of Service
• Visit fvuuf.org/middlehour/ to learn more about middle hour.
• Watch past sermons on our YouTube channel.
• Upcoming Services HERE
• See our website HERE for information about our Sunday religious exploration classes for children and youth.
• Share the Plate: In October we share the plate between RCI REACH: Resources Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health and the UU Disaster Relief Fund.
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10:10 AM Middle Hour
Middle Hour offering this Sunday:
• End of Life Planning and Endowment with the Generosity and Engagement Ministries Team
Click HERE for future Middle Hour offerings.
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| | Ministry Call & Co-Ministry
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Small Group Conversations on Co-Ministry: Sign-Up Today!
As you may have heard, a proposal has been offered to move in the direction of a shared ministry between Rev. Christina and Rev. Hannah. To help the congregation decide whether or not such a shared ministry is good for the Fellowship, the Ministerial Call Discernment Team has prepared several opportunities to ask questions, get to know Rev. Hannah and her family better, and engage in dialogue as a community.
Join us at cottage meetings for small group conversations on co-ministry and calling Rev. Hannah. Sign-ups are now open in-person (after services) or online (click here):
Cottage Meeting Schedule (Subject to change)
• Wednesday, October 30 from 7:00-9:00 PM, hosted by Tim Watson & Pete Smaby
2-3 steps required to enter residence (no railing)
• Sunday, November 10 from 12:30-2:30 PM at the Fellowship
ADA accessible; Childcare available; Light lunch provided
Other Important Dates
• Sunday, November 10: Rev. Hannah and Rev. Christina will co-preach about trust and shared ministry
• Sunday, November 17: Congregational vote on the proposal to call Rev. Hannah as our co-minister
The ministerial call of Rev. Hannah is an important step in the future of our Fellowship. Please make plans to be a part of it by attending the events outlined above. See you there!
Ministerial Call Discernment Team
Brian Murton, Marti Wheeler, Sam Zinth, Dave Gerlach, and Tim Watson
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Sunday, November 17
11:15 am Central Time
There is a Congregational vote on the proposal to call Rev. Hannah as our co-minister, immediately following our one 10:00 am service.
Please plan to attend and cast your vote on this momentous occasion! Our bylaws require a quorum of 25% of our eligible voting members for this special Call meeting.
In-person attendance is encouraged if you are able but there will also be an option to participate via Zoom. Watch your email inbox for a meeting notice with more details about the meeting, including registering or absentee voting, coming in the first couple of days in November.
Have questions about what this call/co-ministry vote means to the future of our Fellowship? Please see the options for in-person and Zoom meetings for small group conversations in the Ministry Call & Co-Ministry section above.
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| | Adult Connection & Learning Opportunities
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Tell Me More: Cancelled for Sunday, October 27
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Soup-er Saturday - November 2
(Formerly Soup Saturday)
First Saturday of each month, 5:00-6:00 pm CT (October – May) No Soup-er Saturday in December.
Join us at the Fellowship for an evening of fun, friends, conversation, and a potluck dinner. Soup is welcome! But feel free to also bring whatever other potluck food you wish to share (including vegetarian/ vegan/ and gluten-free options), bread, sides, maybe dessert… and your appetite!
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Circle Dinners are BACK!
These have been a longtime tradition at the Fellowship as a way to get to know new people in a relaxed, fun environment. On the evening of Sunday, December 8, we hope to host several simultaneous dinners at the homes of Fellowship members and friends throughout our community. There is no program for Circle Dinners: just food, conversation, and connection.
Can you host between 3 and 10 people to your house for dinner on December 8 between 5:00-8:00 pm? We need you to be a Circle Dinner Host! Once we confirm our hosts, we’ll invite guests to join you!
SIGN UP HERE BEFORE OCTOBER 25 TO BE A HOST OR PROVIDE FOOD.
What does a Circle Dinner Host do?
• You will welcome people into your home to share a meal together.
• You will be responsible for setting up and cleaning up.
• You will feed the attendees who come to your dinner– you can decide the menu, any dietary restrictions, or a theme if you wish!
• If you want to host but need help providing the food, we can try to find a helper for you!
• If you want to help make dinner but don’t want to host (or don’t have the space!), sign up as a dinner helper.
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| | Religious Exploration - Children & Youth
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Religious Exploration Program Year
We warmly invite all young curious minds and adventurous spirits to join us in a journey filled with fun and friendship. Together, we will explore our values through enriching lessons and activities that promote spiritual, ethical, and intellectual growth in our students.
We have some new and exciting changes for your kids this year, along with old favorites. One week a month will be spent learning more about other world religions (Hinduism, Paganism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and others). Another week we will learn about our new UU values of Justice, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Interdependence, and Generosity (JETPIG). The following weeks will continue with our previous curriculum: Soul Matters. Come Join Us!
Click HERE for information about each of our programs including nursery, children’s Sunday Religious Exploration, and HERE for our teen programs; Crossing Paths, Being a Teen, and Our Whole Lives.
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Join Us for Family Friendly Middle Hour 10:10-10:50 AM each Sunday
We've heard that our families enjoy chances to learn and connect with other adults, that there is a desire for more time for fun and bonding, and that parents need care for their children to join in. While coffee hour is nice, it’s not always the best way for everyone to meet others. That's why we started Middle Hour!
Middle Hour for Adults:
Each Sunday, there will be at least one activity for adults focused on learning or making connections during Middle Hour.
Middle Hour for Kids: “Fun and Friends!”
Fun & Friends is a space where kids ages 4K to 5th grade (about ages 4-10) can enjoy supervised play, games, and arts and crafts in a relaxed atmosphere. Older kids are welcome to hang out at coffee hour or join one of the adult activities.
Middle Hour Nursery:
Our nursery is open during Middle Hour for our youngest friends, ages 6 months to 4 years.
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| | Connect & Commit Spotlight
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JBear Photography – Individual and Family Sessions!
**Hurry only 5 Spots Left**
This Sunday, October 27, Jerry Behrendt (Fellowship member and photographer) will be offering the opportunity to have your individual, family, or group photos taken at the Fellowship, in plenty of time to print those holiday cards! Jerry is donating his time and asks that you pay for this service by giving back to the Fellowship. You can pay with a check written to FVUUF with “Photos” in the memo line, or pay via our online giving portal, HERE, enter the amount, select Photo from the drop-down list, and follow the prompts. Any amount is welcome, with a suggestion of $100 per session. After the session, Jerry will edit the photos and send you a private link to view and download your photos and print them however you wish. Questions? Contact Rev. Christina (christina@fvuuf.org).
Please consider a suggested payment of $100. A great deal for a professional photo shoot and this will help to get us to our 2024-2025 operating fundraising goal of $25,000! Sign up for a time slot by clicking HERE.
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Connect and Commit: Engage, Serve, Give
Communication is vital to the life of The Fellowship. This year, our Generosity & Engagement Ministries (GEM) is focusing on the ways we Connect and Commit: Engage, Serve, Give.
Our goal is that each person will consider their connection and commitment to the Fellowship – How do you want to engage, serve, and give this year?
We need each of you to complete the Connect and Commit form, to let us know your hopes, goals, and intentions for the year. Our goal is to help each person find their place at the Fellowship so that we are all connected in meaningful ways. The information from the form will help us support your purposeful commitment to the Fellowship.
Please click HERE for details and to fill out the form. Paper forms are available in the Fellowship lobby.
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The Invisible Class Documentary
Saturday, November 2nd - 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm, Doors open at 5:30 pm, film showing at 6:00 pm, Q&A with panelists will follow
Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2600 Philip Ln, Appleton
On November 2nd, Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Appleton and ESTHER will offer a public showing of “The Invisible Class,” a documentary about homelessness all across America, its criminalization, and the devastating impacts of the loss of affordable housing.
The film explores what it truly means to be homeless in America, challenging stereotypes and examining the systemic causes of mass homelessness in the wealthiest nation in the world. The film contains strong, potentially offensive language; not recommended for young viewers. Mass homelessness in the United States did not always exist, so how did we get to where we are today? What are the root causes? What should we know about homelessness in the Fox Valley region? What is being done to address it?
View the Trailer on YouTube. Please use this link to register for the event. Also, please bring a nonperishable food item. We will be donating it to help those in need. Thank you!
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Celebrate with ESTHER
Join ESTHER as we celebrate 20 years of justice work at our banquet on Nov. 16th, 5:00 pm at Waverly Beach Bar & Grille, Menasha! Early bird discounted registration available through Nov. 1st. Featured speaker is Keith Findley, co-founder of the Innocence Project. Register HERE.
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 | Click the image to view the Justice Hub
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Justice Hub
Check out the Justice Hub, featuring an easy-to-use calendar! Each event on the calendar includes time, location, and program details to help you learn more about how to get engaged with our wider community.
When you click on an event, at the bottom of the description you can click “Copy to my calendar” to add the event to your calendar and never miss a chance to act courageously for justice in our world.
- October 24, 6:30 -8:30 pm: Film: Search for Sustainability part of Unity's EarthCare series hosted by Unity of Appleton, 1366 Appleton Rd., Menasha. Details HERE.
- October 29, 6:30 pm, at 118 E Wisconsin Avenue, ESTHER's new space, View the film, The Invisible Class, new insights on homelessness
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| | All Ages Connection & Learning Opportunities
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Anita Bobbypin Drag Queen Stories and Tea Party
Sunday, November 24, 1-3:00 pm at the Fellowship
Stories with drag artist Anita Bobbypin, crafts, a tea party, and a chance for adults to discuss talking with kids or other adults about gender and sexuality. $10/person or $25/family. Register on the fundraising page HERE!
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Winter Fellowship Art Display
The theme for our next art show will be “A CELEBRATION OF COLOR.” If you have colorful art, either original or just something you love, please consider sharing it with the Fellowship for a few months. We would love to brighten up the Fellowship Hall walls during the long winter months. We will be hanging the show on Sunday, December 8 after the 11:00 service. Unfortunately, we cannot take submissions after the show is hung on December 8, but we encourage you to hang onto your pieces for future Fellowship art shows. Any pieces you share should have your name and the title of the work on the back. Also, if you currently have art on display, please remove it by 1:00 that day. And if you’d like to get involved in the work of the art committee, please let me know. Thanks! Mary Gerlach (gerlachmz@gmail.com)
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Introducing the Sensory Support Station
Have you seen the new shelf in the sanctuary lobby? Our “Sensory Support Station” includes lots of resources for folks of any age to borrow on Sunday mornings to support sensory needs. Please take what you need and return it in the same condition to the shelf at the end of the service so others might benefit from those resources as well
• Headphones/earmuffs if you are sensitive to loud noises
• Assistive listening devices if you have low hearing
• Large-print hymnals, and magnifiers for print if you have low vision
• Paper/ pens if you like to doodle or take notes, and knitting kits if you knit to keep your hands busy
• A variety of fidget tools if keeping your hands busy allows you to focus
• Kids' activity bags
We welcome your whole body to this community, and we hope the sensory support station will help you feel more comfortable and welcome here.
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New Books in the Lending Library
Did you know we have a lending library at the Fellowship? It is located in the front of the building, near the office wing. There are three shelves—one for general/adult UU books, one for social justice, and one for kids and families. We encourage you to check out one or two books at a time, borrow for a few weeks, and return them to us. Please check out the books on the clipboard inside the library nook. Some new books were just stocked, including “The Every Body Book of Consent” for kids, “Nothing Gold Can Stay” a book about grief for adults, “In Later Years” a book about the gifts of aging, and “White Borders” a book about the history and ongoing challenges of immigration in the US. There are many more books, these are just a few highlights! If you have questions about the lending library, please reach out to our Fellowship librarian Penny Robinson at pennyrobinson1@gmail.com.
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Care and Support
To submit a Joy or Concern, fill out the form on our website or contact Rev. Hannah Roberts Villnave, Assistant Minister, at hannah@fvuuf.org or 920-731-0849. For pastoral emergencies call 920-383-1565.
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