 |
|
|
Fellowship Little Library: Springtime & Earth Day SharingAs Spring begins and we approach Earth Day, we all think about rebirth, reusing, sharing, and recycling. What could be better to share and reuse than books?
The Fellowship has had a Little Free Library near the street in front of our building for five years. For several years it got some good use from those of us using the building as well as neighbors, and early in the pandemic, we had some good distribution of masks. But for the most part, it has languished in the past year with few of us ever going to the Fellowship. For a long time, many of us were reluctant to touch things like used books, but as we have learned more and begun getting vaccinated, it is time for a change.
A new ad hoc group is working to revitalize the Library. Margit Kindel, Nancy Vilker-Krause, Merry Schoenfeld, and Terry Dawson have met and made a plan to make the Library more useful and relevant. We’ve decided not to include food, as there are other places that can fulfill those needs. The collection needs to be curated and maintained. As always with Little Libraries, items borrowed may be returned, kept, or end up at another Little Library. But it is our plan to have one of us check it once a week, add items, and weed things that don’t appear useful or create overcrowding.
The Little Library collection should be relevant for the Fellowship Community and represent us to neighbors who may walk by and browse the collection. So we want to ensure there is quality reading material for all ages. Further, we would like to try to make the materials relevant...
• FOR THE SPRING: we will try to include materials on Earth Day, gardening, and the environment — you may find a packet of seeds!
• FOR THE SUMMER: we’re thinking about family activities, vacations and beach reading.
• FOR THE FUTURE: we welcome gifts of your ideas as well as your materials!
Your use of our Little Free Library is welcomed and encouraged. It is a promise for the times we will gather again at our building. Until then, we hope you'll use the library and make donations -- you can add books and seeds to share with others. If you have materials to donate, but will not be going by the Fellowship, feel free to contact a member of the library committee and we’ll pick them up from you.
| |
Sunday Service10:00 AM CST
Always Coming of Age
led by the Participants in the Adult Coming of Age Class
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 Pre-K through 6th grade will meet as a large group at 9:00 am CST for a large group Children’s Chapel. They will meet with Miss Eve and our Guest Star Dana Johnson to talk about their thoughts and feelings about Covid, isolating, returning to classrooms, and the many ways that the pandemic has affected their lives. See our website (here) for more information about all Religious Education classes for children and youth.
| |
Monthly Evening ServiceWednesday, March 31 at 7:00 pm CST
Join us for a worship service led by our intern minister, Ali Peters, and our Fellowship Care Team. On the last Wednesday of each month, we hold an informal evening service to re-center ourselves during the week, connect more deeply with one another, and hold each other in community. These simple services include a reading that is related to our current worship theme, a centering practice, and an opportunity to reflect and to share joys and concerns with each other. This month, our service will reflect on moving forward after one year in the pandemic and will feature a discussion from Dana Johnson about emotional first aid. For more information, see this resource. All are welcome to join us!
Log-in information can be found on our website HERE.
| |
March 14th was the deadline to submit your Fellowship pledge, but if you haven’t done the online form yet, please do so right away! We need you to turn in your pledge form so we can plan our 2021-22 budget.
The stewardship team is in the middle of follow-up now, please save them time by submitting your pledge form as soon as possible.
Find all the information about our budget goal and pledging information on the stewardship campaign website. If you wish to go straight to the pledge form you can do so here.
The online pledge form is the quickest and easiest way to pledge. However, if you prefer to complete a paper pledge form or have questions about your current pledge please contact director of finance and operations Phyllis Schmitt, Phyllis@fvuuf.org or 920.731.0849.
Pledge Campaign Status:
Of the 488 pledge letters sent, 203 (41.6%) have been returned, along with 1 new pledge. Our goal is 100% participation.
Of the pledges so far received, $521,296 has been promised. This is 62.4% of our total goal of $836,049.
| |
2021 Annual Congregational SurveyThe Fellowship Governing Board and Executive Team are hoping that all members and friends of the Fellowship will participate in our annual congregational survey. The information gathered in this survey is of critical importance as we evaluate progress toward The Fellowship’s goals and identify areas in which we need to dedicate additional time and resources. Your opinion counts.
The survey includes 60 questions and may take around 15 minutes to complete. The questions are about Fellowship demographics, how we live, and our engagement with the Fellowship over the last 12 months. All responses are anonymous.
We will report on the survey results at the 2021 annual meeting. We administered the same survey in 2019 and 2020 and plan to continue asking the same questions every year so we can track our progress over time.
The survey will be available through March.
SURVEY HERE
Thank you so much for sharing your input.
Bradley Shipps
Governing Board President
| |
|
COVID-19 Vaccine Forum with a Nurse Wednesday, March 31 at 1:00 pm CST
With the frequent changes and updates to recommendations, multiple vaccines being approved for use in the US, and a slow rollout of distribution of said vaccines, it is no wonder that people have questions! If you would like to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, or if you have questions or concerns you would like to discuss, please join Hannah Weck for just such an opportunity. Hannah is an oncology Registered Nurse working in Appleton and a member of the Fellowship since February of 2019. Zoom information available on our website HERE.
| |
This Day in RecoveryThursday, April 22; 6:30 pm CST
Join Revs. Lane Campbell and Katie Kandarian-Morris as we celebrate the new Skinner House publication, This Day in Recovery: 365 Meditations. This book seeks to be a resource for Unitarian Universalists and spiritual seekers whose lives have been touched by addiction. We will share some of the stories as to how this book came about, read some excerpts from the book, and have some time for questions and answers. Read More
| |
| Religious Education - Children and Youth
| |
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.
| |
Call for Summer and Program Year TeachersHello lifelong learners! We are looking forward to exciting changes that we plan to make to our religious education program once we can safely return to in-person classes, and we will need many volunteers to help us provide a quality religious education experience for our Pre-K kids to high school seniors. We need you!
• Are you interested in being a classroom Leader or Assistants in 3-4-year-old, 7-8th grade, or high school Breakfast Club classrooms?
• Are you interested in being a classroom Assistant in 3-4-year-old, 7-8th grade, or high school Breakfast Club classrooms?
• Are you interested in being a classroom Assistant in the K-6th grade classrooms?
Please contact Eve Rosera eve@fvuuf.org to sign up and for more information.
| |
Transylvanian Easter TraditionsSaturday, March 27th, 10:00 am CST
Zoom link HERE (Or can be found on our website)
The Partner Churches Committee warmly invites you to meet Zoli Koppandi, pastor of the Unitarian Church of Deva, Transylvania to discuss Transylvanian Easter Traditions. He is very excited to meet all of you. Hope to see you there! Learn more about our Partner Churches HERE.
| |
Partner Churches Plant SaleCalling all gardeners! In honor and support of our partners in Deva, Romania, and Banaybanay, The Philippines, the Partner Church Committee is planning a socially distanced Plant Sale on Sunday, May 23. We welcome your donations of vegetables, native plants, perennials, houseplants, etc. If you would like to donate or have questions, contact Theresa Spoehr at cmtheresa@gmail.com.
| |
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.
• As the state gets ready to create the state budget for the next two years, now is the time to have your voice heard so that our values are reflected in the budget! Join ESTHER for Madison Action Day on April 15 to meet via Zoom with WI legislators to advocate for values-based budget priorities. Register here.
• If you can’t attend Madison Action Day, you can write letters! Click here for details.
• An invitation from Green Sanctuary to participate in an in-home plastics audit, and some great resources to learn more about the impact of plastics.
• Election News: Information and resources for voting and upcoming elections for State Superintendent, county officials, and judges.
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.
| |
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.
| |
|  The UUA Decries anti-Asian Violence
click the image to read the article | |
| | |
Virtual General Assembly Hearing from UUs around the world, experiencing our faith from a multitude of different perspectives and experiences at General Assembly (GA) has helped me become a Unitarian Universalist. Attending last year's virtual GA was more connecting and meaningful than I could have expected. Contact me if you have questions or want to learn more about GA.-- Marie Luna, director of congregational life
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.
Registration for virtual GA 2021 is $200 per person. Financial support for registration as well as a payment plan are available. General Assembly registrants receive access to the 2021 Online Participation Portal, including live, simulive, and on-demand video content, the virtual exhibit hall, chat features, support, and a (new and really exciting!) GA mobile app. Learn more and register HERE.
| |
Images Needed"Balance" and “Flourishing” Theme
Take a photo of something that means Balance or 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.
| |
|  |
click the image for current information
| |
| | |
Click HERE for details about these groups.
|
|
- Fellowship Community Journal
Ongoing, submit your work to leah@fvuuf.org
More information HERE.
- Fellowship Pen Pals - Click HERE for information.
- 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.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
