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A Note of Thanks from the Generosity Ministries Team
“Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.”
--Anna Lappé
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to those Fellowship members and friends who have gone before us. They envisioned a warm, welcoming community and used their time, talents, and treasure to make it a reality. They paid the rent at our old buildings. They hired our first settled minister and funded his salary. They cast their votes for the kind of world they wanted, and we all benefit from their loving and generous actions.
Now the torch is in our hands. The Generosity Ministries Team offers a heartfelt THANK YOU to all those who donate to our beloved Fellowship. Through contributions to our operating budget, our endowment, and our fundraising projects, you support the continuance of our flourishing, loving, welcoming community.
● You vote for connection.
● You vote for a safe refuge, a place where we can bring our weary hearts and be assured that those we encounter will embrace us.
● You vote for a place where we can reflect, be inspired, and be challenged to be our best selves.
● You vote for uniting in action to make a better world.
● You put your money where your values are.
Thank you for all you do and all you give. We not only reap the benefits of your generosity now, through our exceptional ministers and staff, vibrant programs, and beautiful building—we continue the legacy of our community for those yet to come.
May we continue to cast our votes, supporting the many ways our Fellowship Community provides a beacon of connection, community, and welcome in the world. Please watch for further updates from the GMT, detailing the wonderful ways in which your donations make a difference.
Thank you!
The Generosity Ministries Team - Ann Fisher (Chair), Angie Demers, Theresa Hannah, Suzanne Marnocha, Pat Mitchell, Dave Sebora, and Heather Urness
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Sunday Services
9:00 AM Central in-person
10:45 AM in-person & livestream
Bliss and Emptiness
by Ali Peters, Assistant Minister
Paganism and Buddhism are whole and robust traditions on their own, but what happens when the Buddha meets the Goddess? Join us as we explore what these two traditions together can teach us -- a topic chosen by winners at our 2020 service auction!
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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Monthly Evening Services Wednesday, November 17 at 7:00 pm CT on Zoom
Join us for a Zoom worship service led by our Assistant Minister, Ali Peters. On the last Wednesday of each month, we will hold an informal evening service to re-center ourselves during the week, connect more deeply with one another, and hold each other in community. All are welcome! If you have questions, please reach out to Ali at ali@fvuuf.org. Log-in information is available on the services page of our website HERE. We hope to see you there!
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Final Program with Rev. Leah Ongiri!Zoom Poetry “Potluck” November 17th; 7:00-8:30 pm CT
Rev. Leah is looking forward to one last event of informal poetry sharing. Bring a potluck offering of a reading (or two or three!) to share. Poetry is welcome, and so are song lyrics, inspiriting quotes or excerpts, and anything that you might like to read aloud in the company of people who like to hear wise, interesting, funny, and/or touching words. Zoom link can be found HERE.
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Book Discussion: Burnout
The discussion of the book Burnout- The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski has been rescheduled for Thursday, December 2, 6:30 - 8:00 pm CT.
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.
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UU Theology with Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy New Dates! Part 2: December 14, January 11, February 8, March 8, April 12; 6:30-8:00 pm CT - Drop-ins welcome!
UU Theology is a 6-session introduction to theological concepts through a Unitarian Universalist lens. Each session asks what does our Unitarian Universalist tradition teach about this theological concept, and how does that help me clarify and act on my own beliefs? The themes include:
• What is Theology?
• What are God and Spirit?
• What is Our Purpose?
• Who Are We?
• What Are Our Sources?
• What Saves Us?
You are encouraged to attend all the sessions, in order to get the most out of it, but are also welcome to attend just those which you are able. Participants will be able to attend virtually or in person. Contact the Fellowship Secretary at cyndi@fvuuf.org to sign up or Rev. Christina at christina@fvuuf.org with questions.
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Meal at Pillars Adult and Family ShelterPlease join Essentials JAM by volunteering to provide a meal to the residents of Pillars Adult and Family Shelter on Monday, November 29th. Please click on the link to sign up for meal preparation to be delivered to the shelter at 5:00 pm. Pillars Adult and Family Shelter is located at 400 N. Division Street, Appleton. If you have questions, please contact Angie Miller at 920.810.7968 or angela.miller@oneamerica.com. Thank you!
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Photo by Ann H from Pexels
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| Empty to Full Pans - Thank youThank you to all who brought back their Empty to Full pans on Sunday! We collected 47 pans, which is great, but we originally handed out 60! If you forgot to return your filled pan, please contact Deb Muench at 920.422.1852 to arrange a drop-off. Pillars Family Shelter is so grateful for the pans the Fellowship provides.
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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.
• Sisters Rising Film Showing and Discussion
• ESTHER interfaith community organizing information
• UUA’s Side With Love offers resources at the Action Center
• Indigenous Resistance to Mining in Wisconsin (panel discussion on Zoom)
• What you can do to help ensure fair voting/districting maps
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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 | Photo by Roberta Sorge on Unsplash
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| Fellowship Engagement Discernment OpportunitiesNow that we are back to offering some in-person opportunities, we are reaching out to our members and friends to find out how they want to engage with the Fellowship, or if their path has taken them elsewhere. There are several ways to share this information with us and find meaningful engagement opportunities if that is what you are looking for! We value and welcome your feedback and engagement
1. Talk with director of congregational life Marie Luna, or another staff person 1:1 in person, phone, or zoom. Contact information HERE.
RSVP to cyndi@fvuuf.org if you would like to attend either of these sessions.
• Wednesday, November 17th; 11:30 am-1:00 pm CT; in person
• Saturday, November 20th; 9:00-10:30 am CT; in person
3. Or if you don’t want to talk right now, you can also fill out this survey.
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Express Yourself Creativity Invitation!Express Yourself is a small group devoted to providing opportunities for art created in community. This month we are building off the service that focused on googly eyes. (If you missed it, you can watch it on the Fellowship's YouTube channel HERE.)
Using these fun stick-on GOOGLY EYES, we can turn an average object into something with which we suddenly connect on a more human level. The thinking here is if we can anthropomorphize a doorknob, we should be able to do the same with other human beings.
A bag of assorted googly eyes can be picked up at Cindy Darling’s home in Kaukauna on Sunday, November 21 from 12:30--2:30, otherwise feel free to contact Cindy to set up a pick-up time that works for you. The sky is the limit! Head out into the community by yourself, with friends, with your kids, or whomever and turn ordinary objects into goofy “people.” If you need the address, message Cindy on Facebook, contact her via email: cindyd@maurealty.com, or text/call 920.205.9635.
Post a picture of your creation in the Fellowship’s Facebook group or by emailing Cindy and tell us about the experience of searching for faces in inanimate objects, and how the object was transformed by the googly eyes.
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Photo by Power Lai on Unsplash
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| Playground Update! by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
In my sermon on November 7, I shared that the playground has become unsafe due to wear and tear. We hope to dismantle it before winter weather sets in, and our goal is to have a fundraiser this spring to support installing new play equipment. Please let me know if you can help dismantle the current equipment as part of a one-day work crew (christina@fvuuf.org). Thank you!
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Fellowship Anti-Racism PracticeJoin us as we continue our UU commitment to anti-racism and dismantling white supremacy culture.
In November we invite you to watch this YouTube video of Dr. Ibram X Kendi, The Difference Between Being Not Racist and Anti-Racist, and while watching, ask yourself: What feels uncomfortable? Why is it uncomfortable and how can I move past that to keep going? What is new to me? How can I use this in my life? What SKILLS are helpful? Do I notice anything here that resonates with the Fellowship?
Why do we do this work? What makes it appropriate for a religious congregation? Isn't this just "political" and "social" stuff? NO! Our UU religious tradition calls us to have faith in the possibility of a world more free, fair, and filled with justice and compassion -- and that our actions are what will make that possible. The only way we can fully live our UU values is to keep learning and working. These resources, which are the same our Governing Board is exploring together in their commitment to anti-racism, will also be shared on our Anti-Racism Learning Group on Facebook, and we encourage interaction there. Watch the Scroll for future Zoom opportunities to discuss these resources!
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Photo Buttons Available!Bring in a photo to make it into a button so we can still see each other’s faces while wearing masks! We have all of the supplies to quickly make a 3-inch button. If you need us to print your photo, send it to marie@fvuuf.org and it will be ready for you on Sunday!
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Community Office Hours
Join 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.
November 18 (none on 11/11 or 11/25) – Cookie Crisp Café, 200 City Center D., Oshkosh
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Office ClosedThe office will be open from 8:00-2:00 pm on Wednesday, November 24. The office will be closed on Thursday, November 25, and Friday, November 26.
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click the image for current information
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| Religious Education - Children and Youth
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 | Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash
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| 4K-6 grade Religious Education Dismissal ProcedureChildren will be dismissed in the same way as we have in the past, by asking parents and guardians to wait outside of the room to sign their child(ren) out.
Please help us by
• gathering outside of the Fellowship Hall
• communicating 1:1 with the teacher who has is holding the attendance clipboard
• signing out your young person/people one family at a time
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation with the new procedure; it is very helpful in keeping our children safe!
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Sunday Religious Education Programs: Virtual and In-Person OfferingsCheck 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.
Crossing Paths: 1st and 3rd SundaysCrossing Paths for students in 7th grade and above will meet again on Sunday, November 7 in-person or on Zoom. Youth in these grades who are present at the Fellowship on the 2nd and 4th Sundays must be in the sanctuary; there will be no supervision in the building and they will not be permitted to wander on their own.
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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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