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 Click HERE for our mailing address and staff email addresses or call 920.731.0849.
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| A Note About Fellowship Activities and Staff
Like many of your workplaces and schools, the Fellowship building remains closed until further notice. Yet our virtual doors are open and accessible! Your ministers are available to provide pastoral care and support via phone, email, video conferencing, and social media. Program staff is working to deliver meaningful worship and creative opportunities to engage with the Fellowship community in a variety of ways.
Your administrative staff continues to provide support with limited office presence. All core staff will continue to monitor their voice and email messages and respond to you as promptly as they can.
We will continue to communicate any significant or urgent changes to the Fellowship’s operational status via all Fellowship emails. Normal (or new normal) offerings and activities will continue to be communicated via the Fellowship’s weekly Scroll. Announcements and events will be posted on our Facebook page and all are welcome to share in our Facebook group.
Please read further for more Fellowship news and ways to connect…
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Upcoming Service
Sunday, April 5 at 10:00 am central
Life Persists Worship Service with Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
Have you ever seen a weed growing through the cracks in a sidewalk? It's amazing how even in some of the hardest circumstances, life can still find a way to keep going. This Sunday we'll share two ways our Fellowship community, even with all the uncertainty and tumult in our world, is planning for the future and supporting life-giving endeavors: through the support of an asylum seeker and her baby, as well as through our plan to have an intern minister in the fall. You'll learn more about both of these as we create faith for the future together.
Sunday Morning Connections for Kids & Youth!
In addition to our 10:00 am worship service, we will be offering two separate gatherings for children and youth! 9:00 am for kids (elementary/ younger age) and 11:00 am for youth (middle/ high school).
To join one of those gatherings, click the link you received in your email! Registered families and teachers received an invitation.
If you didn’t get the email, contact director of religious education Kim Hartman at kim@fvuuf.org or be sure to register!
Recording of March 29 service"Have You Seen the Rainbow?" Reflection by Rev. Christina Leone Tracy HERE. Original music by UU singer-songwriter Peter Mayer (https://www.petermayer.net).
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Click HERE for more information on these offerings!
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Connect at a Distance
Thursday, April 2
6:00 pm Writing Group: Join us for a time to reflect through writing with Meredith Mason. bit.ly/UUFellowship
Friday, April 3
Sunday, April 5
Monday, April 6
Tuesday, April 7
6:00 pm Unitarian Universalist in 60 Seconds with Director of Congregational Life Marie Luna bit.ly/UUFellowship
Wednesday, April 8
6:00 pm Wellspring Wednesday (see article below for information)
Thursday April 9
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Welcome New Members
Join us in welcoming our new members:
Dana and Eric Johnson
Mary Ann Van Leur
Alex Frantz
Brianna Parker
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Blessing for Healthcare Workers
Click here for a special blessing from Rev. Leah for those who work in healthcare these days, or know someone who does.
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New to Zoom?All of our online Sunday services and most of our activities will be happening via zoom. Go to http://zoom.us/test for guidance on how to connect and visit www.tinyurl.com/zoomUU for a tutorial video about how to use it. If you are still having problems, email Marie Luna at marie@fvuuf.org and she will find someone to talk you through it.
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!NEW WRITING PROJECT!Fellowship Community Journal
The coronavirus global pandemic is a historical event. Amid the many challenges of this time, we have the unique opportunity to join people throughout time and culture who, finding themselves in unprecedented situations, pick up personal diaries. Making it a habit to record a few thoughts, questions, memories, ideas or longings can be tremendously helpful in cultivating hope and calm, whether it’s a daily disciple or a more occasional activity. And it leaves a fun record for us and our descendants! Let’s take it one step further at the Fellowship, and weave our individual voices into a collective tapestry. Rev. Leah will send out monthly prompts to encourage reflection. Consider writing a paragraph, page, or more (however often you might choose). She will compile them, with the intention of being able to share the collection with the community at a program or worship service sometime in the future!
March Writing Prompt
When and how did you first learn about the novel coronavirus? What kinds of conversations did you have with loved ones, and at work? How seriously did you take the threat? What did you first do to prepare for new measures of precaution, isolation, quarantine, and distancing?
April Writing Prompt
What are the most meaningful changes in your daily life as you adjust to the new normal? What’s the same and what’s different?
If you journal on these subjects or anything else, please consider submitting your work to leah@fvuuf.org.
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4 Spiritualities Small Group Zoom Meeting Sunday, April 5 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
Topic: Music and Spirituality
We will meet and share music or sounds that are either a part of our current spiritual practice or something that we are considering incorporating into a spiritual practice.
Send Mary Ellyn Vicksta at mev500@yahoo.com a link or a MP3 file of your music (or sounds) by April 2 and she will compile a playlist to share during the Zoom meeting. If you want to play something (like a flute or the piano or drums) you can perform that live! And it's OK just to join the Zoom meeting and listen to what others have contributed.
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UU Parenting Group: Online!
Parenting is rarely easy, and this is a particularly trying time. The Fellowship’s parenting group is continuing to meet virtually to support one another as we navigate the challenges of parenting during the coronavirus, along with continuing to provide space to talk about all aspects of parenting. People who are actively parenting or preparing to, serving in a parental role, and/or taking care of children as a parent, guardian, grandparent, etc. are welcome to join. We discuss the joys and hardships of parenting, share how we cope with the day-to-day responsibilities, talk about supporting our children without ignoring our own needs, and practice a little mindfulness. Contact Erin at vand0379@umn.edu for more information.
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Wellspring Wednesday: Online!
Sacred Prehistoric Sites in the Fox River Valley
The Fox River waterway has seen active human habitation since the end of the last ice age. Various native cultures honored sacred spaces near springs, rivers, and lakes with petroglyphs (rock art), petroforms (rock arrangements), and earthen mounds. Through maps, aerial images, and early historic writings, Mark Walker will provide a virtual tour of these cultural and spiritual spaces.
Mark Walker is a Fellowship member who is also connected with the Wisconsin Archeological Society and the Wisconsin State Historical Society. He helps build new segments of the Ice Age Trail, explores caves with the Wisconsin Speleological Society, and leads Fox Valley UU Men’s Bike & Hike Adventures.
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Spill it Sister Small Group: Online!
Thursday, April 9th; 6:30-8:00 pm
This group is open for all who identify as female and who want a few more pals to hang with, no commitment, no big agenda, just checking in and sharing. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month and usually don’t have a planned topic, but are open to whatever folx want to talk about. We sometime bring things to share; poetry, songs, etc. We look forward to welcoming you into our circle. Contact Kate Hancock-Cooke at rugbykate@new.rr.com with questions.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/128895820
Or call: 312-626-6799
Meeting ID: 128 895 820
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Open Discussions to Unlearn White Supremacy Culture
Wednesday, April 22 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/831372869; Or call in: 312-626-6799, Meeting ID: 831 372 869
The third of five open discussions on characteristics and antidotes of white supremacy culture. Need not attend all five sessions for each one to be meaningful. These discussions will be facilitated and are based on the anti-racism learning the staff and Governing Board have been doing this year. We will meet on the 4th Wednesday through May; please join us. When you look at the readings you will notice they are set up for each month; we will be discussing the ones for March and April this month. The readings are not long and it is helpful if you read them before we meet. Click HERE for the discussion information online. Contact Marti Wheeler at mwheeler@new.rr.com with questions.
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Big News from the Immigration Justice TeamThe Fellowship has been planning on supporting an asylum seeker for the last couple months. Please join us in welcoming Mayra and her son Henry as they start their new life in Fox Valley. In this time of being physically distant we will not be able to have a public welcome, but will do so as soon as we are able. We will all have opportunities to help Mayra and Henry feel welcome and safe. As we become more acquainted with each other we will let you know about ways you might be able to help – from financial support to sharing a meal. For now Mayra and Henry are settling in at their new home. Learn more about our journey HERE.
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Stewardship Campaign Update
Our stewardship campaign was scheduled to wrap up this Sunday, March 29, but the pandemic has thrown a wrench in our plans. We will pick up with our pledge campaign when things become more clear.
For now, here are some things for you to know:
* If you are unable to make a pledge or fulfill it right now due to financial hardship or uncertainty, we understand and will be back in touch when the world and the economy are more stable again. Please just let us know if you can’t fulfill your current pledge (contact Phyllis@fvuuf.org or call the office), and reach out to one of the ministers if you are in need of emotional or financial support.
* If you are relatively more financially secure, please remember to turn your pledge form in so we can improve our budget forecasting.
* For those with financial stability, we also strongly ask you to continue paying on your pledge, and supporting the Fellowship financially so that we can continue to pay our staff who are working hard to offer much-needed services during this time. People are being asked to continue supporting restaurants through gift cards or takeout orders, to continue paying their childcare, hairdresser, or cleaning staff. We are doing the same—paying our staff (even those who can’t work right now) because of YOUR generosity during this uncertain time, while holding other expenditures to a minimum. Some of you have offered to pay your 2020-21 pledge early, or have offered additional financial support on top of the pledge. This is not required—we all have different circumstances—but if you can do so, we would greatly appreciate the cushion to help us get through the next few months.
* Online giving coming soon! We will communicate it via Facebook, our website, and the Scroll when it becomes available.
Thank you for your generosity.
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UU the Vote – April 2 is the deadline to request an absentee ballotYou can still vote! Today, Thursday, April 2, is the last day to request an absentee ballot on myvote.wi.gov. When you receive it, complete it, sign the envelope and have your witness sign, with their address. If you're worried that it won't be delivered by Election Day, April 7, drop your completed ballot in the City Hall drop box outside City Hall on N. Appleton Street. Of course, use a wipe to open the drop box, wear a disposable glove, or wash your hands for 20 seconds immediately after.
For information on the candidates click HERE, for Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidates, click HERE.
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Parents and Caregivers!
If you're not registered for Religious Education, you might have missed the pastoral letter about pandemic parenting from Rev. Leah. Click HERE for the letter. Click HERE to register your kids for RE.
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Email Scam Warning!
It seems that while most people have drastically changed their normal lives and routines during this pandemic, scammers have not taken a break. In fact, we have once again seen an uptick in suspicious /malicious activity from scammers at this time, and no one is immune to this type of activity.
There have been many recent reports or questions from members and friends at the Fellowship regarding an email that appears to be coming from Rev. Christina. The emails that people are seeing often start with an initial email saying something very vague, like trying to reach you or I need your help, etc. If you reply they continue with their request, which is to ask you to purchase gift cards, scratch off the codes or pins on the cards and send a photo via return email. The bottom of one particular email request being reported actually appears to have Rev. Christina’s full name, as well as the Fellowship’s address in the signature block of the email.
Please be advised that these are not legitimate emails and are coming from a gmail.com account, not a Fellowship email account. Remember, Fellowship leadership and staff will NEVER email direct requests for money or gift cards! Do NOT respond to any email that says it’s from a Fellowship staff person unless it is coming from an “FVUUF.org” email address.
While we would ordinarily encourage you to double check with the Fellowship office if you are unsure we do not have the capacity to respond at this time. Please ignore any emails that have a staff person’s name, but are not from an FVUUF.org address. If we need to communicate with you to request your assistance in any financial capacity we will do so with a phone call, or through our normal newsletter communication.
If you have received these or any similar emails appearing to come from the name of a Fellowship minister or staff member, please click on the following link to the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information webpage, and scroll to the bottom of the page for information on how to report phishing emails HERE.
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Click HERE for the Governing Board meeting agenda.
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