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This Monday at 6:00 pm CST is the 30th annual community celebration in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As co-chair of the planning committee, I am proud to represent our Fellowship’s instrumental role in conceiving of and launching the first program and sustaining it as it grew and evolved over decades. We won’t be gathering in person but we will be gathering! We are incredibly lucky to offer Abolitionist Life: Resistance, Creativity, Hip Hop Civics Ed, Intersectionality, & Black Joy with Dr. Bettina Love (https://bettinalove.com/) and musical guest Griot B (https://www.schoolyardrap.com/).
Dr. Love will discuss how intersectionality and abolitionist teaching creates a space where Black lives matter and sensibilities are nurtured to engage communities in the work of fighting for visibility, inclusion, and justice. She calls all of us to engage in critical dialogues about racial violence, oppression, and how to make sustainable change in our communities. She will challenge us to envision a world built on Black joy, creativity, imagination, boldness, ingenuity, and the rebellious spirit and methods of abolitionists. The program will also feature Agitate: A Story Through Song, a musical performance by Griot B.
On a personal note, I am beyond grateful for the generosity and hard work of my fellow planning team members who moved into major leadership to make this beautiful event happen in the midst of political violence and pandemic uncertainty. As far as I’m concerned, they represent the best of the Fox Cities community.
So, join us! This will not be live-streamed on social media. You must register in advance and you may do so HERE.
In honor of MLK's legacy and all the learning we have before us,
Rev. Leah
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Sunday Service10:00 AM CST
A Changing Dream
by Rev. Laura Randall, from the UUSC
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 1st Grade meet for Children's Chapel at 9:00 am CST via Zoom! Our Special Guest Teacher, Rev. Christina, will lead us through a lesson about DMartin Luther King, Jr. See our website (here) for more information about all Religious Education classes for children and youth.
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Monthly Evening Service
Wednesday, January 27 at 7:00 pm CST
Join us for a worship service led by our intern minister, Ali Peters. 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. The theme for our January service will be “Flexibility.” All are welcome to join us! If you have questions, please reach out to Ali at ali@fvuuf.org. We hope to see you there.
Zoom link HERE, passcode UU
Call in: 312-626-6799, meeting ID 827 7074 7192
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Click the image above for details on all these events.
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Coming of Age for Adults with Ali Peters, intern minister
Weekly Sessions on Sundays 1/10 through 2/14; 12:00-1:15 pm CST
When we hear “coming of age,” we typically think of young people. And yet, we “come of age” again and again at various points in our adult lives as we go through changes in our lives and relationships. COA for Adults is a six-session series designed for adults of all ages to explore their spiritual journey and religious identity. Participants reflect on how they got to now, engage with texts as they relate to their spiritual lives, and craft a statement of faith about who they are as a person of faith. Each COA session builds on earlier ones, so participants are asked to attend as much of the series as possible.
Register in advance for COA for Adults HERE.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Learning to Dismantle White SupremacyThe events of the past four years in our country have left many of us baffled and despairing. It is impossible to ignore how these events have emerged from our country’s deep wounds of racism and white supremacy. Our Unitarian Universalist faith calls us to the urgent work of healing those wounds and we invite you into this work with us. During the months of February and March, we will be hosting an anti-racism virtual learning series on Zoom. The series is being created specifically for our Fellowship community in partnership with professional decolonization educator, Anjali L. Nath Upadhyay, who will co-facilitate the series along with Ali Peters, our intern minister. Keep an eye out for more information in future Scroll newsletters. We hope you will be able to join us.
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| Religious Education - Children and Youth
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Join Us at Lunch Club!Youth in grades 9-12 are invited to join us for conversation and community time together on Sundays at 12:30 pm CST. Be sure to bring lunch or a snack, and enjoy some time chatting with your fellow UU’s.
Youth interested in attending must be registered for RE in order to receive the Zoom link. Contact director of religious education, Kim Hartman, at kim@fvuuf.org with questions.
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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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Update from our partners in BanaybanayThe Banaybanay congregation sends their best wishes for a fruitful and safe new year to our congregation and has sent a letter filled with good news. Joevani Espanola has reconsidered his resignation and will continue to serve the Banaybanay congregation, which greatly values his experience and commitment. His wife, Jonabeth, is currently doing an internship in UU ministerial formation and will continue to be an important member of the leadership team. Thanks to the virtual plate passing donation from the Fellowship they will be able to begin church renovation this month. They continue to take precautions to avoid Covid 19 and at this time have not had cases in their congregation. To read the letter, please click HERE.
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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.
• Green Sanctuary book study of As Long as Grass Grows will be January 25. Information is on the Justice Hub webpage regarding the book and how to obtain it.
• Martin Luther King Day events: Virtual Community Celebration and Day of Service information.
• ESTHER (interfaith organizing) information: Task forces and updates.
• Petition invitation to reduce architecture that is unwelcoming to Appleton’s homeless population.
• Information about all the ways United Way offers support and resources for people in need, and how you can help.
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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Creativity Pictures NeededDue February 10 – A photo of you with the following sentence (fill in the blank!) – “My creativity shines when__ .”
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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First Unitarian Portland cordially invites you to join us for our VIRTUAL Seminary for a Day on Saturday, January 30, at First Unitarian Portland. This year’s spiritual theme is entitled, Success, Failure, and Everything In Between. All are welcome
Our keynote speaker is the Rev. Meg Riley, co-moderator of the UUA, the highest volunteer office of our movement. Rev. Riley spent 37 years as a UU religious professional, including stints as the UUA’s Director of (then) LBG Concerns, Director of the UUA Washington Office, and Head of the Advocacy and Witness Staff Group.
At Seminary for a Day Rev. Riley is eager to share what she has learned and reflect on how our faith’s past weaknesses, successes, and failures can help us now in our pursuits of equality and justice. She will explore the topic through the lens of our work in welcoming LGBTQ+ people and the lessons that have come from that work.
Details:
• Saturday, January 30, 2021
• 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time
• Registration is open until 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 29th. You will receive a Zoom link via email before the event. Register HERE.
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New Day Rising Conference National 2021
Is your congregation ready to take a new step in changing white supremacy culture? Want to learn what your fellow congregations are working on, and how you might apply it at home? Join a continent of UUs as we explore next steps in creating Beloved UU Communities.
On Your Own:
Watch compelling video TED-talk style testimonials from selected congregations around the continent sharing their learnings, hopes, and next steps in their quest for racial equity in their congregations.
Together on February 27, 2021
• Worship ~ Workshops ~ Caucusing
• With plenty of breaks
• 11:00am - 8:00pm CST
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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.
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Click HERE for details about these groups.
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- Fellowship Community Journal
Ongoing, submit your work to leah@fvuuf.org
More information HERE.
- Fellowship Pen Pals - Click HERE for information.
- 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
- Pollinate (BIPoC), Email pollinate.BIPoC@hotmail.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. The next meeting is January 14 at 6:30 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, First Monday of the month, 6-7:30 pm
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