 |
|
|
Proposed Merger of Planned Giving & Stewardship Committees
In the all-Fellowship email you received on Monday, we shared information about the upcoming vote at our June 6 Annual Meeting to eliminate the Planned Giving Committee from the Fellowship’s bylaws. We are not changing anything about the Endowment—its function, purpose, and operations will remain essentially the same. The role of donor recruitment and appreciation, communication, and monitoring will shift to the new Generosity Ministry Team, which will absorb functions of both Planned Giving and Stewardship. Click HERE to read more about this proposal from Rev. Christina and Sam Zinth who is our Planned Giving Committee Chair and a member (and past president) of our Governing Board.
| |
Sunday Service10:00 AM Central
Earth Day Sunday
by Guest Speaker Sara Wescott with Intern Minister Ali Peters and Members of the Green Sanctuary Team
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 Prek-K through 6th grade will meet at 9:00 am CST for Children’s Chapel. We can’t wait to see all of our friends! See our website (here) for more information about all Religious Education classes for children and youth.
| |
Coming up on May 30th, we will celebrate the “Best of Online Worship” here at the Fellowship with a special service focusing on some of the fun, creative, silly, and enjoyable experiences we had in the past 15 months of online worship—making the best of a situation none of us would have expected! Please CLICK HERE to vote on some of your favorite memories and let us know if you’d like to participate in the service (not required).
| |
Monthly Evening ServiceWednesday, April 28 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. 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.
Log-in information and more details can be found on our website HERE.
| |
|
Our Future Depends on You!Since last week’s email and Scroll messages regarding our 2021-2022 budget shortfall and our request to you for new or additional pledges, we have received responses resulting in additional pledges or one-time contributions of just over $22,000. We are grateful to all who responded, but we need more and are still over $32,000 short of the $55,000 we need to keep the Fellowship operating at 2019-2020 levels and avoid drastic cuts. Please click here for more details from last week’s message.
To make a new pledge or adjust your existing pledge please click our online pledge form, or contact Phyllis Schmitt, director of finance and operations, Phyllis@fvuuf.org or 920.731.0849 to request a paper pledge form to be sent to you via mail. Our Fellowship has been resilient this year, and we need your help by May 2 to continue that resilience into the future.
| |
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
| |
Connection Jam for All Ages!April 27; 6:30-7:30 pm CST
Kairos Alive! is a Minnesota-based organization that has partnered with many organizations in the Fox Valley area with their Wisconsin Connection Jam. This program is an engaging and inspiring research-based 2-way interactive “TV show.” It’s a mix between Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, Reading Rainbow, Soul Train, and Science Friday for all ages and abilities. Read More
| |
Fellowship Book Read with Intern Minister Ali PetersSee No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love
By Valarie Kaur
A quote from the book jacket: “Tested, and tempered by suffering, but rising up with hope and joy, Kaur shows us how to love others, opponents, and ourselves in ways that will bring us closer to the Beloved Community. This book will change your life.” - Parker J. Palmer
| |
| Religious Education - Children and Youth
| |
Bridging ServiceOur High School Seniors will be graduating soon, and we will be celebrating our Bridging Ceremony during our Bridging Service on May 2. Please plan to attend so we can all wish them well as they make the symbolic journey from childhood to adulthood.
| |
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.
| |
Immigration JusticeLearn: The Title 42 expulsion policy has effectively closed the US border to nearly all asylum seekers based on the misapplication of an obscure, 75-year-old public health law. That law was designed to confer quarantine authority to health authorities that would apply to everyone, including US citizens, arriving from a foreign country. The order issued by the CDC specifically bars just one category of people from entering the US: those crossing the borders from Mexico or Canada who would be held in congregate settings by US authorities, a category the order says will be primarily migrants who arrive without visas. Since March 2020, Customs and Border Protection has carried out more than 642,700 expulsions under the order, typically without conducting the required screenings.
Act: Contact President Biden and ask that the US government responds to people arriving at the border in a fair, efficient, and rights-respecting manner that also protects public health by ending summary expulsion and return, build out a humanitarian reception system, implement public health measures to limit the spread of Covid-19, provide sufficient resources and structural reforms to process asylum claims fairly and efficiently, and act quickly to address border agency impunity.
| |
Partner Church presents the Mango PIE (Partners in Education) program:
The Fellowship began the Mango PIE program 10 years ago to serve the education needs of the children of our partner church in Banaybanay, Philippines. We have helped over 50 students and families achieve their education goals through our sponsorship. The children and families of Banaybanay are filled with gratitude for the generosity of our Fellowship. Thank you to all who have participated in this wonderful program. Click here to read one Fellowship member's meaningful journey with a Mango PIE student and to learn more about how you can join!
| |
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.
• Essentials JAM still needs food for their Pillars Meal on April 29! Sign up HERE.
• An invitation from the Green Sanctuary JAM to participate in an in-home plastics audit.
• Earth Day climate justice rally Saturday, April 24, 12 to 2:00 pm in downtown Appleton.
• ESTHER interfaith community organizing information.
• Can You Hear Us Now? A documentary screening and community forum on April 29 on the effects of gerrymandering, hosted by the Appleton League of Women Voters. Register here.
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.
| |
UU Women's Connection: "Tea & Talk"Saturday, April 24th, 2:00-3:30 pm CST
Zoom link HERE or dial in 312-626-6799, enter 849 8898 6939
This is a Unitarian Universalist group, but not affiliated with the Fellowship. Bring your beverage of choice and come join us for a chat on Zoom! We will all say "Hello" in the Main Room and then move to breakout spaces for a bit to allow everyone to get a chance to catch up in small groups. Learn more about the UU Women's Connection HERE.
| |
New Member Joining InvitationSunday, May 2nd at 9:00 am CST
Joining the Fellowship can be a meaningful step on your journey! If you have been thinking about becoming an official member of the Fellowship, Rev. Leah Ongiri and director of congregational life Marie Luna invite you to join them for our next new member joining. Contact Marie at marie@fvuuf.org for more information or to sign up and get the zoom link.
| |
Time for Art! Painting Party with Side with Love and UU Ministry For EarthFriday, May 14 at 5:00 pm CDT
Join together in community to have fun painting an image with Sharon Davis, Artist, Owner and Instructor of Time for Art! This event is child and youth-friendly -- great for individuals, families, congregational teams or RE programs, everyone!
We will be painting an original image made by Sharon’s, depicting two human figures underneath a rainbow with the earth and a heart image towards the top. The overarching message of the imagery is one of multicultural, Beloved Community, with love for one another and our shared Earth home. The image is already etched onto a black canvas that will be mailed to all participants. You are responsible for sourcing all other painting party supplies (paints, water and paint containers, brushes, snacks, etc).
Since we are mailing canvasses to participants, please only register if you can make a firm commitment to attend! Register HERE.
| |
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.
| |
Virtual General Assembly 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.
More information and registration available HERE.
2021 WARE LECTURE: STACEY ABRAMS AND DESMOND MEADE
The UUA President invites a distinguished guest each year to address the General Assembly as the Ware Lecture. Please join us Saturday, June 26 at 6:00 p.m. CDT. General Assembly registration is required to view. More information about the Ware Lecture HERE.
| |
Images Needed “Flourishing” Theme
Take a photo of something that means 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 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.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
