[UUAA news] UUAA Weekly News | March 3 - 9, 2022

[First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor]

All you need to know about UUAA this week.  This Week at UUAA March 3 - 9, 2022 If you are unable to view this entire email, scroll down to the bottom and click "view entire message." The email ends with a "contact us" button and our address. The Weekly News is distributed each Thursday. Deadlines for submissions are Tuesdays at 5:00pm. The deadline for the March 10 Weekly News is Tuesday, March 8 at 5:00pm Eastern through this form. The deadline for the April Monthly Newsletter is Monday, March 21 at 5pm Eastern through this form. Questions? Watch this video on how to submit to the Weekly News, or email Hannah at communications at uuaa.org.  Support the ministries of UUAA: Make an online offering. Click here to download and read this week's Pastoral Care News.  Sunday Worship “Reclaiming the Faith That Is Ours” Sunday, March 6, 9:30am & 11:30am   On the other side of disappointment and/or pain with experiences in other denominations/traditions, many of us have arrived at Unitarian Universalism holding a clear sense of what does not work for us. How might we reclaim, renew, and refresh a sense of what faith and our faith journeys might mean to each of us?  Sharing the Collection Sunday, March 6    On Sunday, March 6, we will share our collection with Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley. Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley (H4H) enriches our whole community by making homeownership affordable and attainable by providing important services to Washtenaw County residents.   You may mail your check to UUAA (UUAA, Attn: Ed Lynn, 4001 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103). Please write “Sharing the Collection - H4H” in the memo line. You can also contribute to Sharing the Collection online.  After the Sunday Service There will be a limited number of tables set up in the Social Hall for social justice and fund-raising activities after both services. Stop by to visit the tables to see what is being offered.    Grab-and-go doughnuts will be available at the main entrance for you to take with you as you leave the building.   Please note our Covid Safety Policies: Anyone entering the UUAA building for activities/business is expected to be fully vaccinated and boostered, as eligible, and must remain properly masked at all times. A video of our updated policy is available here.   *Exception to the mask requirement: Members of the worship team who are actively speaking may remove their masks. All unmasked speakers on the chancel have tested negative in the preceding 24 hours.  Upcoming Events & Announcements For a full list of events, visit the UUAA Calendar. Consider Supporting the Klein Fund  For those who got to participate in UUAA's programming with Mark Nepo this weekend, or will be participating ”on demand,” please know that UUAA is able to bring dynamic and meaningful speakers such as Nepo to our community thanks to the Klein Fund. The Klein Fund is a fund that supports such programming, and as it is not an endowed fund, it exists through the ongoing generous financial support of our members and friends. Please consider giving to the Klein Fund. Go to Giving and select “Klein Fund” to support our community's ability to continue bringing high caliber and impactful speakers/guests to UUAA and Ann Arbor. As a bonus, the first 25 individuals donating $50 or more will receive a complimentary copy of one of Mark Nepo's books! Thank you, in advance! From Rev. Manish: Feedback Sessions Regarding UUAA’s Acting Directors – Your Input Is Needed Wednesday, March 23, 7:00pm - 8:00pm (regarding our Acting Director of Spiritual Growth and Development)   Two of UUAA’s current staff members—Stella Anderson and Carter Smith—each hold the title of “Acting Director” of the Spiritual Growth and Development Program and of Music Ministries, respectively. As has been previously shared with our community, UUAA has many options before us, which include possibilities such as making either or both of our Acting Directors the hired Director for their respective programs, extending the “Acting” positions for a second year, and/or entering intentional search processes, among other options. While all staffing decisions ultimately lie with the senior minister, UUAA’s Personnel Working Group is helping gather intentional feedback from our community members to help better inform how we will move forward. This is your chance to participate, and your participation matters! If you LOVE how our Acting Directors are leading their respective programs, please do not assume that each of them are going to be the permanent hire. (Either/both may not be.) If you have questions or reservations about either/both Acting Directors, please do not assume that it will all get worked out in some larger search process. (There might not be one.) Community members are strongly encouraged to participate in this intentional feedback and assessment process—what we hear from the community, collectively, will directly support how UUAA proceeds with permanent staffing. Read more here. Introduction to Our Faith  Wednesdays, March 9 & 16, 7:00pm - 9:00pm Register by Thursday, March 3   This two-session Zoom class launches you on your way toward membership and a deeper understanding of this congregation and faith. We will share our spiritual journeys, review the history of Unitarian Universalism and this congregation, explore your calling and how to get involved, and discuss the meaning and responsibilities of membership. This class is a prerequisite to official membership. Registration by March 3 is required. Questions? Email Welcome Ministries Coordinator Hannah Hotchkiss at Hannah at uuaa.org. Humanist Discussions Thursday, March 3, 2:00pm   Monday, March 14, 7:00pm   Thursday Topics: “Secularism and the Media,” “Separation of Church and State,” “Christian Nationalism Is Un-Christian” Monday Topics: TBA   Lively groups of Humanists have been meeting for over 20 years at UUAA to discuss topics relating to Humanist philosophy, theology, morals, ethics, reasoning, science, and more. All are welcome. All meetings are still virtual. To get on our email list, get the login information, or get answers to other questions, send a query to humanistgroupinfo at uuaa.org. UUAA Fiber Arts Group Saturday, March 5, 11:00am - 1:00pm  Wednesday, March 16, 7:00pm - 9:00pm (via Zoom)   Come knit, crochet, embroider, or engage in some form of fiber arts together. UUAA Fiber Arts Group meets on the first Saturday and third Wednesday of the month for fellowship and sharing of knowledge and ideas. If you are a beginner looking for support or an experienced crafter, all are welcome. We also have quilters that have joined us.   If you would like to make comfort shawls or baby blankets for Pastoral Care, arrangements can be made to supply you with the yarn and pattern.    We meet the first Saturday of the month 11:00am -1:00pm in person at the UUAA Young Room, and the third Wednesday of the month 7:00pm - 9:00pm on Zoom.     For the Zoom link or questions, send us an email at crafters at uuaa.org. TrUU Hope Youth Group Sunday, March 6, 1:00pm - 3:00pm and/or Friday, March 25, 7:30pm - 9:30pm   TrUU Hope Game Day: Join us Sunday, March 6, 1:00pm - 3:00pm at UUAA for a game day and hang out! Grab some pizza next to Fahs Chapel to eat outside in the courtyard, and then join us in Fahs for games and fun.   TrUU Hope Movie Night: Friday, March 25 from 7:30 - 9:30pm to watch “Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie’s Dead Aunt).” Allies welcome to movie night.   TrUU Hope is a UUAA group for LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and similarly identified) youth. We aim to grow community and to provide social, support, educational, and activist programs and opportunities for our youth to explore their identities and interests.  Questions? Want to be added to our email list? Send an email to TrUUHopeInfo at uuaa.org. Sharing the Collection Sunday, March 6   On Sunday March 6, we will share our collection with Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley. Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley (H4H) enriches our whole community by making homeownership affordable and attainable by providing important services to Washtenaw County residents.   You may mail your check to UUAA (UUAA, Attn: Ed Lynn, 4001 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103). Please write “Sharing the Collection - H4H” in the memo line. You can also contribute to Sharing the Collection online.    The Sharing the Collection Committee: Jan Duncan, Fran Lyman, Terry Madden, Charlene Mangi, and Diane McCarthy    Please contact sharecollection at uuaa.org with any questions or suggestions. North Ann Arbor UU Monthly Discussion Tuesday, March 8, 7:00pm - 8:30pm  We will be discussing August Wilson's play “Joe Turner's Come and Gone” and its contemporary implications. To get the Zoom link or get your questions answered, email Quincy at qnorthrup at gmail.com. Mindful Aging Saturday, March 12, 1:00pm - 2:30pm   You are welcome to join fellow UUs to discuss Mindful Aging Saturday, March 12 at 1:00pm via Zoom. The topic is “Health Disparities: How does unfair and unequal healthcare hurt everyone, especially the older adult?” The link for the first recorded session about this topic is here. For the discussion Zoom link and questions, email Sandy Breck at sbreck at umich.edu. UUAA Veterans for Peace (VFP) Meeting Sunday, March 13 between services   Some time back Mike Muha and Tim Richards proposed that the UUAA VFP subgroup develop a way for us, in conjunction with our parent group, Veterans for Peace Chapter 93, to provide support and assistance to formerly incarcerated veterans here in Washtenaw County.   With the apparent decline in COVID-19 incidence, we propose that we convene via Zoom and in person (multimodal) at the UUAA building between services on Sunday, March 13. The purpose of this initial meeting will be to:   define the problem we think we want to address, identify resources available, identify strategies to explore, and  begin to develop an action plan.    Please join us. Questions? Email vets4peace at uuaa.org.  Climate Action | Climate Justice Priorities Wednesday, March 16, 7:00pm - 8:30pm   You are invited to a Zoom-based dive into data collected to inform UUAA’s Climate Opportunity Assessment. Data sources: Fall 2021 Congregational Climate Survey and Gathering Table discussions plus other reports and conversations related to:  Mitigating the climate crisis; Adapting and building resilience to impacts of the crisis; Securing justice by collaborating with marginalized communities most impacted by, but least responsible for, the crisis; Transforming our congregation for climate justice mobilization.    Registration information will be available in the Weekly News and on the Climate Action page of the UUAA website in early March. Send questions to Climate at UUAA.org. Winter Work Day on UUAA Land! Saturday, March 19, noon - 6:00pm   The Men's Council is sponsoring a work day on the UUAA property March 19, noon - 6:00pm (rain date March 26) open to all adults. We will be clearing brush, repairing the septic field road, removing fences, and other tasks vetted by the church administration. (More details will be sent after you sign up.) Sign up here.   Because we are renting a “bobcat” and chipper, we strongly recommend that children not participate in this workday.   At 5:00pm, we will celebrate our efforts around a campfire with anyone who wants to join us (including kids). Please bring your own refreshments and food. We will have a grill and provide burgers. Questions? Email Tom at tchettleburgh at gmail.com.  Newcomer Chalice Circle | Covenant  Saturday, March 19, 1:00pm - 3:00pm Register by Sunday, March 13   Are you new to UUAA? Would you like to get to know others who are also new, while exploring a basic tenet of Unitarian Universalism? Join us for a Zoom discussion of covenantal religion. How does this differ from credal religion? What inspiration or challenges are presented with a covenant? You will receive short reflections and questions in advance, and we will practice a deep-listening format during the discussion. We ask that when you sign up, you commit to attending and to logging into the Zoom room by the start time. All information shared during Chalice Circles is confidential. Register by March 13. Questions? Email Welcome Ministries Coordinator Hannah Hotchkiss at Hannah at uuaa.org.  Community of Writers Zoom Meeting Sunday, March 20, 1:00pm - 3:00pm   “What’s in a Name” is the prompt that member Lori Reece suggests for the Community of Writers March meeting. A sample of questions from Lori: What does your name mean?  Does it seem to fit? Ever had a nickname? Like it? Some people change their names as adults. Have you?   As always, you may write and read on the suggested topic or read any of your original writing.    If you want more of Lori’s questions, the Zoom link, or information, contact Kathy Friedrichs at Kamf at umich.edu or Sandy at Kunkle at gmail.com. Radical Welcome Gathering Table Sunday, April 3, 2:00pm - 3:30pm   Want to learn more about Radical Welcome? Come to our Gathering Table with Alex Kapitan on April 3, 2:00pm - 3:30pm. Alex, a co-leader of the Transforming Hearts Collective and the founder of Radical Copyeditor, will guide us in an exciting workshop about the meaning of radical welcome and how it impacts each of us and our communities. Radical Welcome is one of UUAA’s priority areas, and we will explore how we can become a more radically welcoming congregation. It is sure to be a transforming experience for each of us.   Watch for more details about registration. Questions? Want to volunteer? Contact RadicalWelcome at UUAA.org. Support Fair Trade Farmers, UUAA, and UUSC Stop by the Fair Trade Coffee Table during Social Hour and support small farm cooperatives globally while also helping to fundraise for UUSC social justice programs and our UUAA congregation. Choose from fair trade organic chocolates, coffee, teas, nuts, dried fruits, and Palestinian olive oils. Questions? Contact Ilene Beninson at ilene.beninson at gmail.com. Green Corner:  Down with Baggies, Up with Glass   Too much plastic ends up in landfills and in ocean islands twice the size of Texas. Imagine the thousands of plastic bags we toss every year. Yuck!    Be part of the solution. Replace baggies with glass containers to be used over and over again. Glass doesn’t leach chemicals (phthalates, BPA & BPS) into our food. Glass containers can go in the oven or microwave—baggies can’t. They can stack in the fridge or freezer (with re-usable plastic lids)—baggies don’t stack. Glass is clean, healthy, and environmentally smart. The Mindful Eating Team Has a New Name!  Our group’s mission is to advocate for human health and animal welfare while promoting equitable food systems that sustain the environment, alleviate hunger, and support farm and food workers. To better reflect the full scope of this mission statement, the group has decided to change our name to the Food Justice Team.   We meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month via Zoom. If you’d like more information about the work being done by the Food Justice Team and our plans for the future, please contact us at foodjustice at uuaa.org. What Happened at the Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Gathering Table?   Over 60 UUAA members came together for the February 6 Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Gathering Table. This was our first community-wide discussion of perspectives and recommendations on how we come together around anti-racism/anti-oppression as one of our Vision 20/50 priority areas. A special thanks to the organizing team, facilitators, note-takers, and IT wizards who made this an accessible and welcoming space to begin this conversation.    Here are summaries of the event evaluation, small group discussions, and all UUAA group efforts focusing on anti-racism and anti-oppression. They are rich with great ideas and opportunities to engage!   Evaluation survey results  Summary of small-group discussions  Summary of Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression work underway at UUAA in 2022    We welcome thoughts, questions, and volunteers at ARAO at uuaa.org (your AR/AO Gathering Table Organizing Team). Family Resettlement Support    UUAA is officially approved to be a co-sponsor with Jewish Family Services (JFS) to help resettle a refugee family. Initially it was likely that we would be matched with an Afghan family; however they have all already been resettled! JFS remains over capacity and will match us with a family from elsewhere potentially by early March. Thank you to all who have supported this effort. Check out our new Sign Up Genius to contribute to household items. Questions? Contact resettlement at uuaa.org. Community Partner:  Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice (ICPJ) Community conversation: After the Citizens for Racial Equity Washtenaw (CREW) Report. Click here for the ICPJ Community updates. Links Reserve a Zoom room | View past services Log in to Realm | Make your pledge ‌ ‌ ‌ UUA.org | MidAmericaUUA.org Side with Love | UUCSJ | DRUUMM | BLUU Contact Us First Unitarian Universalist Congregation Of Ann Arbor  4001 Ann Arbor-Saline Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 734-665-6158 communications at uuaa.org First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor | 4001 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Unsubscribe news3 at uuaa.org Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by communications at uuaa.org powered by Try email marketing for free today!
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