Friday UU Update                        Friday, May 12, 2017
Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Indiana
Final Acts: End-of-Life Scenarios and Conversation Today
Friday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m.
Actor and local favorite Diane Kondrat will take the stage again here in our Meeting Room in "Final Acts: End-of-Life Scenarios and Conversation," a one-hour show that portrays some of the complicated questions raised by end of life situations.   Donations at the door will benefit programming for end-of-life-issues as well as Compassion and Choices.
Incarceration and Its Repercussions
Saturday, May 13 at 10:00 a.m.
      A Forum Hosted by the Hope for Prisoners Task Force
with special guests Antonio Jackson, Author, "On My Momma" and Founder of Big Boy's Moving Company  and Marilyn Dallas, Co-founder, Courage to Change Sober Living, and Director, New Leaf-New Life Transition Center.
      Our citizenry is 5% of the world's population, yet 25% of those imprisoned around the globe are held in US jails and prisons.  Thus we have been deemed the "Incarceration Nation." The forum will be held here in the Ralph and Annetta Fuchs Library, on the second floor. Please enter at the Portico Entrance on the north side. 
Sunday, May 14, 2017   9:15 and 11:15 a.m. 
Flower Communion Celebration for All Ages
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite
The Reverend Mary Ann Macklin
The Reverend Scott McNeill
Please bring a flower 
(or several if you have them) to  sh are at  this  service!
All ages are invited to join us as we celebrate the uniqueness and beauty of each individual within our community and share rituals acknowledging the changes happening in our lives.  Childcare is available in Room 1 08.
This Sunday in Religious Education: Embodiment
Kids are encouraged to attend the Intergenerational Flower Communion service with their families. Please remember to bring a flower to share. Religious education classes for Preschool- 6th grade will not meet this week. 11:15am- 7th & 8th graders will go canoeing at Griffy.  High school youth group is participating in the service and will meet at 12:30 for pizza and to play games.
Reverend McNeill's Installation Service is
Saturday, May 20 at 4:00!
It's a big deal! Details can be found Here and Here.  
     We would like to honor Rev. McNeill and his commitment to social justice by supporting the Backpack Buddies Program through Community Kitchen in the weeks leading up to his installation service. We will be collecting shelf stable protein rich foods that will help to fill a great need for this program. Currently, there are 400 children in Monroe County enrolled in Backpack Buddies across 18 schools using 3,200 pounds of food EACH week! For more information on Backpack Buddies and how you can help,  CLICK HERE.
Today's the Last Day to Vote!
UU's own Gladys DeVane and Elizabeth Mitchell of Second Baptist Church are launching a campaign to save a national historic landmark--the African American church built in 1909 in West Baden, Indiana, for black residents who mostly worked at the French Lick Resort hotel. They are in the running for a $100K grant from USA Today, and your vote can help them be in the finalists--the top ten vote-getting projects will be judged for the grant.  Here's the link where you can vote:   
http://act.usatoday.com/submit-an-idea/#/gallery/60314351/ You can vote daily through  May 12th , and you only have to sign in the first time. Very simple.  More news will follow, but do save the date for another Juke Joint on  Saturday, June 17th ! -- Martha Foster, Racial Justice Task Force 

NOW MORE THAN EVER!
Please Pledge TODAY: Click here: http://bit.ly/2q1PzgO
Does this congregation, with its ministers, staff, lay leaders, and members, serve as an inspiration for you? If you answer 'yes' to this question, we encourage you to support our liberal religious presence in southern Indiana by making your 2017-2018 pledge TODAY!
Our goal is $650,000, and we have received $541,866 so far. We are busy planning our budget for the coming year and we heartily welcome your participation with a pledge of your financial support! Click here to pledge:  http://bit.ly/2q1PzgO
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin
Senior Minister
Show Bloomington what you love about our church, help with the 4th of JulyParade!
Bloomington's  4th of July Parade is a great way to tell the larger Bloomington community what our church is all about.  Please come to a meeting this Sunday  at 10:30 AM (during coffee hour) in room 112 to see how you can play a part.  We will need marchers, artists, singers, and more.      --Ann LeDuc, Connections Coordinator
Committee and Task Force Chairs
2017 annual reports due
May 15
to admin@uubloomington.org
For reference, the 2016 report can be read HERE.
UU Board of Directors Meeting Rescheduled
The board meeting, originally scheduled for May 17, will take place on Wednesday, May 24, at 7:00 p.m. in the Library.
Our Folks...
Healing thoughts are with Jeff Stone who is recovering from surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot. Cards are welcome.
Congratulations to Reverend Macklin
Women Excel Luncheon Wednesday, May 24
       Congratulations to Reverend Mary Ann Macklin, who recently was honored with a Women Excel Bloomington 2017 award.  From Rev. McNeill:  Last week, the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce announced the 2017 recipients of the Women Excel in Bloomington awards, and our Senior Minister, the Reverend Mary Ann Macklin was one of the seven people selected. For all her work supporting our community in many ways, she will be honored on  May 24  at a luncheon featuring IU's Women's Basketball Coach Teri Moren. Tickets are available for purchase online ( http://web.chamberbloomington.org/events/Women-Excel-Bloomington-Awards-Luncheon-960/details ).

Monty says: "PLEDGE NAAOOooooooooow!

For More Information see the  May 1 issue   of our newsletter, The Prologue.
Masthead photo from the internet . 
Unitarian Universalist Church