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UU Singles Events this week and next (on Zoom)
We are a group of single adults within the UU Bloomington community. We'd love to have you join us for the following events! P lease contact mariedeer1961(at)gmail.com or 812-391-0900 for the Zoom link or to join our email list.
TONIGHT, Friday, August 21:
* 6 p.m. Happy Hour - just come and say hi, see what's up, check in
* 7 p.m. Game Night - we've found a number of different games that work over Zoom, over the last few months - looking forward to pulling out some of the same ones that we've tried and/or trying some new ones! Come play!
Friday evening, August 28:
* 6 p.m. Happy Hour
* 7 p.m. We Heart Art! Bring a painting to share and discuss.
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Our Sunday Service
10:15 am LIVE STREAM ONLY
What?! (Sigh) A Wonderful World
Reverend Christin Green, Guest Minister
We may find ourselves saying, "What?!" a lot these days, perhaps in disbelief, out of confusion, or as we search for answers. Even as a wonder-filled world, it may not always seem like a wonderful world. How do we navigate back to Wonder from the What?
Send Us Your Wonder-full Photos for the Slide Show
We are gathering wonder-full photos of all your beautiful faces for our monthly slide show at the end of the service August 30. Please send your photos (you do need to be IN the photo!) to media (at) uubloomington.org by Friday, August 28.
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Our Building is Closed for the Time Being, but Our Hearts are Still Open.
To do our part to disrupt the spread of coronavirus and COVID-19 in our community, our Board of Directors has reaffirmed the decision, announced at the June 7, 2020 Congregational Meeting, to plan on keeping our building closed through May 2021. The Board, in consultation with ministers, will continue to reassess this decision at their monthly meetings, and will keep us updated as the situation evolves. All in-person events and meetings have been canceled. Everyone please stay safe and stay well.
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Religious Education Updates and Resources
Check out our website to stay up to date with RE
During August, we're offering our WonderfUUl Families program, which offers families fun UU crafts and activities for all ages to do together, each of which supports a spiritual practice in your home. You can join in anytime! This week, we are making prayer baskets and sending snail mail. Click here to learn more. Join Reverend Emily at 11:30am this Sunday, August 23rd, during coffee hour to show off your prayer baskets and share how your month is going.If you are NOT receiving our weekly family emails, please contact Adrienne Summerlot, dre (at) uubloomington.org, to get on our list. Here is a link to this week's email.
New Fall Programming for Religious Education - Register THIS WEEK!
This fall, we are offering three programs designed for the whole family. Families may sign up to try out one, two, or all three programs during our initial "trying it out" month of September. You can find details on all the offerings by clicking on their pictures HERE.
Youth Group Survey: Youth need an exclusive space to connect with one another and trusted adults. We encourage our youth in 9th-12th grade to share leadership and bring their talents, joys, and curiosity with them to our gatherings. We are still determining the date and time of our regular gatherings and invite youth to share their ideas about timing and topics in this quick survey!
We are utilizing a new database that will allow you to participate in small groups,will send you friendly reminders about events, and will serve as one convenient place to find all the information you need for participating! We hope you will join us in exploring how Planning Center can help us stay connected, organized, and informed. Questions? Contact Adrienne Summerlot, Director of Religious Education, dre(at)uubloomington.org.
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Connect with our UU Community during Virtual Coffee Hour!
Breakout Conversations:
- Gardeners' Gathering - All kinds and levels of gardeners are welcome.
- WonderfUUl Families Sharing Time
- Choir
- General Discussion
Email connect(at) uubloomington.org if you would like to host a breakout conversation on the topic of your choice. --Ann LeDuc, Connections Coordinator
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Take Action Against the Death Penalty
From Minister Emeritus Reverend Bill Breeden
To be sure, we are living in trying times that call for each of us to raise our voices. As Camus famously said, "I should like to be able to love my country and still love justice." This coming week we have an opportunity to be lovers of justice. The Trump administration has jump-started the long-silenced engine of federal executions in Terre Haute, Indiana. We have the singular dishonor of being the only state with two death rows, our state row in Michigan City and the federal row an hour's drive west of Bloomington.
Next Wednesday, August 26, Lezmond Mitchell, the only Native American on federal death row is scheduled to be executed against the wishes of the victim's family, the entire Navaho nation, and in violation of our treaty with that nation.
Then on Friday, August 28, Keith Nelson is scheduled to be executed as another election year showpiece of this administration.
Understanding the risk of the pandemic, we are not calling for large numbers of people to join us at the prison protest, though you are welcome to. However, if you would like to stand for justice with us, you are invited to sign up to ring the "For Whom The Bell Tolls" bell at the corner of our Church property at the corner of Fee Lane on the days of executions. You may go to the links provided in this update to schedule a time to do so. We suggest that you have at least one other person with you, and of course maintain social distancing. You may sign up to be a witness against killing for an hour, perhaps ringing the bell for a minute every fifteen minutes. You might also make your own poster to hold in support of the abolition of capital punishment.
Thanks to all of you who work for peace and justice. Trying times calls for courageous folks who do not give up or give in, but keep struggling together to make a difference. I am honored to be a minister in such a community.
peace--bill
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Help remove invasive bush honeysuckle from our grounds this Saturday
August 22, 9 am - 5 pm
This Saturday, Aidan Wright will be working on his Eagle Scout project on the UU grounds. He will be removing invasive bush honeysuckle and planting native shrubs, rebuilding the fire pit, and replacing the benches in the fire pit area. Click here to help. Volunteer slots are also open for the 29th if work is not completed or we are rained out. Social distancing protocols will be in place to keep all volunteers safe, and all volunteers are asked to wear masks. We will have hand sanitizer, wipes, and disposable masks for volunteers. The building is closed, so no bathrooms will be available.
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Gardeners Unite this Sunday!
Every fourth Sunday during Virtual Coffee Hour all types and levels of gardeners are invited to gather in a special breakout room just for gardeners. Join the fun following the service on Sunday (~11:15 am - 12:15 pm).
-- Ann LeDuc, Connections Coordinator
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Humanist Forum Meets August 23, 12:45 pm
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Space: Mine, Yours & Ours
A Four Week Virtual Vespers Series
with visiting minister Reverend Christin Green
Continuing on Tuesdays:
August 25, September 1, 8 at 7:00 pm
What is a virtual "vespers" experience? Vespers is traditionally an evening prayer service with song and meditation. Each Tuesday at 7 pm, Reverend Christin will share a 20-minute engaging, meditative, musical experience followed by an opportunity for facilitated group fellowship until 8 pm.
2. Clearing Space: Meditations on how we say "no"
3. Creating Space: Meditations on how we can operate from a place of abundance
4. Holding Space: Meditations on how we support one another
You are invited to come as you are, with openness to wonder. Drop in for one session or for many. To receive the Zoom link for this series, click here. |
Ask your questions on Mondays!
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PayPal Available for Donations
Plus: NEW Mailing Address for Paper Checks
We now have a PayPal page where you can make a Sunday Plate contribution and other donations to the church using a major credit card. You do not need to have a PayPal account to use this page. It's also not required to use the PayPal page.
Please use our new P.O. box address to mail in your pledge contributions or other gifts using paper checks:
UU Church, P.O. Box 1158, Nashville, Indiana, 47448-1158
Using this new P.O. box will eliminate the need for mail to be forwarded, and should be quicker. Please note the new P.O. box is in NASHVILLE, INDIANA. All our ministers and staff continue to work from home because of the Coronavirus pandemic. If you have questions, please contact admin(at)uubloomington.org. Thanks!
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Changing the World
Click here for updates from our Social Justice Task Forces:
AUGUST Food & Hygiene Drive
From our Homelessness and Hunger Task Forces
Through August 31, we will be collecting food, hygiene items, and clothing for Shalom, and food for our Pantry at College Square. Our building is closed, but we have placed collection bins outside the building, under the northside porch near the Portico Entrance. Simply drive up and drop off - we are collecting donations from these bins daily.
Thank you for all the donations in July!
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Volunteer Opportunities at Shalom or Wheeler Mission
Volunteer Opportunities at Middle Way House
Click here to see the ways you can volunteer at Middle Way House, emergency shelter for survivors of domestic violence.
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How to Contact Rev. Breeden
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Staff taking vacation time
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin will be away thru August 31.
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Deadline for Order of service and Friday UU Update
Friday Update is for Events Happening in the Next 10 Days
The Friday UU Update is designed to remind the members of the congregation about events and services that are coming up within the next 10 days. For events that are further in the future, please consult our twice-monthly Prologue newsletter.
For More Information
See the August 18 edition of our newsletter, The Prologue, published on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Past issues for quite awhile back can be found here. (Next Prologue deadline is Tuesday, September 1, at 10 am.)
Carol Marks has editorial responsibility for our congregation's publications. Email her at admin(at)uubloomington.org.
If you are not already regularly receiving emails like this from us, you can subscribe by sending an email to office(at)uubloomington.org.
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Masthead photo by Marcia Hart.
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Unitarian Universalist Church
mailing address: P.O. Box 1158, Nashville, Indiana 47448-1158
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