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Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Indiana
Congregation founded 1949 | LGBTQ Welcoming Congregation since 1995 | Green Sanctuary since 2007
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Seeking the Spirit | Building Community | Changing the World | | |
Join us on Sunday mornings
Two services each Sunday, at 9:15 and 11:15 a.m.
Livestream:
We are also meeting in person in our Meeting Room.
All are welcome.
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Hearing assistive devices are now available at the AV Tech booth in the rear of the sanctuary for use during Sunday worship services.
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Pandemic Guidelines
Masks Are Optional
The Next Steps in Transition Working Group has issued new guidelines for UUCB activities that conform to the current CDC recommendations for low risk communities, such as Monroe County. Specifically:
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Masks are now optional at all church activities and events, including worship services.
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Food and drinks may now be served at church events regardless of the size of the group.
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Coffee hour has returned to Fellowship Hall. We will continue to offer space in the courtyard during Coffee Hour as weather permits.
- We encourage our UUCB members and friends to make decisions about wearing masks that are right for you based on your personal level of comfort and risk assessment.
The NEST working group will continue to monitor the status of COVID in our local community and adjust guidelines in accordance with the community risk level. Questions about the NEST guidelines can be directed to Jane McLeod at jmcleod (at) indiana . edu.
We will continue to live stream services for those who prefer to participate in services virtually.
As always, each individual must decide what is right for them and whether or not to attend activities in person. We reserve the right to revise these guidelines in response to changes in COVID risk levels.
Warmest regards,
The NEST Working Group: Jane McLeod, Abby Gitlitz, Stephanie Kimball, Judy Klein,
Dan Lodge-Rigal, Sarah Sanchez, Melinda Swenson, and Rev. Connie Grant
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Sunday, September 25, 2022
9:15 and 11:15 a.m.
In person and Livestream
"Belonging to Our Earth: An Autumnal Equinox Celebration"
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite, Minister of Story and Ritual
Stephanie Kimball, Director of Religious Education
Four times a year, our congregation pauses to connect with the rhythms of our earth. We are creatures of this planet, deeply affected by its changing seasons. Join us this week to pause and reflect on your own life at this season. Our children's choir, directed by Jill Courtney, will offer a simple blessing.
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Sunday, October 2, 2022
9:15 and 11:15 a.m.
In person and Livestream
"Being Wrong, Getting Right"
Reverend Connie Grant, Interim Lead Minister
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite, Minister of Story and Ritual
When we’ve done wrong or been wrong, how do we get right with ourselves and others?
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Children's Sunday Morning
Religious Education for September
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BloomingTots UU Story Time
Saturday, September 24, 10-10:30 am in Fellowship Hall
Calling all families with little ones! Join us for stories, songs, and playtime, especially designed for children ages birth to 5. Each storytime will focus on a theme ranging from families to nature to diversity and beyond. Everyone is welcome, and no registration is required.
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Friday Game Night
Friday, September 30, 6-8pm
Library and Room 208
Board games! Card games! Cooperative games! Join us to play games of all sorts. All ages welcome. Bring a friend! Pizza will be provided. Please register by September 28.
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Second Sunday Soup & Salad Lifespan Religious Education Event
Sunday, October 9, 12:30 - 2pm
Join us for a simple lunch in Fellowship Hall, followed by a special religious education program. Our October gathering will focus on the theme of Courage.
This event is for people of ALL AGES; adults are particularly encouraged to attend. Please register by October 3
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Our Whole Lives (OWL) Sexuality Education for 7th & 8th Graders
OWL will be offered to 7th & 8th graders beginning on October 23 , 1:30 - 3:30 pm. A mandatory parents' meeting is scheduled for October 16 at 1:30pm. Parents and guardians of 7th and 8th graders should have received a letter in the mail with additional details. If you did not receive a letter, or have additional questions, please contact Stephanie (kimball (at) uubloomington (dot) org .
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Reflection and Preparation
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington is a congregation in transition. During this planned two-year transitional time you are preparing yourselves, with the help of your Interim Lead Minister, with the intention to call a new settled minister who will begin to serve you in August 2024.
This first year focuses on intentional reflection and preparation. There will be a number of participatory activities for the congregation over the coming months designed for the purpose of spiritual preparation so that you will be ready for this new ministry. A rough timeline of the actual search process is below.
One of the areas of our work together during this transitional time is for you to claim and honor your history as a congregation. As described in our Letter of Agreement, this includes “reviewing how the congregation has been shaped and formed; encouraging and hearing all of the stories about the congregation’s past, as the foundation upon with the present rests; and embracing the rich variety that makes up the congregation.”
On Sunday, October 23, we’ll hear from some members who joined the congregation over the past seven decades about their memories of the church during the decade in which they joined. Following both services (and for several weeks thereafter), there will be an opportunity for all congregants to jot down your recollection of (and feelings about) congregational events significant to you, and to post your notes on a timeline of congregational history. You’ll have the opportunity to read and respond to each other’s comments! Your Transition Team and I will reflect back to you some gleanings from your perspectives.
Watch for more information about these and other participatory events as they are scheduled in upcoming months!
Here is a rough timeline of some highlights of the actual search process:
- Search Committee is chosen with input from the congregation – Spring, 2023
- Congregational survey – late Summer to early Fall, 2023
- Beyond Categorical Thinking workshop presented through the UUA – Fall, 2023
- Cottage meetings and focus groups for congregational input – Fall, 2023
- Congregational record posted for potential ministers to view – December, 2023
- Potential ministers indicate interest – January, 2024
- Interview process between potential ministers and Search Committee – late Winter to early Spring, 2024
- Search Committee presents candidate to the congregation. Candidate preaches two sermons and has many meetings with congregants. Congregation votes whether to call the candidate as your next settled lead/senior minister – end April, 2024
I would welcome the opportunity to talk with anyone who would like to have a conversation with me about any of this, or anything else of concern to you. Please email me at Constance.L.Grant (at) gmail (.)com to make an appointment and I’ll be glad to meet with you!
In faith and hope,
Connie
Rev. Connie Grant
Interim Lead Minister
grant (at) uubloomington . org
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Emily's Post
Dear Ones,
The light is changing, the first dry leaves rustle underfoot, even the smell of the air is shifting towards autumn. The Jewish High Holidays are approaching--beginning this Sunday evening and extending for 10 days. This is a time for introspection--thinking about the past year, noticing where we have acted in ways that feel right and where we have missed the mark and need to make changes or amends.
As Unitarian Universalists, we are all about actions rather than beliefs--our covenant with one another, expressed through our principles, urges us to act in the world in ways that affirm the sacred worth of each person, each being, even each planetary system.
This Sunday, as we mark the coming of Autumn, we'll be setting aside time for all of us to reflect on our lives, for, as Mary Oliver wrote in one of her most beloved poems:
"Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?"
At this time of harvest, let us take time to consider these things together.
Sending my love,
Emily
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite
Minister of Story and Ritual
leite (at) uubloomington . org
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From Our Board of Directors
In Congregational President Abby Gitlitz’s most recent Prologue column, she shared what the Board discussed at its recent retreat: what it means to be a member of UUCB; what committees need to be formed; whether our staffing structure and levels meet our needs; reenergizing and reengaging the congregation; and policy and governance review. Since our retreat, I have focused my own thoughts on how to reenergize and reengage the congregation. I am a sociologist by training and much of my professional life is devoted analyzing the association between social connections and well-being. That interest carries over to my work on the UUCB Board.
The pandemic has taken its toll on all of us personally and on our church as a community. In-person participation in church services remains lower than in the past and we hear that some members and friends feel disconnected from the church community. Some of us got out of the habit of coming to the church in the early phases of the pandemic: making pancakes, reading the newspaper, taking walks, and other activities became our new habits. Others of us are not yet comfortable being in large groups because of our personal levels of risk. The Board and ministers are thinking of ways to bring all you back—whether in person at services or through participation on church committees or in church activities and events—so that we can remain a strong church community.
One question that several of you have posed to the Board is whether we should move back to holding one Sunday service at 10:15am. The room feels a little too empty, especially at 9:15am, and some of us miss the experience of being together in a larger group. The Board has discussed this possibility and will continue to do so. Before making a decision, we would like to see what effect, if any, lifting the mask mandate has on attendance. The NEST Task Force reminds us that the room will be more crowded if we move back to one service, which may make it more difficult for those who wish to remain socially distanced from others to attend. Many considerations to weigh. We expect to return to this question over the next few weeks.
The next meeting of your Board of Directors is this Wednesday, September 21st, at 7pm. UUCB board meetings are open to the public and everyone is invited to attend as a spectator, either in person or via zoom. Board meetings are held in the UUCB Library. If you wish to join by Zoom, you can follow this link: https://iu.zoom.us/j/85846186135. Please let Abby Gitlitz (agitlitz@hotmail.com) know by Wednesday morning if you will be joining by Zoom so that we have the Owl Pro multiplatform system ready to go.
The Board looks forward to working with you on the challenges and opportunities we have as a church community.
With best wishes,
Jane McLeod
At-large Board Member
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Position Open: Religious Education Coordinator
- 10 hours/week; $19.23/hr
- Flexible schedule, though must be available most Sunday mornings
- Duties may include teaching, materials preparation, coordinating volunteers, program promotions, and administrative work
- No experience necessary
To apply, please contact Stephanie Kimball:
kimball(at)uubloomington.org
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Please subscribe to Education Matters, our monthly Religious Education newsletter, for much more information!
Past issues can be found on our website.
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Chalice Circle Sign-Ups to Begin Friday, September 23
Online registration for the 2022-23 Chalice Circles will begin this Friday, September 23rd, and will continue through Monday, October 3rd. Watch for this week's Friday Update, which will have a link to the registration page. Chalice Circle meetings will begin in October and will continue through May/June.
Chalice Circles give participants an opportunity to get to know others while developing a deeper self-knowledge by sharing their lives in small, facilitated groups. The spirit of community radiates outward, fostering a sense of kinship and increasing connection to the congregation as a whole and to the larger community. Chalice Circles consist of seven to ten people who meet regularly to nurture their interior lives, to build community, and to practice shared ministry. Each group has one or two facilitators. Most Chalice Circles meet twice a month for two hours, although some Chalice Circles meet once a month, or every three weeks.
For more information on what to expect when you join a Chalice Circle, check out our brochure -- Chalice Circles: A Small Group Ministry -- or contact a member of the Chalice Circle Executive Team:
- Jan Armstrong, janet_k_armstrong(at)hotmail.com
- Alan Backler, abackler(at)aol.com
- Ruellen Fessenbecker, rfessenb(at)indiana.edu
- Steve Pock, srpock(at)mac.com
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“Writing as a Spiritual Practice”
A Drop-in Group with Rev. Barbara Child
Tuesdays through Oct 25, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
You are invited to join me on a journey of personal exploration through autobiographical writing in community on Zoom. Season 8 of this gathering will happen Tuesday afternoons 1:00-2:00, September 6 through October 25. You are welcome at any or all sessions with no commitment in advance.
Even if you took part in one or more sessions in the past, you need to register for Season 8 by clicking on the following link: Click here to register on Church Center and receive the Zoom link.
You need to register only once and will then be able to attend as many Season 8 sessions as you choose, using the same Zoom link each time. You may register up to a few minutes before a session begins.
Here is a description of “Writing as a Spiritual Practice” and what happens in our Zoom room on Tuesday afternoons at 1:00.
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Seeking Java Crew Volunteers for September
SIGN UP to volunteer on an upcoming Sunday
Help make coffee and tea available on Sunday mornings between services. This hospitable task is as simple as refilling coffee, arranging coffee stations, and stowing used mugs and tables. We especially need help with clean-up from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. Our coffee is warmer and more welcoming with your support! Be in touch with Marlin at howardm(at)indiana.edu or Anabel at connect(at)uubloomington.org with any questions. Thank you!
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Are you interested in gardening or discussing plants?
Gardeners’ Gathering on September 25
If so, please join the Gardeners' Gathering on the fourth Sunday of September! We will meet on September 25 between services (around 10:30 a.m.) by the stone wall in the courtyard. Bring something to share, tangible or not, relating to plants. Happy gardening!
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GREEN GROUNDS Work Days
Now on Sundays in September, from 4 - 6 p.m.
Our Green Grounds group will be meeting every Sunday this month, 4 to 6 p.m. Come when you can, stay for as long as you'd like. Watering, mulching, weeding. Learning about invasives. Great way to meet dedicated UUs. Join us! Contact Ann Kamman with any questions.
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Membership Ceremony on October 2nd!
Church membership indicates your kinship and affinity with this church and the larger Unitarian Universalist religious community. The next membership ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, October 2 at 10:35 a.m. in the church library. If you are new to Unitarian Universalism, we ask that you complete the Exploring Unitarian Universalism class before becoming a member. Let the Connections Coordinator know if you would like to attend the membership ceremony and become a member of the UU Church of Bloomington. Email Anabel at connect(at)uubloomington.org or phone (812) 720-3688.
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Are you new to UU Bloomington?
Join us on Sunday, October 9 for a short introduction
If you are new to our congregation, a very warm welcome to you! On Sunday, October 9 from ~10:35 to 11:15 a.m. you are invited to join in a brief introduction to Unitarian Universalism and this congregation. This short introduction will take place between worship services in the church Library upstairs. Please note that the date for October's class is shifted from the normal time of "first Sunday." Questions? Email connect(at)uubloomington.org.
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Adding Your Address to the Church Directory
We are encouraging all interested to upload a home address to our online directory (which only our members and friends can access).
Go to uucb.churchcenter.com/profile (follow the prompt to log in, if
you are not already logged in) and then click on the "edit" button under the "Contact Information" section. You can also email your address to me and I will add it to your profile! Or you can give us a call at 812-332-3695 with your new info. ~ With gratitude, Anabel Watson, Connections Coordinator
connect(at)uubloomington.org
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Women's Alliance Welcomes Liza Black on October 6
via Zoom
Join the Women's Alliance via Zoom on Thursday, October 6 at 11:30 a.m. as they welcome Lisa Black as their guest speaker. This Alliance meeting will be on Zoom only--no meeting in person at the church. For the Zoom link, contact Doris Wittenburg at dwittenb (at) indiana . edu.
Liza Black is a citizen of Cherokee Nation, meaning Cherokee Nation claims her as a citizen. Black is currently a Visiting Scholar at UCLA where she is at work on How to Get Away with Murder: A Transnational History of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Black is also an Assistant Professor of History and Native American and Indigenous Studies at Indiana University and the author of Picturing Indians: Native Americans in Film (2020). Black has received several research grants including the Ford pre-doc, doc and post-doc fellowships; the Institute of American Cultures at UCLA fellowship; and the Cherokee Nation Higher Education Grant.
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2022 Holiday Bazaar: December 2-3
A Great Free Family Activity!
Picking Up Persimmons!
Hey y'all... It's persimmon season again and there are several trees UUs have access to that need folks to pick up the plentiful persimmons for later pulping (not your responsibility!) which will then be sold at the Bazaar. This is a wonderful activity for the family -- even one without kids -- at this glorious time of year. If interested in helping, email Marcia Hart -- marciakate (at) icloud (.) com -- and pertinent persimmon particulars will be shared patiently and pleasantly.
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Bazaar Artisan Application Deadline Extended to September 26
We are looking forward to welcoming local artists and artisans back into our building for our 63rd annual Holiday Art Fair and Bazaar. Interested in applying for booth space at the Art Fair? Applications are due Monday, September 26. Please share and help us spread the word!
https://uucb.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1382586
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Please contact Ruellen Fessenbecker for general Bazaar questions, rfessenb(at)indiana.edu.
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UU Freethinkers Meet Sunday, September 25, 12:45 pm on Zoom
The UU Freethinkers bi-weekly meeting creates the opportunity for participants to raise questions and engage in open and non-structured discussion of issues of social, political, and theological/religious concern. Every other Sunday in person (in the Ralph & Annetta Fuchs Library on Sept. 25) and via Zoom at 12:45 pm. To join the discussion on Zoom, contact Ann Watzel or Harold Ogren.
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UU Humanists Meet Sunday, October 2, 12:45 p.m.
on Zoom
For the first time in two years, the Humanists will meet for lunch together on Sunday, October 2, in Fellowship Hall to discuss topics for the Fall and Winter. To join the discussion please contact Ann Watzel or Harold Ogren.
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Open Mind Zen at Friends Meeting House
Open Mind Zen with UU member Sensei Frank Seisho Diaz meets weekly at the Bloomington Friends Meeting House. If you'd like to participate, visit openmindzenbloomington.org and click on the "Welcome" tab for more information.
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Fall Social Justice Grant Applications
Due October 30
Each fall, our Social Justice Funds Committee welcomes proposals for grants from the Leonard Lundin Social Justice Fund in support of local social justice projects. Projects must be based in Southern Indiana and be consistent with the mission of our congregation. Applications are due October 30. Please click here for additional information and an application form. Questions? Contact Denise Ogren, dogrenbloomington (at) gmail . com
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From the UU Hunger & Homelessness Task Forces
Donation Suggestions for Beacon (Ongoing collection) - donation bins are at the Portico entrance on the north side of the church:
Dry Cereal, Canned Food, Condiments, Bottled Water, Protein Drinks, Coffee, Pasta, Hygiene Products, Clothes (esp. Socks), Tea
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Support Abortion Rights and Access through
All Options Pregnancy Resource Center
The most cost-effective way to support abortion rights and access in Indiana now is to donate to our local All-Options Pregnancy Resource Center. Costs will soon rise astronomically since after September 15, Hoosiers will be forced to travel to another state for abortion services. To donate, choose the drop down menu option for 'Hoosier Abortion Fund' on this site:
all-options.networkforgood.com
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Community Connections
Our Faith in Action in the Community
Stakeholder Development Meeting -
League of Women Voters
October 11, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Switchyard Park Pavilion
The League of Women Voters of Bloomington-Monroe County invites you to a stakeholder development meeting on Tuesday, October 11, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Want to get more involved in our democracy? Join one of the oldest US organizations protecting the vote. Food and drink provided. Register: team (at) lwv-bmc.org. More info here
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Grocery Gift Cards Now Available for Sale on Sundays
Office Assistants Monica Overman or Mandy Skinner are available to sell grocery gift cards on Sundays between 10:15 and 11:00 a.m. in the church office, Room 204. To check on the availability of cards, click here. Proceeds from the sale of grocery gift cards for Bloomingfoods and Fresh Thyme support our operating budget.
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How to Reach the Administrative Staff
Church Administrator Carol Marks can be reached at 812-287-9615, 812-332-3695, or admin (at) uubloomington.org, M-F 10-4. She is in the building several days a week; if you would like to stop by the church office, please call ahead, 812-332-3695.
Office Assistants Monica Overman or Mandy Skinner are in the church office Room 204 on Sundays, 10-1. They can also be reached at other times, below.
Office Assistant Monica Overman, T, Th, 10-1, Friday 12:30-3:30, 812-322-5546, office (at) uubloomington.org. Working from home.
Office Assistant Mandy Skinner, M, W, F, 10:30-1:30, 812-340-9981, office (at) uubloomington.org. Working from home.
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COVID-19 Vaccination News
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Email SCAM Alert
Our ministers, staff, and board members or other members will never send you email asking you for any money besides your pledge payment!
How to Recognize an Email Phishing Scam:
Is the email impersonating a member of our staff or one of our ministers? Are they asking you to purchase gift cards? Wait! Don't do it! We will never send you emails like that. To double check, look at the email address of the sender. Is it from an address at uubloomington.org? If not, that's the second good reason to delete it!
Office Hours, Calendar, Deadlines
Office hours: M-F, 10 am-4 pm.
The Church Office can be reached via text or voicemail during office hours at 812-287-9615. Email: admin (at) uubloomington.org or office (at) uubloomington.org.
Calendar: For our full calendar of events, visit uucb.churchcenter.com/calendar.
The Prologue is published on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month.
Next issue: October 4. Deadline is 10 am on date of publication, to admin (at) uubloomington.org
Church Mailing Address: UU Church,
PO Box 8132, Bloomington IN 47407
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Details on Membership & Offering
Membership: 561 certified members as of 2/1/2022;
559 current members.
Attendance (online and in person):
August 28: 178
September 4: 205
September 11: 169
Non-Pledge Offering:
August 28: $578
September 4: $ 445
September 11: $426
To make a contribution for the Non-Pledge Offering (Sunday Plate), or to make a payment towards your pledge, click on this link to get to our new Giving page: uucb.churchcenter.com/giving
Total to be donated (25%) to Bloomington Refugee Support Network: $362.33
Grocery Card Sales: (Bloomingfoods or Fresh Thyme) $400 ; Total income to UUCB: $20
Free Money from Kroger!
Fresh Thyme and Bloomingfoods
Grocery Cards Available by Mail
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Did you know that Kroger sends our congregation over $1,600 each year? This is made possible by those of you who participate in Kroger's Community Rewards program. Register your Kroger Plus card online at this link.
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We are also still selling grocery cards for Bloomingfoods and Fresh Thyme by mail. Click here to see what kind of cards and how many are available. Send your check to the church (UU Church, PO Box 8132, Bloomington, IN 47407) with a note to let us know the type and value of card(s) you want, and we will mail them to you. You do not need to send a return envelope. We also have grocery cards available on Sunday mornings between services, in Room 204.
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Our Ministers & Staff
Reverend Connie Grant, our Interim Lead Minister
- Email grant (at) uubloomington . org, 847-840-8542
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite, our Minister of Story and Ritual
- Email leite (at) uubloomington . org
Carol Marks, Church Administrator: admin (at) uubloomington . org
Anabel Watson, Connections Coordinator: connect (at) uubloomington . org
Monica Overman and Mandy Skinner, Office Assistants: office (at) uubloomington . org
Stephanie Kimball, Director of Religious Education: kimball (at) uubloomington . org
Susan Swaney, Music Director: music (at) uubloomington . org
Andy Beargie, Hans Kelson, and Brady Egan, Multimedia Managers:
mediateam (at) uubloomington . org
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Masthead photo by John Woodcock. | | |
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Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Indiana
Mailing address: PO Box 8132 Bloomington, IN 47407
uubloomington.org | facebook
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