December 10, 2021
Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Indiana
This Sunday's Service
Sunday, December 12, 2021
10:15 am Livestream and in-person
Sorrow Is Not My Name
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite

In-person Attendance: please register by clicking here.

Sorrow Is Not My Name. I love this title for a poem, words by award-winning and local poet Ross Gay. In our worship service we will explore the meaning of “joys and sorrows” in our life as we consider this poem along with our sub-theme for this month, Set the Bar Low for Joy. Our Gift of Music is a premiere piece of "Sorrow Is Not My Name" by Ross Gay set to music by local composer Abby Henkel. (Ross and Abby are pictured below). Of note, please pardon the technological glitches in recent weeks. Out of necessity (old equipment breakdown) we are in the process of having a major equipment replacement. Blessings upon your patience and our tech guys who are working overtime to remedy the multi-layered problems. Rock on, y’all.
Congregational Meeting
Sunday, December 12 at 4:00 p.m.
on Zoom

Dear Congregation Members and Friends,

All members and friends are warmly invited to attend our Fall Congregational Meeting this Sunday, December 12 at 4:00 p.m. on Zoom.


This will be a Zoom meeting only, without onsite attendance except for Board and Staff members. For technical support about joining the Zoom meeting, please contact Drew Schrader, drew.schrader (at) gmail.com.

In faith,
Your Board of Directors
Set the Bar Low Pop-Up Events this week!
Bring Your Own Mug (BYOM) and join us for a hot beverage, fellowship, and friendly conversation! We are gathering outdoors at people's homes to see one another, and, if you like, to step or jump over our Bar Set Low for Joy. 
  • Tuesday, December 14, 5-6 PM, Home of Connie and Tom Nelson-Laird (register here)
  • Friday, December 17, 12-1 PM, Home of Jane Goodman (register here)
Register if you'd like directions, a reminder email, and any last-minute updates due to weather--or you can just drop by! Hope to see you there.
Updated guidelines for gatherings in the church
The NEST (Next Steps in Transition to reopening) Committee has updated the guidelines pertaining to gatherings in our church building. Those guidelines are available via this link.
The NEST Committee: Abby Gitlitz, Judy Klein, Rich LeDuc, Dan Lodge-Rigal, Jane McLeod, Sarah Sanchez, Melinda Swenson, Ann LeDuc, and Mary Ann Macklin
Celebrate December by Greeting!
Whether you have been a Greeter in the past, or are looking for a new volunteer opportunity, you are invited to sign up and greet. We have openings on Sunday mornings, at our special December services: Solstice, Dec 20 and Christmas Eve. Here are the duties of Greeters. Questions? Email connect(at)uubloomington.org.
There is room for you at in-person worship
If you would like to attend a worship service in-person, please sign up via this link: uucb.churchcenter.com/registrations  
When deciding whether or not to attend in-person services, please take into account your health risk factors and that we cannot ensure that all participants are vaccinated. 
If you have any trouble registering, please email Carol Marks at admin(at)uubloomington.org anytime, but definitely before 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, and we will register you.
Monday, December 20, 2021
6:15 p.m. Livestream and in-person
Multigenerational Winter Solstice Celebration
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin
Reverend Bill Breeden
Ray Fellman
All ages are invited to come share in this quiet, reflective service celebrating the returning sun. We will fully inhabit this place on our planet as we return to our annual practice of sharing a candlelit spiral procession to reconnect with the earth and its natural cycles. Registration is required, please click here!
In-person Attendance at Christmas Eve Service
Registration is now available for the Christmas Eve Service on December 24 at 7:00 p.m. In-person attendance is limited to 50 people. Please click here to register if you would like to attend in person. Questions, please email office(at)uubloomington.org
UU Humanists Meet December 12, 12:45 pm
The UU Humanist Forum will meet this Sunday at 12:45 pm via Zoom. Rich Janda will lead a discussion on thoughts on "ballads or bullets." If you'd like to join us, please contact Harold Ogren or Ann Watzel for the link to the Zoom meetings and to be added to our email discussion list.
Hike with us on Wednesday, December 15!
Join us on Wednesday, December 15 at 9 AM for a 4 mile hike. We will meet at the Blackwell Horsecamp and hike a portion of the Grubb Ridge and Hayes Trails. Here's a map to the Blackwell Horsecamp.
Fellowship Dinners Restarting
With caution and our fingers crossed, we are restarting Fellowship Dinners. If you are interested in the possibility of participating, please go to Fellowship Potluck Dinners Sign Up for detailed information on how we are handling the dinners. Please note that we are limiting the dinners to participants who have been fully vaccinated. If you choose to sign up and are signing up as a couple, please include both names on the sign up form. Also, after you have filled out the form, please be sure to click the Submit Form button. You will receive a confirmation email with the information you included on the form.
UU Online Book Club reads...
The first half of The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow will be discussed at the January 3 Book Club meeting. The second half of the book will be discussed at the March 7 meeting. The 1619 Project will be discussed on Feb 7If you would like to join the book discussions, sign up here. The UU Online Book Club meets the first Monday of each month at 6:30 PM via Zoom. If you have questions email connect(at)uubloomington.org.
Your Church Office Staff is Available Monday-Friday
You can reach a member of the church administrative staff each weekday:
Church Administrator Carol Marks, M-F, 10-4, 812-287-9615, admin(at)uubloomington.org
Office Assistant Monica Overman, T, Th, 10-1, Friday 12:30-3:30, 812-322-5546, office(at)uubloomington.org
Office Assistant Mandy Skinner, M, W, F, 10:30-1:30, 812-340-9981, office(at)uubloomington.org
We are not in the office at the church very often. The land line at the church, 812-332-3695, is checked for messages twice weekly.
Change of Address Back to 2120 N. Fee Lane
We are once again receiving all church mail at 2120 N. Fee Lane, Bloomington IN 47408. Mail sent to the PO Box in Nashville will be forwarded back to our address on Fee Lane for the next 18 months, so no worries if you forget and send your pledge checks to Nashville for a while.
Donations for Beacon: Look for bins at the Portico entrance
Covid-19 Booster Vaccines are now available
The CDC has updated the COVID-19 booster eligibility guidance. For information on vaccine availability in Indiana, visit: coronavirus.in.gov/vaccine
Masthead photo by John Woodcock.
Deadline for submissions to the Order of service and Friday UU Update
Thursday, 9:00 am, to office(at)uubloomington.org
Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Indiana
2120 N. Fee Lane, Bloomington, Indiana 47408
Church mobile phone: 812-287-9615