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The Forum
monthly Newsletter
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DON'T MISS ANY OF THE FORUM!
When you get to the end of this email message,
please check the bottom left of your screen...
you may have a message that states:
[Message clipped] and View entire message.
Click on "view entire message"
to read ALL of this month's Forum!
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DEADLINE FOR THE FEBRUARY 2022 FORUM
If you'd like to have an announcement published in the February 2022 edition of The Forum, please make sure to send your info to the Editor, Jennie Freiberger, at admin@mvuuf.org by Monday, January 24th. We'd love to read what YOU have to offer!
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HOW TO CONNECT WITH US ON ZOOM
We provide Zoom links in The Forum so you can join ALL of our events online (computer, tablet, smart phone). Additionally, if you want/need to attend the meeting/event using a phone, you can use the following number for ANY of our events:
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To join on your cell phone or land line,
please call 1-929-205-6099
and enter the Meeting ID and Password when prompted.
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OUR SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE CALENDAR
February 6th (Zoom-only)
Leigh Waltz, Intern Minister, Perception & Risk
February 13th (multi-platform)
Somaya Bernard and Rev. Kellie, Worship For All Ages: Stuffed Animal Sleepover
February 20th (multi-platform)
Rev. Kellie, Widening the Circle
February 27th (Zoom-only)
Rev. Darrick Jackson, UU Ministers' Association (UUMA) Director of Ministries for Lifelong Learning
March 6th (Zoom-only)
Rev. Kellie is pulpit-swapping with Rev. Bill Gupton, Heritage UU Church in Cincinnati, Death Positive
To attend the service on Zoom, please use the following link:
Meeting ID: 953 8114 7453 and Passcode: 869000
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WORSHIP FOR THE WEARY
Currently on hiatus
We are currently putting this service on "hold" for the month of February, while we evaluate what it will look like in the future.
We would appreciate any feedback you may have about Worship For The Weary: should we discontinue the service? Only offer it once a month? Should we move it to a different day and/or time?
Please send your feedback to Rev. Kellie at minister@mvuuf.org by Sunday, February 20th.
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FROM REV. KELLIE:
My Dear Ones,
Happy Groundhog Day! We have a pretty large groundhog living underneath our shed. Alas, I was not able to see his prediction for us so we will have to rely on Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction that Winter is here to stay (6 more weeks). It seems with the big storm that has rolled in that Phil might be right.
Besides being a fun way to start my February column, I share this news because Groundhog Day is yet another modern holiday that has Pagan roots. In the Celtic calendar, Imbolc is at the same time and marks the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Imbolc is another touchstone to help us mark the passage of time and the seasons of the Northern Hemisphere—a rope to hold onto when we are buried in snow and fear that Winter may never end. I know that I need something to hold onto right now so that I can make it through the seemingly unending Winter of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
In early January, Ohio moved to the highest threat level measured by COVID Act Now website, Extremely High (the other levels include the following: Very High, High, Medium, and Low). As the scientists predicted, we have hit the worst wave of the Pandemic yet, with more COVID hospitalizations in the Dayton metro area than any time since it began almost 2 years ago. Because of this, the Board asked Barb Weber to lead a COVID-19 Task Force to develop a more comprehensive COVID policy that will allow us to continue to gather in-person and online as safely as possible. Barb, our Music Director Sara Davis, and I created the policy that the Board approved last weekend and that we sent out earlier in the week. We are still working on a few additional issues and welcome participation from anyone in the congregation. Please email me if you would like to join our work.
As you will see in the new policy, the MVUUF leadership has approved events with different amounts of risk and COVID-19 precautions so people can make their own informed decisions. We are attempting to protect each other from both COVID-19 and despair. Therefore, each congregant must assess their own family's needs, health situations, and amount of risk they are comfortable with when deciding to participate in an in-person event at MVUUF event. At this time, in-person indoor Worship, meetings, groups, and children and youth religious education classes will remain at our highest level of precaution (masked, social distancing, no food or drink, no congregational singing). We also will continue to offer as many of our worship services, groups, and meetings via phone or online for those who cannot safely attend in-person yet.
I know that some of us are exhausted, especially our frontline workers and families with children and youth. My prayer for all of us is that we can take these last weeks of Winter and lavish each other and OURSELVES in love and care. Our UUA President Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray spoke to religious professionals yesterday and reminded us that, first and foremost, Unitarian Universalist congregations are places of care. If we do not care for one another, we cannot care for the larger world. In this Spirit, I offer you two songs from our conference, Loosen Loosen by Aly Halpert https://youtu.be/X-_7XfaS7Mc and My Joy Is Heavy by The Bengsons https://youtu.be/sC2t56g7p_0
May these songs bring you peace and comfort—may they remind you that we love you.
I pray for your health and flourishing.
With gratitude and love,
Kellie
Rev. Kellie Kelly
Mobile (847) 804-4614
Email minister@mvuuf.org
Appointment Scheduler: calendly.com/kellieuukelly
How and When to Reach Me:
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I will be away at a virtual ministry conference through February 6th. During this time, I will only be available for pastoral care emergencies (via voicemail or text).
- I’ve gotten some feedback that it is difficult to remember when it is okay to reach me by text or phone calls. Please don’t feel stressed about my schedule. I will not hate you or shun you if you text or call on the wrong day. I just won’t reply unless it is a pastoral emergency.
- In an effort to make my schedule easier to remember, I have simplified it to the following:
- The best way to reach me is to text or call my mobile phone between 9am-8pm on my office days: Monday-Thursday and Saturdays.
- If you have a pastoral emergency on a Friday or Sunday (Sunday is my big workday and Friday is my personal Sabbath), please text me with “URGENT” as the first line.
- For non-emergencies, please feel free to send me an email or text reminder if you don’t receive a reply to your message in 3 days.
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You can also schedule a quick call (less than 30 minutes) or longer meeting/visit (60 minutes) with me online: calendly.com/kellieuukelly.
What I’ve Been Seeing, Reading, Listening to, and Watching:
- Washington Post
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New York Times (via Scribd)
- The Atlantic
- Dayton Daily News
- Apple News+ (I’m trying out the subscription because they have audio on some of the stories)
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Abide with Me: A Novel by Elizabeth Strout
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Anxious People: A Novel by Fredrik Backman
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Britt Marie Was Here: A Novel by Fredrik Backman
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My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry: A Novel by Fredrik Backman
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
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The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
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The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo
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The Stationary Store: A Novel by Marjan Kamali
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The Keeper of Lost Things: A Novel by Ruth Hogan
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Commonwealth: A Novel by Ann Patchett
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The Dutch House: A Novel by Ann Patchett (Read aloud by Tom Hanks)
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Happy Endings (Netflix)
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The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window (Netflix)
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After Life—final season, beautiful and heartbreaking exploration of grief (Netflix)
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Free Guy (rental)
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Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe (Disney+)
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Encanto (Disney+)
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All Creatures Great & Small—Season 2, week by week (PBS)
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Penny Serenade (Amazon Prime)
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The Tender Bar (Amazon Prime)
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Pose—final season (Amazon Prime)
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Being the Ricardos (Amazon Prime)
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A MINUTE FOR MUSIC
I am interested in re-establishing a Music Committee. As Mike O’Brien gets ready to take over from Pat Whitney on March 1st as our next Music representative to the Program Council, I decided to look at our By-laws (July 2019) for some guidance.
Section 7.3.5 states, in part, that the Music Rep. is “…encouraged to collaborate and delegate in order to involve more individuals in our shared ministry, (emphasis is mine) to develop future leaders and increase our potential for….involving more ideas, participants, and ENERGY!” And the first group listed with which to collaborate is a Music Committee.
Even if you are not willing to serve on our Music Committee, I invite anyone who is interested to join an informal conversation on: Sunday, February 6th, at 5:00 PM on Zoom. It will be a chance to discuss what we’ve done before, what we’re doing now, and what we’d like to do in the months and years to come. Mike and I are eager to hear many voices and perspectives about the music program here at MVUUF. I hope to see you on my screen on February 6th; you'll find the Zoom link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88156214230?pwd=eG9VemF3eTM0TENXdTV3MjdxVzczZz09
Meeting ID: 881 5621 4230 Passcode: 505087
--Sara Davis, Director of Music
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*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Please note that Sara Davis will be out of town February 8th--13th,
so there will NOT be Choir Rehearsal on Wednesday, February 9th.
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CYRE NEWS
Due to concerns about COVID-19 and the new Omicron variant we are postponing in-person CYRE events. We will continue to find ways to connect safely during this time.
We are excited to have our stuffed animal sleepover this month! We will be sharing pictures and experiences of the event during our stuffed animal sleepover service on Sunday, February 13th. You will be able to pick up your stuffed animal after the service that day until 1:30 PM. Please contact me if you need a different day to pick up, or if they need to be home earlier than the 13th so we can arrange an earlier pick up.
We will also be sending out care packages this month. They will be available for pick up with your stuffed animals after the service on the 13th.
I have said before that COVID has made us change how we do RE and that we are still constantly trying to find new ways to adapt. Not only are these changes based on us trying to keep us safe but they are also based on things that have been steadily growing nationwide within UU communities. Many UU religious educators and leaders have noticed that many of our older ways of doing things in RE just aren’t working anymore. Even as a faith that values and promotes change it can feel scary and daunting when we actively make those changes in things we hold dear.
I find myself holding on to ways of doing things that served me well 10 years ago, but that may not be serving our new generations the same way. Something I hope that we can all agree on is that the most important part of our faith is our community. That is something that wasn’t directly taught during my time in CYRE and something I’m not even sure some of my mentors truly understood. The adults that led our classes would often make jokes about how we would all talk to each other through our network and see who was going to church that day to decide if we were going. We would call or text each other so we would know who we would see that day and if one of us were going all of us would. As a youth I chalked it up just wanting to see my friends, but as an adult my views look a lot different. It wasn’t the lesson plans in RE that fed my spiritual growth, it was my community. We were each other's community, and we still are. The lessons and discussions meant nothing without that sense of community that we felt. It’s something that I personally feel is sometimes skipped in RE. We so often jump straight to the lesson plans and forget that the most important part is building community.
COVID-19 has caused us to re-evaluate so many things in our lives and for me one of the biggest has been religious education. I would like to invite our parents to attend a meeting in which we can talk about the future of RE and where we are heading. This meeting will be on Sunday, February 27th at 1:30 PM. It is currently undecided if this meeting will be in person or over Zoom; we will assess the risk of meeting in person closer to the meeting date. Please reach out if you have a preference so that we can take that into account when making our decision.
---Somaya Bernard, Director of Religious Education, re@mvuuf.org
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CHILDREN & YOUTH
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
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CYRE COMMITTEE
Second Wednesday Each Month
Wednesday, February 9th, 7:00 PM
Our Children and Youth Religious Education (CYRE) Committee meets on the second Wednesday of the month and is open to ALL! Whether you have children in the CYRE program or not, the committee is always looking for people to teach classes and/or volunteer to help with family-friendly activities.
If you have any questions, please contact our Director of Religious Education, Somaya Bernard, re@mvuuf.org.
To join the Zoom Meeting online, click below:
Meeting ID: 813 5941 9144 Passcode: 385131
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ADULT
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
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SCRIPTURE STUDY
Sunday Mornings, 9:00 AM
If you are interested in learning about different religions, and especially in the writings from those different religions, then you should consider attending our weekly Scripture Study. They meet every Sunday morning, beginning at 9:00 AM on Zoom; you can contact John Bierman if you have any questions at johnbierman78@gmail.com.
To join their Zoom meeting, use the information posted below:
To join the gathering online, click the link below---
Passcode: 720015 Meeting ID: 424 304 843
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DAYTIME BOOK CLUB
Third Wednesday Each Month
Wednesday, February 16th, 10:30 AM
Our Daytime Book Club continues to meet monthly to discuss a featured book; here's what they'll be discussing on Wednesday, February 16th, 10:30 AM on Zoom: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett.
The Vanishing Half was chosen as a Best Book of the Year by the New York Times in 2020. The novel tells the story of twin sisters who are raised in a small, southern African American community. As teens they run away from home and are separated. One twin moves to California and chooses to pass as white, never contacting her sister
again. Decades later, their daughters meet.
Upcoming books for discussion are:
March 16th: Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout
April 20th: The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
May 18th: Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
June 15th: On the March: a Novel of the Women's March on
Washington by Trudy Krisher
If you'd like to join them online, please click the link below:
Meeting ID: 841 6986 8518 Passcode: 734700
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DEATH CAFE
Fourth Monday Each Month
Monday, February 28th, 7:00 PM
At a Death Café people, often strangers, gather in an accessible, respectful and confidential space to enjoy refreshments and to discuss death. Our Death Café conversations are participant-directed; there is no agenda. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session. Groups such as this gather around the globe with a purpose: "to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives."
MVUUF holds a Death Café on the fourth Monday of each month from 7-8:30 PM; you are welcome to join us to listen and share and/or invite a friend who you think may be interested in exploring the topic.
To join the meeting online, click below:
Passcode: 900106 Meeting ID: 851 4870 0547
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SMALL GROUPS' THEME FOR FEBRUARY
For the month of February, our Soul Matters' theme is Widening the Circle.
The Soul Matters' packet includes spiritual exercises, questions that encourage reflection on daily living, and 5-7 pages of recommended resources that help participants explore the monthly themes in more depth. And you DON'T have to be a member of a small group in order to download and use them!
Simply click HERE for this month's packet!
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WOMEN'S GROUP
Sunday Mornings, 9:00 AM
This weekly group is open to all who identify as female, and they would love to have you join them for one of their interesting and thought-provoking discussions!
To join the gathering online, click on the link below---
Passcode: 042027 Meeting ID: 339 923 301
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TWO VIRTUAL COFFEE HOURS IN FEBRUARY
Sunday, February 13th & Sunday, February 27th,
following the Sunday Service, on Zoom
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Attending Sunday service on Zoom? Have you been wanting to chat with your friends after service? Are you new and looking for a way to get to know others?
The Production Team will host two Virtual Coffee Hours in February on the 2nd and 4th Sundays, February 13th and 27th. After service, grab a cup of coffee - or beverage of your choice, and stick around to chat with other members.
We will try a few new things:
- We will use a feature to allow you to pick your own breakout group - and you can switch if you want. You will not be randomly assigned to a breakout room. If you can’t use this Zoom feature, the host can put you in the room you want.
- Breakouts will be set up for virtual guests, virtual young adults, a breakout for young adults, and a hybrid breakout will let Zoom participants talk with people in the sanctuary.
- Have a specific topic you want to discuss or a group of people you want to talk to? After service, send a chat to you Host and a breakout will be created for you. Some possibilities: working on a project or social action event, talking with others about the service topic, catching up with some specific friends, playing an online game (that you have and can run via Zoom).
If you have a specific topic and want to let me know before the service, email Producer@mvuuf.org. If you email after Saturday afternoon I might miss it so send me a private chat in Zoom instead. We want to help you connect with others in ways that are meaningful to you.
---Garlene Staton, Production Team
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PEACE HEROES TRAIL 2022
We are getting things ready for another successful Peace Heroes Trail addition...and this may be the best year yet!
We still need about 8 more captains -- because 18 people have already stepped forward to be captains in 2022! Our new peace heroes will include Mr. Rogers, Shirley Chisholm, some other very famous people, and local folx who MVUUF will love learning more about.
The CharityWeb donation page will be ready for donors soon, maybe as early as next week!
We still need lots of help besides captains and donors -- for example, we need people to put up peace hero posters in libraries and coffee shops. Contact peace.heroes@mvuuf.org to volunteer!
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CONNECTING WITH MVUUF
Whether you are an “old” member, a newcomer, a long-time friend, or an occasional visitor, you are reading this because you are somehow “connected” to the Miami Valley UU Fellowship. We are glad you are here! We are trying something new to help more of us become connected to the fellowship in a meaningful way. You know we have a lot to offer, and we know you have something to offer us, but how best to find your niche? The hope is that I can help you on that journey.
Send an email to connection@mvuuf.org and it will magically appear in my email. If you put the word “connection” in the subject line, I’ll know that it is VERY important, and I’ll read it immediately. You may ask questions, tell me about yourself, include your phone number if you’d like to talk, and we will begin searching together. UUism can open your eyes and your heart and MVUUF is “where it’s at” in Dayton.
In the spirit,
Diane Colvin, Connection Coordinator
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MVUUF's WORSHIP CHOIR
Wednesdays, 7:00 PM,
currently on Zoom
Do you enjoy music? Do you enjoy singing with others? If so, please consider joining our Worship Choir! You can contact our Director of Music, Sara Davis, with any questions at music@mvuuf.org.
We are currently holding Choir Rehearsals online on Zoom; please plan to join us by using the Zoom link below:
Meeting ID: 890 7180 9370 Passcode: 391361
(There will NOT be Choir Rehearsal on Wednesday,
February 9th, as Sara Davis will be out of town.)
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PROGRAM COUNCIL
First Monday Each Month
February 7th, 7:00 PM on Zoom
Our PC is responsible for the following: Leading and implementing a variety of programs that bring MVUUF closer to realizing its purpose, vision and mission; Facilitating cooperation among program areas; Approving the appointment or removal of committee chairs nominated by individual program council representatives; Appointing interim members to fill mid-term vacancies on the nominating committee; Nominating one qualified candidate for election to the nominating committee each year; and Recommending policies and procedures to the board for approval and incorporation into the MVUUF policy manual.
PC usually meets once a month, usually on the first Monday, and their meetings are open to ALL; in fact, for the February meeting on the 7th, they especially invite those who will begin serving their positions this March, in order for them to connect with those they will be replacing as well as to see how the meetings are run, so they will be all ready to get started next month!
To join the meeting online, please use the Zoom link below:
Meeting ID: 845 4628 1330 Passcode: 395986
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CHALICE OF THE WILLOW (CUUPS)
DISCUSSION GROUP
Second Sunday Each Month
Sunday, February 13th, 12:30 PM
Our pagan group, Chalice of the Willow (CUUPS) has a discussion group on the second Sunday of each month, beginning at 12:30 PM. It's a great way to find out a little bit more about pagan beliefs & traditions, and to converse with others in a comfortable, non-judgmental atmosphere.
This group will be meeting (in-person only) at MVUUF; meeting dates can be found on the MVUUF calendar. You can find out more by contacting Tina Porter at ladyosun@yahoo.com.
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BOARD MEETING
Sunday, February 20th, 2:00 PM
Our Board meetings are open to EVERYONE, and time is set aside at the beginning of the meeting to answer any questions our members and friends may have for Board members.
This month, the group will meet on Sunday, February 20th at 2:00 PM.
To join the Zoom meeting, click below:
Passcode: 033710 Meeting ID: 976 9504 0775
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WELCOME SESSION
Sunday, February 20th, 12:15 PM
Are you new to MVUUF? Would you like to know more about the Fellowship and what we have to offer?
We offer a Welcome Session monthly where you'll have the opportunity to find out more about our Fellowship and meet Rev. Kellie and other members of MVUUF.
To join the meeting on Zoom, you can simply stay on in the Zoom session for the Sunday worship (if you joined us online) or use the info below:
Meeting ID: 953 8114 7453 Passcode: 869000
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ACOUSTIC FOLK JAM SESSION
Third Tuesday Each Month
Tuesday, February 15th, 7:00 PM
If you're looking for a fun way to share your love of music, may we suggest attending our Acoustic Folk Jam Session? You can play an instrument...or use your voice...or just listen and enjoy to everyone else. It's a low-key way to enjoy some human connection (socially-distanced, of course) and relax.
We've been meeting online on Zoom to share some music & socialization. Why not plan to join us this month, on Tuesday, February 15th, at 7:00 PM?
To join us online please use the Zoom link below:
Meeting ID: 876 8968 9805 Passcode: 639360
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SHOWING UP FOR
SOCIAL JUSTICE
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SHARING THE OFFERING
MVUUF shares 50% of its non-pledge offerings with a human service agency or similar fund. These agencies are selected yearly by the congregation’s members under the guidance of the Social Action Committee.
Please give generously by clicking HERE to go to our online donation page and go to “SHARING OUR OFFERING.”
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Celebrate and Thanks to all who nominated nonprofit organizations to receive half of our Sunday collections. And thanks to all who voted online to choose the recipients from the eight nominees. The recipients/collection schedule is:
APR-JUN 2022
MVIC (Miami Valley Immigration Coalition) Asylum Working Group
JUL-SEP 2022
Felons with A Future
OCT 2022
LEAD*
NOV 2022
The Castle*
DEC 2022
Minister’s Discretionary Fund
JAN-MAR 2023
Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio.
* Normally the organization that receives the fourth number of votes has been scheduled for October and November, however since the Castle and LEAD “tied” for fourth, we have scheduled each for one month.
Any questions or comments, contact Social Action Chair, Lynn Buffington at ABUFFLG@gmail.com, 937-657-0426
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SOCIAL ACTION RETREAT
Saturday, February 19th, 10:30 AM-noon
Are you weary from the slow pace of social change? Has the pandemic made it seem as though everything is harder? Is the volume of issues challenging your capacity limit? The Social Action Committee invites you to join us and take a spiritual breath!
When: February 19, 2022, 10:30 am - 12 noon
What: A place for spiritual nourishing meditation and music, and supportive reflection and sharing
Who: Anyone who is trying to make the world a better place in whatever way you do.
Where: on Zoom (please use the link below):
Meeting ID: 890 8552 1673 Passcode: 799373
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WEST DAYTON ACTION GROUP
First Tuesday Each Month
Tuesday, February 1st, 6:30 PM
If you are concerned by the conditions of our siblings living in West Dayton, please consider attending our West Dayton Action Group. They meet--on Zoom--the first Tuesday of every month, and have already developed and participated in several actions to benefit those living on the west side of town.
The group will next meet on Tuesday, February 1st, at 6:30 PM.
You can find out more by contacting
Bob Lewis at bobslewis@hotmail.com.
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TRANSGENDER ALLIANCE GROUP
Second Thursday Each Month
Thursday, February 10th, 7:00 PM
MVUUF's Transgender Alliance Group meets each month on the second Thursday; the group is a supportive place of community for transgender folx and their allies.
To join the Zoom meeting online, click below:
Passcode: 774615 Meeting ID: 841 0786 6724
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SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE
Third Monday Each Month
Monday, February 21st, 6:30 PM
Our Social Action Committee offers many different ways for you to "be the change" you'd like to see in the world: immigration action, St. Vincent lunches, improving conditions in west Dayton, literacy & tutoring projects, and the list goes on.
Feel free to join their next meeting by using the info below:
Passcode: 613674 Meeting ID: 850 2242 9356
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ANTI-RACISM ALLY GROUP
4th Thursday of Every Month
Thursday, February 24th, 7:00 PM
There continues to be a lot of turmoil around racism in our country, state and city. Are you a white person with questions, ideas, concerns or just want a place to have discussions about what is going on? We also welcome anyone who identifies as BIPOC.
To join them on Zoom, please use the link below:
Meeting ID: 810 0062 5437 Passcode: 306008
We value your input, and have loosened the structure of our meetings so participants are invited to bring their own topics to share, or you can simply listen if you choose. Most importantly, we value your presence at our meeting!
Each meeting will allow for learning, actively practicing being allies, open discussion, and creating actions we can take to follow and support Black, Indigenous and all People of Color (BIPOC) in our congregation as well as residents in the larger community.
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DONATE TO MVUUF AS YOU SHOP...IT'S EASY! |
Did you know you can donate to MVUUF at no cost to you
every time you shop at
Kroger, Dorothy Lane Market, and Amazon?
By using the affiliate groups at these companies,
a percentage (based on your purchases) will go to MVUUF.
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