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Message from Reverend Mary Ann Macklin
Board members recently sent emails to members and friends who have not yet pledged for 2020-21. If you received such an email and haven't yet responded, we encourage you to do so soon: here's that handy dandy link for pledging.
Financial uncertainty is part of our landscape in this age of pandemic. When folks pledge, including me, we assume they will fulfill their pledge to the best of their abilities, all things considered. Please let us know.
Peace, Mary Ann
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Sunday, May 3, 2020
10:15 am (one online service)
Touching the Void:
Emptiness and Zen in Today's World
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin
A few weeks ago I experienced an uncanny urge to re-watch a docudrama entitled Touching the Void (2003), as well as revisit the book (1988) of the same title.
Haunting images have remained with me from this story of two mountain climbers. I preached about it many moons ago, but something about today's cultural, viral, and political landscape took me back to the Andes mountains in Peru and an emptiness encountered.
Our Building is Closed, but Our Hearts are Still Open. To help disrupt the spread of the coronavirus and COVID-19 in our community, our building is closed for the time being. All in-person events and meetings have been cancelled. We urge everyone to stay home.
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Religious Education Updates and Resources
Each Sunday we will offer a story and a couple of simple activities, accessible to a large age range.
-- Your Religious Education Team
(Adrienne, Stephanie, and Emily)
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Join us this Sunday for engaging
Coffee Hour discussions!
This Sunday we will be featuring the discussion rooms listed below during Virtual Coffee Hour, following the worship service:
1. Families with Young Children - Hosted by Adrienne Summerlot
2. Worship Service Discussion - Hosted by Jason Michalek
3. Choir
4. General Discussion, hosted by Matt O'Donnell and Julia Adams
5. Singles - Hosted by Marie Deer
If you would like to host an additional discussion topic, let me know before Sunday.
Virtual Coffee Hour starts immediately following the worship service, and ends at 12:15 pm. If you prefer to use your phone for audio, here's the phone number to call in: +1 646 558 8656, use meeting ID: 601 601 156 .
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Are you new to UU Bloomington? Start here!
Join us this Sunday, May 3 at 2 pm for an online introduction
If you are new to our congregation, a very warm welcome to you! This Sunday, you are invited to join in a brief online introduction to Unitarian Universalism and this congregation. Just
click on this link at 2 pm on Sunday. If you are new to using Zoom,
please read these instructions before the meeting. If you are new to Unitarian Universalism, check out
this video from the Unitarian Universalist Association. Also,
here is our online connection form if you are ready to get involved. You are always welcome to email me at connect(at)
uubloomington.org. Hope to see you online on Sunday!
-- Ann LeDuc, Connections Coordinator
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PayPal Available for Donations
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. You can still mail in your pledge contributions using paper checks.
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UU Postal Pals Program begins this month -
Sign up by May 10!
Open to all ages, we are hoping to connect people in our congregation via mail. If you remember fondly or have longed for a pen pal experience, sign up today! Simply complete this google form:
UU Postal Pals sign up. Or,
email Stephanie Kimball,
rea (at) uubloomington.org
. Deadline to request a postal pal is Sunday, May 10th.
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Celebrating Beltane with Earth Kin
Beltane (May 1st) is here, but it's looking a little different for Earth Kin this year since we cannot meet together. We were excited because this was the first year we were going to have a Maypole. The Maypole symbolizes Beltane's Sacred Marriage and fertility on many levels: the pole, the flower wreath, and the weaving action of the ribbons.
For most of our at-home solitary practices, I'm sure a Maypole is out of the question, but knot magic is an excellent alternative. A simple version option would be to set an intention--something you would like to manifest or bring to fruition because Beltane is a time for positive magic--and then braid 3 natural fiber ribbons together. Keep your intention in mind the entire time you braid, and consider turning it into a chant that you actually say aloud. Then, go outside, find a tree that calls to you, and tie the braided ribbon onto one of its branches. As the fibers wear away, your intention is released into the universe. -- Brooke Opel, Earth Kin
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Register Today to Bid in the UU Auction!
The UU Online Auction starts at noon this Sunday, May 3.
Register today so that you are ready to bid when the auction starts!
To register, click this link -- click on "Sign In" in the upper right hand corner of the page, and follow the instructions.
Then come back to
the Auction website
on Sunday to start bidding!
---The Auction Committee
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Join us on Sunday, May 10 to learn about UU History
Ever wonder how the Unitarian Universalist church evolved? Where this way of doing church came from, and who were the founders of the Unitarian and Universalist churches? Please join us for this romp through 500 years of UU history on Sunday, May 10, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm, via Zoom.
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"Writing as a Spiritual Practice"
with Rev. Barbara Child
A Drop-in Group on Zoom
Tuesdays 1-2 pm, through May 26
I invite you to join me on a journey of personal exploration through writing in community. This is a drop-in group and you can attend any or all sessions. Click here for a full description of how the group will work.
If you would like to participate, register by clicking here to get the Zoom link and instructions.
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Task Force and Committee Chairs: Annual Reports Due May 15
Please send your annual report for 2019-20 to us by May 15 so we have time to compile them into our Annual Report to the Congregation, which will be made available to everyone electronically by the June 7 congregational meeting. If you are chair of a social justice task force, please send your report to Jackie Hall,
jmhall (at) indiana.edu, so she can format all the task force reports together and then send the whole shebang to the office for inclusion. All other leaders, please send your 50-100 word report to
office (at) uubloomington.org by May 15.
--Carol Marks, Ch.Admin.
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From the UU Homelessness and Hunger Task Forces
May Food and Hygiene Drives: NEW AGENCIES & NEW LISTS
Our building is closed, but we have placed collection bins outside the building, under the north side porch near the Portico Entrance. Simply drive up and drop off - we are collecting donations from these bins daily.
Many, many thanks!
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Ways We Can Help:
Links from our Social Justice Task Forces
We're compiling information and updates from our Social Justice Task Forces about ongoing fundraisers, resource drives, and other calls to action here at the link below. This link contains the list of food and necessities we are collecting for those in need in our community.
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Free Money from Kroger
Did you know that
Kroger sends us about $1,600 each year? This is made possible by those of you who participate in Kroger's Community Rewards program. R
egister your Kroger Plus card
online at this link and select the UU Church as the recipient -- o
ur ID number for the program is EW763.
We are also still selling grocery cards for Bloomingfoods and Fresh Thyme. See your April 21 Prologue for more information.
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Church Office Closed, Staff Working from Home
Our offices are closed, but staff members are working from home and checking email frequently during their regularly scheduled work hours.
Carol Marks, Church Administrator, admin (at) uubloomington.org
Monica Overman and Mandy Skinner, office (at) uubloomington.org
Ann LeDuc, Connections Coordinator, connect (at) uubloomington.org
Adrienne Summerlot, Dir. of Religious Education, dre (at) uubloomington.org
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How to Vote by Mail in the June 2 Primary Election
Due to the impact of COVID-19 and the need for physical distancing, new dates and procedures have been established by the Indiana Election Commission and the Monroe County Election Board.
For the June 2, 2020 Primary Election all registered voters can vote by mail using an absentee ballot. Check this link for details:
monroecountyvoters.us
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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 April 21
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, May 5, at 10 am.)
Carol Marks
has editorial responsibility for our congregation's publications.
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Masthead photo by John Woodcock.
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