February 12, 2021
Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, IN
Much Gratitude and Celebration!
Wow! Our Mortgage Fundraiser raised $35,000 plus. We did it! Thanks to EVERYONE for your support. More details to come as we add up donations, as well as percentages going to New Leaf, New Life and Spencer Pride.

Again, apologies to those for whom technical difficulties interfered with your watching the two Friday evening performances. The good news is you can still view them at the links below! Here are the links to the two programs that were part of our Fundraiser:
 
1)   Resilience Productions Sentences: From the Pen to the Page by Glenda Breeden, Phillip Stroud, and Gladys DeVane.
Sentences: From the Pen to the Page - archive link for February
 
2)   Fire in My Bones: A Meditative Opera by Deborah Phelps and Mary Ann Macklin, directed by Steve Krahnke. Cast includes Jake Woolen, Susan Swaney, Ray Fellman, Sonja Rassmusen, Kit Boulding and more.
 
Enjoy! Share! Gratitude!
This Sunday's Service
Sunday, February 14, 2021
10:15 am Livestream
Let's Talk About Love!
Reverend Bill Breeden
Reverend Dave Clements
Okay, I will be honest. I have no idea what there is left to be said about love, but you might want to drop in to see if I find anything. It may be more exciting than GameStop, and then again, it might not. Hope you can join us. - rev. bill
If you miss the livestream, you can view archived videos on our website.
Early Bird Coffee Hour at 9:15 am
Bring your coffee and join us at 9:15 am to relax with friends before the service. Click on this link to register for the early bird coffee hour and receive the Zoom link.
Connect with our UU Community during Virtual Coffee Hour
Everyone is welcome to join us after the worship service, until 12:30 pm, for engaging conversation in Virtual Coffee Hour. 

This Sunday's breakout rooms will include:
  • Choir
  • General Discussion
-- Ann LeDuc, Connections Coordinator
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION UPDATES
Anti-Racist Families resumes this Sunday, February 14, with an Adult and Caregiver meeting via Zoom. Learn more and request to join this group here, or contact Adrienne Summerlot with questions. Visit our calendar for family friendly activities and ideas to explore during this month of Beloved Community.  

Reminder: Reverend Emily Manvel Leite is away for the month of February. Please contact Adrienne Summerlot or Stephanie Kimball for any Religious Education questions or support. 
Our Folks . . .

Congratulations to Christoph Irmscher, who was honored this week with the title of Distinguished Professor at Indiana University.

Ray Fellman is the Music Director of the Cardinal Stage production of Ordinary Days - you can buy tickets and watch any time online from now through Sunday, February 21.
Sign up by Saturday, Feb 13 to join a discussion group for our Congregational Read of Caste
We are embarking on a congregational read of Pulitzer-Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson’s latest book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Facilitated discussion groups will have their first meeting the week of Feb. 14th and meet weekly through the week of April 25th - spaces are still open!
Join the New UU Online Book Club on March 1 at 6:30 pm via Zoom
This month's book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson, will help us dive into February's congregational theme of Beloved Community. If you are interested in joining, please sign up here for the Zoom link: UU Book Club Registration
-- Ann LeDuc, Connections Coordinator
UU Freethinkers meet February 14, 12:45 pm
The UU Freethinkers will meet this Sunday at 12:45 pm via Zoom for an open discussion of social, political, and theological/religious issues. If you'd like to join us, please contact Harold Ogren, ogrenh (at) gmail.com, to get the link to the Zoom meetings and to be added to our email discussion list.
30 Days of Love Sunday Worship on Valentine's Day, 5 pm
The differences between Valentine's Day this year and Valentine's Day last year are enormous. As we approach the year mark of when many in the US began to quarantine, self-isolate, and socially distance, our need to connect is still crucial, precious, and necessary. Our wells need to be refilled.

Side With Love concludes its annual 30 Days of Love celebration with a worship on Valentine's Day. This year's worship touches on themes we've held together with UU the Vote. You can tune in at 5 pm via Facebook or Youtube.  
25% Sunday Plate Fund: Nomination Process for 2021-2022
Applications available March 1
Application deadline April 15
The process for nominating our next local non-profit agency to receive 25% of Sunday non-pledge plate collections is approaching. An application form with guidelines will become available on March 1, 2021 for those who would like to nominate an agency to receive the funds from July 2021 – June 2022. The application deadline will be April 15th, after which the Social Justice Funds Committee will choose three nominee finalists for the congregation to vote on at the spring congregational meeting on June 6th.

Our contributions to the current recipient, Monroe County United Ministries Compass Early Learning Center, is $3814 in the first two fiscal quarters (with 2 more quarters to go!). The total donated to Volunteers in Medicine, last year’s recipient, was $8323! What local non-profit agency would you like to see be our next recipient?

Contact Denise Ogren, SJFC Chair, at uucbsjfunds (at) uubloomington.org with any questions.
Writing as a Spiritual Practice, with Rev. Barbara Child
A Drop-in Group on Zoom
Tuesdays 1-2 pm, through February 23 
I invite you to come along on this journey of personal exploration through writing in community. You are welcome to attend any or all sessions. Click here for a full description of how the group works. Register by clicking here to get the Zoom link. 
Visit with the Connections Coordinator every Friday at 3:30 pm
Join the Connections Coordinator, Ann LeDuc, on Zoom every Friday. Ask your questions, or just visit. Newcomers and current congregation members are all welcome to drop-in. Additional ways to contact Ann are via email at connect(at)uubloomington.org or phone at (812) 720-3688.
Use this link to drop-in and talk to Ann on Friday afternoons, 3:30-4:30 pm.
COVID-19 Vaccination News
  • Information about joining a standby wait list for possible unused doses of vaccine at the end of a vaccination clinic day can be found here: Vaccine Standby Waitlist Information
  • Anyone in Indiana age 65 or older can now sign up for the vaccine. Register here or call Area 10 Agency on Aging at (812) 876-3383.
Help Keep Beacon Winter Shelter Open
Concerned Bloomington community quickly came together to create the Beacon Winter Shelter. Now it's up to us to keep it open. Click here for details about how you can help. Donations may be placed in the bins on the north side of the church that are labeled Beacon Winter Shelter.
You can also donate financially via Beacon's PayPal page. Or, if you are writing a check, make it payable to "Beacon, Inc." and mail it to Beacon, Inc., Donations, PO Box 451 / 620 S. Walnut Street, Bloomington, IN 47402-0451. Be sure to write Winter Shelter in the memo. Note: This is not a fundraiser for our Homeless task force, but an encouragement for people to support the shelter directly.
Help Feed Our Hungry Neighbors Task Force
Collecting Kitchen Items for New Hope for Families
For JANUARY & FEBRUARY our food drive will focus on New Hope for Families. We often think of food for those in need, but we overlook kitchen items that enable people to COOK the food. For a list of needed items, click here.
Deadline for submissions to the Order of service and Friday UU Update
Thursday, 9 am, to office(at)uubloomington.org
Masthead photo by Mandy Skinner.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Indiana
Mailing address during covid:
UU Church, PO Box 1158,
Nashville, Indiana 47448-1158