THIS SUNDAY'S SERVICE

The Rev. Kimberlee Tomczak Carlson, Minister of Religious Education

Alissa Rhode, Lead Music Director

Paul Kosidowski, Worship Associate

Rev. Mishra-Marzetti serves as Senior Minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor, MI. He is a co-editor of a newly-released Skinner House anthology of prayers, Conversations with the Sacred. He is also a co-editor of the 2018-2019 UUA common read, Justice on Earth: People of Faith Working at the Intersections of Race, Class, and the Environment. He has served extensively in Unitarian Universalist leadership, including as a member of the UUA Board of Trustees; President of DRUUMM (our UU people of color organization, Diverse and Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries); Commissioner on the UUA Commission on Appraisal, co-authoring its report "Engaging Our Theological Diversity"; Secretary of the Board of Starr King School for the Ministry; and as an author and advocate of the 2007 General Assembly resolution confronting gender identity-related discrimination. He brings to the ministry his multicultural experience serving as a U.S. diplomat during the Clinton administration.

JOIN THE SERVICE LIVE ON FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY YOUTUBE HERE.

ZOOM COFFEE HOUR AT 11:00. Once you enter the Zoom meeting, Lynne will coordinate smaller groups of five or six for conversation. Members, guests, visitors are all welcome! Bring your own coffee. Link to Join HERE.

SANCTUARY REFLECTIONS AT 11:00. Feel moved by the Sunday worship service? Want to spend time reflecting with others? Come to Sanctuary Reflections every Sunday. We reflect on three questions and share our experiences with each other. Joyful, enriching, connecting. Just drop in. Join on Zoom HERE.

SUNDAY MORNING FORUM AT 11:00 A.M.  

“Care. No Matter What,” presented by Molly Lancelot, Community Education Manager at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.

Molly Lancelot will discuss how PPWI is moving forward after this contentious and exhausting election season. She is also excited to discuss the first month of PPWI’s new clinical services after its state-wide launch of Gender Affirming Services, including hormone therapy. While COVID-19 has shrunk PPWI’s world and contacts, it has used this time to figure out how to better reach supporters by virtual means. PPWI health services are expanding and they are committed to Care. No Matter What! On Zoom & YouTube Live HERE. 

SEND US A CANDLELIT PHOTO OF YOU FOR CHRISTMAS EVE! While we cannot be together in person on Christmas Eve, we can be together in spirit. Please email us a photo of you and your household we will use in our Christmas Eve service. Send us a photo of you (whole households together!), in the dark, holding a lit candle(s), like we do at our Christmas Eve services. Bonus points for holiday spirit in the photo! One photo per household, please. Additional photos make our sorting work more difficult. Please send photos by Wednesday, December 9.

HOME GRIEF KITS AVAILABLE. We now have “Home Grief Kits” available to support congregation members who are grieving a death in this time of physical distancing during pandemic. It’s a simple bag of supplies and instructions to create a sacred space at home to remember your loved one. Special thanks to First Church members Elizabeth Martorell and Katy Phillips who assembled the kits, and to Rev. Leah Ongiri from Fox Valley UU Fellowship who shared her idea.

If you would like a home grief kit, please contact Rev. Dena at dena.mcphetres@uumilwaukee.org and she will arrange a time to deliver one to your home while following COVID-19 precautions.

VIRTUAL HOLIDAY CHOIR FORMING. All First Church members and friends (high school age and up) are invited to join our 2020 Virtual Holiday Choir. You will be given instructions on how to submit your video. There will be Zoom opportunities for help recording if you need assistance. If you are interested in joining this holiday season, or have questions about our virtual choir ensemble, please contact Choral Director Tristan Strelitzer at tristan.strelitzer@uumilwaukee.org no later than December 5.

GIVE THE GIFT OF CREATIVITY: ART SUPPLY DONATION DRIVE. This year, our RE program is committed to giving back to the community, especially children whose needs have become invisible during the pandemic. Milwaukee Center for Children and Youth has asked us to create art kits to distribute to the children they work with for school and self-expression. We are collecting donations by using an Amazon wish list of curated new art items. To donate to MCCY art kits, visit our Amazon Wishlist:https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/32WKWAWWV28B7?ref_=wl_share. Choose an item to purchase and ship to our collection point.

MCCY's programming addresses gaps in services for under-served and impoverished populations in Milwaukee. The organization offers advocacy services, as well as educational, life-skills, and art-based groups, and much more. Learn about the organization at www.mccy.org.

DIGITAL OUTREACH COORDINATOR HIRED. Jean and Jennifer are excited to announce that we have hired Molly Sommerhalder as our part time Digital Outreach Coordinator. Molly has 11 years of experience as public relations specialist at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. She also owns a business as a certified wellness coach and yoga teacher. The DOC will use digital and social media platforms to enhance the church’s outreach and engagement goals. Molly will also support Jennifer with the Social Justice Council and Anti-Racism Teams. She will begin working remotely next week. Please give her a warm welcome when she reaches out to you about church work.

ZOOM FAREWELL PARTY FOR JANET AND MARLOWE NORTROM. Join First Church members and friends Friday, December 4 at 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. for a Zoom Farewell Party for Janet and Marlowe Nortrom before they move to Tennessee to be near family. Drop in to share stories of the Nortrom’s 49-year involvement with First Church. Click here to receive the link to attend.

In lieu of signing a card or book with well wishes and memories, we will use Kudoboard as an online replacement. Help create the Kudoboard by contributing messages, GIFs, photos, or videos: Click Here to Visit Janet & Marlowe’s Nortrom’s Kudoboard!

ADVENT CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE – LECTIO DIVINA. Drop-in for one session or join us for all four sessions. Friday mornings, Nov. 27, Dec. 4, 11 & 18, 9:00-10:00 a.m. Lectio Divina is an ancient monastic practice of exploring one’s own responses to the scriptures. This Advent season Molly Schiffler and Lynne Jacoby are hosting a weekly UU version of this contemplative practice. Whether you hear the Christian Bible as poetry, as dangerous, as radically visionary, or just as text that has greatly influenced Western European culture, almost all of us have some response to it. Coming up to the high holiday of Christianity is a great time to explore yours. Click here for the Zoom information.

JOIN THE CAST OF THE HOLIDAY PAGEANT: SIGN UP BY DECEMBER 6. This year, our children and youth will tell the timeless story of the birth of Jesus. The holiday pageant is a joy- filled worship service featuring wonderful music and a UU reinterpretation of the Christmas story with its core message of peace and love. Sign up at https://bit.ly/UUpageant2020 to claim a part. Casting is first come first serve. Roles include angels, shepherds and more and are limited in number. There are five speaking roles available and any number of children may participate as animals! Scenes will be pre-recorded during December, and the complete pageant will be streamed during the 10:00 a.m. service on December 20.

HOLIDAY GIVING TREE BY DECEMBER 4. We have a short window to be a part of our local Holiday Giving Tree through United Way this year. Let’s help ensure individuals that may otherwise go without have something to open this holiday. We are inviting you to contribute $30 towards filling a gift wish. Donations will all be used to purchase and directly ship the requested gift to the participating nonprofits for distribution to the individuals and families they serve. Whenever possible, United Way plans to purchase gifts from Black-owned businesses, small businesses, and women-owned businesses in our region. Please consider making a donation by using this link https://www.unitedwaygmwc.org/First-Unitarian-Society-of-Milwaukee-Holiday-Giving-Tree

50TH ANNIVERSARY LUNCH FOR INTERFAITH CONFERENCE. Join us Thursday, December 3 for this virtual 50th Anniversary celebration luncheon. Featuring "Undoing Historical Harm: Faith, Race and Politics," a conversation with Dr. Reggie Williams. $25 donation requested. To purchase tickets and for more information visit www.Interfaithconference.org.

FIND EVENTS ON OUR WEBSITE. Check out our website events pages uumilwaukee.org for several drop-in, online activities for friends and members. Click "Join Us" on the specific event page, enter your name and email address, and you will immediately receive an email with the Zoom link. It's easy and secure to click on the "Join Us" button anytime you need the link. Here are some of the events;

COVID CANDLE ON SUNDAYS. Because of the ways our lives are touched by loss and grief during the global pandemic, we have a simple ritual during Sunday worship called the “COVID Candle” when it is needed. During this unique time, when people cannot gather with their family and community to mourn, we offer to light the COVID Candle for any death of a loved one of one of our members. If you have had a loved one die from COVID-19, or any other cause of death, and would like the COVID Candle lit in their honor during Sunday worship, please contact Rev. Dena.

Religious Education Information Newsletter

WATCH SUNDAY SERVICES ONLINE AND SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS! You can watch Sunday Services live on Facebook or view a recorded version at any time. We will livestream this Sunday service at 10:00 a.m.

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SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLES & ANNOUNCEMENTS. Please use these helpful forms which will ensure receipt by the correct staff and a confirmation email to you. If you have questions about the forms, please contact Shari Wright at shari.wright@uumilwaukee.org. Also find links to these forms on the church website under the Members tab.

For weekly Announcements and the monthly Chanticleer, use our forms:

Announcements: https://uumilwaukee.org/announcement-submissions/

Chanticleer: https://uumilwaukee.org/chanticleer-submission/

For Facebook or website posts, please contact: jean.johnson@uumilwaukee.org.