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Congregational
Mission
Statement
We are a Congregation creating a better world by nurturing the heart and expanding the mind.
We provide a safe, caring community where all can freely explore diverse religious thought.
We work for justice and equality with the power of compassion and compassionate power.
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UUCGT Quicklinks
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If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter
the Beacon
please contact
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THIS SUNDAY:
Don't be late for the Service!
Set your clocks forward as necessary before going to bed on Saturday night; Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 AM Sunday March 14th.
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THIS SUNDAY:
For the Service, the Zoom link is here.
The Service is a little longer on Sunday so plan to begin with breakout rooms before the Service.
Sign in at 10:00 AM to visit!
Sunday's Service
3.14.2021
"Loved into Being"
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"Faith in Unitarian Universalism isn't just an intellectual exercise: it's 'heart' work."
Dear Ones,
I hope you will join us this Sunday for a special service, "Loved into Being." It's a service created by a six-person worship team as a "pandemic year" gift for all UU congregations and includes a sermon and a wonderful story told by UUA President, Susan Frederick-Gray. It has been a long and challenging year for everyone, and this is the second full service the UUA has offered to congregations as a gift for weary worship teams who have worked hard to create meaningful virtual services for an entire year. It is a beautiful service with vibrant music, storytelling, and other worship elements that will help us grow in spirit, in courage, and in generosity.
The service will be about an hour and fifteen minutes long, so instead of breakout rooms after the service we invite you to join us at 10 am for breakout rooms. Perhaps in your breakout rooms, you can share with one another about a time when you felt "loved into being," affirmed, heard, seen, and/or supported at UUCGT. Or perhaps you can share a time when you offered that gift to someone of being supported, affirmed, or loved into being through your commitment to Unitarian Universalist values and ideals.
And March 21st will mark the close of our stewardship campaign to sustain and grow Unitarian Universalism in the Grand Traverse area and beyond for 2021-2022. We are halfway to our goal thanks to the generosity of so many. Please, if you haven't made your financial commitment to UUCGT remember to do so. These are extraordinary times that call for extraordinary efforts. As Susan Frederick-Gray said, "This is no time for a casual faith."
See you in church!
L, Cathy
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Again, the Zoom link for SUNDAY SERVICE is
and included in your Sunday Morning "Reminder" Flash.
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Vespers for Peace
Join us on Friday evenings for a calming time of
music, contemplation, poetry, and inspiration.
Tomorrow, this Friday, March 12, 2021 at 8:00 PM
Begin signing in at 7:30 to visit
There is a NEW ZOOM LINK for the Vespers Service:
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 MINISTERIAL SEARCH TEAM REPORT
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After more than seven months of work by your search team, with your support and encouragement, the goal is in sight. It is no longer a matter of months, but rather weeks, until we submit an offer and hope for a match. If our chosen candidate chooses us and negotiations are successful, we will take a deep breath of gratitude and happily let you know that we have a candidate. Until then, we extend our deep appreciation to you for your patience and for putting your faith in us.
Your Team,
Mary, Geoff, Charles, Dusty, Jim, Chris, Jan
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
from Claire Crandell
The Unitarian Universalist Association encourages us to ask questions and being curious. We encourage people to ask questions of wonder. We support people as they ask questions of doubt. Last week we talked about how each of us can discover answers that feel good in our hearts, but we also agreed that probably as we get older our questions and understandings will change.
UU faith encourages us to NEVER lose our commitment to being curious! We briefly talked about the microcosm and the macrocosm and then looked at a picture to be curious and guess what it was.
Next week we were asked to bring a picture we drew or a picture we took of an object that others have to guess what it is. And, we were encouraged to bring and share one very "deep" question about life we have been thinking about.
See you all then!
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Guy and Renée have both been battling sinus infections this week, so among other abbreviations, no "Notes" on Music at UUCGT today. Also: no Zoom rehearsal for the VE this evening. However both of us, along with others, are excited about sharing our version of a "Guy Noir" story next week! (And who better to play Guy Noir than . . . well, you can probably guess.)
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The 2021 - 2022 Pledge Drive is now in its fourth week and progressing toward our "New Beginnings" goal of $300,000. This is the estimated amount our Finance Committee expects we will need to achieve to support our new Minister and all the wonderful programs that have been going on for many years and/or are being developed and grown: much interest in expanding our Music, Social Justice and Adult RE programs was expressed in the recent surveys. Thank you to the seventy-five pledging units who have returned their pledge forms as of March 9 for a total of $152,904 or 51% of our goal.
This data also shows that 38.5% of you still have not returned your pledge forms. Our Pledge Drive will conclude with Celebration Sunday on March 21st. We hope that all of you return your pledge forms prior to that date and help us achieve our goal for which we still need $147,096. If you have misplaced your pledge form, an electronic version is in the March Beacon and various Flashes you recently received. (There are links below as well!) If you need a hard copy, call Guy at the office and he will be able to provide one.
As you fill out your pledge forms, think about the New Beginnings our expanded programs will bring to you and our community. What is the value of UUCGT Nurturing your Heart and Expanding your Mind? Please share as generously as you can!
If you have any questions please contact one of us on the Stewardship Team.
John Hoffmann, Alison Kadlec, Karl Keinath, Jon Luoma,
Mary Anne Rivers, and Rick Walter
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You can access the entire calendar online HERE;
for now here are some important links...
Fri 03.12.21
1:00 PM Rehearsal for Sunday Service. Zoom and passcode avail from
Sunday Service Committee Chair.
8:00 PM Friday evening Vespers Service. NEW Zoom link is
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82849027748
Sun 03.14.21
10:30 AM Regular Sunday Service. Begin signing in at 10:00 for
breakout rooms BEFORE the Service!
Wed 03.17.21 - Don't forget:
12:00 PM Rev. Cathy's virtual office hours are Wednesdays, 12:00 -
1:30 PM.
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Please continue to give to For Those in Need
in our virtual "collection baskets".
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End Note (with special thanks to Claire Crandell):
you cannot stand outside it and define it;
you must enter into it,
be it, and feel it."
(1915-1973, British Zen Buddhist Teacher)
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The UUCGT building is closed until further notice;
however the office is again staffed (at least) Tuesday-Friday, 9am-3pm.
Stay up to date on the UUCGT website
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