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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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A note from Guy...
Good day, friends -
Again our upcoming Sunday Service is a work in progress as Rev. Cathy and the Service Coordinators prepare material that helps us continue to process the egregious events in Washington, DC last week.
Information and Zoom links for Services on Friday evening (tomorrow) and Sunday. In addition to the weekly Ministerial Search Team report, Renée is back from her week off and gives us some links to thought-provoking words and music, and Claire encourages kids to join us for RE on Sunday morning. There's a financial report following yesterday's Finance Committee and Board meetings. There are the weekly calendar and various opportunities for small group interaction & learning in both Adult RE Director Alison Ernst's piece below and in Mary Van Valin's announcement in the Bulletin (where you'll also see the weekly State Theatre notice and other important announcements or info).
In this week's End Note is a chillingly appropriate quotation from 1700s France, but it might as well have been written in 2021 USA.
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Sunday's Service
1.17.2021
"Seeds of Peace, Hidden Heroes of History"
_____________________________________ For Sunday's Service the Zoom link is here.
The Service is at 10:30 AM but you can begin
signing in at 10:00 AM to visit.
Friends:
Once again we step away from the planned theme for Sunday's Service and continue to share words and music that help us continue to process the unprecedented and historical events in our nation's capital over the past week. Please join us Sunday morning!
Rev. Cathy
Again, the Zoom link for SUNDAY SERVICE is
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Vespers
Join us on Friday evenings for a calming time of
music, contemplation, poetry, and inspiration.
This Friday, January 15, 2021 at 8:00 PM
Begin signing in at 7:30 to visit
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MINISTERIAL SEARCH TEAM REPORT
Out of sight, out of mind? No! Not at all! Whether we see you via Zoom or don't see you at all, you are always on our mind as we dive deeper and deeper into discernment. We want you to know that there is good interest on both sides of the search. Keep the faith!
And to keep you satisfied until there is more to share, follow the link to hear Willie Nelson singing You Are Always on My Mind...
Your team,
Mary, Geoff, Charles, Dusty, Jim, Chris, Jan
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 MUSIC: A FEW NOTES
This week I found myself sitting here with no clear direction of what to share as my heart and head are both full and empty at the same time. Perhaps you understand the feeling? So, I thought I would instead share a few poignant things I found along the way in my search to offer some words and music of meaning regarding this auspicious moment in time and the week that opens us again to the influence of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 
- from Claire Crandell -
On Sunday January 17th we will have a "wonder-filled" Religious Education gathering and the theme is
"LET WONDER WASH OVER YOU"!
RE is a time of sharing our week with one another, seeing our UU friends, having fun and learning something new. This Sunday we will watch a short video, discuss what we think about wonder and gratitude in our lives, and play a game. We will also talk about MLK Day.
We look forward to seeing as many of you wonderful youth as can come! We miss you!
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 FINANCIAL REPORT
As of December 31, 2020
(50% of fiscal year)
Current Year (2020-2021) Prior Year (2019-2020)
Budget: Inc Rec'd YTD $122,315* 45.1% $154,659* 58.7%
Budget: Exp's Pd YTD $140,111 50.7% $120,936 45.9%
"For Those in Need" $ 5,275 $ 6,146
*Income for 2020-2021 is less than 2019-2020 due to an accounting change that recognized prepaid pledges for 2020-2021 in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Approximately $32,000 in excess income for 2019-2020 is on the balance sheet in our operating account and can be used to offset future losses, should they occur.
Budgeted income includes the total of all pledged and unpledged donations and miscellaneous income...continue reading.
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UPCOMING ADULT RE OPPORTUNITIES
Antiracism workshops:
Co-facilitated by Alison Ernst and Rev. Cathy Harrington
WHAT: Reading and Writing Whiteness, using the text White Fragility by
Robin Diangelo.
WHO: You and your non-UU friends - please invite others to participate
WHEN: Thursdays 6:30 - 8 p.m, 6-week session, February 4 through March 11
WHAT: How to be an Anti Racists by Ibram Kendi
WHO: Anyone who has taken previous antiracism workshops
WHEN: Tuesdays 6:30 - 8 p.m., 6-week session, February 2 through March 9
WHO: Anyone interested in exploring aspects of unitarian faith
WHEN: One a month, based on participant group's availability
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You can access
the calendar online
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Thu Jan 14 (Yup. Tonight!)
7:00 PM VE Rehearsal with Renée Russell. Zoom link here. Passcode 486391
Fri Jan 15
8:00 PM Vespers. Begin signing in at 7:30. Zoom link here.
Sun Jan 17 10:00 AM Sunday Service. Sign in starting at 10:00. Zoom link is here.
Mon Jan 18
Tue Jan 19
1:30 PM Sunday Svcs Comm/Coords
3:00 PM Leadership Development Committee
12:00 PM Rev. Cathy Virtual Office hours (until 1:30), Zoom link here.
Thu Jan 21
1:30 PM Peacemakers Needleworkers
2:00 PM Congregational Care Team via Zoom.
By that time you'll have your next Flash!
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UUCGT Bulletin Board
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A LONG-OVERDUE MEA CULPA
Barbara Gibson - long an active and highly valued member of the Congregational Care Team, was inadvertently left out of the list of that group's members in this month's Beacon. Congregational Care Chair Joanie Jackson felt terrible about this, and asked me to include Barb's name in a recent Flash, and this time I was the one who dropped the ball.
So: apologies from the team, and when you next talk to Barbara thank her for contributions. And an apology from me: Barbara, you are loved!
GROWING YOURSELF UP
Joining a small group can have many benefits beyond the subject anchoring the group. One of the most important to us is finding and building a safe and trusting community. Being together for learning can add to our daily lives - spiritually, socially, and intellectually. We can learn and practice careful listening skills to better enhance our Healthy Congregation principles. All these and more can be part of belonging to a small group.
Sylvia Walworth and Susan Lio and I are offering a study of the book Growing Yourself Up by Jennifer Brown. The books are available for perusal with just a call to me. The group will first meet on Tuesday, February 16th at 7 p.m. We will then choose a time and day that works for everyone.
Please consider joining us for this guided study of ourselves in the world today. Call or e-mail me for more information or to sign up.
MEN'S GROUP and THE STATE & BIJOU THEATRES
We all want to see the State Theatre and other local institutions
looking like this again. We might even want to be there!
Well, Mark Gustafson and the Men's Group have this to say about that:
In this time of pain and stress, I was thinking about what Jimmy Carter said 1979. He implied that there was a "malaise" affecting America, a crisis in confidence. And Jimmy didn't know about our present political climate. Well, I feel that crisis now. So what do we do? For one thing we could help the State and Bijou Theatres come back to life. These movie theatres are the heart and soul of downtown Traverse City. They show movies that make us laugh and cry and think. They give us joy! How can we help? We can give money! Our UU Men's group is having a fundraiser starting now and through January to help our theatres survive.
If you would like to participate, please
make your checks out to TCFF
and send them to:
Mark Gustafson
1111 Lake Ridge Drive # 201
Traverse City, Mi. 49684.
The Wednesday dinner group has tried to stay connected these past months, socially distanced picnicking in the UU parking lot when we could, on ZOOM when it was rainy. We are going to weekly ZOOM now, 5:30 every Wednesday. If you would like to join us, contact Mike and Sandra McDonald for the ZOOM invite. You may bring your glass of wine.
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"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."
François-Marie Arouet,
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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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