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In-person & Zoom Worship Service

This year the UUCR stewardship team has invited us to consider how we hold our center during trying times. How do we each hold onto our core values when times are challenging? Where do we turn for fresh ideas and connection? Join Rev. Sue Browning as we reflect on the ways UUCR is making a difference in our lives and in the world during unprecedented times.

Jim Lavin, chair of the Finance Committee, will be doing a combined in-person and Zoom presentation of the proposed Fiscal Year 2023 budget immediately after the worship service. A question and answer period will follow. The Zoom link will be a continuation of that used for the worship service.

So we can begin the worship service promptly at 10 am, please sign into Zoom (click here) by no later than 9:50 am.

If not attending the service either in person, or by Zoom, please submit "Joys and Concerns" and "Announcements" in advance by emailing them to the UUCR office (click here) by 9 pm Saturday.

Sunday, February 27 — In-person & Zoom

I certainly hope that all of you enjoyed a sweet Valentine’s Day. Many thanks to our PROC team, Jane Hardy, John Ramsey, David Biehler, and Elisabeth Tully, for organizing this tasty event again this year. We are also grateful to the many volunteers who baked, packed, handed out, and delivered those special red cookie cartons!

I loved the label, “We’d crumble without you,” on the cookie carton. How timely for the kick-off of our Stewardship Campaign this Sunday whose theme is “Holding Our Center in Trying Times”. This congregation is amazing! Throughout these difficult Covid times, we have presented a Sunday service each and every week. Members of our congregation have stepped up to learn Zoom and other technologies to make our services accessible to those who choose not to, or cannot, attend in person. Through the Membership, Caring, and Pastoral Care Committees we have reached out to check on and support our members and friends. The creativity and commitment to keeping our spiritual community alive has been undaunted.

Now our Stewardship Team (Jackie Mathwich, Catherine Brooks, Joy Kim, and Peggy McKee) is asking all of us to make a financial commitment for the next fiscal year. We at UUCR have held our center. We have not crumbled. We are moving ahead into a brighter future. I have made my pledge and I hope you will join me.

Cheers,

Jackie Mathwich, Catherine Brooks, Joy Kim, and Peggy McKee

Since we have reopened our doors, we are receiving an increased number of requests to utilize the church for in-person meetings (both from within UUCR and from outside organizations). Please contact Jim Lavin for approval, and Darlene Wiggers for scheduling, to avoid any conflicts or disruptions to meetings. Also, if you need help scheduling a meeting on UUCR's Zoom account, please contact Jim Lavin jmlavin@gmail.com, John Ramsey johnramsey1948@gmail.com, David Biehler dabiehler@aol.com, or Darlene Wiggers uuofchesterriver@gmail.com.

Some meetings at the church already on the calendar:

We currently have $800.00 worth of Acme grocery cards available in the following denominations: 4 - $100, 8 - $50. These will be sold on a first come, first served basis and once gone, UUCR will discontinue selling grocery cards. Please help tie-up this loose end by purchasing the remaining cards as soon as possible. THANKS!

UUCR needs a few good folks to join our Tech Team. We are so grateful to Jim Lavin, John Ramsey, and David Biehler for facilitating our hybrid and Zoom Sunday services for more than a year now. These fellows need some help so they don’t have to cover every Sunday. If you enjoy working with computers, cameras, and techie things, please volunteer to help with this important work. Our Tech gurus will be happy to train you.

With the Stewardship Campaign in full swing there’s no better time to think about the non-monetary contributions you can make to UUCR. A financial commitment is important and an intellectual one is as well.

The church is doing so many wonderful things, even through very challenging times. Each activity, no matter how large or small is a testament to our desire to come together and make a commitment to our community.

The LDC asks that you consider how you might participate on a committee, as a trustee, and/or a part of our community leadership. We welcome volunteers, if you want to do more, contact Amy Warner, Diane Shields, or M.Q. Riding. In the coming weeks, we will be asking members to sign on to a role to help UUCR deliver its mission. Will you answer the call?

In faith, Amy, Diane, & M.Q.

Saturday, March 19, we will be holding a Precious Metals Event at the church that will raise funds with your donations of silver, gold, and coins. So start searching for those single earrings, high school rings, gold and silver jewelry, and silver serving pieces that you never use. We'll provide more details in the future, but don't hesitate to contact Lynn Dolinger or Gerry Edwards with questions. We'll also put brochures from the appraiser in the church office.

Thanks, Lynn and Gerry

Our Time is Now (published June 2020) is a comprehensive review of the election system by Stacey Abrams. We will have a UUCR/UUFE discussion of this book and opportunities to address voting rights on Sunday, Feb. 20 from 4 – 5:30 p.m. (on Zoom).

The Zoom link is:

UUFE's Social Justice Pod is offering interactive sessions on gender education that will be offered in two parts, available either in-person or by Zoom. For your comfort, none will be recorded.

Please register in advance CLICK TO REGISTER . Registration is limited to 15 participants.

Questions? Please contact Emily Cranwell at emilycranwell@hotmail.com

If you don't see "END of REFLECTIONS for February 17, 2022" at the very end of this email, you're not seeing the entire email. To view it to the end please Click here

Gayle Folger, Nancy Holland, and Vida Morley

24 - Philip Dutton

25 - Les Palmer

27 - Laura Mitchell

We want to help celebrate your birthday! If we didn't include your birthday, please contact the UUCR office by email (click here).