Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, IN |
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UU Car Choir Rehearsal Saturday, April 3 at 11:30 a.m.
The inimitable UU Car Choir will rehearse tomorrow, Saturday, April 3 at 11:30 a.m. sharp, in their cars, in the parking lot!
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Sunday, April 4, 2021
10:15 am Livestream
Alleluia: An Easter Celebration
Reverend Lynnda White (guest)
Reverend Mary Ann Macklin
Reverend Dave Clements
Reverend Emily Manvel Leite
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From our colleague Reverend Richard Gilbert: “A tomb is no place to stay, Be it a cave in the Judaean hills, Or the dark cavern of the spirit.” Alleluia. Let us sing together. Join us this Sunday for our Easter Service Celebration, in which we will hear reflections from ministers regarding the Easter experience in our lives. We will be joined by our Car Choir directed by Reverend Dr. Susan Swaney. Alleluia. Let us sing together. And during our Time for All Ages, we will have our beloved Child Dedication. Alleluia! |
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Early Bird Coffee Hour
-- Ann LeDuc, Connections Coordinator
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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.
Breakout Rooms this Sunday:
- The theme of "Becoming" and the 8th Principle
- Choir
- General Discussion
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UU Humanist Forum Meets April 4, 12:45 pm
The UU Humanist Forum will meet this Sunday at 12:45 p.m. via Zoom. Sandy Dolby will lead a discussion on "Why do we tolerate misogyny?" Contact Ann Watzel, awatzel(at)gmail.com to get the link to the Zoom meeting.
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Are you new here?
If you are new to our congregation, a very warm welcome to you!
This Sunday, April 4, at 2:00 pm you are invited to join in a brief (~20 minute) introduction to Unitarian Universalism and this congregation. Just click on this link at 2 PM on Sunday. If you have questions, you are always welcome to email me at connect(at)uubloomington.org or call me at (812) 720-3688. Welcome!
-- Ann LeDuc, Connections Coordinator
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Our Pledge Drive for 2021-22 Has Begun!
Our goal is $675,000 and we have received pledges totaling $70,000 so far. Thank you to everyone who has pledged since Sunday, March 28! Now it is up to you, the rest of the members and friends of this congregation, to decide what we are able to do going forward as a congregation.
There are lots of ways you can make your pledge to the church.
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You can pledge online at http://bit.ly/Sunshine2122
- You can mail your pledge card to the church. (We are mailing you one on Monday)
- You can call the church mobile 812-287-9615, or text 812-287-9615, or send an email with your pledge amount, to Church Administrator Carol Marks, admin (at) uubloomington.org.
OR
On Sunday, April 18 from 3PM to 6PM, you can come to the church for our outdoor Sunshine Spectacular! Turn in your paper pledge card, partake of delicious sunshine cookies, be a part of an Earth Day plant giveaway, listen to the phenomenal UU Car Choir, and pick up the fabulous Ray of Sunshine CD, along with other excellent surprises (Please check the box on the pledge card if you want the CD, and include the extra $20.00 in your total pledge amount).
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION UPDATES |
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8th Principle Conversation
Sunday, April 4, 11:30 am
Join us to explore the theme of Becoming and the 8th Principle during coffee hour at 11:30 am via Zoom on Sunday, April 4th in the 8th Principle Breakout Room.
UU Virtual Easter Egg Hunt 2021 Begins Saturday!
The UU Virtual Easter Egg Hunt 2021 will go live Saturday, April 3, 2021 - the day before Easter - and remain active throughout April. This way, you can spend the whole month exploring the UU net (did you know a UU actually invented the World Wide Web?)!
Until we meet again, Hoppy Easter!
Adrienne Summerlot, dre (at) uubloomington.org
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Our Folks . . .
Our hearts are with Valerie Jones and her family upon the passing of Valerie's father, Art Voyles. Art passed away on March 25th, surrounded by family at his home. His children all feel very fortunate to have had their wonderful dad for 84 years.
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We welcome new babies and adopted children!
Are you expecting a new baby or adopted child in your family, or know a UU who is? If so, please let us know! We want to welcome all new children to our UU family. Just email Ann at connect(at)uubloomington.org and let her know about the new baby or adopted child.
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Next Steps in Transition (NEST)
Update on Eventual Transition to In-Person Gatherings at Church
The Next Steps in Transition (NEST) working group is continuing to meet on a bi-monthly basis to create guidelines for the church’s transitions to in-person gatherings. As more and more of the congregation is able to get vaccinated, and as the weather warms up, we feel more acutely the desire to be together in person again. The NEST working group wants to make sure that as a congregation we do that safely, using the best science, and taking into consideration the most vulnerable among us.
We are currently working on putting together guidelines as to how we will make decisions to have in-person contact. This includes looking at recommendations from the CDC, the UUA, and our own Monroe County health department. Information is changing all the time, and we want to make sure we have a system in place that can work with these changes. Once we have put together guidelines, we will send them out to groups within the congregation for feedback on how they might be implemented, and how they would have an impact on folks.
On Sunday, March 21, we held a listening group during coffee hour to get ideas from the congregation as to what a transition might look like. We got a lot of good feedback from those that attended. We will continue to have monthly listening sessions and invite everyone to participate and share ideas. You can also email Abby Gitlitz (agitlitz (at) hotmail.com) or Jane McLeod (jmcleod (at) indiana.edu) with any ideas, comments, concerns, or resources you might have about the transition.
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From the Reverend Bill
Regarding the founders of our own congregation: my appreciation for their commitment to, and concern for, the world in which we live calls me to do all that I can do to further the ministry of this congregation. I am honored to be Minister Emeritus of this community, and I trust we will all do what we can to make this year’s pledge drive a success as we look forward to the days ahead when we can gather once again in our sacred sanctuary, our safe place for all who choose to come.
Alas and alack! The preacher misspoke! In my message last Sunday I erroneously stated that the parents of Guy Loftman were founding members of our congregation. Guy’s ears, having been finely tuned to catch discrepancies in deposition testimonies, called to correct the error. Let the record show that Rick and Min Loftman, as they were lovingly known, were founding members of the Unitarian Church of Newark, Delaware, but moved to Bloomington in 1975, and were strong supporters of our congregation for the rest of their lives.
Peace,
bill
Reverend Bill Breeden, Minister Emeritus
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Sunshine Sharing Cookie Crew
We are seeking cookie bakers of all ages to bring a little sunshine to our Pledge Drive celebration on April 18--if you would have fun helping us make dozens of sun-shaped roll cookies, we'll provide the cookie cutters and logistical support. Contact Reverend Emily to join in: mre(at)uubloomington.org
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Congregational Read: Discussions & Resources
Facilitated groups will be discussing Part Five: The Consequences of Caste the week of Sunday, April 4th.
The UU Online Book Club will continue their discussion of Caste on Monday, April 5th at 6:30 p.m. Sign up for the Zoom link: UU Book Club Registration
There will be a Virtual Coffee Hour discussion of Parts 4 and 5 following the service Sunday, April 11th. Everyone is invited! Discussion prompts will be included in next week’s Friday Update.
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The 2021 Annual Goods and Services Auction
Needs YOU! Be Creative!
Auction is April 25-May 2
Donation Deadline April 11
Our goal for the auction this year is $12,000 and we are looking for more outdoor dinners or events. What kind of masked, safely distanced outdoor gathering could you offer? Maybe it’s a birdwatching hike, a backyard concert, a “bring your own instrument” sing along, or maybe punch on the patio. Consider adding a rain date. Let's have fun and raise some $$ for UUCB. The deadline for completing donation forms is 4/11. Click here for the donation form. Email Debbie Fish schoolofdfish (at) gmail.com, Ann LeDuc connect (at) uubloomington.org or Sarah Kopper Kopper.sarah (at) gmail.com if you want to talk over your ideas.
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25% Sunday Plate Fund: Nomination Process for 2021-2022
Applications available -- deadline April 15
The process for nominating our next local non-profit agency to receive 25% of Sunday non-pledge plate collections has begun. An application form with guidelines is available here: Social Justice Funds Committee: 25% Sunday Plate Fund. The application deadline is April 15th.
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Visit with the Connections Coordinator Fridays at 3:30 pm
Join the Connections Coordinator, Ann LeDuc, on Zoom Fridays, 3:30-4:30 pm. Ask your questions, or just visit. Everyone is 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 Fridays at 3:30 p.m.
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Vaccinations available for age 16 and older!
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Sleep Out on April 30
So Others Don't Have To
We need your help to keep Friend's Place, Beacon's overnight shelter, open for another year. Friday, April 30 at 8:00 p.m. through Saturday, May at 8:00 a.m. we are asking folks to sleep out to raise funds and awareness for people experiencing homelessness. Get your friends and family to sponsor your sleep-out with a financial gift. To participate:
2. Contact friends and family to sponsor your sleepout
3. Sleep out on April 30
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Beacon Winter Shelter
From now until May 1, the winter shelter needs the following supplies:
- BOTTLED WATER
- HEALTHY SNACKS
- HEAVY DUTY TRASH BAGS
Drop off bins are at the church, near the Portico entrance, north side. Thanks, from the UU Homelessness Task Force
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Shalom Community Center Donations and
Community Kitchen Help
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Help Feed Our Hungry Neighbors Task Force
Collecting Food for Area 10 Agency on Aging During April
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Green Sanctuary Task Force Weekly Tips
Lessen the demand for plastic bags everywhere you go! Reusable bags can be used at ALL stores -- not just the grocery store. Keep a few extra bags with you anytime you are out and about, and you'll be ready for any of those errands.
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Beware Email Fraud
Our ministers, staff, lay leaders, and board members will never send you email asking you for any money besides your pledge payment! This also means they will never use email to ask you to buy gift cards for them or anyone else.
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Deadline for submissions to the Order of service and Friday UU Update
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Masthead photo by Marcia Hart. (dogwoods are coming soon!) |
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Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Indiana
Mailing address during covid:
UU Church, PO Box 1158,
Nashville, Indiana 47448-1158
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