NEW:  UUFoM Board Announcement
Regarding Building Access

NEW:  COVID-19 Task Force Volunteers Wanted

NEW:  Board Meeting Summaries 
October and November 

• Our finances continue to be good. Pledges continue to come inland expenses are somewhat less than they would be.
• We discussed a new arrangement of the duties of the Treasurer which we hope will make the job less burdensome and thus easier to find volunteers.
• Patricia Calahan has volunteered to be the new Building Grounds Chair in 2021.
• Eric reported that the new Committee on Ministry has formed. All the evaluations that are needed for his Preliminary Fellowship Renewal are done.

• We continued our discussion of the roles of Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer (past Treasurer). A necessary review of our financial records will be done by Tim Wagner before he begins as Treasurer in January.
• Patricia Calahan was voted in unanimously as the new Building and Grounds chair. She has some great ideas for beautifying the grounds.
• Becky Carlson has agreed to head our COVID-19 Task Force, and we hope to recruit a few more knowledgeable members to the task force.
• We’ll continue online services for as long as there’s a need for them.

NEW:  A Final Message from the Board President 

This week was my 18^th and final Board meeting as President this time around. Just like in 2015, I am not the same person I was when I started on the Board. Neither tenures were smooth sailing. This time around, I found myself stepping into the President’s role six months early. Two months later, we were happy and energized by the arrival of the delightful Rev. Eric and then Ellen arrived.

Almost immediately I realized I’d underestimated the gem we’d found in Eric. Collaborative, kind and humanly-accessible, he included me in email conversations about a plethora of subjects, giving me a new perspective on our community. Eric is definitely a team player at UUFoM and I am a better leader and person from the experience.

In January, 2020, Beth joined the Board as President-Elect. What a joy! I’m so grateful to have worked with her and to have her at the helm for the next year. Whether implicit or explicit, Beth held a space of love and peace for me during this year’s roller coaster ride.

And let’s talk about that roller coaster. The first time the Board asked, “Are we all safe?” was when we deliberated on whether we should continue meeting in person due to the pandemic. It came down to this: “Who are we willing to put at risk of death?” This was a hard question to ask and an easy question to answer. “No one.” I saw the Worship Team scramble to put something together for Sunday services and on a wing and a prayer and, voila! UUFoM jumped into online services. We helped one another get connected to Zoom, find the participant button and figure out how to share videos with sound. Watching us come together to make sure we could continue to keep our community connected warmed my heart.

The next time we asked, “Are we all safe?” was a month or so later when every Board members’ phone alarmed with an imminent dam break and flood warning. This time the Board, and leadership in general, jumped into action with the speed and composure of EMS workers and the fierce concern and love of mama bears. We called, we cleaned, we cooked. We became each other’s superheroes. In the devastation, we showed up. And if you were one who drove through the neighborhoods flood victims with mountains of soggy, ruined belongings by the curbs of the car-lined streets, like me, you may have felt both incredible sadness for their loss and huge gratitude for masses that just came out to help trudge through remains and start the long process of recovery. I am inspired by the heart of our community, our family, our network.

Rev. Eric’s Ordination and Installation was another before and after line in the sand for me. My eyes tear up thinking about the beautiful ceremony, the words, the intentions and the love expressed at that service. I don’t feel like there’s any way to express how profoundly grateful I am for being part of that momentous occasion. I offer no apology for my gooey sentimentality. I am a UU geek: I believe in Unitarian Universalism, in both UUFoM and its community, and in Eric. I am changed by the love and hope I felt shared across the miles on that day.

And as I reflect on the challenges of this year, I’d be remiss not to acknowledge the stress of our political leaders continuing to deny and discredit scientific proof of the pandemic while we watch the infected and death numbers rise. We saw an ugly local campaign that was difficult not to take personally and my personal values continue to be challenged as I wonder how I can build a bridge toward someone who’s holding a gun to my face.

But do you know what? We are still together! More so, we are doing well. In addition to making the proposed budget for 2021, we have made it a point to continue to take care of one another by cooking, driving, calling and connecting with each other and by financially supporting the Minister’s Discretionary Fund which is helping many of us burdened by the current economic situation. I am inspired by our fortitude.

No, I’m not the same person I was when I started this term on the Board in 2019. I wish I could close my eyes and envelop all that is UUFoM - the people, building, rites of passage, ALL of it, in great big hug of love and gratitude for the experiences that have brought me to this changed person I am right now. Wait a second…I can!

May it be so.

Namaste, my people.
Shannon
 

Minister's Discretionary Fund Thank You

UPDATED:  The FINAL 2020 Candle Flame Editions

UPDATED:  Fellowship Virtual Office Holiday Hours

December 20
"A Blue Holiday" - While there can be much joy in this season, the winter holidays aren’t always “cheery and bright,” especially with the challenges of a pandemic. This gentle service will offer a space of holding, with music, spoken word, and ritual, to provide support for all those who are unsettled or have experienced loss. Led by our minister, Rev. Eric Severson.

December 24 at 4:30pm Christmas Eve Service
"Treasuring the Radiance" - Join us for a service of word and music celebrating the hope and promise marked by the stars and the sparks within us. Led by our minister, Rev. Eric Severson.

December 27
"Treasuring the Dark" - Join us for a simple service honoring the quiet dark inherent in hibernation and the fallow season, offering us nurturing rest and regeneration. Led by our minister, Rev. Eric Severson.

January 3
"Distancing + Zoom + Netflix = Spiritual Growth" - “There’s absolutely a service in this!” That’s what Cathy and Shannon said while watching a series on Netflix. Join them as they explore a few of the concepts and questions inspired by their surprising muse. Presented by Fellowship members, Cathy French and Shannon Sonoras.

January 10
"Reason, Faith, Cults, and Conspiracy Theories" - The mindset that makes one susceptible to conspiracy theories and cults. Do non-rational items of faith that so many of us hold dear prime our minds to accept non-sensical ideas outside the sanctioned bounds of religion? Is the desperate search for meaning, any meaning, just the nature of our brains? Led by Rev. Eric Severson

January 17
TBA - Led by Rev. Eric Severson

January 27 
TBA - Led by Rev. Eric Severson

January 31
TBA - Led by Fellowship member, Denise Reiling.

Donations for Food Pantry Network

Monetary donations for the Thanksgiving Baskets may be made directly with checks payable to Midland County EFPN and mailed to: Midland County EFPN, PO Box 2521, Midland, MI 48641-2521 or online by credit card to https://midlandcountyefpn.org/ . Please note on the check or online that you are giving on behalf of UUFoM. The Food Pantry is a non-profit 501c(3) organization with all monetary gifts being tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

There are a couple of options for making food item donations to the normal operations of the Food Pantry.

•  Drop off donations in the box outside of EFPN SAMS Pantry, 503 S Saginaw Rd (enter off Cambridge). The box is on the side of the building facing Cambridge.

• We can pick up food donations from your house. Email your pickup address and date of pick up to Scott McDonald.

Thank you for helping those in need in Midland County (including Midland, Bullock Creek, North Midland County, West Midland County, Sanford, Coleman food pantry locations). 

The Fellowship LOVE Team.

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