July 6 – “Between Us” Rev. Jill McAllister
July 13 – Celebration of Shared Ministry Rev. Jill McAllister
July 20 – “Change Happens” Rev. Leslie Chartier
July 27 – “Navigating These Waters” Chaplain Jesse Ford, Susan Sanford and others
“Between Us” 7/6/2025
In the end, all the elements of a religious and spiritual life – the practices and beliefs, the things we learn, the ways in which we change, what we yearn for and need, and more – lead into how we exist in relation to ourselves, others and Life. What we do, think and feel, affect what occurs between us. For thirteen years this has been my framework, shared in writing and preaching. This morning let’s think about interdependence, and I’ll aim to summarize what I’ve learned with you and from you.
We’ll also take time to reflect on the huge project of renovation of our classroom wing, now almost finished. We’ll extend our thanks and appreciation to the volunteers who made it possible, and invite all to have a tour of the renewed spaces after the service.
With Rev. Jill McAllister
Meeting on the Landscape Planning Process, 7/6
We are people with ideas. In a congregation-wide series of meetings held last August and September, many of us shared our ideas about what our landscape should look like, the elements it should contain, the purposes it should support and the values it should uphold. A small group (Joyce Federiuk, Mona Hotchkiss and Ginger Chatfield) has taken the group input and put it into a form that we can more easily consider and prioritize.
Jill is convening a group meeting on Sunday, July 6 at 4pm at the UUFC to complete this process. Our goal is to identify our most important priorities so that ultimately, they can be shared with a professional landscape architect to use in creating a master plan for the property. This will be done in tandem with any building expansion that we may undertake.
Please plan to attend this meeting if you had interest and input in the prior meetings. The intention is to vote on the priorities previously identified – rather than add in new elements or lobby for favorite items. Hope to see you there!
Classroom Wing July update
We did it! The volunteer work of painting the interior of the classroom wing is complete!
A HUGE THANK YOU to the ~50 volunteers who helped paint the Classroom Wing – some multiple times! It looks great and you saved the UUFC a huge amount of money! Another thank you to those who lent equipment and materials for this work. Please pick up the items you lent from the counter in Room 6C. If something is broken or missing, contact Wolfgang.
Here’s the plan for upcoming activities:
Professional painters the week of July 7 – 11 to paint the black fire-sprinkler pipes and external siding.
Deep cleaning every room July 12 – 18
Some cleaning by Felicia Torres, our custodian
Other cleaning by volunteers (look for signup forms in July!)
July 19 Move stored items from rental space and Wolfgang’s shed to UUFC
July 20 Move stored items from private homes to UUFC
July 21-30 Restore blinds, bulletin boards, shelf units, cover plates
The preschool will move back into the classroom wing some time in August. Exact dates to be determined.
UUFC Services Auctions, 6/28
The Services & Goods Auctions are our biggest FUNdraisers of the year!
We’re building community together!
Tomorrow, Saturday, June 28, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM is our 2025 UUFC Live & Silent Auction. We hope you will join us for the bidding fun and a light supper. Scroll through the catalog of items that will be auctioned, below!
Volunteer to Help
Sign up here to donate a salad for dinner or to volunteer to help during the live and silent auction. We need your help to make our auction successful.
Movie night: “Milk”, the story of Harvey Milk, 7/13
Queerly Beloved July meet up
Sunday July 13, 2025 4:00-7:30 PM, UUFC
Join the Sexuality and Gender Diversity Team for a viewing of the inspiring movie “Milk” starring Sean Penn, telling the story of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk in the 1970s.
Movie will start at 4:00 PM, followed by pizza and a discussion, so plan to stay late! Pizza is provided; if you can bring a drink or snack to share, we welcome it.
This movie is rated R. If you need childcare for small children, please contact the Grandfolks Squad.
All are WELCOME – you don’t have to be gay to enjoy this movie! 🙂
Questions: contact Anya Ballinger
Conversations with Jill – some additional times
Sign up for an hour of 1-1 conversation with Jill, in the next two weeks, if you’re interested. A few more times have been added to the schedule. Place TBD after you sign up. Sign up at this link: https://calendar.app.google/XsnZe2AFZiwfooqP8.
“On Ministry” 6/29/25
As we get closer to a ministerial transition – a major event in the life of the Fellowship – let’s consider what ministry is in the UU tradition, what roles a minister plays in congregational life, and what that means for the lives of members and friends of the Fellowship.
With Rev. Jill McAllister, and special music from Johanna Beekman
Daily Practice – A Reminder
These words were written in another June – 2023 – and are a good reminder now, given the changes that are both here and coming:
Good morning friends – Part of my daily practice is to read, in a way similar to an old Christian tradition called lectio divina. I generally choose a book or reading randomly, without a specific aim – pulling a book off of a shelf or a pile, opening to whichever page appears. Reading what is there and then letting it settle a bit. Watching for my responses, my wonderings, my surprise or acknowledgement. Sometimes I return to words I know well, and let them speak again; often they speak in new ways. This practice is as much listening as reading, and the listening happens in silence. In this way I experience openings – to my thoughts and feelings, to a moment, to a day.
It’s easy to simply keep moving in ways we are used to, along paths we have created in our minds and bodies, in directions we call normal. The world, our lives, offer so much more – more horizons, more paths, more colors and shapes. It confuses and confounds us that almost everything “more” begins with awareness of breath, and the small, imperceptible steps to deepen that awareness.
We begin again right here. It may look like the same place, a “normal” morning or moment. It is anything but. At the very least, this moment has the potential for everything new, things we’ve never even dreamed of. They are not far away, they are deep within. We may find or hear or see them, or we may not. The breath will be our guide, if we let it. Like words randomly chosen then followed or listened to in silence. Like doors that have always been there, which finally open and invite us in.
May there be moments like this for you this week, May you pause to follow your breath, and find yourself where it takes you. May you give thanks for another day given. Sending love to you all — Jill