Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek
We are a community that invites you to awaken to love.
Here’s what’s happening at Mill Creek:
** Congregational Life
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** Upcoming events, meetings and news to know
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** Ramadan 2025
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Ramadan is a holy month of fasting, prayer, and community for Muslims around the world. It is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is considered one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Ramadan is a time to remember and honor the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad; a time to purify the heart, renew faith, and seek forgiveness; and a time to increase self-discipline and empathy for the poor and suffering.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, abstaining from all food and water, and pray 5 daily prayers. The fast is broken with a meal called iftar, followed by prayer and visiting family and friends. While the exact dates of Ramadan depend on the sighting of the moon, this year it is expected to begin on the evening of Friday, February 28, and end on the evening of Sunday, March 30. The end of Ramadan is celebrated with Eid al-Fitr, a three-day festival.
Ramadan Mubarak to all who celebrate! May the spirit of Ramadan illuminate your heart and fill your life with joy and harmony, peace and happiness.
** Sunday Worship Service Information
March 2, 2025
10:30 am
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Join us this Sunday for a truly special service led by our very own Diane Hofer!
Inspired by the timeless music of Harry Chapin, this uplifting and thought-provoking gathering promises to be a joy for all. Diane’s engaging story for all ages will captivate your heart, while her sermon, The Soundtrack of Our Lives: Stories of Time, Connection, and Redemption, will leave you reflecting on the deeper threads that bind us together. Whether you’re a lifelong Harry Chapin fan or only familiar with classics like Cat’s in the Cradle, Taxi, and WOLD, Diane will take you on a journey—one that intertwines Chapin’s powerful storytelling with the soundtrack of your own life. Don’t miss this inspiring experience!
Diane Hofer has been attending Mill Creek since 2015 and became a member in 2017. She is very active in church life – she is part of the Live Stream Tech Team, an adjunct member of several other committees, a Chalice Circle facilitator, and is involved with many Ad Hoc teams and projects. A Philly kid, she Graduated from Drexel University and went on to hold various managerial positions in her 45-year career in the packaging industry.
Connect with Us In-Person
* Service begins at 10:30 am
* Children’s RE programming is available for ages 4 and up
* Child Care available (infant/toddler, ages birth to 3)
Connect with Us Virtually
Here’s how to get the Zoom link for livestreaming the service:
* Click the link below: ‘Sunday Livestream’ (bookmark it on your preferred device for quick and easy access on Sunday morning); OR
* Get the link by accessing the church calendar (https://www.uusmc.org/news/calendar/) (https://www.uusmc.org/news/calendar (https://www.uusmc.org/news/calendar/) )
Sunday Livestream – (https://zoom.us/j/97806427419)
** GA Attendance Planning Meeting
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This Sunday, March 2nd
General Assembly (GA) is the annual meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), where participants gather to worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy decisions for the Association through a democratic process. We’re fortunate this year that GA will be held in our area – at the Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. If you’ve ever wanted to go, this is the perfect opportunity – we’re having a drop-in information and planning meeting to determine if there is interest in a group attendance at the Assembly.
In these challenging times, it is vital that we understand the larger efforts and ideas of our association so we can support and be part of the important witness and repair work that is so needed. Past participants of GA use words like “transformative” and “empowering” to describe their experience. There will be amazing preachers, presenters, music, ideas, programs, and connections ((https://vimeo.com/970039119) to take a look inside the GA experience). GA is for all ages, and we especially want to encourage our youth to attend as there are special programs, and it’s a great opportunity to meet other like-minded young people.
Everyone is welcome to join our meeting on Sunday, March 2 after coffee hour in the MacArtor Library. Contact Jamie Kegerise (mailto:jamie.newarkcoho@gmail.com) with any questions.
Click HERE to learn about all things GA! (https://www.uua.org/ga)
** Reminder About Email Phishing
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The most recent email making the rounds is purporting to come from Rev. Christian from the following address: ‘pastor.churchofficial@gmail.com.’ There are also reports of texts being sent. Neither of these communications are valid nor are they actually sent by Rev. Christian.
Emails from Rev. Christian are sent from ‘minister@uusmc.org’ or ‘the.christian.schmidt@gmail.com’ ONLY.
If you ever receive an email or text that:
* seems suspicious
* is restrictive or requests that you do not make contact via phone
* is unlike something Rev. Christian would send (out of character)
* has blatant misspellings or incorrect or unusual sentence structure
* is vague or secretive in nature, or
* asks for ‘a favor’…
DO NOT REPLY or click on any links! Simply DELETE the message.
Unfortunately we have no control over these communications. If you have any questions about a message you’ve received, you are welcome to contact the church office.
** Concert at Mill Creek
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Presented by:
Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music
Friday, March 14 at 7:30 pm
Led by wise and witty lead singer and songwriter Ron Thomason, the Dry Branch Fire Squad presents bluegrass in the best tradition: classics and originals, gospel and cowboy songs, heartfelt lilts of equine love, and galloping instrumentals. With impeccable timing, humorous social commentary, catchy lyrics, and song choices from the oldest traditions, this quartet is one of the most entertaining bands in bluegrass today.
Tickets Sold at the Door:
General Public $25; Seniors $20; Students w/ID $15; Ages 17 & under FREE
Learn more about Dry Branch Fire Squad (https://drybranchfiresquad.com/home)
Check out their YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcTqpURJvvnhjWG_Ex9MFZw)
** Sprint Equinox Ritual & Celebration
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Everyone is welcome to join us on Wednesday, March 19 at 7pm. Contact Regina Guarino (mailto:regina139@msn.com) with questions.
** Group Hike
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Save the Date:
Wednesday, March 26
The Fun & Fellowship Committee invites you on a group hike led by Bill Reynolds.
We’ll meet in the church parking lot at 10am on Wednesday, March 26 to hike the Pleasant Hill Paper Mill Loop trail, in White Clay Creek State Park. We’ll hike on dirt trails that are rocky with roots in some areas. The terrain consists of rolling hills and stream crossings via bridges. Poles are recommended if you have or use them. Bring water and bug spray. There will be an opportunity to go out together for lunch after the hike.
Trail Details:
Length 3.6 mi Elevation gain 187 ft
3.6-mile loop trail, generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 75 to 90 minutes to complete. There will be an opportunity to take an early out if you wish.
Let the committee know you’ll be joining them (mailto:Wmfxir@gmail.com?subject=church%20hike)
** Announcing…Service Auction 2025
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Mark your calendar for our annual fundraiser!
Tickets will be on sale soon.
In the meantime, our donation line is now open!
Make your donation TODAY! (mailto:david@dlsk.net)
Unsure what to donate? Want a little inspiration? We found a comprehensive, alphabetized list of *500* gift basket ideas!! (Yes – FIVE HUNDRED). Gift baskets make a wonderful donation—they’re fun to assemble and the sky’s the limit!
500 Gift Basket Ideas (https://www.fundraiserhelp.com/500-silent-auction-basket-ideas.htm)
Gift baskets not your thing? Want to do something a little different? We’ve got you covered! We found an “Ultimate List” of 150+ unique donation ideas broken down by categories, like Sports & Fitness, Education Focused, Seasonal & Holiday, Technology – and many more!
150+ Donation Ideas (https://www.winspireme.com/silent-auction-item-ideas/)
Have a question and not sure who to ask? See our Auction FAQ page! (https://www.uusmc.org/wp-content/uploads/FAQ-Service-Auction-2025.pdf)
** Church Cancellation Procedures and Notification Methods
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We never want to cancel our Sunday morning services, classes, or any event due to inclement weather. However, we also want everyone to be safe, so on occasion, we must – from an abundance of caution – cancel. Board policy leaves the decision to the minster and the board president. We always endeavor to make such decisions in a timely manner.
If the decision to cancel is made we will: send out an email to all congregants, and post notice on Facebook (both the public and private UUSMC pages),
We are also linked with the local SnoWatch system. SnoWatch reports are broadcast on 1150 AM WDEL and 93.7 FM WSTW and are available online at wdel.com (https://www.wdel.com/features/wdel-stormwatch/) and wstw.com (https://www.wstw.com/wstw-stormwatch/) These links will also be available on the church website, uusmc.org.
So, particularly now through March, if the weather calls for any kind of dangerous precipitation, please check your inbox and/or the above media or call the church before heading out. We want everyone to be safe this winter!
** Current Share Our Plate Recipient
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We regularly donate a half of our undesignated plate collection to a local charity or non-profit organization. For the months of March and April we are supporting:
Moms Demand Action – Delaware Chapter
A Volunteer Chapter in Every State
Moms Demand Action is a grassroots volunteer movement of Americans working for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence. They work to pass stronger gun laws and close the loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our families. Moms Demand Action is a part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with nearly 11 million supporters. Our donation will support the legislative advocacy fund, “Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund.”
Learn more about Moms Demand Action (https://www.everytown.org/state/delaware/)
Support this organization with your online donation . Be sure to select ‘Share Our Plate’ as the giving fund. Thank you! (https://onrealm.org/MillCreek/Give)
** Recurring Event: D & D
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A fantasy tabletop role-playing game
The Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game is about storytelling in worlds of sword and sorcery. It shares elements with childhood games of make-believe. In the Dungeons & Dragons game, each player creates an adventurer (also called a character) and teams up with other adventurers (played by friends). Working together, the group might explore a dark dungeon, a ruined city, a haunted castle, a lost temple deep in a jungle, or a lava-filled cavern beneath a mysterious mountain. The adventurers can solve puzzles, talk with other characters, battle fantastic monsters, and discover fabulous magic items and other treasure. All are welcome to join the group on Sunday, March 2, 16 & 30 at 12 pm in classroom 1. Occurs every 2 weeks on Sundays. Questions? Contact Tom Vincent (mailto:trv302@outlook.com) .
Realm is our church management software program. We use it exclusively for accounting, pledge data, membership, registration events, and more. Use the button below to access your Realm profile to make sure we have your most recent contact information, and make pledge payments and contributions.
Access your Realm profile HERE (https://onrealm.org/MillCreek/SignIn)
Fun fact: you can use Realm to set up recurring online monthly pledge payments using a credit card or your checking or savings account!
Mill Creek Staff
Rev. Christian Schmidt, Minister
Rev. Schmidt is on leave now through Sunday, April 13. For immediate concerns, you may contact the pastoral care team (mailto:pastoralcare@uusmc.org) , the board of trustees (mailto:board@uusmc.org) , or the church office (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org) .
Debra Damiani, Congregational Administrator
Monday 9 am to 2 pm, Monday-Thursday
administrator@uusmc.org (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org)
302-369-2712
Connect with the UUA, Delmarva Cluster, and Central East Region
** Retaining Our Humanity
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‘The adaptability of Unitarian Universalism should not be mistaken for an absence of a strong core.’
UU World contributor, Rev. Schuyler Vogel, reflects on the shortsighted and inaccurate assertion that Unitarian Universalists are likely to be moral relativists, and have no core of faith to worry about preserving or holding on to.
Read the article (https://www.uuworld.org/articles/retaining-our-humanity-schuyler-vogel-reflection-unitarian-universalism?_gl=1*154wrbg*_ga*MTgyNzc3NjM2Mi4xNzM2NzgzODAw*_ga_CN7F7RET4F*MTc0MDUwOTI3My4yNy4wLjE3NDA1MDkyNzMuMC4wLjA.)
** Opportunities for Small Congregations
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The UUA’s Congregational Life Smallers Team is hosting a month of learning for small congregations (125 members or less) featuring webinars focused on community building, social action, and deep listening. The final week will be dedicated to convening groups of small congregation staff and leaders. Learn more about this series and register by clicking the button below.
Learn more and register (https://www.uua.org/leaderlab/events/small-congregation-month)
** Opportunities for Connection: Central East Region Update
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FEBRUARY 2025
Featured Resource:
CER Learning, Transformation and Community Networking Days
The 1000+ Unitarian Universalist congregations in North America are grouped into 5 regions: Pacific Western, MidAmerica, Southern, Central East, and New England. The Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek (UUSMC) is part of the Central East Region. To learn more about what’s happening in our region, click the button below.
Opportunities for Connection: click (https://www.uua.org/central-east/blog/opportunities-w25)
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** Website (https://www.uusmc.org)
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