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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** Give a plant, get a plant — at our Plant Swap this Saturday
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Plant Swap – Saturday, May 23
Here’s how it works:
1pm–1:45pm – Plant Drop-Off
If you have plants to donate to the exchange*, drop them off during this time and you’ll receive a voucher for each plant you donate. Tip: vouchers are distributed until 1:45 sharp! You’re welcome to remain until the plant swap begins.
2pm–2:30 – Indoor Plants
The swap begins promptly at 2pm, and we’ll select plants in rounds. Everyone who donated plants gets to use their vouchers to ‘purchase’ plants donated by other neighbors. Each voucher gets you one plant. Tip: bring a box and/or wagon to transport your treasures home.
2:45-3:45 – Outdoor Plants
The best plants to donate are established native plants, and the second best are non-invasive. Please take care not to bring any invasive plants. As a general rule, any plant you can find on Mt. Cuba’s website is safe to bring (click HERE (https://mtcubacenter.org/native-plant-finder/) ). Tip: if you’re not sure what kind of plant you have, you can look it up using the free app called Seek by iNaturalist.
4:00-ish – Free Plants
We often have unclaimed plants at the end of the exchange, so if you don’t have anything to donate, but you want free plants — this is the time to help yourself.
*Some tips for preparing your donated plants:
Divide plants into individual containers that you don’t mind giving away (recycled or compostable plastic plant containers, yogurt containers, paper lunch bags, etc.)
Label clearly each plant container in advance.
You are also welcome to donate cuttings, seedlings, partially used seed packets, garden books, containers, and garden tools, but please note that you will not receive plant vouchers for these items.
** Office Closure
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The church office will be closed on Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day.
** Committee Reports Needed for Annual Meeting
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In preparation for our annual meeting on Sunday, June 7, we have begun collecting report submissions from all committee chairs.
The deadline to submit is Monday, May 25.
Failure by any committee to send their submission by this date will be reflected accordingly in the annual report.
Send to the church office HERE (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org) . Thank you.
** Group Hike
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The Fellowship & Fun Committee invites everyone to a Group Hike:
Sunday, May 31 at 1:00 pm.
Ready to stretch your legs? Join us for a refreshing 3.2‑mile hike in White Clay Creek State Park led by Bill Reynolds. This mostly flat trail includes a gentle 73‑foot elevation gain and should take just over 1.5 hours at a comfortable pace. See the trail details HERE (https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/custom-route-bfa3f7f) .
We can carpool from church after coffee hour—it’s only a quick 3.1‑mile, 8‑minute drive to the trailhead. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring water, bug spray, and hiking poles if you use them. Restrooms are available at the trailhead.
Contact Bill HERE (mailto:wmfxir@gmail.com) with questions about the hike, or to let him know you’ll be joining the group.
Come enjoy fresh air, good company, and a beautiful afternoon outdoors.
** Save the Date!
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Scoop, smile, repeat! Join us Saturday, June 13 at 6:30 pm for our annual Ice Cream Social. We’ll have lots of treats, face painting, corn hole, and silly, low‑skill games that guarantee big laughs. Rain won’t melt our fun—come enjoy a sweet summer evening with friends.
** Big Music News
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The Music Committee is pleased to announce the return of
BIG MUSIC SUNDAY!
What is it? It’s not a concert or a recital, but a special service when members and friends of our congregation perform music of all kinds, perform dance, or recite poetry related to music.
When is it? Sunday, July 12.
Why do we love it? It’s simply a fun celebration of our congregation’s talent woven into a Sunday worship service.
Who can participate? Anyone — all ages!
How do I sign up? Drop us a line HERE (mailto:music@uusmc.org) to express your interest or if you have any questions. For planning purposes, we need sign ups completed by Sunday, May 31.
** Sunday Worship Service Information
May 24, 2026
10:30 am
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A chaotic kind of intensity all around us feels like a new normal in this life. Focus is hard. Stilling our bodies and brains is a challenge that many of us have given up on. But perhaps the real question isn’t how to press pause. Maybe it is how to find the right rhythms that ground us into being.
Join us this Sunday when we welcome Rev. Mykal Slack who will help us consider together what it means to encounter precious rhythm and divine flow.
Rev. Mykal Slack (he/him/his), a minister, musician, facilitator, and writer, serves as the Assistant Minister for Lifelong Faith Formation at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville, where his focus is on multigenerational worship, religious education programming, community building, and supporting the needs of children and youth and their families. He is also a co-founder of the Transforming Hearts Collective, a trans-led, faith-rooted organizing collective that works to both build spaces of spiritual resilience for LGBTQ+ people and resource congregations and organizations for the work of radical welcome and culture shift. Rev. Mykal is a Black, Queer and Trans parent from the South, committed to healing and truth-telling, community accountability and care.
Music for this service will be offered by Lingchin Liao. Lingchin is a native from Taiwan with a Master of Music in violin performance from Temple University. She is a violin teacher at The Independence School, Darlington Art Center, and The Music School of Delaware.
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
* Click the link below: ‘Sunday Livestream’ (bookmark it on your preferred device for quick and easy access on Sunday morning)
Sunday Livestream – CLICK HERE (https://zoom.us/j/97806427419)
Meeting ID: 978 0642 7419
** FREE Jazz Concert at Mill Creek!
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** Come to our Summer Solstice Celebration
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What does it mean to call yourself Pagan?
* A Pagan follows a spiritual journey informed by natural life and seasons, embracing the lessons and healing that nature provides.
* A Pagan considers all of Life sacred, recognizing and appreciating the abundance of the natural world, honoring that which provides Life—whatever you may call it: the Source, Great Spirit, Goddess…
* A Pagan celebrates in ritual the seasonal changes, Equinox, Solstice [and more] as the Earthly transitions and as personal, spiritual transitions.
Join us on Monday evening, June 22, and experience our Summer Solstice Ritual.
Contact Regina Guarino HERE with questions (mailto:regina139@msn.com)
** Join us in the meadow every Wednesday
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Join the Land Stewards next Wednesday, May 27 (and every Wednesday, weather permitting) at 5:30pm and see what they’re doing to improve the biodiversity and natural habitat in the meadow areas.
It’s not all about getting dirty! We’ve put together a list of suggestions for ways anyone can help – from minimal effort, to moderate activity, to using shovels and pulling weeds. Check it out and be inspired!
Click HERE for ALL the ways ANYONE can help! (https://www.uusmc.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-Support-Our-Natural-Lands-2.pdf)
** 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 May & June we are supporting:
Black Mothers in Power
This organization seeks to dismantle systems of power to eradicate the racial health disparities that harm Black birthing people and babies throughout Delaware while building new systems of care and healing. Black Mothers in Power envisions building a state where Black birthing people are informed, in control of their own bodies, and cared for—both within the current oppressive system and in the liberatory systems we’ve created for ourselves.
Learn more Black Mothers in Power HERE (https://www.blackmothersinpower.org/)
Support this organization with your online donation HERE. Be sure to select ‘Share Our Plate’ as the giving fund. Thank you! (https://onrealm.org/MillCreek/Give)
** Yoga Offered on Select Dates during the Summer Months
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Join Margaret in the library, 8:30am-10am, for gentle yoga & meditation on the following Fridays:
May 22
June 5, 12, 19 & 26
July 3
August 14 & 21
To register or with questions, contact Margaret HERE (mailto:margaret_bodine@comcast.net) .
** Dungeons & Dragons
A Recurring Event
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Sundays: May 24; June 7 & 21
(every other week)
12:00 pm, Classroom 4
D&D is a role-playing game about storytelling in worlds of swords and sorcery. 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. No registration required – just drop in. All are welcome to join the group in classroom 4. Occurs every other week on Sundays.
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. Christe Lunsford, Minister
* Mondays & Tuesdays: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm in the office; calls and by email after 2pm.
* Thursdays: by appointment
* Sundays (when I preach): 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
* My regular days off are Friday and Saturday, unless I am scheduled for special congregational duties. I answer calls and emails Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Any non-emergency calls or emails outside of those hours will be answered during the next work day.
* Other times may be arranged by mutual agreement via email: minister@uusmc.org (mailto:minister@uusmc.org) or click HERE (https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ08wOXSmX5fNN_vySxfpLP9VL2QqSZF5spIx5_9rxZm3e25LNywCGk4WoIlyFMvdn84osyy8XZl) .
* I joyfully participate in committee meetings when I am able, with particular focus on the Board, Finance, and Worship teams.
Debra Damiani, Congregational Administrator
Monday-Thursday 9 am to 2 pm
administrator@uusmc.org (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org)
302-369-2712
Margaret Borror, Faith Exploration Teacher
Sundays, and by appointment
dfe@uusmc.org (mailto:dfe@uusmc.org)
Rob Sylvester, Collaborative Accompanist
Sundays, and by appointment
** Connect with the UUA, Central East Region, and Delmarva Cluster
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** UUA General Assembly 2026
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Sunday, June 14 – Sunday, June 21
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.
Click the button below to learn more about featured speakers & worship leaders, schedule of events, livestreamed events, accessibility & inclusion, and MORE.
Click HERE to learn about ALL THINGS GA! (https://www.uua.org/ga)
** Central East Region News Update
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MAY 2026
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.
Central East Region Update – click HERE (https://www.uua.org/central-east/blog/news/cer-news-0526)
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