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Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek
We are a community that invites you to awaken to love.
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Here’s what’s happening at Mill Creek:
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** Congregational Life
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** Upcoming events, meetings and news to know
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** Diwali: Spreading Light and Love, and Making the World a Better Place
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Diwali is the 5-day Indian festival of lights, a New Year celebration, and India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year. Diwali symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.” The word Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word Deepavali, meaning “rows of lights [or] lighted lamps,” which are used prominently in celebrations symbolizing the inner light protecting one from spiritual darkness.
Diwali is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the Hindu lunar month of Karthik, which usually falls between mid-October and mid-November. Goddess Lakshmi remains the focal deity of worship, particularly during Lakshmi Puja, which is performed on the new moon day. This day marks the highlight of Diwali festivities and is observed with deep reverence in households and businesses alike. Although some areas may observe Diwali on November 1 due to regional differences and lunar calendar variations, October 31 is widely regarded as the ideal day for celebrating the festival this year.
The observance of this holiday sees millions of people around the world attend firework displays, prayer services, and other festive events in their homes and out in their communities in celebration of the occasion. It’s a major festival celebrating the triumph of light over darkness and the start of new beginnings for millions of people of the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain faiths.
May the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi shine upon you and your family this Diwali. Wishing you love, light, and joy!
** Concert this Friday Evening
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Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music presents….
A Life of Sorrow: The Life and Times of Carter Stanley featuring Gary Reid
Performed by award winning actor and musician Gary Reid, this unique performance is a one-man play with songs about a mountain music legend.
Carter Stanley, a gifted songwriter and expressive singer, and his brother, famed Appalachian Mountain banjoist Ralph Stanley, helped lay the foundations for what is today known as bluegrass music. Gary Reid’s performance touches on the lighthearted aspects of Stanley’s life, including his childhood days on the family farm in rural Southwestern Virginia, to the turbulent side of his life including his jealousies and insecurities, and his struggles with alcohol which eventually cut short his life at the age of 41 in 1966.
Friday, November 1 – 7:30 pm
Tickets sold at the door:
$25 general public; $20 seniors; $15 students w/ID; free for kids aged 17 & under
Learn more about this upcoming performance HERE (https://www.alifeofsorrow.com/index.php)
** Daylight Saving Time Ends November 3
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It’s time to Fall Back!
Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, November 3. This marks the return to standard time.
Be sure to set your clocks and timepieces BACK one hour before you go to bed on Saturday night and enjoy the extra hour of sleep!
** Sunday Worship Service Information
November 3, 2024
10:30 am
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We choose our nation’s leaders next week — with early voting, some of already have. How we do move forward with the results, whatever they may be? Join us this Sunday for Rev. Christian Schmidt’s sermon, “Repair.”
Music for this service will be performed by Mill Creek member Karen Rege. Dr. Karen Rege earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Michigan in historical musicology, as well as a doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of Delaware. She has taught music at all levels from workshops to college classes. Karen has performed with a wide variety of ensembles playing jazz, Latin, and world music, including her own ensembles: Pastiche and the Rege-Walker World Jazz Ensemble. In 2014, she released her first album of original compositions entitled The Girl in the Mirror and is currently working on her second album called The Griot’s Wife. Her new project, a fusion of contemporary jazz and traditional African music is a result of her work playing African drums with her husband, Pape Demba “Paco” Samb.
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 – CLICK HERE (https://zoom.us/j/97806427419)
** 2025 Generosity Campaign Underway
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Pledge cards for the 2025 Generosity Campaign have been mailed.
Pledging…
* is the primary way we fund this congregation – it allows Mill Creek to have a constant and predictable source of income. This is important because our expenses are predictable even if our income is not.
* allows us to make sure that we can pay our staff, utilities, mortgage, and other financial obligations in a timely way, whether we have reserves in our bank account or not.
* reflects our covenant with this place and its people.
If you have already returned your pledge card – thank you – we are grateful for your generosity and support.
If you have not … we encourage you to give this Campaign serious consideration and contemplation, and give from the intersection of your resources and the value this church has in your life and the life of the community.
How to make your pledge of support:
* return your pledge card by mail in the envelope provided, or
* place your card in the offering plate or collection box, or
* email your pledge to generosity@uusmc.org (mailto:generosity@uusmc.org) , or
* access your Realm giving profile – or click the button below
The Finance Team is hoping to have all pledges received by Sunday, November 17 – this gives the team adequate time to prepare the budget for 2025. Let us know if you have any questions – use the email address above.
Pledge now! Click HERE (https://onrealm.org/MillCreek/give/2025pledge)
** Adult RE Opportunity with Rev. Christian Schmidt
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Adult RE Opportunity Rev. Christian will be leading a book reading group using the text See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love by the activist and author Valarie Kaur (https://valariekaur.com/about/) .
How do we love in a time of rage? How do we fix a broken world while not breaking ourselves? Valarie Kaur—renowned Sikh activist, filmmaker, and civil rights lawyer—describes revolutionary love as the call of our time, a radical, joyful practice that extends in three directions: to others, to our opponents, and to ourselves. It enjoins us to see no stranger but instead look at others and say: You are part of me I do not yet know. Starting from that place of wonder, the world begins to change: It is a practice that can transform a relationship, a community, a culture, even a nation.
It will be 10 sessions on Zoom at 7:30pm on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, beginning November 6. Dates: November 6 and 20; December 4 and 18; January 8 and 23 (note: second and fourth Wednesdays for January only); February 5 and 19; and March 5 and 19. The church can provide free copies of the book to those interested. Let Rev. Christian know you’d like to be included – click the link below to register.
Register for this series HERE (mailto:minister@uusmc.org)
** Calling All Crafters!
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The International Women’s Club (IWC) of Delaware is holding their annual craft fair one week from today. There will be a variety of handmade crafts for sale along with baked goods and attic treasures.
Vendors: spaces are available! The vendor fee is $25 and supports the IWC. Contact Sarah Lee Collins (mailto:sarahleecollins@gmail.com) ASAP with your interest.
International Women’s Club of Delaware
Annual Craft Fair
Thursday, November 7 – 12 noon – 3pm
St Paul’s United Methodist Church
1313 Foulk Road
Wilmington, DE 19803
Did you know…?
The IWC (https://iwcdelaware.org/) is a non-profit organization that strives to create a supportive and caring community for women from around the world. In an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding, they offer members an opportunity to build new friendships while enriching each other with multi-cultural perspectives. They offer language classes taught by native speakers, museum tours and day trips, group fitness activities, cuisine events, and more.
** Church Social Event
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The Fun & Fellowship Committee invites you to our first Bunco Game Night!
Bunco is a fun and simple dice game that allows you to socialize with everyone present. It’s purely a game of chance, and no skills are required. Make sure to register early – participation is limited to 24. See the sign-up sheet in the gathering space or click the link below to register.
Register HERE for Bunco Game Night (mailto:fellowship@uusmc.org)
** Current Share Our Plate Recipient
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We regularly donate a portion of our undesignated plate collection to a local charity or non-profit organization. For the months of November & December we are supporting:
Kingswood Community Center
Supporting the Riverside neighborhood in Wilmington since 1946
This organization offers a wide array social services: education programs, food assistance, financial literacy workshops, virtual healthcare, emergency supports, and much more. Their planned state-of-the-art community facility will feature a modern senior center, new health center, fitness and recreational facilities, youth engagement opportunities, community health initiatives, and a world-class Early Learning Academy.
Learn more about Kingswood Community Center HERE (https://kgwcc.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)
** Recurring Events
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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, November 10 & 24 at 12 pm in classroom 1. Occurs every 2 weeks on Sundays. Questions? Contact Tom Vincent (mailto:trv302@outlook.com) .
Drum Circle: a group of people playing unrehearsed percussion music
A drum circle is a casual gathering where people play drums and other percussion instruments together to create a group rhythm. The goal is to bring people together to experience the positive benefits of playing unrehearsed music in the moment, and to connect with others through the beat. Drum circles are open to people of all ages and abilities, and no musical experience is required – all are welcome! Please bring your own instrument or use what we have available. Join the group on Saturday, November 9 at 4 pm in the sanctuary. Occurs monthly on second Saturdays. See or contact Sara Durham (mailto:saradurham88@gmail.com) with any questions.
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
In Office: Sundays & Tuesdays
minister@uusmc.org (mailto:minister@uusmc.org)
979-450-2477 (cell)
To request a teleconference, or an in-person or Zoom meeting with Rev. Christian – CLICK HERE (https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ1ETx17XToDEx3GC5293hfnHTj-VJpBMu_m7SpHkuCcHozb-ceUiT3H-hDGLbziPku9hYBquodp)
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
** UUA Community Resilience Hub
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This Hub is designed to offer ongoing support, including the latest updates, resources, and events, to help guide you through the challenges we face. Together, we can harness our collective power to meet this moment, because democracy isn’t just something we do—it’s who we are, and who we strive to be. Click the button below to learn more.
Learn more about the Hub – click HERE (https://www.uua.org/safe/community-resilience)
https://www.uua.org/central-east
**
Opportunities for Connection: Central East Region Update
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NOVEMBER 2024
Featured Resource:
UU Community Reslience Hub
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 here to learn more (https://www.uua.org/central-east/blog/opportunities-1124)
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** Website (https://www.uusmc.org)
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