Weekly Invitation - July 20, 2023 - Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek

Posted on July 20, 2023 Posted By: Office Administrator Categories: News

Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek
We are a community that invites you to awaken to love.
IN THIS ISSUE
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This week, we invite you:

** Congregational Life
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** Upcoming events, meetings and news to know
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** TONIGHT: Delaware Historical Society Hosts Book Talk
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Join the DHS this evening, Thursday July 20th, 6:30pm to 8:30pm, for an insightful panel featuring Murder Town, USA: Homicide, Structural Violence, and Activism in Wilmington by Yasser Arafat Payne, Brooklynn K. Hitchens, and Darryl L. Chambers. Delve into their groundbreaking research that challenges traditional narratives surrounding violence in Black communities, shedding light on the deep-rooted impact of structural inequality and showcasing the resilience of the community.

The Delaware History Museum & Mitchell Center for African American Heritage (https://dehistory.org/)
504 North Market Street
Wilmington, Delaware
(302) 655-7161
*Doors Open at 6:00 pm*
Register for this event HERE (https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E104173&id=180)
We apologize for the last-minute announcement of this event. If you are unable to attend but are interested in this topic, consider purchasing the book – click the button below.
Buy the book HERE (https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/murder-town-usa/9781978817364)

** Summer Campfire this Saturday Evening
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Everyone is welcome to join us for a Summer Campfire this Saturday, July 22nd at 7:30 pm (weather permitting). Meet us in the Memorial Grove* and bring your favorite lawn or camp chair, or a blanket, and all your comforts (beverages, bug spray, etc.). *Note that there is a slight grassy incline leading to the campfire site.

And bring a friend!
This is a good opportunity to invite someone – friend, family member, neighbor – to join our gathering and enjoy fellowship, singing, poetry, and storytelling.

Questions? Ask Jamie Kegerise. (mailto:jamie@dsofurniture.com)

Did you know…?

The memorial grove is situated at a very good vantage point to see the sunset as this picture shows; it was taken during summer solstice, 2020.

** Mill Creek Family Pool Day
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Fran Gulino and Joe Snader are inviting all Mill Creek families to their home in New London Township, Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 29th at 3 pm to enjoy an afternoon at their pool followed by an early dinner. This is an opportunity to get to know other families with children at Mill Creek. Contact Fran with questions or RSVP by using the email link below.
Contact Fran with questions or RSVP here (mailto:frangu302@gmail.com?subject=Pool%20Party)

** Mobile Food Pantry Comes Again to Mill Creek
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We are partnering again with the Food Bank of Delaware to host a mobile food pantry on Monday, July 31st, 11 am to 1 pm. This event is open to all in need – feel free to share as appropriate.

Volunteers are needed – please arrive by 10:30 am if you’re able to assist.

** 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 July and August we are supporting:

Unitarian Universalist Delaware Advocacy Network (UUDAN)
UUDAN brings together the five Delaware UU congregations to engage in legislative action in the state of Delaware. Their mission is to inform, recruit and mobilize UU advocates to work, in partnership with other advocacy organizations, for the many social justice issues we face today. It provides a vehicle to research and draft legislation and lobby for reform measures in Dover.
Learn more about UUDAN here (http://www.uudeladvo.org/wp/sample-page/)
Support this organization with your online donation HERE. Be sure to select ‘Share Our Plate’ as the giving fund. (https://onrealm.org/MillCreek/Give)
Thank you for your support!

**
Two Social Justice Opportunities – Volunteers Needed
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For more than 35 years, Friendship House (https://www.friendshiphousede.org/) has served the Delaware community with the support of volunteers, donors, community affiliates, and faith partners.

Serving more than 10,000 people annually through their programs, they aim to fill gaps and support those experiencing homelessness, houselessness, and both. Regardless of one’s story or how they come to FH, they believe everyone deserves a place to call home.

Here are a few ways you can help Friendship House continue their efforts:
* Volunteer at one of 5 Empowerment Centers (weekdays in Wilmington, Richardson Park, Newark, Middletown, or Dover)
* Volunteer at their Clothing Bank (weekdays in Wilmington)
* Host an ‘Item Drive’ (hygiene items, paper products, cleaning supplies, clothing, school uniforms, underwear & socks, etc.)
* Provide a meal for one of FH’s transitional houses (weekdays/weekends in Wilmington)
* Help tend their gardens (weekdays/weekends in Wilmington)

Want to help? Fill out a volunteer application HERE (https://www.friendshiphousede.org/delaware-homeless/i-want-to-help/volunteer-application/)

First Unitarian Church Becomes Host Congregation for Tanzanian Family – Seeks Volunteers & Assistance
First Unitarian Church Wilmington, working with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) and its Congregational Accompaniment Project for Asylum Seekers (CAPAS) (https://www.uusc.org/initiatives/asylum-is-a-human-right-uuscs-congregational-accompaniment-project-for-asylum-seekers-capas/) , and Nemours Children’s Hospital, became a host congregation for a mother and son from Tanzania in March 2023.

First U has a Core Team working diligently to provide support for this family along with volunteers who help directly with the family and others that support program administration. Opportunities for support of this project include financial, language/employment training, transportation, and social/spiritual outings. You can learn more about these opportunities here. (https://firstuuwilm.org/2023/05/24/capas-corner-celebrating-the-big-things/)
Volunteer Interest Form – click HERE (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbQqOVty4467QPUPYxWX2bnnNRqQgVr13hi7jX5zlYGhi4og/viewform)
Have a question for the Core Team? Click HERE (mailto:CAPASAsylumProject@firstuuwilm.org)

** Sunday Worship Service Information
July 23, 2023
10:30 am

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This Sunday, Mill Creek member Fran Gulino shares her message,

Being Present in Community:
My Two Different GA Experiences

Fran has attended two UUA General Assemblies. Join us for her reflections on those experiences and what she has learned from each one.

Music for the morning will be performed by Gus Mercante, countertenor, and Dee Fell, accompanist.

During this service we will share more details about Rev. Christian Schmidt’s upcoming ministry with us.

Note: we sent an announcement yesterday about Rev. Schmidt’s acceptance – you can read it again here. (https://mailchi.mp/e729336a33d4/special-board-announcement-15817176)
Connect With Us In-Person
* Service begins at 10:30 am
* Masking protocol will be posted at each entrance
* Children’s RE programming is available for ages 4 and up
* We are currently unable to offer Child Care (infant/toddler, ages 0 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 & easy access on Sunday morning), OR
* Get the link by accessing the church calendar (https://uusmc.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8c80a09d53a8aec43de675d26&id=a404d3fb3e&e=9e32ea5753) (https://www.uusmc.org/news/calendar/ (https://uusmc.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8c80a09d53a8aec43de675d26&id=3386b49cce&e=9e32ea5753) )

Sunday Livestream – CLICK HERE (https://zoom.us/j/97806427419)

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
Debra Damiani, Congregational Administrator
Monday 9 am to 2 pm, Monday-Thursday
administrator@uusmc.org (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org)
302-369-2712

** Happening in Our Local Community
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** Delaware State Fair Returns to Harrington Today
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The gates opened at 12-noon today at the 104th Annual Delaware State Fair, featuring a 10-day schedule of live entertainment, carnival rides, and lots of fried foods – but also educational exhibits, demonstrations, and competition aimed at the advancement of livestock, horticulture, and agriculture with special emphasis placed on educational activities such as 4-H, FFA and similar youth development programs.

The primary focus of the fair is to serve as a showcase for the talents of the youth and citizens of the community by providing them with a means of education, exhibition, and competition involving various livestock and non-livestock projects in which the youth and citizens of the community are involved. The Fair strives to create an event that celebrates an atmosphere of responsible community involvement and citizenship.

Click the button below for the full schedule of events, hours of operation, entertainment lineup, ticket & parking info, and more.

Delaware State Fair
Thursday, July 20 – Saturday, July 29
18500 S. DuPont Highway
Harrington, Delaware 19952
302-398-3269
State Fair Headquarters – CLICK HERE (https://www.delawarestatefair.com/)
Did you know…?

The annual fair also highlights the heritage of the community, its ties to agriculture, industry, and businesses that are the backbone of Southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Fair’s central Delaware location provides a gathering place for nearby communities to showcase their best resources – their youth, agriculture and a sense of community in addition to their products and skills. Additionally, during the Fair, other community based non-profit organizations benefit from fund-raising opportunities.

** News from the UUA, the Central East Region, and the Delmarva Cluster
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** The Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt Begins Tenure as UUA President
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On July 10, Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt became the tenth president of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Charles Coe, with UU World magazine, had a recent Q & A session with the new president when she took time to talk a bit about her background and shared some thoughts about the opportunities and challenges facing the UU community.

My Chilean grandmother told me I would never know what freedom meant because I had never lost mine. Those lessons still echo for me.
–Rev. Betancourt
Read the article HERE (https://www.uuworld.org/articles/qa-sofia-betancourt?_gl=1*1g8tqkv*_ga*ODIyNDA0OTE1LjE2ODU1NDQ3NjU.*_ga_CN7F7RET4F*MTY4OTY5MDE4OC4yMy4xLjE2ODk2OTAyNzQuMC4wLjA.)
https://www.uua.org/central-east

**
Opportunities for Connection: Central East Region Update
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JULY 2023

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.

This month: Chalice Lighter Program Revamped, Helpful Habits Board Retreat, UU Network Palooza, and more.
Opportunities for Connection – click here to learn more (https://uua874.activehosted.com/index.php?action=social&chash=a92c274b8be496fb05d95033552eeddd.6176&s=8983449a6b0e04757c2c9729fa49f044)

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Weekly Invitation – July 20, 2023

Weekly Invitation – July 20, 2023