Sunday Worship Service Information
August 10, 2025
10:30 am
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After months of anticipation, we are pleased to announce the arrival of our new minister,
Reverend Christe Lunsford!
Rev. Christe will be in the pulpit this Sunday to share their first sermon, “This Is Me.”
All are invited and encouraged to attend this very special service.
Music for this service will be performed by internationally acclaimed artist Pape Demba “Paco” Samb. A native of Senegal and the Wolof peoples, his family members are griots – keepers of their ancestral history, stories, and music. He heads his own drum ensemble called Super Ngewel, and released his first album in 2014. Paco offers drum lessons to anyone interested in learning how to play the djembe, and he and his brothers in Senegal build several types of drums that are available for purchase. Learn more HERE (https://www.papedembasamb.com/) . Joining Paco are Mill Creek musicians including Emma Hull Marino (voice), Chris Hull (guitar), Rudy Nyhoff (clarinet), Diana Saunders (flute and djembe), Karen Rege (dundun), and Prakash Vaidy (djembe).
Plan to remain with us after the service for a potluck lunch.
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)
Meeting ID: 978 0642 7419
** Potluck Sunday
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Help us give a warm welcome to Rev. Christe – Mill Creek style – by remaining with us after church service this Sunday, August 10 to enjoy good food and warm fellowship with a potluck lunch. You may bring a main or side dish, salad, appetizer, dessert, or beverages to share – if you wish.
** Sock Update
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89 pounds of socks have been collected so far, inching ever closer to our goal of collecting 100+ pounds by the end of the year. Help us bypass the landfill by cleaning out your sock drawer and bring in clean, unwanted socks: any type, condition, any material.
The SmartWool company is giving old products new life to eliminate the need for new materials and keep perfectly good materials from being thrown away and destined for a landfill. They have developed Second Cut, a process to refabricate discarded socks into new products they sell on their website. We are collecting clean, unwanted socks of any type, any condition, and any kind of material. We will then send them to the SmartWool company, giving them new life.
** Pizza in the Meadow
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Once a month the Land Stewards like to relax after meadow chores and enjoy a meal of pizza and beverages together. They warmly extend an invitation to everyone to join them on Wednesday, August 13. Come around 5:30-6:00 pm to assist with meadow chores – or not! – working in the meadow is not a requirement! Bring along your favorite beverages and invite a friend!
We are situated in a perfect spot to see a sunset – in case you need another reason to come!
** Church Pool Party
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Fran Gulino & Joe Snader welcome everyone to their home in New London, Pennsylvania on Saturday, August 23 at 3pm for a potluck pool party!
Fran and Joe have a big backyard with an inground pool and a beautiful new gazebo they built themselves – a must-see! They look forward to a relaxed gathering poolside with church members and friends.
Who can come: Everyone – adults AND kids!
What to bring: Swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, and a dish (or dishes) to share.
RSVP: Click the button below to connect with Fran – let her know the number of people in your group and what food item(s) you plan to bring; Fran will respond with their home address & phone number.
YES – I/We will be there! (mailto:frangu302@gmail.com)
** Join us for a celebration!
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Everyone is welcome to join us in the gathering space after church service on Sunday, August 24 when we celebrate Mill Creek member Kathie Stamm’s 90th birthday. We’ll have cake, ice cream, and plenty of good wishes for the birthday girl.
The celebration is not a surprise, and Kathie requests ‘No Presents Please.’ Instead, in Kathie’s honor you may make a donation to UU Society of Mill Creek by clicking HERE (https://onrealm.org/MillCreek/-/form/give/now) ; or St. Michael’s School and Nursery, 700 N. Walnut Street, Wilmington DE 19801, or by clicking HERE (https://www.signup82north.com/beventLive.aspx?EventID=NBI95542700) .
** Monarch Activity in the Meadow
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This monarch caterpillar was spotted on a Butterfly Milkweed plant in the meadow. Recently, the Land Stewards have been seeing a lot of adult Monarchs nectaring on our meadow flowers. This was the first caterpillar they’ve observed this year- they are much harder to find than the adults. Come out any Wednesday and see what you can find!
Photo courtesy of Amy White.
** SOLAR STATS
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Since the installation of our solar panels in 2018, we have realized the following benefits:
229k – Pounds of CO₂ Emission Saved
1,731 – Equivalent Trees Planted
** Mental Health Resource
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Unitarian Universalist Mental Health Network (UUMHN), a UUA-related organization founded in 2018, promotes mental health awareness, advocacy, and inclusion within the broader Unitarian Universalist community.
Their mission is to empower the Beloved Community to honor everyone’s unique mental health journey toward wellness. They envision a world where the Beloved Community is a place where all members feel welcomed, understood, and held in love; they engage in respectful curiosity to understand emotional distress; they welcome open, authentic, and fearless sharing about mental health; and passionately commit to mental health justice. They do this through education, worship, support groups, social justice, companionship training, and more.
Click HERE to learn more about the services they provide and get on their mailing list. (https://www.uumentalhealth.org/)
** 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 July and August we are supporting:
Unitarian Universalist Delaware Advocacy Network (UUDAN)
This organization supports Delaware state legislation that aligns with UU principles. This includes affordable housing, criminal justice, protection for marginalized groups, environmental protection, climate justice, and more. UUDAN’s operating budget of approximately $1000 per year is shared by the 5 UU congregations in the state of Delaware in a rotating cycle. This is Mill Creek’s year to offer support.
Learn more about UUDAN HERE (https://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. Thank you! (https://onrealm.org/MillCreek/Give)
** Recurring Events
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Wednesday Evening Meadow Maintenance
The Land Stewards continue their weekly evening work efforts every Wednesday around 5:30pm, weather permitting. You don’t need to be a meadow worker bee to come out and enjoy some social time with us in the meadow. – everyone is welcome to simply walk around and enjoy our natural native habitat.
It’s not all about pulling weeds – there are many opportunities to get involved! 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 by clicking the button below.
Learn more – click HERE (https://www.uusmc.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-Support-Our-Natural-Lands-1.pdf)
The D & D role-playing game is about storytelling in worlds of swords and sorcery.
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, August 17 & 31 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. Christe Lunsford, Minister
Monday & Tuesday, 10am – 3pm
minister@uusmc.org (mailto:minister@uusmc.org)
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
dre@uusmc.org (mailto:dre@uusmc.org)
Connect with the UUA, Delmarva Cluster, and Central East Region
** The Gathering: a new monthly virtual event – check it out
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The Gathering is a new monthly virtual event (second Mondays) from Side With Love, designed to offer:
* Spiritual Grounding – Strengthen your heart and spirit for the work ahead.
* Political Analysis – Understand the threats to democracy and justice.
* Collective Action – Organize with others to block anti-democratic forces and build a just and loving world.
Next session: Monday, August 18.
Click HERE to learn more and register. (https://sidewithlove.org/the-gathering)
** “Whatever you are, be a good one.”
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–William Makepeace Thackeray
As featured in UUWorld.org, Natalie Briscoe, Lead for the Southern Region, shares secrets for congregational success, at any size.
“I’m going to give it to you straight: people want to go where it is fun to be. They don’t want to go where they are asked to serve right away. They don’t want to go where people don’t laugh, don’t celebrate, don’t love out loud. They don’t want to go to a space that is exactly the same as the harsh world they stepped in from. People want hope. They want beauty. They want joy. They want their spirits uplifted. There is no magic formula: people want to go where they can leave the world behind and make a better one.” – Natalie Briscoe
Read the article HERE (https://www.uuworld.org/articles/congregation-success-advice-natalie-briscoe-unitarian-universalism?_gl=1*lrbo17*_ga*MjEyNzEyODA0NC4xNzUzNzIwNzMw*_ga_CN7F7RET4F*czE3NTQ0OTE3NjckbzEyJGcxJHQxNzU0NDkyMzU4JGo2MCRsMCRoMA..)
** Opportunities for Connection: Central East Region Update
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AUGUST 2025
Featured Resource:
Helpful Board Habits Training
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 (https://www.uua.org/central-east/blog/opportunities-824)
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** Website (https://www.uusmc.org)
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