Here’s what’s happening at Mill Creek:
** Important Reminder About Church Cancellation Procedures & Notification Methods
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Board policy leaves the decision to cancel church service with the minster and the board president. We always endeavor to make such decisions in a timely fashion.
Once the decision is made to cancel Sunday service we will: send an email blast – if possible and time allows (will come from news@uusmc.org), post notice on Facebook (both the public and private UUSMC pages), and report closure information to the local SnoWatch system.
SnoWatch reports are available online at wdel.com (https://www.wdel.com/features/wdel-stormwatch/) and wstw.com (https://www.wstw.com/wstw-stormwatch/)
NOTE: we will use the SnoWatch notification method for building closures pertaining to all scheduled meetings and classes held during the week. This includes chalice circles, committee meetings, art classes, music rehearsals, etc.
If the weather calls for any kind of dangerous weather, please check your inbox and/or the above media PRIOR TO any meeting, class, event, or worship service. We want everyone to be safe this winter!
** Old Time Music Concert this Friday
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Newberry & Verch
Friday, January 30 @ 7:30 pm
Growing up, Joe Newberry and April Verch absorbed traditions of home and hearth – in his Missouri Ozarks and her Ottawa Valley of Canada. In their show, delighted audiences see first-hand the roots of their music, their love of performing, and their strong musical connection. Original songs join timeless classics. Stories warm the heart, and give audiences a chance to understand where the music comes from. Lively fiddle and banjo numbers combine with traditional dance steps to illustrate happy times when people made their own fun.
Tickets online:
Click HERE (https://bfotm-concert-tickets.square.site/)
Tickets at the door:
Public $25
Seniors $20
Students with ID $15
Ages 17 & under FREE!
More info: concerts@brandywinefriends.org, or (302) 321-6466
Learn more about the duo and take a listen to their music HERE (https://youtu.be/oegtfDF3oAo)
** Diaper Drive Begins THIS SUNDAY
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Shop the sales NOW to participate in the Social Justice Committee’s Diaper Drive supporting Catholic Charities Diaper Bank, starting THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1.
Catholic Charities Diaper Bank – an affiliate of the National Diaper Bank Network – helps low-income families keep their young children clean, dry, and healthy by providing much needed supplies at their monthly diaper distributions in Wilmington.
We are collecting the following items & supplies:
* Diapers, all infant sizes; especially toddler sizes (4, 5 & 6)
* Wipes
* Bath Wash
* Bath Cloths
Collection begins Sunday, February 1 and runs through Sunday, March 1.
Did you know…?
* Babies need 10-12 diapers a day; toddlers need about 8 per day.
* Disposable diapers, depending on brand, can cost up to $120 per month.
* 1 in 3 families struggle to provide an adequate supply of diapers for their children.
* Working families must provide an additional supply of disposable diapers to their child care provider.
* Cloth diapers are not accepted at most child care centers.
** Mill Creek Welcomes Muslim Group
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We have a new rental agreement with a group of Muslims from our local area who will be using the church building for their evening prayers.
Their prayer times are based on the natural movement of day and night. Between now and February 15, the group will convene in the MacArtor Library for prayers in Arabic every evening around 7pm and will last about 15-20 minutes, preceded and followed by brief times for set up and clean up.
Ramadan begins on the evening of Tuesday, February 17 when the group will be focused on spending time at their mosque on Salem Church Road through Thursday, March 19. We expect them to return to our facility to resume daily prayer gatherings each evening on or about Friday, March 20.
Between now and February 15, we ask everyone to be mindful of their presence in the building.
** Sunday Worship Service Information
February 1, 2026
10:30 am
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How do we find our way through the perilous conditions of our time, and where do we turn when adversity feels overwhelming?
This Sunday we welcome Dr. Roderick L. Carey and his sermon, “How We’ll Make It Over: Lessons for Today from a Spirit-Led People.” This sermon invites us to look to the Holy Spirit as our guide and comforter in troubled seasons, the same Spirit that has sustained African American communities through generations of struggle, resistance, and hope. By attuning ourselves to the wisdom embedded in Black faith traditions and lived experiences, we learn not only how to endure, but how to trust the Spirit’s presence, direction, and healing power in our own lives today.
Introducing our guest speaker, Roderick L. Carey, PhD.
Dr. Carey is a scholar, teacher, and artist who has devoted his entire career in education to uplifting youth voice in his scholarship, teaching, and service to the community.
Currently, Dr. Carey is an associate professor and endowed faculty scholar in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Delaware. He teaches undergraduate courses on mentoring and helping relationships and families and children placed at-risk and a graduate course on critical qualitative methods. He is the founder and director of The Black Boy Mattering Project, a partnership with Delaware schools that studies how youth perceive their significance to others and creates contexts for them to imagine mattering more robustly. He also publishes widely in top tier academic journals on how family and school factors influence adolescents’ ambitions. His articles have been published in outlets like the American Educational Research Journal, Harvard Educational Review, Race Ethnicity and Education, Educational Administration Quarterly, and Urban Education, to name a few. He serves on the Editorial Boards of Equity &
Excellence in Education and Urban Education and is also an Associate Editor for the Journal of Adolescent Research. Dr. Carey co-created www.findingfutureselves.org, a website filled with resources to help educators support youth imagine and plan their lives after high school. He has presented at dozens of academic conferences locally, nationally, and internationally, serves on multiple editorial and community boards, and has offered commentary on new stories that have appeared in outlets such as USA Today. Prior to earning a PhD at the University of Maryland College Park, Dr. Carey taught high school English in Washington, DC charter schools for four years. He also holds a Master of Education in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education and English. He currently serves as Academic Affairs Chair on the Board of Trustees at Salesianum School and is a native Wilmingtonian.
Music for this service will be offered by Sheila Cassidy. Sheila Cassidy is a native of Wilmington, Delaware. She is a seasoned professional with over 45 years of experience in music education and music ministry. She holds a master’s degree in music education from West Chester University, Pennsylvania. Miss Cassidy was a band and choral director in South Carolina, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. She also served as the Minister of Music at several churches in Delaware and Pennsylvania. Sheila and her ensembles have received numerous awards, Currently, although officially retired, she can be found working as a long-term music substitute in the Red Clay Consolidated School District. Passionate about music, Sheila has served as an adjudicator, guest conductor, performer, private instructor and mentor. She is an advocate for student retention in school and church music programs. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Sheila enjoys reading the bible, and attending live music and arts performances.
Sheila’s extensive expertise, coupled with her dedication to fostering the next generation of music talent, makes her a dynamic and inspiring leader in the field.
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://uusmc.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8c80a09d53a8aec43de675d26&id=7e2744c3f8&e=9e32ea5753) (https://www.uusmc.org/news/calendar (https://uusmc.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8c80a09d53a8aec43de675d26&id=938e123965&e=9e32ea5753) )
Sunday Livestream – CLICK HERE (https://zoom.us/j/97806427419)
Meeting ID: 978 0642 7419
** 30 Days of Love 2026
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Love at the Center:
Reimagining the World
As It Could Be
30 Days of Love is the Unitarian Universalist Association’s annual celebration that runs approximately from Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January through Valentine’s Day in February with weekly offerings of spiritual nourishment, political grounding, and shared practices of faith and justice.
At a time when fear, violence, and extraction dominate our politics and our planet, we practice another way. We believe love is not fragile; it is fierce. It grounds our organizing, fuels our imagination, and sustains our communities. Over five weeks, we will move through a journey from imagination to action, rooting our freedom dreams in faith and bringing them to life in our world.
Each week, there will be a written reflection from Side With Love staff; a conversation with a UU theologian; a multigenerational family activity; reflection questions for journaling; a meditative body practice; and a coloring sheet connected to the weekly theme.
To learn more about the theme for 2026, the weekly highlights, and to sign-up to receive content, click the button below.
Engage with 30 Days of Love HERE (https://sidewithlove.org/30daysoflove)
** Annual Giving Statements
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Annual giving statements were sent via email on Wednesday, January 21. Contributions to all giving funds received during the 2025 calendar year are reflected. Contact the church office with any questions HERE (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org) or call 302-369-2712.
** Souper Bowl Saturday
Potluck Party
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Join us on Saturday, February 7 at 5:00 pm for our Souper Bowl Saturday Potluck Dinner – all are welcome!
Bring a pot of soup, a loaf of bread, salad, or a dessert to share. We will provide soft drinks. Join in our 50/50 fundraiser by bringing some cash with you.
We encourage everyone to participate in our canned food collection to benefit the Food Bank of Delaware – bring a can (or more) of soup.
Click the button below to RSVP to and let us know you are interested in attending and how many are coming. We don’t need to know what you plan to bring, but we do need to know by Sunday, February 1 if you are attending. Children are welcome, however childcare will not be available.
Looking forward to sharing a warm and spirited Saturday evening together!
RSVP HERE (mailto:reynoldschristine0@gmail.com)
** Yoga is Back
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Join Margaret in the library, 8:30am-10am, for gentle yoga & meditation.
Fridays: February 6, 13 & 20; March 6, 13 & 20. To register or with questions, contact Margaret HERE (mailto:margaret_bodine@comcast.net) .
** Book Discussion Group
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Join us as we explore four powerful books that shed light on racism in America and how we can work toward achieving equity and justice. Together, these books (see below for the list) reveal how racism shapes our society through denial, injustice, economic harm, and backlash, and invite us to imagine and work toward a more just and equitable future as we uphold our Unitarian Universalist values. The discussions, led by Tracey Crook, occur on the last Wednesday of the month, January through April, and will last approximately 60-90 minutes.
Discussion 2 of 4:
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
by Bryan Stevenson
Wednesday, February 25
March 25
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee
April 29
White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson
Each book discussion is available in the following formats:
Afternoon: 2:00 pm in the conference room
OR
Evening: 7:00 pm via Zoom
Click HERE to participate in one or more discussions, and indicate your attendance option (afternoon in-person or evening via Zoom) for the session you’re interested in. (mailto:tacrook@swbell.net)
** Wilmington Community Orchestra Concert Rescheduled
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This concert, originally scheduled for Sunday, January 18, was cancelled due to inclement weather. It has been rescheduled:
For anyone who likes classical music, come see The Wilmington Community Orchestra’s performance of “Viva L’Italia!” Friday, February 6 at 7:30pm in the Wilmington Concert Hall at the Music School of Delaware (4101 Washington St., Wilmington, DE). Enjoy music from Carmen and more with guest opera singers, as well as symphonies by Mendelssohn and Rossini. Tickets: $15 for adults and $5 for students. See Diana Saunders for more info, or click HERE (https://www.musicschoolofdelaware.org/tickets.html) .
** Volunteers (still) Needed – yes, that might mean YOU
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With the increased attendance in the Faith Exploration classroom on Sunday mornings, (while very encouraging), comes the very real need for volunteers.
Help is needed on Sunday mornings:
* supervising play in the nursery (no diapering required!)
* engaging with the kids and helping out with simple projects in the classroom
Thank you for considering your involvement in this important ministry. Please see Margaret with your interest, or email dre@uusmc.org (mailto:dre@uusmc.org) .
Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate.
— Anonymous
** Welcome to The Woodlands
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A Monthly Trans/Nonbinary Monthly Pastoral Care Space
Image by HP Rivers
The Woodlands is a monthly, online spiritual community gathering for trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender expansive, and intersex people—and for the parents and caregivers who love and support them. Each monthly gathering is gently structured and chaplain-led, offering both grounding and flexibility. Next gathering – Sunday, February 1 @ 4pm (EST).
Learn more about The Woodlands HERE (https://www.uua.org/lgbtq/thewoodlands?emci=9288a4d1-8cf1-f011-8194-000d3a11f903&emdi=8bdebc02-3cf2-f011-8194-000d3a11f903&ceid=25728018)
Register HERE to Join The Woodlands (https://uua.wufoo.com/forms/qg4n6y51ssh46e/)
** 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 January & February we are supporting:
ACLU of Delaware
For nearly 100 years, the American Civil Liberties Union – ACLU – has worked in courts, legislatures and communities to protect the constitutional rights of all people with a nationwide network of offices and millions of members and supporters. The mission of the ACLU of Delaware is to preserve and advance civil liberties and civil rights in the State of Delaware as enshrined in the United States and Delaware Constitutions through education and advocacy without consideration of political association.
Learn more about ACLU of Delaware HERE (https://www.aclu-de.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)
** Dungeons & Dragons
A Recurring Event
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Sundays, February 1 & 15
(every 2 weeks)
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 2 weeks 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
Sundays, when preaching: 9am – 3pm
Monday & Tuesday, 10am – 4pm
Thursday by appointment only, click HERE (https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ08wOXSmX5fNN_vySxfpLP9VL2QqSZF5spIx5_9rxZm3e25LNywCGk4WoIlyFMvdn84osyy8XZl)
Or email 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, Central East Region, and Delmarva Cluster
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** Unitarian Universalists Join ‘ICE Out’ Demonstrations in Minneapolis
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Hundreds of UU clergy and laypeople from across the nation joined The Day of Truth and Freedom (https://www.iceoutnowmn.com/) , a nonviolent moral action and reflection calling for the end of ICE operations in Minnesota. Organized by labor unions, community leaders, and faith groups, The Day of Truth and Freedom included a rally and march in downtown Minneapolis.
Read the UUworld.org article HERE (https://www.uuworld.org/articles/minneapolis-clergy-march-ice-resistance-unitarian-universalism?_gl=1*12lj19d*_ga*MjA1ODA4Mzk0MC4xNzYzMDU5ODE2*_ga_CN7F7RET4F*czE3Njk2OTkzNDkkbzIyJGcwJHQxNzY5Njk5MzQ5JGo2MCRsMCRoMA..)
** Central East Region Update
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January 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-0126)
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