Weekly News - July 2, 2026 - Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek

Posted on July 2, 2026 Posted By: Office Administrator Categories: News

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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** Office Closure
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The church office will be closed on Monday, July 6 in observance of Independence Day.

** Staff Changes at Mill Creek
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Yesterday, in a separate email, we announced the news that our long-time Congregational Administrator, Debby Damiani, will be resigning from Mill Creek effective Thursday, October 15. If you missed that email, you can read it HERE (https://mailchi.mp/7d2c387e33f3/announcement-from-rev-christe-17663368) .

** A Mini MacArtor Visitor
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Last month we were honored by a visit from the grandson and great-grandson of two of our founding members and benefactors, June and Frank MacArtor.

Rob van Veelen, his wife Maria, and their 6-month old son Reginald were traveling from their home in Stoke-on-Trent, England. While in our vicinity, they made a point to drop by to visit the memorial bench placed in honor of Rob’s grandparents, June (1930-2013) and Frank (1923-2015).

In an email received after their visit, Rob had this to share:
“It meant an incredible amount to our family to bring Frank and June’s great-grandchild to the church they helped build, and we look forward to bringing him back again as he grows older. Thank you to you and your congregation for continuing to maintain such a welcoming space and preserving the legacy of those who laid its foundations.” – Rob van Veelen

** Have you downloaded the Church Center App?
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Church Center is an easy app that helps you to stay connected with your Mill Creek community. It is secure, controlled, and accessed by invitation only. Invitations were emailed several months ago to members of the congregation. If you can’t locate that email, contact the church office (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org) for a resend.

Once you download the app, then select UUSMC as your congregation and sign in, you can access the church directory and calendar. Only you can control what information about you is shared in the directory.

** Faith Exploration Activities for July
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The month of July will be a busy one in the faith exploration classrooms:

July 5 – Messy Hands Day! The kids will be busy making goop, slime, and playdough.
July 12 – Cooking Day! Make-your-own pizzas.
July 19 – Fun with RC Cars! Bring a remote control car if you have one, or consider borrowing one.
July 26 – Ice Cream Day! The kids will have a blast making their own ice cream concoctions.

WISH LIST:
An ice cream maker would help make Ice Cream Day (July 26) extra special. If you or someone you know has one we could borrow for the day, let our Faith Exploration leader know HERE (mailto:nuggsmom@gmail.com) .
We are also looking for woodworking tools. If you have any that you would like to donate, bring them in any Sunday. Thank you!

** We’re Growing!
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Our weekday building participation continues to expand, and it’s a wonderful sign of how our community is thriving. To keep up with this momentum, we’ll be reconfiguring our classroom spaces this July and August to better serve our current needs.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we make these changes — the result will be spaces that better support all the great things happening here.

** Sunday Worship Service Information
July 5, 2026
10:30 am
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Once a year, the pulpit belongs to you. This Sunday, July 25 — Soapbox Sunday — every member and friend of the congregation has the chance to step up and speak — two minutes, any topic. Serious, silly, urgent, or whimsical — if it matters to you, we want to hear it.

A few ground rules to keep us all in good shape:
* Two minutes, strictly honored. Know what you want to say before you step on the box. When the timer sounds, please wrap it up.
* No partisan political speech. No campaigning or candidate advocacy. Speak from your values instead.
* Be mindful of the community space — please hold personal trauma for more intimate settings.

A sign-up sheet will be available in the room that morning, so be prepared and ready to claim your slot.

Come ready to speak. Come ready to listen. Come for free speech in its most congregational form.

Connect with Us In-Person
* Service begins at 10:30 am
* Children’s Faith Exploration programming is available for ages 4 and up (see below for what’s coming 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

** Church Hike
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Chestnut Hill Trail at White Clay Creek State Park –
Judge Morris Estate

Sunday, July 5
After church service & coffee hour
Join us for some fellowship & fun when we gather for a summer hike! We’ll start at the Judge Morris Estate on Polly Drummond Hill Road for a 3.6 mile hike that will take about 1.5 hours to complete.

This is a nice hike through forest in a slightly hilly area between two creeks. Bridges make the crossings easy. The trail is clearly marked, including a cut off that will allow you to cut the hike in half. Watch for mountain bikers.

The trail ends by bringing you through a soybean field back to the start. A short walk will take you to the Judge Morris house, a 19th century house, now a museum. Learn more details HERE (https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/delaware/chestnut-hill-trail) .
Let our hike leader, Bill Reynolds, know you’ll be coming along – send him a quick note HERE (mailto:wmfxir@gmail.com) .

** Join us in the meadow every Wednesday
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Pizza & Beverages on July 8!

Join the Land Stewards next Wednesday, July 8 (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. Stick around afterward to enjoy some outdoor fellowship and enjoy pizza & beverages. All are welcome!

** Photo Display in the Sanctuary
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The photo display in the sanctuary and gathering space is from Diane Hofer’s trip to Colorado in September 2025.

“This collection of photographs is my invitation to you to experience awe. I hope these images offer more than beautiful scenery. I hope they encourage you to slow your pace, awaken your curiosity, and remember that wonder is never far away.”

** Newark Arts Alliance Returns this Summer for 2-week Art Camp
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Camp Imagine, offered by Newark Arts Alliance, is a full-day, Monday through Friday, 2-week art camp for children ages 7–12: July 27 through August 7. Campers explore both visual and performing arts, including art, theater, a cappella singing, and dance, in a fun and creative environment – right here at Mill Creek. Registration is available for one or both weeks.
Click HERE for more information & to register (https://www.newarkartsalliance.org/camp-imagine)
Questions? Click HERE (mailto:info@newarkartsalliance.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 & August we are supporting:

Meals on Wheels – Newark, Delaware

Coordinated by the Newark Senior Center and operated by volunteers, this program provides dependable weekday meal delivery so older adults can continue living at home with support. With a focus on consistency, dignity, and community connection, this program helps ensure no one is left without a proper meal.
Learn more about Meals on Wheels, Newark HERE (https://www.newarkseniorcenter.com/transportation-services)
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)
For the months of May and June, we supported Black Mothers in Power with our donation of $1714. 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, healing, and power. Thank you for your support of this organization!

** UUWomenspirit Fall 2026 Gathering
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Registration opens soon!
Registration is opening soon for the UUWomenspirit Fall 2026 Gathering. All women of our community are invited from Wednesday, September 30 through Sunday, October 4, 2026, to join the gathering at the beautiful, rustic summit of The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center in Highlands, NC (https://www.themountainrlc.org/) . This autumn, the gathering will center around the theme Waters of the Spirit.

Registration opens on Wednesday, July 22. Until then, click the button below to learn more.
UUWomenspirit – learn more HERE (https://www.uuwomenspirit.org/)

** 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:
July 3 & 10
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: July 5 & 19
(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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** At General Assembly 2026, UUs Find and Celebrate Community, Everywhere
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Pictured above: Rev. Verdis LeVar Robinson, GA worship coordinator and transitional minister of All Souls in New London, Connecticut, leads a song surrounded by worship leaders and musical performers during the Weaving Together: (Re)Convening Worship from the studio site on June 19, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky.
© Denny Henry/UUA

General Assembly 2026, “Meet the Moment: Together, Everywhere,” didn’t take shape as one central in-person gathering or through an online-only event. Instead, it offered multiple connection points: in person at a “studio site” in Louisville, Kentucky; at seven satellite locations around the country; and online. This year’s GA approach was designed to offer UUs flexibility, reduce travel and environmental impacts, and streamline production, while also allowing live engagement for participants who value being in community face to face.
Read more HERE (https://www.uuworld.org/articles/uua-ga-programming-session-together-everywhere?_gl=1*1hxdml5*_ga*NjI0ODgyMDUzLjE3Nzc0ODUwMjY.*_ga_CN7F7RET4F*czE3ODIzOTQ3MjAkbzE0JGcwJHQxNzgyMzk0NzIwJGo2MCRsMCRoMA..)

** Central East Region
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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.

The Central East Region helps congregations of all shapes and sizes connect with each other and with resources that help them best express their Unitarian Universalist faith in a changing and hurting world. We believe that we’re at our best when we work together–and we Central East Region staff work together to help your congregation be its best. 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)

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Weekly News – July 2, 2026

Weekly News – July 2, 2026