Weekly News - June 26, 2025 - Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek

Posted on June 26, 2025 Posted By: Office Administrator Categories: News

Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek
We are a community that invites you to awaken to love.

** Congregational Life
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** Upcoming events, meetings and news to know
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** Sunday Worship Service Information
June 29, 2025
10:30 am
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Join us this Sunday for the first of our “Poolside Theology” sessions featuring two friends in conversation. While Karen Rege interviews Yolanda Chetwynd artist-to-artist, we’ll relax “poolside” to listen as Yolanda shares how she lives out her faith and values through her art—using creativity as a sacred practice to embody hope, justice, and love. As Yolanda shares stories of her artistic and spiritual journeys, we’ll explore how authentic community is built not through grand gestures, but through the quiet power of presence, creativity, and honest conversation.

Yolanda Chetwynd is an award-winning visual artist and a veteran teaching artist with over 30 years of experience in arts education. A Delaware Masters Fellow, she has led 100+ arts-integrated projects in schools, mentored nationally, and exhibited widely. Her work blends creativity, education, and community with a global perspective. Since retiring last year, she is concentrated on making a graphic novel about the 18th century radical feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. Yolanda has been a member of Mill Creek since 2018. Learn more about her work at www.yolandachetwynd.com (https://yolandachetwynd.website/) .

Music for this service will be performed by Sharon Sable and E. Shawn Qaissaunee. These award-winning musicians create a beautiful soundscape that is both bold and understated, appealing to music lovers of all kinds. The musical paths that have brought them together are rich and varied and weave elements of jazz, R&B, world, pop and much more into their memorable and engaging performances. They are both based in Wilmington, Delaware and are fixtures on the region’s music scene. Sharon is known for her sincere and exquisite vocal prowess. Shawn is known for his musical virtuosity, sensitivity and spirited creative energy in the jazz tradition. Sharon and Shawn are both passionate musicians and educators, dedicated to their shared path of inspiration, hope, humor and love.

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

** A Special Request

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We invite all who join us for worship on Sunday mornings to be mindful of their presence in community and the impact we make upon one another.

We know that perfume, cologne, after shave, body spray, and scented lotions & soaps are often expressions of our individual identity – which we honor – and we recognize that some products designed to relieve certain medical conditions may carry a strong aroma. However, strong scents and fragrances can be distracting and in extreme cases, even pose a serious health issue, particularly for those with respiratory difficulties such as asthma, COPD, or allergies.

We therefore respectfully request that members and friends, to the extent they can, carefully consider limiting or refraining from strongly scented personal products while attending church service, particularly in the warmer months.
Thank you for your consideration.

** In Case You Missed It
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Artist’s Reception
Pictured here: Bea Webb (standing) and Lucille Avakian (seated).

The Artist’s Reception for Lucille Loveland Avakian’s Paintings – Color Poems – held on Sunday, June 22 was a success. Attendees enjoyed refreshments, speaking with the artist and participating in two art activities designed by Jo Redbird. There was a free raffle for the Color Poem “Two Sides of a Dream” won by our own Bea Webb.

Lucille has been a member of our congregation since 1989, the same year she completed her BS in painting at Hunter College in NYC.

The last opportunity to see Color Poems is this Sunday, June 29 from 12:00-1:00pm.

** Support our Food Drive this Sunday
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…with YOUR DONATION(s) of canned and/or other non-perishable food items!
Our support of the Food Bank of Delaware continues with a collection of non-perishable food items. We are collecting their most-needed items, including dry cereals & oatmeal; peanut butter; canned tuna, beans, fruits, vegetables & soups; peanut butter; and rice & pasta.

The Social Justice Committee has provided a donation bin in the gathering space to collect the items mentioned above. Help us to help our less fortunate neighbors – please give generously.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

** Lands Stewards Activities
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* Wednesday Meadow Maintenance Come and see what the gang is doing to improve the biodiversity and natural habitat in the meadow areas. Join them next Wednesday, July 2 around 5:30 pm.
* Pizza & Beverages in the Meadow Join the crew in the meadow on Wednesday, July 9 for relaxation surrounded by nature, and a communal meal of everyone’s favorite: pizza!

** 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 May and June we are supporting:

The Trevor Project
The leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ young people.

This organization offers crisis services, advocacy, research, peer support, education, and public awareness, with the ultimate goal of preventing suicide – helping to create a world where all LGBTQ+ young people see a bright future for themselves.
Learn more about The Trevor Project HERE (https://www.thetrevorproject.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)

** Holey Socks!
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So far we have collected 36 pounds of socks, bypassing the landfill. Please help us reach our year-end goal of 100+ pounds. Look for the collection bin in the gathering space. Your participation in this project is an easy way to help the environment.

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.

** 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, July 6 & 20 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. Christian Schmidt, Minister
In Office: Sundays & Tuesdays
minister@uusmc.org (mailto:minister@uusmc.org)
979-450-2477 (cell)
To request a teleconference, or a Zoom or in-person meeting, click the button below:
Connect with Rev. Christian HERE (https://calendar.google.com/calendar/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

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

** How to Stay Connected to Your UU Faith During Your Summer Travels
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Pictured: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Hudson Valley (https://www.uuchudsonvalley.org/) (NY)

If you’re traveling this summer but would still like to attend a UU service, there’s a way to find a UU church anywhere in the country – or the world.

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has you covered with a quick and easy way to view all 1000+ UUA member congregations, or you can browse by state, region, or internationally. You can even connect with the Church of the Larger Fellowship, a strictly online church, and also search for young adult and campus ministry. Click the button below to stay connected this summer, no matter where you are.
Find a UU church anywhere – click HERE (https://www.uua.org/find)

** Opportunities for Connection: Central East Region Update
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JUNE 2025

Featured Resource:
Congregational Board Resources
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-625)

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Weekly News – June 26, 2025

Weekly News – June 26, 2025