Weekly News - June 5, 2025 - Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek

Posted on June 5, 2025 Posted By: Office Administrator Categories: News

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

Here’s what’s happening at Mill Creek:

** Congregational Life
————————————————————

** Upcoming events, meetings and news to know
————————————————————

** Free Jazz Concert:
TONIGHT
————————————————————

Come and join us for an evening of swingin’ brass and smooth voices at a FREE jazz concert on Thursday, June 5 at 7pm here at Mill Creek. Featuring The Keynote Jazz Singers, with guest Alto Sax player Larry Spencer, and the Clarion Brass. Everyone is welcome – share this event on your social media platforms, and bring a friend!

** Sunday Worship Service Information
June 8, 2025
10:30 am
————————————————————

It’s Pride Month, a month-long observance dedicated to the celebration of LGBTQ pride by commemorating the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer culture and community. Join Rev. Schmidt this Sunday when we explore and celebrate diversity and the freedom to be ourselves.

Music for this service will be performed by Marty Lassman. Marty is a retired school music teacher. He directed bands at Wilmington Friends School, and choirs at the Cab Calloway School of the Arts, for 48 years before retiring in 2019. Now, he accompanies school choirs, plays solo piano engagements, and directs Keynote Jazz Singers, an adult community choir that sings choral pieces in a jazz/pop style. www.KeynoteJazzSingers.com
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

** Support our Food Drive this Sunday
————————————————————
…with your donation of canned and/or 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.

** Volunteer Spotlight:
Peg Duffy
————————————————————

The copper beech tree on the lawn next to the mailbox has grown enormously over time, with low-hanging branches becoming a safety concern by obstructing the view of the parking lot from the office windows. Many thanks to Peg Duffy, who expertly wielded her chain saw to trim the tree, much to the delight of our congregational administrator. Thank you, Peg!

** 2025 Annual Report
————————————————————
The annual report is available. You may pick up a copy in the gathering space, or click HERE (https://www.uusmc.org/wp-content/uploads/UUSMC-2025-mill-creek-annual-report-with-budget.pdf) .

** A Call to Action
————————————————————

No Kings Day of Defiance
CALL TO ACTION – Supporting Our UU Principles!

WHO: YOU and all UUs
WHAT: No Kings Day of Defiance – A Mass Mobilization Day to Defend Democracy
WHEN: Saturday, June 14 (Flag Day and the 250^th Anniversary of the U.S. Army) from 2:00 – 4:00 pm – a peaceful, non-violent protest – RAIN OR SHINE
WHERE: Indivisible Newark First State (https://indivisiblenewarkd.wixsite.com/indivisiblenewarkde) will be at S. College and Main St. in Newark.
WHY: To stand up for our democracy and against authoritarianism. Take action and bring signs and posters. Organized by Indivisible nationwide and in the First State.
We must unite to send a clear message: No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.
HOW: Meet at Mill Creek at 1:15pm to carpool to Newark.

Make Your Protest Sign!
Rev up your energy and enthusiasm by working alongside fellow marchers to create a protest sign or poster that personifies your angst. Join us in the Art Lab on Thursday, June 12 at 6:00 pm. Poster-making materials will be available or you can bring your own.

** Ice Cream Social
————————————————————

Join us as we celebrate the warmer days of summer. All are welcome tor ice cream, yard games, and fellowship on Saturday, June 14 and 6:30 pm – RAIN OR SHINE.

** Don’t Miss the Summer Solstice Celebration
————————————————————

** Lands Stewards Activities
————————————————————
* 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, June 11 around 5:30 pm.
* Pizza in the Meadow Join the crew in the meadow on Wednesday, June 11 for relaxation and a communal meal of everyone’s favorite: pizza!
* Meeting Everyone is welcome to learn about the work that is both planned and ongoing for the acres we manage by attending the meeting on Sunday, June 15 after coffee hour.

** Dog Sitter Needed
————————————————————
Blue, a friendly Aussie, needs a sitter for a long weekend – Friday, July 11 to Monday, July 14. Can be at Blue’s house in Bear (Delaware), or your house (no other pets). Contact the church office if interested (302-369-2712 or administrator@uusmc.org (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org) ).

** Current Share Our Plate Recipient
————————————————————

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)

** “Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”
————————————————————
(We want your socks.)
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.

So far we have collected 22 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.

** Recurring Events
————————————————————

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, June 8 & 22 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

** We Are Unitarian Universalists
————————————————————

The Unitarian Universalist Association – UUA – is the central organization for the Unitarian Universalist (UU) religious movement in the United States. The UUA’s 1000+ member congregations are committed to inseparable and deeply interdependent shared values of interdependence, transformation, generosity, pluralism, justice, and equity – all centered around love.

Our faith tradition is diverse and inclusive. We grew from the union of two radical Christian groups: the Universalists, who organized in 1793, and the Unitarians, who organized in 1825. They joined to become the UUA in 1961. Across the globe, our legacy reaches back centuries to liberal religious pioneers in England, Poland, and Transylvania.

A short video was created as a way to introduce the UU faith to anyone. Click the button below to view and share.
We Are UU’s – view the video message HERE (https://vimeo.com/344862790)

** Opportunities for Connection: Central East Region Update
————————————————————
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)

Our mailing address is:
*|LIST_ADDRESS|* *|END:IF|*

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences (*|UPDATE_PROFILE|*)
or ** unsubscribe from this list (*|UNSUB|*)
.

*|IF:REWARDS|* *|REWARDS_TEXT|* *|END:IF|*

Weekly News – June 5, 2025

Weekly News – June 5, 2025