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
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** Upcoming events, meetings and news to know
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** Concert this Friday Evening
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Presented by:
Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music
Friday, March 14 at 7:30 pm
Led by wise and witty lead singer and songwriter Ron Thomason, the Dry Branch Fire Squad presents bluegrass in the best tradition: classics and originals, gospel and cowboy songs, heartfelt lilts of equine love, and galloping instrumentals. With impeccable timing, humorous social commentary, catchy lyrics, and song choices from the oldest traditions, this quartet is one of the most entertaining bands in bluegrass today. Learn more about the band HERE (https://drybranchfiresquad.com/home) . Check out their YouTube channel HERE (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcTqpURJvvnhjWG_Ex9MFZw) .
Tickets Sold at the Door:
General Public $25; Seniors $20; Students w/ID $15; Ages 17 & under FREE
** Sunday Worship Service Information
March 16, 2025
10:30 am
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Join us this Sunday for a service about putting love at the center of our lives and liberal faith, with inspiration by Adrienne Maree Brown, Otis Moss III, as well as Carl Sagan and his wife Ann Druyan. Our guest speaker, Rev. Kristin Grassel Schmidt will share her sermon, “Love at the Center.”
Rev. Kristin serves as Senior Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring, Maryland. She lives in Olney, Maryland, has three children, and is married to our minister, Rev. Christian Schmidt. Outside of ministry, Rev. Kristin is a competitive baker, writes fiction, and enjoys all things Star Trek.
Music for this service will be performed by the Clarion Brass, featuring Gordon Roth and Kristen Tosh-Morelli, trumpets; Rebecca King, French horn; Tom Hartline, trombone; and Brian Hanson, tuba.
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)
** Social Justice Meeting this Sunday
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Everyone is welcome to join the team in the conference room after church service this Sunday, March 16.
mailto:regina139@msn.com
** Sprint Equinox Ritual & Celebration
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Everyone is welcome to join us on Wednesday, March 19 at 7pm. Contact Regina Guarino (mailto:regina139@msn.com) with questions.
** Group Hike
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Save the Date:
Wednesday, March 26
The Fun & Fellowship Committee invites you on a group hike led by Bill Reynolds.
We’ll meet in the church parking lot at 10am on Wednesday, March 26 to hike the Pleasant Hill Paper Mill Loop trail, in White Clay Creek State Park. We’ll hike on dirt trails that are rocky with roots in some areas. The terrain consists of rolling hills and stream crossings via bridges. Poles are recommended if you have or use them. Bring water and bug spray. There will be an opportunity to go out together for lunch after the hike. Let Bill know you’ll be joining the group or if you have questions – click the email button below.
Trail Details:
Length 3.6 mi Elevation gain 187 ft
3.6-mile loop trail, generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 75 to 90 minutes to complete – features an early out if needed.
For questions or to register – CLICK HERE (mailto:Wmfxir@gmail.com?subject=church%20hike)
** Express Yourself with Art
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Jewelry Box Night in the Redbird Art Lab All are welcome to attend this fun and creative event back by popular demand. We’ll have the beads, just bring your creative brain: Wednesday, March 26, 7-8:30.
Come to the side entrance by mailbox or call Jo Redbird (302-747-6055). Or, for questions prior to the event, contact Jo HERE (mailto:redbirdartlab@gmail.com) .
** Dinners (and Lunch) for Seven
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Dinners (and Lunch) for Seven
WHAT: gatherings for lunch or dinner
WHERE: the comfort and relaxed atmosphere of members’ homes
WHY: they provide opportunities for members and friends to gather for a meal and to socialize
WHEN: Saturday, March 29
HOW: see the sign-up sheet in the gathering space, or click the button below
Ask questions or sign up – Click HERE (mailto:fellowship@uusmc.org)
** Service Auction Tickets on Sale this Sunday
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Tickets will be on sale after church service this Sunday, March 16. When purchasing tickets at the reduced price, please be prepared to let us know what category you will be donating:
FOOD (specify cold appetizer, vegetarian dish or dessert) or…
BEVERAGE (specify red wine, white wine, or beer).
In the meantime, our donation line is open! Below we share the following resources to assist you:
Unsure what to donate? Need a little inspiration? We found a comprehensive, alphabetized list of *500* gift basket ideas!! (Yes – FIVE HUNDRED). Gift baskets make a wonderful donation—they’re fun to assemble and the sky’s the limit!
500 Gift Basket Ideas! CLICK HERE (https://www.fundraiserhelp.com/500-silent-auction-basket-ideas.htm)
Gift baskets not your thing? Want to do something a little different? We’ve got you covered! We found an “Ultimate List” of 150+ unique donation ideas broken down by categories, like Sports & Fitness, Education Focused, Seasonal & Holiday, Technology – and many more!
150+ Donation Ideas! CLICK HERE (https://www.winspireme.com/silent-auction-item-ideas/)
Have a question and not sure who to ask? Access our Auction FAQ page! CLICK HERE (https://www.uusmc.org/wp-content/uploads/FAQ-Service-Auction-2025.pdf)
Ready to make your donation(s)? CLICK HERE (mailto:david@dlsk.net)
** Land Steward’s Meeting
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Sunday, March 23
All are welcome to join the meeting in the conference room on Sunday, March 23, after coffee time. This is a great opportunity to find out what we’re planning and to be a part of deciding priorities for the native habitat we manage.
In the meantime, we will soon be ready for our annual meadow cutting, followed by our weekly Wednesday maintenance gatherings. We welcome one and all to help in any way possible – but what does that mean, exactly?
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.
Contact Amy White or Jamie Kegerise with questions or ideas.
Learn how anyone can help – CLICK HERE (https://www.uusmc.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-Support-Our-Natural-Lands.pdf)
** Board Vacancies
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The Nominating Committee is looking for 2-3 people to serve on the Mill Creek Board of Trustees starting August 2025. It is a 3-year position.
This is an amazing time to start serving on the Board. Steve Selph, our current board president, and several other board members will remain in their positions. This means there will be experienced leadership in place. In addition, new board members will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with our incoming minister, Rev. Christe Lunsford, who will be joining us in August.
No experience in governance is required. Board members are not expected to do everything! Rather, they support each other and work together to make sure that the church runs smoothly by coordinating and overseeing the work done by the numerous church committees, like Finance, Building Maintenance, Land Stewardship, Faith Exploration, Worship, etc.
If you would like to serve on the board, or you know somebody that might be interested, please contact Fran Gulino, Nominating Committee Chairperson, by email by clicking HERE (mailto:frangu302@gmail.com) . Or feel free to speak with one of the other committee members, Bob Varlas and Amy White.
** UUSJ:
Together We Can Make a Difference
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The Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) group advocates for equitable national policies aligned with UU values. If you have been looking for ways to get involved on a national level, click HERE (https://uusj.net/wp1/) .
** Consider General Assembly
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General Assembly (GA) is the annual meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), where participants gather to worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy decisions for the Association through a democratic process. We’re fortunate this year that GA will be held in our area – at the Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
We have a small group planning on attending – we urge you to check out the GA experience by clicking HERE (https://www.uua.org/ga) , and consider joining us for this transformative event!
** 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 March and April we are supporting:
Moms Demand Action – Delaware Chapter
A Volunteer Chapter in Every State
Moms Demand Action is a grassroots volunteer movement of Americans working for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence. They work to pass stronger gun laws and close the loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our families. Moms Demand Action is a part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with nearly 11 million supporters. Our donation will support the legislative advocacy fund, “Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund.”
Learn more about Moms Demand Action HERE (https://www.everytown.org/state/delaware/)
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 Event: D & D
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A fantasy tabletop role-playing game
The Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game is about storytelling in worlds of sword and sorcery. It shares elements with childhood games of make-believe. 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, March 16 & 30 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
Rev. Schmidt is on leave now through Sunday, April 13. For immediate concerns, you may contact the pastoral care team (mailto:pastoralcare@uusmc.org) , the board of trustees (mailto:board@uusmc.org) , or the church office (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org) .
Debra Damiani, Congregational Administrator
Monday 9 am to 2 pm, Monday-Thursday
administrator@uusmc.org (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org)
302-369-2712
Connect with the UUA, Delmarva Cluster, and Central East Region
** UU Climate Justice Revival Commissioned Song
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Part of It
by Lea Morris and Adam Podd
Commissioned for the 2024 UU Climate Justice Revival, this beautiful song uplifts the truth that the work of climate justice calls us all into deeper connection – with each other, with the earth, with the generations to come.
View it HERE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UicUUR3O0yo&t=82s)
** Opportunities for Connection: Central East Region Update
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MARCH 2025
Featured Resource:
Partnership Portal
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-325)
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