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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** Service Auction 2025 – Another Big Success!
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We’d like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to anyone and everyone who participated in this year’s Service Auction in any capacity. We would not have realized such great success without:
* OUR DONORS! Big, small and everything in-between, every donation made a difference!
* Everyone who made a purchase in the live or silent auction, or made a financial donation.
* All who helped with the set up before and on auction day, and the breakdown afterward.
* Anyone who helped sell tickets & distribute paddles.
* Those who recruited and provided childcare.
* Friends who shopped for and/or helped serve the food & drinks.
* People who brought food and/or drinks to share.
* Helpers who organized the silent auction offerings & bidding.
* Folks in charge of the beautiful & festive decorations.
* Each person who assisted with data management & item catalog preparation.
* The ones who designed and produced posters & tickets.
* Anybody who helped advertise the event on social media or word-of-mouth, or who brought a guest.
We are especially thankful to our E.C.E. (Event Coordinator Extraordinaire!) Janice Buckwalter**, for her countless hours of time and effort, and her son David of Bucky’s BBQ who provided the delicious entrees again this year.
With everyone’s help, we exceeded our fundraising goal – $21,000+ !!
**After chairing this fundraising event for the last several years, Janice has decided to step down so she can focus on serving her church community in other ways. If you would like to chair or co-chair this event, please contact Janice HERE (mailto:jcab621@gmail.com) .
Thank you, Janice, for your volunteerism and commitment to Mill Creek.
** Sunday Worship Service Information
May 4, 2025
10:30 am
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Imagine with us what we can do with the power of … imagination! It allows the impossible to become possible, and the difficult becomes achievable. Join us for Rev. Schmidt’s sermon, “Imagination.”
Music for this service will be performed by returning musician Carlos Espinoza. Carlos is a graduate of Cab Calloway School of the Arts in Wilmington; he now attends the University of Delaware.
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
** Watercolor Class
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Come to the Art Lab next Wednesday, May 7 at 7pm for a free watercolors class. All supplies will be available. No registration – all are welcome!
Join us on Sunday, May 11, when we celebrate the the annual ritual of the Flower Ceremony. All are invited to bring one flower or several, home-grown or store-bought, to contribute to our communal bouquet, allowing each of us to take home a different flower as part of the ceremony. Learn more about Flower Ceremony: click HERE (https://www.uua.org/files/documents/zottolireginald/flowercommunion.pdf) .
** Committee Submissions for Needed for Annual Meeting Report
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Our annual meeting is scheduled for Sunday, June 1; the accompanying report will be distributed at the meeting. Comprising a large portion of the report is a section for submissions from our committee chairs and leaders. All committee or team leaders should submit a report including, but not limited to: a committee charter (if you have one), a recap of activities and/or accomplishments over the last 12 months, and any plans or goals for the upcoming year. The committees that should be submitting a report are: music, worship, tech, faith exploration, art lab, pastoral care, service auction, membership, building & grounds, finance, generosity, and natural lands stewards. A copy of last year’s report is available by request.
Please submit your report to the church office by email (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org) no later than Friday, May 16.
** 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, May 7 around 5:30 pm.
* Meeting All are welcome to attend our meeting in the conference room on Sunday, May 11 after coffee hour.
* Pizza in the Meadow Join the crew in the meadow next Wednesday, May 14 for relaxation and a communal meal of everyone’s favorite: pizza!
* Pine Needles Needed We are collecting pine needles for the Blueberry plants in the kid’s garden. If you have a pine or other evergreen tree in your yard and can spare some of the needles, drop them in the garden area and they will be put to good use.
** Dinners for Seven:
Sunday, May 18
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If you’re interested in hosting a Sunday dinner for seven, are ready to register, or have questions, reach out to events@uusmc.org (mailto:events@uusmc.org) . Or use the sign-up sheet in the gathering space by Sunday, May 11.
**
Food Drive Continues
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Our support of the Food Bank of Delaware continues with a donation drive. We are collecting their most-needed items, including hot & cold cereals; peanut butter; canned fruits, meats, vegetables & soups; rice; and pasta.
The Social Justice Committee has provided a donation bin in the gathering space to collect the items mentioned above. Please help us to help our less fortunate neighbors – thank you for your ongoing support.
** Free Jazz Concert:
Thursday, June 5
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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!
** 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)
** Clean Out Your Sock Drawer!
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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. Look for the collection bin in the gathering space. Your participation in this project is an easy way to help the environment..
** Join the Emergency Response Team –
Help Keep Our Church Safe
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Preparedness saves lives, and here at UUSMC, we are taking important steps to ensure the safety and well-being of our congregation. Our newly developing Emergency Response Team (ERT) is committed to preparing for a wide range of potential emergencies—from medical situations and severe weather to fire or security threats. This dedicated team will lead risk assessments, create communication and evacuation plans, coordinate with local emergency services, and ensure our congregation is trained and informed.
We invite you to be a part of this vital ministry. Whether you have medical training, security experience, communication skills, or simply a desire to help, your involvement can make a real difference. Together, through planning, training, and teamwork, we can build a safer and more resilient church community. If you’re interested in joining the ERT or learning more, please reach out—we’d love to have you on the team. Contact Matt Nolan or Steve Selph at board@uusmc.org (mailto:board@uusmc.org) for more details.
** 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, May 11 & 25 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
** Stay Connected to Your Faith During Summer Travels
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Photo: Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Church, Shoreline, Washington
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.
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 even internationally. You can connect with the Church of the Larger Fellowship, a strictly online church, and also search for young adult and campus ministry. Click the link below to stay connected this summer.
Click HERE to fine a UU church – anywhere! (https://www.uua.org/find)
** Opportunities for Connection: Central East Region Update
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MAY 2025
Featured Resource:
Summer Institute
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-525)
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** Website (https://www.uusmc.org)
** Instagram (http://instagram.com/millcreekuu)
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