Weekly News - May 15, 2025 - Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek

Posted on May 15, 2025 Posted By: Office Administrator Categories: News

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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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** Sunday Worship Service Information
May 18, 2025
10:30 am
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Change is the only constant in our world. How do we balance holding onto what is good with embracing the blessings of change and newness? Join us this Sunday when Rev. Christian explores the concept of constant change with his sermon, “Impermanence.”

Music for this service will be performed by returning musician Ankita Prasad. Ankita is a 25-year-old violinist born and raised in Newark, Delaware. She has been playing violin since the age of seven, and graduated from the University of Delaware in 2022. While obtaining a neuroscience degree, she also completed a minor in violin performance, performing regularly in both symphony and chamber ensembles while receiving private tutelage. Over the years, Ankita has performed regularly in ceremonies, school and community theater productions, concerts with local Delaware bands, and in other projects. She is currently a second-year medical student at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, and enjoys performing in their Chamber Orchestra.

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

** Social Justice Meeting
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All are welcome to attend the meeting this Sunday, May 18 after church service in the conference room.

** 2025 Annual Meeting
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Sunday, June 1 after church service

Everyone is encouraged to attend this important meeting. We will hear committee chairs share their reports; elect new trustees and nominating committee members; and adopt an annual budget. Church By-Laws give voting privileges to: Members who have made a contribution of record during the 12-month period prior to the meeting. (However, everyone is welcome to attend.) If you’re unsure of your pledging or contribution status, contact the church office (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org) or check your Realm profile.

To read the full meeting announcement which includes the slate of nominees, click the link below.
2025 Annual Meeting Announcement (https://mailchi.mp/a7d8ba6a380b/annual-meeting-notice-17656612)

** Join a Chalice Circle!
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We currently have several active chalice circles in our church. They generally meet twice monthly at times and places they choose and discuss topics provided by the UUA or others that they select. The circles are a safe place for members to explore their beliefs and share their lives.

Questions & inquiries – email Jeanne Hanson HERE (mailto:jeanne.m.hanson@gmail.com)

** Fellowship & Fun Wants To Know…
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The Fellowship & Fun Committee is looking for feedback regarding the types of social activities our members and friends would like the committee to offer. A short survey has been developed to help us plan fun and engaging events for the next year that everyone will enjoy.

Look for the survey in the Order of Service this Sunday, May 18. Please complete the survey and place in the box/envelope on the round table at the rear of the sanctuary, or email it to fellowship@uusmc.org (mailto:fellowship@uusmc.org) . See or contact Chris Reynolds (mailto:reynoldschristine0@gmail.com) with any questions.

Your voice matters – thank you for your input!

** SAVE THE DATE for an Ice Cream Social!
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Summer fun begins at Mill Creek! All are welcome to join us on Saturday, June 14 at 6:30 pm for ice cream and yard games, RAIN OR SHINE.

** 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 21 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!

** 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)
Share Our Plate – March & April

For the months of March and April, we supported Moms Demand Action of Delaware, 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 of $1686 is intended to support the legislative advocacy fund, “Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund.”

Thank you for your support.

** 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.

So far we have collected 7.5 pounds of materials, bypassing the landfill. Please help us reach our goal of 100 pounds by the end of the year. Look for the collection bin in the gathering space. Your participation in this project is an easy way to help the environment.

** 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

** General Assembly: The Unitarian Universalist Association’s Annual Meeting
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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. From June 18–22, 2025, the 64th UUA General Assembly will be a multi-platform event, with the main stage hosted at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland and hundreds more joining on the Whova app.
Click HERE to learn about all things GA! (https://www.uua.org/ga)

** 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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Weekly News – May 15, 2025

Weekly News – May 15, 2025