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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** IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT WORSHIP SERVICE FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
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This coming Sunday, September 20, we won’t be gathering within our own walls. The City of Newark’s Parks and Recreation Department, the University of Delaware, and the Christina School District are hosting the area’s premier community festival on The Green — Newark Community Day — featuring live music, local food, fine art and handmade crafts, a children’s area, and information booths from organizations across our town. And right in the middle of it all, we’ll be carrying our community out into the wider world.
Wear your Mill Creek shirt if you’ve got one, and come find us at our booth. We’ll be there from 11am to 4pm — connecting with neighbors, sharing who we are, and joining in the spirit of outreach and belonging. Weather permitting, we hope to begin our time together with some centering worship, grounding ourselves before the day unfolds. Make a day of it — wander the Green, enjoy the music and food, and stay a while, hand out stickers, and share what Mill Creek has to offer.
Volunteers are needed to help us man our tent. Help for the day, or even just one hour! 3-5pm time slots need additional support. Click the button below to sign up for any block of time – thank you!
Sign up HERE to help out at our tent! (https://uusmc.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3889005)
** Join us this Friday for our Autumn Equinox Celebration
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What does Equinox have to do with Mill Creek?
All are welcome to join our ceremony/ritual to honor the extended natural world, of which we are a part.
We honor the interdependent web of all existence and acknowledge our place in it. With reverence for the great web of life and with humility, we acknowledge our place in it.
Unitarian Universalism draws on the Spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.
Come and learn from one another in our free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We embrace our differences and commonalities with love, curiosity, and respect.
** Help Preserve Democracy-
Join Our Letter Writing Campaign
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Support our democracy by participating in the Social Justice Committee’s “Vote Forward” campaign! If you missed the orientation, click the button below for all information.
Join us for a group writing session at 6:30 pm in Classroom 3 on any of the dates shown below or pick up a packet from Becky Varlas on Sunday after the service. Can’t write letters? You can still help by donating a sheet of 20 first class stamps. Send any questions via email HERE (mailto:rebeccavarlas@gmail.com) .
SEPTEMBER SESSIONS:
Thursday, September 17
Wednesday, September 23
Write on, Mill Creek!
*Last date to pick up packets: Sunday, September 27. Last date to return completed packets: Sunday, October 11.*
Vote Forward: how it works – click HERE (https://www.uusmc.org/wp-content/uploads/Vote-Forward-2026-1.pdf)
** Our Journey Continues!
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Members of our congregation will be moving soon to a new address locally and have expressed a need for moving boxes – ones that can easily be carried. Helping hands are also needed to assist with packing between 9/19 and 9/29. – Thank You!
Click HERE to lend a hand! (mailto:arayzee3@gmail.com)
** Volunteers and Staff at Family Promise
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A big thank you to the six Mill Creek volunteers who served at Family Promise’s new facility last Wednesday. Following a kitchen orientation, our team prepared and served dinner to 25 residents using the facility’s hot and cold food service carts for the first time.
It was truly an all-hands-on-deck effort, from food preparation and serving to cleanup and operating the commercial dishwasher. Along the way, we gained valuable experience in proper food handling. The children brought smiles to our faces, and the gratitude shown by the parents made the evening especially meaningful.
We’ll be hosting again for one or two days during the week of December 13. We hope you’ll consider joining us!
** Mystery in the Meadow!
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You never know what you will see when exploring our Mill Creek Natural Lands!
Land Stewards co-leader Amy White’s keen observational skills led her to uncover this mystery growth on one of our native trees.
The three American Hazelnut trees the volunteers planted a few years back are finally starting to produce!!
** Mark your calendar for our annual Chili Cook-Off Potluck
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Last year, more than 55 people gathered for a fun evening of food and fellowship, with 9 delicious chili entries competing for First Place bragging rights. This year’s competition promises to be just as exciting, and yes, we will be voting!
Whether you’re entering your award-winning chili or bringing a favorite side dish, we’d love for you to join us. Please sign up with your contribution and indicate how many people will be attending with you – click the button below.
Click HERE to sign up! (mailto:reynoldschristine0@gmail.com)
** Vendor and Craft Fair October 2026!
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Date | OCTOBER 24, 2026
Time | Festival hours: 10 AM – 3PM
Location | UUSMC. 579 POLLY DRUMMOND HILL ROAD
Booth Fee | Indoor: $35 | Outdoor: $25
Registration Deadline | OCTOBER 20, or when spaces are full — whichever comes first
Questions | Eileen • CraftShow@uusmc.org (mailto:CraftShow@uusmc.org)
Register Now! (https://uusmc.churchcenter.com/registrations/signups/3817900)
** 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 September & October we are supporting:
SOAR – Survivors of Abuse in Recovery, Inc.
SOAR is a local non-profit organization dedicated to providing professional mental health services, education, and advocacy to victims of sexual trauma and their families regardless of their ability to pay. More than 2,000 adults, adolescents, children, and their families residing in Delaware and the surrounding counties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland utilize SOAR’s services annually. They rely on the generosity of the community for the support services offered so no one is ever turned away.
Click HERE to learn more about SOAR (https://www.survivorsofabuse.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)
** Dungeons & Dragons
A Recurring Event
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Sundays: September 27
(every other week)
12:00 pm, Conference Room
D&D is a role-playing game about storytelling in worlds of swords and sorcery. 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. No registration required – just drop in. All are welcome to join the group in the Conference Room. Occurs every other week on Sundays.
** Yoga Continues this Fall
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Join Margaret in the MacArtor Library, 8:30-10am, for gentle yoga and meditation on the following Fridays this fall:
September 18
September 25
October 2
October 9
October 16
October 23
Contact Margaret HERE (mailto:margaret_bodine@comcast.net) with any questions.
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. Christe Lunsford, Minister
My pronouns are they/them and this is why they matter. (https://pronouns.org/what-and-why)
I serve Mill Creek at ¾ time, and I look forward to the time we share in ministry together. To schedule a meeting, click HERE (https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ08wOXSmX5fNN_vySxfpLP9VL2QqSZF5spIx5_9rxZm3e25LNywCGk4WoIlyFMvdn84osyy8XZl) .
minister@uusmc.org (mailto:minister@uusmc.org)
Debra Damiani, Congregational Administrator
Monday-Thursday 9 am to 2 pm
administrator@uusmc.org (mailto:administrator@uusmc.org)
302-369-2712
Margaret Borror, Faith Exploration Teacher
Sundays, and by appointment
dfe@uusmc.org (mailto:dfe@uusmc.org)
Rob Sylvester, Collaborative Accompanist
Sundays, and by appointment
** Connect with the UUA, Central East Region, and Delmarva Cluster
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** Stay in Touch with your Unitarian Universalist Association
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The UUA newsletter – UU Connections – offers a timely way to stay up-to-date with UUA programming and initiatives. It includes timely messages from President Sofia Betancourt, staff leaders and members, and offers a collection of resources.
Click HERE to sign-up to receive the UUA’s twice monthly newsletter! (https://www.uua.org/about/stay-in-touch)
** Central East Region News Update
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September 2026
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.
Central East Region September update: click HERE (https://www.uua.org/central-east/blog/news/cer-news-0926)
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