President’s Message — June 2021

“The world is closed for renovations, Grand Reopening soon.” ~ Anonymous

A lot has changed over the past month as it relates to the pandemic. Case rates of COVID-19 are down, number of people immunized are up and the strict rules on how we can safely interact with each other are easing up. This is great news so I am sure that everyone is wondering  when UUFP will reopen. I will answer this honestly by stating that we never closed.

While the building was closed, we continued to offer Sunday Services and coffee hours via technology. So, the real question becomes when will we be able to conduct these activities in person? I am pleased to share that the current plan is to hold outdoor services (weather permitting) starting in late June and continuing throughout the summer months. And as long as all factors indicate that it is still safe to meet indoors, we will hold our first indoor Sunday Service on September 12, which is the Sunday after Labor Day weekend. It is also important to note that we will still continue  to offer Sunday Services via technology for those who choose not to attend in person. And, thanks to the Membership Committee, there will be numerous social events held at the fellowship throughout  the summer. So, there will be many upcoming opportunities to meet in-person.

On a different note, I want to remind everyone that we will be holding our Annual Congregational Meeting on June 13 after Sunday Services, starting at approximately 11:45 AM. We will conduct  this meeting via Zoom. While everyone is welcome, only members  will be able to vote on the motions set forth. For those without internet capability, you may participate live via teleconference.  If you are unable to participate in this meeting, you may still vote on the motions via written proxy. Please submit your written proxy either directly to a board member or send it in to the fellowship prior to the meeting. Every voting member should have received a copy of the Notice of Meeting which outlined the motions to be voted on as well as a copy of the proposed budget. If you have not received this, please let a Board member know. I would like to encourage everyone to participate in this important meeting.

Lastly, I want to put in a plug for purchasing Giant Grocery Cards through the fellowship. The fellowship gets 5% back on the amount that is purchased (if you purchase a $100 grocery card, the fellowship receives $5). Now while 5% may not sound like a lot, I will let you know that through-out the course of the past year, only three individuals have routinely purchased cards. However, since they primarily shop at Giant, the fellowship has earned on average $80/month from their purchases which means the fellowship earned $960 for the entire year from just those three individuals. There have been others who have also purchased cards sporadically though out the year, so the Fellowship earned over $1,000 simply through members shopping at Giant. If you do any shopping at Giant, I would like to encourage you to purchase Grocery Cards through the fellowship. If you would like to purchase cards, you may reach out directly to me through the contact information in the UUFP directory.

I look forward to seeing everyone very soon! ~ Linda K.

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Sunday Service, June 6, 2021

‘Til Death Do Us Part: Taking Marriage Seriously, Speaker: Rev. Dave Hunter.
Having officiated for 19 weddings, in 4 different states, in the last 20 years, having been a principal in two weddings myself, and having considered weddings both as a lawyer and as a pastor, I’ll reflect on the institution of marriage, a very human institution, but more than a human institution – a sacred, holy, mystical, spiritual institution.

Everyone is welcome at this Virtual Service using Zoom software, or to view a recording of the
service afterwards on our YouTube channel.

Strawberry Coffee Hour at the Fellowship at 12:30pm

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Sunday Service, June 13, 2021

Finding Your True North, Guest Speaker: Amanda Aikman, UU Minister.
How well does your inner GPS guide you to make decisions, large and small? Do you believe in a divinely ordained path for your life, or do you believe we each figure it all out on our own? Let’s look at discernment, and how we come to figure out what our true path is — and not just personally, but as a people, a community, a nation.

Everyone is welcome at this Virtual Service using Zoom software, or to view a recording of the
service afterwards on our YouTube channel.

Annual Congregational Meeting follows at 11:45am

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Sunday Service June 20, 2021

Proverb of Ashes: Part 2, Speaker: Rev. Kerry Mueller.

In May we considered Job, the good man to whom bad things happen. He was suffering greatly from a crisis of meaning, and needing someone to listen to his story. Now we visit Job again and learn (spoiler alert!) how he summons a Listener and finds a way to make meaning in his life again.

Everyone is welcome at this Virtual Service using Zoom software, or to view a recording of the service afterwards on our YouTube channel. Coffee Hour follows the service on Zoom at about 11:15.

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Sunday Service, June 27, 2021

Please meet us for our 1st in-person service lot under the canopies in our back parking lot!
Leaders of Conservation Efforts and Awareness, in Chronological Order
Lay Speaker: Lisa Jokiel
.
For thousands of years, Indigenous Native Americans have always practiced Conservationism. They will be the first and last folks discussed in my Hit Parade of well known Conservationists. In between, I will share vignettes of well known individuals, whose work and influence span the past 200 years, including those who are currently active. I have twelve individuals on my list. Come see whether your list matches mine!

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Social Justice News — May 2021

Will you be prepared to make informed choices when voting in the May 18th primary election? The League of Women Voters has provided helpful information on this election, particularly an explanation regarding the 3 proposed amendments to the PA Constitution.

Aside from the ballot questions, there will be some judges elected this cycle, for each of the appellate divisions. Supreme Court, Superior Court and Commonwealth Court. We must evaluate judges in the way we evaluate politicians. That is, we must decide if we like their judicial philosophy.

The best place to hear the candidates for office that will be on the ballot is to go to Pennsyl- vania for Modern Courts (PMConline.org), and click on 2021 Judicial Elections. The infor- mation given at this location will give you the background you need to make an informed decision on the candidates, who are also showcased in candidate forums, links to which are posted as well. Additional resources can be found at the PA Bar Association website (pabar.org), the Allegheny Bar Association (acba.org) and the Philadelphia Bar Association (philadelphiabar.org).

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Sunday Service, May 2, 2021

The Present is a Gift. Speaker: Emily Quarles-Mowrer.


In her 1974 book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Annie Dillard wrote, “[B]eauty and grace are performed whether or not we will or sense them. The least we can do is try to be there.” We often run through life, moving from activity to activity without stopping to take a breath, let alone stopping to see the world around us. Mindfulness helps us to be in the here and now, where we can see the beauty and grace that the world has to show us. Join us as we think about ways to be present in our own lives.

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Sunday Service, May 9, 2021

What is Religion, and Why Bother? Rev Dave Hunter
An increasing percentage of our population are turning their backs on religion,
including many of those brought up as UUs. If we don’t believe in a God who
expects – even requires – our worship, if we’re not worried about the possibility of
hell when we die, what’s left? Please give this question some thought – don’t wait for
a definitive answer on May 9.

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Sunday Service, May 16, 2021

From Hughes to Hip Hop: Hearing Black Poets Then and Now. Speaker: Patricia B. DeBrady, Instructor, School of Continuing Studies Montgomery County Community College.
Our speaker at this service is a Unitarian Universalist, teacher, lover of language, and
proponent of larger, more inclusive national cultural perspectives. She will bring us the
poetry of black Americans from Langston Hughes to some current lyrics found in the
sounds of rap music. It is through this body of poetry that we are informed by and enfolded into lives that have always mattered.

http://gofile.me/6Eoac/UP3vO6UiN

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Sunday Service, May 23, 2021

Proverbs of Ashes Part I. Rev Kerry Mueller

Come visit with Job, the good man to whom bad things happened. What can you do when your friend is suffering for no good reason?

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