Events & Activites , Folk Factory, Greater Philly UU Cluster, and Social Justice pages.
Updated: Friday, June 9 —
Sunday services begin at 11 am in the sanctuary immediately followed by refreshments and conversation in our Fellowship Hall.
Both spaces are air conditioned in the summer for your comfort.
We are Accessible for those with Disabilities!
Restoration features a ramp to the main sanctuary level and a recently completed wheelchair lift and accessible restrooms on both the main and lower levels. CHECK HERE for photos.WORDS OF INSPIRATION |
Upcoming Worship Services
Sunday, June 11 - "RE Sunday" Sunday, June 18 - "Juneteenth 2023" |
From Our Minister
Beloveds,Thanks to everyone who made the Annual Meeting and the 100th annual flower communion go so smoothly and so joyfully! It felt great to be together again. I'm filled with gratitude and love for all that we are and all we are to become as we close down our 200th Anniversary celebration and start the transition to a summer mode of being.
Due to the smog in Philly today, please take care of yourselves. The air is supposed to clear by the weekend, and we are still on for the Pop Up Sale this Saturday and for Eithne Ross's Celebration party on Sunday. Please wear a KN95 mask outside if you need to, or stay inside as much as you can. Unfortunately, we've all got a lot of practice with this.
We look forward to celebrating our kids, our elders, and our community building events all weekend. Stay safe and be well!
— Love, Rev. McKinley
Change for Change: June
Every Murder Is Real (EMIR): The organization designated by Justice Council for June is Every Murder is Real (EMIR). This 501(c)3 group provides support for victims and families of gun violence, is based in Germantown, and we are seriously considering it for our Community Partner (following up on Tim S's proposal). We have given to them before, and they have used our space for their activities in the past.Linking to the Worship Service
Reminder that there are two ways to watch worship:- Click the blue "Live Streaming" arrow on the homepage of this website: www.uumtairy.org
- The Zoom link that will be opened after the service has been changed because security protocols on their end. If you are a congregant of ours, look at the weekly eNewsletter from our Admin Administrator for the new link and the new password.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS |
Sunday COVID Protocols
The CDC has stopped tracking COVID by county, but Bruce & Linda were at a big event last weekend, and 7 of 100 people got COVID, so there may be a bit of a resurgence happening. Do what you need to do to feel safe and comfortable. The Board just enacted this NEW POLICY: As of May 9, and for the foreseeable future, the Board decided that we are allowing up to 75 people in the Sanctuary, and our policy now is mandatory masking and distancing in the back two rows of the Sanctuary on the left side (as you enter the Sanctuary from the main entrance), and optional masking and distancing anywhere else in our buildings (including elsewhere in the Sanctuary). Please remind each other, since not everyone may know about this update. We will have an in-person coffee hour and 2nd Sunday Potluck this Sunday, June 11; please bring something to share if possible!Welcome Jean Wiant, our interim Religious Educator
Jean will start with us this Sunday, May 21, and will finish out the church year in June, with the possibility of continuing on in the Fall! Yahoo!!!
Jean is a retired Credentialed Religious Educator and native Pennsylvanian. She was born and raised in Meadville, PA, attended college in Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from Indiana University, Indiana and Savannah State University, Georgia with a BS in General Studies and a Masters Degree in Business Administration respectively. Read more about Jean here.
Meet Our New Music Director
As of May 1, the Music Director Search Committee and the Board were delighted to announce that we have a new Music Director! Her name is Holly Phares, and she will be doing music for us in person this Sunday! Holly is friends with Jane Hulting and many other members of our congregation, and is very excited to be working with us. Please say hello and welcome her when you meet her!
Hospitality/Coffee Hour: Please Sign Up!
We all appreciate the return of Coffee Hour after the worship service each Sunday! But making it happen should not just be the responsibility of a few people - let's all pitch in and do our share! There will be 2 slots for setup (including bringing food and cold beverages, at whatever level you feel comfortable), and 2 for cleanup, which could be the same people or different people. If you are willing to help out, look for the signup sheet on the bulleting board near the coffee maker in Fellowship Hall and sign up! If we all help out a little, we can very easily ensure sustaining what we all value. Thanks!
If you have a key to the Hale Hall door you need to read this message
We are replacing the keyed-lock on the door to the Hale Building with a card entry system.
You need to fill in this FORM and select if you want a card, a fob, or an app on your phone to replace your present key.
After we receive your response we will contact you to make arrangements to pick up the card or fob, or give you access to the phone app if you choose that option. It’s important you do this because later in the summer the lock will change and your key will no longer work.
Note: You will still need to enter your present access code on the keypad inside to turn off the alarm.
If you have questions, please contact
Regards,
BnG Security: Larry H, Mike F, Jane H
UPCOMING EVENTS |
| Saturday, June 10 — |
Pop Up Sale Update: Save the Date
Our 2023 Spring Community Pop Up Sale will be on Saturday, June 10 from 10:00a-3:00p (rain date Saturday, June 17 ). This will be an outside only event.
In years past we have referred to this terrific event as a “flea market”... but it is so much more than that. We’ll have music and many vendors. Last September’s event was a big hit…let’s do it again !!!!
Donate your items to the church and UU volunteers will sell them, donating the proceeds to UU.
You can drop off your donated items at the church on the following dates (no clothing or books, please) PLEASE LABEL YOUR BAGS OR BOXES OF DONATIONS “POP UP SALE” and be sure the donations are received by Desi…not left outside.
- Sunday, May 28th & Sunday, June 4th - anytime before worship service
- Wednesday, May 31st & Wednesday, June 7th - 12:00pm -5:00 pm
- Thursday, June 1st & Thursday, June 8th 12:00pm -7:00 pm
This is sure to be a fun event. Come and buy, come and sell, come and help out. Thank you.
| Sunday, June 11 — |
Second Sunday Potluck this Weekend
| Sunday, June 11 — |
Folk Factory People's Choice Concert (with Tina!)
(in-person/hybrid) Sunday, June 11 at 7:30pm in Fellowship Hall
Folk Factory will have its last concert of the season, the People's Choice Concert, on Sunday, June 11, starting at 7:30pm, in person, in the Sanctuary. This concert is the top vote-getters from our People's Choice Open Stages from January through April. One of the winners is our own Tina Korteland, who came to our Sunday School as a kid and has been attending Sunday services this year! Tina has a beautiful and powerful voice, and has been in bands, but is now exploring solo performance. Other performers will be John Braxton, Tony Berardi, Harry Rothwell (a UU member at Buxmont), Wayne Dunlap, and Alice Fisher. Admission is $7-20, sliding scale (half for no or low wage, in person), with a $2 discount if you mention you are a UUs of Mt. Airy member or friend. Our motto is "music and progressive social change".
| Monday, June 12 — |
Book Discussion about Braiding Sweetgrass at 7:30
We will be having a discussion of pages 241-389 (the last third) of Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Milkweed Editions, 2013, 386 pp.) on Monday, June 12, starting at 7:30, via Zoom. If you would like a copy of the book, contact Bruce.| Wednesday, June 14 — |
Justice Council Meeting
Our next Justice Council meeting will be Wednesday, June 14, from 5-6:30pm, in Hale Lounge and via Zoom. There will be pizza for those who need sustenance! We will be deciding the Change for Change recipient for July as well as discussing next steps for Tim's Community Partnership proposal, upcoming book discussions, and other issues related to racial and social justice, with reports about Reparations and campaigns of POWER and UUJusticePA. Please join us!| June 21-25 — |
GA is in Pittsburgh: June 21-25
Each year, the UUA (Unitarian Universalist Association) has its annual meeting, called General Assembly (GA for short), in June. It bounces from city to city all across the USA, and this summer it will be in Pittsburgh, PA, from June 21-25.| September 9 — |
Help Us Help Our Fridge & Pantry
The volunteers at Mt. Airy Community Fridge & Pantry have been hard at work distributing thousands of pounds of food each week to the community. There’s a lot of demand, and even with all the amazing supporters and partners, it can be difficult to promptly respond to needs and requests.
On September 9th we will be looking to hold a community-wide fundraiser at UU Mt. Airy – welcoming everything and everyone the opportunity to host the pantry has provided us. We’ve got some big ideas for a cookout, a live band, raffles and more! For an event this big we’ll be needing some event planners and day-of volunteers.
In the months leading up to the event, we’ll be looking for volunteers who would want to help keep our plans organized, sell tickets, look for event sponsors, gather raffle basket donations, and enjoy some camaraderie in the months leading up to the event.
If you’re interested, please reach out to Nicole B to let her know and provide any days/times that you would not be available to meet. If possible, we’ll try to hold planning sessions in-person, but will always keep a virtual option available. Given it’s nearly Memorial Day weekend, we’ll be looking to get something on the schedule for early June. It’s not imperative to be at every meeting – we’ll take all the hands, hearts, and brains we can!
RECURRING EVENTS |
| Every Thursday, 4 pm — |
Deadline for the Weekly eNewsletter
on Thursday for insertion in the weekly eNewsletter.
| Sundays — |
Tai Chi & Qigong ClassVaree V, Certified Tai Chi Instructor, who did a demonstration at the “Joy Service,” will be offering an 18 Step Tai Chi and Qigong weekly class to be held at UU Mt. Airy for Beginners or anyone who would like to practice this Moving Meditation in a group setting. Class meets after coffee hour at 12:30pm in the Sanctuary. Donations will be accepted during class- a portion of it will be given back to UU Mt. Airy. If you are interested in joining the weekly Tai Chi and Qigong class, please contact Varee Var at 484-222-4487 or send an |
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| Every Day — |
Mt. Airy Pantry - Fridge is in!
The fridge is in! Our friends over at Switchcraft LLC were kind enough to donate their time, and only charge us the cost of supplies, for the electricity to be run safely outside for our fridge! The MACFP volunteer team has been working hard to move dry goods, shelf-stable produce, and hygiene products from our community partners to our pantry every week. Last week, we moved our greatest load yet - almost 6,000 lbs of food! And, we are still growing. The addition of a fridge will double our capacity, and allow us to offer fresh perishables and prepared meals.
We were featured on WMMR's Public Affairs show last weekend. For now, we thank you for all your support, particularly those who volunteer. Remember to follow us on Instagram @mtairyfridge, and to check out our website.
- If you are interested in joining the team, fill out the VOLUNTEER FORM. We will keep you posted on new developments.
- You can or call Courtney at 610-731-9452. Also, be sure to follow us on Instagram @mtairyfridge.
- CLICK HERE for more specific information about contributions.
- For more information, please visit our WEBSITE
| Every Thursday, 6 pm — |
Join Us at Our Weekly Black Lives Matter Vigil every Thursday
Please join us to show our concerns about racism and white supremacy every Thursday. We line Stenton Avenue with our signs (and get tons of supportive honks) from 6-6:30pm, then join electronically with our vigil keepers at home from 6:30-7pm. During the second portion we light candles, learn about black history and share inspirational readings, music, and concerns. history. Given the improved situation with the Corona Virus, we are now using Hale Lounge for the second half. It is suitable for the small number of in-person vigil keepers that we have had over the past years of COVID. We will continue to wear masks inside, spread out a bit and use our multiplatform format so folks can join us from near and far.
We always dress for the weather as we hold the vigil rain or shine. Remember to bring your face mask for the indoors portion, and, of course, you can continue to wear it outside if you wish. You are welcome to bring your own sign(s) but we have a supply that we bring outside each Thursday. Come and join us at 6pm next Thursday!
NEWS AND INFORMATION |
Annual Meeting Reprise: Budget Passed! Elections!
Appreciations! POWER!
At our Annual Meeting last Sunday (June 4), we first passed our budget as proposed! Thanks to our Treasurer, Nikki B, The Pledge Committee, the Board, the Finance Committee, and everyone else who helped in that process! Next, we elected our Officers, Board members, Nominating Committee members, and Nominating Committee Chair.
Next, we gave Appreciations for the outgoing Officers, Board members, and Nominating Committee members, as well as all of the other people from our congregation who went above and beyond the call of duty this year. This took a while!
At one point, we thought we might be voting on one or more possible Community Partners based on Tim S's proposal, but the planning group for that program is still looking at candidate organizations We thought we might be partnering in this way with both our Pantry and N'COBRA PHL (for Reparations work), but our criteria for a Partner included being a 501(c)3 nonprofit, and neither of them currently is or is planning on doing that. We will continue our support for both as we have been with volunteers, using our space, and occasional financial assistance, but are still looking for a formal Community Partner to replace our Change for Change program. Our current top candidate is Every Murder Is Real (EMIR), based in Germantown, which is a predominantly black-led 501(c)3 that provides support for gun violence victims and their families. We have given them money in the past, and they have used our space as well.
We had also thought we might be voting on amendments to our bylaws related to our new name, some Finance Committee topics, and adopting Modified Consensus, but are now expecting to vote on these this Fall.
The meeting ended with information about POWER, the progressive interfaith activist coalition in Philly we have belonged to for about 8 years. Bruce gave history from the early years and successes for the organization (such as better contracts for airport workers and the Community Police Oversight Commission), then Rev. McKinley gave updates on some recent actions (including funding for public schools), and finally Laurie D talked about the recent Forum for Mayoral candidates and how Cherelle Parker did in their rating system, then talked about upcoming actions (such as a Harrisburg rally June 7) and plans.
Refugees Urgently Need Supplies
HIAS urgently needs supplies for refugees recently entering the US. To donate to the refugees, visit the Target Registry. CLICK HERE to order items.
Ordering a gift card on the HIAS Target registry is the easiest option. The HIAS registry has a list of “most wanted” items. Choose “gifts” from that part of the registry. After selecting your gifts go to your cart. Choose “Shipping” to have “gifts” delivered directly to HIAS. In order to get free shipping you must spend $35 or choose to pick up your items at Target. (You get perks and free shipping if you use a Target card.)
You can use the HIAS registry list to purchase similar items from other sources if you can’t find them at Target. Only items from the registry list or items similar to those on the list are acceptable. You can donate gently used items, but they need to be on the Target registry list. (Please no clothes) Drop off supplies to UUMtAiry. Drop off times are Thursdays from 5:30pm to 7pm and Sundays 10:30am to 12:30pm.
Label items “FOR HIAS” when you drop them off. Put them in the vestibule area (door entrance to sanctuary.) There will be a box marked HIAS, where you can drop off donations. I will deliver to HIAS all donations that you drop off at UUMtAiry. Please contact me if you have dropped anything off so I know to pick it up.
Mt. Airy Community Fridge and Food Pantry Story: "This is Love"
Once upon a time, about a month ago, I came to church to prime our community fridge for a fresh coat of paint provided by our RE community. While I was there, I was able to meet some of the volunteers who fill the fridge and pantry daily and even got to help stock the fridge with lettuce, squash, grapes, and more.After the volunteers left, as I was laying down the tarp to begin priming, two people walked up and asked if the fridge was open. "7 days a week!" I replied happily. "And it just got stocked with lettuce, grapes, and squash - I'm not sure what kind..." When I mentioned squash, their eyes got big. "That's her favorite," one of them said gesturing at the other.
As they approached the fridge, I opened it for them showing just how packed with fresh fruits vegetables it was. "This is love," they said and repeated as they began gathering food. I pointed out where the extra bags were so they could take home more food. "This is love." I let them know where the hygiene products were. "This is love." I asked them to please let other people know about our community fridge. "We will! This is love!"
They didn't say "This is lovely," or "We feel loved" They said, "This is love." Love is caring for our community members we don't know and may never meet. Love is community building justice work. Love is the center of our faith.
COVID Protocol REMINDER & UPDATE
Please remember to let Rev. McKinley know if you develop a COVID infection after attending a service in-person so he can let others know of their possible exposure and offer support to you.On Sundays, only guests and newcomers will be asked to sign in and provide their contact information. The ushers will use a checklist to record the attendance of friends and members whose information is on file. This will enable us to continue the policy of informing attendees of a possible COVID exposure should a later infection be reported.
Safely Siding with Love,
Cathy McC. for the Board and the usher team
Calling All Ushers & Greeters
If you have been coming to the sanctuary on Sundays, would you be willing to greet folks and serve as an usher occasionally? Look for a sign-up sheet in the vestibule, or contact Cathy, to join a pool of members & friends who are available to usher. You would receive a call from the usher team, which is organizing coverage, to schedule a date. Cathy McC (267-972-1121) for the usher team: Suzanne W, Cynthia B, Rita F, and Maryellen NHave You Seen our Google Calendar?
We're working on making this ultra-functional. Soon, group leaders can add their classes, meetings, and notes to this calendar for easy access. Office hours, RE times, and maybe even worship topics will be listed as far in advance as we can make them. For now, you can find it on our homepage: (Click on Calendar on the left side of the page!)Or go to it directly below (bookmark with Ctrl+D or CMD+D):
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/embed?src=minister@uumtairy.org&ctz=America/New_York
Calling Lay Pastoral Care Volunteers!
We need two kinds of folks for the two groups that will help reconnect and reform our merry band of good-trouble-makers and freethinkers!- The first group: Are you feeling pulled to connect with and care for the folks in our congregation? Are you willing to reach out by phone, text or email once a month? If so, contact McKinley to be part of the reconstituted Care Callers team. No training necessary for these roles. You'll help connect those of us we don't see on Sundays with the wider congregation.
- The second group: If you are moved to receive some deeper training to make pastoral care visits of congregants in hospitals or at home, please reach out to get signed up for the Lay Pastoral Support team. This is a more in-depth practice that involves some specific skills and techniques. You'll be helping Rev. McKinley respond to and care for folks in crisis and through grieving times.
Ministerial Discretionary Fund
Any one who would like to donate to the emergency fund that goes towards our most vulnerable members can do so by sending in a check earmarked for "Min. Disc. Fund" or contacting McKinley directly to donate electronically. We have helped ease the strain of Covid-19 for some of our most directly impacted folks. Your donations go a long way, and offerings are always greatly appreciated.Looking for the Latest Congregational Directory?
Find all this by clicking the DIRECTORY & CONTRIBUTIONS button at the right, or on the Home page of this site. You can edit your own information from the ICON Home page or change your password on the Settings page.
If you attach a photo to an email and send it to either the Office or the Webmaster, we will be happy to add it to your profile.
Email the Office and request a new one.
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS |
Donate through AmazonIf you shop at Amazon, here's a new way to give to your congregation. Amazon will now donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases when you shop at AmazonSmile to the Unitarian Universalists of Mt Airy.Register at the Amazon website. Hale Hall DoorsIt is imperative that we remember that both front and back doors to Hale Hall remain locked at all times. This means even during meetings and Sunday services. Please do not let anyone into Hale Hall that you do not personally know is safe at any time. During services, all members, friends and congregants should come in the sanctuary door. Thank you for your cooperation. |
Another Way to
If you use Facebook, please join the congregation's group page. You can learn more about what's going on in our community and you can post your own thoughts, poems, prayers... https://www.facebook.com/groups/39131276017/
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