Events & Activites , Folk Factory, Greater Philly UU Cluster, and Social Justice pages.
Updated: Sunday, September 29 —
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 ServicesSunday, October 6: "Listening to the Earth" ... New Member Ceremony November 3 ...Contact Rev. McKinley to set up a time to chat. New members will be invited to sign the Membership Book on Sunday November 3 |
From Our Minister
 Y'all, Some of you have heard my story about my journey to UUism from West Texas. It involves stops at the Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church, the Primitive Baptist Church, functional atheism, and reverent agnosticism. If you haven't heard it, ask me about it, and I'll happily share, but it's too long to fully recount here. For now, the takeaway is that I've been a spiritual pilgrim, and I've found my spiritual home here in Unitarian Universalism. I love our shared faith tradition and I love the way it invites me to live into my highest held aspirations and from my deepest held values. But I also have muscle memory from years of the Episcopal church....and episcopalians, if you're not familiar, would generally not consider themselves "spiritual, not religious" in the way we stereotypically think. They are into ritual and routine, smells and bells, and definitely not into spontaneous prayer, for example. They seem to love the trappings of "religion." For example, my Episcopal colleagues get to/have to wear certain colors during certain times of the year. It's mandated! You can't wear purple unless it's Advent or |
Lent, and you wear red on Pentecost but not Christmas, and sometimes you wear gold unless it's white season, and then only if the Bishop isn't in town, because he always wears white and he carries a shepherd's crook...it's a lot!
And. Those "religious" rules are not the only thing to know about "religious" traditions like Episcopalianism. Religious can mean a lot of different things. "Religion" doesn't have to mean "conservative", or "Christian," or "stodgy," or "backwards" or any of those other things that many of us have used as synonyms. I've done it! I've chafed at the rules and looked disdainfully at other traditions that didn't resonate with me. I'll tell you all about it on Sunday, but I also want to tell you about what does resonate with me about "religion." I hope you'll come curious and help me find a way to celebrate our "religion" in our Unitarian Universalist home. One things for sure: Love will be at the center. That's a rule you can always count on. May it be so. Love, |
RE Corner with Elizabeth Ann
This week as we explored our monthly theme of Invitation, we traveled to the land of many possibilities AKA Spiritual not Religious.
Youth, multi-generational, and adult learning opportunities that might interest you: Youth Service Learning Project at Cedar Lane Congregation, Bethesda, MD Sponsored By the Mosaic Conference Calling all teens aged 14-18! Join us for an empowering all-day service learning project at Cedar Lane Congregation on Friday, October 18th, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This is your chance to dive deep into democracy, make a real impact, and earn service learning credits! What's on the agenda?
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Why join us?
Register here.
Build Religious Literacy | Interfaith Phila. As always, thank you for your commitment to religious exploration, your offerings of books and arts and crafts supplies. In Love and Faith, |
We had a retelling of Steps and Stone, An Ahn’s Anger Story. The full story can be found 
Interfaith Philadelphia is offering a noontime, online learning opportunity on different religions. Please follow the link below for more information and to register.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS |
Memorial Service for Ron S
Some sad and shocking news that our dear Ron S, a member for 46 years, died on Tuesday, Sept. 3, at Abington Hospital after another fall in his home last week. Please hold his family in your thoughts and prayers, especially his wife Barbara B and Ron's son, Jay. A private interment was held at Shalom Memorial Park, and a full memorial and celebration of life will be held in our Sanctuary on Saturday afternoon, October 19, followed by a dinner reception. To help with arrangements or hospitality, please contact Rev. McKinley.Coffee Hour this Sunday, September 29"
We will have a coffee hour after the worship service, with beverages and snacks. A great way to hang out with old and new friends!
Curious about how hospitality works at UU Mt Airy? You can still join one of the 3 teams (serving a month at a time in sequence) and get the inside scoop on what we do. Just use this Google link to sign up for a team or look for team coordinators Steve, Rita, or Brenda at coffee hour.
Change for Change: September
September Change for Change Offering - Beacon Theater: Beacon Theater is an all volunteer theater group located in Mt Airy that performs on a ‘pay what you can’ basis in local churches, schools, and community organizations. Their mission is to reach emerging audiences through accessible, affordable theater that uses critical moments of the past to show the way to a better, more equitable future. Offering funds go to the basic operations of the theater program. This fall we are collaborating with Beacon Theater to support their performing the play, "When the Truth Comes Out".See announcement below of our collaboration with Beacon Theater this fall leading up to their October 26th performance here at UUs of Mt Airy.
The Justice Council has established the following Guidelines for the recommendation and selection of an organization that will receive our monthly Change for Change Offering.
Linking to the Worship Service
Reminder that there are two ways to watch worship:- Click the blue "Live Streaming" arrow on the homepage.
- The Zoom link has been changed because security protocols on their end. If you are a congregant of ours, check the weekly eNewsletter for the link and password.
Are you following UUs of Mt. Airy on Social Media?
Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/uumtairy/
UPCOMING EVENTS |
| Thursday, October 10 — |
10 Year Commemoration of Black Lives Matter at UU Mt. Airy
Thursday, October 10: 6-7pm
In August of 2014, Michael Brown was murdered. Our then Intern Minister, Maria McCabe, organized a candlelight vigil for our congregation and the neighborhood to gather in grief and solidarity. That spirit has lit the candle of justice each week for the past 10 years, and we are coming together to honor the work that has been done, mourn the loss of life and opportunity to make systemic changes in our country, and to spark hopeful resilience in each other. | Sunday, October 13 — |
2nd Sunday Potluck
| Saturday, October 26 — |
Beacon Theater Productions presents "When the Truth Comes Out"
and Talk Back Session at UUsMtAiry, October 26, 2024 at 3 pm
The UUsMA Justice Council has selected Beacon Theatre Productions to be our Change for Change recipient for September this fall. In addition, we will be collaborating with Beacon Theatre Productions to present the play "When the Truth Comes Out" by Terri Lyons and directed by our own Karen S. This play, set in the 1970s, dynamically provides personal and inspirational moments of the lives 5 Black women leaders highlighted for their phenomenal contributions to the civil rights movement up to that point. Yet today their histories and stories have been virtually erased while the same issues still confront us today on what is liberation, equality, and justice in the U.S. The timing is especially important as it will be performed in the UUs MA sanctuary just before the presidential elections and this is one clear way to inspire anyone who cares about our current political issues.
There will be a talk back session with the actors and Terri Lyons after the play. Tickets prices are a good will donation.
Please invite your friends, neighbors, and any community organizations that are called to know more about how our entwined histories still inform us on how to work for justice at this time.
I am also requesting in this email if anyone would like to help out by volunteering to forward the poster to any friends, neighbors, community and religious organizations etc. to get the word out, put up posters in places where they will be likely to be seen, help with working the sound in the sanctuary on the day of the performance, collecting good will donations at the door, and clean up after the show.
This is an opportunity to connect with our greater community to do social justice work as part of our covenant. If anyone knows of any media organizations we should also contact or has other ideas for getting the word out, I would be very grateful.
Thanks so much for working with me to get this far. I am really looking forward to this opportunity. Please let me know if you have any questions or need more information. Blessings, Sharon F, 302-528-5517.
| Sunday, October 27 — |
Jazz Vespers with Phyllis Chapell
Sunday, October 27 @ 3pm in the Sanctuary
Our next Jazz Vespers will be on Sunday, October 27, starting at 3pm, in the Sanctuary Our featured musician is Phyllis Chapell, who will be playing with Dave Posmontier on piano and Dave Brodie on bass. Donation is $10-30, sliding scale (half at the door for no or low-wage folks).
| Sunday, November 3 — |
Let's Make the First Sunday of Every Month
be a Souper Sunday!
Bring a can of soup (healthy and not expired) to our wonderful community fridge. If we all did this, we would really be helping our neighbors. Thanks!
| Sunday, November 3 — |
Emma's Revolution (Pat Humphries & Sandy O) at Folk Factory
Sunday, November 3rd @ 7:30pm
We have just confirmed that Folk Factory will have a concert by Emma's Revolution (Pat Humphries and Sandy O) on Sunday, November 3, starting at 7:30pm. Mark your calendars and tell your friends!
RECURRING EVENTS |
| Newsletter Deadlines — |
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Deadline for the Weekly eNewsletter4:00 on Wednesday for insertion in the weekly eNewsletter. Deadline for the Winter
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| Every Day — |
Mt. Airy Pantry
Founded by two of our UUsMA members along with a life-long resident of East Mt. Airy, our Mt Airy Community Fridge affirms food as a right not a privilege and is founded on radical hospitality: We are all here to help each other. People that come to get food also often help stock and clean the shelves and break down boxes. Folks from the neighborhood as well as our congregation donate food. There are no requirements, no qualifiers. And we even compost! You can be a part of this wonderful project.Volunteers are needed to pick up food from distribution sites, to help stock the shelves, to help bag bulk produce, and to help keep it clean. Meeting and helping neighbors, reaching out. What better way to live our values?
Pantry Wishlist (Drop off anytime):
canned goods
microwavable meals
shopping bags
cleaning supplies
plastic or paper grocery bags
* For composting: coffee grounded, newspaper, brown paper bags (Place these items in lower Pantry shelf with “Composting Materials” sign.)
Contributions particularly needed on Sundays and Mondays when there are no scheduled deliveries!
For information on how you can help support the Fridge and Pantry: Contact Laurie D, 215-514-7955 or Deb G, 412-600-9400
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 Wednesday — |
Soul Line Dance Classes
| 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 to meditate, light candles, and share from 6:30-7pm.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 6 PM next Thursday!
NEWS AND INFORMATION |
Board Offers Office Space to APP-HSC (Philly chapter)
The Aging People in Prison Human Rights Campaign (APP-HRC) is the group that organized the film and panel on Reparations: Pay Up and Get Out of the Way on May 17, that many of us attended, and also the 2nd Black Women's Summit on Reparative Justice all day on May 18, that a different group of our congregation participated in. As we were preparing for these events together, the APP-HRC PHL folks revealed that they were in need of office space. We discussed this at the Justice Council, who recommended to the Board that we offer office space for the group for the next year, and hopefully into the future, without charging them for the space or resources, in the spirit of our Reparations work, to help repair the harms from slavery and systemic racism that our congregation has contributed to, at least by not paying attention to it for many decades of our existence.
The Board voted unanimously to extend this offer, and the process of moving in will start this coming week. The group will be using the Board Room (on the 2nd floor of Hale, at the end of the hallway, closest to Stenton), usually 3 weekdays per week, from 9 or 10am until 2pm. They will probably also use Hale Lounge for occasional group meetings, and possibly the RE Office (Hale 2nd Floor, next to the Board Room, across from the main Sunday School room) for individual counseling sessions occasionally. The Board Room can be accessed from the street if we unlock the Garth (garden area near the Pantry), so people using the services of APP-HRC PHL can access them directly. We will expect to host their annual Kwanzaa service and a couple of Summits each year, and perhaps other occasional special activities, all scheduled through our Admin. Assistant. Please introduce yourself and welcome them if you meet in the halls!
Pastoral Care Team Update
Each one of us can use some help and support at times in navigating life's ups and downs. Now there is an easy way to contact the Pastoral Care Team if you or someone you know needs a helping hand.UUMtAiry has a convenient request/referral form that goes directly to Rev. McKinley and Care Team Coordinators. Within 24-48 hours a Care Team volunteer will acknowledge your request and have either the minister or a team member contact you. You can find the link to the request form below. Before contacting the Care Team, please keep the following in mind:
- Pastoral Care contact is not counseling or therapy, nor should it be used for emergencies.
- Requests for Care Team support is voluntary. If you are referring another person for follow-up, please speak to them and obtain permission to contact the Care Team.
- If you prefer to contact Rev. McKinley directly, please call for an appointment at (806) 786-9733, or send email to him. to read more...
Have 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. You can find the Monthly Meeting Calendar link at the bottom of every web 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
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. From the ICON homepage, you can edit your own information (illustrated below on the left) or change your password on the Settings page (circled on the right).
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 |
Hale Hall Doors
It 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.
Work Request Forms
If you are requesting work to be done, please complete the appropriate colored work request form located on the office door. Once your form is completed, place it in the bin labeled Administrative Assistant also hanging on the office door.
For those who do not frequently visit in person, you can send your request via email to the Administrative Office.
Pink - Request for Administrative Assistant
Yellow - Request for voucher check
Blue - Request for the sexton