On Thursday evenings

Worship for the Weary
A shorter, more reflective service, that is in addition to our Sunday services, still held on Zoom at this time.

Thursdays, from 6:30 – 7:00 pm

We offer this shorter, more reflective service as a way of providing a bit of peace and comfort during these trying times. We “gather” on Zoom for music, readings, and reflection.

Please join us the weeks after that by using the link below:
https://uuma.zoom.us/j/95894282191

Meeting ID: 958 9428 2191 (no passcode needed)

To join on your cell phone or land line, please call 1-929-205-6099 and make sure to enter the Meeting ID when prompted.

STAFF MEMBERS

Our hard-working staff members are back from recent vacations and study leave.

Jennie Freiberger, our Administrator, holds in-person office hours Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 9:30am-3:00pm.

To learn more about all of our staff members and how to contact them, follow this link.

Other Events and Activities

Please note: We are in a period of transition, with some activities on Zoom and some in person. Please check with the leader of a group or activity if it does not say here whether the event is in person or on Zoom.

On Sundays, in addition to our service and youth religious education, we have Women’s Group at 9:00 AM and also a Scripture Study at 9:00 AM. At this point, both are still meeting on Zoom.

We hold a virtual Coffee Hour after the Sunday service one week a month, at approximately 12:00 noon, the first Sunday of each month. This is on Zoom until we are fully meeting in person again.

MUSIC: The Choir meets weekly on Zoom on Wednesdays, from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. Our monthly Acoustic Jam is usually the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM. Our next acoustic folk jam, on Tuesday, September 21st at 7:00 PM, will be in person at the Fellowship, 8690 Yankee Street. We will share in some socially distanced music-making (no singing this time) and camaraderie. Contact Music Director Sara Davis at music @ mvuuf.org for more information about participating in music activities.

We have a Death Cafe, normally the fourth Monday of the month at 7:00 PM, still on Zoom.

Other montly meetings include our Social Action Committee, the West Dayton Action Group, the Transgender Alliance Group, and the Chalice of the Willow (Covenant of UU Pagans). You will find more specifics about our programming around Anti-Racism toward the bottom of this page.

Our Facebook page is listed as “Miami Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship”. You will find various announcements there.

For specific questions or to be put in touch with a group you may also send an email to info @ mvuuf.org.

Children and Youth Religious Education (CYRE)

CYRE COMMITTEE
Second Wednesday Each Month
Wednesday, October 13th, 7:00 PM

Our Children and Youth Religious Education (CYRE) Committee meets on the second Wednesday of the month and is open to ALL! Whether you have children in the CYRE program or not, the committee is always looking for people to teach classes and/or volunteer to help with family-friendly activities.

If you have any questions and/or to obtain the link to the Zoom meeting, please contact our Director of Religious Education, Somaya Bernard, re @ mvuuf.org.

WEEKLY CYRE CLASSES

Our religious education classrooms this school year will be PK-2nd grade, 3-5th grade and a combined Middle School/High School experience.

Our friendly CYRE volunteer coordinator Gail Saugstad has been busy recruiting teaching teams, and our creative Director of Religious Education Somaya Bernard sent a survey to parents to inquire about family needs this fall, particularly for our younger participants who at this time are not eligible for the vaccine. We have at this time delayed the start date of our curriculum year and will revisit our planning to best meet the needs of our families balanced with the number of volunteers willing and able to teach. We will communicate the starting date once that becomes available.

Once we are in the swing again, all children and youth newly attending CYRE classes will need to register. Registration helps us learn names, track attendance, plan for activities, and accommodate any special needs. Please complete the registration form here if you anticipate joining our program.

Recent CYRE Activity – Somaya shared one of her favorite activities, tie dying, with our PreK to 12th graders on Sunday, August 29th. Some adults in the congregation were envious!

Getting Involved

CONNECTING WITH MVUUF
Whether you are an “old” member, a newcomer, a long-time friend, or an occasional visitor, you are reading this because you are somehow “connected” to the Miami Valley UU Fellowship. We are glad you are here! We are trying something new to help more of us become connected to the fellowship in a meaningful way. You know we have a lot to offer, and we know you have something to offer us, but how best to find your niche? The hope is that I can help you on that journey.
Send an email to connection @ mvuuf.org and it will magically appear in my email. If you put the word “connection” in the subject line, I’ll know that it is VERY important, and I’ll read it immediately. You may ask questions, tell me about yourself, include your phone number if you’d like to talk, and we will begin searching together. Unitarian Universalism can open your eyes and your heart and MVUUF is “where it’s at” in Dayton.

In the spirit,
Diane Colvin, Connection Coordinator

SEEKING TECHIES & AUDIO-VISUAL PRODUCERS

We are seeking folks who might be interested in being part of our Multi-Platform Task Force. This is the group of individuals who are supporting our multi-platform services.

• If you have ever pointed a camera or smart phone at something to take a picture or video, that qualifies you. We will have a need for a variety of technical skills levels.
• If you think technology is fun to play with, you have officially found your tribe.
• If you have experience working with AV equipment, Zoom or other virtual meeting tools, or OBS (open broadcast system), we definitely could use your help.

Multi-platform options are important to ensure we can include our members and friends who cannot attend in person, whether that is due to distance, health, schedules, or any challenge.

Our Multi-Platform Task Force will meet each Tuesday, 7:00 PM, through August & September, on Zoom. As we are ready, we will have some folks at the Fellowship working with the AV equipment to set up and some folks on Zoom so we can practice doing multi-platform services.

If you are interested in helping with this effort, please attend one of these meetings. You will find a link to our calendar in a box of “Quick Links” at the bottom of each page on the website. The calendar has the links to the Zoom meetings. Please contact Garlene Hamilton at Producer @ mvuuf.org if you are interested or have questions.

Public Statement, and Programming Around Anti-Racism

In light of George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police on May 25, Miami Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is issuing a public statement to the community, and we offer resources to assist us in the processes of mourning, learning, and action.

As Unitarian Universalists, we believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every human being. We believe that we are all connected to one another: what affects one of us, affects all of us. Our Unitarian Universalist faith calls us to commit our time, resources, and hearts to the important work of ending police violence and all other parts of our country’s systemic anti-Blackness. Our faith calls us to do this today—not tomorrow or some distant someday.

PUBLIC STATEMENT

1. As people of faith, Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth and dignity of all persons and work for social justice to embody that dignity.
2. We condemn racist police practices that deny Black people in this country human rights and, in the case of  Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and so many before them, the very breath of life.
3. It has gone on far too long.
4. We side with the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd in love and we side with all impacted by murder and other violence as a tool of oppression by people of power.
5. We urge the greater Dayton community to reflect deeply on our criminal justice system and how to transform it into one of restorative justice that is safer for everyone.
6. This is the time to join with others to raise our voices and stop this oppression by police and by white vigilantes.
7. Holding police accountable is an essential step.
8. Recognizing that racist police practices are a symptom of pervasive and systemic racism in our national culture and institutions, we re-commit ourselves to anti-racism work.

Miami Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Rachel Feltner, Board President
Rev. Kellie C. Kelly, Called Minister
Alice Diebel, Affiliated Community Minister

Anti-Racism Ally Group

Are you a white person with questions, ideas, concerns or just want a place to have discussions about what is going on? Then please join our Anti-Racism Ally group. Each meeting will allow for learning, actively practicing being allies, open discussion, and creating actions we can take to follow and support Black, Indigenous and all People of Color (BIPOC) in our congregation as well as residents in the larger community.

This group typically meets on the 4th Thursday evening of the month (except when there is a holiday). Our September meeting is on Thursday, September 23rd at 7:00 PM. We hope you can join us as we keep the discussion and action for a more just world front and center. We are loosening the structure of our meetings, so participants are invited to bring their own topics to share, or you can simply listen if you choose. Most importantly, we value your presence at our meeting!

If you have questions, would like meeting access information, or would like to provide input before a meeting, you are welcome to contact the group Co-Leaders, Kristen at KristenBeireis @ gmail.com or Bill at rossviva @ hotmail.com.