This Sunday’s Worship Service

Sunday, January 247th, 11:00 AM – Noon

Worship For All Ages: Where the Sidewalk Ends

with Rev. Kellie Kelly and Somaya Bernard, Director of Religious Education

We are excited to share that our Worship for All Ages multigenerational service on January 24th will be a Shel Silverstein service. Our theme this month is imagination, so we’ll be using the writing of Shel Silverstein, children’s author and cartoonist, to help us imagine our dreams. Presenters will share Shel Silverstein poems that spark their imagination or inspire them to dream!

Zoom meeting details:

11:00 AM – Noon Worship Service

If you are on a computer you may simply use the button at the top of this page. Otherwise, see below for a link or a phone number, depending on your device.

(Tech assistance available from 10:30 – 11 AM if needed)

Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 852 938 388

To join online (using a computer, tablet, or smart phone) click below:
uuma.zoom.us/j/852938388
No passcode required

To join on your cell phone or land line,
please call 1-929-205-6099
and make sure to enter the Meeting ID, 852 938 388, when prompted.

Please note the following:

1. This service will be recorded and/or live-streamed to Facebook. If you do not want to be included in the recording, please turn off your camera, mute your microphone, and change your name to “MVUUF” (these are all Zoom options once you join the meeting).
2. If you would like to submit a joy or sorrow for the service, please email Rev. Kellie by 10:00 PM on the prior Saturday evening (minister @ mvuuf.org).

New in January

LONG STRANGE TRIP:
UU HISTORY REDUX

2nd Saturdays,10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Begins Saturday, January 9th, 10:00 AM

Are you a history geek? Maybe you’re a story lover? Maybe you just want to learn the history of Unitarian Universalism (UU)? Or maybe you want to revisit the UU history you learned through an anti-racism and anti-oppression lens?

If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, please join Rev. Kellie and Lifespan Religious Education Rep., René Hick, as they share Ron Cordes’ 6-part UU history film series, Long Strange Trip. Sessions will be monthly on the second Saturday, January through June. We will watch each film together for the first half of the 2-hour session (each film is approximately 60 minutes). During the second half, Rev. Kellie will start our group discussion by providing an anti-oppression perspective, adding context and additional histories. No prep work or homework will be assigned (Rev. Kellie’s favorite type of class). While we would love for you to be able to attend all 6 monthly classes, there also is no attendance policy (attend as often as you like/can).

To join us on Zoom please use the info below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88004868864?pwd=SWZQUTUxVytjNHhicnQ1NTVCaE1KQT09

Meeting ID: 880 0486 8864
Passcode: 977790

CONGREGATIONAL READ
3rd Saturdays, 10:30 AM
Begins January 16th

Join Rev. Kellie for her 3rd Congregational Read, Mistakes and Miracles: Congregations on the Road to Multiculturalism by Nancy Palmer Jones and Karin Lin. The UUA Bookstore states that the book, “Shares how five diverse congregations encounter frustrations and disappointments, as well as hope and wonder, once they commit to the journey to create multicultural, antiracist Beloved Community.”

Rev. Kellie’s Congregational Reads provide a learning path for the deep soul work of transformation: personal, interpersonal, organizational, cultural, and societal. In her first year, Rev. Kellie shared White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo and, in her second year, Centering: Navigating Race, Authenticity, and Power in Ministry, written by Unitarian Universalist religious professionals and edited by Rev. Mitra Rahnema. After we complete this year’s read, Mistakes and Miracles, Rev. Kellie will lead us through one of the most important reports issued by the Unitarian Universalist Association, “Widening the Circle of Concern: The Commission on Institutional Change’s 2020 Report”.

Regardless of whether you have read all of the previous Congregational Reads with Rev. Kellie or you are new to Unitarian Universalism — regardless of whether you are committed to antiracism and anti-oppression justice or you want to grow your mind, heart, and soul — regardless of whether you can attend all 8 monthly sessions or only a few, please join Rev. Kellie on Saturday, January 16th at 10:30 AM on Zoom. We will be discussing the Foreword, Introduction, and Words about Language.

Kindle version available at Amazon and print version available at the UUA Bookstore. If the purchase cost would make it difficult to participate, please email Rev. Kellie directly to arrange the best way to get a copy to you at no cost (minister @ mvuuf.org).

Other Events and Activities

(All of these activities are on Zoom.)

On Sundays, in addition to our service and youth religious education, we have Women’s Group at 9:30 AM and also a Scripture Study at 9:30 AM.

Coffee Hour after the Sunday service is at 12:00 noon.

Commenced in December – Blessing and Opening of the Peace Heroes Trail! Follow this link.

MUSIC: Choir Rehearsal is at 7:00 PM each Wednesday.  Our monthly Acoustic Jam is usually the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM. Contact our 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.

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.

Religious Education — Current Updates

We’ll continue meeting on Zoom as we present our classes for children and youth. Currently our young children’s programming is combined, with PreK-1st grade and 2nd – 5th grade meeting together. These classes follow the Soul Matters curriculum which has been adapted specifically this year to teaching in the online learning environment. Our middle school youth are exploring different religions in the Neighboring Faiths curriculum and the high schoolers continue with their youth-led discussion group format.

All children and youth attending CYRE classes must register. Registration helps us learn names, track attendance, plan for activities, and accommodate any special needs. Please complete the registration form here.

We welcome adult volunteers to assist on our teaching teams.  All classes are held on Sundays (PreK-1st and 2nd-5th grade from 1:00-2:00 PM, and MS/HS from 2:30-3:30 PM) such that in this online environment, adults can volunteer to teach religious education without missing any of the worship services! The middle school and high school classes meet alternate weeks. The High School RE Group will meet on the 1st & 3rd Sundays at 2:30 PM, and the Middle School RE Group will meet on the 2nd & 4th Sundays, also at 2:30 PM. Both groups will be building more bonds and strengthening their connections.

Ask any of our congregants who have volunteered as teachers or leaders and you will find that it is one of the most rewarding ways to become more engaged in our community and grow in your own understanding of our Unitarian Universalist faith. Please contact our Director of Religious Education, Somaya Bernard (re @ mvuuf.org), or our Children and Youth Religious Education Volunteer Coordinator, Gail Saugstad, if you have ANY questions about religious education or to volunteer.

NEW: YOUNG ADULTS GROUP Now Forming

Connect and build bonds with other UU young adults at MVUUF (ages 18-35). If you are interested in participating, please contact Somaya Bernard, Director of Religious Education, at re@mvuuf.org or 937-694-0594 to let her know what meeting dates/times work best for you.

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
Thursday, January 28th 7:00 pm
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, newly revamped. 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 normally meets on the 4th Thursday evening of the month (except when there is a holiday). 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

Da’Group (a group for our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color congregants only)

Da’Group is a space for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to gather and share their stories, receive and provide support, and celebrate their joys, sorrows, and celebrations with each other.
This group was meeting monthly, but is on break for now. We will update this space when more information is available.