6/23/2024 This morning, we continued our month of reflections on Renewal with a message from our wider UU community. Outside our own services, the UUA shares this reflection by Martha Durkee-Neuman, who found herself thinking about the apocalypse — the end of the world, and the beginning of something new — just when a personal relationship…

6/21/2024 Sunday morning, George Grimm-Howell — now officially Rev. George Grimm-Howell — joined us to continue exploring our June theme of Renewal. Outside our own services, the UUA shares this reflection by Rev. Amanda Poppei who relates that as she was pregnant with her second child, her first child asked her:“Who is it going to be?”“I…

6/12/2024 Our June newsletter is now ready to view or download:UUFJC Newsletter: Flame on the Water, June 2024 Sunday morning, Sabrina Trupia joined us again to begin exploring our monthly theme of Renewal. Outside our own services, the UUA shares these words: Waiting for Nowby Mandie McGlynn(abridged; full version at UUA WorshipWeb) Everythingis about to change.Andit already…

6/12/2024 Our June newsletter is now ready to view or download:UUFJC Newsletter: Flame on the Water, June 2024 Sunday morning, we shared a recent message from our neighbors at First UU of Springfield via video.  Rev. Michelle Scott-Huffman spoke “On Being a Pluralistic Faith.”  The message is available to view online at First UU’s website: https://springfielduu.org/2024/05/14/on-being-a-pluralistic-faith/ UUFJC…

Our December newsletter is now ready to view or download:UUFJC Newsletter: Flame on the Water, December 2023 Note: the date has been set for a Saturday Work Day at our building: December 30th starting at 9 am.  We hope to see as many of you as possible, and everyone’s help is deeply appreciated!  See “UUFJC News and Events”…

Don’t forget our work day at our building this Saturday, December 30th starting at 9 am.  We hope to see as many of you as possible, and everyone’s help is deeply appreciated!  See “UUFJC News and Events” below. Yesterday morning, George Grimm-Howell joined us to continue our month of reflections on Mystery. Beyond our own services,…

Don’t forget our RE Book Swap next Sunday (see “Next Sunday” below), and don’t forget to watch for a Saturday Work Day at our building! Yesterday morning, we continued our month of reflections on Mystery with a message from our wider UU community via video.  Rev. Jennifer Innis of the UU Church of Peoria spoke earlier this month about mystery…

Yesterday morning, Rev. Nancy joined us to begin our reflections on our December theme: Mystery. The holiday season is devoted to appreciation of awe-inspiring mysteries — the deepening darkness, the returning light, the spirit of giving — but its celebration is often built upon frantic to-do lists. Rev. Nancy explored with us how we might…

Yesterday morning, Rev. Nancy TannerThies joined us to continue our month of reflections on “Gratitude.” That monthly focus is especially relevant this week as we in the US come upon the Thanksgiving holiday. The “Pilgrims and Indians” story associated with the holiday offers a slanted view of some painful and unjust American history, but we…

Yesterday morning, we wrapped up our month of reflections on Gratitude with a message from George Grimm-Howell, MDiv. We are now getting ready to move into our December theme: Mystery. This transition strikes me as characteristically “UU.” Our faith tradition does not shelter in certainty, but gratefully embraces mysteries: not only “that transcending mystery and…

Yesterday morning, we continued our month of reflections on Generosity by turning our attention to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and its annual holiday season support drive, Guest At Your Table. We shared a message via video from a previous campaign, when then-UUSC president Rev. Mary Katherine Morn spoke on “Power, Partnership, and Change” at…

Our November newsletter is now ready to view or download:UUFJC Newsletter, Flame on the Water, November 2023 Yesterday morning, Rev. Nancy TannerThies joined us to begin our month of reflections on Generosity by exploring the question: “What is the Proper Response?” I did not hear the message myself, but Rev. Nancy’s title reminds me that…

Yesterday morning, we continued our month of focus on Heritage by looking again at the place of the Seven Principles in our UU Faith heritage. We shared a message originally delivered by Rev. David Schwartz at the UU Church of Boulder in February this year on “How (and Why) We Got Our Unitarian Universalist 7…

Our November newsletter is in the works.We hope to send it out within the next several days. Yesterday morning, we wrapped up our month of reflections on Heritage with the second of two sermons by Rev. David Schwartz of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder, considering the Seven UU Principles, the heritage they represent, and…

9/29/2023 The October newsletter has been delayed. Our editor is deeply grateful for everyone’s patience. Yesterday morning, we wrapped up our month of reflections on Welcome as Lisa Sanning read a sermon by Rev. Jone Johnson Lewis. Lewis described the UU aspiration of welcome as: “to grow and develop our capacity, and the world’s capacity,…

9/21/2023 Yesterday morning, we celebrated our annual Water Communion. Those attending brought samples of water to add to a communal bowl and shared how that water represented something significant to them. In past years, we have begun each year’s Water Communion with water saved from previous years. Unfortunately, the water we had saved was lost…

9/13/2023 Note: Next Sunday is our annual Water Communion. Those attending our service are asked to bring small samples of water representing somewhere or something significant to them. Yesterday morning, George Grimm-Howell joined us to continue exploring our theme for September: Welcome. Beyond our own services, creating a broad welcome is a major goal of…

9/7/2023 Our September Newsletter is now ready to view or download:UUFJC Newsletter: Flame on the Water, September 2023 Yesterday morning, we gathered again at our interim location to wrap up our month of focus on Beloved Community with a message via video from Rev. Michelle Scott-Huffman and our friends at First UU of Springfield. The…

9/7/2023 Our September Newsletter is now ready to view or download:UUFJC Newsletter: Flame on the Water, September 2023 Happy Labor Day! Yesterday morning, Rev. Nancy TannerThies joined us to begin our month of reflection on Welcome with thoughts on how to widen our circle of what we are able to Welcome. She encouraged us to…

2/27/2023 Our March newsletter is now ready to view or download:UUFJC Newsletter: Flame on the Water, March 2023 Sunday, February 28th: This morning, Rev. Michelle Scott-Huffman, friend of our Fellowship and minister at First UU of Springfield Missouri, joined us in person to wrap up our month of reflections on Love.  Love has many definitions,…

2/20/2023 Sunday, February 19th: This morning, we shared a message from our wider UU community via video, despite some technical challenges. Continuing our monthly theme of Love, I would like to share more words from our wider UU community: Power PrayerBy Becky Brooks Spirit of Life, I have witnesseda loud love,an out-loud love,that challenges me.…

2/13/2023 Sunday, February 12th: This morning, we continued exploring our February theme of Love with a message from our wider UU Community via video.  Rev. Aaron White of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas talked about love as one of the pillars of our UU faith, especially rooted in the Universalist tradition that included figures like…

2/6/2023 Our February newsletter is now ready to view or download:UUFJC Newsletter: Flame on the Water, February 2023 Sunday, February 5th, 2023: Rev. Mike Adamek joined us to begin exploring our February theme: Love.  Rev. Mike talked about the struggle to define love, spurred by Bette Midler’s song, “The Rose”, and guided largely by the work…

10/31/2022 Our November newsletter is now ready to view or download:UUFJC Newsletter: Flame on the Water, November 2022 Note: Our Trivia Night fundraiser is coming this Saturday, November 5th! Please sign up, bring friends, and help us spread the word! Doors open at 6:30, and the game starts at 7 pm. Registration is $10/person or…

10/27/2022 Note: Next week’s lunch after services is Potluck! Please bring a dish to share! Also, there is only one week left to donate raffle or silent auction items for our upcoming Trivia Night! Contact Bob Antweiler or see below for more information. Sunday, October 23rd, 2022: This morning, we shared a recent message from…

10/16/2022 Note, this Saturday, October 22nd, Nancy TannerThies and her family will hold a memorial service for her husband and beloved UUFJC member Roger TannerThies at 2:30 pm in our building. Nancy has invited UUFJC members and friends to join in this celebration of Roger’s life. October newsletter: UUFJC Newsletter: Flame on the Water, October…

10/10/2022 Our October newsletter is now ready to view or download:UUFJC Newsletter: Flame on the Water, October 2022 Sunday, October 9: This morning, we continued exploring our monthly theme of Courage with a recorded service from our wider UU Community: Courage, led by Rev. Dr. Natalie Fenimore, from the UU Church of Shelter Rock in…

10/6/2022 ​Our October newsletter is now ready to view or download:UUFJC Newsletter: Flame on the Water, October 2022 Sunday, October 2, 2022: This morning, Rev. Mike Adamek joined us to begin our month of reflection on Courage. Rev. Mike explored the courage that is necessary as we face suffering through the ups and downs of…

Highlights: Our January newsletter is now available to view or download: UUFJC Newsletter, “Flame on the Water” January 2022 We are collecting items to support an Afghan refugee. For more information see our January newsletter or contact Social Action chair Katherine Connor Make your year-end donation to UUFJC: online or mail check to Attn: Treasurer,…

2/24/21 update: December 25 Service – 10:30 amHoliday Memories Open-Mic (In-Person Only) (from Carol Bontempo) A few of us have gotten together to create a Service/Gathering for this coming Sunday. We will have an open mic, as we are often casual during this time. The topic will be ‘Holiday Memories’. Mary Kabiri will be playing…