Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration

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WORDS OF INSPIRATION

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS

RECURRING EVENTS

NEWS AND INFORMATION

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS


Administrative Office Hours

Wednesday: 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
Thursday: 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
Friday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Email the Office
or phone 215-247-2561.

If you need to reach Desi
you can call or text her on her
cell at 267-595-3250 - 24/7.

Minister's Office Hours

Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday by Appointment

Email the Minister
or phone 806-786-9733.

This page lists events that occur at our facility. For other activities, please visit the
Events & Activites , Folk Factory, Greater Philly UU Cluster, and Social Justice pages.


Updated: Friday, March 22 —

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

March's Theme is "Transformation"

Past services you wish to re-watch, are available HERE.


Sunday, March 31 - "Easter: Rise!"
Join the worship team for a call to justice and love, day by day and with an eye on the future. Easter is a time of new life and new opportunity, so let us approach the work of building Beloved Community with joy and delight! Rev. McKinley will offer words of inspiration, and you are invited to wear bright colors to the service and to join the RE Easter Egg Hunt immediately following the service.

From Our Minister

Friends,
This is my favorite weekend of the year. Spring is springing, the time change is behind us, flowers are beginning to peek out of the ground...and there is college basketball on every channel all weekend. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

"March Madness" is happening for the next three weeks, which happens to coincide with our Stewardship Campaign! If you haven't already, please think about and reflect on whether you feel called to contribute financially to this congregation, and then head here on our website and fill out the pledge online.

If you'd rather fill out a paper bracket... uh, I mean pledge form... then it should have been mailed to you. If you need a paper copy of the pledge form or the rest of the Stewardship Campaign's materials with suggested donation amounts, info where the pledge money goes during the year, and the like, we will have them available.

We'll be hearing from members of the Stewardship team throughout the campaign, which ends on April 7th. Please get your

pledges in soon and let us know if you have any questions!

We know that there are many ways to give back to the congregation, and the giving of moneys is just one of them. Our Stewardship campaign gives us a chance to forecast next years budget to see if our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, or if our dreams are bigger than our budget might allow. One of the big questions is whether we could support another ministerial intern for the next two years. That's up to us to answer! If we can commit the money, we can make it happen! If not, we can aim to make a difference in the world in another way. There are no bad options, just different ones. How we choose them is up to us and our pledges. Thanks to everyone who already submitted their pledges this past week. You rock!

And Good luck to everyone cheering for a college basketball team this month. (I've got Texas Tech as a sleeper pick!)

And thanks to our wonderful Stewardship folks: Tim S., Annabel G., Barbara P., Linda H., Nikki B., and Shaie D.! We are so blessed by your work.

Love,
Rev. McKinley

RE Corner with Elizabeth Ann

THEME OF THE YEAR: THE GIFTS OF OUR UU FAITH
THEME OF THE MONTH: THE GIFT OF TRANSFORMATION

Last week in the sanctuary we explored the story: The Mixed Up Chameleon.

During March, the theme of "The Gifts of Transformation", has us considering various ways in we and the world around us is transformed. The transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly is most familiar, and we liked getting to know the Mixed Up Chameleon by Eric Carle. We hope that you are enjoying the butterfly magnets and stickers that were shared last week. to read the entire article...

Yours in Faith,
Elizabeth Ann Terry she.her.hers

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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Coffee Hour this Sunday, March 24

Join us this Sunday for Coffee Hour in Fellowship Hall following worship service. Catch up with old friends or meet new ones. There will be food for those staying for the Town Hall Meeting Listening Session on Gaza.

Hospitality

Curious about how hospitality works at UU Mt Airy? You can still join one of the 3 teams and get the inside scoop on what we do. Just use this Google sheet..

Thank you!
Brenda R

Change for Change: March

The Justice Council has designated Heeding God's Call To End Gun Violence as our March recipient for Change for Change.

"Heeding God’s Call to End Gun Violence" seeks to energize the Philadelphia faith community to actively seek an end to gun violence through public witness and policy advocacy.

"Heeding God’s Call" promotes public witness and calls to action through Gun Violence Awareness Days, Murder Site Witness events, and Memorials to the Lost®. These engagements offer opportunities for education as well as for individual and community healing.

"Heeding God’s Call" works through faithful public policy advocacy -engagement mobilizes people toward policy that includes voter guides,

letter writing campaigns, and direct, in-person lobbying. Once interfaith community members are educated, they are ready to participate in advocacy that involves visiting their legislators in Harrisburg. Public witness, calls to action, and policy advocacy allow “Heeding God’s Call” to build a campaign by involving the public, media, and legislators to enact common sense gun laws like One Handgun a Month.

UUsMtAiry are honored to display A Memorial to the Lost® from March 2-16 in front of our church. This Memorial is a unique, visible education tool to honor victims of gun violence and their surviving families. Tee-shirts with names and dates of those murdered by gun violence will be displayed so that community members may experience, in a tangible way, the loss of life and disruption of lives that gun violence creates.

To nominate an organization for future Change for Change designation: Contact: Rita F, 215-407-0576

Linking to the Worship Service

Reminder that there are two ways to watch worship:
  1. Click the blue "Live Streaming" arrow on the homepage of this website: www.uumtairy.org
  2. 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.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Thursday, March 28 —

Dreams to Reality: Finding our Garden Path(s)
Thursday, March 28, In-Person

Everyone is welcome. Adam Hill, from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, will share his knowledge and experience of urban communal gardening as we explore what it takes to start a garden, from vision to soil testing to volunteers to potential community impacts. We will meet in Hale Lounge at 7:30. In-person attendance to welcome Adam would be appreciated. Zoom will be available.

Thursday, April 4 —

Folk Factory People's Choice Open Stage/Open Circle
(in person/hybrid)

Thursday, April 4 at 7:30pm in Fellowship Hall (& Zoom)

The Folk Factory will have its third in-person/hybrid People's Choice Open Stage/Open Circle of the 2023-24 season on Thursday, April 4th, from 7:30-10:30pm, in Fellowship Hall. This had been previously advertised to be on March 21 or March 28, but will in fact be on April 4. In the first half, performers sign up for slots to perform (music, spoken word, or whatever) on the stage. For this part, the audience gets to vote on their favorite acts (top vote-getters get invited to perform in the June People's Choice concert!). The second half is a more informal sharing in a circle, usually involving a lot of singalongs and songs people are trying out for the first time. Admission is $2-5 per person, on a sliding scale, half for low-wage or no-wage folks, with a $1 discount if you mention you are a UUs of Mt. Airy member or friend. There will be snacks and beverages, for a free-will donation. If you or someone you know are an aspiring performer, the Open Stage is a great opportunity to perform for an audience who will actually listen to you, and get a chance for a gig in the June People's Choice Concert! If you just like to listen to good music, and maybe sing along occasionally, you are also welcome! Our motto is "Music and progressive social change".

Sunday, April 7 —

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!

Tuesday, April 9 —

Communications Meeting, Open to All, Tuesday, April 9

The Communications team is meeting again on Tuesday, April 9, 7:30 pm, on Zoom. We will review comprehensive notes from our initial discussion; hear feedback about suggestions recently implemented re our newsletter; admire our new brochure by Brenda and Linda; and identify priorities and next steps. Cathy McC.

Sunday, April 14 —

2nd Sunday Potluck

Sunday, April 14 —

Jazz Vespers with Greg Moore and Actual Proof
Sunday, April 14, 3:30pm, in Sanctuary!

Following up on our successful Jazz Vespers in January, we will be holding a second Jazz Vespers on Sunday, April 14, starting at 3:30pm, in the Sanctuary. The music will be provided by Greg Moore and Actual Proof, who played in a worship service for us a couple of months ago, featuring Bobby Zankel on Alto Sax, Greg Moore on Congas, Jim Holton on Piano, Richard Hill on Bass, and Eric Gravatt on Drums. The suggested donation is $10-30, sliding scale (half for no wage or low wage at the door). Advanced tickets can be obtained here.

Sunday, April 28 —

East Mt. Airy Housing Film and Speakers

Sunday, April 28, 1:00pm, Sanctuary and Worship Zoom
On Sunday, April 28, at 1pm in the Sanctuary, we will hold a film showing and conversation on the history and current challenges of creating a welcoming and inclusive community where all can thrive in East Mt. Airy. The event will include a showing of "Neighbor Ladies", a film about the community's fight against racial "block busting" in East Mt Airy in the 1960s, and a video produced by the Mt Airy Neighborhood Diversity Initiative (MANDI) on current challenges facing Mt Airy as a whole. These will be followed by a conversation between Pat D, long-time member of UUs of Mt Airy and active community member in the formation of East Mt Airy Neighbors (EMAN) who appears in Neighbor Ladies, and Linda Bell, long-time resident of East Mt Airy and
President of the Board of EMAN, discussing how East Mt Airy has evolved from the 1960s to the present and what lies ahead. This will also be available on the Worship Zoom. Tell your friends and neighbors, and let Bruce, Craig, or Anam know if you'd like to help with publicity!


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RECURRING EVENTS

Newsletter Deadlines —

Deadline for the Weekly eNewsletter

Please send your articles to the Admin Assistant by
4:00 on Wednesday for insertion in the weekly eNewsletter.

Deadline for the Summer
Quarterly eNewsletter

Please send your articles to Jane H by
4:00 on Wednesday, May 22, 2024
for insertion in the quarterly eNewsletter.

Every Day —

Mt. Airy Pantry

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 —

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 from 6:30-7pm. During the second portion we light candles, learn about black history and share inspirational readings, music, and concerns. history.

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NEWS AND INFORMATION

Fundraiser Update

The Carnaval in Rio fundraiser was a success! Many thanks to those who contributed services and events, and to all those who bid on those offerings so generously. Although the event has officially ended there are still a number of items that are still available to bid upon. If you're interested in bidding, please contact the person who has offered the event or service or email Stephen W for additional details. All proceeds will benefit the treasury of UUs of Mt. Airy Here are some items you may want to consider: and to see all the events...
  • Lebanese Dinner, offered by Bethe O: Saturday, March 23, at Bethe's home in Jenkintown. An unlimited number of spaces are available for a donation of $40 per person.

  • Full Moon Labyrinth Walk, offered by Bernadette L-S Sunday, March 24, at St. Thomas Church in Flourtown. 10 spots remain available for a donation of $15 per person.
  • Cherry Blossom Picnic in Fairmount Park, offered by Linda H: Mother Nature will determine the timing of this event (pending the blossoms' schedule and likely early April). 4 spots remain available for a donation of $15 per person.

  • Pagan Wheel Workshop (May 2) and Native American Wheel Workshop (May 16) offered by Sharon F. 10 spots available for each event at her home in Mt Airy for a donation of $10 per person (per event).

Long-Range Planning: Want to Help Organize our Process?

The Board has decided it is a good time to do some long-range planning as a congregation, since it's been a while since we last did it. We are hoping to set up a process that will begin this coming year, probably in September. If you are interested in helping organize that effort, please contact Bruce P-J - we will probably try to have an initial meeting soon.

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. For now, you can find it on our homepage: (Click on the Monthly Meeting Calendar at the bottom 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

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?

... directions to a friend's home, or your latest identified donation statement?

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.

Forgot your username or password?
Email the Office and request a new one.

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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.

Another Way to
Stay In Touch

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/

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 custodian

Please Hang Up Your Coats

Do not leave your coats on the chairs in the Fellowship Hall or the pews in the Library. They take up valuable space that we need for seating during Coffee Hour. Please hang your coats on the rack in the hallway just outside the Fellowship Hall so that everyone can sit comfortably.
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