UUCSJS Midweek Message

• Minister's Midweek Meditation
• Announcements
• This Sunday
• Last Sunday
• Stewardship Campaign
• Events This Week
• Connect to Our Faith

You can catch up on past Minister's Midweek Meditations on the YouTube Playlist and don't forget to join us Friday at 7pm for Evening Lenten Vespers for UUs.

To have your announcement placed in the Midweek Message, please send an email to admin@uucsjs.org by Noon on Wednesday.

Some hateful men have attacked the rainbow flag that hangs on the UUCSJS roadside sign dozens of times. Our minister, Rev. Dawn Fortune was inspired to respond by constructing the metal flag that you see below.

As required by the public display policy we adopted in 2019, the Board of Trustees debated whether this flag was a replacement in kind or a new display. Our opinions were divided. We decided to display this flag on the sign for now.

Janet Longo has been studying new signage for Pomona Road. She agreed to work with the Communications Committee to develop a proposal for a way to tell who we are, be aesthetically appealing, and communicate on issues we support. Her favorite answer, so far, is a fully-programmable (although expensive) electronic sign. Members can discuss signage (including flags) with the Board during the post-service chat time on Sunday, April 11th.

We recognize that discussion of flags and signage generates strong feelings among our membership. Please, have patience with the Board while we seek the approach that fits our congregation best.

Stay Healthy,

Kit Marlowe

UUCSJS Board President

Contact Colby Tippins or email admin@uucsjs.org for more information or to arrange a pickup of your donations.

-Rev. Dawn Fortune

Palm Sunday in the Christian calendar is when Jesus of Nazareth is said to have entered Jerusalem, knowing of his impending arrest and death. Committed to his role in the legend, as laid forth by the prophets before him, he went forward anyway, knowing what he faced. We are not asked to sacrifice at such a level, but commitment does require some willingness to give of ourselves. How much can we give? How brave might we be in the face of big challenges?

Sunday at 10 am at www.tinyurl.com/uucsjszoom or call in to (929)436-2866 then enter: 2246776604#, 0#, 306591#. Make sure to update your Zoom software before Sunday morning so you aren't late to church!

Information on upcoming services can be found HERE.

For those hearing-impaired, pdf copies of the sermon are available on our website at the link above. Also, entire services are uploaded to our YouTube channel each Sunday afternoon where Closed Captioning is available.

See what you missed if you weren't able to join us!

Our annual stewardship drive is now underway!

The theme of “Keep the Faith” calls attention to the last year when we were faced with unexpected uncertainty and challenge, we responded collectively with creativity, resilience, caring, and commitment. We can’t imagine all that is ahead for this community, but if we continue to “Keep the Faith”, I am certain we will continue to find a bold new way forward.

A stewardship pledge is making a commitment to the future of the congregation. Each family has to determine their own capacity to give. We ask you to make a financial commitment in advance to help us with the planning for the year ahead. Each and every gift is important to us.

Below are links to three different stewardship documents:

1) Our case statement about the pledge drive with a letter from Rev. Dawn, the goals, and suggested giving tables.

2) A sign-up form to attend a conversation about the future of UUCSJS.

3) A pledge card - if you are ready to record your pledge in support of the 2021 to 2022 programming year.

Our goal for the stewardship drive this year is $170,000. We currently have pledges for $104,983 from 31 contributing families or 62 % of our goal. Thank you to those who pledge and give so faithfully to sustain the congregation! Thank you for your voluntary generosity and your faithful and ongoing support of our congregation.

In fellowship,

Karen York, stewardship chair

Click on the graphic below or visit the calendar at uucsjs.org for more information on events and meetings.

Email admin@uucsjs.org to schedule an event or to have your event included in our calendar.

On Friday nights at 7 p.m. through the season of Lent, a vespers service will be presented live on the UUCSJS YouTube Channel. Each service has scripture readings, music, and a brief reflection.

Tune in for a contemplative half-hour service! Visit uucsjs.org to learn more about the Friday Evening Vespers.

Margaret Circle will be meeting on Zoom on Thursday, 1:00 pm, April 1. (April Fools Day)

Our program will include lots of fun and laughter as we are going to play some games that should work on Zoom. Contact Betsy Searight or email admin@uucjs.org if you would like to join, but are not on the Margaret Circle list.

Do you or someone you love have lived experience with mental health problems? Today about 20% of the adult population are diagnosed with a mental health problem. Yet, even now it is often viewed through the lens of intolerance, ignorance, and fear.

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair are pleased to host UU Rev. Barbara Meyers for the workshop “Showing Up for Each Other’s Mental Health”

This online Zoom presentation and discussion will be held on Saturday, April 17, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm with a 10 minute break in the middle.

Rev. Meyers is a UU community minister with a mental health ministry based in Fremont, California, and President of the Board of the UU Mental Health Network.

In this workshop, Rev. Meyers will:

• Share stories from her mental health ministry
• Show the importance of spiritual resources and the importance of peers.
• Discuss the impact that COVID-19 is having on mental health, and what we can do to mitigate the impact on our lives.
• Talk about avenues to further this focus and this work.
• Talk about the work of the UU Mental Health Network and its recent survey of UUs.

Saturday, April 17 1:00 – 3:00 pm.

Donations of $20 a person are welcome but not required.

Please register here: https://tinyurl.com/y7dxqzxk

Here you will find opportunities to connect with our larger faith and other UU's from outside our congregation.

Click on the images for more information.

Sunday Services 10 am on Zoom at tinyurl.com/uucsjszoom

Email: uucsjsadmin@gmail.com
Website: www.uucsjs.org
Location: 75 S Pomona Rd, Egg Harbor City, NJ, USA
Phone: (609) 965-9400
Facebook: facebook.com/uucsjs
Twitter: @UUCSJS