About the UUFM Today
The Fellowship is now operating as Open and Unrestricted. This means that vaccination and hand sanitizing are recommended (though we do not ask), we do not require physical distancing or contact tracing, and masks are optional. Children’s Chapel meets starting at 10:15 am, and hospitality will be offered in the Fellowship Hall following worship. Small groups and scheduled events can meet as planned.
Schedule a Meeting with Rev. Rita
Whether you would like more information about the Fellowship, a companion on your spiritual journey, or pastoral counseling, our minister is available for conversation by phone or by Zoom. You can contact Rev. Rita at minister.uumankato@gmail.com and 716-903-7935 (please be sure to leave a message).
Her regular hours are:
- Off on Saturdays
- Writing on Fridays—available for emergencies
- Phone calls and email returned as promptly as possible Monday-Thursday 10:00am to 6:00pm and Sundays 12pm-2:00pm
Soul Matters Sharing Circles
What is “Soul Matters”? Each month, our services and children’s Faith Development activities are devoted to a theme, like “Imagination” or “Stillness” or “Healing.” We approach these general themes from several lenses and angles throughout the month.
And we explore the themes in Sharing Circles, small groups committed to deeper exploration with regular companions. These groups offer the gift of spiritual connection, where we listen to each other, to our lives, and to our deepest selves. We are encouraged to experience the themes, not just analyze them, and to offer each other the gift of listening. Although we are offered a range of questions to explore, we are encouraged to find one question that speaks to us and then dwell with it for a time—a week or more. Circles form in January and run for a year.
In these times of COVID, we meet virtually by Zoom, for an hour to an hour and a half. We hold Sharing Circles at the following times:
2nd Tuesdays at 4:00pm (Tony Filipovitch facilitating)
2nd Wednesdays at 6:00pm (Deb Fitzloff facilitating)
2nd Thursdays at 6:00pm (Rev. Rita facilitating)
3rd Sundays at 12noon (Rev. Rita facilitating)
Contact Rev. Rita at minister.uumankato@gmail.com or 716-903-7935 (please leave a message) if you would like to join a group. Please note that members are not added to Circles in October, November, and December except to a “UUFM Newcomers” group.
Soul Matters Participation Guide
Link to the stories:
Our virtual Stories for All Ages are now available on the UUFM YouTube Channel. At least one new story will be available by Sunday, each week:
https://www.youtube.com/
Memory Garden
Created and maintained by member Patti Ruskey, the Memory Garden offers a beautiful place for quiet reflection in a shady corner overlooking the Blue Earth River. When you visit, please be sure to practice physical distancing.