Sunday, March 31st: "An Easter of Belonging." This Sunday, Rev. Renée will talk about Easter from a UU perspective! We will also meet and welcome UUFF's newest members! The fellowship is experiencing growth and new life to match the season of Spring, and we are truly happy to widen our circle of belonging!

After the service, we will hold our annual EGG HUNT! Families with children are asked to bring one basket/bag per child, and to provide a bag of nut free individually wrapped candy and/or small toys/stickers. Our youth will use your candy and toys to make goody bags for each child. Empty plastic eggs will be hidden on the grounds during the service. For the hunt, each child will be encouraged to collect ten eggs, which will be "cashed in" for a goodie bag. Email Stephanie Bentley at stephmacbentley@gmail.com with any questions.

You can attend service in person at the fellowship building or view it remotely online via Facebook Live Stream. To attend via Facebook, click on: https://fb.me/e/1tE6fVQbM at exactly 11am Central Standard Time (CST), and then click on "Watch Live Video. You don't need a Facebook account to access.

The UUFF Nursery (located downstairs) offers childcare during both the 10am Religious Exploration hour and the 11am Service.

Please see Nursery Coordinator, Alex Emmons if you need to register your child(ren) or if you have questions.

Adult RE Mindful Discussion is held at 10am each Sunday in the downstairs common room. All are welcome.

Topic this Sunday: "Examining Easter through UU Lenses." The Bible is one of our UU sources, yet many view it with cynicism; wondering how people can believe fervently in collection stories, poems, letters, accounts and gospels, all of which were written down, collected and edited by some 40 people over a period of 1,500 years. Following Jesus' death, the ideas in the Bible were presented as a new way of viewing the world, one that gave hope to those oppressed. Join us to look at the Easter story from a UU perspective.

Youth (ages 11+) and Children's (ages 4-11) Religious Exploration Classes are offered each Sunday at 10am in the classrooms downstairs.

Questions about this Sunday or about YRE or CRE in general? Contact Leanda Gavin (lmshelby@gmail.com) or Stephanie Bentley (stephmacbentley@gmail.com).

UUFF Member, Marquette Bruce (pictured) has a message to all: "This kid is turning 80 on March 29th! Come to my joy-making, movement, drop-in celebration on Sunday, April 7th! It will be held in the Dance Culture space in the Sequoyah Building on Mt Sequoyah, from 10am-1pm. Bring hugs, and wear comfortable clothing to kick, jump, stretch,and flail, while enjoying the music in the spirit of laughter and friendship. Mary Lightheart and I have decided to live 100 years…just getting started! Let the ruckus begin!" ~ Marquette

We are sorry to say that Mary McKee, beloved former UUFF Member, passed away on January 17th. Her husband Harris let us know and sent along a copy of her beautiful obituary, which you can READ HERE. Please keep Harris and family in your thoughts and hearts. Notes/cards can be mailed to: Harris B. McKee / 629 W. Foster Ave., Apt. 705 / Chicago, IL 64040-1682

We have many Members & Staff with Birthdays coming up in APRIL!:

Karl Brown

Shermon Brown

Natalie Emmons

Marty Faitak

Elizabeth Hancock

Ron Hanson

Billy Hargis

Burnetta Hinterthuer

Rev. Renée Janski

Bettina Lehovec

Fran Levin

Ines Polonius

Cathy Schermer

Mark Schuyler

Rose Selvey

Ruth Vacin

If you would like to send these folks a card or note and are unable to access the online directory, you may contact Fawn at uuff.ar@gmail.com and ask for the address.

We are delighted to share the exciting news that we have hired an Operations Manager! Christina Maples (pictured) will start in this half-time position on Tuesday, April 2nd!

Christina emerged as the hiring team's top choice after a comprehensive search process. The team, led by Joe Euculano and including Caroline Lennox, Charlotte Taylor, Rebecca Bryant, and Kate Kowalski, screened 24 applicants, invited 4 candidates for phone interviews, and conducted in-person and Zoom interviews with 2 finalists. Christina emerged as the top candidate and was recommended to the Board for consideration.

Christina brings a wealth of prior administrative experience to the Operations Manager position. Most recently, she spent 13 years with Lifestyles, Inc. gaining progressively more responsibility through a variety of roles. Her most recent position there was as Employment Director.

Christina has expressed her excitement about joining our wonderful UUFF community and is looking forward to meeting folks! We'll let her settle in a bit and there will be more details to come regarding office hours, etc.

UUFF New Member Ceremony and Celebration this Sunday, March 31st!

We will have a UUFF New Member Welcome Ceremony THIS Sunday, March 31st, during the 11am Service!

If you have are interested in joining the UU Fellowship of Fayetteville and participating in the welcome ceremony, please let Fawn and Charlotte (contact info below) know by TODAY, March 27th, so that we can plan accordingly.

To become an official member, you must:

-Be a Unitarian Universalist from another UU church or have taken the Being UU Class here.

-Fill out a 2024 UUFF Pledge Covenant form and turn it in to Fawn in the office.

-Be ready to sign the UUFF Membership book during the Welcome Ceremony.

We hope that the fellowship will get to welcome many new members during this special event!

Again, by March 27th, please let Fawn Smith - Administrator (uuff.ar@gmail.com) AND Charlotte Taylor - Membership Team Lead (cathog58@gmail.com) know if you (a) want to join UUFF as an official member and (b) plan to participate in the New Member Welcome Ceremony on Sunday, March 31st!

THANKS!

UUFF Poetry Service is coming up on Sunday, April 7th!

Please send the title and author of the poem you wish to recite/read during the service to Rev. Renée Janski at janskistudio@gmail.com

First Quarter 2024 UUFF Leadership Gathering Highlights: In January 2024, fellowship leaders gathered to build community, reflect on successes of the prior year, and brainstorm ideas and strategies for the continuation of this success for 2024. Members in attendance included the Board of Directors, Associate Minister/Music Director - Reverend Renée, Administrator - Fawn Smith, and leaders of volunteer-led teams.

Each member in attendance took the HIGH5 online strengths assessment questionnaire and results were discussed to evaluate the varied strengths of our leaders and how to effectively utilize these strengths. Other topics discussed included our values and how they are captured in the UUFF vision and mission statements, effective communication, our successes and challenges, and our volunteer needs. The group revisited the strategic planning report from 2022 and identified items to consider prioritizing for 2024.

Feedback on the leadership gathering was highly positive and there was general consensus among attendees that meetings like this should occur on a regular schedule moving forward.

From New Beginnings NWA Meal Prep lead for UUFF, Brooke Eldredge: "Thanks to these great volunteers, we prepared an enchilada dinner to our friends at New Beginnings Transitional Housing Shelter last Saturday: Kaylee and Joseph Armendariz, Mary Beacham, Annette Lewis, Cathy Schermer, Kate Kowalski, Carol Olson, Janet Curth, and the Gaius Jennings Family!"

Dallas Arceneaux is heading up UUFF's relationship with 7hills Homeless Center, and we are determined to collect donations for them per what they list as needs on their website. We have a special collection cart in the UUFF lobby the entrance doors, or you can drop off donations at the center yourself. To check the current needs, go to: https://7hillscenter.org/7hills-needs-list/

-Article by Dina Nash-

Last Saturday, the UUFF Justice Team provided a service to the interdependent web of life of which we are a part (see picture). Partnering with the Springdale Parks and Recreation and the Illinois watershed Alliance, we gave away 350 trees. They were all native species to the area, such as White Oak, Shumard and Scarlet Oak, Paw Paw, Bald Cypress, Pecan, and Black and Burr Oak, as well as some ornamental dogwood and redbud trees. Information was given on planting and tree care, and climate protection was discussed. The Parks Department was inspired to make it their Arbor Day, and they did all the marketing.

Each mature tree will absorb 48 pounds of CO2 a year, a ton of it in a lifetime of 6 trees, and these all give back oxygen for clean air. Springdale had serious tree loss in the 2022 tornado, and even more damage from irresponsible developers of subdivisions who bulldoze the lots before they build.

Many thanks to Jan Mullins, Vallie Marie Graff, Marquette Bruce, and Lauren Humphrey, who helped with the tree give-away, and to Joanna Person-Michener and Zephaniah Greenwell, who inspired us!

Dina Nash for the Justice Team - (501)554-2200 or dinacnash2014@gmail.com

DISCLAIMER: Please note that any personal views expressed by authors of articles within the UUFF eNews should be attributed to those authors as individuals and not to UUFF as an organization.

Upcoming Sunday 11am Services:

April 7th - "Poetry Sunday!" All are encouraged to take part in this special annual service. Please email Rev. Renée (janskistudio@gmail.com) to let her know the title/author of the poem you'd like to read or recite during this service!

April 14th - "Truths About Immigration," led by Gene Vinzant.

Calendar of UUFF Events for March 27th - April 4th

Thursday, 03/28 - 10a-12pm - UUFF Grounds Work Day - UUFF

Thursday, 03/28 - 6:30pm - UUFF Board Meeting - Zoom

Sunday, 03/31 - 9am - Sunday Meditation Group - Zoom (Ines sends out link each Saturday evening)

Sunday, 03/31 - 10am - Adult RE Mindful Discussions Group - Downstairs Common Room

Sunday, 03/31 - 10am - Children and Youth RE Class - Downstairs Classrooms

Sunday, 03/31 - 11am - Main Sunday Service - UUFF or remotely via Facebook Live Stream

Sunday, 03/31 - After 11am Service - Annual EGG HUNT for kids - UUFF Grounds

Monday, 04/01 - 6pm - Covenant Group Meeting - Sanctuary

Wednesday, 04/03 - 6:30pm -UUFF Chalice Team Meeting - Zoom

Every Thursday - 10am-12pm - Grounds Work Day - UUFF

Thursday, 04/04 - 6:30pm - UUFF Justice Team Meeting - OMNI Center (ask Dina Nash - contact info above - to make sure this is still the plan)

Queer Camp (July 8-12) is a summer day camp for LGBTQ+ youth, held at Good Shepherd Lutheran.

Click here to register your child: https://forms.gle/WYUr3sLCGs6pjQGY6  Also, Queer Camp is in need of volunteers. 

Click here if you are interested in helping: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGtPfiInzdu8QjueWA_QfLVEelnPkc7NVK5K3zJAf5F_aXew/viewform?usp=sf_link