DLFF Newsletter, October 5, 2025

DLFF Newsletter – October 2025 

Fall Findings

I write this upon my return from the Living Legacy Pilgrimage in Alabama that I went on, joined by 17 others from UCE. To say that this experience was transformative would be an understatement. While I was fortunate that I grew up in a place that had good public schools and didn’t shy away from the history of the Civil Rights Movement, I still learned even more about the many stories that happened in between the ones I learned about in school. However, hearing the personal accounts and walking in the same places that made history were the things that brought that history alive and helped me feel many emotions. Our tour guides used readings, poetry, and music to enhance it all in a meaningful way. 

I am thankful to Rev. Eileen for telling me about this tour five years ago and her dream of having a group from UCE go – a dream that has now happened! And so I now have a dream: to pass this pilgrimage on to our youth. I’m not exactly sure when or how this will happen, but it will. Perhaps if enough people in the coming generations have such an opportunity, then I can only believe that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream of equality for all can be a reality. 

Dreams aside, there is much happening in faith formation and UCE as a whole. The Family Ministry Team and the Lively Spirit Dancers had a wonderful turnout last month at their dance party on the lawn. The weather was perfect, the music uplifting, and the company joyful! Our next event is this Friday when we join the garden team to do a little weeding followed by a campfire and s’mores. Come join us at any time between 6-8p! And then on November 7, we will have a family game night, so mark your calendars for that too.

In faith formation, we have some wonderful opportunities for adults to explore and grow in. This Sunday, the Endowment Committee hosts an “Estate Planning and Charitable Giving Workshop” after the worship service. You can register and learn more here. On Tuesday, October 7, be sure to catch Dr. Emma Farrell’s first session in their series on Artificial Intelligence, which will be on Zoom. On October 14, Rev. Eileen and I begin our three-part series on Deepening the Spiritual Journey, which is  an exploration of the spiritual pathways we have all traveled in our lives; the pathways which have led us to where we are today.

For our young people, we are blessed to welcome our newest faith formation guides/leaders: Andy Donatowski, Katie Ediger, Dr. Emma Farrell, Lee Solock, and Patrick Thornton.  They are gathering this Sunday before worship to learn the about what we do and why we do it, and to ask questions along the way. If you are interested in connecting with our younger members, feel free to join us! We will have light refreshments at 9:15a and begin immediately at 9:30a in room 3. Childcare is available.

We continue to welcome new families at UCE and in our faith formation program for children and youth. We have had an average of ten young people in each of our groups for the first few weeks of the new church year. Our youth had a lock-in two weeks ago, with 14 attending! They voted on ideas for the year and had fun playing games – especially Hide-and-Seek and the Cookie Face game.

We are growing in numbers and in spirit! Indeed we are blessed.

In Faith,

Kathy