Unitarian Universalist Fellowship & Church of Bismarck-Mandan

May 9th @ 10:30

Eve's Gift

Eve gets a bad wrap in the Bible as the woman who got humans evicted from paradise, but  is there another take on this old and common story?

Order of Service

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/98725730527

CURIOSITY GUILD

Wednesday, May 12th

This week's discussion material is a chapter from God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World by Stephen Prothero found here.

Please do your very best to watch the source materials before you join the discussion. Conversation is richer if we have a shared framework. Each discussion is independent--so attend as you are able. Conversation will also be richer as we build relationships, deepen trust, and connect the dots, so attend as often as you are able.

The Bismarck Unitarian Universalist Fellowship makes every effort to comply with Fair Use Copyright rules. This article or chapter is for educational purposes only and should not be shared. If you value the writing, please consider supporting the author financially as you are able.

Join us via Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81663640785

SCRIP FUNDRAISER

There's a great video "how to" here. 

The way Scrip works is you buy what is essentially a gift card for face value and the company you buy it from donates to the Fellowship--depending on the company, 2-16%. So let's say you buy a $50 card from the Toe Ring Emporium. You can then use the card to buy $50 dollars worth of cunning toe rings. The Toe Ring Emporium will then donate a portion of the sale to the Fellowship. The beauty of the system is that it raises money on things you were going to buy anyway. 

The challenge is to go online and learn how to do it and then plan ahead and buy the cards. The advantage is that if you think about other fundraisers we have had, this is a pretty light amount of work--no heavy lifting, no greasy clean up, no committee meetings. Another advantage is the donations come from outside--so not out of your pocket. A third advantage is that you spend the money to get scrip and that hurts, but then when you go to buy something that pain has faded and you feel you have actual gift cards--good deal!

So what happens now?

Contact the office and Marcy will send you an e-mail invitation and you just follow the three step instructions and you're set! Rev. Sollie did it in less than five minutes. She did say that a screen popped up that made it seem like you needed to link your bank account, but that is optional. Although it looks like there will be a small fee if you use a credit card to pay. Do what you are comfortable with. You can choose a physical card (that means they come to Marcy and she has to track you down), an electronic card or in some cases, you can refill a card. Start small and learn the system.  We don't have many fundraising options right now and we have dreams to fund.  We hope you will take advantage of this fundraiser. 

HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS EVENT

On May 19th Zion Lutheran Church will be hosting a human trafficking awareness event from 7:00 – 8:00 PM. Jenn H from Cornerstone Advocacy Services will be joining us over Zoom to speak on:
 
●        What human trafficking is and the scope of the problem
●        Factors that contribute to human trafficking
●        How to avoid becoming a trafficking victim
●        Signs that someone may be the victim of human trafficking
●        The best ways to help fight back against the human trafficking problem
●        The best ways to support the victims of human trafficking
●        Answer questions about human trafficking and its prevention 
 
A little bit about Jenn:
 
“Jenn H is a passionate advocate for survivors of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. She currently works for Cornerstone Advocacy Services in Bloomington, Minnesota. Jenn works to eradicate sex trafficking by working directly with survivors, influencing policy and providing community education. Jenn is a graduate of St. Cloud State University. She earned degrees in Criminal Justice, Political Science and International Relations. Jenn also holds a Master of Public Administration degree.”
 
This event is open to the public. Participants can come to Zion (413 E Ave D, Bismarck, ND 58501) and watch via the screens in the sanctuary, or they can join directly via Zoom. The link to register for the Zoom meeting is both on Zion’s website (https://www.zionbismarck.org) and listed below.
 
Link to register for Zoom meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEld-GoqzguHNOmw-saqtqAAhZK91FC75XA

LITTLE FREE PANTRY

Donations of non-perishable items are needed and greatly appreciated! Please drop off food supplies at Sunday services, by the front door of the UU during the week, or directly in the Pantry anytime. If you are hungry and in need of food, we hope you will take what you need. Thank you!