Helping Others Helps Us
Melanie Hooker, Executive Director of the Paw Paw-based Domestic Violence Coalition will tell us about their programs, how they help others, and why this work is so rewarding.
Join us onsite or online! To register for the Zoom link visit tinyurl.com/uucchelpingothers
Recent News
- Open House Theatre AUDITIONSOpen House Theatre Company is thrilled to announce auditions for their upcoming production of The Night Before Christmas, a heartwarming holiday play by local playwrights Deborah Ann Percy and Arnold Johnston. Auditions will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church, located at 10441 Shaver Rd in Portage, on the following dates: Friday, October 4: 7:00 PM Saturday, October ...
- Sacred Work of Grief WorkshopWhere there is grief, there is sacred ground.~ Oscar Wilde We are excited to be joined by Rev. Tracy Laveque, graduate of One Spirit Interfaith Seminary and the Art of Death and Dying Institute for a special 90-minute mini-workshop on the Sacred Work of Grief, Tuesday, October 29 at 7 PM on Zoom. During this workshop, we ...
- Thoughtful Thursday with Libby SlocumJoin us on October 24th from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM ET on Zoom for a conversation with Libby Slocum on holistic healing and the mission and vision of the Land of Light Spiritual Center. Learn how the center is dedicated to helping people connect with their inner wisdom and nurture their well-being through spirituality, community, and natural healing techniques. Nestled ...
- Mindful Living: A Journey to Inner PeaceJoin us for the Mindful Living Course, starting October 14th, facilitated by mindfulness expert Eric Nelson. This free, flexible monthly series, held via Zoom, is part of the “Living from the Heart” program at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Portage. Designed for both new and seasoned practitioners, the course features bi-weekly sessions that include guided meditations, insights from Essential Spirituality by Roger Walsh, and engaging community ...
- Love at the CenterLove is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. We are accountable to one another for doing the work of living our shared values through the spiritual discipline of Love. These words introduce the newly adopted statement of principles and purposes found in Article II of the Unitarian ...
- Religious Exploration for Kids and YouthOur programs for children and youth this year will be focused on putting Love in the center of all we do! Most Sundays, classes meet on the lower level at 10:00 AM for stories, games, activities, and art. On other Sundays, children and youth stay upstairs for a multigenerational worship experience. If you have any ...
- Check us out on YouTube!UU Community Church has a YouTube channel where you can watch edited versions of our Sunday Services, listen to favorite hymns, and enjoy guided meditations. Visit us at youtube.com/@uuccswmi/playlists to see all we have on offer. Be sure to subscribe to make our videos easy to find and help us spread our life-giving ...
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Our People
LaurenMy mother’s side of the family is Catholic and I attended parochial school. Around the age of 13, I figured out that this religion wasn’t working for me and that Atheism was a better fit, with the freedom to explore my own ideology. I graduated college and worked at a social work/community center in Kalamazoo County.
I had a really rough year in 2010 and was not coping well, after unexpectedly losing my brother and a friendship of 12 years. I had seen a UU church in Jackson, and really liked the messages on their sign, so I checked out UUCC’s website to confirm that it was truly a liberal church. I was excited to see this was true! A friend invited me to a service. I knew this was a small congregation and was concerned that it might be a bit cliquish.
Great news for me that it wasn’t! My first day there, people were very friendly, and when I asked if I could help with the dishes, no one tried to persuade me otherwise. It was a simple gesture, but one I desperately needed. I had felt lost after my brother had died. I needed a sense of belonging and purpose and even with something as small as dishes, it was something that I needed to be able to give back. I also love that the services vary, and that learning is always encouraged. UUCC tries to change the world for the better. No specific beliefs are required, and everyone is welcomed.
I have made a lot of friends at UUCC, people I enjoy talking to on Sundays, at meetings, and at the awesome events (Chili dinner in January for example). This place has helped me survive some of the worst years I’ve had, and I am so glad I am a part of it.