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Newsletter of Second Unitarian Church of Chicago
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F
rom the Board Chair, Dan Lewis
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A New Now
I don't know about you, but I am still savoring and reflecting on last week's Fire Communion service. (Many thanks to Margaret Redlich, Susan Richter, and Elizabeth Harding for creating this service for us.) I loved the ritual of writing things we want to let go of with the New Year and placing them in a bowl of fire to be annihilated. I wrote a couple of things from the past year that I don't want to carry on into this year, as well as something I've been hanging onto for a long time. And I placed them in the fire to be released. It is so freeing to forgive and move on to creating the lives we want to have.
A few years ago I had the good fortune of attending a speaking and teaching seminar that featured a percussionist from the New York Symphony. As a musician and performer, he told us, you can't hang on to the past for even a moment. The music moves on, and you don't have the luxury of dwelling on mistakes (or even celebrating a passage well played). You have to stay in the present. I know we have many musicians in the congregation who know this well. The mantra this accomplished musician gave us was, "A New Now."
Made a mistake? A New Now. Let it go.
Things didn't go as planned? A New Now. Be here now.
A surprise turn of events? A New Now. Be present with what's present.
In life, as in music, it is essential to continually clear ourselves of attachments to the past and stay in the present to create the future we desire.
As we enter the sixth month of our Reverend Jennie's interim ministry, I wonder, what does this mean for 2U as a congregation? What from the past do we as a congregation wish to release to the fire? What no longer serves us and is ready to be put aside? What needs to be forgiven?
And or course what do we wish to continue to honor and celebrate? What from the past continues to nourish our spirits?
What is our New Now at 2U. What will we choose to create together?
On another note, folks seem to have made a New Year's resolution to find a church this year! One minister suggested to us some time ago: Please treat visitors as if they are a guest in your very own living room. Welcome them, ask if you can help in any way, and invite them to linger afterwards to chat. As the Palmer Room is crowded at times, we may want to converse before heading in for coffee or return to space in the sanctuary after obtaining our caffeine fix. Of course, some need to bolt immediately, but many would like to know what attracts you to 2U.
Finally, a deeply felt 'Thank You' to those of you who contributed to 2U's
Celebration of Abundance
this year. We raised $17,201 (including contributions through January) toward 2U's ministries! This exceeds our goal of $15,000 and greatly helps support the life of our community. If you meant to donate, you still can! Just write "Special Gifts" on the memo line of your check.
Dan Lewis
Chair of the Board of Trustees
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Spring Offering of Beloved Conversations
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Second Unitarian now plans to offer a new round of Beloved Conversations!
"I am really happy that Second will be participating in Beloved Conversations this year. This program is one that has proven to be transformative for congregations engaging issues around race and ethnicity. At Meadville Lombard, we recommend this program for our students' senior border crossing project. We recommend it because it works. It engages people to discuss racism in ways that allow them to move forward and change themselves, and their communities. It comes from a spiritual place, so that you can remember that this is sacred work. I hope that 2U members take the time to participate in this program. It will help us be the strong, antiracist faith community that is so needed in this time. "
Rev. Darrick Jackson,
Interim Associate Executive Director of the UU Ministers Association, as well as Second Unitarian member
The opening retreat is scheduled for March 2 -3 (Friday evening and all day Saturday), at a site still to be determined. While the retreat is held in the company of other congregations, follow-up session are held at the church. Tentative dates are:
March 11 and 25,
April 8 and 22,
May 6 and 20,
June 3 and 17
Participants are highly encouraged to commit to the entire series, with one scheduled absence possible.
Please contact Kim Warman if you are interested:
[email protected]
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MBOLC Ritual, Sunday, January 28th at 7pm
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Covenant of Earth and Sky (CUUPS Chapter) invites all to join us for the IMBOLC Ritual, Sunday, January 28th at 7pm in the Sanctuary.
We have entered a New Year; time for transformation, meditation and clarity with new challenges and opportunities before us. It is the time of Imbolc, when the light is growing and changing in the waxing year. The Wheel of the Year is still in the Resting period, but the thaw is on its way and Spring on the horizon. It is the time of the Celtic Goddess Brigid, keeper of the Hearth; inspiration and illumination of the Sacred Flame. She is keeper of the Healing Waters as we rest in contemplation. Blessed Be!
Please bring a sweet or savory dish to share at community time afterwards. Any questions or comments, please contact Shauna at [email protected]
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Harvest the Power
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Please join us Saturday, Jan. 27 from 9-12 in Fleishman Hall for the first "Harvest the Power" session, "Adaptive Leadership."
We will be dealing with topics such as "Leading from where you are," "Change as a constant," and "What CAN you do, anyway."
Drop John an e-mail (johnbroome.ipad@gmail) if you have questions or if you want to reserve your spot at the table (and get your very own copy of handouts).
If you're interested, but not available, keep the morning of Saturday, Feb. 24 open on your calendar and stay tuned for more information.
"Harvest the Power" is the UUA's adult curriculum that helps to shed light into areas of personal and congregational leadership.
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Winter Orientation
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Calling all visitors who want to become members!
2U's Winter Orientation is coming soon and will be held on Sundays, January 21, January 28 and February 4 following the morning service. Sessions are scheduled to begin at 11:45 AM in Fleishman Hall. If you are interested in attending, please sign up on the Welcome Table in the Palmer Room.
While attending any one of these three orientation sessions will meet the by-law requirements for membership, attending all three sessions will provide a greater breadth and depth of understanding for the theological roots of our community, ways to engage with the 2U community, how 2U is organized and what membership really means.
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2U Dinners
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 Want to get to know people at 2U? Please join us for our evening of 2U Dinners on
Saturday, February 3
. These are small dinners in people's homes. The host provides the main course and menu, and lets the guests know what to bring. For a twist, we will also be having a dinner at 2U as well, to make sure that we have an easily accessible option for all our members and friends.
Hosts are needed! If you would like to host, either at your home or at the church, please contact
Karen Fort or
Judy Corbeille.
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A UU Justice Event
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Tearing Down Walls - Building up Connections, Community & Solidarity
a UU Justice Event :: Learn, Reflect, Act
Friday, March 23 (6:00 - 9:00 pm) / Saturday, March 24 (9:00 am - 4:00 pm)
Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist, 1025 N Smith St, Palatine, Illinois 60067
We recognize that dreaming, visioning and sharing a larger vision can dramatically sustain us in this work. We will weave a narrative together that includes a drastic reduction in our prison population, a fossil fuel free world and a fair economic world. We will abolish unjust systems by engaging in multigenerational work. We will build power through affirming our collective story.
Brought to you by UU Advocacy Network of IL, UU Prison Ministries of IL, and the Youth & Young Adult Visioning Team
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New Book in our Library
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Being Jazz, My Life as a (Transgender) Teen,
by Jazz Jennings. Crown Publishers, New York, 2016.
This time I'm including two book reviews from solid sources Libraries use for book/material collections.
You can find it in our New Books section or later with this call number: 306.768 JEN
School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up-Now the world's most prominent transgender teen, Jennings stepped into the national spotlight in 2007 at the age of six in a televised interview with Barbara Walters. Being transgender is not an illness, as Jennings shows in her memoir of her first 15 years. She voiced her gender identity at two, began transitioning-with the unwavering support of her family-at five, and has since become an activist, YouTube personality, and reality TV star and was named one of Time magazine's 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014. Jennings, of course, is the obvious narrator for her own story, enhancing the recording with excitement, impatience, tenacity, and plenty of bubbly charm. VERDICT With the increasing public awareness of transgender rights, every library should acquire all versions of Jazz as a crucial PSA. ["A great introduction to trans life for middle schoolers and a balancing addition to the more harrowing stories available": SLJ 7/16 review of the Crown book.]
Kirkus Reviews
Obstinate school faculty and officials soon made it clear that there was no protocol for someone like
Jazz
, and the family's necessary activism began in earnest, byway of an article in the local paper. That article got the attention of producers of a national TV show, who pursued
Jazz's
family until they agreed to take a leap of faith and do an interview.
Jazz's
mother became involved in public speaking at conferences, and she and
Jazz
began their outreach and advocacy work, even starting their own organization and agreeing to do a reality show. As Jennings relates, through it all, she manages to keep it apart from her typical teenage life, replete with summer-camp experiences, cute but-jerky boys, best friends, and ex-best friends and marked with a passion for art and mermaids. Her outlook is bright, even as she struggles with depression -- hereditary and unrelated to
being
trans.
Jazz
is fearlessly up front with people about
being
trans, and her gender meter is pinned on GIRL, but she also touches on gender variations and carefully stresses that not all trans people are like her.
Jazz's positivity, honesty, frank explanations, and conversational writing style make this an ideal book for trans kids to hand to worried loved ones after they've finished reading it.
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Sending Caring Thoughts to Dorothy Miller
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2U Member Dorothy Miller, has not been able to come to church for the past year because of changes in her health. We are very sad to let you know that she has begun receiving hospice care. At this time, cards are the best way to reach out to her, rather than phone calls. She misses us, and would appreciate receiving cards. For her current contact information, please contact Linda Groetzinger at [email protected] We are sending our caring thoughts and prayers out to Dorothy and her loved-ones.
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UU Climate Action Team Meeting
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Every
Second Saturday at 2U!
Next meeting: January 13
, 2018
11 am to 11:30 am new members
11:30 am to 2:30 pm meeting
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2U Choir
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I
nterested in singing and joining the 2U Choir? Join the 2U Choir
on Thu
rsday evenings from 7:15 to 8:45 in the sanctuary under the direction of our Director of Music, Amanda Thomas! All are welcome!
If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Amanda at
[email protected].
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Money Matters
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What is our current financial condition?
Our
budget for the 2017-18 year is $336,687 or $6,474.75 per week!
Here is a summary of our current finances July 1 through December 31:
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Actual |
Budgeted |
Over/Under Budget |
| Pledges |
$132,036
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$125,058
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+6978
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| New Pledges |
$0 |
$667 |
- $667
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| Collection Plate |
$6977 |
$7100 |
- $123
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| Celebrating Abundance Campaign |
$14,438 |
$15,000 |
-562
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| Fundraising (net) |
$11,327 |
$12,000 |
- $673
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| Space Sharing |
$25,752 |
$14,000 |
+ $11,752
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If you have any questions about the budget or would like more information, please contact the church office at
[email protected].
Collection Plate Sharing
In December, we raised $1022.39 towards our collection plate sharing recipient, Minister's Discretionary Fund, which aids members and friends in need.
Thank you all so much for helping to make 2U possible!
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Interested in Social Justice?
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Interested in social justice? If you haven't already, sign up for 2U's monthly social justice newsletter, The Hammer. You can "opt in" by clicking here
and entering your email. Both members and non-members are welcome to subscribe.
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#AmazonSmile
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 Do you love to shop? Do you love to support 2U? Well, now you can do both through AmazonSmile! 2U is now a supported charity on AmazonSmile. Search for Second Unitarian Church. Click here to sign up and to learn more!
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Stay Connected
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Did you know that the UUA and MidAmerica Region UUA have their own respective newsletters?
Click here for more information about the UUA and
click here
to sign up for their newsletter,
UU World
.
Click here for more information about the MidAmerica Region UUA and click here to sign up for their newsletter.
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Submission Deadlines
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 Have a message to put in the next Anvil or Orders of Service? Plan ahead!
Please have all submissions for the next newsletter submitted by
noon on
Friday, January 26th
.
Please have all submissions for the Orders of Service submitted by noon on the Wednesday prior to the Sunday you'd like the announcement to appear. All announcements are subject to change at the discretion of the church office. Space is limited!
Second Unitarian Church of Chicago
656 West Barry Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657
Phone:
(773) 549-0260 ext. 10
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
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