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Newsletter of 2nd Unitarian Church of Chicago
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From the Board Chair, Dan Lewis
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Since childhood I've associated September with new beginnings -- mostly the the beginning of a new school year. New teachers, new classmates and relationships, new things to learn, new ways to stretch and grow. And beneath all the bustle of renewed activity lay the barely sensed, unspoken question:
who will I become this year?
I love that we UUs start the new church year with the water communion. (This from a man who has been baptized three times, because, well, you just can't be too safe. And I
am a Pisces after all.) In this supple symbol of mingling waters we affirm that our source and starting point is in our intentional connections with one another. Against a world that would declare us solitary individuals pitted one against another, we assert our inextinguishable solidarity. We are not alone.
As we begin this church year I invite you to explore deepening your connections at 2U by attending the Involvement Fair on Sunday, September 24 after the service. The fair is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about what the community is up to, be it with Leadership Development, Lifetime Faith Development, Pastoral Care, Hospitality, or Social Justice, to name just a few areas. Here representatives of all the community's activities will be available (with snacks!) to chat about how they make a difference at 2U. And how you can too by volunteering.
The very first words of our covenant are, "We covenant to build a community that challenges us to grow..." Here is where that community building and growth actually takes place. Here is where you can form new friendships, discover ways to stretch yourself in the service others, learn new skills. Here is where your gifts can make a difference. So I wonder, what are the gifts you'd like to share?
As I look forward in the coming year, I wonder,
Who will you become this year?
And who will we become together?
Dan Lewis
Chair of the Board of Trustees
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Release Your Religious Past
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SAVE THE DATE: FALL FEST
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Save the date for our annual Fall Fest scheduled on Saturday, October 21 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. More details are coming soon! Stay tuned!
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Gran Torino Movie Screening
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Everyone is invited to join us this Sunday, Sept. 17 in the sanctuary after the service for a showing of Gran Torino
starring Clint Eastwood. While the film is a prerequisite for those of us
participating in
Beloved Conversations,
this showing will be open to all in the church who are curious to see this film on race and community.
Beloved Conversations is
a small group,
faith formation class that focuses on race, and engages
people to discuss racism in ways that allow them to move forward and change themselves and their communities. Beloved Conversations will be offered in the future for those who are interested but who are unable to make this commitment fit their schedule at this time. Throughout the year, Second Unitarian will continue to offer individual and congregational opportunities for growth and involvement in racial justice.
Please RSVP if you wish to be included in a headcount for pizza!
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2U Yard Days
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 Please join us for more 2U Yard Days on Saturday, Sept. 23 in the morning and Sunday, Sept. 24 after the service. If you're able, then please plan to join us as we weed, sweep, water, and tidy the garden. There's lots to do! Bring your gardening gloves and any small tools (weed diggers) if you have them. Dress for mess. All ages are welcome. Also, mark your calendars the next 2U Yard Days in October: Saturday, October 14 (morning) and Sunday, October 15 (afternoon). Please contact Monica Drane at 312.550.3412 with questions.
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Involvement Fair
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2U's Committee Council will host the Involvement Fair on Sunday, September 24 in the Palmer Room after the service. The Involvement Fair is a chance to learn more about the committees and organizations that make our church a vibrant and diverse community. Committee members will be on hand to share their plans for the year, answer questions, and help you find the volunteer positions that are just right for you. Whether you're new to 2U and looking for ways to connect with the community, or a long-time member seeking new ways to give your time and talents to 2U, we welcome you to join us for fun and fellowship. If you would like more information, or if you would like your group to be included in this year's Involvement Fair, please contact Council Chair, Mary-Helen Steindler, at
[email protected]
.
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MABON
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 Covenant of Earth and Sky (COVES), CUUPS Chapter, welcomes all to celebrate Mabon, the Autumnal Equinox in ritual on Sunday, September 24th, 7:00pm in the Sanctuary. We will honor the Goddess Demeter, find the meaning of balance during the Equinox and the power of the Cornucopia. Please bring a sweet or savory Harvest dish to share afterwards at our Community time. All are welcome!
Any questions or concerns, please contact Shauna Womeldorff at
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Fall Orientation
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Calling all visitors who want to become members!
2U's Fall Orientation will be held
Sunday, October 1, Sunday, October 15 and Sunday, October 22 following the morning service. Sessions are scheduled to begin at 11:45 AM in Fleishman Hall and will end at 1:45 PM or before. 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 session swill 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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Social Justice Conversations
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 Saturday, September 30, 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.
in the Palmer Room
Join us to share food and
conversations
about current issues, what calls us to acts of
social
justice
, and ideas about
social
justice
in the coming months at Second Unitarian.
Ideas? Questions? Suggestions?
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Beloved Conversations
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On
September 22 to 23
, our congregation will kick off our inaugural offering of Dr. Mark Hick's Beloved Conversations. The program consists of a 1.5 day retreat that launches the curriculum, followed by 8 non-consecutive sessions of guided dialogue and experiential exercises, each two hours long.
The retreat will be held in community with other congregations and not at 2U, but the follow-up sessions will be at 2U.
Beloved Conversations is an experiential curriculum that provides a space to re-form/fuse the brokenness of racism into new patterns of thought and behavior ushering in social and spiritual healing. This is a small-group experience for approximately 10 to 12 people.
The curriculum differs from many approaches to anti-racism/multicultural work in that it frames the discussion not only in terms of demographic urgency or cultural critiques (both of which are useful to understand!), but how developing skills and the habits of an anti-racist mind helps everyone -- those in dominant groups as well as those who are targets of oppression -- heal from the wounds of racism.
For more information:
Discussion about the development of Beloved Conversations, video from Meadville Lombard.
Church of the Larger Fellowship Google hangout on Beloved Conversations at the VUU, in both podcast and video.
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Building Updates
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We removed the Standing On The Side Of Love/Black Lives Matter banner on Tuesday, August 22 in order to prepare for the painting of the exterior trim on the south side of the building. We had to take it down so that the painters could access the trim at the peak above the front door. We'll re-hang it in September as soon as possible. With questions, please contact Monica Drane (312.550.3412).
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Webmaster Wanted!
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2U is looking for a skilled webmaster to help maintain 2U's website! Experience with WordPress preferred! Interested? Please contact Andrew Zallar in the 2U office at [email protected].
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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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Plate Sharing Applications
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Applications for plate sharing are due by Wednesday, October 25 for the January-March 2018 quarter. The application form may be secured through the 2U office, or from Norm Groetzinger at
[email protected]
. Electronic submission is encouraged. The organization for which you are submitting must be one in which you are involved, preferably as a volunteer. Applications are to be submitted to both Norm Groetzinger and to Susan Richter, who chairs the board's plate-sharing committee at
[email protected]
. Feel free to approach either of us with any questions about plate sharing.
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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 August 31:
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Actual |
Budgeted |
Over/Under Budget |
| Pledges |
$49,858
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$49,134
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+ $724
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| New Pledges |
$0 |
$0 |
$0
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| Collection Plate |
$2,719 |
$2,300 |
+ $419
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| Special Gifts |
$0 |
$0 |
$0
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| Fundraising |
$0 |
$0 |
$0
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| Space Sharing |
$9,468 |
$4,667 |
+ $4,801
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If you have any questions about the budget or would like more information, please contact Andrew Zallar in the 2U office.
Collection Plate Sharing
In August, we raised $550.43 towards our collection plate sharing recipient, UUANI.
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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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
Wednesday, September 27
.
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 Congregational Administrator. Space is limited!
Second Unitarian Church of Chicago
656 West Barry Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
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