PRE-CANDIDATING WEEKENDS ARE COMPLETE   

We are able to cross another major hurdle off our task timeline in Fellowship Hall. Be sure to check it out - it’s posted above the water fountain, follow our progress and see what’s next. In the meantime, here is the scoop:

On Feb. 9th, we reported that we were anticipating three pre-candidate weekends. Those are now complete. The three ministers we selected traveled here on different weekends to meet and interview with the search committee and preach at a neutral pulpit. From Friday evening to late Sunday afternoon, there was time for informal visiting, shared meals, formal interview questions, tours of the church and of the community. We got to know each of them extremely well and were quite impressed with the warmth and talent they could bring to our church family. We have rank ordered our pre-candidates which we now share with the UUA Transitions Office. Each pre-candidate also rank orders their choice of placement, which the Transitions Office compares to ours.

Ultimately, one candidate will be chosen, and invited for the (Saturday through Sunday) week of April 29 to May 7. During that week, our candidate will give two sermons and meet as many church members as possible in various meetings and gatherings. Those events and dates will be scheduled and publicized in April. On May 7, our congregation will vote on whether to call the candidate as our minister. Remember that you must be a member of the church to vote and there is a Pathway to Membership Class on April 2, after which attendees will be invited to officially join the church and become a voting member.

• Sign on to Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of Illinois (UUANI) to receive direct messages regarding legislative action. The link is http://uu-advocacy-illinois.org. Or check out their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UUANI. Taking action is often as simple as signing your name on petitions and adding your zip code….literally takes only minutes! Action relates to both Federal and Illinois issues.
  
• Stand up for – or step in to help – someone who is being treated with disrespect.   Or report inappropriate treatment to business managers.
  
• Write Letters-to-the-Editor upon learning of some unjust or inappropriate action against person(s) of color or minority groups.
  
• Become involved with such activities as Court Watch (contact courtwatch217@gmail.com), or work with college-in-prison programs (contact info@educationjustice.net). 
  
• Continue to provide “Books to Prisoners”. Books left over from Book Exchange Sunday are currently given to this program.