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Newsletter of 2nd Unitarian Church of Chicago
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From the Minister
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So many things have shifted and changed in the last month for us here at 2U: I've announced my departure at the end of July, the Board has brought on the Rev. Jennie Barrington as Interim Minister to start August 1, and work has begun on our new air conditioning for the Sanctuary and Palmer Room! All change has its advantages and disadvantages, possibilities and opportunities. I couldn't be happier that the Interim Search Team unanimously and enthusiastically chose Rev. Jennie as the minister to help guide 2U forward. With her skills and experience, I am confident that she will be the interim that 2U needs.
Another thing that's changed from a month ago: my schedule in June and July. I've cancelled some of my summer events and denominational work in order to accommodate my candidating travel in West Hartford, CT (June 1-13), attending General Assembly (June 19-24), and being at 2U the rest of the time. Although I won't be here for worship on June 4 or 11, I will be with you for our normal summer worship through the rest of June and July.
Fortunately, some things don't change: 2U wraps up the regular worship season on June 4 with our annual Flower Communion and Ingathering of New Members and begins the summer season on June 11 with Summer Music Sunday. These services are a 2U tradition, marking the start of the summer and celebrating another year together. On June 4, 2U will have a celebration lunch to wrap up the year, give thanks for our successful canvass, and enjoy one another. We hope that you'll stay after worship to enjoy food and fellowship together!
In the newsletter below, you'll find more information about Rev. Jennie, upcoming worship, the celebration luncheon, and much more. Please read it through and don't hesitate to get involved where something interests you. This community is the community of ourselves, after all, and it's your participation that makes it something special.
Faithfully,
Rev. Adam
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Announcing 2U's Interim Minister
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Greetings from your new Interim Minister, the Rev. Jennie Barrington
Dear Members and Friends of "2U,"
I feel so happy and fortunate to be coming to serve as your Interim Minister! Chicago has such a rich and inspiring history, and so does your wonderful congregation. I know that we will do enriching work together, and have a great time together, and that there will be lots of conversations about baseball! Here is some background on me and my ministry:
I am life-long Unitarian Universalist, originally from New England, and have been a UU minister for over seventeen years, most recently as the Interim Minister for The UU Congregation of Columbia, South Carolina. I have also served as Interim Minister for the UU congregations in: Little Rock, Arkansas; Terre Haute, Fort Wayne, and South Bend, Indiana; Fredericksburg, Virginia; and Pittsfield, Maine. I have especially enjoyed my work in the areas of UU Religious Education for children and youth; church finances, fundraising, and capital campaigns; theme-based worship services; Social Justice and Community Organizing; and advising about the search for a settled minister. Some Social Justice causes I have advocated for include: gay rights and gay marriage; dismantling institutional racism; workers' rights; standing against gun violence and for stricter gun laws; environmental concerns; and understanding and tolerance for religious minorities. I was the UU minister in Winchendon, Massachusetts for seven years. I have also provided support for people who have some disabilities, but also many gifts and graces. I received my Master of Divinity degree from Bangor Theological Seminary in May of 2001, and have also worked as a paralegal.
I was raised with an appreciation of our UU heritage's Humanist roots in Unitarianism, and spirit-filled influences in Universalism. I was also inspired by the foundational ideas of UU Religious Education for children and youth, and by spending time outdoors with extended family. My personal theology is essentially Process Theology. I believe that there are forces in the universe that want beauty, truth, fairness, and compassion. But those forces are not omnipotent. We have to work with them. We have to do our part. My favorite famous Unitarians include Pete Seeger, John and Abigail Adams, Henry Bergh (the founder of the A.S.P.C.A.), and Beatrix Potter. But my favorite famous Unitarian is Adlai Stevenson!
For fun, I love travelling to places with a rich history, exploring state parks, listening to all types of music, reading poetry, collecting Vera Bradley bags, and listening to the amazing things children and youth say. I am also an avid college football fan--but pluralistically so. I have lived in so many college football towns by now that it's hard to pick any one team as my favorite.
I love the fast pace and short-term goals of Interim Ministry, and I want to help "2U" become as strong, lively, and empowered as possible, in all areas of your congregational life. I'm thrilled to be coming to Chicago, and I can hardly wait to meet all of you!
Looking forward happily to our time together,
Rev. Jennie
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Annual Flower Communion Service
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 Please join us on Sunday, June 4th at 10:30 AM for our Annual Flower Communion Service!
The Flower Communion service was originally created in 1923 by Unitarian minister Rev. Norbert Capek, who founded the Unitarian Church in Czechoslovakia. In the ceremony, members of the congregation place their flowers in a shared vase on the altar. The flowers are blessed during the ceremony, and at the end of the service, each person brings home a flower other than the one that he or she brought.
Reginald Zottoli writes, "The significance of the flower communion is that no two flowers are alike, so no two people are alike, yet each has a contribution to make. Together, the different flowers form a beautiful bouquet. Our common bouquet would not be the same without the unique addition of each individual flower, and this it is with our church community: it would not be the same without each and every one of us."
Come and be a part of this lovely celebration of our 2U community!
Please don't forget to bring a flower with you to contribute to the ceremony!
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#WearOrange
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 #WearOrange
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Tomorrow, Friday, June 2, is National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Millions are coming together to fight for an end to gun violence in America. If you believe there's more we can do to help save American lives from gun violence,
you are Orange.
The color
orange symbolizes the value of human life. Hunters wear
orange in the woods to protect themselves and others. In 2013, teens on the South Side of Chicago asked classmates to honor their murdered friend, Hadiya Pendleton, by wearing
orange. That simple call to action has grown into a national movement -- and
orange is becoming the symbol of gun safety.
Explore new ways to join the movement by
clicking here, and
#WearOrange on June 2 for National Gun Violence Awareness Day!
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2U Yard Days!
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The growing season is upon us and that means: it's time to dig in the dirt at 2U! Mostly, we'll be weeding. Please join us for yard days on Saturday, June 3 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and/or on Sunday, June 4 following the service. Bring your gardening gloves and weed diggers if you have them. All ages are welcome. Stay tuned for additional yard days later in the summer. Contact Monica Drane at 312.550.3412 with questions.
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Climate Action Team Meeting
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Saturday, June 10, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Palmer Room
2U's Climate Action Team will host a monthly meeting of the Citizens Climate Lobby, every second Saturday.
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Celebration Luncheon on Sunday, June 4th!
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Please stay after the service on
Sunday, June 4th for a luncheon to celebrate the successful completion of the 2017-18 2U canvass! We will have a delicious brunch (including vegetarian food) that you will not want to miss.
The planning team is requesting support for clean-up after the event - so please contact Maureen King at
[email protected] if you are available for clean-up, or if you would like further information about the luncheon.
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Litha/Summer Solstice Celebration
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 Through stations of the sun, our journey's never done! Join us for the celebration of Litha/Summer Solstice on Sunday, June 18th at 7:00 PM. We will look to the story of the Oak King and Holly king at this time of transition in the Wheel of the Year. The Goddess is also Mother now, tending to the abundance of flora and fauna. Weather permitting, we will be outside in the church back yard around a fire! Please bring a camp chair and a Summer dish to share. Blessed Be!
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From Community Minister, Rev. Rudra Dundzila
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 Dear fellow congregants,
The church is in quite a transition! I have a small token to add to the transformations underway. With Rev. Adam's departure, my
contract ministry also comes to a natural end. Rev. Adam had invited me to take on some additional responsibilities at 2U. Rev. Adam, the board and I negotiated an agreement that I would lead worship and preach 5 Sundays per year (usually the months with 5 Sundays) and conduct one Adult Faith Development series annually as well.
I will remain a member of the congregation as one of your
community minsters. A community minister serves a local ministry professionally. Many are campus, hospital, prison or hospice chaplains. A few of us serve academic ministries. My community ministry at Harry S Truman College in Uptown, where I am also the chair of the Humanities department. I teach comparative religion and humanities. In addition, I am the Ministerial Coordinator for the Unitarian Universalist Military Ministry at Great Lakes Naval station. There a team of dedicated volunteers and I lead worship every Sunday. This often takes me away from 2U, as you have probably noticed. Once a year, community minsters offer a gratis ministry to the congregation. In my case, Adam and I had agreed that I would provide pastoral care during his vacations and study leave.
A strange thing happens to community minsters when the settled minister leaves and an interim minister arrives. We are asked to take a hiatus, to make room for important work of the interim ministry. I will remain a pledging member, but I will not participate in congregational life during this time. Your focus needs to be your discernment and search. I will meet with the interim (and eventually 2U's new settled minister) to develop a covenant of right relationships and mutual understanding with him or her.
Although I will not be physically with you for the foreseeable future, you will remain in my thoughts and my prayers. I will work with 2U's Buddhist Ministry, as various congregations plan a regional Unitarian Universalist Buddhist retreat for early 2018.
Wishing you all the best,
In faith and fellowship.
Rev. Rudra Dundzila
2U's Community Minister
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Parking at 2U
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Parking on Sundays at Illinois Masonic has now changed! Please use the new parking stickers located in the red folder at the Welcome Table to use on your parking receipt when exiting from the parking lot. Please see someone at the Welcome Table on Sundays if you have any questions!
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Gay Pride Sunday at 2U
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2U will be a busy church this June 25th! The Lemonade stand out front, the parade around the corner, and our service in the sanctuary. Rather than making you choose, we will be providing a simplified service that will Charge the congregation to take our values out into the world. To be involved in presenting this service, email
[email protected]
. To participate in the lemonade stand in front of the building, email
[email protected]
.
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2U Member Survey
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 In an effort to get to know our congregants better, and to learn what motivates you to be a part of the 2U community, the Fundraising and Marketing committee is launching a survey. This survey asks basic demographic information about you and your household members (this information will be kept private), as well as questions regarding your training, work and volunteer involvement, and the activities that are of interest to you at Second Unitarian Church.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey - it will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
If you have any questions about the content of the survey, you may reach out to Susan Zeigler at
[email protected].
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Choir Corner
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Interested in singing and joining the 2U Choir? The 2U Choir meets on Thursday 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 this year is $303,451 or $5,836 per week!
Here is a summary of our current finances starting July 1 through April 30:
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Actual |
Budgeted |
Over/Under Budget |
| Pledges |
$186,577
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$179,242
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+ $7,335
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| New Pledges |
$1,540 |
$1,370 |
+ $170
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| Collection Plate |
$13,156 |
$12,300 |
+ $856
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| Special Gifts |
$14,570 |
$15,000 |
- $430
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| Fundraising |
$14,877 |
$14,000 |
+ $877
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| Space Sharing |
$33,130 |
$17,800 |
+ $15,330
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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 April, we raised $1,139.82 towards the collection plate sharing recipient,
CAIR Chicago.
Thank you all so much for helping to make 2U possible!
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Introducing Breeze!
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Have you heard about Breeze, 2U's new online church management software for members?
This new software enables 2U members to have access to our online member directory (with pictures!), update their contact information, check their contributions online and much more!
Have you had a chance to update your profile and add your photo yet?
By now, you should have received an email inviting you to create your account login. If not, please let me know!
You can access the database here!
You can also now download the Breeze app at the Apple Store or Google Play Store by
clicking here
!
As always, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions about this or anything else!
Thank you!
Andrew Zallar
Congregational Administrator
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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, June 14
.
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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