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Saturday October 28
6:00pm Halloween Party - offsite
Sunday October 29
9:00am Choir Rehearsal
9:15am Coffee with Questions
10:45am Stone Soup
12:00pm Canned Food Scavenger Hunt
Monday October 30
7:30pm Mindfulness
7:00pm Readers Theater Rehearsal
Thursday Nov. 2
10:30am Mindfulness
1:00pm Knitting Ministry
7:00pm Pride
Saturday Nov. 4
6:00pm Service Auction
All Committee Meetings are open and you are welcome to attend.
Monday 10-2
Wednesday 10-2
Thursday 10-2
Friday 10-2
Others by appointment
Click
here for Website Calendar Link
Click Here
to see the latest board meeting minutes
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Feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and family using the button on the left hand side below the calendar.
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Sunday October 29, 2017 10:45am 
Stone Soup
Sam Jones and Religious Education
A Stone Soup Service. We all have something to share, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. When we each come together in community to share our gifts, we find that something new and oftentimes wonderful is created as a result. Join us as we illustrate this in story and participation, sharing in a community soup, the result of what happens when we each bring something to the community.
Everyone is invited to bring your favorite soup vegetable already cut up. We also invite everyone to bring canned goods for our annual canned goods treasure hunt. See details of that in the auction article.
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Sunday November 5, 2017 10:45am
Trust, Forgiveness, and Perception: Important Aspects of these Three Keys to Healthy Relationships
Dr. Timothy Hayes
Dr. Hayes will differentiate between Forgiveness and Pardoning; Talk about some keys aspects of Trust; and describe the critical role of Perception in both Forgiveness and Trust. With a clear understanding of these three concepts, a person can take better control of their part in relationships, with good results.
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Auction 2017
Saturday, November 4th
6pm
Salute to Vets...and ALL Who Resist
The Auction is right around the corner!
Click Here to see how it works, plan your bidding, and see the schedule of events.
WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS! This auction MUST be "an all hands on deck" event. None of the volunteer tasks are difficult but they are necessary and, you'll have FUN. Please see Dave at the auction table after this Sunday's service to sign up!!
The fun begins this Sunday with the Canned Food Drive. Bring canned goods for the McHenry Food Pantry and receive a $5 coupon for use at the auction. The kids can earn bucks for their families finding the cans after church.
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NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION
Date: Saturday November, 11th 9am-12pm
As Unitarian Universalists we believe that learning is a never ending process. Whether you are new to the Church or have been coming a while, we want to offer you the opportunity to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and more about how the Congregation works.
Childcare is available upon request
- To register. Send an email to stettner.marc@gmail.com . Or call Marc Stettner at 256-665-2655. Or sign up at the visitor information table in the front lobby area.
This is the first step in becoming a member of Tree of Life.
Benefits of Membership are: voting rights, eligible for board, free subscription to UUWorld Magazine, free weddings and memorial services, half off other rentals.
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Get Spooky for TOL 
Saturday October 28 6-10pm come get in the Halloween spirit. There are a few spots open for the Halloween party offered at last year's auction. Hosted by Marc and Judy Stettner and Ron and Donna Relic this event is fun for the whole family. There will be spooktacular food, creepy games, and bone chilling prizes. Come dressed in your Halloween best for the costume contest. This takes place at the Old Stettner Mansion in haunted Crystal Lake, IL. Tickets are only $10 per adult. Kids attend for free. To reserve your spot call 256-682-1119 or stettner.judy@gmail.com
There are several free spots open from people who bought this event but cannot attend.
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Community Thanksgiving Dinner 
The Madaus family and the Broussard family will be hosting a potluck Thanksgiving Celebration Dinner on Thanksgiving Day at the church. We will gather from 2-4pm at the church and will plan to eat at 4pm. Please bring a dish to pass (turkey will be provided!). A sign up sheet will be available in November in the Social Room to let us know you're coming and tell us what you're bringing. We look forward to spending Thanksgiving with you!
Please contact Heather Madaus with any questions: 815-509-7862
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Share the Warmth 
The annual
WACM coat drive is here and Tree of Life is a collection point. Bring your GENTLY USED cold weather gear to those who need some warmth this winter. Bring all donations to church by Sunday November 5th for the Annual Coat Drive.
Children * Men * Women
Coats, Jackets, Vests, Thermal Underwear, Boots, Gloves & Mittens, Hats, Scarves, Ski Pants, Insulated Overalls, Heavy Sweaters
The doors open at Redeemer Lutheran Church on Wednesday night, 11/8 for PADS clients, and then on 11/9-10 from 4-8pm and Saturday 11/11 from 9am-12pm, for people in McHenry County needing warm clothes for the winter.
You can also drop off clothing at Redeemer Lutheran (on Dean Street in Woodstock) on Monday & Tuesday (11/6 &7) during the day.
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Community Care Committee
The following
JOYS
and CONCERNS were shared last Sunday and with the Care Committee.
Paula Yensen asked for good will and thoughts as she continues on her journey for resistance by attending the Women's Conference in Detroit next weekend.
Sandy Eckert expressed joy for the phenomenal music concert by
Forrest Ransburg and colleagues at TOLUUC on Saturday evening.
M.E. Tanabe shared that
Leah Mikkelson had been bitten by one of her dogs and was in the hospital after infection set into the wound. Cards are welcome.
Patrick Murfin shared how meaningful it was for him to attend the Woodstock ceremony commemorating Eugene Debs' incarceration in the McHenry County Jail, given how important Debs was for social justice in America.
Rebecca Colon expressed joy that after two years of speech therapy, her son
Anthony has reached his goals and therapy is no longer needed.
Marcia Johnson shared great joy in the wedding celebration last weekend of son, Matt and his new wife, Sarah.
Joys and Concerns shared during the service will be printed in the Happenings and Bulletin unless there is a request made to the office or community care committee to withhold.
Happy Birthday to Mikayla Deehring (10/28) and Lilah Petscher (11/2)!
Happy Anniversary Carol and Greg Alfus (11/5)!
Please note that this committee can be reached at caring@treeoflifeuu.org
If you are looking for a ride to church, please contact Pat Costigan, our Transportation Coordinator, who is matching people in need of rides with others who are willing to provide them.
Drivers to and from Sunday services needed! Do you drive through Crystal Lake on your way to services in Sunday? Let Pat Costigan know. We try to keep the commitment to once per month and can be creative! Please email:
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The Social Justice Team meets the third Wednesday of every month and we love it when new people join and bring us their ideas and viewpoints. Our next meeting is Wednesday November 15th at 7pm.
Upcoming events:
Arts in Resistance Reader's Theater November 10th at 8pm. CLICK HERE to read about this entertaining and thought provoking event.
Jail Brakers' Turkey Bingo Fundraiser - Saturday November 18 1-4pm. See the flyers in the foyer. This is a fun, family friendly event with games, prizes, food, music and face painting that benefits those caught up in the prison system and their families.
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Religious Education
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IT'S SUNDAY, LET'S GO TO CHURCH!!!
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This Sunday, October 29th is our ALL AGES SERVICE where we ALL celebrate together as a church family community. The theme will be Stone Soup and everyone is asked to bring your favorite soup veggie already cut up and ready to throw in our vegetable stock pot before service. We will all partake of this delicious community-created meal once it is "soup".
There will be NO CHURCH SCHOOL, therefore NO SPECIAL PROGRAMS such as OWL, and COMING OF AGE. Also NO YOUTH GROUP in the evening. However, participants of Coming Of Age will be helping in the kitchen, and for that we are grateful!!
There will be regularly scheduled church school classes and special programs the following Sunday, November 5th
We are asking that everyone bring CANNED FOOD to the All Ages Service, to be donated to the McHenry Food Bank.
Students will get an opportunity to go on a hunt after service to find cans that will be hidden around church during service. The students who bring back what they find, will receive Auction Bucks for the November 4th Auction that their parents can apply to their auction merchandise. (Please see details in the AUCTION article in this Happenings and Bulletin)
WE'RE STILL IN NEED OF AT LEAST 2 MORE YOUTH GROUP ADVISORS!
We are still looking for at least 2 more people who are willing to commit to at least one Sunday every month or longer, depending on how many people step forward. This hopefully will make the commitment a little more do-able for those who couldn't contribute every Sunday. The Youth could use a few good volunteers to make this program happen this year.......why not YOU??? Please see Sam Jones, if you think this is something you can do and give to the youth of our church. Youth Group meets on Sundays when there is church school, from 6:00-8:00 downstairs in the classroom.
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A COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION STUDENTS is a requirement for every student, registrations can be handled directly with the Director of Religious Education, Sam Jones. Arrangements can be made if money is an issue.
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An activity group for LGBTQ teens meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month, 7-9PM, in the downstairs youth room. The time of the meeting coincides with the meeting of McHenry PTI (Parents of Transgender Individuals). Led by Raina Hodgson, the mother of a trans teen, the group provides a safe space for teens to be together for conversation, games, and fun activities. Raina will be assisted by Laura Michaels, a school psychologist in the Rockford area and mother of a gender non-conforming teen.
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Women's Book Club
Our next gathering will be on Friday October 27th at 7:00pm, at Judy Whitaker's house (8660 Belfield Rd., Crystal Lake, IL 60014). We are reading and discussing a historical fiction/romance novel "I Always Loved You" by Robin Oliveira (2014, Viking Press, paperback is 352 pages). The work creates a romance between Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas (they had a forty-year friendship in real life), described by the publishers: "
In I Always Loved You, Robin Oliveira brilliantly re-creates the irresistible world of Belle Époque Paris, writing with grace and uncommon insight into the passion and foibles of the human heart." There are copies available at the local libraries in a variety of formats (print, eBook, audio, etc.). Book retailers list copies for around $12 if you wish to purchase it. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me, Therese Hart, via email (theresehrt@yahoo.com) or in the Women's Circle Facebook group, thanks!
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Women's Group
The Tree of Life Women's Circle would like to invite all women of our community to join us for a pot luck in thanksgiving for all the wonderful women in our lives. Please feel free to bring a friend, a dish to pass, and a beverage if you wish.
At Tree of Life Friday, Nov 17th 6:30-9:30
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Coffee with Questions
Topic: Spirituality
Presenter: Stan Liszka
Time: Sunday October 29, 2017 @ 9:15
Location: TREE OF LIFE
Unitarian Universalist Congregation
5603 W. Valley Road
McHenry, Illinois 60050
Phone: (815) 322-2464
CHILDCARE AVAILABLE ON EMAIL REQUEST TO SAM JONES
We are a vibrating energy connected to a larger energy field (God?). My energy field I call my spirit.
Are you spiritual? What do you mean by spirit/?
We will examine natural and spiritual healing from the book: "The Secret".
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Sunday, November 19th, 2017 - 7 pm
11th ANNUAL COMMUNITY INTERFAITH THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION
Come join neighbors, families and friends as we honor the diversity of faith and culture - and celebrate the Oneness of our humanity. Sharing community in a variety of musical offerings and messages, we take this time to find joy in connecting with one another. To share gratitude, an offering will be made to benefit the people of Puerto Rico, local food pantries and the work of FaithBridge.
This event will take place at BLUE LOTUS BUDDHIST TEMPLE & MEDITATION CENTER
221 Dean Street, Woodstock, IL . . . 815-337-7378
This gathering is sponsored by FaithBridge Interfaith Association
Promoting mutual understanding and respectful relationships among diverse religious communities and advancing unity in diversity for the common good.
FaithBridge is a 501(c)3 organization - https://www.faithbridgeinterfaith.org/
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Contacts
Judy Stettner
Office Administrator
Sam Jones
Director of Religious Education
Forrest Ransburg
Director of Music
Barb Fleming
Board President
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