Calendar

Friday February 15
Office Closed

Sunday February 17
9:15am Choir Rehearsal
9:15 Coffee with Questions
10:45am Service
12:00 Board Listening Session
12:00pm First Notes
12:30pm Joyful Journey
4:00pm Wine, Chz, Choc - offsite
6:30pm Chalice Circle

Monday February 18
Office Closed
7:30pm Mindfulness

Tuesday February 19
7:00pm Social Justice
7:00pm DRE Search Team

Wednesday February 20
7:00pm Board Meeting
7:30pm Odyssey 
 
Thursday February 21
1:30pm Mindfulness
7:00pm McHenry County Pride

Friday February 22
7:00pm Wine and Rock Painting - offsite

Saturday February 23
1:00pm Pastoral Team Training


All Committee Meetings are open and you are welcome to attend.

Our Board Members:

Carrie MacDonald - President
president@treeoflifeuu.o
rg
Rebecca Colon - President Elect
Randy Meyer - Treasurer
rjmeyer315@yahoo.com
Mike Stough - Secretary
mikestough87@comcast.net
Pat Costigan - Trustee
Rebecca Heisler- Trustee
Patrick Kerin- Trustee

Office Hours:
Monday 10-2  
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday 10-2
Thursday 10-2   
Friday 10-2
Others by appointment

Music Director Hours: By appointment
music@treeoflifeuu.org  

Click here for Website Calendar Link

Click Here to see the latest Board Minutes


In This Issue
February 14, 2019
 
You are receiving your Happenings early this week as the office will be closed Friday Feb. 15th and Monday Feb. 18th while the office manager is on vacation (somewhere warm).
 
The Happenings
In the Heart of Everything: A Seed of Life  
Sunday, February 17, 2019 10:45am
M.E. Tanabe

Life is continually unfolding - a sea of constant change and unpredictability.  With all the uncertainty, naturally we look for points of refuge to trust.... and we want to feel we can rely on what our experiences have shown us.   Some experiences are pretty straightforward (fire is hot, ice is cold), but other experiences processed through our perceptions and opinions become a little more tricky for reliability. ....and so we need to move towards seeing into the heart of things ....and into our own hearts as well
(The accompanying painting : "The Seed of Life" by Krystleyez shows its Hindu influences and incorporates the "Om" symbol - which, among its many meanings, can signify "the heart and source of everything")

Following the service on this day, the board will host a listening session with the congregation. Come have a discussion with the board and get all our burning questions answered. Meet in the sanctuary.

Building Trust   
Sunday, February 24, 2019 10:45am

The Almost Rev. Kevin DeBeck and his wife, the Rev. Amy DeBeck will discuss ways that trust can be built between people, in and out of church.

Congratulations to our Chili Cook Off Winners!  
 
We had some wonderful chilis to sample on Sunday. Kudos to our winners: Patrick Kerin (proudly wearing the chili pepper crown and trophy) came in first with his Spicy, Meaty Chili. Beth Hoover came in second with her No Beano Required chili. Followed closely by Marc Stettner with his People's Choice Southwestern Vegetarian Chili. Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all our chili providers, toppings and refreshments providers, set up, decorating, and clean up help (which included our church school kids).  

We are Creating our Future with Big Dreams! 
Our pledge drive has begun and our first pledges are coming in. If you had to miss the presentation on Sunday, click here to watch the video.   
Pledge materials can be picked up in church on Sunday. Pledges can be returned to the pledge table, snail mailed, or you can email your pledge to office@treeoflifeuu.org 
 

Pastoral Care Training  
Saturday, Feb. 23rd 1-5pm 
 
Member Care will soon reinvent itself after a training session with the Reverend Amy DeBeck on February 23.  Under the title C-CAT (Congregational Care Associate Team) this group will continue to support our church family in times of Joy and Concern.  ALL are invited to this training as we seek fresh perspectives and new leadership.  Please join us at Tree of Life UU: February 23 1:00 to 5:00. RSVP to Karen Meyer ksdmeyer676@gmail.com   

From the Music Committee
 
It has come to our attention that there are people in the congregation who would benefit from devices that would help them hear better during services.  The Music Committee has the option to use money from Open Mic Nights to purchase some of these devices.  At this point we need to know the extent of the need.  On the next few Sundays, we will have surveys on the table next to the doors to the sanctuary.  They'll be short; we only want to know if you would like a hearing assistance device to be purchased for you to use during services.  There will be a box to put completed surveys in.  If you have any questions, contact Jane Richards at rubatotime@att.net.  

Wine, Cheese, Chocolate & Love Songs  
Sunday, February 17th 4pm-7pm 
 
There are still a few spots at $35 each for this great Valentine's celebration with 28 of your favorite people. What could be a better ending to your Valentine's holiday than experiencing wine, chocolate, cheese and love songs? Come to sample many different varieties of food and drink accompanied by love songs performed by that hopeless romantic, Tom Steffens.    Call or email the office to get your tickets.   

Religious Education 
  
Nursery Care is available
in the RE basement during regular Worship Services for children birth-4.  
 
Step out Area: (Clock Room) We invite children of all ages to use our Quiet Work Area under the supervision of their families during worship services. You will find it tucked away outside the sanctuary in the Clock Room.
 
RE students grades 4-8th are collecting an offering every morning for the work of the church. As we kick off our Pledge Drive this year, please consider including your children in your family discussions about giving! Do they receive an allowance? Could they save a portion for the congregation? Could they do an extra chore? Shovel a neighbor's sidewalk? Let's include our kids in the pledge discussion. We trust it will help our families grow with each other!
 
Volunteers needed!
Thank you to everyone who has stepped forward to share their time! We continue to have need of classroom teachers and assistants for all classes 4-12th in March. Please email or call Heather Madaus for more information.
 
The 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).  
 
Have questions? Are you jumping up and down to volunteer for something, but don't know where to turn? I'm available by appointment at pretty much any coffee shop, anywhere! Please email DRE@treeoflifeuu.org or call 815-509-7862. Let's talk!

 
How are we a Family of Trust?
Create a 30 Days of Love Family Calendar!
Practice the Possibility of kindness and love with this calendar of family activities, one for each day  from Mid-January until Valentine's Day. This is a continuation of the calendar you started in January. Ask your family: does this project reflect Trust, too? In what ways?
 
Does your family love the tech tools? Check this out!
"Parents need to know that My PlayHome is a highly interactive, dollhouse-style app for kids. Kids can choose from five "types" of family members in generic white, Asian, and African-American skin tones; the characters include moms, dads, boys, girls, and babies. Kids can add all 15 characters (each has a different outfit, hairstyle, etc.) to their homes, allowing for flexibility in creating a variety of family types. They can create a mixed-race family, one with two (or three) moms, or one with only sons." - Common Sense Media
Theme Connection: Our families are places of trust. You can build a family like your own.
 
Family Movie Night:
Vikings and dragons, in a moving Pixar movie. Some scary parts means it might not be appropriate for under 7 years old. As suggested by Gina Montarsi Hundt.
Theme Connection: The boy, Hiccup, and his dragon, Night Fury, need to learn to trust each other.
Garrett's Gift is a thoughtful, inspirational look at the history of famous inventor Garrett Morgan and the origins of his idea for the traffic light. Kids will learn about his childhood, where the clumsy boy was often daydreaming, and how his offbeat way of looking at things led to a significant advancement in safety. There are a few moments of near-accidents that provide the backdrop for Morgan's ideas. It offers historical information about significant achievements by African Americans and a discussion of where ideas come from. -Amazon
Theme Connection: We can trust ourselves in spite of our imperfections.
 

Social Justice Notes 

Do You Know About the New Green Deal?
There is more to living green than just recycling and compost. The UU Ministry for Earth has endorsed proposed New Green Deal. Highlights include: halting fossil fuel extraction,uphold the rights of indigenous people, various employment issues, decarbonization of agriculture and transportation. More info can be found on the UUA and the UU Ministry for Earth website.
 
Let's Talk About: Medicare for All, March 6th 7-9pm. Join us for this informative panel and discussion about the healthcare crisis and what we can do about it!
 
Our next meeting will be Sunday Feb19th at 7pm in the sanctuary! Please note: This is a new date and time!
 
For more information please contact Social Justice Committee co-chairs Sue Rekenthaler ( tomatos@mc.net   ) or Patrick Murfin (pmurfin@sbcglobal.net)

Coffee with Questions
 
In our study of the Book of Job we have asked if Job, who had done nothing wrong, expected a reward.  In Job's mind it was simple justice, good behavior should elicit a reward.  But Job endured tremendous undeserved misfortune.  And that leads us to ask if there's some "set of rules" to which one can adhere to assure that undeserved misfortune doesn't strike.
"I've done everything right and still things haven't worked out; I've gone into debt to obtain a college degree; I had good grades; I did everything I was supposed to do but I still can't find a job" is often heard in these economic times, especially from millennials,
What are some of the things that might go into a "set of rules?"  What could guide us in determining a "set of rules?"  The Bible or other holy books? Experience?  Family and friends?
If there's no "set of rules," does that mean that life is not rational and orderly but is instead chaotic and governed by chance?  And if that's the case, are we essentially alone?  How de we cope with that?"
Bring a "set of rules" that works for you and join us at 9:15 this Sunday morning Feb. 17 in the upstairs religious education room for another lively discussion.  There'll be coffee and food for body and soul. 

Community Care Committee 
   
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.   
 
It was GREAT to have Bob Coleman back at Sunday's service!
 
The Stettner family shared lots of JOY, announcing that the family is going to California to celebrate the wedding of Judith's grandson.  Emma Stettner realized a college dream of hers to open an on-campus charity, Barsema's Closet, which will supply business attire to students at reasonable prices.  Way to GO, Emma!
 
Paula Yensen and Mike Bissett recently experienced some ups and downs. Upon returning from a powerful  humanitarian trip to Uganda they discovered broken water pipes in their house.  Paula and Mike are feeling truly blessed, fortunate, and happy to have a nice home to repair after their journey.
 
Carrie MacDonald's mom is recovering well and will having her next back surgery March 11. 
 
Congratulations to Till Messinger Spitza who is moving up to Boy Scouts.  Till recently earned a Super Achiever Award!
 
Kevin DeBeck reminded us that many long years of being a Patriot fan has not been easy, but the last few years have been pretty sweet!  
 
Our condolences to Julie Huddle, as she copes with the sudden loss of her father this week.  
 
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: caring@treeoflifeuu.org    
 
Hospitality/Fellowship
 
Recruiting Treat Fleet Volunteers!!
 

Click Here to sign up

Have you heard? Registration is now open for the 2019 MidAmerica Regional Assembly. This year, our Regional Assembly will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, at the Marriott St. Louis Airport Hotel, April 5-7, 2019.

Please click the following link to find out more information about Regional Assembly including pricing, hotel information, our schedule of events, workshop information, information on volunteering, how to register, and much more:  https://www.uua.org/midamerica/ra   
Our Early Bird pricing is only offered until February 28! So, please register before our regular prices start on March 1! Also, please remember to book your hotel room after completing your Regional Assembly registration! There is a special hotel rate that is only available until March 5 - so book now before rates go up! 
  
Registration for Chalice Sparx Family Camp & Retreat Now Open
Registration for Chalice Sparx Family Camp & Retreat is now open. Join us July 11-14 in Sturgis, Michigan for an amazing all ages experience at lovely Amigo Centre in southwestern Michigan -- only 90 miles from Chicago, 120 miles from Ann Arbor and 195 miles from Indianapolis.
            At Chalice Sparx camp and retreat for families you will experience a truly multi generational community. There are no camp counselors here to whisk away the children separate from their families. Here we learn together, worship together and explore together in a community of all ages - including elders who complete our multi generational village.
            We also have fun together. Swimming, hiking the trails and the labyrinth, canoeing, archery, popcorn popped in a kettle over an open fire, and of course, S'mores and singing camp songs.
            Check out the website of our non-profit organization run by Unitarian Universalist religious educators, ministers and lay persons from all over the Midwest: www.chalicesparx.org. Like us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/chalicesparx/ and join us in Michigan July 11-14.
    
 Registration for General Assembly opens March 1
General Assembly is the annual meeting of Unitarian Universalists. Besides conducting the business of our association, there are awe inspiring worship services, life changing workshops, and truly motivating speakers. You will never get the chance to be with so many UUs than at a general assembly. A wonderful way to fall deeper in love with Unitarian Universalism. You can read all about it here. 
 
Contacts
Kevin DeBeck
Minister

Judy Stettner  
Office Administrator  
Heather Madaus  
Interim Director of Religious Education 
Forrest Ransburg 
Director of Music 
 
Carrie MacDonald
Board President  
 
Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation | 815-322-2464 | office@treeoflifeuu.org | http://treeoflifeuu.org
5603 Bull Valley Road
McHenry, IL 60050