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UPCOMING SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES  
10:15 AM in Sanctuary
Sunday, April 8, 2018
“In a Dark Time, the Eye Begins to See” 
Scott Russell Sanders, Guest Speaker

Scott Russell Sanders is an author, essayist, Professor Emeritus from Indiana University, and a member of the UU Church of Bloomington Indiana. His eighteen books include Hunting for Hope, Staying Put, A Private History of Awe, Divine Animal, and several children’s books ( http://www.scottrussellsanders.com/ ).

In this multi-media sermon, Scott Russell Sanders will share stories evoking ordinary wealth and everyday beauty, both outward and inward, to show our capacity for kindness, compassion, cooperation, playfulness, and peacefulness, countering the dominant culture—especially our political culture—that dramatizes our capacity for violence, deceit, cruelty, selfishness, and corruption.

There will be a book-signing after the service. The UUCUC Children’s Choir will be singing.
Sunday, April 15, 2018 
“In Praise of Continuity” 
Rev. Florence Caplow and 50-Year+ Members of UUCUC

We have met many new members of UUCUC in the last year. This service will celebrate our most long-term members, those who have been members for fifty years or more. Come here stories and learn what has kept them coming back for all these decades. The UUCUC Choir will be singing.
UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS

Bookmark our UUCUC Events webpage for future reference.
Meet Our Potential Interim Religious Educator on Wednesday, April 11th

The RE Advisory Group is happy to announce that we have had several outstanding Interim Religious Educators express interest in our 2-year interim position. One or two of our top candidates will visit us this spring, and Michele Grove will be here April 10-13.  Michele is a 25+ year Credentialed Masters Level UU Religious Educator who has been serving as an UU Interim Religious Educator since 2006 and is on the Executive Team of the Guild of Interim Religious Educators. She currently lives in Sisseton, South Dakota with her husband and 11-year old daughter.  

There are two opportunities to meet with Michele, both on Wednesday evening. On Wednesday evening at 5:30 we will have a gathering with Michele for current and former RE teachers (and those interested in becoming an RE teacher in the coming year). Pizza and childcare will be provided. At 6:30, we will have a desert potluck for anyone from the congregation interested in meeting Michele and learning more. Childcare will be provided. Please RSVP! You can do so, and get more details, at this link.
Service AUUction Is Here!

The 2018 UUCUC Service AUUction, “Rainbows and UUnicorns”, is finally here! This Saturday starting at 4:30 in the church we will host our biggest fundraiser and biggest party of the year. Dig out those rainbow suspenders, those rainbow tights, or that unicorn hat and come be part of a fabulous time! Due to a flurry of ticket purchases last Sunday, the dinner portion of the evening has sold out. We will not be able to sell any more meal tickets, but you can still come and take part in the live auction and the silent and fixed price auctions.

If you are curious as to the kinds of things you’ll be able to bid on at the event, or just have general questions, head on over to the AUUction website where you can find the catalog of donations that we have so far. While you’re there, use our handy web form to volunteer to help with the event itself (we need desserts and cleanup crew!), or to enter your donations (which we can still take, though they won’t appear in the catalog at this point). You should feel free to email auction@uucuc.org with questions or, even better, with your donations and volunteer offers!
Upcoming Racial Justice Initiative (RJI) Meetings. Want to get even more involved in the Racial Justice Initiative? Our April meetings are this Sunday April 8 th (9:00 am, UUCUC Library) and Thursday April 26 th (5:30 pm, Fellowship Hall). Please join us.
UUCUC Mindfulness Meditation Group -  Join fellow UU's in a mindfulness meditation practice before worship service on Sundays ( detailed schedule ) in the YRUU room. As always, the door will be left slightly open so that late arrivals can enter quietly.
Are there parts of our church building you have never explored or are curious about? This Sunday, April 8, Todd Kinney will offer a short tour after our Sunday service. Meet Todd at the Welcome Table in the foyer outside the sanctuary approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the service. Tours will take place approximately once a month during the church year.
Join your UUCUC Board of Trustees on Tuesday, April 10, 6:45 pm - 8:00 pm (Fellowship Hall) for a webinar "From Charity to Solidarity: Developing Accountable Partnerships with Theological & Spiritual Humility".

In this webinar, we will explore strategies for building relationship and identifying shared values and interests with community partners, and creating powerful coalitions that can make a real impact in combatting oppression and working for collective liberation. We will also explore concepts of theological and cultural humility, with concrete examples of practices that can make us better equipped to be sensitive, collaborative co-conspirators in interfaith, multicultural partnerships for justice.

Executive Director of the Minnesota UU Justice Alliance, Rev. Ashley Horan and Statewide Organizer, Pastor Danny Givens will help all our congregations prepare themselves better for social justice work. Click here to read more. Join Us!
Meditation at Channing Murray Foundation Resumes April 12th. Rev. Caplow will resume leading meditation at Channing Murray, 1209 W. Oregon St., every Thursday from 4:30 to 5:30 pm. All are welcome, no experience necessary, by donation. 
Mark your calendars for the Partner Church Brunch on April 15, 2018. Please come and do something good by eating! Our Transylvanian /Hungarian Fundraising Brunch will be served in the Fellowship Hall, right after church service on April 15, 2015. Don’t eat too much breakfast! All proceeds of the brunch are to support our Partner Churches in Transylvania and India.
Join us for one of our next
Pathway to Membership Classes!

Sunday, April 29, 2018, 12:30-3:30 pm or
Monday, April 30, 2018, 5:30 - 8:30 pm

UUCUC Children's Chapel

Light meal will be provided at each class and child care is available.

In this fast-paced and interactive class for those considering membership with UUCUC, you'll learn about the principles and foundation of the Unitarian Universalist Church. You'll also learn about the governance of UUCUC, activities and opportunities available to our church community, our social action mission, religious education offerings, and the role you can play as a supporter. Anyone age 14 and up can become a UUCUC member.

At the completion of this class, you'll have an opportunity to "sign the book" and become a member of UUCUC. Choose one of the classes and sign up today!

For questions and to sign up, email Membership Coordinator  Sherry Bohlen  or call (217) 384-8862. There will also be a sign-up sheet on the HUB table in Fellowship Hall throughout the month.

CLICK HERE to register for Sunday April 29 Class

CLICK HERE to register for Monday April 30 Class
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Stewardship Committee is thrilled to share the news that pledges for the 2018-2019 church year now total an amazing $413,300! This total represents the generosity and commitment of 175 pledgers, including an unprecedented 24 first-time pledgers to UUCUC. Heartfelt thanks to you all!
April 16 is the last date to sign "The Book" and become a member of the church if you want to vote at the May 6 annual meeting!  To arrange to sign and complete membership papers, email Sherry Bohlen at  MembershipCoordinator@uucuc.org.
CARE CORE NEWS
J oys and Sorrows

Deedy Marble - My brother, Raymond James Newell, passed away early in March. He was a living casualty of the Vietnam war. Thankfully the war is finally over for this very brave Marine.

Anonymous - For all of our DACA Dreamers who live in uncertainty this Easter.

Anonymous - It is a joy to see Rev. Florence's smiling face among us again! She lights up the church like no one else can.

Sam Beshers - Joy for understanding and forgiveness.

Lynn Wiley & Sam Beshers - Ryan Thomas is leaving us to join his wife, Jennifer, in Kentucky. Ryan organized and let our youth choir, helped with IT and website, and contributed to our church in many ways. We will miss you and wish you all the best. Au revoir.
SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE NEWS
SRI Task Force Recommends Amendment to UUCUC Bylaws.  On May 6, our congregation will be asked to consider an amendment to the UUCUC Bylaws that would require Trust Fund Trustees to incorporate a strategy of socially responsible investing (SRI) into their investment decisions. The proposed amendment grew out of a year-long initiative by the Social Action Committee and subsequent SRI Task Force as they studied the benefits, feasibility and potential financial impacts of considering social good as well as financial return and risk in selecting investments.

The practice of SRI has grown dramatically in recent years, as an increasing number of socially and environmentally-conscious investors have sought to avoid investments in companies associated with unethical practices or harmful products and services. The Unitarian Universalist Association has been committed to SRI strategies for over forty years, formally establishing a Socially Responsible Investing Committee in 2000.

In recent weeks, the Task Force has hosted three congregational information meetings and will hold a fourth meeting at the church on Sunday, April 22nd at 9:00 AM . Proposed SRI guidelines, as well as a document entitled “Questions and Answers on the Proposed Move to Socially Responsible Investing at UUCUC” will be highlighted in forthcoming issues of eNews. Click on the following links to view the Q & A or the proposed Guidelines . For more information, contact Lan Richart at (773) 556-3417.
Part 5 in a Series from the Welcoming Congregation Assessment Team
 
Parsing Pronouns
 
The English language doesn’t always make it easy for us to address our transgender, genderqueer, and nonbinary friends, because it doesn’t have gender-neutral pronouns. The traditional pronouns “he” and “she” assume that a person identifies as either male or female, and those pronouns carry significant cultural baggage about how we expect “him” or “her” to behave. When a person has a nonbinary gender identity, those pronouns categorize them in ways they might not be comfortable with. That’s why nonbinary pronouns, such as “they/them,” "ghe/ghir," or "ze/hir," are increasingly common. If you don’t already know what pronouns someone uses, it’s best to ask, rather than to make assumptions based on how they look or behave. Using a person’s preferred pronouns is an important part of showing respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and it’s a good reminder for all of us that gender is not essential.
Our April Shared Offering is supporting RACES (Rape Advocacy, Counseling & Education Services) and is the only agency dedicated to serving the needs of survivors of sexual violence in Champaign, Ford, Piatt and Douglas Counties. RACES provides counseling, court advocacy, medical advocacy, and hosts a 24/7 rape crisis hotline. Sexual violence prevention education is an important part of our vision to end sexual violence in a generation: our educators reach thousands of children, youth and adults each year through age-appropriate prevention programs.

RACES is an agency that people don’t like to think about until a loved one needs it; at that time, RACES will be there to listen, believe and support.
Would you like more resources to self-educate about racial justice? CU Showing Up for Racial Justice has gathered many to support you. Check out the Resources and Education tab at  www.cusurj.org
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE) NEWS
Tap into Your SUUperpowers!

Have you ever thought of teaching RE? We are recruiting teachers now for the 2018-19 church year. It would be such a fantastic demonstration of our active and committed congregation to have our teaching roster full by the end of May. Work with a dedicated and fun team of teachers (i.e., you are not alone!) through the year, or maybe just for a semester. Curriculums including individual lesson plans are provided. Be a part of the amazing things that happen downstairs! 

There will be a sign-up poster in Fellowship Hall. Current teachers will be available for questions and conversation. We will have next year's curriculums out and available to look at, but they are also available online at:  https://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/children.

Pre-K: Chalice Children
K-1: Love Surrounds Us
2-3: Love Will Guide Us
4-5: Love Connects Us
6: Riddle and Mystery
7-8: Coming of Age
YRUU: sets their own curriculum

Please consider joining the fun - we have amazingly insightful and kind children!
Upcoming RE Dates

Sunday, April 8
Regular RE classes. Children’s Choir will be singing, children
and youth begin in Worship Service.

Sunday, April 15
Regular RE classes.
CHURCH CALENDAR
Dates are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, visit our UUCUC Calendar page .

Note: Parenthesised meetings/events are outside rentals. Asterisk meetings/events are closed.
Thursday, April 5
(Rental: Many Paths: an Agnostic AA) / 6:00 pm / Classroom #1
 
Saturday, April 7
Service AUUction / doors open at 4:30 pm
 
Sunday, April 8
Racial Justice Initiative Meeting / 9:00 am / Library
Mindful Meditation Group / 9:05 am / YRUU Classroom
Children's Choir Rehearsal / 9:15 am / Classroom #1
Worship Service / 10:15 am / Sanctuary
Young Adult Group / 11:30 am / Table in Fellowship Hall
RE Advisory Group / 5:00 pm / Classroom #1

Monday, April 9
Bridge Group / 1:00 pm / Children's Chapel
"Exploring Whiteness" Class / 6:30 pm / Children's Chapel
Death with Dignity Group / 7:00 pm / Fellowship Hall
Moving Forward Divorce/Separation Group / 7:30 pm / YRUU Classroom
 
Tuesday, April 10
(Rental: DSC Playgroup) / 9:00 am / Nursery
BOT Presents a webinar "From Chairity to Solidarity" / 6:45 pm / Fellowship Hall
 
Wednesday, April 11
eNews and OOS content is due to pubs@uucuc.org by noon
Pizza Dinner with RE Teachers and Interim DRE Candidate / 5:30 pm / Fellowship Hall
All Church Dessert Potluck with Interim DRE Candidate / 6:30 pm / Fellowship Hall
CrUUners Rehearsal / 6:00 pm / Sanctuary 
Adult Choir Rehearsal / 7:00 pm / Sanctuary
 
Thursday, April 12
Mediation Class with Rev. Florence / 4:30 pm / Channing-Murray
(Rental: Many Paths: an Agnostic AA) / 6:00 pm / Classroom #1
BOT Business Meeting / 7:00 pm / Children's Chapel
Finance Committee Meeting / 7:00 pm / Fellowship Hall
Upcoming Publications - Mark Your Calendars!
Next eNews: April 12
Deadline for content: Wednesday,
April 11 by Noon the latest.
May 2018 Uniter: May 1
Deadline for content: Wednesday, April 18 by noon the latest.
UUCUC Contact Information
Church Office
(217) 384-8862
Rev. Florence Caplow
Minister
Jody Hanger
Interim RE Coordinator
Matt Sheppard
Music Director
Sherry Bohlen
Membership Coordinator
Rosalyn Maziarka
Office Administrator
Shornor Vineyard
Custodian and Building Caretaker
Beth Cobb
Assistant for Services
Matthew Gladden
Accompanist
Stephanie Cobb
Sunday Kitchen Helper
Mary Foltz
Childcare Coordinator