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UPCOMING SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES  
10:15 AM in Fellowship Hall
Summer Services will be held in our air-conditioned Fellowship Hall starting on Sunday, June 17th and will continue in Fellowship Hall until Sunday, September 2, 2018.
Sunday, July 22, 2018
"Speaking Up for Children in Foster Care"
Sandy Hannum, Pricilla Kron & Sherry Bohlen

This service will look into why the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program was created and how it works. Sherry Bohlen, Sandy Hannum, and Priscilla Kron, who are all current CASAs, will give their reflections on being an advocate for abused and neglected children in foster care. Because of the terrible mishandling of immigrant families in this country, there are many additional children in foster care right now who should never have been taken from their parents. This will be touched on as well.
Sunday, July 29, 2018
"Is this who we are?”
Ben Leff and Worship Committee

Amidst the recent furor over the Trump administration's immigration policy, a common refrain has been to assert that "this is not who we are"-- that these cruel policies fundamentally clash with American values and our history as a "nation of immigrants." This sentiment, however well-intentioned, ignores the long history of xenophobia in American society. Indeed, recent policies and rhetoric represent only the most recent of many surges of nativism in American history. Thus, one might argue that this is exactly who we are. In this service, exploration of the current political climate in its historical context by relating it to previous waves of immigration and nativism. As well as how Unitarian Universalist principles can underlie a thoughtful, ethical, and humane perspective on immigration policy.
UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS

Bookmark our UUCUC Events webpage for future reference.
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.
Loss of Life Partner Chalice Circle will meet on Saturday, July 28th at 11:30 am in UUCUC Library.
Come to the 3rd Annual Interfaith Alliance Picnic - Sunday, July 29, 4pm - 7 pm! The Membership Committee invites members and friends of our UUCUC community to join other community people of faith at the upcoming Interfaith Alliance Picnic!  Click to see the flyer! Our own Anne Newman and Puppet Folk Productions will be presenting a featured puppet show. Please come to represent UUCUC and join the fun!!  Questions? Email Sherry Bohlen .
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Key Fob Holders/Users - A friendly reminder, as a key fob user, it is YOUR responsiblity to make sure the building is secure when you are here at church. If you leave out of any door, please make sure it is closed and locked when you leave. If you are in charge of a meeting and/or event, it is YOUR responsiblity to make sure all attendees have left the building and the church is secure. Lastly, if you have access to the outer/volunteer office - when you are done, please make sure to close and lock the doors. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact the church office.
Hospitable Parking - Please reserve spaces in the parking lot for guests and newcomers and for persons with limited mobility. You'll find a map of close-by parking areas at the Connections Hub table in Fellowship Hall.
Our Minister, the Rev. Florence Caplow, is on vacation and study leave from June 28th to August 8th . For pastoral care needs, please contact Cindy Loui , and all other needs, contact our UUCUC Office Manager, Rosalyn Maziarka or call the church office at (217) 384-8862.
Summer message from the minister...
Hello dear friends. I am writing to you from my cabin on the Washington coast, a cat on my lap (the neighbor's cat, actually, but I claim him for the summer), dappled sunlight through the window, and eagles flying overhead. My heart and mind and body are all being renewed and refreshed in the coolness of a Northwest coastal village. I can feel myself soaking up quiet and stillness like a thirsty plant. I am so grateful for the understanding in our UU churches that ministers need time for retreat and release of some responsibility for a few weeks each year. Sometime I might try to write "a week in the life of a minister" just to give you a sense of the remarkable range and number of things I am carrying around with me and taking care of in any given week during the church year. A human being can only sustain that intensity of responsibility for so long before the cracks begin to show! 

Some ministers take most of their time for study leave and vacation during the church year, but I know there is a long tradition of UUCUC of the minister being gone for part of the summer (true for many churches), since so many people in the congregation are also gone for part of the summer. That works well for me, since visiting the Northwest coast in the winter is a whole different event - think raging gales and driving rain. I will still have a little time away that I will take during the church year, but this way I can be more fully present between August and June. This also allows your Worship Committee and lay speakers to shine in the pulpit over the summer. I've heard rumors of some great services already.

By the time you read this, I will be at an all ages week-long UU camp in Seabeck, Washington, called Camp Eliot. This camp has been around since 1948, and I am honored to be chosen as their presenter this year. I will be sharing "Buddhist Practices for Resilience and Renewal" and I'm really looking forward to it. I can't teleport you all there, but if you'd like a taste of what I'll be exploring, I gave a sermon on the same topic at the Whidbey Island UU church on July 1st:  http://uucwi.org/services/buddhist-practices-for-resilience-and-renewal/ .  

Part of the time here is "study leave". I'm using the time to plan sermons for the coming year, think about and plan classes for the coming year, and study books on congregational life and ministry. This summer I am focused on books about UU church growth (hmmmn...I wonder why?), and clergy sanity. My favorites so far are  The Growing Church  (essays by UU ministers in rapidly growing churches),  All Are Chosen: Stories of Lay Ministry and Leadership ,  Letting Go: Transforming Congregations for Ministry ,  Rest in the Storm: Self Care Strategies for Clergy and Other Caregivers , and my absolute favorite, which I am studying for the third time,  Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in Our Busy Lives . I really recommend the last book if you are feeling overwhelmed and stretched too thin, as I certainly was a few months ago. It is truly inspiring.

The photo is from a nursery in Astoria, Oregon, where I was choosing blooming plants for my mother's 90th birthday, coming up at the end of the month. She asked to celebrate it out here, with a few close friends and family.

May your summer be a blessed one, and know that although I am far away, you are in my heart and in my thoughts. I'll see you after August 9th!

Florence
CARE CORE NEWS
Joys and Sorrows

Cindy Loui - From Emily Laugesen, who shares: Last Saturday, my mother died suddenly of heart failure. This came at the end of a wonderful week long family gathering. She lived a full life and was loved by so many. There will be a memorial service in Indianapolis in mid-August. Emily is now traveling to visit her husband's family and looks forward to seeing her UU friends next month.
Do you need a ride to church? Would you be willing to give a ride to a fellow congregant? Anne Reeser, (217) 369-1764, has generously volunteered to coordinate rides to church on Sundays for those who need them. If you need a ride, call Anne by Saturday night. If you are willing to be on a list for giving people rides, please call Anne today and let her know so she can have a list of drivers to call on. 
ACCESSIBILITY NEWS
Hearing The Service

There are upgrades on the way in the Sanctuary and it all started with the piano. Our new baby grand piano only opens one way, which means that it needs to be on the left. But the pulpit was on the left. So now it’s on the right side. The pulpit left behind a little basket hiding the microphone connections. 

The need to move built-in mic connections brought to mind other audio improvements. These include the addition of wireless channels. Getting the congregation involved in shared ministry seems to involve a lot of people on stage. These people need to be heard and passing lavalier mics back and forth is not the best way. (There are currently 2 wireless channels, we will increase to 4 channels). The need to upgrade our Assisted Listening System (ALS) for the hard of hearing has also been recognized. It is part of our push to be more accessible.

The current audio system was installed by CV Lloyd. It includes a device rack in a closet in the Rood Loft (the rear balcony area), and an audio rack with recording ability beneath that, in the back of the sanctuary.
 
There are 2 little “set & forget” mixers on the wall. One is up front at the chancel and one in the back. It was thought that we wanted our audio system to be unobtrusive, easy to learn and not require a person to monitor it during service. In addition to the large amp suspended at the ceiling, there are speakers in Fellowship Hall. There is also a room mic hanging from thin cables.

Very soon the mic jacks will follow the pulpit to the right side to eliminate the cables you see now. Speaking of cables, 4 wireless channels will enable less hardware on stage. In addition to our lavalier and handheld mics, over the ear mics are coming. Electric instrument transmitters are also a possibility. A installation date has not been set yet but plans are to have it wrapped up before we return to the chapel.

The Assisted Listening System is still being researched. It is a challenge with changing technology, to envision what will be standard in the future. However we anticipate that after a short time, a new ALS will be installed as well. The piano that started it all doesn’t need a mic.
SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE NEWS
July Shared Offering is supporting Salt & Light Ministries.

Salt & Light Ministries is a nonprofit ministry created in 2004 whose vision is to share love by fighting poverty with dignity through opportunities that engage, empower, and equip for lasting change.

Toward this end, Salt & Light Ministries offers workplace preparedness through job preparedness instruction, practical work experience in its grocery store in Urbana and its thrift stores in Urbana and Champaign and also offers classes in financial education. Computer labs offer introductory computer skills and free internet Wi-Fi.

The recently-opened facility on Philo Road in Urbana offers food choices in a high-density area underserved for healthy food choices.

Shared Offering Note: All designated checks/envelopes and half of the Sunday plate offerings in July will be sent directly to Salt & Light Ministries. Thank you in advance for your generous support.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE) NEWS
Summer religious education classes for K-5 will be in Children's Chapel. The nursery will be available for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.
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, July 18
Care Core Steering Committee / 11:00 am / Library
*Membership Committee Meeting / 5:30 pm / Fellowship Hall
(Rental: Many Paths: an Agnostic AA) / 6:00 pm / Classroom #1

Friday, July 19  
(Rental: Weihao Ge Recital) / 7:00 pm / Sanctuary

Saturday, July 21
Loss of Life Partner Chalice Circle / 11:00 am / Library
(Rental: Many Paths: an Agnostic AA) / 4:30 pm / Classroom #1

Sunday, July 22
Mindfulness Mediation / 9:20 am / YRUU Classroom
Worship Service / 10:15 am / Fellowship Hall
Broadly Graded Summer RE / 10:15 / Children's Chapel
Young Adults Group / 11:30 am / Fellowship Hall

Monday, July 23
Bridge Group / 1:00 pm / Children's Chapel

Tuesday, July 24
(Rental: DSC Playgroup) / 9:00 am / Nursery
BOT Study Session / 7:00 pm / Classroom #1

Wednesday, July 25
eNews and OOS content is due to pubs@uucuc.org no later than noon

Thursday, July 26
(Rental: Many Paths: an Agnostic AA) / 6:00 pm / Classroom #1
Upcoming Publications - Mark Your Calendars!
Next eNews: July 26
Last day for content: Wednesday,
July 25 by Noon the latest.
The Uniter is on hiatus until
September 2018.

Send your submittals to pubs@uucuc.org

Don't forget to publize your meeting/event!
UUCUC Contact Information
Church Office Summer Hours
Starting June 18th, the church office will start summer hours: Monday through Thursday 10 am - 2 pm and Friday 10 am to Noon.
Church Office
(217) 384-8862
Rev. Florence Caplow
Minister
Kate Barton
Events 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
Jody Hanger
Assistant for Religious Education
Mary Foltz
Childcare Coordinator
Emily McKown
Summer RE Teacher
Stephanie Cobb
Sunday Kitchen Helper