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UPCOMING SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES
10:15 AM in Fellowship Hall
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Sunday, September 9, 2018
"Shared Ministry: Going Deeper"
Rev. Florence Caplow
Last year, as Rev. Caplow began her ministry with us, she brought us the vision and practice of "shared ministry," which is based on the understanding that ministry is done by all in the congregation, not just the minister, and ministry reaches well beyond our walls. As we begin our second year of shared ministry with her, how have we traveled together in the last year? Where might we go from here? This will also be our annual Teacher Dedication and beginning of Children's Religious Education classes for the year. Children and youth will begin in worship service before heading to their classes. The UUCUC Choir and the CrUUners will be singing.
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Soul Matters - September - Vision!
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C
heck out the Soul Matters Spotify Playlist for September!
Just follow this link:
https://spoti.fi/2MOD4VH
. N
o need to purchase a subscription to Spotify to listen; There is a free version available by simply following the link and logging in.
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UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
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Church Tour This Sunday.
Are there parts of our church building you have never explored or are curious about? This Sunday, September 9, Todd Kinney will offer a short tour after our Sunday service. Meet Todd at the Welcome Table in the foyer outside the sanctuary approximately 20 minutes after the conclusion of the service. Tours will take place approximately once a month.
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Mark Your Calendars: Installation/Celebration of Shared Ministry with Rev. Caplow! Saturday, November 10, 11:00 am. It is traditional to have an "Installation" of a called minister to a UU church. The last Installation here was for the Gehrmanns, more than 20 years ago. This celebration and affirmation of ministry together is a grand event, with many visiting ministers, dignitaries, great music, and a reception afterward. The Gerhmans will be visiting and speaking as part of the event, along with other UU ministers from around the country. We hope that all members and friends of the church can attend.
Mark your calendars, and watch for an invitation from "Paperless Post" in the next week or so. It will be important to RSVP so we have an accurate count for the ceremony and the reception. If you would like to volunteer to help with planning, or on the day of the event, please contact Kelly Halcom at
kellyhalcom@comcast.net.
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Did you know our church
calendar
is available on our website? It is and you can view specifc dates, view the calendar as a week, a month or an adgenda. Its a valuable resource to plan your upcoming event or meeting. Also, you can add already scheduled events or meetings to your own google calendar - just click the title of event/meeting and chose "copy to my calendar".
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Wake Joy Class! Six weeks from September 20 to October 25, Thursdays, 4:30 - 6:00 pm, Channing Murray Foundation. Rev. Caplow will be teaching a free 6-week class on Buddhist practices for developing greater joy and ease in your life, at the Channing Murray Foundation on campus. This is the first part of a two-part series (the second six weeks will be in the winter). Some of the material in the class will be based on the book
Awakening Joy, by James Baraz. Register at the first class. Questions? Email Rev. Caplow at
minister@uucuc.org.
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Write on!
Thanks to enthusiastic responses, our book project--The Story That Changed My Life--has gotten off to a rousing start with nearly 30 people indicating their interest in participating. To jump-start your writing effort, stick around after services on Sunday, September 23rd for the short workshop, "3 Steps to Start Writing Your Story." We will meet in Children's Chapel at 11:45 am. Looking forward to getting this bus on the road!
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The Accessiblity Team is pleased to soon be getting a new Assistive Listening System for the sanctuary! The Audio Everywhere system works with our WI-FI and the receivers are smartphones or tablets! Many people already have a smart device which will be compatible with this new convenient system. For people who do not already have their own smart device, we will need to have devices available to loan during services. If you have recently upgraded your device and have an extra you would be willing to donate to the church please contact Wendy Graves at
wgraves7@msn.com or (217) 493-8824. Devices compatible with this system should be an iPhone 5s or higher or an iPod Touch 6
th generation or better or an Android device at least OS 5 with Wi-Fi at least 802.11 a/b/g/n.
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Groups will begin meeting soon so
sign up today
. You won’t want to miss out on this opportunity to make connections in a growing church community while deepening your personal spiritual journey.
All members and friends welcome!
For questions or concerns, see
Membership Coordinator, Sherry Bohlen
.
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Tagore Festival, Saturday, September 29th at Channing-Murray, 5-10 pm.
The festival is in honor of Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), poet, dramatist, musician, philosopher, and humanist who became the first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. The festival commemorates Tagore's visit to the UIUC campus in 1912 when he delivered a series of lectures at the Unitarian Church of Urbana, now the home of Channing Murray Foundation.
Join us for a festive evening with a keynote address by Elleke Boehmer, Prof of World Literature in English at Oxford University, a catered Indian dinner, and a cultural program by the East Central Illinois Bengali Assn. This will be the 29th year of the festival. Tickets for the dinner go fast - $16 adults, $14 for students, free for children under 8. You may send a check to Channing Murray (
1209 W. Oregon, Urbana
) with Tagore Festival in memo line or use paypal at
eciba.mailing.list@gmail.com
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE) NEWS
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Register Your Children and Youth for Religious Education!
As UUCUC gears up for another great year of religious education, we ask parents to register their children ages 0-18. Registration helps us to know these young people, meet their unique needs, and keep them as safe as possible in our programs. Please take a few moments and fill out the registration form.
We ask that every family register, even if you have registered in the past!
This
link
is to an online version. There are also paper copies available at the church. Please note that this online registration is a test. It is our hope that all will work smoothly. Please call or email Michele Grove, Interim Director of Religious Education, if you have any problems.
RE-director@uucuc.org (
217) 384-8862
.
https://uucuc.breezechms.com/form/0aadff
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Religious Education Ingathering
The first day of this year’s children and youth religious education program begins in just a few days! We look forward to meeting you on September 9, 2018 at 10:15 AM. All ages will gather in worship to celebrate the beginning of the year and meet religious education leaders. Children will then go to their classes to get to know their leaders and each other. Parents are always welcome to walk their children to their classes and meet the leaders.
This year, the following children and youth programs will be offered:
- Nursery care for children ages 0-5
- Pre-Kindergarten class for ages 3-4
- Kindergarten-1st grade
- 2nd-3rd grade
- 4th-5th grade
- MAGS (Middle Age Group 6th - 8th grade)
- Coming of Age (7th - 8th grade)
- YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists 9th -12th grade)
There will be a welcome table downstairs in the religious education wing. Parents are encouraged to stop by and learn more about the classes and fill out a registration form (if you have not already done so). Religious Education Associates and Michele Grove, Interim Director of Religious Education will be on hand to greet everyone and answer questions about the year. It promises to be a great year - We cannot wait to meet you!
If you have any questions or concerns, please call or email Michele Grove at
re-director@uucuc.org
(217) 384-8862.
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The Coming of Age program will occur this year for anyone ages 12-15
who wish to participate.
The Coming of Age program will occur this year for anyone ages 12-15 who wish to participate. This program is a special part of our Unitarian Universalist heritage because it guides our young people through a process of group-building, dialogue and reflection in a process of becoming an adult. Through this process participants examine their beliefs, ideals and then participate in a Rite of Passage worship service on May 5, 2019. Many people at UUCUC give testimony to this enriching experience. If you are interested in being a part of this program (most sessions are held during the religious education time on Sunday mornings), please register with Michele Grove, Interim DRE
RE-director@uucuc.org
.
The first class will meet on Sunday, September 9th. There will be a parent orientation on September 30th (Time to be announced).
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Coming of Age Mentors.
One of the foundations of the Coming of Age Program is the relationship established with mentors. Mentors meet with one participant on a regular basis and serve as a guide through the Coming of Age process. If you are interested in being a mentor, email Michele Grove at
re-director@uucuc.org
. She can tell you more about the commitment and the process.
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Working with the children and youth religious education program is a rewarding experience.
Volunteers join a dedicated community who believe that learning is a valued part of the Unitarian Universalist faith. Michele Grove, interim director of religious education is still looking for those interested in one of the following roles. If you have an interest or wish to learn more, please email or call.
Religious Education Leaders
: Work with a team to teach, guide and facilitate an understanding of Unitarian Universalism. Leaders work in teams of 3 or 4.
Religious Education Associates:
Support the religious education leaders each week and greet new visitors to ensure they feel welcome. Religious Education associates take turns working with the Interim Director of Religious Education and volunteer once a month.
Religious Education Substitutes
: Fill in and work with others to make sure that the leadership team for each class is complete each Sunday. Substitutes may work when the need arises and it is convenient for their schedule.
Religious Education Support Volunteers:
Work behind the scenes in various duties to ensure that the program is well-resourced. Support volunteers keep supplies in order, organize materials and even keep the library in running order. Most support work happens during the week or on weekends.
Other specialized roles include Coming of Age Mentors, Youth Advisors, Librarians, and special Sunday leaders.
Not sure how you want to be involved? Call Michele – she is happy to have a conversation with you.
re-director@uucuc.org
(
217) 384-8862
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Joys and Sorrows
St
eve Troyer and Lara Breeze-Troyer
We are happy to report that this week marked three months since our daughter Anya's spinal fusion surgery to correct her scoliosis in St. Louis on May 30th. We didn't get a chance to share the news of her surgery when it was happening, but we are happy that she is mostly back to a normal life with only a few temporary restrictions remaining.
Jerry Carden - Candle of healing for the husband of Mike Brenner, Carl, who had both legs broken in a work accident last week. They were both looking forward to being at service on Sunday.
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The "2018 Out of the Darkness Walk" to raise awareness and help fight suicide
will take place on Saturday, September 22 in Crystal Lake Park. For more information, to join the walkers, or to make a donation, please go to
www.afsp.org/ChampaignUrbana
or contact Marilyn Ryan at
marilyn.ryan@gmail.com
.
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Do you need a ride to church? Would you be willing to give a ride to a fellow congregant?
Volunteers who could pick up others on the way to church are still needed. We'd like to have a list we could use to find rides for folks who need them. Volunteers would not be committed long-term but would be contacted as needed. Please call Anne Reeser (217) 369-1764, if you would be willing to be let us add your name to this list.
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SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE NEWS
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UUCUC Shared Offering.
Each month a selected organization is chosen to receive half of our weekly Sunday plate collections, designated checks written to UUCUC with organization's name written in the memo line, cash envelopes collected within the specified month designated for "shared offering" and on-line donations through our
give webpage
.
For the month of September we are supporting
GCAP
- The Greater Community AIDS Project.
GCAP
serves the needs of those affected with HIV and AIDS in East Central Illinois and educates the public about HIV and AIDS. GCAP offers a variety of programs including: Champaign House-- a 4 bedroom transitional housing facility for people living with HIV who are homeless. In addition we coordinate with the Eastern IL Foodbank to provide food needs for those with HIV; provide emergency assistance grants (over $19,000 last year) through a client's HIV case manager over a 10 county area. We provide education to individuals and group about HIV related issues including prevention, living with HIV and caring for those that are HIV positive. We coordinate with Shelter Plus Care – GCAP is a sub-recipient of the Housing and Urban Development program administered by Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) that helps to place individuals in housing while receiving intensive support services. There have been over 1100 visits to the Foodbank this past year. Champaign house has had 7 individuals and their families move in and 5 move on to a more permanent housing situation. Mike Benner is the Executive Director. GCAP formed as a grass-roots effort in 1985 as the Gay Community AIDS Project, but changed it's name a few years later as it became clear that HIV could infect/affect anyone.
By giving generously to GCAP, your dollars will help support neighbors in our own community.
To read more about GCAP, click
here or visit their
website.
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Join our church in our public commitment to LGBTQ persons and issues.
Come walk with us in the Pride Parade on Saturday, September 15. Wear bright colors, carry a rainbow flag, bring your kids! This is a fun, family friendly event. We will meet in the staging area (usually in the parking lot behind the News Gazette building in downtown Champaign) around 4:30 pm. The parade starts at 5pm. The parade route is only about a 1/2 mile walk and the crowds are friendly and supportive! Be part of the parade, not just an observer! Contact Jim Hannum (
jwhannum@gmail.com
) if you have questions.
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Mark your calendars to learn about getting big money out of politics!
When:
Monday, September 24th 7-9PM
Where:
UUCUC Fellowship Hall
Child care & refreshments to be provided
. Please RSVP (see below) if you will need child care.
Move to Amend, the national campaign to end Corporate Personhood and get big money out of politics, in collaboration with the Social Action Committee, invites you to a community presentation on the topic of challenging corporate rule and creating authentic democracy.
Greg Coleridge, the Outreach Director of Move to Amend, will give a historical overview of how 132 years of Supreme Court rulings have bestowed corporations with constitutional rights. He will then address how we can mobilize locally to overturn this trend and pass a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to end corporate personhood. Community members will present in conjunction with Greg on the intersection of corporate rule and the local issues they work to overcome. This will be followed by a facilitated discussion and Q&A.
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CROP Walk 2018 is Coming!
This photo from Darfur illustrates some of the people on the other side of the world who have to walk about six miles every day to get the water they need. When you participate in a CROP Walk you are reminded of what this actually means, and it is hard to imagine doing it on a daily basis.
The C-U CROP Hunger Walk this year will be held at 2 pm on Sunday, October 14. CROP stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty. The walk will be a six-mile loop, starting and ending at Faith United Methodist Church, 1719 S. Prospect, Champaign. Our church will have a team of walkers in this interfaith event, collecting donations to alleviate hunger and poverty.
Please consider joining the team of UU Walkers! You can sign up at the Social Action table or online at
www.crophungerwalk.org/champaignil
. You can make a donation to support this great cause in person, or at the above mentioned website.
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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.
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Upcoming Publications - Mark Your Calendars!
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Next eNews: September 13
Last day for content: Wednesday,
September 12 by Noon the latest.
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Fall Uniter: September 9th
No longer accepting content for the Fall Uniter
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Don't forget to publize your meeting/event!
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UUCUC Contact Information
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Regular Office Hours
Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
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Church Office
(217) 384-8862
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Rev. Florence Caplow
Minister
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Sherry Bohlen
Membership Coordinator
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Michele Townsend Grove
Interim Director of Religious Education
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Shornor Vineyard
Custodian and Building Caretaker
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Matt Sheppard
Music Director
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Matthew Gladden
Accompanist
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Rosalyn Maziarka
Office Administrator
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Mary Foltz
Childcare Coordinator
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Kate Barton
Events Coordinator
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Stephanie Cobb
Sunday Kitchen Helper
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