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UPCOMING SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES
10:15 AM in Sanctuary
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Sunday, September 23, 2018
"A Wider Vision: Celebrating the Transcendentalists"
Rev. Florence Caplow
The Transcendentalists, a loose-knit group of writers, intellectuals, speakers, Unitarian ministers, and reformers in 19th century New England, are among our spiritual ancestors as Unitarian Universalists. They included Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, Elizabeth Peabody, Nathaniel Hawthorn, and others. This small group profoundly changed America and American values. September 19th is the 182nd anniversary of the first meeting of the Transcendentalist Club. Our theme this month is "Vision", and we will celebrate the transformative vision of the Transcendentalists. The UUCUC choir will be singing music from Transcendentalist composer Charles Ives. CrUUners and Children's Choir will be signing, too. Children and youth will begin in service before going to their classes.
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Sunday, September 30, 2018
"The Breezes at Dawn Have Secrets to Tell You"
Rev. Florence Caplow
Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī was a 13th century Persian Sunni Muslim poet, Islamic scholar, and Sufi mystic, born September 30, 1207. His ecstatic poetry has been popularized by Western translators, and in that form has made its way into many of our UU hymns, readings, and sermons. In fact, some people say that our UU scriptures are the poetry of Mary Oliver and Rumi! In keeping of our September theme of Vision, and in honor of Rumi's birthday, we will be read his poetry and ask "Who was Rumi? What was his mystical vision? Has something of his spirit and faith been lost in translation? In this time of anti-Muslim feeling, what does it mean that we can so easily forget that Rumi was a poet writing from within the Muslim faith?"
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Soul Matters - September - Vision!
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Fall Equinox - First Day of Fall - September 22
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UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
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Wake Joy Class! Starting TODAY for six weeks on Thursdays, until
October 25, from 4:30 - 6:00 pm, at 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 this 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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This Monday: Learn about getting big money out of politics from Move to Amend!
When:
Monday, September 24th 7-9PM
Where:
UUCUC Fellowship Hall
Child care & refreshments to be provided
. Please RSVP (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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Our new Audio Everywhere Listening System is ready to use!
With this system anywhere you connect to the churches WiFi, you will be able to hear the service. This provides access to the service whether you would like assistance hearing from your own seat in the sanctuary, while sitting at a picnic table, or while in another room at church.
To access the system you will need a smart device (phone/tablet), headphones/earbuds, and the churches WiFi. We have headphones/earbuds available for those who don’t have their own and we are working to obtain smart devices for people to borrow if needed. More specific literature is available from the usher and they can point you to people to assist if needed.
- Download the free Audio Everywhere App
- Connect to the churches WiFi
- Open the Audio Everywhere App
- Select: Scan for Venue
- Click on the church link and play!
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The Evites have been sent! Check your inbox for the electronic invitation to the “Celebration of Shared Ministry” ceremony between Rev. Caplow and UUCUC
. The big event is scheduled for Saturday, November 10, at 11am, with a reception following. We encourage you to RSVP as soon as possible.
If you have difficulty managing the electronic invitation, please contact Jim Hannum (
jwhannum@gmail.com
) or RSVP on a paper form at the Hub table in Fellowship Hall. Non-members and friends are also welcome to sign up to attend at the Hub table.
Each member and friend of the church will receive an electronic invitation, so don’t reply that you are bringing a “guest” if he/she is also RSVP’ing from a separate invitation. We don’t want to double count people! We expect a large group, so appreciate hearing from you as soon as possible to aid us in planning.
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The Adult Discussion group will meet at a new time on Sundays.
We are moving to 9:00 am in the library. Topics range far and wide. It is usually an open forum but we can pre-set topics too. We are always looking for people to share their perspectives but you are also welcome to just come and listen.
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Join us at the UU Happy Hour Sept. 27th at The Ice House Bar in Champaign.
Come anytime between 5:00 and 7:00 pm to get together, chat, and relax. The Ice House is located at 703 N Prospect Ave, Champaign (the little bar by the railroad tracks). For more information about the Happy Hour Group contact Russ Rybicki at
russadr@fastmail.fm
.
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UU Voices Reading Group, led by Rev. Florence Caplow
Many Unitarian Universalists also maintain a relationship with other theological and philosophical understandings: Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Paganism, Humanism, or (fill in the blank!) Skinner House books has published a series of short books with personal, heartfelt essays by UUs who feel that they are, in one way or another, "trans-religious". This reading and discussion group will meet once each month on Sunday after church, and will begin with reading
Christian Voices in Unitarian Universalism (available in paperback or as an e-book). If you are interested, please email Rev. Caplow at
minister@uucuc.org for more information. Some loaner books will be available. First session will be October 14 at noon.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE) NEWS
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Sunday morning religious education classes are going well!
If you have not done so, please take some time to register your children. We ask that your register every year, so we are sure we have the most up to date information. The online registration is quick and easy! We also have registration forms available at the Religious education welcome table located in the basement foyer on Sunday mornings. Link to online registration:
https://uucuc.breezechms.com/form/0aadff
Our Interim Director of Religious Education, Michele Grove is available to answer questions and have a conversation about your participation, feel free to call or email
RE-director@uucuc.org
(217) 384-8862.
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This Sunday, September 23rd, the children and youth will begin in worship and then go to class.
Parents are welcome to take their children to class and return to the service once they are settled.
Here are the meeting spaces for Sunday morning religious education:
- Nursery care for children ages 0-5 meets in Room 3.
- Pre-Kindergarten class for ages 3-4 meets in Room 4.
- Kindergarten-1st grade meets in Room 2.
- 2nd-3rd grade meets in Room 1.
- 4th-5th grade meets in the children’s chapel
- MAGS (Middle Age Group 6th-8th grade) meets in the MAG room next to the children’s chapel.
- Coming of Age (7th-8th grade) meets in the Library
- YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists 9th-12th grade) meets in the YRUU room.
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Coming of Age Parent and Youth Orientation is coming on Sunday, September 30th
following worship with lunch served to all participants. It will begin at 11:45 and end (no later than) 2:00 PM. This is the opportunity for youth and parents to commit to this amazing year-long experience and prepare for the exciting adventures which await!
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The "2018 Out of the Darkness Walk" to raise awareness and help fight suicide
will take place on this 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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MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE NEWS
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Fall Pathway to Membership Class Sign-Up Now Open!
Everyone interested in learning more about membership in our church community is welcome.
Sunday, October 7 Noon – 3:30 pm. Lunch Provided. Childcare Provided.
CLICK HERE
to sign up!
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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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Everyone Can Be Involved in CROP Walk
CU CROP Hunger Walk 2018 is an economic justice program in which all of us can get involved. It is a great family activity. There are two walking routes, a long and a short. Even people pushing strollers have been known to participate!
If you want to help with CROP Walk, but not the walking part, you can volunteer to be a crossing guard! Guards are needed at two different spots in Champaign. Let
Sandy Hannum
know if you are interested. Remember that we are raising money to fight hunger and poverty, locally and internationally. The walk will take place at 2pm on Sunday, October 14. See details at:
www.crophungerwalk.org/champaignil
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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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Thursday, September 20
(Rental: ECIRMAC Event) / 3:00 pm / Children's Chapel
Membership Committee Meeting / 5:30 pm / Fellowship Hall
(Rental: Many Paths: an Agnostic AA) / 6:00 pm / Classroom #1
Reflective Writing Circle / 7:00 pm / Library
Saturday, September 22
Loss of Life Partner Covenant Group / 11:30 am / Library
(Rental: Many Paths: an Agnostic AA) / 4:30 pm / Classroom #1
Sunday, September 23
Adult Discussion Group / 9:00 am / Library
Mindful Meditation Group / 9:20 am / YRUU Classroom
Worship Service / 10:15 am / Fellowship Hall
Religious Education Classes / 10:15 am / See RE specific class list
Young Adult Group / 11:30 am / Table in Fellowship Hall
Visitor's Welcome Room / 11:30 am / Library
"3 Steps to Start Writing Your Story" Workshop / 11:45 am / Children's Chapel
Soul Matters Covenant Groups / 1:30 pm / Various areas in the church
Monday, September 24
Bridge Group / 1:00 pm / Children's Chapel
Tuesday, September 25
(Rental: DSC Playgroup) / 8:30 am / Nursery
RE & Hospitality Meeting / 12:30 pm / Library
Board of Trustees Study Session / 7:00 pm
Wednesday, September 26
Last day for content for eNews & Order of Service at noon.
Staff Meeting / 1:00 pm / Library
CrUUners Rehearsal / 6:00 pm / Sanctuary
Choir Rehearsal / 7:00 pm / Sanctuary
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Upcoming Publications - Mark Your Calendars!
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Next eNews: September 27
Last day for content: Wednesday,
September 26 by Noon the latest.
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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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