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UPCOMING SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES
10:15 AM in Sanctuary
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December 9, 2018
“You Can Do It!”
UUCUC Worship Committee
Patch Adams is a doctor, clown, activist, visionary, and a member of our community. In this service Patch will talk about his work, the Gesundheit Institute, his concepts of “health care” and “hospital”, and his vision of the world as it should be.
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December 16, 2018
“The Gifts of the Journey”
UUCUC Pageant, led by Michele Grove
Sophia Lyons Fahs said, "Every night a child is born is a holy night." We will celebrate this truth in our all ages holiday pageant called The Gifts of the Journey. The story will unfold as the participants travel to find a newborn baby and bring gifts to honor the holy event. This all ages worship experience gives everyone the opportunity to experience the holiday season and while providing children with the opportunity to participate in a way that is special to this time of year.
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UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
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Do you play an instrument?
Newer members might not be aware that there is a UU Horn Band that plays periodically for Coffeehouses and for select services- such as Christmas Eve.
We have a rehearsal for the 24th service, coming up on
Friday the 7th at 5:30 pm
. Even if you've not played your instrument for awhile, dig it out and give it a go! We only rehearse when we have an upcoming gig so the time commitment is low. We could especially use drummers. If you're interested, contact Jerry Carden at
jcarden@illinois.edu
.
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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, December 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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Meeting of Racial Justice Project Sunday December 9, Noon - 1:30 pm in Children's Chapel.
There will be a Report from the Champaign County Racial Justice Task Force; guests providing the report will be Co-Chair Sara Balgoyen and task force members Amy Felty and Esther Patt. Light lunch will be provided. All are welcome.
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A Free Winter Recital!
You are invited to join us in the sanctuary for our second winter recital. Matthew Gladden and a couple of his talented friends will present music selections from Liszt, Brahms, Czerny and more.
When: Sunday, December 9, 2018 at 7:00 pm, at UUCUC
Come hear Matthew along with Sam Gingher – pianist and Dasom Nam – clarinetist. A reception will follow the performance. Questions? Email
thodg01s@gmail.com
.
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Mark your calendars!
Hear Rev. Florence's
REPORT FROM THE BORDER
on Thursday, December 13 at 5:30 pm, UUCUC Fellowship Hall.
Rev. Florence will join a "Clergy Witness" on the border on December 10 and will return to share a report to our UUCUC community on December 13. Join in the conversation about how UUCUC can mobilize to support our brothers and sisters from the caravan. What might "sponsorship" look like? How else might we provide support? Come help us to vision and plan!
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Join us on Thursday December 20th at Fiesta Cafe for the UU Happy Hour.
The UU Happy Hour is on the third Thursday this month due to Christmas. The Fiesta Cafe is location at 216 S 1st Street, Champaign. Come anytime between 5:00 and 7:00 pm to get together, chat & relax. For more information about the Happy Hour Group contact Russ Rybicki at
russadr@fastmail.fm
.
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From our minister:
I will be in New Mexico on a 7-day silent Zen retreat from December 1st to December 8th, commemorating Buddha's Enlightenment Day on December 8th. During that time I will not be reading emails or answering calls. On Monday the 10th (International Human Rights Day), I will be participating in a Clergy Witness on the San Diego/Tijuana border, organized by the American Friends Service Committee.
I will return to Urbana on December 11th. If you have a pastoral care concern during this time, please contact the office. There will be members of Care Core and other ministers on call. Take care, be well, and enjoy this wintry time.
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Your church officers now have specific church emails for communicating church business.
To help in communication efficiency it would be helpful if these emails were used to let us know about issues or to send church business reports or info. As many of you experience we each get a tremendous amount of email and if we need to go looking for specific emails it can delay our responses to you.
These will be easy to remember once you become accustomed because they will remain with the position year to year. Thanks so much for everyone’s help with this. We would still love to have other emails to go to our emails that appear in the directory.
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There is still time to order a poinsettia or two in honor of a loved one.
We will use them to decorate our Sanctuary windows and will be available to pick up after the Christmas break. The cost is $25 each, please contact the office to reserve today.
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Publications Deadlines for the Holidays! Please plan your announcement submissions accordingly. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the church office.
The church office will be closed Tuesday, December 25th through Friday, December 28th. There will be no eNews on Thursday, December 27th. The Order of Service for December 30th will be collaborated and printed the week before Christmas.
Announcement submissions for eNews December 20th, Orders of Service December 23rd and 30th are due no later than noon on Wednesday, December 19th. Please note in your subject line which publications (can be both) and which date you would like your announcement to be included. If you would like more details regarding publications, please
read our policy
for more details.Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
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Save on Taxes and Pay Your Annual Pledge!
For those over 70 ½, did you know that you can pay your church pledge directly from your IRA/403b accounts with a check sent from your account custodian to the UU Church? It is called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), persons over 70 ½ may gift up to a total of $100,000 each year to qualified charities from tax-deferred IRAs. You pay no income tax on the IRA withdrawal gift and the gift counts toward meeting your minimum required distribution (RMD) amount. Doing a QCD from your IRA can be especially beneficial for folks who will no longer itemize due to increased standard deduction amounts in 2018. Most account custodians/plan administrators have a simple form to request that a QCD gift check be mailed directly to the church from your IRA/403b account.
Note: withdrawing the funds yourself and giving to the church does not qualify as a QCD. Consult your tax advisor to determine if this QCD gifting strategy can save you income taxes.
Please inform
Amy Robison
, Financial Secretary, when you request a QCD distribution check so she can properly credit it to your pledge or other fund when it arrives. Submitted by
Karen Folk
– if you have questions, ask me about it!
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Calling All Christmas Eve Helpers.
If you will be attending either of the Christmas Eve services (5:00 pm & 7:00 pm) this year, we could use your help.
Everyone
is invited to bring a plate of cookies or bars for our collective hospitality after each service. Bring your plate to the kitchen & remember to bring it home at the end of the evening.
Three ushers and three welcomers
are needed for the 5:00 pm service.
Three welcomers
are needed for the 7:00 pm service.
Two to four individuals
are needed to help clear off the hospitality tables
after each service
. If you can help with any of these tasks, contact Peggy Patten at
mspeggypatten@gmail.com
.
Thank you!
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Pathway to Membership Class
Sunday, January 13, 2019
Noon to 3 pm
UUCUC Children’s Chapel
Learn about UUCUC governance, activities, opportunities and social action mission. Learn about benefits & responsibilities of membership. Meet others interested in UUCUC membership. At the end of the class, you'll have an opportunity to "sign the book" and become a member of our church community and a vested partner. Childcare & lunch provided.
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Our tenant, ECIRMAC, is outgrowning their space and is looking for a new location to provide services to their ever expanding client base.
In our efforts to continue being supportive of their mission to provide services essential to refugee and immigrant resettlement in East Central Illinois, we are providing their “wish list” for a new ideal space. If you think you might be aware of a space which could meet ECIRMAC’s criteria please contact their Director, Lisa Wilson at (217) 344-8455 or
admin@ecirmac.org
Description of Ideal Property for ECIRMAC
- 750-1,000 sq. ft. office space, including a small conference room that could potentially be used as a computer lab to teach clients computer skills
- 500-1,000 sq. ft. of storage space
- Must be on an MTD bus line. Free parking also very important
- Restrooms, secure entry, kitchenette with access to water and refrigerator at a minimum
- Phone / Internet ready
- Outdoor signage to identify our office
- Rent $1,000 per month or less
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE) NEWS
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Gum Containers Needed:
Have you had a craving for gum? This is a great time to satisfy this craving because Michele Grove needs gum containers like the ones pictured. On December 23
rd
, the children will make something special in Children’s Chapel. Please collect and turn into the church office or the Religious Education Welcome Table. She needs them by December 16, 2018.
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Gifts of the Journey: A Winter Pageant
Sophia Lyons Fah’s said, “Every night a child is born is a holy night.” This year’s winter pageant which is held during worship on Sunday, December 16
th
is a worshipful way to celebrate this idea. All children and youth are invited to participate. If they come early, there will be guides and costumes in the Children’s Chapel. Have everyone come downstairs and select a costume to wear for the service. For the majority of participants, the only rehearsal you need is to show up and follow the main leader.
Those with speaking parts will have the following opportunities to rehearse.
Sunday, December 9
th
(following worship) 11:30 to 12:30. Emily McKown will meet all who are available to run through the pageant and practice speaking parts.
Sunday, December 16
th
:
Full Dress rehearsal at 9:00 AM.
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Guest at Your Table:
Every year, the Unitarian Universalist College of Social Justice promotes the
Guest At Your Table Program
. This is an education and fundraising program supporting Unitarian Universalist social justice and outreach programs all over our world. There is an effort to strategize how this program is structured at UUCUC to be sure it provides the education and promotion it deserves. We will be sure to roll it out with great fanfare in 2019.
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Joys and Sorrows
Lane Schwartz - Joy for my time in Gambell, Alaska, and for my safe (but delayed) journey home after an earthquake in Anchorage and fog in Champaign.
Michelle & Cameron Pitcel - We (finally) officially received our family foster license! We hope this leads to an adoption opportunity.
Jerry Carden & Tim Temple - In observance of World AIDS Day, we remember dear friends we lost in the late 80's & 90's: Jimmy Walters, Stephen Gallagher, Edward Winslaw, Howard Wechsler & Merril Eskew.
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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 designated for "Shared Offering" within the specified month and on-line donations through our
give webpage
.
During December, we support our Partner Churches with our Shared Offering
.
The mission and objectives of the Partner Church Committee are to develop long term, mutually supportive relationships with our fellow UUs in Transylvania, Romania, and in the Khasi Hills in North East India.
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New Social Action/Recovery Support Group Starting.
The Social Action Committee is sponsoring a non-AA, science-based addiction recovery group that will be meeting on Wednesdays from 6 - 7:30 pm in Classroom #1. This group is facilitated by UUCUC member Phillip Eichelberger, and is open to people both within and outside our church. To learn more about Smart Recovery:
https://www.smartrecovery.org/
.
Questions? Contact Phillip at
pweichelberger@gmail.com
.
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Continuing a Tradition of Generosity
Our church has enjoyed giving generously to the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen backpack project since it began several years ago. The soup kitchen celebrates the holidays by giving filled backpacks to the men and women who are guests at lunch. These packs are much appreciated, since they are often the only gifts they receive during the holidays.
Backpacks should be stuffed with hats, gloves, scarves, socks, thermal underwear, sweatshirts or pants, and toiletries such as deodorant, hand lotion for hands chapped by the cold, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, and shaving cream. Other appreciated items include hand warmers, cough drops, books, decks of cards, small fleece blankets, candy, gum, food items. We are asking that backpacks and included items be new. All backpacks should be labelled with the gender and size of recipient (from S to XXXL).
We will collect backpacks at the church on December 9. When dropping off a pack, please sign your name to the list at the Social Action table so that your gift can be acknowledged. Tax forms will also be available.
Backpacks will be given away at the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen on Friday, December 14 beginning at 10:00 am. If you have questions about this project contact Sandy Hannum at
smhannum@gmail.com.
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The UP Center is also collecting items for backpacks for local homeless youth that fall through the cracks of the current homeless shelter system.
40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ, usually because they have been thrown out by their family. Look for a flier at the Social Action Table, and a list of specific items for each backpack. Contact
Jerry Carden
if you have any questions. Date to have the backpacks ready for pickup is Dec. 17th or before.
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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, December 6
Care Core Worship Service Meeting / 2:00 pm / Library
(Rental: Many Paths, an Agnostic AA) 6:00 pm / Classroom #1
Vision Team Meeting / 7:00 pm / Children's Chapel
Friday, December 7
Stewardship Committee Meeting / Noon / Library
Saturday, December 8
Property Advisory Group / 9:30 am / Library
Loss of Life Partner Group / 11:30 am / Library
Coming of Age Movie Event / 3:00 pm / Children's Chapel & YRUU Classroom
(Rental: Many Paths: an Agnostic AA Group) / 4:30 pm / Classroom #1
Sunday, December 9
Adult Discussion Group / 9:00 am / Library
Choir Rehearsal / 9:00 am / Sanctuary
Mindfulness Meditation Group / 9:00 am / Library
Children’s Choir Practice / 9:15 am / Classroom #1
Worship Service / 10:15 am / Sanctuary
Visitor’s Welcome Room / 11:30 am / Library
Young Adult Group / 11:30 am / Table in Fellowship Hall
Pageant Rehearsal / 11:30 am / Sanctuary
Team C Kickoff / 11:45 am / Classroom #1
Writing Project Workshop / Noon / OWL Classroom
Racial Justice Project Meeting / Noon / Children's Chapel
Recital Rehearsal / 1:00 pm / Sanctuary
Winter Recital / 7:00 pm / Sanctuary
Monday, December 10
Bridge Group / 1:00 pm / Children’s Chapel
Tuesday, December 11
(Rental: DSC Playgroup) / 8:30 am / Classroom #3
IREAG Meeting / 5:00 pm / Children's Chapel
Worship Committee Meeting / 5:30 pm / Library
BOT Business Meeting / 7:00 pm / Classroom #1
Wednesday, December 12
Last day for content for OOS & eNews by noon to pubs@uucuc.org.
Safety & Security Meeting / Noon / Library
(Smart Recovery) / 6:00 pm / Classroom #1
CrUUners Rehearsal / 6:00 pm / Sanctuary
Adult Choir Rehearsal / 7:00 pm / Sanctuary
Thursday, December 13
Care Core Meeting / 11:00 am / Library
Report from the Border Meeting / 5:30 pm / Fellowship Hall
(Many Paths: An Agnostic AA Group) / 6:00 pm / Rm #1
Racial Justice Project Meeting / 6:30 pm / Library
Friday, December 14
Stewardship Committee Meeting / Noon / Library
Saturday, December 15
(Many Paths: an Agnostic AA Group) / 4:30 pm / Classroom #1
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Upcoming Publications - Mark Your Calendars!
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Next eNews: December 13
Last day for content: Wednesday, December 12 by noon the latest.
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IMPORTANT!! Send your submittals to
pubs@uucuc.org
- Do
not
send to admin@uucuc.org.
Don't forget to publize your meeting/event!
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UUCUC Contact Information
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Regular Church 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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Emily McKown
Youth Coordinator
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Matt Sheppard
Music Director
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Shornor Vineyard
Custodian and Building Caretaker
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Rosalyn Maziarka
Office Administrator
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Matthew Gladden
Accompanist
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Kate Barton
Events Coordinator
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Stephanie Cobb
Sunday Kitchen Helper
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Kelsey Libert
Childcare Coordinator
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