Friday December 14
7:30pm Choir Rehearsal
Sunday December 16
9:15am Coffee with Questions
9:15am Choir Rehearsal
10:45am Service
12:00pm First Notes
12:15pm RE Committee
12:20pm Mindfulness
6:30pm Chalice Circle
Tuesday December 18
7:00pm DRE Search Team
Wednesday December 19
7:00pm Board Meeting
7:30pm Odyssey
Thursday December 20
1:30pm Mindfulness
7:00pm McHenry County Pride
Friday December 21
7:30pm Choir Rehearsal
All Committee Meetings are open and you are welcome to attend.
Our Board Members:
Carrie MacDonald - President
president@treeoflifeuu.o
rg
Pat Costigan - Trustee
Rebecca Heisler- Trustee
Patrick Kerin- Trustee
Office Hours:
Monday 10-2
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday 10-2
Thursday 10-2
Friday 10-2
Others by appointment
Click
here for Website Calendar Link
Click Here to see the latest Board Minutes
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Feel free to forward this newsletter to interested family and friends using the Forward to a Friend button on the left hand side of this newsletter.
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A Season of Lights
Sunday, December 16, 2018 10:45am
Religious Education
Our students have been learning about many Festivals of Lights from around the world. Please join us on December 16th as they showcase their knowledge and bring to you: Season of Lights
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 Holiday Choir Concert Sunday, December 23 10:45am
Tree of life's beloved holiday concert is fast approaching! Mark your calendars now! The concert will take place on December 23rd beginning at our regular service time of 10:45 am and will feature the wonderful TOL Choir and our beloved First Notes, as well as guest instrumentalists and soloists. The concert will be as diverse as it is delightful and is sure to be a holiday treat to be remembered. Be sure to be there and bring a friend or five!
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 The Mystery of Hope Monday, December 24, 2018 7:00pm
Come celebrate Christmas Eve at Tree of Life with stories and hymns from the season
. A beautiful service that ends by candlelight in the dark.
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Women's Book Club
The ToL Women's Group will be reading
The Orchardist by
Amanda Coplin. We will be meeting to discuss it December 28th, at 7pm at the home of Paula Yensen.
971 Brittany Bend, Lake in the Hills.
All are welcome to join us, we'd love to have you!
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Young Adult Group January 6th
Let's talk about what Possibilities the New Year holds for us. Join us at 6pm to kick off the New Year! For more information, contact Leah Tanabe 815-715-2664
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The Tree of Life UUC Open Mic is back! 
The music committee invites you to an evening of music and spoken word on Saturday, January 12, from 7-10. Coffee, tea, and soft drinks will be served, and you are encouraged to bring friends. If you would like to perform, sign up by January 1st at rubatotime@aol.com. We are looking for singers, instrumental musicians, poets and storytellers with acts up to 10 minutes. There are limited time slots available-get yours soon! If you have questions, email Jane Richards at rubatotime@aol.com.
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Nursery Care is available
in the RE basement during Worship Services for children birth-4.
Step out Area:
(Clock Room) We invite children of all ages to use our Quiet Work Area under the supervision of their families during worship services. You will find it tucked away outside the sanctuary in the Clock Room.
Volunteers needed for the 2018-19 school year!
Thank you to everyone who has stepped forward to share their time! We continue to have need of classroom teachers and assistants for all classes 4-12th starting in January. Please email or call Heather Madaus for more information.
Joyful Journey Class registration:
Announcing the formation of our 2019 Joyful Journey class for 2-4th graders! This beloved program launches our young students on their journeys of faith formation. Parents of 2-4th graders should have received an email invitation with information about schedule and registration. For more question, please contact Janet Burns at
janetrugi@yahoo.com
.
Upcoming dates:
December 16
: it's Winter Pageant time! Come see what we've been working on!
December 23-January 6: No RE, enjoy the Winter break!
January 13th: Classes resume
January 13, 6pm: Parents of Teens Group
The activity group for LGBTQ teens will NOT meet this month due to the holidays! But mark your calendars, it will resume in January on the 4th Wednesday of the month, 7-9pm, in the downstairs youth room. The time of the meeting coincides with the meeting of McHenry PTI (Parents of Transgender Individuals). PTI will also resume in January.
Have questions? Are you jumping up and down to volunteer for something, but don't know where to turn? I'm available by appointment at pretty much any coffee shop, anywhere! Please email
DRE@treeoflifeuu.org
or call 815-509-7862. Let's talk!
Giving Tree 
The RE students voted to dedicate our annual Giving Tree to Heifer International.
Heifer International is a global nonprofit working to eradicate poverty and hunger through sustainable, values-based holistic community development. Heifer distributes animals, along with agricultural and values-based training, to families in need around the world as a means of providing self-sufficiency.
Please help us by taking a tag from the tree, filling out the donation form, and returning it with your check in the envelope provided. Envelopes can be returned to the box at the base of the tree.
How are we a Family of Mystery?
How do we incorporate our themes into our busy lives, especially THIS month!?!
- Take a "Mystery Treasure hunt" sheet from the Mystery Board outside the sanctuary.
- Look for "Car Starters" on the Mystery board. Make it your goal to take one every week!
- Work together to come up with answers to the Mystery riddles posted around the church.
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Coffee with Questions
Topic: Is reality what it seems?
P
resenter:Sandra Bartholmey and Bob Coleman
Time: Sunday 12/16//2018 @ 9:15
Location: Fireplace room
Phone: (815) 322-2464
Questions:
1. How many planets are there?
2. Can "empty space" be divided indefinitely?
References:
"The Big Bang Theory", CBS Television, Thursday, 7 PM CST
Carlo Rovelli, "Seven Brief Lessons on Physics" (2014), 978-0-399-18441-3
Ca
rlo Rovelli, "Reality is not What It Seems",(2014), 9780735213937
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From the Office
2019 is almost here. For those that itemize, consider making an end of year payment on your pledge or make a donation to Tree of Life. Your donations allow us to take care of our building and improve our services and classes. Donations can be made by cash, check or
credit card.
2018 Contributions Statements will be sent out by mail in January to all who have contributed tax-deductible support.
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Community Care Committee
Joys and Concerns shared during the service will be printed in the Happenings and Bulletin unless there is a request made to the office or community care committee to withhold.
Paula Yensen's family is grieving the tragic loss of a family member. Paula was snowbound and unable to support her sister in Michigan, so she practiced paying forward the kindnesses expressed to her sister at this sad time.
Patrick Murfin returned to church and thanked the congregation for support and encouragement during his recent illness, hospitalization, and surgery.
Bob Jackson is doing well at McHenry Villa. He appreciates cards, calls, letters, and visits. Please call before visiting.
Stan Liszka is recovering at NW Medicine, McHenry. He may be released before this publication. He would love visitors.
Carol Hamlin Fauré announced her husband and everyone's favorite TOLUUC bartender, Tom's, nine year anniversary cancer-free.
Irene Raven thanked Team Cookie Walk for a very successful fundraiser. She also wished a Happy Birthday to Judy Whitaker and mentioned that Judy does so much for people behind the scenes.
Almost Rev. Kevin is eagerly following the home team - University of Maine's Black Bears - as they hopefully advance to a national title January 5th. This is a first in their 120 football tradition. Bear Down Maine Black Bears!
Judy Mullen is hospitalized in McHenry. Lilly Bailey would love to hear from TOLUUC friends.
Our thoughts are with
Barb and Mary Fleming who grieve the recent loss of Barb's mother.
We hope
Whit Sears is feeling better after a short hospitalization this week.
If you are looking for a ride to church, please contact Pat Costigan, our Transportation Coordinator, who is matching people in need of rides with others who are willing to provide them.
Drivers to and from Sunday services needed! Do you drive through Crystal Lake on your way to services in Sunday? Let Pat Costigan know. We try to keep the commitment to once per month and can be creative! Please email:
caring@treeoflifeuu.org
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The 23 Days of the Cookie Walk
On the 23 days of the Cookie Walk true loves said to me:
I will be your co-chair
I'll be Mrs. Claus
I'll be Cookie Monster
I will get the word out
I'll bake Christmas cookies
I will knit some booties
I will felt some mittens
I will be an elf
I will haul the rummage
I will sort the rummage
I'll display the rummage
I'll clean up the rummage
I will test the lights
I will meet and greet
I'll help people carry
I will stick the signs out
I will weigh the cookies
I will take the money
I will haul the tables
I will help set up
I'll stay and clean up
I will come and shop
And I will throw away that box of musty bows!!!
HUGE thanks to Mary Robinson and Mike Stough Co-Chairs of this event.
Karen Meyer
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Holiday Wishes Concert
Join Carrie MacDonald, Cassandra Vohs-Demann, Ken Johnson, and a few of their friends for a festive concert full of holiday cheer! The seating is limited, so get there early!
When: Saturday, December 15, 8p.m.
Where: Stage Left Cafe, Woodstock Square
How much: $10 suggested donation at the door
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Minister
Judy Stettner
Office Administrator
Heather Madaus
Interim Director of Religious Education
Forrest Ransburg
Director of Music
Carrie MacDonald
Board President
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