COVID-19 – Updates from the Rev. Florence Caplow and Resources 

or contact the Pastoral Care Team for support at PastoralCare@uucuc.org

Join us IN PERSON for our ingathering water celebration at the Large Pavilion at Crystal Lake Park, 10:15 am August 29th. Wear your mask, and bring a small container of water to represent your sacred places and separate journeys over this past year.

You are invited to bring your own blanket or lawn chair to facilitate greater social distancing, and though we aren't having an official church picnic, you may choose to bring food and enjoy a picnic with your own pod after the service. Dress for the weather, including protecting against sunburn and bug bites.

ALL AGES are welcome - this service is a chance to gather in person, meditate, celebrate, hum along to some familiar hymns, and share the stories that keep us all together.

For those who are not able to gather in person, the service will be recorded and will "premiere" on our YouTube page at 3pm Sunday afternoon. 

In case of extreme weather, increase in COVID cases to the “Severe” level on Covid Act Now, or emergency rules from the City of Urbana, we will move this service online to Zoom. If that should happen, we will make an announcement on our church FaceBook page no later than 9am on Sunday, and you can use this link to join us online:

Please send your joys or sorrows to joysandsorrows@uucuc.org any time before the Joys and Sorrows portion of the service. They will be read aloud..

Your contributions and support allow us to continue to respond with love and resources to the needs in our congregation and the wider community. We couldn’t do it without your support and we are grateful to each of you.

If you have missed any of the previous live streamed services, you can view them at our past streamed services page. You can also view previous live streamed services on our YouTube channel.

Sunday, September 5 at 10:15 a.m. via Live-stream

Labor Day is celebrated this week in honor of the US labor movement, which brought us the 8 hour workday, the weekend, workplace safety standards, and more. Join us this Sunday, led by Rev. Sally, to reflect on that legacy, learn from the wisdom of “Nap Ministry,” and challenge modern notions of “grind culture” and the supposed importance of efficiency. Together we will rest, rebel, and regather the strength we need to live into a purpose beyond productivity.

Bookmark our UUCUC Events and UUCUC Calendar webpage for future reference.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28: NATURE POETRY WORKSHOP WITH REV. FLORENCE CAPLOW

An outdoor COVID-safe workshop taught by Rev. Florence, exploring the poetry of nature through sharing favorites, experiencing nature directly, and writing exercises. No experience necessary! Read more...

SUNDAY, AUGUST 29: MINDFULNESS PRACTICE

In these uncertain times, it is more important than ever to continue the practices that support our well-being and strengthen our community. With this in mind, the Sunday morning mindfulness group has moved online to Zoom.

UUCUC is currently hiring for multiple part-time positions, including an Office Assistant, an REE Assistant, and an A/V Technician. If you know of anyone who may be interested, please refer them to our employment page for detailed information about each position and instructions on how to apply.

We have had quite a few people respond to our (voluntary) vaccine registry. If you have not yet filled it out and want to, please go to this link. This will be helpful data for UUCUC's COVID-19 Advisory Group to review as they continue to discuss plans for reopening once the risk level for COVID-19 decreases. Your information is kept confidential amongst need-to-know staff members.

JOYS AND SORROWS sent to joysandsorrows@uucuc.org for last Sunday, August 22, 2021.

From Christine Cahill: Husband Michael and I got to spend last weekend with our first grandchild, Jack, and his family in Denver last weekend, celebrating his 1st birthday.

From Becky Densmore: Feeling deep gratitude and joy for the work of our ministerial team, worship committee, and all others supporting our church so that we can remain in community with each other as we deepen our beloved community of communities. Leading and leaning into love we can and will move past our present moment toward a future filled with equity and access for all. Our spiritual team has been such an inspiration to help keep this vision alive and I am filled with heartfelt gratitude for their efforts.

From Jim Hannum: My younger cousin, Dan, is acutely ill with covid, and is now hospitalized and intubated. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts.

From Ellen Jacobsen: Awaiting the birth of a new baby granddaughter. A glorious event. Great sorrow at the tragedy of Afghanistan and what it may mean to all our futures. And, we will miss you so much Florence and will send lots of love every day. It will get better!!!

From M. H. McEnroe: There are so many sorrows that are threatening to pull me under, and so many joys that are barely keeping me afloat, that I can't even begin to express them. I hope in moments when we feel buoyed up, we can reach out to our loved ones and be that buoy, even for a moment.

From Emily Miller: I was cleared last Monday to return to work at the plasma donation center I work at (with reduced hours, though still FT benefits!) after about 10 weeks of (unfortunately so far unpaid) short term disability for anxiety, among other associated issues such as an eating disorder/trauma/addiction... The nurses, doctors, teachers, social workers, mothers, fathers, friends, and family who’ve seen me struggle and never given up are the heroes this time and I’m so grateful to gracefully receive their help now. Finally seeing some security and stability after a very challenging 2020-2021, personally and professionally. Thanks for having me in this continuously welcoming and inclusive congregation!

From the Pitcel Family: Joy for our Family from Michigan visiting for the weekend.

From Kathleen Robbins: A Presidential Assassination, two tropical storms and an earth quake and yet they persist! Yeah for the Haitian people!

From Kathy Robinson: Such a joy to see the beautiful roadside wildflowers gathered on the podium. Kathy Robinson

From Umeeta Sadarangani: Joy and gratitude for this uplifting service! It is already inspiring me as I return to the classroom tomorrow after 17 months. I will use Rose’s grounding exercise with my Parkland students this semester. Let us keep school teachers and students, especially unvaccinated children, in our hearts. May we all protect them as we can. and, deep sorrow and concern for the people of Afghanistan in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal. I hope the U.S. and the rest of the world will not abandon them.

From Beth Renee Stafford: Brother of Beth Stafford is now in assisted living in Florida. I’m grateful he’s getting care.

From Virginia Strohecker: Joy & gratitude for 68 of my family who gathered to celebrate my 90th birthday.

Please send your joys or sorrows to joysandsorrows@uucuc.organy time before the Joys and Sorrows portion of the service. They will be read aloud.

UUCUC Social Action Offering. Each month a selected organization is chosen to receive offerings from our congregation. You may donate to the social action offering for the month in one of the following ways:

During the month of August 2021, we will support Partner for People & Place, which is a non-profit whose purpose is to reduce rural poverty in Haiti through sustainable economic development, forestry and farming.  It is governed by an unpaid Board of Directors, who are active problem-solvers from landscape architecture, city and regional planning, business, natural science, social work, engineering and community service.

JP (Jatrofa Projenou) is their rural development center in Haiti. JP is a community agroforestry/economic development center, located in Terrier Rouge, Haiti. It has a Haitian staff skilled in agriculture, forestry, industrial arts, and small business. It contains a farm, a tree nursery, and a light manufacturing and training facility. Read more

UUCUC member, Kathleen Robbins, shares thoughts about the current plight of a country near and dear to her heart, Haiti. To make a donation that will contribute towards rebuilding Haiti and saving lives, please consider giving to the following organizations:

Dates are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, visit our UUCUC Calendar page.

As of March 2020, the UUCUC building closed as a preventative measure to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus in our community. All upcoming scheduled meetings and events at UUCUC listed on the calendar should be considered virtual unless noted otherwise. Please refer to the Building Reopening Framework for more information.

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Read our policy on publications for details.

Please send your submittals to pubs@uucuc.org and not to the admin email.

Closed until further notice

Religious Education Assistant

Choir Director