Calendar
Friday April 20  7:00pm Women's Circle

Saturday April 21
6:00pm Pledge Dinner

Sunday April 22
Earth Day
9:00am Choir
9:15am Coffee with Questions
10:45am Flower Communion
6:00pm Youth Group

Monday April 23
7:30pm Mindfulness
Symphony Dinner - offsite

Wednesday April 25
7:00pm LGBTQ Youth Group
7:00pm PTI

Thursday April 26
1:30pm Mindfulness
7:00pm McHenry County Pride
5:00pm Men's Group

Friday April 27
7:00pm Chasing Coral Movie

Saturday April 28

11:00am Joyce Fisher Memorial Service

Sunday April 29
Rummage Intake Day

All Committee Meetings are open and you are welcome to attend.

Our Board Members:

Carrie MacDonald - President
president@treeoflifeuu.o
rg
Kaz Kazlusky - Treasurer
kaz.sue@comcast.net
Mike Stough - Secretary
mikestough87@comcast.net
Rebecca Heisler- Trustee
Patrick Kerin- Trustee
Carol Alfus- At Large

Office Hours:
Monday 10-2
Wednesday 10-2
Thursday 10-2  
Friday 10-2
Others by appointment

Music Director Hours: By appointment
music@treeoflifeuu.org  

Click here for Website Calendar Link

 Click Here to see the latest Board Minutes


In This Issue
April 20, 2018
 
Remember to bring a flower on Sunday! 
The Happenings
Flower Communion on Earth Day
Sunday, April 22, 2018,
10:45 am
Religious Education 
 

We invite you and your family to join us for a traditional Unitarian Universalist service, the Flower Communion. We will learn about Norbert Capek who started this celebration of individual beauty and gifts. Please bring flowers to share.

As an Earth Day celebration, the Green Sanctuary committee invites you to assist in raking and cleaning up of the church grounds after the service.   An order for pleasant weather has been put in to Mother Earth.  If you have a favorite rake, please bring it to church.  
A Vision Emerges
Sunday, April 29, 2018,
10:45 am
Voices of Tree of Life 
 

Vision statements can be powerful. What is your vision for your life or the world? How might Tree of Life be a part of accomplishing that vision? We will hear from several voices this morning and invite you to consider the questions for yourself.  
We Are Tree of Life!  diversity
 
We have now received pledges of $118,760! We are looking for $140,000 and your time and talents, though. If you have not returned your pledge card or contacted the office with your pledge, do it now! You can follow the progress on the big thermometer outside the sanctuary doors.  You do not have to be a member to pledge. If you are committed to the success of Tree of Life, we invite you to join in. See Judy Stettner to get a pledge card and have any of your questions answered.   
 
Tomorrow Saturday, April 21 6:30pm (doors open at 6:00pm) dinner catered by 3 Chefs, entertainment by Forrest, Carrie and emcee Kaz. We can't wait to see all of you there.  
 
Bits from the Board

Happy .... Spring? I know we're all sick of this cold and ice and eager to welcome back the warmer weather and sunshine. On that note, given that we're still experiencing SOME of Mother Nature's wrath, please remember that I (usually along with Judy Stettner) will make a decision by 7a.m. on Sunday morning if I feel we need to cancel church. If you have any doubts about whether or not church will be open, check our Facebook page or call the church. If we close, Judy will indicate that on the outgoing voice message.

I hope you're all as excited as I am about the windows going up! We understand and recognize that it's a bit of a hindrance for the immediate time being, but it's so wonderful to see it in person, rather than in sketch form. Worship Arts is planning a celebration service in September to properly celebrate the return of our beloved windows, so stay tuned for more information on that! And, once again, many thanks to Patrick Kerin for his tireless work on this (and several other) building projects.

I'm looking forward to seeing most of you at tomorrow night's Pledge Gala! Our emcee, the one and only Kaz Kazlusky, will lead us through the evening as Forrest tickles the ivories and I belt out a tune or two. We have some good news on the pledging front, but if you haven't turned in your 2018-19 pledge yet, make sure you do that!

Remember that the next listening session with the board is scheduled for May 6th, immediately following the service. I learned just this past Tuesday that I will have to be in Woodstock by 1p.m. that day, so I will have to leave around 12:30, but the other members of the board will remain for a short time after that to finish up.

As always, I'm available via email at president@treeoflifeuu.org to answer questions as best I can.

Carrie MacDonald

 
It's Sunday, Let's Go to Church!
   
We invite all families to join us as we celebrate our Flower Communion, followed by Spring clean up outside! If you have rakes sized for your children, please bring them!

Here's a sneak peek at next week's Sunday School classes:

Spirit Play  (ages pre-K through 3rd grade) will be working with Earth-centered stories. Our butterfly project is underway, come visit our classroom after the service to see how they're EMERGING!

World Religions (4th grade through 8th) Is moving into their study of Earth-centered religions.

Coming Of Age  students are working on a project. Are you ready for the Great Unveiling?

Youth Group (High school) will continue meeting Sunday evenings from 6:00-8:00 as scheduled. We are looking for members who can join Mariela in advising the youth group during these meetings.  If this is something that appeals to you, please contact Janet Burns RE@treeoflifeuu.org

Please note the following change to the RE Calendar: The last day of RE will be May 6th. Please join us in worship on Sunday, May 13th to celebrate Mother's Day together.

An activity group for LGBTQ teens meets 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).
    
Women's Group
April 20 7:00pm

Women's Circle Game Night
Join us for an evening of laughter and rambunctious fun!
Bring a snack and game of your choice to share, beverages and designated drivers are encouraged!
 
Women's Book Club
magic_ribbons_book.jpg
Friday, April 27 7:00pm

Our next gathering will be on Friday April 27th, 2018 at Judy Whitaker's house (8660 Belfield Rd, Crystal Lake). We are reading and discussing a work of historical fiction/romance called The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (2011, Ballantine Books, hardcover is 314 pages). Description: "A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures a remarkable period of time and a love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley." The local libraries have regular print, large print, eBook, and audio book copies available. It retails for around $12 if you want to purchase a copy. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me, Therese Hart, via email (theresehrt@yahoo.com) or in the Women's Circle group on Facebook.
 
The Rummage Sale is Coming!

The Queen declares NO TAGS THIS YEAR!!!
You do not need to put size tags on the clothing you donate. Please still label electronics for their working order.  Start going through through those closets! The Rummage Queen and the annual rummage sale is just around the corner and the more things we have to sell, the more we make.  Signup to help has begun and we need lots more help. We need you to bring your donations on Sunday, April 29th.
Please sign up to help at least one day Rummage Sale week. It takes many hands to pull this off each year.
office@treeoflifeuu.org 
Plan to stay that day to help us set up the church and start organizing all the treasures. We will need help all that week to set up and run the sale. For more information on all things Rummage https://treeoflifeuu.org/2018/04/05/rummage-sale-2018/  
 Social Justice Notes
    
The Social Justice Team would like to invite you to join in an all church read to discuss "Goddess of Anarchy: The life and Times of Lucy Parsons, American Radical" by Jacqueline Jones. A multi ethnic class warrior and Haymarket widow, Lucy was one of the most prominent black women in America in her time.  We will meet right after church service on April 22, 2018 to share our thoughts on this Goddess of Anarchy.  Books can be obtained from your local library . Please contact Sue Rekenthaler at tomatos@mc.net for more information.

Compassion for Campers season is just around the corner.  Please keep your eyes open for the sign up sheet to provide a lunch and our bin for donating supplies.  This is our 7th season of providing fellowship and a meal to our homeless neighbors.  It is truly love in action. We also are looking for one more volunteer to assist Sue Rekenthaler each Monday with set up. Contact Sue Rekenthaler if you can help tomatos@mc.net To sign your group up to provide a lunch contact Judy Mullen jemullen719@gmail.com

Save the dates: We have two great UU Musicians coming to Tree of Life.
Roy Zimmerman (satirical political songs) Friday, May 25th and Jim Scott (songs for the earth and justice) Saturday, June 2nd. Tickets will be $20 or pay what you can.  
 
Tonight 'Chasing Coral': Documentary Vividly Chronicles A Growing Threat To Oceans
Friday April 20, 2018, 7:00pm 
    
Coral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate. A team of divers, photographers and scientists set out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why and to reveal the underwater mystery to the world. To see a review of this movie https://treeoflifeuu.org/2018/04/12/green-sanctuary-movie-night/ 
 
MINDFULNESS PRACTICE   -- Cultivating Awareness

New offering: Sundays after service 12:20 - 12:35 downstairs
Bringing awareness to what we are doing. We focus on the here and now and we find a lot of stress just naturally disappears. With less stress, our well-being improves and our thinking has more clarity. As you go about your life, consider offering yourself such a gift. You might also like to join us for one of our group practices. During practice, we explore various exercises to find the ones which best suit individual preferences. Our new schedule now adds a 15 minute practice on Sundays from 12:20.   Monday evening 7:30 - 8:30 and Thursday afternoon 1:30 - 2:30. For questions, contact   M.E. (Emi) Tanabe:   m.e.tanabe@comcast.net   (815) 337-9895
 
CHALICE CIRCLES - growing community

Growing in our "devotion to each other"  is a promise that we offer each week in our statement of purpose. Using the Soul Matters curriculum, we nurture this with the Chalice Circle program where we engage in learning to listen - to each other and ourselves. Everyone is welcome to join. We currently have circles that meet 2nd Sunday 9am, 2nd Wed. 10:30am, and 3rd Sunday 6:30 pm. Please, click here for more detailed information. http://treeoflifeuu.org/2017/03/16/growing-community-connecting-more-deeply/ There are Circle flyers and curriculum packets available in the fellowship room.   Contact  M. E. Tanabe,    m.e.tanabe@comcast.net    815 337 9895 or Janet Burns,   janetrugi@yahoo.com     847 542 7678
 
Community Care Committee 
     
Sandy Eckert was tickled to see CBS News had the Western Crescent Choir Festival as THE thing to do Sunday.

Melanie Henning "welcome, warm, wisdom" describes what she feels here. We are happy to have you here with us, Melanie!

Stan Liszka observed that despite the weather, the robins seem to have faith spring will come.

We are sorry to announce the passing of past member, Joyce Fisher. Joyce's daughter, Johanna, and family invite all who remember Joyce to attend a celebration of Joyce's life here at Tree of Life Saturday, April 28th at 11:00am. You can read Joyce's obituary here.   https://treeoflifeuu.org/2018/04/17/we-remember-joyce-fisher/

Carolyn Walkup is moving to St. Paul, MN May 4 to be near her daughter and two little grandsons. Meanwhile she will donate half of the proceeds from a garage sale April 19-21 to the church. Her address is:1354 Floresta Vista, Crystal Lake, and the sale will be from 9 a.m. to5 p.m. all three days. She will miss all of her friends at Tree of Life and invites them to visit any time they are in the Twin Cities. Her new address is 1061 Montreal Ave., Apt. 217, St. Paul, MN 55116.    
 
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.  

Happy birthday to Chris Laux (4/24), Tom Tipton(4/25), and Bruce Weiss (4/26)!

Happy 40th Anniversary to Ray and Amy Beth (4/22)! 
 
Please note that this committee can be reached at caring@treeoflifeuu.org  If you have a need for pastoral care, Lou Ness 24 hours a day at 815-404-7246 or through email at - lou@livingforwardllc.com or Rev. Catherine Erwin is available for you. (815) 236-4091 or kclerwin@aol.com
 
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  
 
Coffee with Questions 
Topic:God and Thomas Aquinas
Leader: Bob Coleman
Time: Sunday, April 22, 2018, 9:15 AM
Location: Tree  of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation
5603 West Bull Valley Road, McHenry, IL 60050
Phone: (815) 322-2464
 
Was the God of Thomas Aquinas(1225-1274) an old man with a long white beard?
 Was his thinking what Karen Armstrong defines as "apophatic"? ("'The Case for God", Glossary, 369,"'speechless',wordless, silent").  KA seems to me to contradict her definition on pp 142-6 of the same book)
More References:
Thomas Aquinas,+6  "Summa Theologiae":Part 1, Question 2, Articles 1,2,3
Thomas Aquinas,"Summa Contra Gentiles" ("On the Truth of the Catholic Faith"), Book 1:God
Karen Armstrong's interview with Krista Tippett, "Freelance  Monotheism"
 
I found the Krista Tippett interview very helpful and interesting 
    
Hospitality/Fellowship
 
Recruiting Treat Fleet Volunteers!!
 

Click Here to sign up

Register for General Assembly 2018  June 20-24, Kansas City, MO
General Assembly (GA) is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). Attendees worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process. Anyone may attend. General Assembly (GA) offers hundreds of programming choices over the five days of GA. Carrie MacDonald (board president) and Judy Stettner (office administrator) are already registered to go and they would love to have you join them. To learn more about General Assembly and to register go to https://www.uua.org/ga . 
 
  
Contacts
Judy Stettner  
Office Administrator  
Janet Burns 
Religious Education Chairperson
Forrest Ransburg 
Director of Music 
 
Carrie MacDonald
Board President  
 
Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation | 815-322-2464 | office@treeoflifeuu.org | http://treeoflifeuu.org
5603 Bull Valley Road
McHenry, IL 60050