COVID Protocol: Our Covid-19 protocols have been adjusted, we are now in Blue. In respect and care for the vulnerable, masking is required in our facilities despite changing external guidelines. Please visit our website here for more details.
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25 Years / Rev. Emily Gage
Reflections on Two and a Half Decades of Ministry
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June Theme: Celebrate Blessings
Live Stream Worship at 10am / Recorded Viewing Available at Noon
Live stream link can be found here.
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OFFERING : Farther Foundation
Unity Temple Gives. Each week, we give our Sunday collection to an organization that aligns with our values. This Sunday’s collection will benefit Farther Foundation – supporting students in Chicago neighborhoods beset by chronic disinvestment and sustained inequities by providing life-changing educational travel. Our students immerse themselves in new cultures, provide community service, and gain leadership skills. Learn more here.
You may donate by placing cash or check in one of circulating baskets during the service, sending a check to the Unity Temple office (875 Lake St., Oak Park, 60301) with (name of organization) on the memo line, by texting 73256 with the message UTUUC $____ (dollar sign followed by your donation amount) and select “Offering,” by using the camera on your phone to scan the QR code on the screen during the Offertory or you can give at the UTUUC website. Whatever modality you choose, may what you give bring you joy.
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Sunday Worship Service
In-person and online options for worship are now offered. COVID Protocol: Our Covid-19 protocols have been adjusted, we are now in Blue. In respect and care for the vulnerable, masking is required (2yrs and up) in our facilities despite changing external guidelines. Please visit our website here for more details.You can access the live stream on YouTube at 10am here.
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Community Hour
Following the Sunday morning service, join our in-person Community Hour for cookies, coffee and conversation in Unity House. If you are joining us from home, the on-line Community Hour will be on Zoom following the service. Go to Zoom Meeting ID: 999 2797 5277 Password: 875875 Or access directly here.
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Would you like to get to know more people in our congregation? Come to our monthly meet and greet on Sunday, June 5 from 1–2pm in Unity House located across from the sanctuary at Unity Temple. New and established congregants alike are invited to attend. Registration is helpful, though drop-ins are welcome. Contact tlewis@unitytemple.org to register in advance.
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Summer RE Begins on Sunday! Join us for summer religious education programming where children will engage in activities for all ages. This summer, we will be using the Gale House Gardens to further our connection to nature and education. If you have any questions or ideas to share or are looking for ways to support the Summer RE program, please contact summer_re@unitytemple.org. |
Day In Our Village this Sunday! We would love to have more volunteers supporting Unity Temple in our booth at Day In Our Village on Sunday, June 5. We welcome assistance from people of all ages and abilities. Please take a look at this sign-up genius to find a time to support this fun event in our community. If you have questions or ideas to share, please send an email to Val Ridenour vridenour@unitytemple.org. |
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Families from our UT community worked together to supply 60 bag lunches for people who participate in the interim housing program at Housing Forward. |
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You're Invited! Please join us for the All Congregation Celebration Potluck immediately following service on Sunday, June 12. We will have indoor and outdoor dining options, a playroom open for children, and a Selfie Station for all! Bring a dish to share, and enjoy food, fellowship and fun. RSVP is not required to attend, but is helpful for planning purposes. Click here.
Community events need helping hands to happen! Please add your name to the volunteer list here. Thanks!
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New! UTUUC Caring Ministry
We are excited to announce the new Caring Ministry at Unity Temple UU Congregation! Life is hard sometimes. We experience sickness, job loss, broken hearts, and broken bodies. Your faith community is here to support you through those difficult times. Whether you need a listening ear, a helping hand, or the support of a cadre of congregants with similar experiences, the new Caring Ministry is here for you with ministries of being, doing and connecting.
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Great News! The UTUUC All Congregation Retreat will be back this year! And this year, we will be registering all via Realm–our online database and directory. Registration will be LIVE under "Events" and in the News Feed.
The UTUUC All-Congregation Retreat is a great occasion for new congregants or long-term members of all ages, whether single, couples or families to play, talk, relax and be together in a country setting near the shores of Lake Michigan. Join us Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, October 14-16, at Tower Hill Camp in Sawyer MI.
Registration includes the Housing and Meal fees at Tower Hill based on your accommodation, and Programming fees, which covers a light dinner on Friday night, as well as snacks, materials for crafts and sessions, and s’mores around the campfire. Space fills up quickly so register if you want to save your spot! Questions? Want to help plan the weekend? Email AnnualRetreat@unitytemple.org. Retreat Committee members will be at Community Hour on June 5 to demo how to register, as this is our first year using Realm!
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The 2022 Spring / Summer Adult Softball League Game times take place on Fridays at 7:15pm / 8:15pm / 9:15pm. 10 game regular season + post-season tournament for those who qualify. All games are played at Ridgeland Common Park. Covid guidelines will adhere to current protocols when the season begins. You can find a link to the schedule here. For information on how to sign up contact sports@unitytemple.org. NOTE: The team is looking for a manager. Please reach out if interested.
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Becoming a Member
For more information about how to become a member of Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Contact tlewis@unitytemple.org.
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Vigil for Victims of Gun Violence Gun violence is an epidemic in our country. From the nationally mourned tragedies of Buffalo and Uvalde to the day in, day out gun violence that plays out on our streets, our nation needs to take time to grieve the lives that have been lost. On Saturday, June 4 at 4pm the Community of Congregations will gather in the Sanctuary at First United Church of Oak Park to grieve the lives that have been lost and the violence that plagues our nation.
Please note that the church parking lot is currently under construction. There is a large parking lot a short walk away at Lake and Forest. Wear Orange for Gun Violence Awareness.
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Pathways to Recovery
at Unity Temple is a safe and confidential space where we will explore UU principles and our congregation’s values of connection, acceptance and transformation to support recovery from addiction. It is a peer-led group that is intended to be a supplement to, not a replacement for, other addiction recovery groups such as AA, SMART Recovery, and Recovery Dharma. We will meet every other Wednesday at in Gale House at 7pm. Next meeting date is June 8. Questions can be directed to recovery@unitytemple.org.
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Sacred Wanderings Saturday, June 4, 2022. 8:30am–10:30am CDT, Thatcher Woods, north pavilion. Free parking is available - 8030 Chicago Ave, Maywood 60153. Follow the signs. Wear comfortable clothes and bring a lawn chair and a tea cup for tea during the sharing circle at the end. Tea will be provided. We will meet in any weather condition.
Vaccinations encouraged. Face masks are optional.
Join Kevin, Jay and Terry as we intentionally practice connecting with nature and surrounding ourselves with the energy of the natural world. Forest bathing is not taking a leisurely walk in the woods to enjoy the scenery. There's a specific intention in the practice to connect with the natural world and to gain benefit and energy from it. In other words, you are bathing in the energy of the trees, leaves, sky, and earth. Meditation and mindfulness assists in securing this intention. There will be silence and discussion.
Those with physical challenges are easily accommodated. If you have any questions please email
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Gale House Garden Support Are you interested in getting your hands in some soil and supporting our community? We invite you to sign up to help support the Gale House Gardens. The gardens will need to be weeded, watered, harvested and maintained throughout the summer months. If you are interested in providing care for the gardens, please schedule yourself here for a week that works best for you and your family. If you have questions or ideas to share about the gardens, send an email to Val Ridenour,
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Daily Mindful Reflection Community 30 minute meeting, 7 days a week! Starts at 8:25am and ends at 9am every day, seven days a week. This will be different from our regular Tuesday night meeting. The daily meditation will include opening words, 20 minutes of mindful reflection, and closing words. All are welcome! You are welcome to attend regularly or sporadically.
Time: Every Day (including weekends) at 08:30am Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting here. ID: 373 008 242 / Passcode: 4IFrYx. One tap mobile: +13126266799,,373008242#,,,,*940220#1 312 626 6799 Meeting ID: 373 008 242 / Passcode: 940220
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Religious Education Registration 2022/2023 is Open! Each year, we ask our families to register and re-register their children for our religious education programming. It ensures we have the most up to date information about our young people, helps us with planning, and gives us an ongoing communication loop. Along with information, we ask for a registration fee of $50 per child (for pledging members and friends) and $100 per child (for non-pledging members or friends). These fees help support elements of our program. Scholarships are granted by request to Emily Gage egage@unitytemple.org or Val Ridenour vridenour@unitytemple.org. Please register your child/children for Religious Education using this link.
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The Mindful Reflection community meets virtually and in person in Unity House at Unity Temple. Meeting opens at 6:45pm for camaraderie, the program starts promptly at 7:20pm. Vaccinations are encouraged, masks are mandatory. We will follow our usual format with 20 minutes of Mindful Reflection followed by a dharma talk and discussion. Questions email mindful@unitytemple.org. Join Zoom Meeting here.
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Unity Temple Faith In Action Network
Spiritually Grounded / Deeply Relational / Strategically Effective
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OFFERING : Farther Foundation
This Sunday’s collection will benefit Farther Foundation – supporting students in Chicago neighborhoods beset by chronic disinvestment and sustained inequities by providing life-changing educational travel. Our students immerse themselves in new cultures, provide community service, and gain leadership skills. Learn more here.
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Isabel Wilkerson and UU Service Committee Join the UUSC on Thursday, June 9, at 6pm CST for an evening of hope and inspiration - featuring a keynote presentation with Isabel Wilkerson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Humanities Medal, and author of the critically acclaimed, New York Times bestsellers The Warmth of Other Suns and Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. For more information or to register for this virtual event, please visit this page.
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Poor People’s Campaign Before the Covid-19 pandemic, 700 people a day died from poverty in the U.S. Even more people are dying now, magnified by policy decisions that ignore the cries of the poor. Join UU’s in Washington DC on June 18 to help build the moral fusion movement, and take action for our collective future. If you plan to attend, please contact FaithinAction@unitytemple.org for a special UU RSVP link so you can connect with other UU’s in Washington DC!
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UUANI Action of the Week Each week our Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of IL (UUANI) offers a call to action. Sign-up to receive these simple and impactful actions direct to your in-box here.
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Vote Love Attacks on trans and queer people, reproductive freedom, voting rights, the planet, and more…the stakes for our democracy and our world are so high, and we are ready! Building on the incredible momentum from 2020 when over 5,000 volunteers in 450 congregations contacted more than 3 million voters, UU the Vote 2022 is ready to fight for a world where all communities are free and thriving.
Our Unity Temple Vote Love team will be contacting disenfranchised voters via postcard and letter writing, phone-banking, and possible trips to support frontline partners in southern Wisconsin. Let us know how you’d like to participate by completing this quick form. We will follow-up with you soon! Questions? Contact: votelove@unitytemple.org
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The Illinois Primary Election is June 28th!
Go to IllinoisVoterGuide.org to find all the nonpartisan information you need to be an informed voter. The first step is to make sure you are registered. The second is to know where and when to vote. You can request your vote by mail application now. Thanks to the League of Women Voters for this information. To get involved in upcoming work to protect our democracy contact: votelove@unitytemple.org.
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Faith in Action Newsletter We’ve launched a renewed Faith in Action newsletter filled with impactful actions. Check out the new edition here. If you didn’t receive this monthly newsletter and would like to, please subscribe here. Questions? Contact Rev. Colleen at cvahey@unitytemple.org. |
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News Flash! To date 185 UU congregations and organizations have adopted the 8th Principle. Each week the number increases! Interested in learning more about the 8th Principle? Check out UTUUC’s worship service “Digging into the 8th Principle” here and explore the following documents, prepared for you by our own 8th Principle Team:
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Important update from the 8th Principle Team and the Board:
After reflecting on the input from community engagement in 8th Principle discussions over the past 1.5 years, and given the particular circumstances of UTUUC at this moment in time (ministerial transition, re-structuring, and governance work), the 8th Principle team recommended to the Board that the congregational vote on adoption of the 8th Principle be temporarily postponed.
In the meantime, on May 10, 2022, the Board approved the chartering of an Anti-Oppression Anti-Racism (AO/AR) Committee of the Board. This committee will have the responsibility of working closely with the Board and lay leadership to guide the congregation to more authentically and accountably live out its values, covenant, and mission by applying an AO/AR lens to all the ways that we engage with one another and the surrounding community.
In keeping with the AO/AR charter, the Board of Directors is finalizing the open selection process, which will include an application form to be completed by UTUUC members who are interested in serving on the AO/AR Committee. Contact 8thPrinciple@unitytemple.org if you have questions.
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Email Alert: There are many scams targeting faith communities, particularly around requesting congregants to send funds or purchase gift cards. If you get such a message that appears to be from UTUUC staff or ministers, please send it to office@unitytemple.org or call the church to confirm whether it is a valid request. Please note any official emails sent to you from UTUUC will be from the following domains: @unitytemple.org or notifications@onrealmmail.org. We respect your privacy and our email list is never shared with other organizations.
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Through Our Differences, We Are One :: The beloved community includes people of all political parties. Here at Unity Temple we call people to live out our faith but this does not mean we share the same political or partisan perspective. May we remind one another to honor our own life experience in the development of our unique perspective while honoring that of others. The core of being a religious liberal is remaining open to and respectful of a pluralism of theological positions and political stances. As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large while also knowing that endorsements or support of particular candidates cannot be part of our congregational process.
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Planned Giving offers a variety of meaningful ways to support our congregation through charitable gifts and can be made by anybody – young and old, working or retired. These gifts are made today, but they support the future needs of your congregation and Unitarian Universalism. You can obtain more information about planned gifts by contacting the Planned Giving Team at plannedgiving@unitytemple.org
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Support Our Work : As we continue to find new ways to join together in virtual community we have launched additional portals to financially support UTUUC. Details can be found here. If you have questions please reach out to office@unitytemple.org. Thank you!
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