Too Much for One Poem
Rev. Emily Gage
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November Theme: Holding History
Live Stream Worship at 10am / Recorded Viewing Available at Noon
Live stream link can be found here.
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OFFERING :: Beyond Hunger
Unity Temple Gives. Each week we give our Sunday collection to an organization that aligns with our values. This Sunday’s collection will benefit Beyond Hunger (formerly named the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry) – providing nutritious food, classes, health screenings, and much more to residents of 12 zip codes. To learn more about Beyond Hunger go here.
You may donate by placing cash or check in the donation box in the front pew on the main floor, sending a check to the Unity Temple office (to 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
At this time, we are limiting capacity inside our sanctuary and requiring weekly reservations for adults and children to attend Sunday morning service at 10am in-person.
We will also be streaming live on YouTube at 10am. You can access it here.
To sign up for in-person worship, click here.
There will be an Activity for All Ages happening inside Unity House. Children are welcome to participate in the Activity for All Ages that will be offered during the sermon portion of the worship service or they can stay in the sanctuary with their families.
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Community Hour
Following the Sunday morning service, the Virtual 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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Unity Temple BIPOC Friends will have a hybrid meeting (in person at Gale House and also via Zoom), 11:30–1pm on Sunday, November 21. Please join us to share your thoughts on the group's path moving forward during this period of transition and change. We look forward to gathering in the spirit of gratitude and compassion. If you are not on our email list, please contact bipocfriends@unitytemple.org to receive a Zoom link or for more information.
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Pre-Annual Meeting Workshops with the Board As we approach our All Congregation Annual Meeting on Sunday, December 12, the Board will be holding Pre Annual Meeting Workshops (via Zoom).
Zoom link for both sessions can be found here Meeting ID: 582 581 1029
All sessions will have the same content so you only need to attend one but are welcome to attend multiple times if you would like. If none of these dates/times work for you, please contact bot@unitytemple.org.
Sunday, November 28 at 1pm
Monday, November 29 at 7pm and
Sunday, December 5 at 1pm
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Annual Meeting
Registration is now open for our virtual Annual Meeting to be held on Sunday, December 12, 2021 at
12 noon. You can find the link to register here.
IMPORTANT: In order to ensure the integrity of our voting process, and protect the safety of all participants, members must register in advance for the Annual Meeting. The deadline is Saturday, December 11 at 12 noon.
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Our Goals Are Reached When We Work Together! Thank you to everyone who has already made their 2022 pledge. This years’ pledge goal of $1,206,081 is the projected amount needed to meet our expenses. As of November 18, 2021 we have commitments from 232 households totaling $775,187. For more information, click here to see our current budget and our 2022 projected budget.
.....Our goal is to ensure that our beloved community remains resilient, strong, and connected. We know from previous challenges that goals are reached when we work together! Please take this opportunity to submit your 2022 pledge form as soon as you can. Information can be found by:
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Review the 2022 campaign information you should have received by mail here, then
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Fill out your pledge form and mail into the office as soon as you can, or
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Make your commitment online at https://onrealm.org/unitytemple, or
- Call the office to pledge over the phone at 708-848-6225 ext. 104
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Unity Temple Faith In Action Network
Spiritually Grounded / Deeply Relational / Strategically Effective
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Unity Temple Gives. Each week we give our Sunday collection to an organization that aligns with our values. This Sunday’s collection will benefit Beyond Hunger (formerly named the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry) – providing nutritious food, classes, health screenings, and much more to residents of 12 zip codes. To learn more about Beyond Hunger go here.
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Solidarity with Prison Pen Pals Our prison ministry pen pals request donations for men at Western Correctional Center. The following items are urgently needed – and ONLY these items please:
- Travel size only – shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, lotion, toothpaste
- Soap – bars only (not liquid)
- Blank winter holiday cards and envelopes that people can send to their loved ones (no ribbon, glue, paint, glitter or sequins)
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Please place items in a bag marked "prison ministry", and drop off on the front porch at either of these locations:
- 735 Park Ave, River Forest
- Gale House, 124 N Kenilworth, Oak Park (just behind Unity Temple)
All donations need to be received no later than Sunday, November 21, Noon.
We also encourage everyone to consider attending an educational event about transformative justice hosted by UU Prison Ministry of IL (as available later this year) to learn more about transforming the harms of the Prison Industrial Complex with a vision of abolishing policing and prisons. These donations will be given as an act of solidarity, not charity, based on a real relationship of care that goes both ways. Thank you, in advance, for your generous support! Questions? Contact restorativejustice@unitytemple.org
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Decolonizing ThanksGiving
In observation of Native American Heritage Month, and the UUA commitments to reconsider our denomination's heritage and cultural practices related to the US holiday of Thanksgiving and to address 400 years of white supremacist colonialism, join UU Ministry for Earth for an Un-learning Session, Tuesday, November 23, 3–4:30pm. Un-learning Sessions are fluid and dynamic, and offer ways to access learning through a different lens, which activates a process about how we perceive, understand, and relate to cultures, knowledge, and traditions while we’re learning. Facilitated by Alan Lechusza Aquallo (Luiseno Nation & Maidu Nation). Register here. Contact office@uumfe.org.
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Holiday Cards for Prisoners Sign up to write holiday cards for Illinois prisoners connected to the UU Prison Ministry of Illinois pen pal program. The holiday season is an especially difficult time for prisoners—the cards you write will be much appreciated. Join us Sunday, December 5, 11:30am–1:30pm at Gale House. Pens, some cards, postage stamps, and sample scripts will be provided, but you are encouraged to contribute cards and stamps, too! Please bring only plain cards with greetings or blank inside—no glitter, stickers, plastic, gold or silver are allowed on the cards. Please do not attend if you are not vaccinated. RSVP to Barbara Moline at penpals@unitytemple.org
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Introducing the 8th Principle Team
To date 124 UU congregations have adopted the 8th Principle, which calls for us to “accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.” Unity Temple has recently formed an 8th Principle Team, whose mission is to provide information and reflective experiences so that people understand what the 8th Principle is all about. We invite you to join the Team by emailing us at 8thPrinciple@unitytemple.org. You can find additional information about the 8th Principle here. Watch for much more information in the months ahead!
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Community of Congregations Multi-Faith Thanksgiving Service
Please join us as we welcome Dr. David Ansell, our keynote speaker. Dr. Ansell is an author and health care advocate who will share about the work of West Side United.
Sunday, November 21, 7pm
Grace Episcopal Church, 924 Lake St., Oak Park
Masks required for in-person attendance. Zoom attendance also available and can be found here.
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Contact your Senators–Immigration Justice
As Congress continues to negotiate the final details of the Build Back Better Act, there is still an opportunity to ensure it fulfills a decades-old promise of a pathway to citizenship for millions of neighbors, loved ones, and colleagues. Your senators need to hear from you now. Tell your senators to include a pathway to citizenship in the Build Back Better Act! Send your message here. To learn more and get involved contact immigration@unitytemple.org
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Plastic Bag Recycling!
We are collecting “stretchy” plastic - like shopping bags, bubble wrap, plastic shipping sleeves - to be recycled and turned into a plastic bench. The bench will be donated to a community garden in the Austin community.
Watch this short video, and see what can be recycled here. Note: Bags from cheese, pet food, mulch, and salads are NOT recyclable. If there is no recycling label on the bag, it goes in the garbage, please! Place all plastics into (preferably) one or more plastic bags and drop-off in the bin on the front porch of Gale House (124 N. Kenilworth) behind Unity Temple. Thank you!
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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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Did you see the prison ministry request for donations? This is a great act of compassion during our
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Mindful Reflection Online Community Tuesday Evenings Zoom meeting room opens at 6:45pm, program starts at 7:10pm. You Are Welcome Here! We will follow our usual format with 20 minutes of Mindful Reflection followed by a dharma talk and discussion. Questions email mindful@unitytemple.org.
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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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 2021/2022 is Open! Each year, we ask our families to 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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RE in the Park Join us Sunday, November 21 at 3pm for some RE family time in the park. We will meet at at Taylor Park. This a time for families to play and connect with fellow RE families! We hope to see you there. Please remember to wear your mask and be ready to see some friends in-person. Please reach out to Val Ridenour vridenour@unitytemple.org with any questions.
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MyHAT Small Support Group Meeting Time Change! Join this mental health support led by experienced peer facilitators. This group is for people living with mental illness and those who care about them. We practice deep sharing and deep listening. Participation is confidential. We are always open to new participants. Meetings take place on the 4th Monday of the month, and we will be meeting IN PERSON at 1019 South Blvd, Oak Park. The next meeting will take place on Monday, November 22, from 7–9pm. Questions contact myhat@unitytemple.org.
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The Congregational Health and Reconciliation Team, or the CHART Team, exists to ensure our congregation maintains a safe and secure atmosphere free of disruptive and threatening behaviors that could harm others’ emotional or physical wellbeing. This team, consisting of Rev. Dawn Cooley, Rev. Emily Gage, Aisha Ellis (Board), Jennifer Evans (mental health professional), and Jay Petersen (Pastoral Associate), meets quarterly, assessing the wellbeing of our collective community and addressing specific challenges, working toward positive results for our members and friends. To contact this team, email chart@unitytemple.org.
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The Unity Temple Choir has Resumed Rehearsals on Wednesdays at 7pm. For more details on meeting logistics and location please contact music director, Marty Swisher at mswisher@unitytemple.org. |
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Seeking Music Committee Members!
The Unity Temple Music Committee will be reconvened and is in need of members. Please contact music director, Marty Swisher if interested mswisher@unitytemple.org
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The Unity Temple E-Team has completed a comprehensive Covid-19 Phased Re-Opening Guidelines. This document is intended to serve as a guide for Congregational events going forward. The guidelines will be implemented based on the Cook County Risk Metrics determined by the Illinois Department of Public Health. We are currently in our orange zone as the infection rates are below 150 per 100,000. The Unity Temple E-Team has also completed version 3.0 of the congregations Building Use Policy and COVID Protocols for Unity Temple, Gale House and the Community Center for in-person events which can be found here. The COVID Risk category will be updated weekly and can be found on our homepage in the slider bar for easy access. Please reach out if you have any comments or questions eteam@unitytemple.org.
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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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