What does The Path of Vulnerability mean? Click HERE to find out.
|
|
It may not seem like it, but there is a lot going on at DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church! Your feedback during the Congregational Conversations has energized your staff and Board.
As announced on Sunday, the hiring team has been assembled for the new staff position of Director of Membership and Engagement to begin on July 1. You may view the job description here.
In January, Steve Cooper, our Director of Religious Education and I met over the course of three days to work on some planning for the 2023-24 programming year (Mid-August through May). In the new year, we plan to switch to two Sunday services that will be held at 9 am and 11:30 am. They will be identical in content and the 9 am service will be live-streamed and recorded for viewing at later times.
We then evaluated our Sunday morning religious education opportunities. We want to offer religious education that is not only content rich but also available to all-ages and which deepens our practices, identity, and ties to Unitarian Universalism. With this in mind, we will be offering all-ages religious education each Sunday at 10:15 am, between the two worship services. Learn more here.
We also examined our Whole Church Ministry. Steve and I were seeking a more intentional Whole Church Ministry Liturgical Calendar. So we crafted a new one using a model similar to Soul Matters that cycles over two years and is more intentional in moving from month-to-month and through the years.
This new model will be our basis for Sunday worship services and religious education - both for our children and youth as well as for adults. To learn more click here.
Which leads me to the exciting news that using this new themed-ministry model, we will be launching Chalice Circles to begin in the Fall. This small group ministry will be open to all, with most groups being multi-generational. There will also be some groups that are based upon specific affinity, such as a parents group or a young adult group. Stay tuned for sign ups later this spring.
So how can you get involved?!
1. I will be looking for Chalice Circle Facilitators to lead the Chalice Circles. Consider leading one of these groups - and look for an email in May about signing up.
2. Sign Ups for Chalice Circles will be held at the end of May and in early June. Stay tuned for more information and to sign up!
3. Are you interested in offering or leading an adult learning opportunity on Sunday morning? We will be looking for all sorts of offerings - one-time, multi-class, leadership development, spiritual practices, UU history, UU theology classes, and more! We have curriculum you may use or you may have your own you would like to offer. Please send an email to me and Steve (revmandi@dupageuuchurch.org and dre@dupageuuchurch.org) if you are interested in exploring this opportunity.
Planning early for all these changes allows us the opportunity to ease into them. Already, Steve and I have begun to adapt and evolve our ideas based on feedback from your Board and the Sunday Services Team. We will continue to do so and anticipate that process continuing during the coming months and years. We hope you share our excitement in Coming Together to Build Our Future!
In faith,
rev. mandi
|
|
Sunday Service
In-person and Online
|
|
Sunday, March 5, 2023 @ 10:30am
Remembering Who We Are
Guest Minister
Sunday, March 12, 2023 @ 10:30am
The Colors of Spring
rev. mandi huizenga
With spring right around the corner, let’s look at the traditional Hindu holiday of Holi and what we can learn from letting go and having fun!
Weather permitting, we will engage in traditional Holi festivities by throwing colored powder. Wear appropriate clothing for the fun!
Sunday, March 19, 2023 @ 10:30am
Accepting our vulnerability can be scary, but it is an essential part of being in community. Join us as we explore the way members of DUUC both give and receive help.
Sunday, March 26, 2023 @ 10:30am
We Are Not Okay
rev. mandi huizenga
While the third anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic is marked this week and many things return to normal, life has been up ended for some in significant ways. Join rev. mandi and guests in exploring what the pandemic and life means for our youth and young adults.
|
|
Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 2:00 A.M. On Saturday night, clocks are set forward one hour (i.e., losing one hour) to “spring forward.”
|
|
Wanted: Membership and Engagement Professional!
The job description for our new Membership Professional staff position was posted March 1 on UU and other job boards that will attract the quality candidates we seek.
You sent leadership a clear message in November around the programs you seek to help you flourish at DuPage UU Church. Your participation in our summary presentations of the data in January confirmed your understanding of the steps we need to take. The Board and rev. mandi are excited to make this happen!
There are posters in Kreves Hall and the Learning Center that briefly describe what a Membership Professional would do at DuPage UU. The job description goes into more detail. If you know someone you think has the experience and skills to perform the job, please pass along the description. A hiring task force (rev. mandi, DRE Steve Cooper, Chris Cable, Miya Thalmann, Kate Fox, and Neil Lichtman) will be reviewing resumes and conducting interviews in the coming weeks.
|
|
Governance and Ministry: Who’s in charge??
With our shift to policy-based governance and ministry, you might wonder: Who's in charge? In Kreves Hall you'll find a poster-size chart of our Structure map that identifies how the work of the church gets done - from Board and Advisory Committee work (governing) to Worship, Fellowship, and Religious Education (program ministry) and more.
-
Contact names and email addresses for ministry program areas and governance committees are on the poster and can be found on the church website in a lnk on the Structure page (under the top navigation label Organization) as well.
- The QR code on the poster leads to the contact names/emails on the website.
-
Not seeing what you need? Use the website's Contact Us form to ask for more information, or review/download the Structure map for names that can be found in our Directory available on the Member Portal or on the new Instant Church Directory app or website.
- In addition, the church address and phone number are in the footer area of each page on our website; if you hover over the address and click, you will be directed to the Contact Us page.
|
|
General Assembly 2023: Seeking a few good delegates!
The UUA's annual General Assembly ( GA) and business meeting is a chance to be in the presence of thousands of Unitarian Universalists. In addition to the business sessions, GA is a five-day in-person or virtual immersive experience where you'll participate in inspirational worship services and informative workshops. GA is June 21 through Sunday, June 25, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and/or online; either way you’ll leave with renewed energy and innovative ideas to share at DuPage UU Church and in the community-at-large!
Based on our membership, we are allowed five delegates for voting purposes during the business sessions. The Board of Trustees wishes to select delegates who represent various demographics and identities in the congregation. This includes prioritizing at least one delegate position to a youth member of the congregation, if possible. We invite adults and youth (14 years or older by June 21) to submit an application to be a delegate at GA 2023, representing this beloved community. Applications are due April 1.
We'll prepare you for your role as delegate. Delegates who attend GA, either in person or virtually, represent the views of the congregation on voting issues, not their individual opinions as Unitarian Universalists. If you are selected as a delegate for DuPage UU Church at GA, your attendance is required at an information session in late May/early June that will provide information on where our congregation stands on various issues. This information will be gleaned over the course of the program year through information and feedback sessions hosted by Denominational Affairs and/or the Minister. Additionally, information sessions run by the UUA Board of Trustees are typically offered throughout the month of June and will be made available to delegates. Submit your delegate application for consideration by April1.
|
|
|
These will be final when approved at the March
Board meeting.
|
|
|
|
Current COVID protocols at DuPage UU Church.
COVID protocols beginning
|
|
|
|
Find out what's happening at DuPage UU Church!
|
|
|
|
March Special Offering to benefit
Riverwalk Adult Day Services
Riverwalk Adult Day Services, formerly Ecumenical Adult Care, was founded in 1983 by a group of 15 religious institutions who recognized the desire and benefits for adults to age in place at home, but who could not be left at home alone.
Riverwalk Adult Day Services has provided over 700,000 hours of service to participants, allowing their caregivers the peace of mind knowing that their loved ones are being cared for in a safe and nurturing environment. Their mission is to Provide a Safe, Social, Stimulating Environment for Adults in need of daytime care. Please visit http://www.riverwalkadultdayservices.com/about-us.html for more information.
To make a donation, please click HERE.
$3,640.22 was collected for SMILE during January. Thank you for giving generously.
|
|
Special Offerings Nominations!
Each year our Special Offerings team solicits, reviews and chooses nominees for a yearly lineup of not-for-profit organizations as our monthly special collection recipients. Nominations are now open for the 2023/24 recipients. Please complete and submit the special collections online nomination form or complete a paper copy of the form available in the church office by the March 31 deadline.
|
|
Making Better Choices: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
As we have promoted for many years in our DUUC newsletter spaces, reducing our consumption of “stuff” should always be high on our list in our quest for sustainable living, and respecting the web of life of which we are a part. Reuse items, repurpose if you can, donate them, or recycle. Trashing should always be our last choice.
Throughout March and April, Green Sanctuary will be collecting metal keys and oral hygiene products on our table at the northwest end of coat hallway. There is also a container for bread tags; that collection is ongoing. Bread tags are the small, plastic squares that hold bread bags closed. Let’s all commit to making better choices. These are particularly easy ones!
More Details: Oral-B sponsors the program for consumers to “send in used oral care products including toothbrushes, brush heads, toothpaste tubes, mouthwash containers, floss containers, floss string, and floss picks.” For our collection:
-
package items from your household in a sealed plastic bag
- remove leftover toothpaste or mouthwash from tubes and bottles
-
items do not need to be cleaned, but must be dry for UPS shipping
- bring used oral care products, any brand; however electric toothbrushes are not accepted through this program. Take them to electronics recycling events.
|
|
Ostara, the Vernal Equinox
March 18, 2023 7-9 pm, in the Sanctuary
All are welcome to join the Hearth of Life in celebrating Ostara, the Vernal Equinox and help us recognize the balance in Nature. Ceremony and drumming!
|
|
From the DUUC Library and Book Store
|
|
2022-2023 UU Common Read
The 2022-2023 UU Common Read, Mistakes and Miracles: Congregations on the Road to Multiculturalism by Nancy Palmer Jones and Karin Lin, is available for borrowing from the DUUC Library and is on display in the Library alcove area in Kreves Hall. The UU Common Read builds community in UU congregations by giving diverse people a shared platform for reflection and a shared focus for action. A panel discussion with the authors and the Rev. Michael Crumpler and Rev. Maria Christina Vlassidis is now available at https://vimeo.com/781975414 For more information about the UU Common Read, visit: https://www.uua.org/read
|
|
DUUC Library Monthly Book Recommendations - March
Throughout the year, the DUUC Library will have monthly book recommendations based upon a monthly holiday or historical significance. Information about these featured DUUC Library books will be available on a book list flyer in the Library Alcove area in Kreves Hall. For March 2023, Women’s History Month will be commemorated.
|
|
Accessibility and Inclusion Outside the Building
This month, the Accessibility and Inclusion Ministry Team at DUUC is heading outdoors to highlight some of the accessibility features in the parking lot and on the grounds.
- Our main parking lot has 4 spaces reserved for people with disabilities which require a disabled parking placard or disability license plate. There are 6 spots reserved for those with limited mobility which do not require a placard or special plate. We have 4 spots reserved for visitors. If you are comfortable with the walk, you may park in the lot across the street from the church.
- The sidewalk from the front door to the street allows for a more accessible drop off and pickup.
- A greeter is available to hold open the front door before Sunday morning services.
- An accessible patio is located in the backyard, just outside the door from Kreves Hall.
|
|
Image description: A white, concrete patio starts about 6 feet to the left of an open outside door, and runs along the length of the building to the right. Red and gray bricks and steel-framed, square glass windows surround the door. Green grass can be seen in the foreground.
-
Coming soon! A wheelchair accessible picnic table to be made from the plastic lids and caps that so many of you donated and sorted. Another lid sorting opportunity will take place following the Sunday service on March 5th.
March is a big month for disability awareness campaigns. Below are a few of the major ones with links to further information.
The DUUC Accessibility and Inclusion Ministry Team strives to increase awareness of issues surrounding disability and disability rights and to help make all church programs and spaces as accessible and inclusive as possible. If you have questions about AIM at DUUC, have accessibility or inclusion questions, suggestions, or concerns at church, and/or would like to join the DUUC AIM Team, please email us at aim@dupageuuchurch.org.
|
|
Mindfulness Meditation
Mondays 7:00pm - 8:45pm
This mindfulness meditation group is open to anyone who has interest in meditation from beginners to more advanced. Our time together consists of sitting meditation, walking meditation (when we meet in person), a short teaching and responsive group sharing.
For more information, go to our website:
We are meeting Hybrid in the DUUC Learning Center and on Zoom.
Meeting ID: 885 7102 1238
Passcode: 512058
|
|
Sunday, March 5, 2023 @ Noon
Mike Winter will look at the engineering and science behind the recent train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. What keeps our American rail system running, and what threatens good performance? How much do we depend on our rail transport system, how adaptable to challenges and wear is it, and how safe are the loads we count on the system to deliver?
Sunday, March 19, 2023 @ Noon
Scott Thompson revisits the science of mind and consciousness as considered in some recent innovations in artificial intelligence. There will be two major parts to this talk. The first will set the foundation for understanding some conceptions and misconceptions about how the mind works and the phenomenon of consciousness. The second part will explore some tentative relationships to nifty new artificial intelligence (A.I.) technologies.
|
|
Humanist Group
On Wednesday evening at 7:30PM, March 8th, the Prairie State Humanists will host, at the DUUC, a viewing of one episode of recent science-centric television's Cosmos: Possible Worlds series. The episode is entitled "Seven Wonders of the New World". This episode highlights an optimistic vision of human flourishing into the future. After the viewing, we will discuss some of the ideas relayed by Neil DeGrasse Tyson during the program and add our own thoughts about the world of the future. This will be an in-person event only.
|
|
Sunday Flowers Needed
Celebrate a person or event by providing flowers for a Sunday service. Flowers are still needed on April 2nd and throughout the summer months. You may request to have Sunday Flowers order a $35 standard arrangement for you from Phillip’s Flowers. Or, if you are planning to attend the service in person, you may choose to bring in your own arrangement from your garden or favorite flower shop. The arrangement should be brought to the sanctuary by 10:20 a.m. Your dedication will be printed in the email with the link to the on-line version of the Order of Service as well as in the printed Order of Service. The flowers are yours to take home after the service. If you are not attending service, you may pick up your flowers either on Sunday 11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m., or contact Sheri, office@dupageuuchurch.org or (630) 505-9408, to make arrangements for a contactless pick-up during office hours. Remember, masks are required to enter the church. Payment may be made by sending a check made out to DUUC for $35 to the church office (write “flowers” on the memo line), through the DUUC Payment Portal (select “other” under donation, and write in “flowers”), or VANCO (select “flowers fund”). Contact Kristen Tang at flowers@dupageuuchurch.org or (630) 305-7771 for more information and/or to request a date. Thank you!
|
|
The deadline for submissions for the April newsletter is MONDAY, March 27, 2023 @ 9am. Please email your submissions to Sheri at office@dupageuuchurch.org.
|
|
|
In the Wider Unitarian Universalist World
|
|
General Assembly 2023 is coming to Pittsburgh, PA! Join us June 21-25, 2023 in-person or virtually to worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process.
This year's Ware Lecturer is Imani Perry, the Hughes-Rogers Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University and a faculty associate with Gender and Sexuality Studies and Jazz Studies. In the summer of 2023 she will join the faculty at Harvard University as a Radcliffe Professor. Perry is also a contributing writer for The Atlantic and the author of seven books. The Ware Lecture will take place on Saturday, June 24 at 7 pm ET and requires registration to view the live stream or attend in-person.
|
|
Please consider making a donation to support
DuPage UU Church and all of its programs.
Thank you!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|