Welcome Sunday / Joyfully Celebrating New Members Tina Lewis

December Theme: Opening to Joy Live Stream Worship at 10am / Recorded Viewing Available at Noon Live stream link can be found here.

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. Learn more 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.

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.  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.

Community Town Hall Meeting with Rev. David Pyle This past year, many of you attended the monthly “Reflecting with the Board” sessions, providing critical feedback, and sharing ideas. We have heard you and know we need community time to be heard, to ask questions, to grieve, and to heal. Reverend David Pyle, UUA Midwest Regional Lead, will again join us for a Town Hall Meeting on Sunday, December 5 at 1pm. Here is the link to join us. This will be a time for all of us to hear and share accurate and meaningful information about the transitions we are going through together. It will help streamline our Annual Meeting by addressing transition questions in this venue rather than at the Annual Meeting. This will NOT be an Annual Meeting information session, rather a time for us to be together in community around our collective transitions. This session will be recorded. More information on viewing the recording to come.

One More 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. Monday, December 6 at 7pm

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.

Collection Plate Voting is Open!! You do not have to wait until the Annual Meeting to vote for the 2022 Collection Plate Recipients!  Here's the link, vote now!

Yes, Virginia, there will be a Christmas Pageant! Our 3pm Christmas Eve Worship For All Ages will include our beloved pageant (back after a year hiatus) which is a retelling of the Christmas story. The worship service will be open to all and also be live-streamed. Participants in the pageant must be fully vaccinated.    Various speaking roles include: Mary (1), Joseph (1), Wise Ones (3), Innkeepers (4) Shepherds (3 speaking, unlimited non-speaking) and Angels (who all speak together).  Other non-speaking roles include Friendly Beasts and wranglers of all. We will need adults to help out with costumes, wrangling, and general chaos management.    One rehearsal on Thursday, December 23 at 5pm that will last about an hour. Please contact Rev. Emily Gage egage@unitytemple.org to indicate your interest in participation!

Return of Unity Temple Choir Concert Saturday, December 18 and Sunday, December 19 Both concerts at 4pm Tickets can be purchased after Sunday services beginning this week. Tickets can also be purchase online here.

Christmas Eve Services Friday, December 24, 2021 3pm Christmas Pageant & Worship for All Ages 7pm Candlelight Service  Live Stream on YouTube here. In-Person Worship Reservations: 3pm Pageant here.  7pm Candlelight here. Limited Seating

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 December 2, 2021 we have commitments from 256 households totaling $851,547. 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: Review the 2022 campaign information you should have received by mail here, then Fill out your pledge form and mail into the office as soon as you can, or Make your commitment online at https://onrealm.org/unitytemple, or Call the office to pledge over the phone at 708-848-6225 ext. 104

Meet & Greet Resumes in January Let's get to know each other! Sunday, January 9, you are invited to a meet and greet social hour. New and established congregants alike are invited to attend. We will meet from 1-2pm in Unity House located at Unity Temple. Walk-ins are welcome, though registration is appreciated. Masks are required. Contact tlewis@unitytemple.org to register. 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.

Bowling is Back! We hope you will join us at Circle Lanes on Friday, December 17, at 7:30pm. No competition, just bowl a game or two and have fun and conversation. Kids are welcome, and a ramp is available to assist young bowlers get the ball rolling. Contact Sports@UnityTemple.org if you plan to attend so we can reserve enough lanes. Meet the Ministers  Once a month following services, one of our ministers will be available for social time after service and they hope you are able to attend. Curious about what called them to ministry? Wondering how they spend their free time and more? Come find out! They want to learn more about you too. Masks are required. Contact tlewis@unitytemple.org to register.   Winter Schedule Sunday, January 9 Sunday, February 13 Sunday, March 13

Pathway to Membership  Considering becoming a member? Come share your spiritual/religious history, learn about ours, discover how our congregation works today, and how we can be part of each other’s futures. We hope you are able to attend! We will meet at the Unity Temple Community Center located at 1019 South Blvd. Masks are required and space is limited. Contact tlewis@unitytemple.org to register.    Winter Schedule (Choose one of our two-part series) Sunday’s, January 16 & 17 from 1-3pm Sunday’s, February 6 & 13 from 1-3pm Sunday’s March 13 & 20 from 1-3pm

Unity Temple Faith In Action Network Spiritually Grounded / Deeply Relational / Strategically Effective

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. Learn more here.

COMPASS: Navigating the Paths to Liberation Together Join UU’s around the country for a virtual event that includes workshops, networking, worship & more! With so much uncertainty in the world, sometimes it can be hard to find one’s bearings. Join us to find our collective “compass” as we explore interdependence as a path to wholeness. This event is for: lay leaders, religious professionals, adults, youth, members of congregations, and anyone else who is interested in diving into an exploration of interdependence in UU theology and practice. Event takes place on December 11-12, 12pm-3:30pm CST each day; breaks included. Register here! Contact: FaithinAction@unitytemple.org 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-12:30pm 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 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!   We are looking for a few volunteers to sort and transport the plastic to the Jewel in River Forest (7525 Lake St.). If interested please review these directions and sign-up here. Questions? Contact ecojustice@unitytemple.org

Faith in Action Hour Inspiration, connection and impact all in one gathering! Join us for a new monthly Faith in Action Hour on Saturday, December 4, 10am-11am. It's time to celebrate all the ways we've been organizing and advocating for our values and thank legislators for transformative bills passed this year! Join us online or in-person at the UTUUC office, 1019 South Blvd., Oak Park (masks required). RSVP in advance here. If joining in-person, you’re invited to bring blank cards and stamps. We will also have cards and stamps available and online actions to take. Questions? Contact: FaithinAction@unitytemple.org. 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 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! 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.

Sacred Wanderings Live and In Person at Thatcher Woods on Saturday, December 4, from 8:30-10:30am (First Saturdays)!! Join Terry and Jay 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. The group will meet no matter what the weather conditions so come prepared. Please bring a lawn chair you can carry to sit on as well as a cup for tea for the discussion at the end, if you desire. Tea will be provided. Mosquito netting, hand sanitizer and masks will be provided. Those with physical challenges are easily accommodated. If you have any questions please email mindful@unitytemple.org. We will gather at 8030 Chicago Ave., just west of Thatcher Ave., north Pavilion, Maywood, IL. Watch for Sacred Wandering signs.  

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. 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 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

RE in the Park Join us Sunday, December 5 at 3pm for some RE family time in the park. We will meet at at Mann School 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. 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.

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.

Office Closed: Between Christmas and New Years Day, the staff have been granted time off. (There will not be an eBeacon on December 31. However, Sunday worship will continue as scheduled). Office hours will resume again the week of January 3. Thank you for your understanding and we're wishing you all a safe and happy holiday!

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.

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 

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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