Daylight saving time 2022 officially begins this Sunday, March 13 at 2am, meaning we move the clock ahead one hour.
As we continue to consider the most vulnerable among us, we will continue to require proof of vaccinations in addition to wearing a mask in our facilities. We realize this could be frustrating as mitigations guidelines are changing in the wider community and appreciate adherence to the current Unity Temple adopted measures. In addition, fulfilling this requirement will allow us to do things like begin singing, and eventually resume Community Hour activities following service in Unity House. May our covenantal community continue to hold one another with respect and care. 
Two Years: A Ritual of Remembrance
Revs. Dawn Cooley and Emily Gage
The Unity Temple Bells will be performing for Sunday's worship under the direction of Linda Van Dyke. This Sunday's Special Music selection will be dedicated to beloved member and former director, Alice Muciek who was preparing this selection when COVID cancelled the performance. Alice passed in May of 2020 and is dearly missed by all and honored by the Bells and their director this Sunday, their first performance since the shut down.
March Theme: Renewing Faith
Live Stream Worship at 10am / Recorded Viewing Available at Noon
Live stream link can be found here.
March 13 Ritual of Remembrance–Your thoughts wanted!! Commemorating two years since the pandemic shut down began. For our March 13 service, Revs. Dawn and Emily will be leading a Ritual of Remembrance. Please fill out this google form by noon on Friday, March 11. The form asks the following questions:
  • In the last two years, what have you lost as a result of the pandemic?
  • In the last two years, who in your life has died? Please tell us 1-3 very brief things about each person named.
  • In the last two years, what have you gained as a result of the pandemic?
If google forms are not your thing, you can also email Rev. Emily your answers egage@unitytemple.org or call and leave messages on her voicemail at 708.848.6225 x103.
OFFERING : UU Service Committee’s Emergency Response Fund–Ukraine Unity Temple Gives. Each week, we give our Sunday collection to an organization that aligns with our values. This Sunday’s collection will benefit the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s Emergency Response Fund–working with local partners to support refugees from Ukraine with free legal assistance, counseling, and representation, so that Ukrainian asylum seekers receive temporary protection immediately. 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
In-person and online options for worship are now offered. Proof of COVID vaccinations for those who are eligible will be required to attend in-person. (This includes everyone age 5 or older. Vaccines for those younger than 5 are not yet available.) In addition, all those 2 and older must wear a mask covering their nose and mouth. More details can be found on our website here.

You can access the live stream on YouTube at 10am here. 
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.
NOTE: Beginning this Sunday, March 13 you may donate by placing cash or checks in the collection baskets that are being passed. If you are sitting in the back row of the section of pews you will find a basket stored under the pew. Please pass the baskets and someone will be at the back of the main floor of the sanctuary to collect all the baskets.

You can also give by sending a check to the Unity Temple office with (name of organization) on the memo line, or by following the instructions on your screen.
Reflecting with the Board Sessions 
Please join the Board of Trustees as we share what we have been doing and listen to your questions and concerns this Sunday, March 13 at 1pm and Monday, March 14 at 7pm. Zoom link for both sessions can be found here. Meeting ID: 582 581 1029.
Listen to why fellow congregants are excited to attend by clicking here. Register for Pathway to Renewal here. 
Rainbow Connections Monthly Meeting Do you consider yourself part of the queer UTUUC community? If so, please join us on the evening of Thursday, March 17 from 7–8:30pm. (Allies are welcome, on occasion, by invitation only.) This month's virtual meeting topic is "Resurgence of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and legislation and how to better engage the Unity Temple community." If you are a first-timer, feel free to log on at 6:45 for a one-on-one chat to get to know you a bit (not required). Hope to see you soon! Zoom link can be found here.
Thank you for the Soup Drive Success!
On behalf of the Care Team, thanks to all who put time and effort toward making soup to stock our freezers. It will warm the home and heart of a member or family who needs it.  

If you did not get a chance to bring your soup donation over, it's not too late! Don't forget to fill out the sheet with your name, the date, kind of soup and ingredients and put it with the soup. You can bring it to Sunday service and have someone put it in the freezer in the kitchen in the back of Unity House. Or you can bring it during the week to 1019 South Blvd., preferably Monday-Thursday 9am-noon. Thanks again!
Save The Date!
All-Congregation Retreat October 14-16 2022! Bonfires, walking along the beach, reconnecting, leaves changing. If this sounds good to you, then you'll be pleased to know that we are bringing back the All Congregation Retreat, October 14-16 2022, back at Tower Hill in Sawyer Michigan. We need YOU to make it happen though! Contact annualretreat@unitytemple.org by March 14 to let us know you are interested in learning more, going, or better yet - will help us plan and execute!
UUA General Assembly 2022
Registration for General Assembly 2022 in-person in Portland, Oregon is now open. Financial support for registration as well as a payment plan is available. General Assembly 2022 will be a multiplatform event, with registration options for in-person and/or virtual participation.
 
The 2022 UUA General Assembly (GA) Housing Reservation System offers attendees premium amenities, discounted rates, and the best networking opportunities. Attendees who book within the UUA housing block will be in the expert hands of Connections Housing, the only official 2022 UUA General Assembly Housing Bureau.
Movies with Meaning is Back! As Unity Temple practices theme based ministry, Movies with Meaning offers the congregation an example of each month’s theme through a familiar, friendly and popular medium sharing the experience in community. For our March theme Renewing Faith, Movies with Meaning is showing You Will Die At Twenty, a parable perched between fate and self-determination. Go here to view the official movie trailer. Join us Friday, March 18 at 6:30pm, screening begins at 7pm sharp at 1019 South Boulevard. Masks required at this gratis event. All are welcome! For more information email adultre@unitytemple.org.
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 will meet on Sunday’s March 13 & 20 from 1-3pm at the Unity Temple Community Center located at 1019 South Blvd. Online accommodations available if needed.
Contact tlewis@unitytemple.org to register. 
BIPOC Friends’ Gathering Join us on Sunday, March 20, 2022 from 11:30am to 1pm. We will meet either via Zoom (Zoom link to follow closer to 3/20) or in hybrid fashion, ie, in person & virtually. We will discuss the spiritual work of responding to Evil–whether in the context of Putin’s war or in our personal lives, and share practices and strategies for engaging in self care and renewal. To receive more information about BIPOC please join our next meeting, or email us at bipocfriends@unitytemple.org.
MidAmerica Regional Assembly 2022
MidAmerica Regional Assembly 2022 is now open for registration! It takes place on Saturday, April 30, 2022 from 10am–2pm ET / 9am–1pm CT. The keynote speaker is social justice educator, storyteller and speaker, CB Beal. There will be worship, the annual business meeting, a keynote address and conversation as well as community break out rooms for discussion. There is a sliding scale fee between $25 to $50 and scholarships are available. Learn more and register here.
Would you like to get to know more people in our congregation? Come to our monthly meet and greet on Sunday, April 3 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.
Save the Date!! Spring Music Festival 2022: The festival will take place on April 30 at 7pm and features music-loving members of the congregation. Proceeds from this event provide funding for the Unity Temple Vocal Music Scholarship Competition and the music program. Adults: $15 presale / $20 at the door and children (13 and under): $5. Online ticket sales open March 20 and in-person ticket sales after Sunday service, open on March 27. Questions: springtime@unitytemple.org.
Creativity Circle Join us on Tuesday, March 22 at 7:30pm via zoom for our first Creativity Circle meeting! This group, open to all ages and all levels of creative experience is a chance to create together in fellowship. Bring any arts or crafts project you'd like to work on during our time together. We'll start the meeting with introductions and check ins, then spend time together working on our projects. After some time has passed we'll share our work and what stirred in us while we worked. Zoom link can be found here. Meeting ID: 837 2805 7429 / Passcode: 596198
Adult Religious Enrichment Meeting–open to all! If you are looking to suggest or offer a possible learning opportunity for our congregation, or are just interested in faith development for adults, you are welcome to come to our meeting! Rev. Emily Gage and Val Ridenour will host our meeting, and all are welcome. Tuesday, March 15 at 7pm. Zoom link can be found here.
Mindful Reflection Online Community Tuesday Evenings Zoom meeting room opens at 6:45pm, program starts promptly at 7:20pm. 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
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.
Did you miss “Digging into the 8th Principle” worship service on February 13? Perhaps you want to watch it again? If yes, you can find it here. You will be inspired and challenged by the music, stories and reflections. Thank you to all who participated in the post-worship Community Conversation. The 8th Principle team will be reviewing the feedback to determine next steps for the journey. Wondering about opportunities to engage? Please complete the Interest Card here.

To date 150 UU congregations and organizations have adopted the 8th Principle, which calls for us to “accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.” Your 8th Principle team continues to revise the following documents to help you learn more. Please check them out. Contact 8thPrinciple@unitytemple.org if you have questions.
 

Unity Temple Faith In Action Network
Spiritually Grounded / Deeply Relational / Strategically Effective
This Sunday’s collection will benefit the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s Emergency Response Fund–working with local partners to support refugees from Ukraine with free legal assistance, counseling, and representation, so that Ukrainian asylum seekers receive temporary protection immediately. Learn more here.
Combatting Anti-Trans Legislation Currently, there are approximately 150 anti-transgender bills moving through state legislatures across the country. From banning participation in sports, to so-called "bathroom bills," to legislation that criminalizes providing life-saving gender affirming health care, these bills are deadly for trans and nonbinary people of all ages. Join UU Side with Love and the Trevor Project for a webinar on Tuesday, March 15, 7pm (CST) and learn what we can do to Side with Love on behalf of our trans and nonbinary kin. Please read the complete invitation from Side with Love here. Register here.
Housing Forward is opening a warming shelter at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 611 Randolph St, Oak Park, for up to 16 people nightly. Unity Temple is organizing a team of volunteers to assist on Tuesday evenings, March 8- April 26, 6:00-10:30pm. Volunteers are asked to greet clients, be available for conversation, play games, and help set-up and clean-up the dining space (meals are already arranged). COVID protocols will be in place and proof of vaccination is required for all volunteers. View this slideshow for a brief orientation. Sign-up here. Questions? Contact Judy Gaietto-Grace: housingforward@unitytemple.org
Pretrial Fairness Last week 6 UU’s from Unity Temple and Third Unitarian attended the Pre-Trial Fairness Teach-in. Nearly 200 faith leaders from Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and other faith communities across Illinois have signed on to the open letter in defense of pretrial justice reforms. We invite you to sign this petition to your state legislator and encourage them to stand by the Pretrial Fairness Act and refuse to pass punitive policies that destabilize our communities. Contact: restorativejustice@unitytemple.org.
Environmental Justice Last month, Unity Temple members joined with over 500 advocates from across Illinois for a virtual rally and to meet with our legislators for Environmental Justice Action Day. Thank you to all who participated in this exciting week of advocating for our UU values! The fight for environmental justice continues. To protect communities, we must pass legislation that meaningfully addresses environmental racism. Learn more and sign this petition to tell your legislators to pass (HB4093/SB2906), because industry has valued profit over people for far too long. It’s time for people of faith and justice to speak up and protect our communities! Questions? Contact: ecojustice@unitytemple.org
UU Prison Ministry Pen Pals There are people in Illinois prisons who are members of the UU Church of the Larger Fellowship awaiting a pen pal. We invite you to consider becoming a pen pal. Training and support are provided. There are 3 steps to follow on the UU Prison Ministry of IL website found here:
  1. Watch the 40-minute introductory video; 
  2. Read the resources provided;
  3. Submit the request form to be matched with a pen pal.
Someone from UUPMI will follow-up with you to check-in and confirm your match. Questions? Contact penpals@unitytemple.org.
People in prison are counted in the census but not allowed to vote. We can change that! Thanks to all who participated in the Voting in Prison Day of Action to help get Senate Bill 828 across the finish line! Click here to contact your legislator about this important bill. Questions? Contact: restorativejustice@unitytemple.org.

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.
A 22% shortfall : This past October 3–30, we held our annual fund drive to raise the financial commitments we need to support our 2022 operating fund. 
 
As we celebrate our success of raising $938,794 in pledges, we have fallen short of our financial goal by $267,286. If you have not made your pledge, please:
  • 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

UTRF Rising Stars Program Join UTRF on March 19 at 7pm to hear the future of chamber music! This concert will feature an exciting line-up of students from Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts playing solos and chamber music. Tickets range from $10–$20 based on seating assignment. For information on Member, Student and Parent discounts and concert information go here or contact Alice Kloska at 708.260.6661 or akloska@utrf.org.
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!