Sunday Service
In-person and Online
January 29, 2023 @ 10:30am

by rev. mandi huizenga
The January special offering will benefit DUUC’s SMILE project. The SMILE project
was designed to provide mentoring and work experience to high school students who
are not the top of their class, nor in the bottom quarter, but those who could use
encouragement and help to prepare for entering the workforce after high school. We are
also attempting to offer our congregation a means to help reduce racism in our
community by creating opportunities for business people in our community to create
relationships between themselves and young people of color. We have mentored 36
students, impacted 18 business groups, including two police departments. In addition
family members from each student have felt the effects of these experiences as have
the leaders of the four high schools which the students have attended.

To make a donation, please click HERE.
Conversations summary and next steps for DuPage UU!

Thanks to all (40 of you!) who attended the January 15 presentation on church size dynamics and the summary of our November Congregational Conversations with you ... and what it all means for this beloved community. 

For those who were unable to attend, rev. mandi and the Board will hold a Zoom version of the presentation on Wednesday, February 8 at 7:00 pm. Join us to learn more about how the size of our church community, our policy-based governance, and your wishes for the future of DuPage UU all connect! 

You will hear more about leadership's hopes and plans based on your hopes and wishes in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for communication from the Stewardship committee and your Board!
Grounds and Landscape Report
The Grounds and Landscape Task Force has completed its report. You may review the grounds report to gain insight as we ask you to share your thoughts about future grounds and landscape efforts.
Our Grounds and Landscape – Beautiful or Not?
When you walk to the front door of the church, what impression did you have on the appearance of our property? What impression do you think it has on visitors? What changes, if any, would you suggest? The Grounds and Landscape Task Force is working to achieve a balance between looking maintained and natural. The Task Force Report recommended getting feedback from the congregation.
When you walk into the sanctuary over the next two weeks you will be handed a simple survey along with the Order of Service. The survey will ask you to share your thoughts. Please return it to the ushers as you exit, leave it in the office, or send it back to the church by February 15. Also, you may access the survey HERE, and submit it online.
Now is the time to express your opinions, but please complete the survey only once. If you have questions, feel free to contact Jane Gano, Susan Camasta, Jenny Hobbs, or Carl Nash at grounds@dupageuuchurch.org. 
Nominations for Special Offerings
 
Each year our Special Offerings team solicits, reviews, and chooses nominees for a yearly lineup of not-for-profit organizations as monthly special offering recipients. These nominations come from our own Church members and often represent organizations that have been founded by or at which our members have volunteered for many years. They may be organizations that have impacted the life of your family. From mental health to senior support, immigrant literacy to prison ministry, our action provides a lifeline to organizations without deep pockets but providing essential services to so many living in our surrounding communities.
 
We are now beginning the process for 2023-2024. We currently have two standing recipients: the Tom Galloway scholarship at College of DuPage and Riverwalk Adult Day Services. It is now time to think about organizations that you volunteer with, use their services, or just know they do good works. You can find information on the criteria we use to make decisions on our nomination form. 
 
We are asking that you fill out and submit the Nomination form online (available on the Here's What's Happening page). Or you may fill out a copy of the form, available in the church office. Place the completed form in the Special Offerings mailbox or scan and email it to specialofferings@dupageuuchurch.org. We look forward to learning about the organizations you think deserve our support.
DUUC's Pagan Circle invites everyone to our:

Imbolc Celebration
Saturday January 28th, 7-9 pm
in the Sanctuary

Potluck after the celebration in the Learning Center.

Vegan / GF soup will be provided.
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: 
or Elaine Waite, at elainepiedra@gmail.com.

We are meeting Hybrid in the DUUC Learning Center and on Zoom.


Meeting ID: 885 7102 1238
Passcode: 512058
Sunday Flowers Needed 
Celebrate a person or event by providing flowers for a Sunday service. Flowers are needed throughout the church year. 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 MARCH newsletter is MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27 @ 9am. Please email your submissions to Sheri at office@dupageuuchurch.org.
Room reservations & Zoom link requests can be made by sending an email to calendar@dupageuuchurch.org
Click HERE to read the latest COVID protocols at
DuPage UU Church.
Find out what's happening at DuPage UU Church!
In the Wider Unitarian Universalist World
Respecting the Journey: Meeting People Where They Are
Our UU faith values remind us that no one is outside the circle of love and that all of us are always learning. Join leaders from the Unitarian Universalist Prison Ministry in this two-hour workshop about trauma-informed care and skill-building around cultural humility and companioning others (and even our own selves) who have experienced trauma.

Saturday Feb. 11, 2023
10am-12pm
Light refreshments provided.
Location: DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church, 1828 Old Naperville Rd, Naperville, IL 60563, Learning Center, or attend via zoom.

To register, send your name, home congregation, email address, phone number, and whether you will attend via zoom or in person to Robert Skrocki at bpskrocki@comcast.net, or text or phone him at 630-802-0769.
Registration is now open! Pease click here to register.

General Assembly is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where we conduct business of the Association, explore the theological underpinnings of our faith, and lean fully into our mission and principles. Please join us Wednesday, June 21 through Sunday, June 25, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and/or online for this 5-day immersive experience where we participate in inspirational worship services and informative workshops, reconvene with friends and colleagues, and explore our bustling exhibit hall. GA is an unforgettable experience for the thousands of UUs who attend. Meet us online or in Pittsburgh and you’ll leave with renewed energy and innovative ideas to share with your congregation and community-at-large!
Please consider making a donation to support
DuPage UU Church and all of its programs ~
thank you!