COVID Protocol: Our Covid-19 protocols have been adjusted, we are now in Green. Masking is recommended. Please visit our website here for more details.

Celebration Sunday : All Living Things Grow

Rev. Dawn Cooley

Join us as we celebrate our new members in a special ceremony during service. We hope you can join us for celebratory treats at the Community Hour following service!

December Theme: Wonder

Live Stream Worship at 10am / Recorded Viewing Available at Noon

Live stream link can be found here.

Sunday’s chalice table flowers will be given by the Membership Committee in celebration of our new members. May this new beginning create evermore connection, care and compassion in our community.

OFFERING : Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

Unity Temple Gives. Each week we give our Sunday collection to an organization that aligns with our values. This Sunday’s collection will benefit Unitarian Universalist Service Committee – advancing human rights and justice through grassroots collaboration. Learn more here.

You may donate by placing cash or check in one of the circulating baskets during the service, sending a check to the Unity Temple office (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. COVID Protocol: Our Covid-19 protocols have been adjusted, we are now in Green. Please visit our website here for more details.You can access the live stream on YouTube at 10am here.

Community Hour Following the Sunday morning service join us for Community Hour for refreshments and fellowship in Unity House and on the patios as weather permits.

Chalice Table Reservations We welcome floral arrangements or other decorations such as objects from nature or spiritual symbols to be included on our Chalice Table during worship on Sunday mornings. Please refrain from political/campaign related objects as they will be removed. To reserve a date, please fill out this form. Thank you for contributing to our worship experience. For assistance contact flowers@unitytemple.org.

Prison Pen Pal Card Writing Event Help send holiday cards to our Church of the Larger Fellowship pen pals who are in prison. This is a season of loneliness for inside folks, and we hope to shower them with cards. Join us Sunday, December 4, 12-2pm at Gale House. We will supply cards, or you may bring your own. (No glitter, white envelopes required). Postage stamps gratefully accepted. RSVP: prisonpenpals@unitytemple.org.

Food & Fellowship Monthly "Brown-Bag Lunch with the Minister(s)" meets on the third Thursday of the month 11:30am–12:30pm. These new opportunities to connect will be in person at 1019 South Blvd in the odd months and will switch to virtual meetings in the even months via Zoom. Next one is scheduled for Thursday, December 15 via Zoom!

Please save the date for our virtual Annual Meeting on Sunday, December 11 at 1pm. Also, mark your calendar for a pre-meeting workshop. A pre-meeting workshop will take place this, Sunday, December 4, in person after service.

What Do These Have in Common? Group Fun! Coffee Class; Dinners – French, Specialty Foods, African Dinner & more!; Bourbon & Whiskey Tasting; Ice Cream Social; Piano Concert with Wine & Dessert, Family Game Night; and more!

These are just a sampling of what is being offered at the 2023 UTUCC Auction! Since there is never Too Much Fun, we encourage you to donate to the auction. If an event is not possible, you can donate a service or vacation home or just talk to someone on the Auction Team during coffee hour to help you decide what you can donate!

Auction bidding begins February 16, 2023. We hope to have something for everyone! Stay tune for more information & updates! Scan this QR code to sign up or see one of our auction team members during coffee hour

Sermon Writing Seminar (facilitated by Jay Cohen) Unity Temple will be offering more lay-led Sunday services in 2023 and we are looking for people who are interested in participating. Shared Pulpit is a UU curriculum that prepares lay people in all aspects of creating worship, with an emphasis on writing effective sermons. This seminar will be facilitated by Jay Cohen, one of our worship associates and a previous participant of Shared Pulpit. The seminar is limited to 6 participants and we will offer gentle feedback to each other as writings are shared. There are 8 sessions that will meet every other Monday evening from January 9 to April 10. You can see the seminar description and full calendar of sessions here. If you are interested in participating, you can find the registration form here.

All Ages White Elephant Gift Exchange Please join us on Friday, December 9 from 6:30-8:30pm at the Unity Temple Community Center located at 1019 South Blvd. All ages are welcome. Pizza provided. BYOB. Bring a wrapped gift valued at $10 or under to participate. Leave with something you never knew you wanted. Funny? Weird? Nice? Your call. RSVP to whiteelephant@unitytemple.org. 

Winter Pathway to Membership Schedule

Our membership classes will resume in January. Participants learn about the congregation’s history and how we work today. It is a wonderful way to get to know a small group of people and decide how you can become part of our collective future. Groups meet at our community center located at 1019 South Blvd on Sundays from 1:30-3:30pm. Childcare is available upon request. In addition, on-line accommodations can be made. The winter schedule is January 15 & 22, February 12 & 19, and March 12 & 19. To register contact tlewis@unitytemple.org. 

Men's Retreat 2023

Mark your calendars for the weekend of January 27th–29th, 2023 at the Cabrini Center. Our theme this year will be "Turning Points of Our Lives". Contact mensretreat@unitytemple.org.

Congregational Life Table Reservation As the weather changes and we move our Community Hour back indoors, tables may now be requested to promote congregational happenings. Hosting a table is a great way to make sure congregants know how to participate in events, activities, and service opportunities. To reserve space contact tlewis@unitytemple.org.

Are you looking for more ways to meet people in the congregation? Each month we hold 2 social hours and hope you can attend! Please join us at Unity Temple from 1-2 pm on the first Sunday of every month and/or at the Unity Temple Community Center located at 1019 South Blvd on the third Thursday of every month from 6:30-7:30pm. Light refreshments will be provided. Register in advance here. Walk-ins are also welcome!

Back By Popular Demand: The Christmas Eve Pageant! Our 3pm Christmas Eve Worship For All Ages will include our beloved pageant (back after a two year hiatus) which is a retelling of the Christmas story. The worship service will be open to all and also be live-streamed. 

There are various speaking roles and non-speaking roles included in the pageant. There will be a variety of Friendly Beasts, Angels and wranglers of all. We will need adults to help out with costumes, wrangling, and general chaos management. 

Our rehearsal and soup potluck supper will be on Friday, December 23 from 5-7pm inside Unity Temple. Please contact Val Ridenour vridenour@unitytemple.org to indicate your interest in participation! 

Movies with Meaning offers the congregation an example of each month’s ministry theme through the familiar, friendly and popular medium of cinema sharing the experience in community. For our December theme Wonder, Movies with Meaning is showing In & Of Itself a movie which explores aspects of identity, isolation, and our own desperate drive to figure out who we are as individuals. Click here to view the official movie trailer. Join us Friday night, December 16, gathering at 6:30pm with movie at 7 at the Unity Temple Community Center, 1019 South Boulevard. All are welcome at this gratis event! For more information, contact adultre@unitytemple.org.

The Mindful Reflection 

community meets every TUESDAY evening virtually and in person in Unity House at Unity Temple. Meeting opens at 6:45pm for camaraderie, the program starts promptly at 7:20pm. Vaccinations are encouraged, masks are mandatory. 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.

Sacred Wanderings 

Saturday, December 3, 2022 8:30am–10:30am CDT, Thatcher Woods, north pavilion. Free parking is available - 8030 Chicago Ave, Maywood 60153. Follow the signs. Wear comfortable clothes and bring a lawn chair and a tea cup for tea during the sharing circle at the end. Tea will be provided. We will meet in any weather condition.

Masks are optional.

Join Kevin, Jay and Terry 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.

Those with physical challenges are easily accommodated. If you have any questions please email mindful@unitytemple.org. We look forward to seeing you! 

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

Peace Vigil & Service of Remembrance

Join us Wednesday, December 14, 6-7pm for a Peace Vigil and Service of Remembrance: 10 Years since Sandy Hook, hosted at Unity Temple. You can also join us via livestream on the Unity Temple YouTube channel. This vigil is being planned by the UTUUC Gun Violence Prevention group, in partnership with Moms Demand Action and other local organizations. Please share this flyer with your friends and join us in the sanctuary or via livestream. Questions? Contact: gunviolenceprevention@unitytemple.org.



Holiday Food & Gift Basket Join the Community of Congregations for the Holiday Food & Gift Basket program - supporting members of our local community who need assistance this holiday season. Please consider being a sponsor to purchase gifts, based on the need/wish lists provided. Sponsors wrap the gifts, and drop them off the week of December 5 at United Lutheran Church in Oak Park. To become a sponsor please email hfgbholidays@gmail.com. To volunteer to help deliver gifts on Saturday, December 10, 8-10:30am, please sign up here. Thank you!

Thanks to all who are phone-banking and text-banking with UU the Vote partners to reach voters in Georgia. Here are all the ways to help get out the vote. Questions? Contact: votelove@unitytemple.org.

Meals & Holiday Gifts Needed 

Meals are needed for Housing Forward's Interim Housing program.  Learn more here and sign-up to provide an individually-wrapped meal. Thank you for your generous support!

You are also invited to support the families that Housing Forward serves by providing holiday gifts. Please complete this form to sponsor a family and provide gifts. Gifts are due by noon on Friday, December 9 to the Housing Forward Maywood office, 1851 S. 9th Ave., Maywood, IL  60153. Additional instructions will be included in your confirmation letter.  Contact: housingforward@unitytemple.org.

Faith in Action Newsletter

Our monthly Faith in Action newsletter is filled with impactful actions! See our latest newsletter here. If you’re not receiving these emails, please subscribe here. Questions? 

Contact Rev. Colleen, Assistant Minister for Faith in Action - cvahey@unitytemple.org.

The Annual Fund Drive reached 75% of our goal so far! We are currently at $701,277 towards the goal of $930,000. We hope you will all send in your pledges as soon as possible so that we have solid results for budget planning prior to our Annual Meeting. This will also save the time of volunteers who need to make follow up calls and emails to those who have not yet pledged. Thanks for your generosity to our community. Your generosity supports our mission through our wonderful programs including worship services, religious education for our kids, our music program, pastoral care, faith in action outreach and so much more.

• Fill out your pledge form and mail into the office as soon as you can.
• You can pledge on our website here.

Questions? Reach out to AnnualFundDrive@unitytemple.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