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.

Coming of Age Ceremony / Rev. Emily Gage

April Theme: Path of Resistance

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

Live stream link can be found here.

Sunday’s chalice table flowers are given by Terri Powell in memory of her brother, David, who loved nature and planted many trees. His archaeological work and advocacy led to protection of tribal lands for the Yakima Nation of Washington.

OFFERING : Oak Park Our Whole Lives

Unity Temple Gives. Each week we give our Sunday collection to an organization that aligns with our values. This Sunday’s collection will benefit Oak Park Our Whole Lives – providing holistic, comprehensive sexuality education to young people in the Oak Park area, grades K-8. The Oak Park OWL classes provide essential support to young people’s development and their sense of self-worth. Learn more here. May what you give bring you joy. 



You may donate by placing cash or check in one of the circulating baskets during the service OR:

• by sending a check to the Unity Temple office (875 Lake St., Oak Park, 60301) with org name on memo line, 
• by texting 73256 with the message UTUUC and select “Offering,” 
• by using the camera on your phone to scan the QR code on the screen during the Offertory. 
• You can also give at the UTUUC website. 

Please join our Meet&Greet 

gathering on the first Sunday of the month. It's a wonderful way for new people to get to know members of the congregation in a casual setting beyond Community Hour. This group meets in Gale House, the green building next door to Unity Temple. Hope to see you on Sunday, May 7 at 11:30 in Gale House! Contact 

hospitality@unitytemple.org for more information. 

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 at Community Hour for refreshments and fellowship in Unity House.

Congregational Meeting on April 30 Members, please join us for the UTUUC All Congregation Meeting on April 30, 2023 at 12 noon. The meeting will take place in person in the sanctuary at Unity Temple. This All Congregation Meeting is a demonstration of our commitment to one another and to the Fifth UU Principle: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.

We must have a quorum of 107 people in order to conduct official business, which will focus on voting for the Relational Covenant, providing a first quarter update to the FY2023 Financial Budget and revised outlook for the second half of 2023, as well as a special appearance and message from our new Developmental Minister.

In order to attend the meeting, members must register in advance. You can register now here. Registration will close at 12 noon on Saturday, April 29, 2023.

Your Stewardship Committee Needs Your Help The UTUUC Stewardship Committee has the job of developing new sources of income for our congregation. We have enough committee members, but need people who can take care of specific tasks. We have several ideas and we need help implementing them. Ideas include a congregational survey, online/facebook/go fund me approach, spreading the word about UTUUC, endowment/deferred giving to name a few. Please contact us. Your skills will help us greatly. Stewardship@UnityTemple.org.

Baby and Child Dedication on June 4th! In Unitarian Universalism, we celebrate babies and young children in a shared blessing and dedication ceremony during a Sunday morning worship service. We have not been able to do this since December of 2019, so it will be an especially happy occasion! If you are a member of Unity Temple, and wish to have your child(ren) dedicated on Sunday, June 4 (or have questions about this), please reach out to Rev. Emily Gage egage@unitytemple.org by May 22. 

Kudoboard for Tina

By now many of you have heard that our Director of Engagement & Membership, Tina Lewis, will be leaving her position at the end of April after many years of service and involvement at our congregation. We have created a Kudoboard space for the congregation to leave messages of support and thanks for Tina.  Please feel free to add a photo or video with your message! The Kudoboard will be delivered to Tina on Sunday, April 30. If you have a moment, we invite you to post a message and wish her well!

Celebrate Tina on April 30 The Board of Trustees would like to acknowledge the many contributions of Tina Lewis during her tenure here at Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Whether it was organizing a New Member ceremony or navigating the various changes to our congregation during the pandemic, Tina met every challenge presented before her with a bright smile and a can-do attitude. This has served our community so well for the past 23 years. She made strangers feel welcome within our walls and worked diligently to continually grow our membership. Read more here.

The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce Rev. Roger Bertschausen as our next Senior Minister, starting in early August. His ministry with us will be developmental - meaning he will be here for a limited duration (typically four to seven years). Feel free to find Matt Bruce, Aimee Conrad, Ed McDevitt or Sandy Meyer at coffee hour, or email us at dmsearch@unitytemple.org with questions. You can learn more about Rev. Roger here.

Join us on April 22, 9am, with BUILD Chicago and many other partners in an Earth Day clean-up of Harrison St and Columbus Park (meet at the Columbus Park pavilion near the Field House on Central Ave.)! Free Earth Day fun and celebrations continue in the afternoon. Learn more and register here. Questions? Contact: ecojustice@unitytemple.org.

Clemency Calls Your Restorative Justice team asks you to please call the Governor TODAY and urge him to sign and grant clemency to pen pal members of the UU Church of the Larger Fellowship and other partner organizations, whose clemency petitions await on his desk. More details and a call script here*.  Let’s shower the Governor’s office with our calls!  A few minutes of your time can have a tremendous impact. Let us know if you make this call: restorativejustice@unitytemple.org. *To learn more watch our March 26th worship service here (minute 40).   

Oak Park Tree Stroll

Celebrate Earth Month and enjoy a 45-minute walk while you learn about Oak Park’s stately trees. Join us at the corner of S Scoville and South Blvd (roughly 104 S. Scoville) on Saturday, April 29, 2-2:45pm. Learn how to identify trees, do tree bark rubbings (materials provided), plus gifts for all who bike, roll or walk to this event! Sign up here. Questions? ecojustice@unitytemple.org.

Faith in Action Day! 

Join us Saturday, May 6, for spiritual renewal, community, and action! Our monthly Sacred Wanderings group begins at 8:30am for spiritual renewal in Thatcher Woods, followed by an 11am potluck breakfast with our Faith in Action teams at the shelter at Evans Field, and a clean-up of the forest at Noon. Follow the signs for Unity Temple. For full details, see the event flyer here. All ages are welcome! Join us for any part or all of this day! Questions? 

Contact: ecojustice@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.

Faith in Action Newsletter To learn more about living our mission through our Faith in Action Network, check out the latest newsletter here. You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter here. Questions? Contact Rev. Colleen, Assistant Minister for Faith in Action cvahey@unitytemple.org.

LGBTQ+, Gender & Reproductive Justice Our LGBTQ+, Gender and Reproductive Justice Team is working with a coalition of community partners to address LGBTQ+, reproductive justice and intersectional advocacy in our area. Join us on Monday, April 24, 7pm, in person at the Unity Temple Community Center (1019 South Blvd., Oak Park) or online by registering here. The team is preparing a Rapid Response Training session in May that will include best practices for attending rallies and marches, and an introduction to safety marshal basics.  Questions? Contact: FaithinAction@unitytemple.org

Immigration Justice On Wednesday, May 3, 9-11am, join our Immigration team at an interfaith breakfast at Old St. Pat's, 700 W. Adams St, Chicago, to learn about how we can respond to the very urgent need to open spaces to the growing number of people seeking asylum in our area. To join us contact: immigration@unitytemple.org.

Support Pen Pal Recently Released from Prison As you heard in our March 26 worship service, one of our Restorative Justice team's prison pen pals, Matt, was released in February in Peoria after serving 5 years of a 24-year sentence for a crime he did not commit. He finally won his appeal—but came out of prison with a one-ride bus ticket, and more than $1400 owed in court fees. His pen pal, Unity Temple member, Barbara Moline, has been providing support. Matt and his new girlfriend, Crystal, (also recently released from prison) are in the process of getting jobs, and in May will move into rental housing. We have set-up a housewarming registry of needed items. To donate, please visit the registry here. Questions? Contact: restorativejustice@unitytemple.org

The 2023 Spring Music Festival (SMF) will take place at Unity Temple on April 29 at 7pm. Adults: $20 in advance/$25 at the door and children (13 and under): $5. Online ticket sales are open here or by scanning the QR code. The last chance to purchase in-person tickets in the foyer after services is April 23. Online ticket sales close April 28.

The annual Spring Music Festival showcases the outstanding talent of members and friends of the congregation. Anchored by the Unity Temple Players (our house band), this not-to-be-missed event includes professionals as well as the very best amateur talent of our musical family. Proceeds provide scholarships for community area high school students who compete for one of three $1,000 awards applied to voice instruction and to benefit the UTUUC General Operating Fund. Questions? Please contact: springmusic@unitytemple.org.

NOTE: The SMF Planning Team is looking for a volunteer to video record the event. You will be guaranteed one of the best seats in the house. If you have experience and/or skills with a video camera and are willing to perform that role, please contact springmusic@unitytemple.org.

On April 2, The Unity Temple Choir, a chamber orchestra and professional actors/singers presented a moving choral work entitled, Considering Matthew Shepard. Matthew Shepard was a 21 year old gay man who was murdered in the fall of 1998. The music engages listeners in a heartbreaking story that ends with a commitment to Tell Each Other Stories engaging All Of Us to finding the best in each person and to commit to move forward in reconciliation. Link to the performance here.

Join Diverse Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries for a public worship, Shine On Beautiful & Resilient People, with Rev. Katie Romano Griffin, and musical artist and Unity Temple member, Amanda Thomas, on Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 7pm(CST). Join us for this festival of Black and Brown joy and resilience including original works of music, prayer and poetry. Learn much more here. Please RSVP to receive the Zoom link. Unity Temple is a sponsor of this public worship. Questions? Contact: 

bipocfriends@unitytemple.org.

Pathway to Membership 

provides an opportunity to learn about what becoming a member means. Participants will learn about our mission, programs, operations, volunteer opportunities, and more. At the first session, we get to know one another and learn about the congregation's interesting history. Guest speakers join the second session to share information about how the congregation works together to create meaningful experiences and build community. We hope you can participate! The next sessions will be on May 7 & 21. To register contact pathway@unitytemple.org. 

Women's Connection Gathering Please join us on Friday April 21, at 6pm to discuss Michelle Obama’s book The Light We Carry. Reading the book is helpful, but not mandatory, to attend. This book follows closely with our Women’s Retreat theme of Emerging Together. Please bring a dish to share, socialize, followed by discussions and engaging exercises to help us realize our Own Light. Questions please contact womensconnections@unitytemple.org. We will gather at 1019 South Boulevard, Oak Park.

UTUUC Cares For those of us who are facing life challenges, help is available. The Caring Committee arranges for meals and other practical assistance for those in need of help due to illness and other life limitations. They can be reached at caring@unitytemple.org.  And if you would like a compassionate ear when facing troubling circumstances, trained, commissioned members of the Spiritual Care Team are available to meet with you. When shadows fall on the path of life, you need not walk alone. The team can be reached at spiritualcare@unitytemple.org.

NOTE: Internationally known David Loy will be the LIVE guest dharma speaker at the April 25 Mindful Reflection Community meeting both in person and online. His topic: How to Drive your Karma!

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. 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

Tuesday Evening Mindful Reflection Community 

meets virtually and in person in Unity House at Unity Temple. Meeting opens at 7pm EST for camaraderie, the program starts promptly at 7:20pm. Vaccinations are encouraged, masks are optional. 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.

UTUUC Office Hours The office/community center located at 1019 South Blvd is open Monday-Friday from 9am-3pm. If you are looking for access to the office outside of these hours, reach out to staff associated with your needs to make arrangements. For Administration, contact Brian Franklin at bfranklin@unitytemple.org, Membership and Engagement contact Tina Lewis at tlewis@unitytemple.org, Religious Education contact Val Ridenour at vridenour@unitytemple.org, and Music Ministry, contact Marty Swisher at mswisher@unitytemple.org. 

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.

Guidelines for submissions to the eBeacon newsletter can be found here.

Calendar Reservations Do you need to reserve space in one of our three buildings for a meeting, activity or event? You may make a reservation request by clicking here.

Congregational Life Table Reservation Would you like to reserve a table to promote congregational happenings during Community Hour in Unity House? 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.

We Celebrate Our Differences :: The beloved community includes people with diverse life experiences. Here at Unity Temple we call people to live out the values of our faith: interdependence, pluralism, justice, equity, generosity and transformation. 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