COVID-19 – Updates and Resources 

Sunday, December 20 at 10:15 a.m. via Livestream

Join us in the lighting of the advent candles as we live the true meaning of anticipation, preparation and waiting. Advent is the 4-week season which leads us to Christmas. It is a season where persons practice patience, reflection and giving. Michele Grove, Emily McKown, and a host of surprise guests will lead us in this worship experience. One of the great joys of this worship service is the many surprise guests who will tell us stories! Is it possible that one of our newest and youngest members will make an appearance? In the season of advent, anything is possible!

Please send your joys or sorrows to joysandsorrows@uucuc.org any time before the Joys and Sorrows portion of the service. They will be read aloud.

Join our online Zoom Fellowship Hour after the service on Sunday (around 11:30 a.m.). Come chat with UUCUC members and friends! All are welcome.

If you have missed any of the previous live streamed services, you can view them at our past streamed services page. You can also view previous live streamed services on our YouTube channel.

Thursday, December 24 at 7:00 p.m. via Livestream

Join us online for an evening of carols, readings, and stunning music by our UUCUC Virtual Choir and music staff, from our Sanctuary illuminated by candlelight. There will be one service at 7 pm, with Christmas readings from the great African-American theologian and poet, Rev. Howard Thurman. Afterward we will gather with candles on Zoom to the sounds of “Silent Night.” The service will be followed by a shared candle-lighting on Zoom.

Due to the dire situation of many of our neighbors, our Christmas Shared Offering will go toward the utility bills of people in the CU community struggling during this pandemic time (identified by Cunningham Township). You can also give to our Partner Churches throughout the month of December.  

Sunday, December 27 at 10:15 a.m. via Livestream

OK, this year, what can we say? A year like no other. What are you going to be very glad to say goodbye to from 2020? Are there unexpected blessings you are grateful for from this year? Let’s laugh and cry and tell stories. If you have something to share, send to minister@uucuc.org, subject line “2020.” I will do a “burning” of everything you’d like to throw out from the year!

Bookmark our UUCUC Events and UUCUC Calendar webpages for future reference.

REMINDER: SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CONGREGATION ON SUNDAY

New adult religious education offerings for 2021 will be announced in the Adult Religious Education Prospectus on Friday, December 18. It promises to be a fun semester of classes, workshops, discussion and creative learning. If you are one of the 98 adults who participated in one of UUCUC’s adult learning experiences, please tell others about your experience. These classes are not restricted to UUCUC members and friends. The community is encouraged to attend. Read more.

New! Theology Ablaze Part II Starts January 6, 2021

Whether or not you participated in Part I this fall, come join us for in-depth conversations around the short chapterettes in the book Theology Ablaze by Rev. Tom Owen-Towle. Each session explores the different themes from a UU perspective. Join us in figuring out what a UU identity means for each of us individually. This spring some of the topics we will look at are: peace and non-violence, hospitality, love, evil, faithfulness and God, plus others. All viewpoints are encouraged to participate, the more diversity of perspective, the richer the exploration. Read more.

This weekly study and action workshop focuses on Widening the Circle of Concern: Report of the UUA Commission on Institutional Change. This report represents thousands of hours by the Commission on Institutional Change as they heard testimony from UU People of Color and other UUs, analyzed data, and explored how White Supremacy Culture lives in our Unitarian Universalist institutions. This collaboration asks its participants to read, reflect, discuss and act. This is a great opportunity to meet Unitarian Universalists from neighboring congregations. Read more.

Dear UUCUC Community,

As you put together your giving plans this holiday season, please consider donating to the Little Free Pantries run by Julie Laut and AJ Herzog, which they have kept active daily since late spring. In order to address increased and unique needs this winter, they have created an Amazon wish list. All items will be delivered to Julie's house and shared between the two pantries. Donations of all items will continue to be accepted as usual at both locations, if you want to bring them in person.

Thank you for your support and generosity,

Julie and AJ

If it would be helpful to have someone deliver groceries for you, we have several folks who have volunteered to do this. Contact Julie Laut at: jlaut@hushmail.com or 513-544-2682 & she’ll put you in touch with a volunteer.

UUCUC'S "BUDDY SYSTEM"

During this time of social distancing, staying in touch and checking in with each other is going to be very important. We hope you will consider being part of our "Buddy System" so we can care for one another.

You can sign up here: https://uucuc.breezechms.com/form/2184f1. Buddies will check in with each other regularly by phone to provide connection, companionship, and connections to help if needed. This is a great way to help each other.

JOYS AND SORROWS sent to joysandsorrows@uucuc.org for last Sunday, December 13.

From Gail Hueting: I am so glad that I can now hear the services again. My computer corrected itself after several frustrating months.

From Mike and Jenna Zeidler: A sorrow; we are mourning the loss of Lois, Michael's mom, on Friday after a long battle with louie body dementia. She is finally at peace and no longer in pain, but will be missed tremendously.

From Paul Kaiser: Sharing joy that Urbana is home to C4A, bringing music education and performance to all ages. P.S. the world needs more banjos.

From Sam Beshers: A joy for family gathering this Christmas -- doing our best to exercise all due caution with testing and isolation, but also needing family togetherness and support.

From the Pitcel Family: Sorrow from the Pitcel family: our friend/brother Dave, a nurse in Chicago, tested positive for Covid again after recovering from it in April. Please wear a mask!

From Rev. Florence Caplow: I'm so happy that my mother Harriet is well and with me for the holiday season. And we have a beautiful lit up Christmas tree outside the living room window, safe from the kittens!

From Beth Simpson: Joy at going out to harvest moon drive in holiday night and the Gibson City driveby light parade on Friday with Paul and Willow Kaiser. So much gratitude for people offering safe and creative ways to celebrate the darkness and light. Especially with hot chocolate and eggnog!

Please send your joys or sorrows to joysandsorrows@uucuc.org any time before the Joys and Sorrows portion of the service each Sunday. They will be read aloud.

UUCUC Social Action Offering. Each month a selected organization is chosen to receive offerings from our congregation. You may donate to the social action offering for the month in one of the following ways:

During the month of December, we will support our Partner Churches with our social action offering. The mission and objectives of the Partner Church Committee are to develop long-term, mutually supportive relationships with our fellow UUs in Transylvania, Romania, and in the Khasi Hills in North East India.

During the month of November 2020, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee was selected to be the shared offering. The UUCUC congregation contributed a total of $1,830 that month!

Dates are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, visit our UUCUC Calendar page.

As of Monday, March 16, the UUCUC building closed as a preventative measure to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus in our community.. All upcoming scheduled meetings and events at UUCUC listed on the calendar should be considered tentative. If you are planning on participating in a recurring meeting, please verify with the facilitator that the meeting or event is still scheduled to meet and is shifting to an online format. UUCUC leadership and staff are working to move all recurring meetings to an online format, but this may take some additional weeks. Stay tuned for more information! At this time, we are strongly recommending that no groups meet in person.

Read our policy on publications for details.

IMPORTANT! Send your submittals to pubs@uucuc.org

Please do not send to admin@uucuc.org.

Closed until further notice

Need reimbursement for a purchase or two made on behalf of a committee project? Fill out this online reimbursement form, which will go to the DCA, and submit your receipts via email, if applicable.