Gathered in Covenant
Dr. Elías Ortega
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February Theme: Widening the Circle
Live Stream Worship at 10am / Recorded Viewing Available at Noon
Live stream link can be found here.
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OFFERING :: Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago
Unity Temple Gives. Each week we give our Sunday collection to an organization that aligns with our values. This Sunday’s collection will benefit Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago–equipping students for liberal religious ministry grounded in justice, equity, and compassion. 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.
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We have resumed multi-platform Sunday services, with both in-person and online options for participating. 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.
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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.
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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: Dr. Elías Ortega is willing to engage with congregants in further discussion related to his sermon following the service in the sanctuary.
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Radical Compassion Group Unity Temple’s Inspiring Compassion Team and Mindful Reflection Community are co-sponsoring a personal exploration group to expand our mindfulness and compassion practices. This will be co-facilitated by Jan Johnston and Jay Cohen. This is a drop-in group where each session will stand on its own and participants can come to any or all sessions. It is inspired by the book Radical Compassion by Tara Brach, but it is NOT a book discussion. It is an opportunity to discover new practices.
Our next session is this Sunday, February 27. We will be practicing the teachings of Chapter 5, although reading the book is not required. A chapter summary will be offered along with the practice questions. We meet from 7–8:30pm on Zoom. To see the calendar of sessions, topics, as well as the Zoom link, visit our
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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.
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Would you like to get to know more people in our congregation? Come to our monthly meet and greet on Sunday, March 6 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
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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.
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UTUUC Soup Drive! Looking for an easy, one-time way to help the UTUUC Community? The Care Team is hosting a Soup Drive! All donated soups will be used for congregation members in times of need. Many of you donated to our soup drive last year at this time—thanks to all who donated—but we have run out of soups for future needs. We are in need of both vegetarian and meat based soups. If interested, please email soupdrive@unitytemple.org for instructions. The soup drive will run thru March 10. Put your soup out into the world and good karma will be returned to you!
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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.
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Worship Associate Training via Zoom
The ministers & Worship Committee are excited to involve more laypeople in our worship. Are you interested in:
- Serving behind the scenes to help with planning the service and making it go smoothly?
- Offering a prayer or a reading?
- Writing and delivering a sermon?
- Or something else?
If so, you are invited to attend “Worship 101” on Saturday, March 5, from 10am–2pm. Rev. Dawn will teach us about the basics of UU worship, explain the various potential roles and we will explore your interests and discuss how we might structure further training. To sign up for Worship 101, please go here. For more information, please send an email to worship@unitytemple.org.
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MyHAT Support Group Hybrid Meeting– This group is for people living with mental illness and those who care about them. We practice deep sharing and deep listening. Participation is confidential. We are always open to new participants. We will meet, as usual, on the fourth Monday of the month, February 28 at 7pm. It will be a hybrid meeting: come in person to Unity House (The house next to Unity Temple on Kenilworth). Following congregation guidelines, we will be wearing masks.You can also join the meeting via Zoom here. Meeting ID: 985 8462 8417. Looking forward to sharing with new and old friends!
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Meet the Ministers
Wondering what our minister's do when they are not at Unity Temple? What hobbies to they have? What's their favorite food? Do they have a pet? Learn these compelling answers and more! Sunday, March 13 following service at 11:15am. Registration is helpful, though drop-ins are welcome. Contact tlewis@unitytemple.org to register in advance.
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Unity Temple Faith In Action Network
Spiritually Grounded / Deeply Relational / Strategically Effective
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This Sunday’s collection will benefit Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago–equipping students for liberal religious ministry grounded in justice, equity, and compassion. Learn more here.
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Digital Action Hour Join UU Side with Love and Detention Watch Network for a Digital Action Hour on March 3 at Noon CST. Register for the Digital Action Hour here. Learn more about the Communities Not Cages and Defund Hate Campaigns, hear the testimonies of people who have experienced detention, and hold elected officials accountable. During the digital action hour, we’ll provide you with the tools to make calls and send emails to the Biden Administration and congressional leadership to demand #CommunitiesNotCages. Contact immigration@unitytemple.org
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Pretrial Fairness Last week six 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
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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, 6-10:30pm. COVID protocols will be in place. 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). View this slideshow for a brief orientation. Sign-up here. Questions? Contact Judy Gaietto-Grace at housingforward@unitytemple.org
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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:
- Watch the 40-minute introductory video;
- Read the resources provided;
- 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.
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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.
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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.
ID: 373 008 242 / Passcode: 4IFrYx
One tap mobile: +13126266799,,373008242#,,,,*940220#1 312 626 6799 Meeting ID: 373 008 242 / Passcode: 940220
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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
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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.
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Compassion Connections for the Month of February 2022
The Inspiring Compassion Team invites you to join a Compassion Connection session this February! These are one session drop-in groups to cultivate social care, discuss relevant topics and create an opportunity to share compassion. Come be with others in our community looking for a moment of connection. Learn more, find the schedule and Zoom links here.
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UT Choir is Online!
Our choir persists. We have begun meeting online at 7pm on Wednesdays. Email music director Marty Swisher for the link and for an inspirational gathering! mswisher@unitytemple.org.
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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 $935,373 in pledges, we have fallen short of our financial goal by $270,707. If you have not made your pledge, please:
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Review the 2022 campaign information you should have received by mail here, then
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Fill out your pledge form and mail into the office as soon as you can, or
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Make your commitment online at https://onrealm.org/unitytemple, or
- Call the office to pledge over the phone at 708.848.6225 ext 104
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Saturday, February 26 at 5:30 and 8pm Come enjoy a one of a kind performance from Winifred Haun & Dancers and The Banks Performance Project in a customed choreographed performances inspired by Unity Temple. Tickets range from $20 – $39 based on seating assignment. The layout of Unity Temple does not allow guests to see every angle from every seat, but each seat will have it’s own unique view.
Due to the nature of the performance, dancers may not be wearing masks but all have been vaccinated or will have submitted a negative test within 48 hours of the event. For information on Member & Student discounts and concert information go here or contact Alice Kloska at 708.260.6661 or alice@utrf.org.
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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.
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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
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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!
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