COVID Protocol: Our Covid-19 protocols have been adjusted, we are now in Blue. In respect and care for the vulnerable, masking is required in our facilities despite changing external guidelines. Please visit our website here for more details.
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Office Hours: If you are planning to come by 1019 (our Unity Temple Community Center) for any reason during the week, please check to make sure a staff person will be here to help you. Contact office@unitytemple.org. | |
You are Enough / Rev. Dawn Cooley
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September Theme: Belonging
Live Stream Worship at 10am / Recorded Viewing Available at Noon
Live stream link can be found here.
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Sunday's chalice table flowers will be given by Jane Coleman in gratitude
for nature’s gifts.
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OFFERING : New Moms
Unity Temple Gives. Each week, we give our Sunday collection to an organization that aligns with our values. This Sunday’s collection will benefit New Moms – serving young moms and their children experiencing poverty and homelessness. New Moms provides housing, job training, parenting education, doula support and much more – providing comprehensive support services to strengthen families and communities in Chicago and the Near West suburbs. 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.
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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 Blue. In respect and care for the vulnerable, masking is required (2yrs and up) in our facilities despite changing external guidelines. Please visit our website here for more details.You can access the live stream on YouTube at 10am here.
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Do YOU have a Name Tag? We value building relationships with one another and name tags help us get the ball rolling. If you need a name tag, please add your name to the list at the Welcome Table in the foyer or email tlewis@unitytemple.org.
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Community Hour
Following the Sunday morning service join us for Community Hour on the patios for refreshments and fellowship as weather permits.
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Call for Cookies
Community Hour on the patios will continue, however, our cookie supply is running low. Donations are now being gratefully accepted. If you would like to donate a package or two of cookies, please drop them off in the kitchen on Sunday mornings. Note: NO NUTS. Also, gluten free cookies are much appreciated too. Thank you!
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Meet & Greets this Sunday! Would you like to get to know more people in our congregation? Come to our monthly meet and greet this Sunday, September 11 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 tlewis@unitytemple.org to register in advance.
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8th Grade OWL is Coming! Our Whole Lives values based sexuality education program will be offered, as per usual, to our Unity Temple 8th graders over the course of the program year on Sunday evenings. We will be holding a parent (parents only!) meeting this Sunday evening, September 11 from 6:30-8:30pm at the UTUUC Community Center at 1019 South Blvd to share more about the program and answer any questions you have. Please reach out to Rev. Emily Gage egage@unitytemple.org with any questions.
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Email Alert: There are many scams targeting faith communities, particularly around requesting congregants to send funds or purchase gift cards. If you get such a message that appears to be from UTUUC staff or ministers, please send it to office@unitytemple.org or call the church to confirm whether it is a valid request. Please note any official emails sent to you from UTUUC will be from the following domains: @unitytemple.org or notifications@onrealmmail.org. We respect your privacy and our email list is never shared with other organizations.
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Singers Ages 6-10 are Invited to Participate
The 2023 Fall Chalice Singers, the Unity Temple Children's Choir, will begin on Sunday, October 9 and rehearse after Sunday worship from 11:15 to noon each week until performance on November 20. Singers ages 6-10 are invited to participate where the music makes you move and the snacks are fabulous! Music Director, Marty Swisher will lead the troupe! Sign up will take place on September 25 at the Engagement Fair or email Marty at mswisher@unitytemple.org.
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Great News! Due to some last minute participant scheduling conflicts, there are a few rooms available for family or friend pairs at the UTUUC All-Congregation Retreat October 14-16, at Tower Hill Camp in Sawyer MI.
The UTUUC All-Congregation Retreat is a great occasion for new congregants or long-term members of all ages, whether single, couples or families to play, talk, relax and be together in a country setting near the shores of Lake Michigan.
Registration includes the Housing and Meal fees at Tower Hill based on your accommodation, and Programming fees, which covers a light dinner on Friday night, as well as snacks, materials for crafts and sessions, and s’mores around the campfire. The limited inventory includes rooms with 3-4 beds and a few camping spots.
All payments are due by September 23, and Registration will close that day. You can register by going to Realm and Events, or email annualretreat@unitytemple.com for more information.
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Becoming a Member
We are excited to resume our Pathway to Membership sessions this fall and invite you to attend! This two part gathering is designed to help you decide whether or not becoming an active member of our faith community is right for you. You will get to know others in a a small group setting, learn about our congregations history and how things work today, as well as explore ways to be part of our future in meaningful and fun ways.
Fall Pathway to Membership Schedule
These sessions meet from 1-3pm at the UTUUC Community Center. Childcare is available upon request. Online accommodations can be arranged. Masks are required at this time. To register for one of the two-part sessions listed below, contact tlewis@unitytemple.org.
September 18 &25 / October 16 & 23 / November 13 & 20
We will celebrate new members in community at a brief ceremony during Welcome Sunday on December 4. We look forward to your participation!
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The Engagement Fair is Right Around the Corner! There are many interest groups at Unity Temple, providing members with diverse opportunities for community, learning, service and fun! Please mark your calendar for Sunday, September 25 right after service to visit the Engagement Fair in Unity House. Friendly representatives from the groups will be on hand to tell you about what they do and how to get involved. It’s a wonderful way to learn more about the culture and values of our congregation and to find new ways to be involved. Don’t miss it! | |
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Women's Connection Potluck! Save the date! Join the Women's Connection on Friday, September 23, beginning at 5:30pm. Bring a dish or something to share, the idea is to be together. We will gather at the Unity Temple Community Center located at 1019 South Blvd in Oak Park.
Questions can be sent to womensconnection@unitytemple.org.
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Sip & Share Your Hospitality & Connections Committee invites you to please join us for an in-person Sip & Share on Thursday, September 15 from 6:30-8pm at the Unity Temple Community Center located at 1019 South Blvd in Oak Park. Bring your own beverage to enjoy and some conversation or topics to share as you casually mingle with other guests. It’s sure to be lively evening! | |
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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.or.
Join Zoom Meeting here.
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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 Begins on September 11
Each year, we ask our families to register and 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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Unity Temple Faith In Action Network
Spiritually Grounded / Deeply Relational / Strategically Effective
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OFFERING : New Moms
This Sunday’s collection will benefit New Moms – serving young moms and their children experiencing poverty and homelessness. New Moms provides housing, job training, parenting education, doula support and much more – providing comprehensive support services to strengthen families and communities in Chicago and the Near West suburbs. Learn more here.
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Green Team Summit 2022 Join Faith in Place’s 2022 Green Team Summit: Rooted Together – a hybrid event hosted September 11-14 with local watch parties, panels and workshops, and a Keynote session with renowned climate scientist, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe.
Dr. Katharine Hayhoe connects the dots between her faith and her expertise in climate science with audiences across the world in a way that leaves communities hopeful and empowered. She is the chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy and a distinguished professor and chair at Texas Tech University. She will be speaking on her new book, Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, followed by a live Q&A. Learn more here and register today. Unity Temple is a proud sponsor of this event.
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Prison Pen Pals:
Over 30 individuals who are incarcerated in Illinois and members of the UU Church of the Larger Fellowship, are waiting, many of them for over a year, to be assigned an outside pen pal. Become a pen pal or consider teaming up with a friend to do this together. Your engagement can make a huge difference in that person's life—helping to mitigate the intense loneliness and inanities of prison life, while validating "the inherent worth and dignity" of that individual. To learn more, visit the UU Prison Ministry of IL website here and contact Barbara Moline, prisonpenpals@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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VoteLove In 2020, Unity Temple reached 17,000 voters with postcards and phone banking! Nationwide, UU’s reached more than 3 million voters, and have set a goal of reaching 4 million this year! Join us to contact disenfranchised voters via letter writing and postcards. Let us know how you’d like to participate by completing this quick form. Stop by our table at community hour to receive letter writing packets or contact votelove@unitytemple.org to learn more and request a packet. Together we can protect our democracy!
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Housing Forward
Our neighbors at Housing Forward are in dire need of food for their interim housing program. Please see the open dates and sign-up here to provide a meal. Questions? Contact: Cherrell Jackson,
cjackson@housingforward.org.
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Faith in Action Newsletter
We invite you to subscribe to our monthly Faith in Action newsletter filled with impactful actions. Please subscribe here. Questions? Contact Rev. Colleen, Assistant Minister for Faith in Action cvahey@unitytemple.org.
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To date 212 UU congregations and organizations have adopted the 8th Principle, including most recently our neighbors, 2nd U of Chicago, and the Unitarian Church of Hinsdale. Each week the number increases! Interested in learning more about the 8th Principle? Check out UTUUC’s worship service “Digging into the 8th Principle” here and explore the following documents, prepared for you by our own 8th Principle Team:
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Important update from the 8th Principle Team and the Board:
Although we have temporarily postponed a vote on the 8th Principle per se, on May 10, 2022, the Board approved the chartering of an Anti-Oppression Anti-Racism (AO/AR) Committee of the Board. This committee will have the responsibility of working closely with the Board and lay leadership to guide the congregation to more authentically and accountably live out its values, covenant, and mission by applying an AO/AR lens to all the ways that we engage with one another and the surrounding community.
In keeping with the AO/AR charter, the Board is finalizing the open selection process, which will include an application form to be completed by UTUUC members who are interested in serving on the AO/AR Committee. Stay tuned!
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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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