Newsletter

December 2023

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Dear DUUC Members and Friends,

Like every year, our family decorated for the winter holidays the weekend after Thanksgiving. We have a small, “Charlie Brown” tree that is as old as our marriage - barely two feet tall, with straw Ikea ornaments. Other decorations are mostly children’s childhood crafts. They are simple, filled-with-love, and just perfect for our home.

Each year, there is such excitement in the anticipation of putting up the decorations. When we finally get around to it, though, there is always a sort of rushing to just get them up. I suspect that decking the halls is less about the decking and more about the time we get to spend together. We want to get to the point. We avoid elaborate decorations. We want to keep it simple. This is very much the Ortega-Huizenga Family version of decorating.

I crave simplicity. Especially in a busy season. I find too many Christmas lights to be an assault on my eyes. Too many cookies make me sick. Too many parties make the introvert in me want to hide. Humbug! I love this season because it embodies all the music, warmth, smells, and feelings that are good in this world. And sometimes too much is just too much. Finding a balance can be so hard, when our children are asking Santa for everything, we’ve been invited to one too many parties on the same night, and most especially when the world is bombarding us with reports of devastation and destruction.

The story of the advent wreath goes like this: a minister working at a mission school in Germany used an old cart wheel with candles to mark down the days until Christmas. It is said that he did this because the children’s excitement was overwhelming and he needed a way to get them to mark the time. This is something I can well imagine. Children’s excitement running through a school. Squeals of delight and unregulated emotional excitement. He likely needed some peace, some simplicity. He likely wanted the season to be more than simply presents and gifts, but the true meaning of family and love. I love this very real, very human story of the first advent wreath. It comes from the most human of places: exasperation and love.

I love advent because it marks time in a world that is just too busy. It forces me to reflect on words that are vital to my faith: hope, peace, joy, and love, and how I wish to bring those virtues into the world. At advent, I turn to this simple practice of lighting candles and reflecting on these life-giving principles to inspire and refresh my soul. Yet, when we use the ritual of lighting our advent wreath, to mark the time from one year to the next, we remind ourselves of where we are on our path to make those essentials the reality of our world.

The tradition of advent and the advent wreath are about getting back to the basics. The simple and most important parts of the season and our lives. In this fun-filled, sugar-overload, enthusiasm-inducing season, may you find a practice to remind you of not only the most important things, but remind you of where you are on the path to bringing the most beautiful parts of being human to a justice-centered world.

Happy Holidays!

rev. mandi

rev. mandi huizenga

December Services

In-person and Online

Click here to join our live stream Services!

Sunday, December 3, 2023

9:00 AM Worship Service - All ages

10:00 AM Coffee Hour - All ages

10:15 AM Education Hour - All ages

11:30 AM - Worship Service - All ages

The Worship services will be identical in content and order.

Mysterious Chaos

rev. mandi huizenga

Chaos can be discombobulating and disorienting. Yet, life comes from and thrives in chaos, not in our orderliness.

10:15 AM Adult Learning Offerings

Science Sunday (Learning Center)

James Walter will talk about "Four Models of Evolutionary Psychology"

Evolution through natural selection
Insights from chimpanzees
Psychological evolution and self-domestication
Evolutionary Psychology accompanying the stages of human civilization

Realm Training II (Sanctuary)

Introduction to Realm for those who missed the November 5th offering and follow-up for those who did.

Linda Zetterberg will introduce the features of the app and the steps to gain access.

Sunday, December 10, 2023

9:00 AM Worship Service - All ages

10:00 AM Coffee Hour - All ages

10:15 AM Education Hour - All ages

11:30 AM - Worship Service - All ages

The Worship services will be identical in content and order.

Light and Dark Mysteries

rev. mandi huizenga

Mystery is often thought of as things hidden in the dark. Light, however, can be just as mysterious. Indeed, we need both to thrive.

10:15 AM Adult Learning Offering

Meet & Greet (Learning Center)

Would you like to get to know more people in the congregation? Meet & Greet is a great way for new members, visitors, and established members to get to know one another in a small group setting. Walk-ins are welcome, though registration is helpful for set-up. Contact Tina Lewis at tlewis@dupageuuchurch.org to register.

Sunday, December 17, 2023

9:00 AM Worship Service - All ages

10:00 AM Coffee Hour - All ages

10:15 AM Education Hour - All ages

11:30 AM - Worship Service - All ages

The Worship services will be identical in content and order.

10:15 AM Adult Learning Offering

Science Sunday (Learning Center)

Scott Thompson will host this year's installment of "Cosmic Ornaments" which will cover some of the exciting discoveries (and pictures!) from the year of space exploration. The Euclid, Webb, and other telescopes have really pushed the boundary of our cosmic horizon this past year. Join us as we explore some of the furthest reaches of space together, and uncover some deepening mysteries about cosmology.

Wednesday, December 20 &

Thursday, December 21, 2023

7:00 pm Winter Solstice Service

Come celebrate the darkness and the return of the light:

Winter Solstice Services are Wednesday, December 20, and Thursday, December 21 at 7pm in the Sanctuary. We hope to see you at one one them. Please bring a plate of cookies to share for our celebration after the service. Childcare will be provided. If you are interested in volunteering to help with the service please contact Holly Harris at (630) 660-7248 or hollyahj@gmail.com. We have a variety of ways that individuals and families can get involved in this event.

Sunday, December 24, 2023

Single service / no education hour

10:00 am - Worship Service - All ages

The Mystery of the Nativity: an Unrehearsed Pageant

By Steve Cooper and rev. mandi huizenga

Unique and inclusive, as pageant actors are chosen on the spot! Only a few roles are cast in advance of the service, the rest of the at least 45 participants (including shepherds, stars, wise people, and animals) volunteer to be in the pageant during the service. Everyone present is invited to participate.

At the end of the story, when children and adults are in their costumes gazing down at the baby in the “manger,” we all experience this familiar story in a new, more meaningful, and moving way and we are reminded that each night a child is born is a holy night.

Mitten Tree

Sunday, December 24th

Please bring new or clean, gently used mittens, gloves, hats, and scarves to put on the Mitten Tree during the pageant service. Items will be donated to local schools and the People's Resource Center.

Sunday, December 24, 2023

Christmas Eve

5:00 pm - Candlelight Service

Christmas Eve Service

rev. mandi huizenga

Our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.

The Christmas Eve offering will benefit the Abundance Fund, which is used to provide support to members and friends of DuPage UU Church (DUUC) who are experiencing financial difficulty.

To make a donation text "DUUC" to 73256 using your mobile device.

(This number will never send unsolicited texts to you.) OR click here.

Sunday, December 31, 2023

Single service / no education hour

10:00 am - Worship Service - All ages

Fire Communion

By Kat Gelder & Kelley Trombly-Freytag

New Year's Eve is a time to reflect, mourn, celebrate, and dream. Let us pause for a moment, between the past year and the year to come, to dwell in the mystery of the present moment. Join us in our annual Fire Communion service, where we will let go of that which keeps us from experiencing the fullness and mystery of life, and we will invite inspiration to keep us moving toward the light.

File it! Auction info for the months -

and events - to come

Party and event donors, please be sure to contact your guests in a timely manner as your event date nears. Party and event purchasers, please be sure to mark your calendars. If you are unable to attend as a date nears, let your host know. Your host, with assistance from Tina as requested, can offer your spot to someone else.

Donor and winner contact information is available in the Church Directory. Access the up-to-date directory via REALM. Questions? Contact auction@dupageuuchurch.org.

News and activities abound!

Have you noticed ALL that is happening in our active and we've-got-it-going-on! church community? The weeklies and first-of-month newsletter are so full of great news, activities, and opportunities that the email message often can't show it all, so is "clipped." All that goodness is a great problem to have, but be sure to note the link - at the top or bottom of the message - that encourages you to read the full weekly/newsletter message in your browser. Don't miss a thing!

Jewish Heritage Group Chanukah Party

Sunday, December 10

The DUUC Jewish Heritage Group celebrates the meaning of Jewish Heritage in a Unitarian Universalist context. Some participants grew up in a Jewish home or have a partner who was raised in a Jewish family. Other members developed a practice of celebrating Jewish holidays as adults. We welcome anyone who wishes to participate in traditional Jewish celebrations or other Jewish-oriented activities.

The annual Chanukah Party will be on Sunday, December 10 at 5 PM in Kreeves Hall. We'll light up the room again with all our menorahs and candles brightly shining! We will have a candle lighting ceremony, Chanukah stories and songs, and play dreidel, dreidel, dreidel. And, we will enjoy a festive meal of traditional Jewish foods and beverages.

Contact Bev Becker Phone: 630 886-5622 Email:tovah04@yahoo.com to reserve a spot at the party and to offer a dish to share at the meal.

Holiday Gifts for PADS clients

This holiday season DUU-Gooders are collecting items for PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) clients. On the tree in the link to the Sanctuary are gift tags designating items most needed by the PADS clients. Please take a tag or two, purchase the item listed, and bring it to the church on or before Sunday, December 31.

Do not wrap your donations as they need to be sorted to facilitate distribution.

Thanks in advance for your generosity and support.

Questions? Contact Karen Hutt.

December 2023 Special Offering

During December the Special Offering will benefit Bridge Communities nominated by Ann Arellano. The mission of Bridge Communities is to transition families facing homelessness to self-sufficiency by working with partners to provide mentoring, housing, and supportive services. Their vision is a community where all families are healthy, financially stable, and living in affordable housing.

Through the help of program partners and supporters, Bridge Communities provides free transitional housing to nearly 100 families facing homelessness in DuPage County each year. During the two years each family spends in the program, they can save money, learn budgeting skills, heal from the traumas of homelessness, obtain better employment, and develop valuable life skills so they are able to maintain stable housing once they graduate. For more information about Bridge Communities visit their website at https://www.bridgecommunities.org.

During October $1,589.27 was collected for DONKA. Thank you for your continued support and generosity.

Sunday Morning Support

A few more greeters, ushers, and coffee-making volunteers are needed on Sunday mornings. Volunteering is a great way to contribute to your community and meet more people. It will also make your heart happy! Contact tlewis@dupageuuchurch.org to learn more.

Meet & Greet Winter Schedule

Would you like to get to know more people in the congregation? We host a special social hour on the second Sunday of the month in the Learning Center. It’s a great way for new members, visitors, and established members to get to know one another in a small group setting. Walk-ins are welcome, though registration is helpful for set-up. Winter Schedule: December 10, January 14, March 10. Note: No M&G in February. Contact Tina Lewis tlewis@dupageuuchurch.org to register.

YOU are Invited

We believe that every individual is on their unique spiritual journey, and our church provides a safe, inclusive and supportive space for people of all backgrounds and beliefs to explore their path. Are you curious to learn what being a member of DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church (DUUC) is all about? Please join our two part Pathway to Membership class. In the first session, participants will share stories about their religious/spiritual histories and learn about the histories of Unitarian Universalism and DUUC. The second session will focus on how the church works, what membership offers, what it means to be a member of this church, and how we can build a future together. Winter Schedule: Sundays, January 21 & 28, February 18 & 25, or March 17 & 24 from 1:00-4:00. To register, contact Tina Lewis at tlewis@dupageuuchurch.org or 630-505-3418.

Realm Update

We are launched! All members have been invited to log into Realm. You will be able to update your profile, add a photo, manage your giving, register for events, and access the member directory at this phase. Thank you, Linda Zetterberg for leading our initial training on the new database. The next training is scheduled for Sunday, December 3 in the sanctuary during the adult learning hour from 10:15-11:15. A link to the initial training may be found here.

The Sunday Services Team is looking for people to join their team! We are looking for creative, thoughtful, and enthusiastic members who would like to serve on our advisory team and/or become a worship associate. If you are interested, please reach out to rev. mandi by email:

revmandi@dupageuuchurch.org

Save the Date: Community Hour

On the first Sunday of January we are planning a special social hour with coffee, tea, and treats for all ages. We hope you can join us for fun & fellowship. A few extra volunteers will be needed on this day. Contact tlewis@dupageuuchurch.org to help.

Save the Date:

20 & 30 Somethings

We are starting a new young(ish) group! Please join rev. mandi and Tina for pizza and conversation about starting a new group for people in their 20 & 30's on Sunday, January 14 at 5:30. RSVP to tlewis@dupageuuchurch.org and include any dietary restrictions.

Building Tour: Hidden Spaces and Engineering Places

What exactly is behind those locked doors in the basement?
What is in the room below the Sanctuary?
How many heating/cooling systems does the church have? Why so many? Where are they?

Don’t miss it! Carrying over from the highly successful auction, there are still a few spaces left to fill at the price of $13 for the DUUC Building Tour on January 14, 2024, right after the second service. Join us for a lunch provided by the Facilities Committee at 12:30 in the Founders Room where you can learn about the hidden, but important, systems protecting our building and keeping us comfortable.

Just contact us at facilities@dupageuuchurch.org to let us know you are just so excited to have a spot on this one-of-a-kind tour!

There will be no Humanist discussion group in December.

Resources from the October

UU History Classes.

DUUC Library Monthly Book Recommendations – December

Throughout the year, the DUUC Library will have monthly book recommendations based upon a monthly holiday, historical significance, etc. Information about these featured DUUC Library books will be available on a book list flyer in the Library Alcove area in Kreves Hall. For December 2023, books about winter holidays will be featured. Additionally, a book list flyer for children’s books about winter holidays will be available.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mondays 7:00pm - 8:45pm

This mindfulness meditation group is open to anyone who has interest in meditation from beginners to more advanced. Our time together consists of sitting meditation, walking meditation (when we meet in person), a short teaching and responsive group sharing.

We are meeting Hybrid in the DUUC Learning Center and on Zoom.

Zoom link

Meeting ID: 885 7102 1238

Passcode: 512058

For more information, go to our website: www.presentmomentsangha.org or contact Mary Kullman at spiritmk7@gmail.com or Elaine Waite at elainepiedra@gmail.com.

Sunday Flowers Needed

Celebrate a person or event by providing flowers for a Sunday service. Flowers are currently needed January through May of 2024. You may request to have Sunday Flowers order a $35 standard arrangement for you from Phillip’s Flowers. Or, if you are planning to attend the service in person, you may choose to bring in your own arrangement from your garden or favorite flower shop. The arrangement should be brought to the sanctuary by 8:50 a.m. Your dedication will be printed in the email with the link to the on-line version of the Order of Service as well as in the printed Order of Service. The flowers are yours to take home after the second service. If you are not attending service that day, you may contact Sheri office@dupageuuchurch.org or (630) 505-9408 to make arrangements for pick-up during office hours. Payment may be made by sending a check made out to DUUC for $35 to the church office (write “flowers” on the memo line), through the DUUC Payment Portal (select “other” under donation, and write in “flowers”), or VANCO (select “flowers fund”). Contact Kristen Tang

flowers@dupageuuchurch.org or (630) 305-7771 for more information and/or to request a date. Thank you!