Sunday, November 6, 2016
“Letter to the President-Elect”
No matter the outcome of the election in a few days, our work has just begun, again. America is divided, with at least a third of the country (you pick the third) so disaffected by the status quo their decisions are being guided by fear and mistrust rather than shared ideals of freedom and democracy. Our work has just begun, no matter the outcome. Rev. Bret Lortie speaking.
November 6, 2016 – “Letter to the President-Elect”– Rev. Bret Lortie
Sunday, October 30, 2016
“Prayer and Paradox”
How many of us have prayed as if our life depended on it? Such is not a universal Unitarian practice, yet in times of crisis we often find ourselves opening to “a universal mystery” for feelings of guidance, wholeness, connection and healing. Making sense of the act of prayer, and finding ways for Unitarian Universalists to engage in authentic acts of prayer, is a worthy theological challenge. Rev. Bret Lortie speaking.
Sunday, October 23, 2016
“Interdependence and Interconnectedness”
What does it mean to respect, revere, and participate in the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part? We’ll explore the “interdependent web” from a variety of perspectives, as a fundamental understanding of the ways everything affects everything in our lives and in the universe. A worship service for all ages. Rev. Connie Grant leading.
Introducing the Khalaf Family
Submitted by: Jane Kenamore
We are looking forward to a visit from the Khalaf family on Sunday, October 30, at the 11 a.m. service. As you know, UCE is co-sponsoring the Khalafs with Refugee One, a not-for-profit agency that resettles refugees.
The family is composed of parents Khaled and Fattoum; son Mohammed, 22; daughter Aya, 18; and son Uday, 14. The family left their home in Aleppo in 2012 and had lived in a refugee camp in Turkey before their arrival here on September 8. Since they arrived, they’ve been settling in and have become familiar with their neighborhood in Skokie and the greater environs.
Church mentors have shown them how to get around on the El; taken them grocery shopping, shopped for winter clothing, visited the beach in Evanston; and taken them to the Art Institute, the Cultural Center, and Millennium Park.
Currently the entire family is focusing on learning English. They attend ESL classes up to four days/week through Oakton College and Refugee One; and Lynn Kendall and Meredith Haydon are reinforcing the classes with home instruction. The entire family is enthusiastic about learning English, so they make great students! (No bragging, but the kids are the stars of their classes!)
Finally, a cultural note: When you meet them in church, it’s ok for UCE women to shake hands with the men in the family. The women in the family are not comfortable, however, with shaking hands with men they don’t know. The common gesture in lieu of the handshake is to place your hand over your heart.
News from CRS, UUANI, UU Prison Ministry
Progress and preparation for change with CRS, UU Prison Ministry, and UUANI:
CRS (Community Renewal Society) greatly influenced the Chicago police accountability changes passed by the Chicago City Council recently. While it was not everything CRS wanted, it was far better than what the mayor proposed to start, with guaranteed funding for the oversight office and an increased community role in police oversight.
Join Community Renewal Society for our Annual Membership Assembly on Saturday November 12th! Hundreds of people of faith from the member congregations of CRS will gather at St Agatha Catholic Church (3151 W Douglas Blvd) from 8:30am-12:00pm to celebrate our recent victories, learn about the results of our Organizational Listening & Visioning Process, and prepare for our coming year of action! We will celebrate the passage of four pieces of legislation to reduce barriers to employment for people with criminal records in addition to the other victories we accomplished together. Contact Dale Griffin for more information or to RSVP today!
The UU Prison Ministry of Illinois held a workshop on radical hospitality on October 1 at Countryside Church UU in Palatine, which Dave Conrad, Brian Meister and Michael Skilton attended. This is step toward making our congregations more welcoming and helpful to people returning from prison.
UUANI (UU Advocacy Network of Illinois) is our shared plate recipient this month and is conducting a statewide fundraising campaign to support the work of our half time minister, Rev. Scott Aaseng.
For more information on any of these please contact Dale Griffin or other participants. DaleCGriffin@comcast.net
From the Board of Trustees – Name Change Circle Update
Scheduling Changes: Circles opportunities will be extended to November 13 meeting on Sundays only at 12:30. Those dates include Oct 16, 23, 30 and Nov 6, 13. The response forms will be accepted until Nov 13. The Board meets for our regularly scheduled meeting on Nov 16 where we will discuss a recommendation for next steps.
Response forms are available on the UCE bulletin board and will be available after Sunday services at the back of the sanctuary. Response forms can be returned to the UCE office in a mail slot dedicated to the Name Change Circles or a marked envelope at the same table the response forms will be after Sunday services.
You do not need to attend a circle to be able to return a response form.
We want to thank the members who have shared their thoughts/feelings on a name change with us through circles and in response forms. Remember, the data on your response forms is what we will use to decide our recommendation.
We want to acknowledge those members who might not attend a circle or turn in a form. Your silence on the issue of a name change is information we will take into account when deciding our recommendation.
There is a tension for us as we facilitate this process between wanting to hear your voices and seeming to over-promote the process. We will err a touch on the side of promoting the process to best give you an opportunity to be heard either in your participation or with your silence. We have been invited to facilitate a circle for Crackerbarrel (last week) and the Men’s Group (this week). We are willing to facilitate a circle if requested. We will share our Circle Process Agenda with you if you want to facilitate your own circle or you can use the Circle Process Agenda to engender discussion in your existing groups such as covenant groups.
For those who are curious about the numbers so far we have met with not quite 30 members as of this Wednesday with 15 forms turned in.
In peace and love,
Brian Meister, Board Member
Sunday, October 16, 2016
“The Vision of Hildegard”
A happy 918th birthday to Hildegard of Bingen, the twelth-century “celebrity” monastic whose philosophy, music, theology, choreography, drama, and vision defied all convention. Despite her orthodoxy, her ideas about the harmony of body and spirit, the emptiness of thought without action, and theory that music speaks to the divine in each of us, still holds inspiration for us today. This service will be filled with Hildegard’s music and poetry. Rev. Bret Lortie speaking.
October 16, 2016 – “The Vision of Hildegard”– Rev. Bret Lortie