August 2020 - Page 2 of 3

From DLRE: August 21, 2020

I can’t help but notice in August the change in the trees and the hours of sunlight decreasing. While planning for some gatherings on the lawn for September, I had to check the times of sunset so that groups wouldn’t be sitting out there in the dark! And yet, I love the approaching fall season.

With local schools deciding to continue with e-learning, and parents are telling me that they don’t want their kids to sit in front of a screen any more than necessary, I am organizing some small gatherings over the next four weeks. These will be held on the South Lawn at UCE, where there is space to run or sit in the shade of the trees. Our first gathering last Sunday was small, but very enjoyable! My hope is to continue with these small gatherings through the church year, although when the weather gets cold, they will be in the sanctuary. So parents, please sign up! Here are the dates:

August 24 at 6p – 2nd-5th Families. Sign up here!

September 3 at 6p – 6th-8th Families. Sign up here!

Sept. 9 at 6p – Pre/K/1 Families. Sign up here!

Sept. 13 at 2:30p – Parents (kids will walk to Anderson Park with chaperones). Sign up here!

Many of you have asked how you can support and help during this unprecedented time. For the Lifespan Learning Council, they need your creative juices – ideas on how we can become a truly multigenerational faith community. For example, ways to invite and include our young people to participate more in worship services. This could be a reader’s theater, reading, telling or acting out stories, or using their tech-savvy talents.

For myself, I need folks who can take an idea and help coordinate it. Some ideas are a drive-in movie in the parking lot, and a trivia game night. For the latter, Joe Romeo is looking for someone to help one this winter and needs someone to work with him. Maybe that person is you!

As always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback on how we can create beloved community for all ages during this unusual time.

In Faith,

Kathy

From DLRE: August 21, 2020UCE UCE2020-08-20T19:45:13+00:00

MSC Update: August 21, 2020

This fall the Ministerial Search Committee will be reaching out to the congregation to gather your input regarding the skills, characteristics and experience needed in our next settled minister. Your participation is critical to a successful search. Below is a list of three different ways we’ll be obtaining feedback and the schedule for these events. Please complete the survey and plan to attend a Cottage Meeting. In addition, contact Susan Carlton, Chair of the search committee with any questions or feedback (susan.carlton@sbcglobal.net).

Congregational Survey – The survey will be distributed beginning Friday, August 28th and will be available in the UCE newsletter, on UCE social media and via a special email sent to members. Surveys should be returned no later than September 20th.

Cottage Meetings – Participants will be asked to share their thoughts about how they hope the congregation will live out our mission and the characteristics, skills and experience needed in the next settled minister to help us achieve our goals.

All meetings will be held via Zoom. Registration is required.

Wednesday, September 30th at 5:30 pm – this cottage meeting will replace our regular all-church meeting.
Friday, October 9th at 10:30 am
Sunday, October 11th at 9:30 am
Sunday, October 25th at 12:30 pm – this cottage meeting will replace our regular coffee hour.

Focus Groups – These are discussions with specific groups or committees within the congregation (Ex. Social Justice Council). Participants will have an opportunity to provide input about their specific group and what involvement they would like from the next settled minister. Focus groups are currently being scheduled.

MSC Update: August 21, 2020UCE UCE2020-08-19T20:06:11+00:00

August 23, 2020

We will host an online worship service on Sunday, August 16th at 11:15 am.

“Widening the Circle of Concern” – Rev. Eileen Wiviott

What would it mean for UCE to be a truly inclusive community? What would it ask of us? Our Unitarian Universalist Association, through the Commission on Institutional Change has issued a powerful report which names the way white supremacy culture lives within our systems, just as it does throughout our larger society. The good news is that it also provides tools for dismantling systemic racism within, among, and beyond us. We can use these tools to build a more loving, anti-racist, anti-oppressive world. We can use these resources to practice building the Beloved Community. Those who attended the UUA General Assembly in June will share why Widening the Circle of Concern is essential to all of us.

Please submit your Joys and Sorrows through this online form. If you submit a message by 11 am, we will try to read it that Sunday. Thank you for your patience as we are adapting to best serve you all! Note there will only be one service time during the summer so that we can gather together as a whole community of faith. You can still give to the shared offering through “text to give,” mail a check to the office with “shared offering” in the memo line, or go to our website and hit “give” on the upper right or click here. This Sunday’s shared offering recipient are My Block, My Hood, My City and Bryan Stevenson’s group Equal Justice Initiative.

August 23, 2020UCE UCE2020-08-14T19:59:18+00:00

Capital Campaign Projects Update

Many thanks go to Sandy Danforth, Johna Van Dyke and Sandra Robinson, the CCIC Sub-Committee in charge of the Lobby and Wing Renovations who have been very busy. As you’ll see from the pictures below, we’re showing the tearing up of the tile, office furniture temporarily stored in Room 3, new solar shades and much more.

There’s lots going on in Room 3. You can get a peek at the new solar shades, see the items stored from the office while it’s getting new floor tile (matching the tile you see here), and the materials on the floor are for the work in progress to refurbish the wall of folding doors.

The lobby has new floor tile that looks like elegant stone and soon will have new ceiling tile (instead of the water marked one) and better lighting.

The old tile had been solidly installed 30 years ago and was hard to remove, so special equipment had to be brought in to lift it up. But now finally, the office has new fresh tile and the furniture has been replaced.

Capital Campaign Implementation Committee chair Janelle Brittain displays the new solar shades and new flooring in Room 3.  

Outdoor Projects Blessing

Be sure to put September 2nd 6:30 PM on your calendar for the blessing of all of the outdoor projects. It will be a fun drive-in socially distanced event complete with goody bags.

For Further CCIC Updates go to the UCE homepage, scroll down to the button “Capital Campaign Projects Update” and you’ll see pictures and descriptions of the other projects we’ve been working on this year.

Capital Campaign Projects UpdateUCE UCE2020-08-13T20:08:55+00:00

From Rev. Susan Frances: August 14, 2020

Dear Friends,

I was so pleased that so many of you could join my ordination ceremony via Zoom on August 2, 2020. The accompanying photo is of me in the robe that I bought with the gift certificate to WomenSpirit Vestaments that UCE gave me at the end of my internship and the exquisite stole that Carol Nielsen created as my gift from UCE upon my ordination. Thank you! The other gift from UCE upon my ordination was the wonderful O Love piece by the joint UCE and 2U Choir! Thank you to everyone who sang, to Vickie Hellyer for the rehearsals and for conducting, to Gregory Shifrin for the accompaniment, and to Adam Gough for editing it all together.

I have been thinking about the start of the new church year and how to express the tone and live into the culture shifting challenge set at the 2020 Virtual GA. The speakers I heard and the Actions of Immediate Witness that were passed reflected the calls I hear locally and nationally for a new social and economic order in conjunction with a revitalized democracy.

So many of our principles support this cultural and political transformation: justice, equity, and compassion in human relations – a free and responsible search for truth and meaning – the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large – the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.

When you have a moment this week, think about which one of these principles resonates most with you right now? Life ebbs and flows and it might be a different principle next week, but this week, what resonates with you. And then think about how you might put that principle into practice. Reach out to me if you have an idea. Now is the time to be creative in our compassion and our action.

In faith,

Rev. Susan

From Rev. Susan Frances: August 14, 2020UCE UCE2020-08-13T16:47:19+00:00

Learn more about IST: August 14, 2020

Welcome to the Immigrant Solidarity Team Choose Your Own Adventure Newsletter Article! Below you will find a list of projects from last church year, which the IST sponsored. If any of these activities are of interest to you, and/or if you would like to participate in future, similar actions, join us! We meet on the third Saturday of the month, nearly every month.

A. Register New Citizens to Vote. Members of IST have participated in efforts by ICIRR to register newly naturalized citizens to vote. Learn more.

B. Oscar Chacon discussion on the causes of migration out of the Northern Triangle countries. IST sponsored a talk and discussion by Oscar Chacon, founder of Alianza Americas, on the causes for migration from the Northern Triangle countries. More than 60 people attended. This discussion led us to begin efforts to contact Senators Duckworth and Durbin and Congresswoman Schakowsky to discuss issues related to immigrants and immigration. Also, a grant for $500 was applied for and approved to be given to Alianza Americas from our Endowment Fund. Learn more about Alianza Americas.

C. Shared plate for ICIRR. Requested that ICIRR become a shared plate recipient; the SRT approved this for June, 2020. Worked with Eileen to develop and participate in the Labor Day Immigrant themed service. Autumn, 2019: Coat drive to provide cold weather jackets for migrants arriving in Chicago without appropriate clothing for our winter climate. Check out ICIRR.

D. Team Brownsville Shared Plate recipient. Requested of Carol Neilsen that Team Brownsville be a part of the Shared Plate contributions for November. Carol kindly and enthusiastically agreed. Learn more about Team Brownsville.

E. Meeting with Representative Schakowsky. November, 2019: Met with PASO and Representative Schakowsky to discuss immigration issues and conditions in Matamoros, Mexico.

G. Micro-education regarding Resistbot. December, 2019: Held micro-education sessions with UCE members regarding how to use Resistbot to advocate against the Migrant Protection Protocol, aimed at harming migrants at the border with Mexico.

H. Supported Countryside Church efforts to establish Chalice House for asylees. Held meetings with members of members of Countryside Countryside Church, to support their efforts to open Chalice House as a temporary place for asylees to live while they await determination of their status. Applied for and received a grant from the Endowment Committee to support these efforts of Countryside in this regard. Learn more about Chalice House.

F & I. Partnership with PASO & Water for Matamoros encampment of migrants. Met with Betty Alzamora from PASO regarding the conditions in Matamoros. Applied for and received a grant to pay for Team Brownsville to help provide potable water for migrants.

J. Donated Spanish books to Centro Romero. We delivered about 200 Spanish books to Centro Romero. Learn more about Centro Romero.

K & L. Helped inform immigrants of West Rogers Park of free health care options and about the census process and its importance. Met with Daniel Boone Elementary School principal and staff to plan and hold meetings to encourage parents to participate in the census. Online efforts to the same end since the closing of school due to Covid 19. Also requested that Boone principal to make sure that residents of that residents of that neighborhood in West Rogers Park are aware of the medical services offered by Heartland Clinic, which does not require payment of documentation for medical care, and that they are reminded of the need to complete the Census. Check out the Boone Newsletter.

M. Informed UCE members of opportunitiy to assist in Chalice House preparation. Requested assistance from UCE members to prepare and support Chalice House for the asylees. Check out this letter from the Chalice House Organizers below.

From Chalice House

Dear Chalice House Supporters,

We are happy to report that the family – mom, dad, and 3-year-old daughter – is all settled into Chalice House! The mentor team and ICDI case manager, Ryan, gave them a warm welcome and have spent some time getting them familiar with the home and the neighborhood. They are enjoying the park district walking trail down the road, the forest preserve, and the neighboring playground. While we can’t share more specifics to protect privacy and confidentiality, please know that all of your help, support, and contributions is very much appreciated.

Now that they are settled we’ve identified a few more needs that are unfilled. A few practical items like bikes (to go back and forth from the grocery — so a basket would be helpful too!), shoes and bed rails for the toddler are needed as soon as possible.

View the Sign Up HERE.

IMPORTANT: Items should not be delivered to the home. Instead, donations can be delivered as follows:

Drop off at Countryside (North door) on Friday August 14 from 10 – 11 AM
Drop off at Countryside (North door) on Saturday August 15 from noon – 1 PM
Drop off at Countryside (North door) on Sunday August 23 from 1 – 2:30 PM
We’ll be happy to arrange another time for drop off OR pick things up from you up if these times aren’t convenient for you. Email us at ChaliceHouse@ccuu.org.

To Learn More About the Congo
If you are interested in learning about their home country, ICDI recommends King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa by Adam Hochschild. The book is available from this independent book store in Woodstock (nominal shipping fee) as well as from Amazon and other retailers. We are considering doing a study group based on the book in the fall; please email ChaliceHouse@ccuu.org if you would be interested in that.

Other Help Needed
We want to extend a huge thank you to Kathy Millin at Partners for our Community (POC) for inviting the family to POC yesterday to shop in the community store for clothing and food. If you are in a position to make some donations, Kathy tells us that the POC food pantry is really in need now. Like people everywhere, many of our neighbors face food insecurity challenges, and the pantry helps them feed their family and pay other bills. Kathy suggests items like cornmeal, cornstarch, in addition to rice, beans, canned fruit, cereal and shelf-stable protein (tuna, peanut butter, etc.) “Your Chalice House family was searching to find those cultural foods and I am sure others would appreciate those also!” Items can be dropped off at POC on Thursdays from 9 – 11 AM, or bring them to Countryside at any of the times listed above and we will make sure to get them over to POC right away. POC is located at 1585 North Rand Road — across from the McDonald’s on Rand Road just south of Dundee. Drive around to the southside of the POC building where volunteers are working the pantry.

Peace to you,
Laura and Christine, Co-Chairs, Chalice House

Learn more about IST: August 14, 2020UCE UCE2020-08-12T22:03:44+00:00

August 16, 2020

We will host an online worship service on Sunday, August 16th at 11:15 am.

“Faith on the Tightrope” – Rev. Lucas Hergert

Life can be precarious. Sometimes, it can feel as vulnerable as walking on a tightrope. How do we find faith for taking the next steps when we encounter uncertainty? This is a sermon about nurturing faith and finding hope in challenge.

The Rev. Lucas Hergert has been a minister since 2009, currently serving the North Shore Unitarian Church in Deerfield, Illinois. He grew up in a Unitarian Universalist congregation in Cincinnati, Ohio, and first heard his call to the ministry in high school. Lucas holds an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Miami University, a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, and a Doctor of Ministry from the Pacific School of Religion. Lucas was also previously a college faculty member, teaching courses in philosophy and comparative religion. His interests include yoga, Shakespeare plays, biking, continental philosophy, fantasy novels, interfaith work, and humor.