“We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us.” (From the Mission Statement of the Women’s March on Washington)

On Saturday, January 21^st, starting at 10am, there will be a march in Washington, D.C. and in cities across the country (including Chicago).  Its purpose is to show “solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families, recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country”.  You can read more about the mission on their Facebook page “Women’s March on Washington”.

If you want to go to D.C., or have already made arrangements to go, we invite you to join with other Unitarians as a statement of organizational support, and increased solidarity. The Women’s Circles have selected Julie Milner to coordinate a group from UCE.  You can reach Julie for trip details at milnerjulie@yahoo.com.  We will have a brief meeting after the 11:00 service on January 15^th to share participant contact information. (see the location posted at church)

Several of us are traveling by bus from Chicago on Friday afternoon, arriving in Washington on Saturday morning, and then returning overnight back to Chicago.  It is not too late to sign up through RallyBus to join us!  Some travel money is available if that would enable you to join us.  All are welcome to join.

Women’s Circles are small, on-going, self-run groups of UCE women members and friends. At a Women’s Circle, we create connections with each other, share information, and share our life-journey in a caring and safe environment. There are two women’s circles and each currently has space (until filled) for additional members who will make a strong commitment to attending.

The first women’s circle is a well established group, with membership capped at 12 people. It meets twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. Meetings are led by the group members and include a personal check-in and discussions and/or other programs. The topics explored are intended  to be interesting and relevant to our lives.  The group’s style, while similar to the “new” Women’s Circle, is a bit more informal.   If interested or for more information, contact Luanne Vanderpool (LVANDERP@mindspring.com).

The second women’s circle is a new group currently forming. Membership is expected to be capped at 6-8 people.  It will meet once a month at a date/time to be determined by the group.  Meetings will be led by the group members and include a spiritual check-in (i.e. “how is it with my spirit”) and discussions and/or programs relevant to the Sacred Feminine. Programs provide the opportunity to practice deep listening, get in touch with your inner self, and nurture one another on our spiritual journey.  Any one interested is invited to an open informational and planning meeting Mon Aug 15 at 7:30.   For more details, contact Gini Sayad (virsayad@gmail.com) or Gretchen Brewster (gsbrewster@gmail.com).