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The Emergent and Deconstructed Church May 25, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Online and in-person Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson
“Emergent Church” and “Deconstructed Church” are terms used by folks searching for more authentic spirituality and leaving more fundamentalist and corporate religious pathways. What are these things? What might they mean for us? We’ll explore these questions in thought and practice.
We will share the plate with Nature at the Confluence Mission Statement:
Nature At The Confluence creates community connections by providing inviting spaces and engaging programs.
Strategic Goals 2023-2025:
Enhance facilities to provide more self-guided educational opportunities and accessible recreational spaces.
Engage a more diverse spectrum of our community through partnerships and programs.
Build a sustainable organizational structure and funding strategy. Click Here to Donate
Volunteers for Sunday, May 25
Guest Table: We Need 2 Volunteers
Greeters: We Need 2 Volunteers
Ushers: Pam Wilson & Barb Wilson
Coffee Hosts: We Need 2 Volunteers
Happy Birthday to: Alice Conrad (May 21), David Lantz (May 21), Henry Smith (May 21), Luke Smith (May 21), Thomas Sandquist (May 22), Logan Starling (May 23), Rose Kruchten (May 23), Craig Shaver (May 24), Leo Johnson-Doyle (May 24), Gaen McClendon (May 25), Robert Ticknor (May 25), Rev. Linda Slabon (May 26), & Susan Halvorsen (May 26)!
Matthew’s Memo May 20, 2024
Yesterday morning, I, along with Rev. Violet Johnicker from Rockford Urban Ministries, Rabbi Binah Wing, and Father David Beauvais met with Rep. Dave Vella to encourage him to vote for a pending bill that would raise the age at which a youth could be detained from 10 to 13 in Illinois. There are a small number of children where this happens, and we want to provide enough services and alternatives so that the number is zero. Rep. Vella shared our hope that we could move to robust services for these children instead of detention – the details of the bill are being finalized, but I hope he’ll be a yes.
As the four clergy were in the lobby waiting, (a Catholic priest, a Rabbi, a Methodist Pastor, and a Unitarian Universalist minister – we knew we were the start of a good joke), we talked about these children, and the trauma and lack of stability that we knew they were already experiencing. You don’t wind up in this system without some trauma and tragedy. We talked about the support that parents need. Father Beauvais, the only non-parent among us, was passionate about supporting parents, which the rest of us found affirming. We talked about successes, like the programs that Alignment Rockford seeded, which are now running in multiple locations, including at Pastor Violet’s Brooke Road church. (It’s very cool to know that the program I helped select as a board member at Alignment is being implemented at with success by others). And we discussed the changes in social structure, which have dismissed the sense of neighborhood and village, so essential for parental thriving (or just surviving).
We need one another. Parents need more community and support.
What can you do? At church, volunteer for RE, of course. We can always use more folks to share that intergenerational sense of care and community. Introduce yourself to the parents you see in Deale Hall and make connections. Sometimes these connections become lifelong bonds. Show up for events and activities that we plan to include families.
In the community, get curious. Is there a family on your block with young kids? Might they like a meal delivered every once in a while? Is there a school near you that could use an adult to mentor or help out?
And speak up. The current proposed budget cuts health insurance for children to fund tax cuts for billionaires. Call up Darrin LaHood and/or Ron Johnson and tell them to vote no. It’s an uphill climb to stop this madness, but we can try.
We are in this together. We need one another. Let’s be there.
In faith,
Matthew
A major church project is starting – replacing the 50 year old siding over our entire church building. At the congregational meeting a couple weeks ago, we deliberated and we voted to use some of the Building Legacy Fund to pay for the project. The Legacy Funds are the accumulated bequests of church members who valued the church enough to remember the church in their estate. Some of these bequests are more recent, but some go back far enough that our memory is fading of who those members were.
Now that we will be using their generosity to repair the building, it feels like time to better remember those who are helping us. Over the next few weeks, I will reflect on several of those people.
Connolly and Caskey families – These two families are so intertwined in our church history that it is nearly impossible to unravel. Over several generations, several bequests have come to the church to be used for important needs. They’ve helped build this church building in the 60s, they sponsored a major lecture series in the 70s, then helped fund the church TV show “Fusion”. Over 100 years ago, in 1913, Charles Parker Connolly came to Rockford to serve as our minister. A force of nature in this church, and also a force of nature in Rockford, he started the United Way and the Booker T Washington Center. For that matter, over multiple generations, these two families continue to be “forces of nature” within this church and in Rockford. Dave Connolly, I admired, not the least because he had the U Wisconsin Fight Song played at this memorial service. Francie was my hero because she was brave enough to jump out of the window to escape our Sunday school class. Dave Caskey was the LRY leader during my high school years. Mary has been a stalwart and is now sponsoring the “Caskey Lectures”.
Dean and Pat Tollefsrud – Pat and Dean were members of this church for nearly 50 years, and leaders of this church for nearly 50 years. Pat was devoted to racial justice and discrimination issues and projects. Dean served on and led the Building and Grounds committee longer than anyone can remember. Pat served terms as Church President and also Treasurer. She was a perennial force within the Finance Committee. Maybe you remember Church Annual meetings. Pat would always have her list of questions. You had better be following Robert’s Rules, and you darn well better know where every last dollar was going to go. Annual meetings are shorter now. Their annual cocktail party cookouts were legendary. Together, they loved this church and loved this building and gifted us to maintain it.
Stu and Evie Johnson – Stu and Evie were part of this church for decades. Always there, especially on music Sunday. Always helping with Trash or Treasure. And with a smile. Though, as they aged, we did not see them as often. Both lived to age 98.
Next Week– A few more of these special people.
The Nominating Committee is proud to inform you of the following candidates for this coming fiscal year!
Swap & Trade Barter Market – Check out the Catalog! Wednesday, May 21, 6-7:30pm in Deale Hall Let’s imagine a world where money doesn’t exist and we participate in a mutual aid community, offering up what we can to trade so we all get what we need. Join the Eco Justice Team to bring this idea to life for an evening! Need inspiration? Click the blue “Check out the Catalog” link above to see what people are bringing, or look for print versions in Deale Hall. Please note that registration is required and you can sign up here: Register for the Swap & Trade Barter Market If you have any questions, reach out to Dawn Nimmo or Rebecca Beneditz.
Sex & Gender Justice Team meets this Sunday at 11:30. If you want to hear details about the Pride Parade on June 7 and maybe practice some songs for us to march to, please join us!
If you wish to borrow a t-shirt for the event, contact Lia Gima or the church office.
Child Dedication
We are pleased to announce that the Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford, will hold a Child Dedication during worship on Sunday, June 1, 2025. The dedication will be a simple ritual in which the congregation commits to the spiritual welfare and development of the child and their family. Though the ritual is not a baptism, some similar symbolism will be incorporated into the ceremony. Children of any age that have not previously been dedicated are welcome to participate in the ritual. Children who participate are welcome to have their parents and siblings, as well as one or two sponsors, join them at the front of the sanctuary during the dedication. If you would like to participate in the Child Dedication, please e-mail Lindsay Trank at reuurockford@gmail.com by Wednesday, May 28. We hope you will join us for this special occasion!
Who Makes a Difference in Our Community?
The Social Justice Team is seeking nominees for the Connolly Community Service Awards for 2024. A bit of history of the awards and the nomination procedures follow. If you know someone – or a group of people — you think should receive one of these awards, please turn in nominations to the church office.
History: In 1993 the church initiated a community service award to recognize a member of the congregation for significant contributions to the community. The award was named for Dr. Charles Parker Connolly, minister of our congregation from 1913 to 1942, and a recognized community leader.
To date the award has been presented to the following individuals: Walt Lewis, Mary Caskey, Martha Logemann, Pat Tollefsrud, Sandra Locke, David Weissbard, Lynn Liston, Pat Lewis, Jon McGinty, JoAnn Shaheen, Leigh Lakey, Roger Oehlke, Lola Gustafson, Allen Penticoff, Colleen McDonald, Jackie Dehler, Bob Arevalo, Dave Black, Myrna Lake, Dave Lantz, Barb Giolitto, Duane Wilke, Ellyn Ahmer, Dale Dunnigan, Nikki Ticknor, Bob Babcock, Shiraz Tata, Allyson Rosemore & Rebecca Beneditz, Gloria Perez, & Kathie Mattison.
More recently an award was established to recognize a young person, 8th grade through high school, for service to the church and community. Recipients to date are Emma Stocker, Katie Whitworth, Sandra Hill, Jackie Whitworth, Emily Pfleiderer, Max Freund, and Ari Almonaci.
The Social Justice Council has decided to have a “group” award. This award will be for a group of people, formally or informally organized, who have done the work of justice in our community. Two years ago the award went to the Cornucopia Group.
The awards are presented at the annual meeting of the congregation.
The nominations should include:
A detailed description of volunteer and/or professional involvement and accomplishments, tasks, performed and issues addressed impact on others, and other relevant information.
A signed statement that the nominee is willing to be nominated.
A nomination should include the name of the nominator and is due in the office (Send to Autumn uurockford@gmail.com) by June 3rd. The nominations will be reviewed and a selection made by the Social Justice Team before the annual meeting.
Wonderful Wednesday – June 4 at 6:30 to 8:30
An Essay discussion group on:
INVESTIGATING CONSCIOUSNESS AFTER DEATH
led by Duane Wilke
The Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies (BICS) had a contest for the best evidence-based essays on whether human consciousness survives physical death. Wonderful Wednesday participants are asked to read the first 26 pages of the winning essay Beyond The Brain by Jeffery Mishlove. There are many short videos included. He won $500,000 for this entry:
Please email revjoycepalmer@yahoo.com if you plan to attend so we can arrange seating. Not required to email.
We hope you will join us.
Our UU Library has added these books to our collection: Final Gifts by Maggie Callahan The Essence of Sufism by John Baldock
UUANI
Action of the Week:
No Money for New Prisons
In late 2024, after years of community organizing, Stateville prison, part of the Illinois Dept of Corrections, was closed by federal order due to deplorable conditions that resulted in the death of Michael Broadway, a man who was imprisoned there.
In his new state budget, Governor Pritzker earmarked $900 million of Illinoisan’s money to rebuild two prisons, replacing Stateville and Logan with “state of the art, trauma-informed & gender-responsive facilities.”
There is no such thing as a trauma-informed prison. Prisons are by their very nature traumatizing. Rather than spend $900 million building new prisons, our Illinois budget should invest those funds into non-carceral healthcare, counseling, drug treatment, housing, education, vocational supports, libraries, a dedicated reentry fund, guaranteed basic income programs, and creating a real social safety net. There are an incredible number of alternative investments that will strengthen communities, decrease the number of people entering prison, and break the cycle of re-incarceration.
Contact your legislators to remove prison construction funding from the State Budget and instead approve a state budget that supports our communities and life-giving institutions.
Our Vision: A loving congregation that connects with ourselves, one another, and the larger community.
Our Mission: We care for ourselves, each other, and our neighbors while taking risks acting for justice. We are continuously building an inclusive, empowered, anti-oppressive, anti-racist, multicultural congregation. Our connections foster radical love for ourselves and others.
The Board of Trustees:
President: Matt Menze
Clerk: Kim Lowman Vollmer
Vice-President: Wendy Bennett
Treasurer: Bob Spelman Trustees: Clark Logemann, Rebecca Beneditz, Neita Webster
The Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford, IL | 4848 Turner St., Rockford, IL 61107 | 815-398-6322 | uurockford.org |
