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Spam Alert
Members and friends: For the past several months (and I hear it may go back a few years), we’ve been targeted by unscrupulous spammers posing as church staff. Their spam emails are “phishing” attacks attempting to solicit funds–aka, steal your money! Here is the big takeaway you need to know: Church staff will never email you asking for money. Ever. We won’t ask you to secretly buy gift cards for members in need. Ever. Any email from staff asking for money is a scam.
I’ve gotten some questions about how this common scam happens. Simply, scammers pull staff information from public church websites, create fake email addresses that look real, and find your email address through hacked personal address books and directories. This is why we don’t publish member directories or put them online.
Just remember: keep your computer’s antivirus software up to date; don’t share member directories; and ignore any appeal for money that comes via email or text. If it doesn’t pass the “sniff” test, please don’t respond!
In faith and service,
Bret
Whose Are We? A reflection for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Online and in-person
Rev. Bret Lortie
Whose are we? We know something of who we are: A people who care less about what someone believes and more about how we live lovingly into our values. Beyond our individual spiritual paths, however, we often speak of the transcendent–something larger than our individual lives uniting us in purpose and aspiration. What is this force of Love? Is it Justice? God? Nature? Science? The cloud of witnesses whose lives precede and follow our own? Beyond “who am I,” let us also ask, “whose are we?
We will Share the Plate with NAACP Rockford Branch
Their mission is to achieve equity, political rights, and social inclusion by advancing policies and practices that expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination and accelerate the well-being, education, and economic security of Black people and all persons of color. Click Here to Donate
UU 20/30s Group
Join Us Sunday, January 18, at 11:30 a.m. in the Youth Room
UU2030 is a small group for adults in their 20s and 30s who are looking for spiritual and religious community, without the dogma and baggage that can come with traditional religion. We can provide that home here!
We are looking to build a faith community and possibly other social events like potlucks, holiday celebrations, and board game nights.
We hope to see you!
Co-leaders Sara and Hailey
Let’s all go cheer on the Icehogs together at the BMO Center!
Tickets are available now and are $19.90 per person. Click on this link to purchase: https://www.gofevo.com/event/UUChurch If you would like to attend but the cost is prohibitive, please contact Rev. Joyce about financial assistance.
Child Dedication
We are pleased to announce that the Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford will hold a Child Dedication during worship on Sunday, January 25, 2026. 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, January 21. We hope you will join us for this special occasion!
Past Sunday Services
Did you know you can watch past Sunday services anytime? We have them on our website under past worship services so you never have to miss a Sunday! Click here to find a service that you haven’t seen yet! You can also always go to our Facebook and YouTube pages.
The Board of Trustees:
President: Wendy Bennett
Vice President: Diane Kuehl
Clerk: Scott Garwick
Treasurer: Bob Spelman
Trustees: Kendra Asbury, Clark Logemann, Neita Webster
The Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford, IL | 4848 Turner St., Rockford, IL 61107 | 815-398-6322 | uurockford.org |
