Friday Update October 13, 2023








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Friday Update

It’s All Native Land
October 15, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. Online and in-person
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson 

What do we do with the complicated history of settler-colonialization of Indigenous Land?  What is our individual and collective responsibility to repair? What stories should we know and tell?  We will take the time to avoid simple and formulaic answers as we learn together. 

Order of Service

We will Share the Plate with the Native Justice Coalition Two Spirit Program
Our Two-Spirit program engages in decolonizing gender roles and identities within our Native American and First Nations communities. Our communities have been deeply impacted by harmful gender binaries from colonization, assimilation, and intergenerational trauma from boarding/residential schools. In addition to the burden of generational and historical trauma, Two-Spirits can face discrimination and other systemic barriers such as lack of health care or mental health care services in rural, remote, and urban communities. Because of this, the NJC works diligently to restore gender balance by honoring the entire gender spectrum that exists in our communities. We strive to create culturally sensitive, safe, and supportive spaces, for example by providing prayer ties at our events. Additionally, our work focuses on sovereignty and the cultural resurgence of Native gender roles and identities. With our events and initiatives, we work to re-establish the unique spiritual and political status in our communities through research and conversation in connection with the Two-Spirit community. We make this work happen through healing stories, talking circles, workshops, gatherings, and other forms of community engagement.
Click Here to Donate


Volunteers for Sunday, October 15
Greeters: Jennifer Riley & We Need 1 More Volunteer
Guest Table: We Need 2 Volunteers
Ushers: We Need 2 Volunteers
Coffee Hosts: We Need 2 Volunteers
Please note that if you volunteer for coffee host you will need to clean up afterward and run the cups through the sanitizer. Spitty and others are happy to help you become familiar with how to handle this easy job.
Sign Up Here

Service Reflection this Sunday in the Library at 11:15 a.m.

Please do not leave your unwanted items in Deale Hall or around the church. We do not need books and other items cluttering up our beautiful church. Instead please take these items to Goodwill. Thank you!


What’s Really in the Bible?

Sunday, 11:45-12:45, Oct 15, 29, and Nov 5 and 12
No advance sign up required.  Do bring a bible if you have one, but not required.  Any translation is fine. (we will compare).  
You do not need to attend all sessions, but it will be helpful, as they build on each other.  
In the sanctuary.  

Beginners Guide to the Prison Industrial Complex
Saturday, October 14 10 – 2pm
In person and Online


Feeling helpless in the face of the racial and economic injustice in our society?

Join the UU Prison Ministry of IL to explore injustices of the prison system and learn what we can do to change it. This workshop is intended to challenge participants towards growth & inspire ongoing work and action. Workshop held at UU Church Rockford.

Please register at: http://www.uupmi.org/pic-registration.html

Wonderful Wednesday
October 18th at 6pm
“How I Started My Ancestral Journey”


We are excited to have Diane McCue, VP, Program Director, and Media Coordinator with the Winnebago Boone County Genealogical Society. Diane will discuss the process she used to explore her family history starting with papers she inherited from her great-grandfather. Diane will discuss tools like Ancestry.com, Find A Grave, and Facebook to help you learn how to explore your ancestry. Zoom and In Person.
Use this link for access to the Zoom
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87936245219?pwd=uI1ARaQ4pNtpn6EMbBtuNAe1SAkye5.1
 


Parents let us watch the kids while you go out!
We will have games, snacks, and fun.
Join us on Thursday, October 19, 5:30 – 8:00 pm
Please register using the link below by Monday, October 16.
https://uurockford.breezechms.com/form/35eed2


for Adults

Let’s talk about sex!!! (It’s not just for teenagers.) The Unitarian Universalist Association has developed a stellar comprehensive sex education curriculum known as Our Whole Lives. As the title suggests, it is not a one-and-done, but rather a topic to be revisited as we grow and mature. Join us this fall as Wendy Bennett and Leah Krippner facilitate an adult exploration of sexuality in the 21st century. Anyone 18 and up is welcome to join. 

Wendy and Leah are trained OWL facilitators and have been teaching OWL for nearly 20 years.

Sessions will be held once a month. Come and join us for an intro session either on Wednesday, October 25 at 6:00 p.m. (Bring a dinner!) or on Sunday, October 22 at 11:30 a.m. (Pack a lunch for this one!) At this opening session, we will decide on dates for the other sessions as well as topics to be discussed. Please contact the church office to sign up for one of these two initial sessions. Let them know if you will need assistance with childcare. Questions? Email Wendy or Leah.


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: Spitty Tata 
Clerk: Kim Lowman Vollmer
Vice-President: Matt Menze
Treasurer: Steve Blomgren
Trustees: Clark Logemann, Sarah Greer, & Rebecca Beneditz

The Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford, IL  |   4848 Turner St., Rockford, IL 61107   |   815-398-6322    |   uurockford.org  |



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