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Easter and the Liberal Christians
April 17, 2022, at 10:00 a.m.Online and in-person Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson As we celebrate Easter, we’ll learn about the early Unitarians, who sought to call themselves “The Liberal Christians.” What did they believe? Why were they so influential in the creation of America? Why are they responsible for the word “antidisestablishmentarianism”? And what can they teach us today about what it means to follow the teachings of Jesus and the gospel of Love?
We will Share the Plate with CASA
In 1987, Judge Bradnor Riggs, then presiding judge over Juvenile Court in Winnebago County, met with the Junior League of Rockford to bring CASA to the children of Winnebago County. Today, more than 30 years later, Winnebago County CASA is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization whose mission is to support and advocate for the best interests of children within the juvenile abuse and neglect court system. Since 1987, we have trained more than 700 volunteers and served more than 3,600 children in Winnebago County. Click Here to Donate
Happy Birthday to: Linda Spelman (04/12), Pat Lewis (04/12), Alice Enichen (04/13), Michelle Lattanzio (04/13), Geordon VanTassle (04/14), Cynthia Swacina (04/17), & Wanda Hoover (04/18)!
Volunteers for Sunday, April 17
Ushers: We Need 2 Volunteers
Greeters: Sue Garwick & Teresa Wilmot
Guest Table: 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.
Someone Sunday asked about a bibliography for our month on theological reflection. If they wanted to learn more about some of the histories I’ve been exploring, where to turn. Well, here you go!
To learn more about Mary Safford and the Iowa Sisterhood, look for “Prophetic Sisterhood: Liberal Women Minister of the Frontier” by Cynthia Grant Tucker. You can find lots of shorter articles online, but the book contains many stories about these remarkable women.
To learn more about Ethelred Brown and other Black UU Ministers, two books by Mark Morrison-Reed are recommended. The classic is “Black Pioneers in a White Denomination.” But his “Darkening the Doorways: Black Trailblazers and Missed Opportunities in Unitarian Universalism” is more recent and up-to-date.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Goths, I don’t have a book recommendation (I’m sure there are plenty). I learned a lot about them and the Roman Empire from the podcast by Mike Duncan on “The History of Rome,” which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.
If you want to read ahead for the next two weeks, I recommend finding William Ellery Channing’s “Unitarian Christianity” for this coming week.
For April 24th, when we’ll dive into the Transcendentalists, there are lots of options. “The Divinity School Address” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, is, of course, a classic. “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau is great reading. It’s not as available, but “Woman in the Nineteenth Century” by Margaret Fuller was highly influential in its time. Or, simply, take a walk in the woods. After all, the Transcendentalists believed that each person could encounter truth without a mediator or veil through direct experience.
In faith,
Matthew
Last Chance is TODAY
Sign up for Friday’s Passover Seder
Our UU Seder is a family friendly gathering, the first in-person Seder since April 2019! We meet at 6 pm in Deale Hall on Good Friday, 4/15. Besides the traditional celebration of freedom, we will enjoy a 5-course meal. Please call the office TODAY or send this email to the office before you forget.
We all pitch in to help. If you sign up for “Set-up,” arrive at 5 pm. “Serve” meals you will carry food from the kitchen to tables. “Clean-up” means staying after to take care of leftovers and dishes.
To order via email, copy this form:
Name (for Family)________________________________________
Number of adults _____ Children over 10_____ Children over 5 _____
Number of vegan meals ______.
Choose one from: Set-up ____ Serve _____ Clean-up _____
And email to: uurockford@gmail.com
Submitted by Teresa Wilmot
Are You a Caregiver?
Do you regularly help someone who:
* is over 60
* has a disability (physical or mental)
* has a chronic or progressive health problem
* has trouble taking care of him or herself at home
Do you do any of the following:
* Take meals to ensure nutritious food is available
* Help with cleaning and laundry
* Assist with weekly grocery shopping
* Arrange medical appointments and provide transportation
* Feel the need to check up on the person to be sure they are okay
* Receive frequent phone calls with requests for help
* Provide on-going care to someone such as feeding, bathing, dressing, or any other care
If you answered YES to one or more of the above questions, you are a caregiver. We would like to invite you to a Caregiver Support Group to discuss self-care for caregivers. I know you realize taking care of someone can be a joy, and it can be hard too.
Join this new group at UU Church Rockford to meet other caregivers and to share information on how to take care of yourself. It will also provide you with an opportunity to let the Caring Team know if you have a need we can assist with meeting.
If you have a more immediate need, please let Rev. Joyce or a member of the Caring Team know.
Our first meeting will be on Zoom, Tuesday, May 3rd at 10am. Please use this link to attend:
Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/98699473003
The AIM Team is our Accessibility and Inclusion Ministry at the church. Our team met in February to review our earlier assessment and set some goals for the next few months.
The main purpose of the the team is to keep track of the big picture regarding the congregation’s welcome and accessibility, address issues of concern and develop strategies to address concerns. At our next meeting we will discuss possible training led by RAMP and schedule an audit of our church building for accessibility.
We are welcoming new members to this team. Our next meeting is Thursday, April 21 at 6pm via Zoom.
It’s time to Lighten Up! To celebrate, to be joyful, to have fun, and to turn up our light as a church. We’re about to begin our generosity (aka stewardship, aka pledge drive) campaign for the coming fiscal year. We hope every member will attend ONE of the following events. Each event is designed to highlight something fun and good about our church. There will be a brief stewardship presentation at each event, but the focus will be on having fun and doing good together. More information to come. But for now, select one event and put it on your calendar.
Celebrating Ministry! Join UU ministers who did their internship with us, or were members here before seminary. Guests include Revs. Morgan McLean, Phil Lund, Misha Sanders, Kimberlee Carlson, Jim Parrish, David Kraemer, and Nancy McDonald Ladd. On zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87473258510Tuesday, April 12, 7pm.
Concert! Join Music Director Tim Anderson for a daytime concert. Friday, April 22nd, 12pm.
Our History Scavenger Hunt! Begin at Ingersoll Centennial Park (Madison and Oak near downtown Rockford). Follow the clues through our history and join at the Olympic Tavern with your completed clues. Saturday 23rd, 3pm start.
Write for Justice! Meet in Deale Hall to write letters thanking Reps. West and Vella for their support of the Criminal Justice Reform bill and encouraging them and Sen. Stadleman to resist roll-back efforts. Wednesday, April 27, 7pm.
Wesley Willows Happy Hour! Meet on the driveway at the home of Myrna and Dick Lake. BYOB. Contact office if you need address. Friday, May 6th, 4pm.
Woods and Prairie at the Church! Meet in the parking lot to hike our woods and prairie with a naturalist guide. Saturday, May 7, 2pm.
Ice-cream Social! We’ll get an ice-cream truck. It’ll be great. Sunday, May 15th, after church.
See you at one of these events!
Your generosity team: Ruth Little, Wendy Bennett, Linda Johnson, Sara Dorner, Sandi Campbell, and Matthew Johnson
Path to Membership class has been rescheduled for Saturday, June 4th.
Have Fun with our Pickleball Group!
Depending on the weather, we play at Sinnissippi or inside at Sports Factory every Tuesday and Thursday at 2:00. Contact Ed to get on the mailing list: thistletwo@aol.com
We are in the midst of the most serious crisis for reproductive rights in our history. With so many states rushing to legislate more restrictive access to abortion, there’s a great deal to discuss about what we as activists can do.
• With our IL Covid numbers down, we are going to return to monthly meetings. Our next meeting will be APRIL 12 at the Rockford Unitarian Universalist Church, 4848 Turner St., 6:30 p.m. SAVE THE DATE!
• We’ll have some Great SPEAKERS and a video from Samantha Bee’s humorous show Full Frontal.
• Plus Good news about a generous donation.
We are looking forward to seeing everyone!
In solidarity,
Barb Giolitto, Pres.
Dale Dunnigan, V.P.
Eliminate Racism 815
Book Discussion
Thursday April 28, 2022 6:00 p.m.
Join us by zoom for a discussion of Threading My Prayer Rug: One Woman’s Journey from Pakistani Muslim to American Muslimby Sebeeha Rehman. Beginning with a moving account of her arranged marriage, it offers the refreshing view of an American life through Muslim eyes. Filled with humor & hope, balances heritage and overcomes religious barriers.
Please read the book on your own and we will discuss it.
Book discussions are presented in partnership with Rockford Public Library.
The Board of Trustees:
President: Amanda Tapfield
Clerk: Bob Spelman
Vice-President: Judy Gustafson
Treasurer: Teresa Wilmot
Trustees: Khanh Oehlke, Sarah Greer, Jami Edmonds
The Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford, IL | 4848 Turner St., Rockford, IL 61107 | 815-398-6322 | uurockford.org |
