Courage to Heal May 1, 2022, at 10:00 a.m.Online and in-person Rev. Joyce Palmer
What do we mean when we talk about healing? The typical understanding of healing centers on cure, join us as we examine various ways to understand healing for our mind, body, and spirits.
We will Share the Plate with One Body Collaboratives
Their mission is to mobilize, coordinate and further develop church and community resources to rebuild lives and transform our community. Click Here to Donate
Happy Birthday to: Melissa Vyborny (04/27), Elizabeth Parker (04/28), Susan Wilke (04/28), Ruth Penticoff (05/01), Robert Vogl (05/02), Roger Benedict (05/02), Randy Pellman (05/02), Clark Logemann (05/02), & Leigh Kuyper (05/03)!
Volunteers for Sunday, May 1
Ushers: We Need 2 Volunteers
Greeters: We Need 2 Volunteers
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.
Over the last year, the Board of Trustees has led a process to revise our mission, vision, ends, and strategies. They and I have completed this work, and I’ve made a video about the plan we’ve come up with. You can watch it here: https://fb.watch/cDQREksT8u/.
You can also read the plan on the website, click here. Though I’ve added some footnotes and we’ve tried to stay away from too many acronyms, the plan does use “terms of art” and “technical language” to describe what we are doing, so don’t worry if some of the terms don’t make sense to you.
Here’s the big picture.
The Board proposes a revised vision statement for our church: A loving congregation that connects with ourselves, one another, and the larger community.
The Board proposed to amend our mission so that it will be: 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.
These two statements say who we are and what we are about. You’ll be asked to affirm them at the annual congregational meeting on June 12th.
The Board also revised our ends (goals) and strategies. The staff and I created tactics to implement those strategies. The video or report will give you that wider picture. But here are some highlights:
We will focus on nurturing the members. The largest category of tactics are about this – strengthening our caring team, small groups, programs for families with young children, safety policies, and such. We want to build/rebuild community and connect with folks. To care for each other’s souls.
We’ll implement a new Faith in Action (Social Justice) model to better align and focus our work in that area. We’ll be creating a sustainable and effective plan for religious education for children and youth as well.
There are a variety of other tactics in there – from visibly things like worship and music, to important governance tasks like making sure our legacy giving, rental relationships, and leadership development all run well. All together, there are 24 tactics under 7 strategies and three ends. This will guide our work for the next 3-4 years, so please do take time to watch or read the materials.
In faith,
Matthew
Board Update
The Board set goals for staff compensation if the stewardship campaign goes well. They reviewed chapters of the Widening the Circle of Concern report. They also formally renewed our agreement with the Rev. Joyce Palmer as Assistant Minister.
The library committee would like to thank Dan Hotchkiss for his donation of Governance and Ministry to the church library.
It’s Time to Get Together Again Auction
– which means it’s time for the UU Auction to get under way.
After two years of being apart, let us get to know each other again. What better way to do this than over a delicious meal, at a cocktail party, at a friendly game night, a beautiful nature hike, or a painting party! This year’s Auction will concentrate on social activities that will help us reconnect!
So, here is the plan: Starting now, please take some time to think about a social gathering(s) that you could host. Then, beginning May 15 until June 1, the UU Church Online Auction site will be open for your donated offerings. Be creative!
Spread your offering ideas out over the coming year.
Take some folks to lunch and a movie.
Go watch skydivers at Rochelle Airport.
Get a group and go kayaking.
Offer a holiday gathering, a harvest supper, a summer soirée!
Plan a field trip to a park or museum, a sledding party, a swim party, a winter doldrums gathering.
The possibilities are endless and sky’s the limit!!
Next: Bidding on events will begin on June 1, 2022 and end the night of the Annual Meeting, June 15, 2022.
So…Let’s Get Together, again!!
Wendy & Peggy, co-chairs
Family Friendly Beltane Ritual!
May 1st, 2022 at 12:30pm at UURockford, 4848 Turner Street, Rockford.
Please join us for a fun family friendly Beltane event. We will have a brief ritual that will honor the season and the fae around us. We ask that you bring something to offer the fae that is biodegradable, such as flowers, leaves, or seeds. We will then have a wish making activity for the coming Spring and Summer months. We will meet outside if the weather permits or in Deale Hall otherwise. Hope to see you here! More info athttps://fb.me/e/3aGgg5paa
Spring Church Grounds Clean-up
Many thanks to the members and Spectrum families who came and worked on picking up litter, clearing gutters and raking up leaves and sticks around our grounds. The work is ongoing, but everything looks much better.
Thanks!
Allen Penticoff
Building and Grounds Committee
Caregiver Support/Education
Caregiver Support/Education Group Meets on Tuesday, May 3rd at 10 am via Zoom. We look forward to connecting with you. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/98699473003
AIM Team invites you to a training on Microaggressions and Disability
Monday, May 23 at 11am in the Library. Join us for Oops/Ouch presentation with:
Disability related microaggressions are a form of discrimination and ableism. Ableism is discrimination and social prejudice against people who have disabilities or who are perceived to have disabilities. It can take the form of ideas and assumptions, stereotypes, attitudes and practices, physical barriers in the environment or larger scale oppression.
Join us for the Oops/Ouch Presentation which challenges the stigma surrounding disabilities. We will discuss examples of verbal microaggressions and behaviors to look out for and to avoid, as well as how to create a more positive culture and to be more disability-inclusive.
Bring a Friend Sundays
Do you have a friend or neighbor who might be interested in learning more about our spiritual community?
Sunday, May 15 is Music Sunday-share the gifts and talents of our wonderful choir and Music Director Tim Anderson with the music lovers in your life.
Sunday, May 22 is Rev. Matthew preaching on the Courage to Be which promises not only to inspire and challenge us, but also provide encouragement to practice our faith in meaningful ways.
Lighten up!
Generosity Campaign 2022
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.
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
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.
Film Discussion
Friday May 13, 2022
6-8:30 p.m. What’s Race Got to do with it? Social Disparities & Student Success: Despite years of diversity programs, campuses remain hamstrung in their efforts to become more welcoming of all. Join Zoom Meeting here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81211275487
The film discussions are presented in partnership with The Baha’i Community of the Rockford Area and 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 |
