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Deep in the Wilderness
May 4, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Online and in-person
Rev. Joyce Palmer The place people go for preparation is the wilderness. A way to look at this time in our collective experience is to see it as a call to prepare and respond with courage. We’ll get where we need to be together.
We will Share the Plate with Farmers Rising At Farmers Rising, we lift up the people doing local and regenerative farming. We create space for you to learn alongside other growers and farmers, improve your business and production skills, and connect with eaters, partners and local food advocates of all ages and walks of life.
Our work to build sustainable local food and farm systems honors the people working the land, recognizes healthy food as a human right, and dismantles extractive food systems…putting us at the forefront of farmer training.
Volunteers for Sunday, May 4
Thank you to our Board and Finance committee for volunteering for hospitality this Sunday!
Happy Birthday to: Vincent Nundahl (Apr 29), Ruth Penticoff (May 01), Clark Logemann (May 02), Emily Miller (May 02), Randy Pellman (May 02), Robert Vogl (May 02), Roger Benedict (May 02), Leigh Kuyper (May 03), Ed Foster (May 04), & Malachy McNamara (May 05)!
Matthew’s Memo
April 29th 2025
We have finally had some real beautiful spring days. I’ve been taking my allergy medicine, but also loving my outdoor runs. I hope you have been getting out and about too. The nice thing about living where most of us do is that we feel like we “earn spring” after winter. The earth comes back to life, the evenings are longer, and one might feel some hope.
Indeed, I hope you are feeling some hope. Some shoots of life and possibility.
Internationally, other nations are beginning to turn away from the far-right populist trend that had been coming along. Canada, in particular, turned away and made a more internationalist and inclusive choice yesterday. Nationally, the 100-day polls show Americans souring on the trade wars, immigration crackdowns, anti-trans actions, and general incompetence. Turns out that while some continue to embrace cruelty, others are repulsed. We count on and must cultivate this empathetic impulse. Empathy is not a sin, it is our salvation.
I’m feeling hopeful about our congregation, too. The mission, vision, and ends process is coming along – more to come soon, but I see some real agreement in the congregation about where we are going from here. The stewardship campaign is going well – if you haven’t made your gift yet, please do so right now Click Here. As we slide toward summer, participation in worship and activities remains robust. We had a lovely group of prospective new members on Sunday, our Soul Matters and Faith in Action teams are busy with their work, and the choir, rehearsing for Music Sunday, sounds fantastic. There’s a lot to be grateful for.
I hope you are finding something to feel hopeful about, noticing the sprouts and shoots of life around us. Nurture those growing things, and cherish them. All is not lost. Indeed, something is blooming around us and within in us.
Join us this Sunday for our annual ritual celebrating beauty, human uniqueness, diversity and community. Bring a flower and we’ll have flowers available to share!
Meeting Recap: The Board reviewed the upcoming siding project, the status of the generosity campaign, and the work of the nominating panel. We also discussed the draft “ends” for the mission/vision work, which will be going to the congregation for feedback. We thanked Teresa Wilmot, Dave Schubert and Steve Lewis for their work on the Seder and the Siding projects respectively.
Lead Like Lasso Wednesday, April 30th 6pm
Apple TV’s Ted Lasso is funny and uplifting
as he coaches a team in a sport and in a country
he knows nothing about.
Using Brene Brown’s work, we will see how
Coach Lasso successfully manages to be a
vulnerable and courageous leader.
Led by Kendra A., a professional development trainer.
Representatives from the American Red Cross will visit our church on Sunday, May 4th at Noon to share information about Red Cross services, how to volunteer, and spring severe weather readiness information. They will also offer a free 30-minute Hands-Only CPR class for anyone interested in learning this lifesaving skill. We hope you will join us to learn about the Red Cross!
Make a May Day Basket
Wonderful Wednesday
May 7, 6 pm
Join us to make colorful, bright May Day Baskets in celebration of Spring.
We will provide craft items to make a basket or two for a special friend, neighbor, or for yourself. You can also bring your own decorative items.
Questions? See Rebecca B. and Rev. Joyce
Calling All Fellow Knitters, Crocheters, Needleworkers
Community means so much right now and I crave the company of like-souls who enjoy creating everything and anything from yarn, thread, and fabric. Let’s gather and share ideas to benefit our own community, the community at large, and ourselves. Interested? Call and leave me (Libby Parker) a msg. at 425-736-1859 or email at singer1504@gmail.com.
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.
If you wish to borrow a t-shirt for the event, contact Lia Gima or the church office.
Garden Planting Day at the Church Grounds! Saturday, May 17 at 10am
The mulch has been spread and the Spectrum/UU gardens on the church grounds are cleaned up and ready to be planted! Spend the morning outside as we plant our warm weather plants and get ready for the growing season. If you would like to continue to help maintain the gardens over the summer (watering, weeding, harvesting, etc.), please fill out this form: Garden Volunteer Survey. If you have any questions, please reach out to Rebecca Beneditz. I hope to see you there!
Swap & Trade Barter Market Wednesday, May 21, 6-7:30pm in Deale Hall
Let’s imagine a world where money doesn’t exist and friends and neighbors participate in a mutual aid community, offering up what they can to trade and swap so everyone gets what they need. Join the Eco Justice Team to bring this idea to reality for an evening! For more information, check the flyers in Deale Hall or talk to Rebecca Beneditz and Dawn Nimmo. More information will be shared during the May pulpit announcements. Please note that registration is required and you can sign up here:Register for the Swap & Trade Barter Market
Action of the Week:
File a Witness Slip in support of SB2156.
Help Improve Outcomes for Kids in Crisis with the Law.
A hearing for SB 2156, a bill that would create a juvenile detention task force, is scheduled in the Senate Judiciary/Criminal Committee for Tuesday, April 29 at 4:00 pm. Witness slips are needed to show support for this bill.
SB 2156 will create a Child First Task Force to study shifting fiscal incentives to communities to enhance crisis intervention and other services to appropriately keep children and young adults out of the detention system. An approach that would be more cost effective and improve outcomes for kids.
There is no clear state oversight or management of juvenile detention and there is no state entity with the authority to close detention centers that fail to meet minimum standards. Research shows that even short stays in any juvenile detention facility produce lifelong negative outcomes. The harm to children only increases when conditions of detention fail to meet minimum standards – as is the case in most of the juvenile detention centers in Illinois.
In line with our UU values of equity and justice, show your support for passage of this bill by completing a witness slip in SUPPORT of SB2156 before the Committee’s scheduled meeting on Tuesday, April 29 at 4:00 pm.
Fill out the form with your information. If you are not designated and authorized to represent a group in an official capacity, please write “SELF.” Organizations designate only one person to fill out the slip on behalf of the organization.
To indicate your support for the bill, please click “PROPONENT.”
For testimony, choose “RECORD OF APPEARANCE ONLY.”
You may be asked to agree to the ILGA terms. Click agree.
Our UU Library has added these books to our collection: Women in the Shade of Islam by Abdul Rahman Al-Sheba How We Die by Sherwin Nuland
Wesley Willows Group
The Wesley Willows group will return again in the fall.
Peasant Revolt Farm is a small scale organic-practice produce farm in Cherry Valley, Illinois. We are very excited to offer weekly or bi-weekly Produce Subscription Boxes (sometimes called “CSA”) throughout the summer season. We’ll have a pickup location at the Edgebrook Farmers Market (Wednesdays 9a-1p) and also offer a home delivery option. We will make any spot with at least 10 full-season subscriptions a pickup spot (UU church, for example!). For more information, please visit our website: peasant-revolt.com/subscription-boxes.html
Friday, May 2, 5:30 – 7 pm The Unitarian Universalist Church
4848 Turner St
Rockford, IL 61107
Join us for our third meeting for discussion many important topics including results from the consolidated election, the bystander effect and many other issues!
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 |
