Matthew’s Memo
 
Here are three simple things you can do to help your church thrive right now. 

1. Invite someone.  This Sunday is another “bring-a-friend” Sunday, where I will be talking about how when we take Unitarian Universalism seriously, it will shift our spiritual, emotional, and personal lives.  If you know folks seeking to find inner peace, direction, meaning, etc – this is a great day to invite them.  Share the good news and spread the world. 
2. Donate to the Auction.  Go to www.uurockford.org and click the link at the top in bright yellow.  You might donate a skill (like a garden consult or a computer tune-up) or an event (a dinner, a hike).  You can ask a business you frequent often to donate a gift card.  A weekend at the city condo or lake house, if you have such, is always very popular, too.   Be creative! Or not – donate something you’ve done before that people enjoyed J.  Do it today.
3. Volunteer!  Helping out on Sunday is vital to our ministry.  If you are willing to be a volunteer for religious education, we could really use the help.  We have core staff or lead teachers for each room, but we need assistants and helpers.  See Lindsay – we’ll do a quick background check and get you set up.  You can do 1x/month and make a big difference.  We also need folks to help with hospitality – make coffee, be an usher or greeter, or work the welcome desk.  See Rev. Joyce to sign up, or use the link in Kairos. 

 
Thank you!
 
In faith,
Matthew

SHARE YOUR CHALICE WITH US

Do you have a chalice you use at home? If you are willing to share, we are making a display of chalices for the display ledge in the sanctuary. The chalice has become an important symbol of Unitarian Universalism with an open meaning. For some it is a beacon of light illuminating their spiritual journey, for other’s it is the light symbolizing truth, and for some it is a source of comfort.

We will display chalices for the next two Sundays. Please put your name on the bottom, so we can make sure it gets back to you.

The UU Church Auction website – Auctria – is now open for donations! 
You may now self-post your donations through the link below. Donations will be accepted through Friday, September 1. 
Click Here to Donate
If you have any questions or need assistance in entering your donation, you can reach out to Katie Kerr at k.m.mutert@gmail.com.

We appreciate your support. Your generosity in the auction helps support the continued work of the church. Thank you!

Would you make a good coffee host??
Do you want to get to know other members better?  YES
Do you enjoy teamwork and conversation?  YES
Would you like to become more involved?  YES
Are your kids old enough to entertain themselves in Deale Hall?  YES
Are you worried you won’t have a clue what to do?  Yes
Don’t worry, be happy! We’ll teach you. Someone is always around to help.
You can choose to set up for coffee hour, clean up afterward, or both.
     For more info or to pick a date, look for me after Church. Don’t know what I look like?
Just ask the coffee host.

Submitted by Teresa Palmeno

The Zanzen Meditation group is meeting in the church library every Saturday from 8:00 am to about 10:00 am for silent meditation and friendly discussion. We would like to invite all who are interested to check us out. There is no need to sign up or commit to anything. If you show up and behave we will probably be delighted to have you join us.

Bring-a-Friend To Church
Sunday August 27
Rev. Matthew is preaching about Taking Unitarian Universalism Seriously in a 2-part sermon. Let’s share the good news of Unitarian Universalism with our family, friends, and neighbors!

A Rockford Welcome — How is it?
Wonderful Wednesday, Sept 6 at 6 pm

A Rockford Welcome — How is it?
Join a distinguished panel of experts and policymakers to discuss how Rockford and Illinois are doing to welcome people — newcomers, immigrants, refugees, and others — to our community and state.  What are we doing well?  What can we do better?  How can you get involved and how can we join together to make us a place of profound welcome and belonging?  

Panelists include IL State Representative Dave Vella (D-68), Community Leader Mustafa Abdul, City of Rockford Human Services Director Anqunette Parham, Dr. Keith Barnes, Vice President of Equity and Inclusion at Rock Valley College, and Dr. Misael Nascimento, Executive Director of Bilingual and Multicultural Services at Rockford Public Schools.

Multicultural Ministries
Anti-Racist Cookbook Workshop
Saturdays, September 9 and 30 at 9am – 11:00am

Register using this link https://uurockford.breezechms.com/form/5a3bb3

Join members of the Multicultural Ministries group to learn about steps everyone can take to become more aware of the definitions and tools to use in everyday life to increase awareness and develop tools to have cross-racial discussions. The resource and conversations will help to address the question, “What can we do and how can we do it?”

Reading the book is helpful, though not required. We have a few copies in the office you can borrow, or buy one for $5.00. 

Avoiding Scams
Wonderful Wednesday, September 13 6 pm

We strive to be open and loving people. There are times when we need to be more aware of people and situations that are dishonest and harmful. Join a representative from Midland Bank to learn about the most common scams and how to avoid them. For yourself and your loved ones.

Come Play with Flowers
Wonderful Wednesday September 20th at 6pm
Register using this link https://uurockford.breezechms.com/form/449f42

Soul Matters Themes begin this month with the theme Welcome
Check your email for a link to the Soul Matters small group packet.

If you are interested in joining a group, contact Rev Joyce at revjoycepalmer@yahoo.com

Rare Earth Food Collective is an online farmers’ market featuring local food and products. We help producers work together to meet the growing demand for local, sustainable food in Winnebago, Boone, and McHenry Counties. Instead of you driving all over the countryside to buy from different farms, we collaborate to bring the food to you. You can choose home delivery or a nearby pickup location. We deliver orders every Tuesday, year-round. There is no minimum order, and no requirement to order every week. Ordering from REFC helps to build and support our local food community, preserve our agricultural land for future use, and reduce our carbon footprint. It also provides you with fresh food that tastes delicious and is good for you. 

For members who already attend UU regularly, we will be there on Tuesday’s in Deale Hall to pack our orders for distribution – meaning you could place an order for Tuesday pick up right at the Church! 

To register as a customer visit: https://refc.localfoodmarketplace.com/

The next pick-up will be on August 29, 2:30 – 3:00. This time period may be adjusted in the first couple of weeks.

The buying window on the website will go live with products (for shopping) from Saturday (the 15th) at Noon, until Noon on Monday the (17th), but you can sign up as a customer at any time!

We look forward to serving you!

Book Discussion
Wednesday August 31, 2023  6:00 p.m.
 
Join us by zoom for a discussion of We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez: Poignant novel of desperation, escape, and survival across the US-Mexico border, inspired by current events. Chicago Public Library Best of test of 2020.
Please read the book on your own and we will discuss it. 

Join the Zoom Meeting here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81211275487

Book discussions are presented in partnership with Rockford Public Library. 

Looking for a copy of one of the books? The Rockford Public Library is pleased to offer the books for our discussion series in multiple formats. In addition to in print, RPL has all but 2 (Intended: A Marriage in Black and White and Restoring the Soul to Education) in the Cloud Library which may be accessed with your RPL card.  Titles are available in audio and e-book formats.

I am nearing the end of my second terms as a Habitat for Humanity board member. I consider myself as holding down the “Unitarian Board Seat” as the late Roger Oehlke preceded me as a long term board member.

I am inviting you to join me for a truly spectacular evening that will leave you feeling inspired and ready to make a difference, Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity is celebrating its 35th anniversary, and we want you to join us for a gala event. On October 14th, 2023, at the Radisson Hotel in Rockford, we will be hosting our Hard Hats and High Heels Gala to commemorate our 35 years of dedicated service by providing affordable housing and building strong comities.

By attending this event, you will be directly supporting Habitat’s mission of creating safe and affordable homes. So mark your calendars and save the date and sign up as soon as possible Together, let’s celebrate our achievements, create lasting connections, and raise vital funds to continue building homes, communities, and hope.

Tickets are limited, so get your ticket at rockfordhabitat.org/35years.

Submitted by David Black

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