The Third Reconstruction
January 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.OnlineOnly Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson The civil rights leader Rev. William Barber, in his book The Third Reconstruction, argues that we are in the midst of a new effort to deal with the economic and racial systems of oppression that still limit opportunity for too many. On this MLK, Jr. weekend, we’ll discuss the agenda of his Poor People’s Campaign and what a reconstructed and renewed country might look like.
Happy Birthday to: Mark Schultz (01/11), Erin Leisure (01/15), Christina Fischer (01/15) Diane Schultz (01/16), Kim Rogers (01/17), Carole Hunter (01/17), William Carter (01/18), Meka Francis (01/18), & Roberta Pietrzyk (01/18)!
Helen Ann Haub died of old age at Wesley Willows on January 5, 2022. A memorial service for Ann is TBD.
We will Share the Plate with NAACP
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. Click Here to Donate
Matthew’s Memo Jan 11th, 2022
Over the weekend, the staff and I made the decision that we needed to move back to online-only worship for at least (and I hope, only), the next four Sundays. A number of our key volunteers for Religious Education expressed deep concern about the rising numbers, and so did many members of the staff. My colleagues around the country have reluctantly made the same call. Given the extraordinary rise in cases – more than 1% of the county had a new case just this last week, the highest ever – we felt we needed to take a short pause.
Truthfully, you’ve made the same call over the last few weeks. Our in-person attendance has been very modest, while online has been growing. You are limiting your exposure – a wise choice. Even a mild, breakthrough case can be devastating for some people. And children under 5 are still not eligible for vaccination.
So, for the next four Sundays – through and including Feb. 6th, we will be online only. We will look at the numbers and the trend then and decide if we are ready to offer an in-person option again. I surely hope so.
To join us online, you can go to our page on Facebook or search for us on YouTube. If you go to uurockford.org and click on the link in yellow at the very top of the page, it will take you to YouTube. Facebook has a better opportunity to interact in the comments, but both platforms provide the same stream.
If you do not have reliable internet access, please let Rev. Joyce or I know and we can help with a solution.
The Being An Anti-Racist Church programs will take place online through this same period. Most team and committee meetings will be online instead of hybrid. Small groups (like the Touchstones groups) can be in-person if the group decides, but remember that masks are required in the building. Given both the weather and COVID, this is a good month to make it a zoom meeting. OWL programs are postponed until further notice, with the hope to restart soon.
I hope and pray this will be a short pause. I hope the unvaccinated will get vaccinated, the unmasked will mask up, and that we will give this crisis the leadership it deserves. From the national to the local and individual level, our response has been very poor. The consequences are death and misery. It’s unacceptable, and a reckoning will be required.
I will see you on the screen for the next few weeks, and, I hope, back in person or online, soon.
In faith,
Matthew
Thank You!
Building & Grounds would like to thank Clark Logemann, Ken Ring, Scott & Sue Garwick, and Mike Griffith, for their generous help in removing, storing, and cleaning up, after removal of the holiday decorations and the tree. Also, a big thank you, to Carole Hunter for the use of her landscaping trailer to obtain and ultimately dispose of the tree.
D.J.Schubert U.U.Church B&G Committee
MY WAY: AFRICAN AMERICAN ART FROM THE BLACK SOUTH
Art and Lunch Outing
Thursday, January 13th at 11:30
Rockford Art Museum
Let’s gather at the Rockford Art Museum to view the My Way exhibition and enjoy lunch downtown at Sister’s On Main. The exhibit surveys a collection of 156 works of art representing the styles and practices of a unique and inspired group of 46 artists including 8 original quilts constructed by the Gee’s Bends quilters of rural Boykin, Alabama. Please RSVP by January 10th to Rev Joyce at assistminister@uurockford.org
Being An Anti-Racist Church
The Board and leaders of the church are moving towards articulating that being on a continuous journey toward being an “anti-racist and multicultural church” is important to us. What does that mean? Let’s figure that out.
To get us together in this work, we want every member of the congregation to attend one of the four sessions we are offering on “being an anti-racist church.”
Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color are welcome to attend any of these sessions AND/OR to attend a session for BIPOC folks ONLY on Wednesday, Jan 19th, at 5:30pm at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82720790087. co-led by Rev. Matthew and Rev. Joyce.
The other sessions will be led by Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson. All the sessions are identical in content, choose one.
The sessions will be 1 hour. This is a high-level overview. We will work through a list of the characteristics of an anti-racist and multicultural congregation. Please plan to attend one of these sessions.
Eliminate Racism 815 Conversation on Race
Wonderful Wednesday January 19 at 7pm.
Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/98897064005
Join 2 members of Eliminate Racism 815 for a conversation on race from each person’s perspective. The evening will involve honest conversation between people of diverse backgrounds. Our speakers are Ron Simmons and Dick Rundall. Join us on Zoom.
Eliminate Racism 815 Film Discussion
Friday January 14, 2022
6-8:30 p.m.
Howard Zinn: A People’s History of US: Zinn talks about those who have no voice in the official history of the United States: slaves, Indians, textile workers, union men
Join Zoom Meeting here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81211275487 The film discussions are presented in partnership with Tony Turner of Conscious Coaching, The Baha’i Community of the Rockford Area, and Rockford Public Library.
Book Discussion
Thursday January 27, 2022 6:00 p.m.
Join us by zoom for a discussion of 1619 Project-A New Origin Storyby Nikole Hannah-Jones and multiple other contributors.
We will be discussing this book over two months: the preface-page 246 on January 27, 2022 and pages 249-280 on February 24, 2022.
The book reframes our understanding of American history by placing slavery and its continuing legacy at the center of our national narrative.
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.
Eliminate Racism 815 Education Team
Prairie State Legal Services will speak on school discipline and students’ rights, then answer questions and offer one-on-one meetings for legal advice. All participants who wish to meet with an attorney for legal advice will complete a screening.
January 20, 2020 5PM-6:30PM Pilgrim Baptist Church, 1703 S. Central Ave
Call 815-668-4415 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome
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 |
