Old Ships and New Traditions
March 24, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Online and in-person Matt Meyer
We’ll explore the depth of tradition and the benefits of renovation through a journey at sea. Join us for a service of song and story as we reflect on what makes a ship seaworthy and a heart courageous.
Matt is an itinerant troubadour and worship leader who has led hundreds of services for UU congregations across the country. He has a degree in hand drumming and serves as Director of Community Life for Sanctuary Boston, a vibrant worship community that meets on Wednesday evenings.
We will Share the Plate with Side with Love Side with Love is a public advocacy campaign that seeks to harness love’s power to stop oppression. It is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association. Click Here to Donate
Volunteers for Sunday, March 24
Greeters: 2 Volunteers Needed
Guest Table: 2 Volunteers Needed
Ushers: Barb Wilson & 1 More Volunteer Needed
Coffee Hosts: 2 Volunteers Needed Sign Up Here
Happy Birthday to: Kathleen Mattison (03/19), Sage Doetch (03/20), Tiberius Flores (03/20), Katie Kerr (03/21), Warren Urbik (03/22), Barbara Oehlke (03/23), Angelique Bodine (03/23), Mary Diamond (03/23), Jessica Hodierne (03/25), & Allen Penticoff (03/26)!
Matthew’s Memo 3/19/24
A large group of church members and leaders were able to attend the liberation and transformation workshop with Julica Hermann de la Fuente on March 9th. (If you weren’t able to come but want to see the recording, let me know).
She led us through three buckets of work: identity, emotional/spiritual, and structural. In discussing identity, we looked at the “iceberg model” of culture and explored the way that folks with white identities and people of color have different continuums of intercultural relating. In the emotional/spiritual section, people in the global majority were encouraged to practice self-care and community care and curate joy; white folks were encouraged to engage in white fragility and “don’t be afraid of the valley of guilt and shame, but don’t get stuck in it.” And vitally, “find your own liberation in this work.” In the systems work, Julica shared a matrix to help us understand the variety of ways that attitudes and behaviors might show up. She shared a scaffolding approach to faith formation with 100, 200, 300, and 400-level work for the congregation to do. Folks were encouraged to spend time exploring the website www.whitesupremacyculture.info. And we were given an anti-racism rubric for us to work with and create our next steps.
In the afternoon, she met with members of the Board to discuss the Board’s vital role in this work and get clearer about the next steps. The Board will be creating a task force to engage the rubric (and to discuss it with congregants – not just fill it out themselves). That data will inform our strategic planning that is already scheduled to happen next year. At the same time, Rev. Joyce and I will do some more planning for that 100/200/300/400 level scaffolding, working alongside our Covenant and Safety Team and our Faith in Action teams, as well as others. So expect more to come.
On Sunday, March 10th, Julica preached (and you should watch the service on our Facebook or YouTube page if you weren’t there. She emphasized that this work must be filled with joy. Joy and Justice need each other. Our collective liberation is joyful, and the work to move in that direction should feel good, important, and full of joy. Let us engage this ongoing work in that spirit!
In faith,
Matthew
Drumming and Spirituality:
A Rhythm Workshop for All
Sunday, March 24
12:15 – 1:45
@ UU Church Rockford
A chance for people of all skill levels to participate in hands-on rhythm-making. Tour instruments from around the world.
Bring your own drum if you have one for those who don’t, drums will be provided.
Let’s play some music together! Bring your own lunch.
Workshop led by Matt Meyer who has led worship for hundreds of congregations. Traveling the country sharing a message of love and justice through rhythm and song.
Easter Egg Hunt Sunday, March 31
We hope that you will join us for our annual Easter Egg Hunt that is lovingly planned and implemented for the children and youth of the congregation. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to enjoy each other and the beautiful church grounds. We look forward to having you share the joy of this event!
You can do the following things to help ensure the success of the event:
Remember to bring a basket or bag to collect Easter Eggs.
Be sure that at least one adult supervises each child during the event.
Dress appropriately for having fun outside.
Please contact Lindsay Trank at (815)398-6322 ext. 5 or reuurockford@gmail.com with any questions.
For Adults
Do you people do anything but talk about sex? No. Not really. The Unitarian Universalist Association has developed a stellar comprehensive sex education curriculum known as Our Whole Lives. As the title suggests, it is not a one and done, but rather a topic to be revisited as we grow and mature. Join us as Wendy Bennett and Leah Krippner facilitate an adult exploration of sexuality in the 21st century. Anyone 18 and up is welcome to join.
This month we will discuss Sexuality & Relationships, focusing on selecting partners, navigating potential miscommunications (what constitutes rape?), and considering obstacles to long-term relationships. Folks are welcome to join for a single session or sign up for all of them.
UUA Common Read
March 21, 6pm Session 1
(Group will decide on additional session dates)
How do we make amends when we’ve created harm?
We are reading Repentance and Repair which offers a contemporary,livley interpretation of an ancient text, inviting people of any and all faiths toward accountability practices.
Books available for purchase at church for $18.
The March meeting of the Women’s Interfaith Potluck will be held here at church on Monday, March 25th, at 6:00PM. All women, and those identifying as such, are invited to share a potluck supper followed by a program presented by Allyson Rosemore and Dawn Nimmo. They will present information about our LIttle Free Pantry.
It would be wonderful to have a good representation of our church members!! Bring a dish to pass and join us. Kindly remember that our Muslim friends do not eat pork or non-halal meat and our Jewish friends do not eat pork. Please respect this in the choice of food you are bringing to the potluck.
Looking forward to seeing a lot of UUs at our potluck!!
For more information, contact Neita at 815-541-3508
Nonviolent Communication Practice Group
Wednesday, March 27 at 6pm
We are getting together to learn how to apply the principles of Nonviolent Communication in our personal, professional, and congregational lives. If you are interested in learning and practicing the nonviolent communication, we are meeting once or twice a month as our schedule allows.
Our first meeting is Wednesday, March 27 at 6pm. We will meet in the Sanctuary.
Thursday, April 4th 5:30 – 8:00pm
Kids are welcome to come play at church. We’ll have dinner ready. Maybe we’ll go outside!
Do you like sitting outside in the summer chatting with friends?
The Pantry team is starting to plan our summer pop-ups and we’d love to have you get involved! We will use the pantry pop-ups to get feedback on the pantry and continue to connect with our neighbors. This is low effort volunteering – it will be 1-2 times a month for a few hours, most of which will be spent chatting, eating snacks and enjoying the sunshine. You can do it just one time during the summer or come to every pop-up, whatever works for you. If you’re interested, please get in touch with Dawn Nimmo or email uurockford.ecojustice@gmail.com. Thank you!
Spiritual Direction at UU Church
Join Gloria Perez, trained Spiritual Director, and a small group of seekers for a spiritual direction group. The group meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 6pm on Zoom.
Spiritual Direction explores a deeper relationship with the spiritual aspect of being human. Simply put, spiritual direction is helping people tell their sacred stories everyday.
If you are interested in joining the group, contact Gloria at gjp68@me.com for more information.
UU the Vote 2024
The UUA, our denomination, supports democracy in its fifth principle, “The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;” It supports our election process though UU the Vote 2024, an activist community which supports individual member action.
On last Thursday, March 14th, UU the Vote 2024 kicked off its campaign for this year’s election. “This year, we’ll be showing up to combat criminalization, protect and expand healthcare including abortion and deepening local democratic practices from participatory budgeting to ranked choice voting.”
One of the priority states in this year’s campaign is Wisconsin, where “we create opportunities that meaningfully engage voters to meet the political moment, building power with and for our communities.”
Carole Hunter handwrote postcards to encourage votes in Florida before the last election, and she will work with UU the Vote this year. If you are curious, ask Carole about her experience.
Working on this campaign can include writing post cards, phoning voters, canvassing door-to-door, serving as an election judge, or attending a public action or witness event. Many activities will stretch our comfort zone, requiring courage. But each challenging event strengthens our activist muscles.
The campaign includes criteria to be classed a “Good Trouble Congregation.”
The late Congressman John Lewis said, “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” In honor of his legacy and commitment, we’re continuing the Good Trouble Congregations program, which recognizes congregations committing to reach goals that collectively create our ability to reach three million potential voters this year.
Consider joining the UU the Vote campaign. Visit their website. Join at this link:
Getting to Know UU Sessions
Join us for our welcome program designed to provide newcomers with the opportunity to learn about the congregation and how to get connected. We hope you will find this community to be a religious home.
There are 4 sessions, the first is a series of videos and the other three are in person on Sundays in the Sanctuary from 11:15 – 11:45. You can complete the sessions at any time. Sessions will repeat monthly.
*Watch 4 Introduction Videos Prior to In-Person Sessions*
March 24 Living Our Faith with Lindsay and Allyson
Hope to see you!
Video session takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Our Faith in Action Team leaders encourage you to fill out this Community Health Assessment for Winnebago County. It takes less than 10 minutes to complete and is a way to have our UU Principles and values represented in local policy making on social justice issues such as housing and food access. Click here or scan the QR code to get started!
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.
Rare Earth Food Collectiveis 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 Tuesdays in Deale Hall to pack our orders for distribution – meaning you could place an order for Tuesday pick up right at the Church!
The next pick-up will be on March 26, 2:30 – 3:00. This time period may be adjusted.
The buying window on the website will go live with products (for shopping) from Saturday at Noon, until Monday at Noon, but you can sign up as a customer at any time!
List of resources that may be helpful to you or someone you know.
VICTIM/SURVIVOR SERVICES
Family Peace Center – 1-779-348-7600
Remedies Renewing Lives – 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline – 1-815-962-6102
OLDER ADULT SERVICES
Catholic Charities Long Term Care Ombudsman Program – 1-815-316-0040 or 1-800-369-0895
Mercyhealth at Home/Older Adult Services – 1-815-971-3502
Lifescape Community Services – 1-815-963-1609 or 1-800-779-1189
SERVICES/ADVOCACY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Center for Sight and Hearing – 1-815-332-6800 P
RAMP – 1-815-968-7467
The ARC – 1-815-965-3455
On Wednesday, April 10, distinguished authors Richard Rothstein (The Color of Law; Just Action) and daughter Leah Rothstein (Just Action) will present a 45-minute lecture followed by Q&A focused on addressing residential segregation in our community. The Rothsteins’ lecture will be centered around their latest co-authored book, Just Action, which describes how we can begin to address segregation in our community, providing dozens of strategies local groups can pursue for racial housing justice.
This event is being co-hosted by Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity and Rock Valley College’s PAIC office as well as a collective of planning partners. It is made possible thanks to a generous Healing Illinois Grant through the Field Foundation and Illinois Department of Human Services. There is no cost to attend.
I hope to see you there, and I hope you’ll join us in committing to action around this issue! Please help spread the word to others in our community.
What: Housing Justice Symposium with Richard Rothstein and Leah Rothstein
When:Wednesday,April 10
5:00 – Doors Open
5:30 – Event Start
7:30 – Book Signing (ends at 8:00) A limited number of books will be sold on site
Where: Rock Valley College Physical Education Center (3301 North Mulford Road, Rockford IL, 61114)
Register: While not required, we would appreciate registrations at:
Rockford’s First Official Pride Parade will be held downtown on June 1st, 2024! We need lots of volunteers to make this a success. Please sign up to help out at https://www.rockfordareapride.org/contact-8
The MidAmerica Region is coming together – both online and at the First Unitarian Society of Madison, WI on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 of 2024 for a multiplatform Regional Assembly!
Our Keynote address will be given by the Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, and Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ.
There will be workshops, the Annual Business Meeting of the MidAmerica Region, and opportunities to meet many UU Leaders from across our faith tradition.
For those who are in person, there will even be opportunities to tour this historic church designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
But most importantly, it is a time for us to come together as Unitarian Universalists from across the MidAmerica Region.
Bayside UU Family Camp
Looking for a great summer experience? Join us at Bayside UU Family Camp held at Lutherdale Camp on the shores of Lauderdale Lakes in Elkhorn, WI. This year, camp will take place June 30th – July 6th. This special week includes adult workshops, activities for children, free time for family fun and relaxation, and intergenerational activities. For more information visit our website at baysideuu.wixsite.com/baysideuu or contactbaysideuu@gmail.com.
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: Spitty Tata
Clerk: Kim Lowman Vollmer
Vice-President: Matt Menze
Treasurer: Steve Blomgren
Trustees: Clark Logemann, Sarah Greer, & Rebecca Beneditz
The Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford, IL | 4848 Turner St., Rockford, IL 61107 | 815-398-6322 | uurockford.org |
