Dear Friends,

This is to fill you in on the progress made towards finding our next settled minister. Our aim is to choose the person (or persons) for Fall 2027. 

Our amazing Nominating Panel, with help from the Board, has reached out to every household in our Congregation over the last several months. Your suggestions were tallied.  Those most frequently named were asked to join the Ministry Selection Team. Their work will begin this Summer. 

Here is the slate of Team members subject to your approval at our Annual Meeting:

Rebecca Beneditz
Lia Gina
Matt Menze
Dave Black 
Andy Larson
Rich McKnight
Billie Callahan 

Thank you for your input and continued support,
In faith,
Wendy Bennett

Learning About Transition Ministry
 
A highlight in April was attending the UUA’s Interim Ministry Seminar, my first as I finish my Accredited Interim Ministry training. Thankfully, I didn’t have to travel far to attend the national event as this year it was held in Woodstock, IL, at Loyola’s Retreat & Ecology Campus. The major requirements for Interim Accreditation are two 12-hour courses through the Interim Ministry Network, attending the seminar, and a year of one-to-one coaching while serving as an interim minister. There are ministers who serve as interims without seeking accreditation, but I wanted to do it right—and I’m enjoying transition work. I may do it again.
 
One of the most insightful things I heard shared by one of our experienced interims, who is also following a high-profile minister, is this: “My work is to de-center the ministry away from a single person and back toward the congregation.” This is the best visual I’ve heard about interim work. Where the “center” of a congregation is often EITHER on a charismatic minister OR a few strong lay leaders, interim ministry re-centers things so the congregation as a whole is at the center. The interim minister leads through coaching, modeling, redirecting, and presence–but is careful to balance their authority with the congregation’s reclaiming of theirs. I’ve been calling this “a reset to neutral,” but I like the decentering image better.
 
I’m pleased with progress made this year. As I’ve said, one of my goals is to do a “reset to neutral” of church systems, worship practices, and congregational assumptions around ministry. What does this mean? In long-term settlements, a congregation naturally forms itself to the style and personality of its minister or ministry team. This is especially true with strong  ministries. As with any healthy relationship, partners adapt to one another, compensate for strengths and shortcomings, and leverage what each other is good at. As a congregation transitions to a new relationship with a new minister, those unspoken expectations and sub-surface adaptations can get in the way. My role is not to “reset” the church to my particular strengths or personality traits, but to more of what might be considered “neutral.”
 
What does this look like in practice? We’ve reactivated key leadership functions, such as the Congregational Life Council and Committee on Ministry (for now called “The Transition Team”). We’re expanding the role of Worship Associates to include more leadership in the Sunday service. Overall, in line with this month’s Soul Matters theme of “Awakening Curiosity,” we’ve been curious about how lay empowerment and shared ministry will make our ministries more robust and ready for what’s next.

~ Rev. Bret

WCCC

Greetings all,

Please join us tomorrow evening to hear Paul Nolley speak about his run for IL congress.  
His campaign introduction:
“I’m running to bring real representation back to the people of IL-16.
I’m a citizen-candidate who knows what it’s like to work a real job, live paycheck-to- paycheck, and face the challenges of raising a family in today’s world.  I’m running to defeat an incumbent who has sold out the people of this district by serving the powerful special interests instead of his voters.”

We will also be looking for volunteers for the upcoming No Kings rally on June 14th, and will be displaying/offering our WCCC t-shirts.
Hope to see you all there!  Tuesday, May 12th, 6:30 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 4848 Turner, Rockford.

Sara Dady
WCCC President
Attorney, Dady Law Group

Join Us for Flower Communion!

Sunday, May 24

Celebrate the beauty of community and the blooming season at our Flower Communion service on Sunday, May 24. This beloved Unitarian Universalist tradition is a visual representation of our living tradition where each unique bloom contributes to the collective beauty of the whole.

Please bring a flower (or two!) from your garden or a local store. If you don’t have a flower? We will have plenty of extra blossoms available so that everyone can participate in the exchange.

The Flower Communion was created in 1923 by Norbert Capek, the founder of the Unitarian Church in Czechoslovakia. At a time when rigid rituals felt out of place, Capek wanted a ceremony that celebrated beauty and individual freedom. He invited his congregants to bring a flower to church, where they were joined in a single bouquet and later redistributed symbolizing that just as each flower is distinct, we are all essential parts of a vibrant, diverse community.

 We look forward to seeing you and your flowers there!

Eco Justice Team

The Eco Justice team will meet on May 31st instead of June 7th!

Martha Daniels Scholarship

Hi friends,

We are deeply grateful for your support and delighted to introduce you to your 2026 Scholar for the Martha Daniels UU Church Scholarship, Ha Phan! 

Ha, a graduate of Guilford High School, plans to pursue a degree in accounting and business. Growing up in a low-income household as an immigrant student, she shared that paying for college once felt “like a nightmare.” Receiving this opportunity changed that. She expressed that she is “so grateful and feel truly blessed,” knowing her family no longer has to worry about tuition. With renewed confidence, Ha says, “this has changed my future,” as she continues working toward her goals—made possible through your support.  

We are proud to sponsor “We Ride at Dawn”, DRUUMM’s annual Public Worship & Fundraising Gala on Thursday, May 14 at 7:00 PM Central

In a time of deep uncertainty and fatigue, this service offers a powerful space for spiritual grounding, resilience, and collective care.

The UU Fourth Sunday Book Discussion Group meets at noon on the fourth Sunday of every month (Suprise!) in the church library.

This month, we will be reading Animal Farm by George Orwell

Admission if Free
Membership is Free
No strings are attached

• Our deep roots connect us to a wealth of resources that nourish our growth as a beacon for justice, inclusion, and liberation, especially anti-racism and gender and sexuality justice. 
• Our listening cultivates diverse and multicultural relationships that bridge divisions, strengthen our communities, heal hearts, and foster safety for all. 
• Our awareness of our interdependence inspires us to protect the shared environment and natural world in which we live.

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