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Faith Without Fear
October 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Online and in-person
Rev. Joyce Palmer What do you truly believe, and by what values do you navigate your life? Lacking a mandatory creed, Unitarian Universalists consciously, and unconsciously, build our own theology as our ideas on ethics and spirituality evolve. Drawing on the personal faith statement I wrote years ago through the classic Building Your Own Theology course, today’s service offers a short version of that journey. Come explore how we shape our beliefs and how our faith manages to change and stay the same as we grow.
We will Share the Plate with the LIAM Foundation
Which supports the Rockford area LGBTQIA+ community through advocacy, education, and legal help with name changes. Click Here to Donate
Happy Birthday to: Emma Knudson (Oct 14), Tom Walsh (Oct 18), & Gary Lawrence (Oct 20)!
Small Groups & Focus Groups
It’s time to dive deeper and let our prospective new ministers know:
– What kind of relationship we want with our minister
– What we love most about our community and Sunday worship
– How they can best serve people like us
If you didn’t have a chance to take the survey, these groups are a great way to share your opinion with the Search Committee.
Ministerial Search Focus Groups with Links to Sign Up
It’s important to us that our ministerial candidates hear from as many different perspectives as possible. Your voice matters! Click the link for any focus group you identify with to see dates, times, and locations. Join as many focus groups as you wish. If these dates and times don’t work for you, talk to a member of the Search Committee. We will be happy to find a time to talk with you.
Saturday, November 14: Break Barriers, Build Beliefs (B4) Workshop
More details will be shared as this gets closer, but for now – save the date!
Submitted by Rebecca Beneditz (Search Committee Communications Coordinator)
Small Group Ministries & Connection at UU Rockford
Soul Matters Looking to dive deeper into monthly themes and connect with fellow congregants? Soul Matters groups offer a space to share reflections, personal experiences, and spiritual journeys in an intimate, supportive setting. Several of our existing groups currently have openings for newcomers. Whether you are new to the church or looking to reconnect, there is a place for you.
Evensong We are excited to launch Evensong, a warm and reflective gathering starting Thursday, October 1 at 6:00 PM for six weeks. Led by Gloria with support from Rev. Joyce, Evensong offers a familiar yet fresh opportunity to gather, share thoughts, and hold space for one another’s stories.
Interested in joining either group? Reach out to Rev. Joyce to get connected, revjoycepalmer@yahoo.com
Parent Potluck
Thursday, October 15th
5:00 – 7:00 pm (drop in any time!)
Deale Hall (please remain inside Deale Hall)
We invite folks who are raising school aged children and the children in their lives to join us for food and fellowship!
This one will be more of a traditional potluck, so please bring a dish to share and your own reusable water bottle/beverage. Your own reusable place setting is a plus!
*Can’t bear the thought of being responsible for one more detail but would love the company of other adults? We’ve got you! Show up as you are, we’d love to have you!
R.E. Grade 4-6 OWL Parents 2026/27
Hello Everyone,
We will be offering the Our Whole Lives curriculum for grades 4-6 at church this fall. The parent orientation for OWL will be Sunday, October 18, from 11:30-12:30 in the Commons area downstairs. Liz Long, our Program Assistant, and I will be facilitating the parent orientation and the student sessions.
*Please note: this opportunity is open to first-time attendees as well as children who previously attended as a fourth grader. In our experience, a second round of the curriculum can be beneficial, since a child’s understanding of themselves and the world can change quite a bit in two years.
We hope you’ll join us! As always, reach out if you have questions in the meantime.
Lindsay
Big News! The opportunity you have been waiting for has finally arrived!
The library team has an opening for a new member. Applications will be accepted at our October meeting in the library after the service or at any time thereafter.
On October 20, the Rockford University chapter of Phi Beta Kappa will welcome as its 2026-2027 PBK Visiting Scholar Tomás R. Jiménez, the Joan B. Ford Professor in the Department of Sociology at Stanford University and the founding Director of Stanford’s Institute for Advancing Just Societies. During his visit, Professor Jiménez will present a public address, offering an exciting opportunity for all to delve into a topic of particular interest in our nation today. We would be delighted if interested community members could join us for this event.
2026-2027 Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Tomás R. Jiménez from Stanford University
For the last 70 years, the United States’ self-understanding has included the idea that it is a nation of immigrants. How did that idea come about? And is it still relevant today?
The UU Fourth Sunday Book Discussion Group meets at noon on the fourth Sunday of every month (Surprise!) in the church library.
The next meeting will be October 25 at noon.
This month, we will be reading “The Fountains of Paradise” by Arthur C. Clarke
Admission if Free
Membership is Free No strings are attached
Sunday Morning Meditation 9:15 am
We meet on Sunday morning to meditate and center ourselves for the day. You are welcome to join us each Sunday morning.
Community Events
Protect our elections
Join a No Kings: Vote Early rally Saturday, Oct. 17
UU principles include belief in the democratic process and the inherent worth of every person. Power does not belong to billionaires, strongmen, or politicians. Power belongs to the people, but only if we use it and VOTE.
The UUA is one of several hundred partners in the No Kings: Vote Early protests, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17: an urgent, massive day to promote voter participation and election protection.
People are hosting local events that reflect their community and are all about making sure every eligible voter has a plan to vote early, knows their options, and is actively recruited into local efforts to safeguard our right to vote.
Oct. 17 and Election Day are not the finish line. Every No Kings event is an on-ramp to election protection work, connecting communities with training and resources needed to defend our votes, ensuring we’re prepared for whatever may come.
For generations, everyday people have changed the course of this country by organizing, marching, and voting. Progress has always been won when people who have been pushed aside come together, claim their power, and demand to be heard.
We believe in a democracy where all belong, all vote, and all thrive.
Attend a No Kings: Vote Early protest. Click on the town link in the list below to learn about what is happening at an event and to register your participation.
Eliminate Racism 815 and NAACP invite you to the Sheriff Candidate Forum on October 22, 2026. Please put this on your calendar.
Earthrise 815 Sustainability Conference
Friday, Nov 6th at the Rockford Embassy Suites!
Connect with community leaders and innovators to explore solutions for a more climate-resilient Rockford region. Enjoy inspiring talks, workshops, and networking opportunities. Register now at earthrise815.com. Speak to Rev Joyce for sponsorship opportunities.
Vision:
A loving, spiritual congregation that lives our values through belonging, reason, and action.
Mission:
Like the nature that surrounds us, we evolve as a habitat for spiritual development.
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 Board of Trustees:
President: Diane Kuehl
Vice President: Sandi Campbell
Clerk: Scott Garwick
Treasurer: Teresa Wilmot
Trustees: Kendra Asbury, Neita Webster, Jason Peckels
The Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford, IL | 4848 Turner St., Rockford, IL 61107 | 815-398-6322 | uurockford.org |
