Spiritual Journeys
November 1, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. (Online Only at facebook.com/uurockford)
Rev. Mitra Rahnema
The yellow brick roads of each individual life are a wondrous gift. Those roads cross and merge with others forming families, friendships, and communities. Today we will explore the spiritual threads and faith formation of our lives and as a religious community.
Happy Birthday to: Linda Lawrence (10/28), Tom Hauser (10/28), Ellyn Ahmer (11/01), Valerie Stenerson (11/03), & Beverly Olpaka (11/03)!
Diana and Jack Berti were proud to announce they celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary this past 24th of October.
Please keep Lori Higgins’s family in your thoughts and prayers. Lori died early Sunday morning. A memorial service will be planned for spring 2021.
Share the Plate with PFLAG
PFLAG is the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies. With over 400 chapters and 200,000 members and supporters crossing multiple generations of families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas across America, PFLAG is committed to creating a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed. Click here to donate.
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5662364814 Meeting ID: 566 236 4814
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,5662364814# US (Germantown)
+13126266799,,5662364814# US (Chicago)
????? What Can You Donate ?????
Are you thinking about it making a donation for the church auction? Come up with an idea. Transform it into a pandemic friendly idea.
Zoom Happy hours. Deliver your favorite drinks and snacks schedule a get-together.
Virtual Game Night. Have your kids show you how to set it up. They do it all the time.
Wine and Painting Party
Check out Tabletopia, or Board Game Arena for online game sites. Let’s Roam offers on-line trivia for groups.
Netflix Party offers a platform for synchronized video and group chat options.
Tired of staying home and eating the same old recipes you always make.
Host a Zoom dinner party. Make a dinner, deliver it. Set up a Zoom meeting to eat and have a conversation.
Do you have a secret recipe that people think it is fantastic and takes so much effort? But, in reality, it is easy to make. Share the recipe. Give a virtual cooking class demonstration.
Make Christmas cookies and deliver them to a shut-in. Of course, right now, we are all pretty much shut-ins. Pies work also.
Stay at home Art Fair
Have you spent the last six months home and developing some new artistic talent? Now you have a collection of hand-knit scarves, or a painting, or extra wood boxes. Offer them for sale. It is moving towards the gift-giving season. Maybe your personally crafted art piece could help someone avoid Amazon for their gift shopping.
Shutdown Services
What kind of personal service can you offer?
Yoga classes for people spending too much time in the same recliner.
Leaf raking. Computer troubleshooting.
Shopping Services. Online, in-store.
Wonderful Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00 p.m.
Church member David Black will share stories, photos, and experiences from his two recent trips to Tijuana, Mexico where he volunteered in assisting asylum seekers. Zoom ID: 337-267-3668
Time to Relax
With the election just one week away, I’m becoming more anxious by the day. It’s time to relax, breathe deeply and close your eyes.
When Frank, my partner, was in pain and slowly dying, he found it easier to relax while watching a video with soothing pictures and gentle sounds. I spend a few hours every day now watching nature relaxation videos.
Here is one you might try this week. Leave it on in the background as you pet the cat. This one is Enchanting Autumn Nature Scenes —11 hours of them—with relaxing piano music.
Chase the Chill
New knitted, crocheted, or sewn scarves, hats, gloves, blankets, to be distributed downtown Rockford and Freeport. For anyone who wants to make and donate your creations, the deadline is November 20th. Call me if you would like me to pick them up or to drop off at my house. Sandee Poznan 815-871-8857
*ZOOM Church Calendar*
Most “all church” events will be 337-267-3668. This is the Personal Meeting
ID for “Thomas Kerr,” our online identity (and the minister from 1870-1900,
who used all the new technology of his time to reach those he
served). Generally, there will be a waiting room and the host will need to
admit you.
– Coffee Hour on Sunday. 337-267-3668. 11:10 am. Chris will
be host.
– Touchstones: contact your touchstones group facilitator for the time
and meeting ID, if you don’t already have it.
– Caring Team Meeting – The first Tuesday of each month at 6 pm. ID 337-267-3668
Want to have a group – a book group, a parent group, a “circle supper”, or
whatever you like? You can create a free Zoom account (40-minute limit,
though often waived by zoom at minute 35). Or, you can use “Thomas Kerr’s”
– just email Autumn atoffice@uurockford.organd she can give you the login
and password.
Donating to NPR
Do you count on Northern Public Radio as a trusted source of news, music, and entertainment? If so, you probably know that the annual pledge drive for the local stations – 89.5 WNIJ/NPR and Classical WNIU 90.5/105.7) – is underway. But did you realize you can contribute to Public Radio and benefit our church at the same time? Here’s how it goes:
Working together, we can pool our tax-deductible donations and enable the church to air underwriting messages (Public Radio’s version of ads) informing the community about our church, its programs, and events. Once you decide on the amount of your gift, write the check to Unitarian Universalist Church, with “NPR” in the memo line. The office will send one big check to Northern Public Radio, and soon listeners throughout Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin will start hearing about Rockford’s UU Church on their favorite radio programs.
The result? Much-needed revenue for the stations and valuable publicity for our church. Questions? Contact the church office.
Literature Link for Oct. 25 about “in-between time” ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
• “To Have a Name” by Alora Young, 17, Nashville, August 3rd, Here is a fresh young voice writing a poem about Right Now. “If words are bullets then your ballot is a semiautomatic.” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/09/arts/ten-poems.html
• Staying Sane In a Crazy World Paperback – January 1, 2005 by Sherwin T. Wine https://www.amazon.com/Staying-Sane-Crazy-World-Sherwin/dp/0964801612 Sherwin T. Wine created Humanistic Judaism as a cultural alternative in contemporary Jewish life. He was the founding rabbi of the Birmingham Temple in suburban Detroit. In 1976 he organized the Center for New Thinking, a forum for the presentation of new ideas in the arts, sciences and philosophy. As chief lecturer of the Center, he directed much of his attention to the issues of ethics and self-esteem.
Says Lawrence Kasdan, Writer and Film Director “Sherwin Wine’s wisdom is both timeless and modern, his writing accessible and comforting, I have treasured his perspective for years and am grateful to have this book to carry me during these confusing times.” and Author and Talk Show Host, Dr. Sonya Friedman says ” Brilliant! Whatever your beliefs, Sherwin Wine challenges each and every one of us to question and answer the haunting refrain of our view of ourselves and the world.” —Lawrence Kasdan
Save the date. No matter the results of the election this year, we know we will want to gather in community. Please save the date and join the UUA, UU the Vote, Side with Love, and UUA President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray for this event. Hosted on Zoom, Facebook Live, and YouTube.
