Coming Out
October 9, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Online and in-person
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson National Coming Out Day is Oct. 11th. We’ve learned a lot about what it means to come out and celebrate yourself – including that it is an ongoing process, that it can never be required, and that sharing our story with another person is liberating and can change the world. We’ll celebrate coming out, courage, and being yourself today.
We will Share the Plate with PFLAG
Founded in 1973, PFLAG is the first and largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and their families. PFLAG’s network of hundreds of chapters and more than 325,000 members and supporters work to create a caring, just, and affirming world for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. Click Here to Donate
Happy Birthday to: Myrna Lake (10/02), Ann Bowling (10/02), Khanh Oehlke (10/04), Aaron Kerr (10/05), Audrey Hart (10/06), Toni Tollerud (10/08), Jon McGinty (10/09), Marvin Smitherman (10/09), Terry Simmons (10/09), & Bill Schuyler (10/11)!
Join us this Sunday after service to celebrate Kathy and Jon McGinty’s birthdays (Kathy: 9/25- 74 yrs old & Jon: 10/9 – 80 yrs old). They will be bringing a cake for coffee hour!
Volunteers for Sunday, October 9
Ushers: 2 Volunteers Needed
Greeters: Wendy Bennett & Gloria Perez
Guest Table: Rev. Joyce Palmer & Ann Caskey
Coffee Hosts: Phil Hjemboe & Spitty Tata
Please note that if you volunteer for coffee host you will need to clean up afterward and run the cups through the sanitizer. Reminder to coffee hour hosts: please make sure the heater is off and the machine master switch is off when you leave. Thank you!
I hear from many of you that you are hungry for more social connection and activities in the church, and chances to connect with new and old friends. We are making that happen as much as possible. Opportunities include:
Wonderful Wednesday: Typically on the first and third Wednesday at 6pm. Tomorrow is Drag Queen Story Time – please come to show your support and have fun!
Taco Bar Potluck! October 15th, 4pm, on the playground at church. Come early or later. See details in the Kairos.
Hike to Aldeen Park. I will lead this on Oct. 23rd after church. It’s a beautiful fall hike, come join us!
We have the UUA Common Read book group (see details below) and other programs and trainings.
There is also Soul Matters Groups, contact Rev. Joyce to find one that works for you.
In addition, if you want to plan something, go for it! Restart the India House group? Have a cookie-exchange party? Start a group of people in their 30’s? For folks who live in Boone County? Or whatever interests you! The social connectivity ministry of the church is up to you; we can help advertise your event or group; it is personal invitations from another member that really make things happen. Go for it!
In faith,
Matthew
A big thank-you to everyone…
…who joined in on Sunday to honor Sue and Duane Wilke, who are moving to the Boston area this week after 42 years as active members of our community of Unitarian Universalists. Kudos to the cake bakers and the providers of other tasty treats, the coffee brewers, the set-up and clean-up crews, and to all who turned out to bid farewell to the Wilkes.
From the Unicantors and the Caring Team
Board Update
The Board reviewed the goals it created at its retreat (1. Review safety and well-being policies; 2. Support teams on their anti-racist work; 3. Support the generosity team). We reviewed our covid policy and made no changes for the time being. We approved paying a member as a Congregational Catalyst with UUANI. We reviewed the senior minister’s annual evaluation from last year. We discussed a potential community activity for the Senior Minister. We reviewed our list of policies and scheduled a review for each month of a few at a time. We will look at the Code of Ethics and our firearms and transportation policies at our October meeting.
Thank You!
The reception you held for us was warm and overwhelmingly supportive. We are very appreciative.
This past Easter, our 42-year-old daughter visited us. On an errand at church, Mya asked to sit in the sanctuary. After a long moment of sitting quietly, she teared up and reflected on how this church community was like a second family. She said it was safe, supporting, and intellectually stimulating.
Becoming members here was one of the best decisions we ever made for our family and ourselves. You did this and we did this together. We are grateful!
It’s both scary and exciting to make the move to Massachusetts. This church community, choir, committee friends, and our Touchstones group will remain in our hearts. Thank you again.
Duane and Sue Wilke
Drag Queen Story Time
Wednesday, Oct 5th, 6pm
Join local performer Anchantris Diamond for Drag Queen Story Time. This program, for all ages, celebrates freedom, creativity, and fun. There will be stories and songs about how great it is to be fully yourself. In the sanctuary.
Common Read 2022: Defund Fear: Safety without Policing, Prisons, and Punishment by Zach Norris
Community Conversations Open to All Hosted by the Racial and Economic Justice Team
All Sessions Online at 7:00 pm Wednesday, October 26 Part 2: A Vision of Safety
Wednesday, November 30: Reimagined Realities
The UUA Common Read offers us an opportunity to learn about an important topic and discuss how it relates to our Unitarian Universalist values. Zach Norris is a lawyer and the executive director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. His book offers a new blueprint for public safety that holds people accountable while still holding them in community.
You can purchase books at church with Li M Blacker. The books have been pre-purchased to receive the bulk discount. Please submit payment to Connection Victory for $15.
It’s that time of the year. Every 20 minutes, WNIJ has 10 minutes of fundraising announcements. Drives me crazy.
If you are reminded to donate to WNIJ, and plan to mail them a check, STOP.
Instead, write a check to the church. In the check memo line, note WNIJ – NPR. Here’s why you might consider making your donation this way. The church will gather up your individual donation checks, and write a larger check in the church’s name to WNIJ. In return for the church donation, WNIJ will air some of those public service announcements publicizing our church.
Did you ever wonder how our church gets those PSA announcements onto the air?
To those who like to sew and would like to make a 12 1/2 inch quilt block for comfort quilts for church members who are being treated for cancer. Sometimes they spend long periods undergoing medical treatment. The comfort quilt reminds them of the love and care coming from their quilt. Contact Sandi Campbell if you are willing to help make comfort quilts. Let’s spread more comfort and love. Sandi 815-997-6891.
Memorial Patio Update
As part of the work to rebuild the Memorial Patio we would like to encourage members who want to order a memorial brick for a loved one who has died to submit a form with the information needed for inscription. We realize that there have been a number of deaths since bricks were last ordered and we would like to catch up as much as we can during this rebuilding phase. Please note that there is no need to do new forms for anyone who already has a brick in the current patio.
Forms are available from the church office or you may click the button below to print out the form at home. They should be submitted to the office. Our current policy is that bricks are engraved at no cost for members of the church. The engraving fee is $50/brick for non-member children, parents, spouses and life partners of members and $130 for former members and friends of the church. Payment should be made to the office.
If you have any questions about the orders or the patio please contact Pat Lewis at pryanlewis@gmail.com.
Eliminate Racism 815 Film Discussion
Friday October 14, 2022
6:30 p.m.
BIG NEWS! WE ARE GOING IN PERSON!!!!
Starting next month, we will no longer show films on zoom! We will show the film at The Baha’i Center in person with a facilitated discussion after the showing of the film.
October 14 we will show the film Antisemitism in Four Mutations: Antisemitism in the US & Europe is worsening in ways not seen since the 30s, mutating across cultures, borders and ideologies .
Join us at the Baha’i Center 1650 N Alpine: Lower level in Highcrest Shopping Center.
Please note that the meeting time will be 6:30, not 6:00 p.m. the way the zoom viewings were.
Popcorn will be provided!
The film discussions are presented in partnership with The Baha’i Community of the Rockford Area and Rockford Public Library.
UUANI
Join UUANI for a statewide VoteLove IL DemocracyCelebration 2022 at 12:30pm on Sunday Oct 16. This is an opportunity to connect with UUs across the state and do a final round of action as we go into the home stretch. We’ll hear from UUtheVote National Campaign Manager JaZahn Hicks, and zoom from from congregation to congregation for brief lively reports on how UUs have been getting out the vote across the state. Then we’ll do some final postcard writing and text banking. Register here.
VoteLove IL
Illinois has a UU advocacy organization, UUANI, the Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network in Illinois. Rev. Scott Aaseng, one of its directors, led our justice mission several years ago.
Voting is our principal method of exerting power as individuals, and as a congregation. Join The other Illinois congregations in celebrating Democracy on Sunday, October 19th via Zoom at 12:30 pm, sponsored by UUANI.
One speaker will be JaZahn Hicks, the National Campaign Manager of the UUtheVote campaign of the UUA. Each congregation will share its actions in getting out the vote in Illinois. We will participate in writing postcards and text banking.
Register to attend the event and receive the link at:
The Board of Trustees:
President: Judy Gustafson
Clerk: Bob Spelman
Vice-President: Spitty Tata
Treasurer: Steve Blomgren
Trustees: Shoko Chien, Sarah Greer, Jami Edmonds
The Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford, IL | 4848 Turner St., Rockford, IL 61107 | 815-398-6322 | uurockford.org |
