Hi folks 
As sometimes happens, an attempt to scam church members is underway.  

Please remember: I will NEVER text or email you to ask for gift cards or emergency funds.  An email from me will come from uurockrev@gmail.com or minister@uurockford.org, and no other address.  Don’t look at the name, which can be spoofed to be anything, but at the actual address. 

If you think an email is a “phishing” attempt, report it through your email provider.  If you believe a text message is a phishing attempt, report it to your cell provider.  

Folks prey on churches for these scams because we believe the best of people. But we need you to be just a little cynical for today on things.  

If a message salutation says “blessings” or such, it isn’t me.  I always sign “me” or, usually, 

In faith,
Matthew

Matthew’s Memo 
Please read this Kairos carefully for all sorts of events and announcements.  There’s a lot going on!
 
Our theme for October is Heritage.  This year, many of our themes are drawn from the new proposed Article Two of the Unitarian Universalist Association, and heritage comes from this document, too.  Specifically, the proposal says “We draw from our heritages of freedom, reason, hope, and courage, building on the foundation of love.”

Freedom, reason, hope, and courage – what a powerful heritage we claim.  We come from a tradition that asked hard questions, that fought (and sometimes died) for freedom, that worked to make the world more kind and just, and who did difficult and unpopular things. 
 
I’ve been listening to a podcast about the History of England, and we are in the run-up to the British Civil Wars, around 1640.  The big religious division, which is about to be mapped on political divisions, is between the radical Calvinists (or puritans) and the Arminians (follows of Jacob Arminus).  The radical Calvinists believe in predestination, original sin, and something called “resistance theory” – that if the King does not follow the right religion, he should be reformed or removed.  The Arminians hold a high sense of royal authority, but they also reject strict predestination and believe that humans can improve themselves and earn salvation through their effort. 

Unitarianism, in particular, both in England and the United States, combines the resistance theory of the Puritians with the free-will doctrine of the Arminians.  Which is to say, we come to believe that not only can humans do better through effort, but that the society can too.  You can see how this, over time, evolves into what we believe today: that “salvation” is a matter not of belief or ritual, but of living, and trying to make society better and more holy.  And that this holiness is not ritual purity, but ethics, justice, and caring.  In this, we are returning to the ancient Hebrew Prophets. 

“With what shall I come before the Lord
    and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?
⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
⁸ He has told you, O mortal, what is good,
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice and to love kindness
    and to walk humbly with your God?  (Micah 6:6-8)

This is our heritage.  We are charged, in our time, to claim it once again.  Evil must be resisted. And we can do better. 
 
In faith,
Matthew

Multicultural Ministries
Anti-Racist Cookbook Workshop
Saturday, September 30 at 9am – 11:00am

Register using this link https://uurockford.breezechms.com/form/5a3bb3

Join members of the Multicultural Ministries group to learn about steps everyone can take to become more aware of the definitions and tools to use in everyday life to increase awareness and develop tools to have cross-racial discussions. The resources and conversations will help to address the question, “What can we do and how can we do it?”

Reading the book is helpful, though not required. You can buy one for $5.00 online.

It Takes All of Us Activity Fair
Sunday, October 1 

It Takes All of Us pulling together to make church and community happen at UU Church Rockford. Come learn about teams, groups, events, and volunteer opportunities.

Come make a difference!

CUUPs
Please join CUUPs on Sunday October First at 12:30 for our annual Ancestor ritual. We will meet in Deale Hall. Please bring photos of your beloved ancestors or items that represent them.  We will celebrate our ancestors with a brief cookie social after the ritual. This is a family friendly event – please bring your children!

Wonderful Wednesday, Oct 4, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.
Our Stories, Our Heritage: LGBTQ+ Elders
As we plot a future of liberation and equity, learning and loving the stories of those who blazed the trails and forged community is a gift. A group of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Elders will share their stories of coming out, social justice, and love.

Please come, and invite others. Free admission. The event will run approximately 90 minutes including Q&A.

Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford
4848 Turner St, Rockford, IL 61107 

We have group openings for new people to join new and existing Soul Matters Groups.

Groups meet at the following times:

Thursdays 2nd and 4th of the month 9:30 – 11:00am
Thursdays 2nd and 4th of the month 4:00 – 5:30pm
Tuesdays 3rd one of the month 6:30 – 8:00pm

If you are interested in a group, please email revjoycepalmer@yahoo.com

WNIJ Fundraiser
 
Many of our members are loyal listeners and even supporters of WNIJ, our local public radio station.  But did you know that you can both support WNIJ and support our church congregation at the same time?
 
Many years ago, Rev. Weissbard encouraged donations from our members, earmarked for WNIU (back before WNIJ) that were donated to the station to provide spots during the broadcast day announcing the UU Church of Rockford.  These spots might provide the first notice of our liberal congregation to prospective members.  Several of our neighboring congregations followed suit.  Now you hear announcements from the Rockton, Elgin, DeKalb and even Stockton congregations.
 
Any money you earmark to WNIJ, either on-line or by the note line on your check, will all go to the station—not just 80% as with share-the-plate donations.  And the donation is still fully tax deductible.   The church doesn’t fund these WNIJ donations—only the money donated specifically for this purpose by our members.
 
Why not get 2 donations for the price of one:  one to the church and one to WNIJ?
 
Submitted by Teresa Wilmot

Beginners Guide to the Prison Industrial Complex
Saturday, October 14 10 – 2pm
In person and Online

Feeling helpless in the face of the racial and economic injustice in our society?

Join the UU Prison Ministry of IL to explore injustices of the prison system and learn what we can do to change it. This workshop is intended to challenge participants towards growth & inspire ongoing work and action. Workshop held at UU Church Rockford.

Please register at: http://www.uupmi.org/pic-registration.html

for Adults

Let’s talk about sex!!! (It’s not just for teenagers.) 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 this fall as Wendy Bennett and Leah Krippner facilitate an adult exploration of sexuality in the 21st century. Anyone 18 and up is welcome to join. 

Wendy and Leah are trained OWL facilitators and have been teaching OWL for nearly 20 years.

Sessions will be held once a month. Come and join us for an intro session either on Wednesday, October 18 at 6:00 p.m. (Bring a dinner!) or on Sunday, October 22 at 11:30 a.m. (Pack a lunch for this one!) At this opening session, we will decide on dates for the other sessions as well as topics to be discussed. Please contact the church office to sign up for one of these two initial sessions. Let them know if you will need assistance with childcare. Questions? Email Wendy or Leah.

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 Collective is 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! 

To register as a customer visit: https://refc.localfoodmarketplace.com/

The next pick-up will be on October 3, 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!

We look forward to serving you!

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