On June 7 - Music Sunday, we will celebrate the leadership, creativity and musicality of our Choir Director, Blake Adams.  Unfortunately, after 2 1/2 years, we will also be saying goodbye to Blake as he leaves to take a teaching position in Washington state and further his career.  We hope that you will plan to attend this annual Music Sunday intergenerational worship service. Blake will also be involved in the planning of the service as he shares some of his personal testimony. 

Brett Rowe shared a little of his experience with Blake, "It has been a pleasure to work with him.  He's been a great leader in the church.  I feel like he really improved the community aspect of choir."  After the service we will have a reception for Blake.  Please take time to stay and offer your own well wishes for his new work and for the continued enrichment of his music ministry.  

Worship then March!    June 28th is the Chicago Pride Parade which happens every year just around the corner from the church. To celebrate the Pride Parade we are having a special intergenerational worship service called Show Tune Sunday. The worship service's message of social justice will be portrayed through song and word. Then, after the service, we will march together in the parade. Please bring your friends and family to this great event! We also need volunteers to help with coordinating the parade so if you are able to help out, please contact the church at secondunitarian@att.net.

Lemonade Stand - "Our church loves everybody!"  During the parade, 2U's kids will have a lemonade stand in front of the church. The children will be selling refreshments and sharing 2U's welcoming message with people on their way to the parade.  This is the children's fundraiser in support of 2U.  Please stop by on your way to the parade.  If you would like to help make baked goods or donate beverages, please contact Gabrielle Parra, faithdev_2U@att.net .

Muchas Gracias "Cantina Night" Volunteers!!

Huge heaps of love and gratitude go out to all the volunteers who made Cantina Night possible.  Ticket takers, servers, bartenders and chair stackers all came out to help us have a fun evening together AND raise some money for the church.  Thanks you for your part.  We especially want to thank the planners and organizers:

John T: Head organizer, cheerleader and juggler of details and loose ends.
Liz K: Silent auction including all begging and staging of items
Mike B: Graphics, tickets and pinata pied piper
Jenny A: decorations, saguaro cactus creator and all around transformer
Eithne M: volunteer wrangler
Susie I: talent scout and "green options" ambassador
Elizabeth D: tres leches queen
Dave M: guidance, encouragement and sage advice

Second Unitarian provides meals for the Night Ministry's Youth Outreach Team (YOT)  about twice a month.  The YOT provides services for homeless youth in Lakeview, many of whom are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. 

Through the Night Ministry Youth Outreach van, the team provides counseling, services and referrals and the church volunteers provide the food for the evening.  During the summer we will be providing sandwiches, fruit, a snack item and a drink for about 200 people.  We gather at the church to assemble the food at 6pm.  Around 7:30 pm the Night Ministry staff will meet us to answer any questions and plan the evening.  We then walk over to the intersection of Belmont and Halsted to serve the dinner until 10pm.  Volunteers are welcome for any and all parts of the evening.  Volunteering during the summer can be a great project for families with kids.  The children are not able to go out and serve the food but they are welcome to help us with the preparation at the church.  Volunteers have been donating the food but it is not required.  If you can not serve but can help donate food (or money to purchase food) that would be tremendously helpful. 


We're confident that you'll enjoy the time spent in the company of your fellow church members and the satisfaction of helping our most vulnerable neighbors.  Please e-mail us to let us know you can volunteer to help or are interested in purchasing food, secondunitarian@att.net.

"The religious community is essential, for alone our vision is too narrow to see all that must be seen. Together, our vision widens and strength is renewed."  - Mark Morrison-Reed (Unitarian Universalist Minister)


Please mark your calendars and save the date(s); more information will be forthcoming. The following events and meetings are driven or sponsored by members of 2U. So please come and support their work so that we can walk the path toward justice.

• 6/2, 9am - Healthcare Access Initiative Press Conference at the Cook County Building
  
• 6/14, 1:30pm - A Walk in the Park Fundraiser forLakeview Action Coalition starts at St. Clements Church, 642 W. Deming, Chicago, 60614
  
• 6/18, 6pm -  Environmental Justice Launch in Lakeview: "Bringing Home the Green"  at Lakeview Lutheran Church, 835 W. Addison, Chicago
  
• 6/30, TBA - Affordable Housing: "Sweet Home Chicago" Kick off Action

Working for justice in our world is a principle way for Unitarian Universalists to express our faith.  Acting on our values is what we do and who we are.   

Peace with justice,
Curtis

Due to the tough economy, 2U is projecting an estimated $8,000 deficit for this fiscal year ending June 30, 2009. The deficit is largely due to a reduction in pledge income from members who have lost their jobs this year as well as some reduced investment income.  In response we implemented some pretty serious spending holds or cuts mid-year and bolstered our fundraising efforts.   

In the last month of our church year, we ask that everyone strive to honor the pledge commitment that they made at the beginning of the year.  Knowing that some in our community are struggling, we also ask anyone who is able, to make a "Deficit Closure" gift.  If every member gave $30 ($60 per couple) we would be able to end the year with a balanced budget! 
 
Ironically, the lean financial times have put a spotlight on just how generous the 2U community is.  The Young Adult and Music Ministries hosted truly FUNdraisers this year - above and beyond our traditional spring event (yay for Cantina Night organizers); over the course of the year individual members stepped up and made in kind donations for the kitchen and office supplies and later this month we will have even more people helping with small fundraisers (rummage sales and refreshment stands) to offset our expenses.

In the new member orientations Lisa Todd always remarks that, "when everyone at church is as generous as they are able it all works out".  For over 150 years that has proven to be true - and continues to be true today.  Our community was hit hard by job loss this year but we have worked together to continue supporting one another and reaching out.  We have found internal wealth in each other even as our external wealth has shrunk.   Thank you to everyone who has already made additional gifts to help close the gap.  If you like, you can also contribute via credit card at the 2U website at www.secondunitarian.org  "Donation" button on the homepage.

We will be making some changes to the order of service making it an item that can be re-used week to week, savings TONS of paper. We need your input. Please take an order of worship, circle the things you would like kept, and put an X through the things you think we could communicate elsewhere, such as in the Anvil or on bulletin boards. You can also take a form from the What's Happening table to make other suggestions about changes or additions that you would like to see. Please put your responses in the green box on the What's Happening table.

We will compile responses and work to find a way of making our Order of Service eco-friendly while ensuring that it and other communication tools remain relevant and timely.