by Nate

At the outset of my term as board chair I find myself thinking, "Nate, didn't you recently start a job with a somewhat shaky organization? And wasn't it just a couple days ago that your wife had a second baby?" Any normal person would think that these are not ideal circumstances under which one would expand their volunteer responsibilities. But then I remind myself of the incredibly talented and caring staff and fellow board members with whom I serve, and my worries shift toward anticipation.
 
This year holds a great deal of potential. Our small groups, social justice, and music ministries are thriving. We've committed greater staff resources to welcoming the growing number of visitors and staying connected to our long-term members, we've refinanced our mortgage to allocate roughly $70,000 to optimize the usability of our building, and we're reorganizing how we do our fundraising and stewardship to be more sustainable.
 
However, we also have some real challenges and growth opportunities ahead. Through our annual meeting and personal conversations, the board has come to realize that how we govern ourselves in these increasingly dynamic and uncertain times needs at least a major tune-up if not a serious overhaul. To that end, our top priorities are: 

• Intentional and ongoing outreach with members to better:
• Understand and articulate our shared vision
• Shore up our finances so that we are fiscally sustainable.
• Clarifying both the chain of accountability and the roles and responsibilities of our whole community, including the staff, the board of trustees, Committee on Ministries, Council, and members of the congregation.

These are not trivial tasks. I am confident that collectively we have both the head and heart to keep 2U the progressive and vibrant faith community we all need. On behalf of the board of trustees, we are honored by this opportunity to serve.
 
In faith,
Nate

 
Buy tickets for the Experience Summer raffle.  This Sunday, July 19 through Sunday, August 2. The drawing will be on August 2.

Tickets are $5 each, or 5 for $20.

First prize is a Giant FCR comfort bicycle - perfect for cruising the bike paths of Chicago's lakefront, riding the wilderness trails of the forest preserves, or even commuting to work.

Come help us vision the next generation of intergenerational worship at Second Unitarian Church. 

The first half of this workshop will be a time for visioning and setting goals for our intergenerational worship services.  During the second half we are looking for your help in planning our next intergenerational worship service scheduled for Sunday August 9.

This workshop is an all church event, so please join us.

To participate, sign up at the What's Happening table in the Palmer Room or contact Gabrielle Parra at 773-549-0260, ext. 12 or faithdev_2u@att.net.

We are very excited to announce a Families with Children Small Group Ministry sample session.

We get so little time to spend with our families in this fast paced, busy society. Second Unitarian Church wants to create a space for your family to be able to spend quality time together talking about what is most important to you.

In this small group, families will be taking time to talk about how they want to live in relationship with each other and the larger world around them. Through activities for all ages we will be exploring our family values. A typical meeting will look like this: first the families will all gather together for food and fellowship, then they will have some time for conversation, next comes individual family activity time (we will be journaling, painting, making pictures and much more) and then everyone will come back together to share with the group what they feel comfortable sharing.

This is a whole family activity where the whole household must be present. Why? Because we will be talking about what you all value the most and we want the whole family to be able to be a part of learning about each other, deciding how they want to live in the world and coming closer together.

The sample small group will meet on Sunday, August 9th from 12pm - 2pm which includes lunch/fellowship time. If you would like more information or would like to sign up please contact Director of Faith Development, Gabrielle Parra at faithdev_2U@att.net. We look forward to entering into this new ministry with you and your family.

by Susie

Many of us use bleach, Drain-o, and other products containing harmful chemicals to clean our homes.  These products are harmful to us, our kids and pets, and the environment.  Here's a list of non-toxic (and less-expensive) items we can use.

BAKING SODA (sodium bicarbonate): An all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. Cleans, deodorizes, removes stains and softens fabrics, keeps drains running clear and odor-free.

BORAX (sodium borate): A natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. Please note safety precautions on the packaging.

CASTILE and VEGETABLE OIL BASED SOAPS: Cleans everything.

CORNSTARCH: Starches clothes, absorbs oil and grease.

HERBS and ESSENTIAL OILS: For disinfecting and fragrance.  Boil cinnamon instead of using air fresheners.
 
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE: Has a ton cleaning and disinfecting uses, and breaks down into water.  A bleach alternative.

LEMON JUICE: Cuts through grease and removes perspiration and other stains from clothing.  A bleach alternative.

SALT (sodium chloride): An abrasive.

TOOTHPASTE A mild abrasive.

VINEGAR (acetic acid): Cuts grease, removes stains and is an excellent water softener.

WASHING SODA (sodium carbonate): Cleans clothes, softens water, cuts grease and disinfects. Increases the cleaning power of soap.
 
For more information, visit these sites:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/8088/clngrn.html
http://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/
http://www.bellybytes.com/articles/bakingsoda.shtml
http://www.vinegartips.com/

UU World: The Magazine of the Unitarian Universalist Association aims to help its readers build their faith and act on it more effectively in their personal lives, their congregations, their communities and the world.  If you are a member of Second Unitarian Church and not receiving a copy of the UU World please notify Lisa Todd at secondunitarian@att.net.  If you are not a member or would prefer to read it online you can do so at
http://www.uuworld.org/currentissue.shtml.  Audio files of the articles are also available at http://uuworld.org/issues/audiorecordingsspring2009.shtml.