The Anvil - October 2010 vol 2

The walk kicks off from St. Luke Church at 1pm. Walkers will visit several LAC member institutions to hear about their work. Refreshments will be provided along the way. A reception will follow the walk at St. Luke Church from 3-5pm.

This year, we are honoring long-time LAC activist and member of Second Unitarian Church, Norman Groetzinger, who is retiring from his Executive Director position at the Counseling Center of Lakeview. Norm is not retiring from LAC, though, and we will hear stories of his activism and social justice work.

There is a suggested donation of a minimum of $25 for individuals that would like to join us only for the reception. LAC has been granted a $2500 challenge grant from the Unitarian Universalist Fund for a Just Society. The money we raise will be matched and will support LAC's work on the Homeless Youth program.

Please send an e-mail to Curtis Smith at cmwright@sbcglobal.net for more information.

Needed - Helping Hands & TLC to Renew 2U's Curb Appeal.

Saturday, Oct. 16th, 9am to 12pm (with enough hands)

Donate your time and energy to give the Second Unitarian front yard a much needed face lift! We'll pull weeds and put down mulch to get it looking it's best over the fall and winter months. Gloves, rakes, spades and bags will be available, but please bring your own gloves and yard tools if you have them. RSVP to Libby Harvey-Hill so I'll know how much food and hot cider we'll need to keep everyone happy. Let me know if kids are coming and we'll throw in some fun seasonal activities for them. Reach me at threebmetaldesign@yahoo.com, or call 773-252-7658.

2U Movie Night (or, "Movies With Meaning")

Returns for October: "Oh, God!" (1977)

"The last miracle I did was the 1969 Mets. Before that, I think you have to go back to the Red Sea."

Before there was Jim Carrey and Morgan Freeman, there was John Denver and George Burns. A grocery store manager is contacted by the Almighty and given the task of returning the world to sanity. Join the 2U Young Adults (even if you're more of a George Burns type...) for an evening of pie, popcorn, and discussion of Carl Reiner's take on the Ultimate -- 7 p.m. October 15th, 6459 N. Newgard, 3D. For further info call Margaret Redlich at 217-341-6106 or email at mredlich21@gmail.com.

Young Adult Ministry News

This year's first meeting of the 2U Young Adult Ministry will be in the Loft after the Nov. 7th service. We'll be having pizza and planning our activities for the year. All between the ages of 18 and 35 are welcome and you do not need to be member to join us!
Questions? Contact Arcenia Harmon at oya7@yahoo.com.

Introducing Marianne Parker!

Marianne Parker holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Missouri State University (2007), and a Master of Music in piano performance and pedagogy from the University of Tennessee (2009). The former was completed under academic and music scholarship; the latter was facilitated by a graduate assistantship. Her primary teachers have been Wei-Han Su, David Northington, and David Brunell, Krassimera Jordan (piano), and Scott Cameron (percussion). Marianne received Suzuki certification for Books 1 and 2 from Fay Adams at the University of Tennessee. In 2008, Marianne had the opportunity to travel to Vienna, Austria to study piano at the Bösendorfer piano institute. As a percussionist, she has had the opportunity to travel throughout the United States performing competitively with the St. Louis-based indoor percussion ensemble, Gateway Percussion. In Missouri State's wind ensemble, she held the position of principle percussionist-keyboardist while the ensemble toured the United States performing for various music conventions. Marianne has quickly made a reputation as an artful collaborative pianist, having played for performances ranging from solo recitals for virtually every instrument to chamber ensembles, orchestras, and wind ensembles. In her short time in Chicago, she has had the opportunity to accompany the Lithuanian Opera Company of Chicago, The Second Unitarian Universalist Church, the DePaul brass department, as well as various competitions and recitals, including a solo voice recital benefiting the Flossmore Opera League. Currently, in addition to serving as the Music Director for 2U, Marianne teaches Suzuki and traditional piano and percussion at The Music Connection of Orland Park.

Community Sing

Wednesday, October 27, 7:00-7:30pm (after Vespers)

Come lift your voice in fellowship at our community sing! Led by our Music Director Marianne Parker. There will be light, delicious refreshments in the Palmer Room following the sing. We look forward to seeing you there! Questions? Contact Marianne at musicdirector@secondunitarian.org.

Social Justice Council Seeks to End Judicial Killings

The 2U Social Justice Council (SJC) passed a committee resolution opposing capital punishment. By passing the resolution the SJC members affirm their stand opposing the abhorrent and immoral use of the death penalty (DP). In addition, each SJC member declares their intent to produce death penalty education programs for the congregation, draft an anti-DP resolution that would be voted upon at the 2011 2U annual congregational meeting, and then take further actions by which the legislators would know 2U's position on the death penalty. The passage of the council resolution will be noted within the web site of the Unitarian Universalists for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (http://www.uuadp.org) and a copy of the SJC resolution will be posted on our bulletin board in the Palmer Room.

Between now and the next 2U annual meeting, please contemplate the meaning of the UU First Principle and the application of the UU Second Principle.

Can you extend the 'inherent worth and dignity of every person" even to those among us who are convicted of murder?
Does the use of capital punishment meet your sense of' "justice, equity and compassion in human relations"?

The SJC resolution moves us toward a congregational position on capital punishment. Your answer to the above questions will help you to decide how you will vote at the annual meeting.

Death Penalty PBS Program - On October 19, 2010,

PBS's FRONTLINE will air Death by Fire, a documentary closely examining the evidence used to convict Cameron Todd Willingham of the arson deaths of his three children. This documentary may help you to affirm your conviction that we must never use the death penalty because it is so flawed and it is so irrevocable. Or, it may help you to decide if capital punishment agrees with or contradicts our Second Principal of justice, equity and compassion in human relations.

Orientation to 2nd Unitarian Church

Second Unitarian Church would like to invite any and all visitors to the orientation we will be holding on Sunday, November 7, 11:45 - 1:45 p.m.!! This orientation will be facilitated by members of the 2U Membership Committee and will be an opportunity to share information about the rich history of UUism, the shared values of UUists, 2U's own role in the larger UU movement, and what membership at 2U can look like. Attending an orientation is one prerequisite for formalizing membership at 2U. So, whether you are a regular visitor who is ready to commit to membership, or you are a casual visitor who just wants to learn more about Unitarian Universalism, please join us!

Snacks will be provided and childcare will be available upon request. To register, please sign-up at the What's Happening table at church (the big table in the middle of the Palmer Room) or contact Membership Committee Chair John Broome (uuajohn@live.com). We look forward to seeing you there!

Calling all 2U Shutterbugs

Help Promote 2U and Document our Continuing Story

Are you the one always snapping pictures at 2U worship and events? We're planning to launch an ever-updating slideshow of recent 2U photos on the front of the 2U site, and we'd love your ongoing contributions. Even if we don't use your photo on the site, it will become part of 2U's ongoing historical archive, helping us document who we are in this latest time of great change and transitions.

A few ground rules, if you're interested in having your photo included on the Web site:

1. Identify the people you photograph and get permission from them that it's ok to put this on the 2U site. For groups, at least identify the group leader and check with them if anyone objects to their picture being used on the site.

2. Any identifiable pictures of kids under age 18 will require parent permission to go on the Web site.

3. For now, email all photos and accompanying information/permissions to programs@secondunitarian.org for consideration.

Experience the joy of hosting an International Professional

Linda Groetzinger invites you to Experience the joy of hosting an International Professional through the Council on International Programs (CIP). We need host families immediately for 10 university administrators from Belarus here for 3 week training, for 3 social workers from German and Greece and a journalist from China , during October- December. For details contact either Linda (773-484-0883) or Executive Director of CIP, Dr. George Palamattam, gp@cipchicago.org, 630-359-3393.

Money Matter$