From the Minister

It is a great pleasure to write my first, brief newsletter note to you as your full-time, settled minister!

 

It feels both like a momentous change and like very little change at all - we will continue on together, but with a longer-term relationship into which we all can more deeply invest. I look forward to many years of ministry together with you: worship and learning, fellowship and justicemaking, tears and plenty of laughter. 2U truly is a vibrant community: enthusiastic, diverse, opinionated, caring. Building on this foundation, together we will grow in spiritual depth, community strength, and compassionate reach.

 

Now that I'm here for the duration, please don't hesitate to make some time to chat with me, meet to talk over a cup of coffee or tea, or just say hi. I look forward to deepening (or beginning) our relationships. I am excited to continue this journey with you!

 

Faithfully,

Rev. Adam 

Holiday Services Schedule

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spotlight Luncheon on Economic Injustice and Income Inequality

2U Young Adults Brunch!

Would You Like to Preach?

Religious Services Committee Can Help

Introducing your 2011/2012 

Committee on Ministries (COM)

COM is here to help facilitate the conversation among all parts of our community.  COM is a group of 2U members who act as liaisons between the minister, the Board, committees and the congregation.  Think of us as your "HELP DESK/CUSTOMER SERVICE" to go to if you have questions, concerns or just want to share your thoughts. Hopefully we can direct you to the right department and we will follow-up with you.

 

Who are we? Marilyn Hebda, Chair, Jill Althage, Jennifer Duston, John Houck and Darrin Weatherspoon. We wear blue nametags at church so you will know who we are if you want to talk to one of us.  We meet once a month with the minister and our BOT liaison Norm Groetzinger. Our meetings are confidential.

 

Our group email address is COMS@secondunitarian.org. This group e-mail address will put you in contact with all the members, plus the BOT liaison and Rev. Adam. You can also phone us individually (phone #'s are in the church directory) or you can request to meet with us as a group. 

 

Our goals for this year are:

 

1. We will have a COM CHAT BACK section in the Anvil that will feature a different committee each month to respond to your questions/suggestions from last year's spring COM CHATS.

 

2. We have gotten approval from the Church Council to have a member of COM as a liaison to each Church Council Committee. The liaison will help facilitate communication between that committee, their members and all aspects of the church community.

 

3. We will be holding COM Chats again during March/April. We   will focus on a self-review of each aspect of the church, working to create a structure and dialogue for improvement and feedback. Creating together a vision for the 2012/2013 church year.

 

4. The COM will develop criteria to evaluate the church's functioning and a minister's evaluation based on goals and objectives of the church.

 

This is an exciting year for our church with us calling Adam as our full time settled minister. It is a new chapter for all of us. We look forward to working together with you to continue to make 2U the community and spiritual home we all want it to be. 

Celebrate a 2U Holiday Season Tradition with Guest at Your Table (GAYT)

Each year at this time, friends and families in our congregation participate in Guest at Your Table - a UU tradition for decades.  In each household, the Guest at Your Table box is placed in a prominent spot, often at the dinner table. The box is decorated with pictures of people UUSC has worked with recently from around the world. When family and friends gather, they can reflect on the contributions of their "guests" to the movement for universal human rights - and share generously.

           

Sharing our blessings through Guest at Your Table ensures that the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee's (UUSC) human-rights work continues. Since UUSC is an independent organization that receives no funding from government or the UUA, your support and membership are vitally important.

           

If you would prefer not to bring home a box, you can still support UUSC by: (1) continue contributing to the weekly Sunday Service collection (the Plate Sharing for all of November is with UUSC), (2)  take a donation UUSC envelope and mail it directly to UUSC (they are available on the Whats Happening Table), or (3) make an online contribution to UUSC at  uusc.org/givetoguest . Our celebration of Guest at Your Table will begin on November 13 and continue through Christmas Eve. For more information, please contact one of Second Unitarian's local UUSC representatives, Molly Rossow and Paul Konkoly or Second Unitarian's director of programs, Gabrielle Montgomery.

Choir Corner

Orientation to 2nd Unitarian Church

Money Matter$

Fiscal Year 2011-12 Operating Budget Status: YTD through October

 

Income                                                                                                         

Pledges & Collection Plate                                                                           60,029

Other Income                                                                                                   18,170

Total YTD Income                                                                                         $78,199

 

Expenses

Collection Plate Sharing                                                                                  2,062

All Other Expenses                                                                                         75,203

Total YTD Expenses                                                                                    $77,265

 

Total Annual Budget                                                                                  $284,722     

Balance Sheet Snapshot - October

Total Reserves & Investments                                                                   195,269

Land & Building (2001 appraisal)                                                          2,060,000

Endowment                                                                                                        1,256

Restricted Funds                                                                                               6,431

Total Long Term Debt                                                                                $284,835

Community News & Events

 

 

UUA Monthly Bulletins 

Second Unitarian Church of Chicago
656 West Barry Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60657
www.secondunitarian.org