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Newsletter of 2nd Unitarian Church of Chicago
June 15, 2013
In This Issue
Coming Up at 2U
 
Sunday, June 16
Service at 10:30
Lay Preachers: Dana Hill, Jeff Siegel, August Staas
Music by the 2U Folk Ensemble

Sunday, June 23
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Rudra Dundzila

Sunday, June 30
Pride Sunday
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music by Gail Gallagher &
Kat Wyand

Sunday, July 7
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Darrick Jackson
Music by Carey Farrell

Sunday, July 14
Service at 10:30
Guest Preacher: Nic Cable

______________________
_________________
Church Office Information & Staff

Minister
773-549-0260, ext. 13
Office Hours:
Wed-Thurs 1:00-9:00 pm
 
 
Dir. of Faith Development
773-549-0260, ext. 12
Office Hours:
Wed 1:00-6:00, Sun 9:00-1:00

Office Administrator
773-549-0260, ext. 10
Office Hours: 
Mon-Thurs 10:00-4:00 
 
Community Minister
773-593-7500
 
Music Director
                                  
2U Ministry Leaders

Board of Trustees

Bookstore

Building & Grounds

Committee on Ministry

Finance Committee

Green Sanctuary

Hospitality 

Lifespan Faith Dev.

Membership

Music

Newsletter

Night Ministry

Pastoral Care

Safe Congregations 

Small Group Ministry

Social Justice

Sunday Services

Sun/Moon Group

Transylvania Church

Webmaster

Young Adult Group
Erin Rusmi
_____________________
 
Board of Trustees 
 


 





                                  
From the Minister
Our Unitarian Universalist General Assembly - the annual meeting of the representatives of our congregations in the Unitarian Universalist Association - meets this coming week. It is a temporary congregation of sorts, coming together for worship, religious education, justice-making, fellowship, and the governing of our Association. I will be attending all week and hope to learn useful things and make good connections that will benefit us here at home.

 

General Assembly only works because, like in any congregation, people volunteer to do the work that paid staff and volunteer leaders cannot take on as well. I'm volunteering as a teacher and fellowship host. Others will help with hospitality, child care, and the preparation and care of our temporary space.

 

Sound familiar? I hope so! While those of us who are attending GA are learning, participating, worshipping, and volunteering, I'm also going to be hoping that you'll do the same here at home. This is a perfect moment to volunteer for hospitality, to host coffee hour, to do child care in our nursery, or to become a part of the Building and Grounds committee! At GA, we'll have thousands of people to draw on for many hundreds of volunteer tasks - here at 2U, we have about 200 of you to join in. Please become a volunteer if you aren't one already; you are what make this place a vibrant and thriving community!

 

Faithfully,

Rev. Adam

Father's Day Patchwork Service
Sunday, June 16, 2013
10:30am
 
On this day that is set aside to celebrate fathers and those who have fathered us, a patchwork service led by Rev. Adam Robersmith will focus on the path to spiritual growth that resulted from three 2U members' experiences becoming fathers. Jeff Siegel, August Staas, and Dana Hill will share very different accounts of the various ways their own spiritual lives have evolved as they became fathers and as a result of relationships with their own fathers and children. The messages to be shared provide very personal illustrations of the interconnected web of which we are all a part. Please join us to hear their stories and what is transferable to relationships of all types.
Help Wanted: Director of Faith Development at 2U
Dear 2U Members and Friends,

 

With Kellie's departure for seminary later this summer, we're searching once again for a Director of Faith Development. The posting is below. Please pass it along to anyone you think might be right for this position and our congregation!

 

Faithfully,

Rev. Adam

 

Director of Faith Development

 

Second Unitarian Church (656 W. Barry, Chicago IL) is seeking a half-time Director of Faith Development (DFD) whose primary area of responsibility will be programming for children and youth, including Sunday morning classes and beyond. We seek a person who is interested in both the overarching vision of the ministry of religious education and faith development within the congregation and also the week-to-week management of classrooms, curricula, and volunteers. Strong communications (interpersonal, written, and technological) and administrative skills are essential in this position, as are a minimum of 2-3 years personal and/or professional experience with education/religious education and demonstrated experience with/commitment to the Unitarian Universalist religious life.

 

Second Unitarian Church is a congregation with a deeply committed faith development volunteer base, a large (and growing) community of young families and children, and a commitment to the growth and health of the program. Our DFD will work closely with the Minister (who is also the position's supervisor) and the Lifespan Faith Development Council in planning curricula, intergenerational worship, and family rites of passage. We see faith development as an integral part of the ministry of the church, and want our DFD to be a partner in that ministry.

 

This is a salaried half-time position with benefits in line with UUA compensation guidelines. The hours are generally flexible with the exception of Sunday mornings and Wednesday afternoon office hours which will be set in conversation with the Minister.

 

Queries, cover letters, and resumes can be sent to the Rev. Adam Robersmith at [email protected].

Social Justice Council Theater Benefit

Sunday, July 7, 2013 at 3:00pm

Prop Theater, 3502 N. Elston

 

Get your reservations now for a theater benefit for the Social Justice Council! Slaughter City by Naomi Wallace, directed by our own Karen Fort, confronts our favorite social justice issues-- class, race, labor rights-- with sex in the mix, in a meat packing plant. Post-show discussion.

 

RSVP to Linda Groetzinger at [email protected] or (773) 525-4262. Reserve tickets ($20) by June 29.

Coming Soon: Singing Sunday and More!

The Sunday Services Committee is exploring alternative types of worship that could supplement services led by our ministers, lay-led preachers, and guest preachers. These services are envisioned as an opportunity to involve more 2U members in sharing examples of what opens them up to the Spirit of Life. Initial ideas suggested include a Hymn Sing service, or a poetry service. Have you experienced any services like these at another church? Do you have ideas for how you could contribute to such a service? We would love to hear any other ideas that you may have! Please share any ideas or comments with Jill Siegel, or with any member of the Sunday Services Committee.

2U's LGBTQ Pride Events

Sunday, June 30, 2013

 

Pride 2011 Pride Parade: If you would like to march with the 2U/Chicago Area UU contingent, please meet at N. Broadway and Montrose no later than 12pm. Wear your Standing on the Side of Love t-shirt, or your most fabulous outfit, and get ready to celebrate our queer family and to tell the city what Standing on the Side of Love means for people of Unitarian Universalist faith. It would be wonderful for us to have a huge contingent of 2Uers at the parade, so please march if you are willing and able. Remember to bring water and sunscreen if you will be marching!
 
 
pride cookie
Lemonade Stand: Our Faith Development kids and teachers will also be hosting our annual 2U Lemonade Stand and Bake Sale during the Pride Parade. The kids are spending the month of June learning about the parade and why it's important in our community; they're also preparing for the lemonade stand by creating decorations and signs, and asking for donations and help. As always, we rely on our 2U family for all the tasty treats-- please bring your favorites!
New Social Justice Newsletter: The Hammer
Sign up for our new Social Justice e-newsletter, The Hammer, a companion to the Anvil. Sign up on the welcome table, or by emailing [email protected] with the subject line "Join." You can read about:
  • plans for LGBT Pride Weekend
  • recent victory with Walgreens
  • movie screening with Kovler Center, this month's plate-sharing recipient
  • how to get your Standing on the Side of Love t-shirt
  • and more!
Welcome to Our Newest 2U Members
Nathan Mooney started out in a suburb near St. Charles, Illinois. After his family moved around to several different locations, Nathan moved back to Illinois 14 years ago. He is a full-time student studying marketing at Northeastern University, and works at Office Depot as well. In his free time, Nathan is a game enthusiast-- he enjoys video and other varieties of games. He found 2U through his fiancee Amber Mark, who also recently joined the church. Nathan enjoyed volunteering with the Night Ministry outreach, and is considering joining the Young Adult Group.

A warm welcome to Nathan!
Summer Solstice Celebration
Saturday, June 22, 2013  summer solstice
12:00pm
 
The Sun/Moon Group will be celebrating Summer Solstice on Saturday, June 22nd at noon. We hope to see you there to celebrate Litha, the sun at its zenith and the turning of the year's wheel. The ritual will take place in the back garden, weather permitting. Please bring your sun hat, bug spray (if necessary) and families to our celebration.

We will be having a pot-luck picnic following the ritual-- please feel free to bring a summer picnic dish to share.

Please email Shauna Womeldorff with any questions.

We hope to see you there!
Caregivers' Support Group
The next monthly meeting of the Caregivers' Support Group will be at the church on Wednesday, July 10th from 7:00 to 8:30pm. For more information, email Myra Epping or call her at (773) 338-4086.
Choir Corner
gone fishin
The 2U choir is taking a break for the summer. Rehearsals will resume in the fall. If you are leaning towards joining the choir and would like to receive the choir emails, please tell 2U office administrator Jen Duston; she will be happy to add your name to the email list.
Help Wanted: Acting DRE at First Unitarian
 

First Unitarian Church of Chicago is seeking a three-quarter time (30 hrs/week) Acting Director of Religious Education to oversee our vibrant and growing religious education programming for children and youth.  Our church RE program currently serves about 60-70 children and youth, and attendance has increased almost 20% in the past three years. 

 

The religious education program for children and youth is highly valued part of the congregation and includes classes for children, an infant/toddler nursery room, two youth groups, participation in the beginnings of each worship service, multigenerational worship,  and other multigenerational activities.

 

Responsibilities:  The Acting Director of Religious Education is responsible for the support and organization of our RE Program for children and youth.  This includes participating in our staff team, recruiting and training our lay teacher volunteers, participating in the multigenerational aspects of our worship life, selection, development and implementation of curricula, and budget development and management.  Position includes Sunday AM responsibilities as well as occasional evening meetings.  As an Acting position, the term is one year with the ability to apply for the permanent Director of Religious Education position.

 

Qualifications:  Our ideal Director of Religious Education will celebrate the diverse ways our children and youth learn, ask questions, and seek meaning.  He or she will foster children's faith development and their relationships with each other, with nature, with the congregation as a whole, and with the world. We are searching for someone who has a strong knowledge of Unitarian Universalism and UU religious education programs, has a Bachelor's Degree or higher; strong interpersonal skills, experience working both independently and collaboratively; ability to recruit and motivate volunteers; ability to maintain confidentiality; organizational skills a must. Child development or education background a plus.

 

Benefits:  Compensation within the UUA Fair Compensation Guidelines, benefits package that includes optional group health insurance coverage and employer contribution to retirement fund when eligible, professional development budget, one Sunday off per month, paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays and a private office.

 

About First Unitarian Church of Chicago

First Unitarian Church is a vibrant, multiracial and multicultural congregation. We are located six miles south of downtown Chicago in the Hyde Park neighborhood, adjacent to the University of Chicago.  The church was first gathered in 1836, and throughout its history has played an important role in social justice activities in the community. Our mission is: "We are a diverse congregation, joyously united to address personal and societal challenges with passionate action for the healing of the world."  For more information please see our website.

 

To Apply:

Send resume and cover letter to: [email protected]

Money Matters
Fiscal Year 2012-13: YTD Through May

Income
Pledges & Collection Plate $   175,948
Other Income $     61,501
Total (YTD) $   237,449
Budget Projection 2012-13 $   244,725
Expenses
Collection Plate Sharing $       9,516
All other Expenses $    225,496
Total (YTD) $    235,012
Budget Projection 2012-13 $    254,958
Debt and Deficit
Projected Deficit 2012-13 $     10,233
Long Term Debt $   232,663


Anvil Deadlines
Have a message to put in the Anvil? Plan ahead!  Please have all submissions for the next newsletter in to Jen Duston at [email protected] by 5pm on Wednesday, June 26.