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Newsletter of 2nd Unitarian Church of Chicago
November 1, 2013
In This Issue
Coming Up at 2U
 
Sunday, November 3
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music by Elizabeth Newkirk & Marianne Parker

Wednesday, November 6
Vespers Service at 6:30pm

Sunday, November 10
Service at 10:30
Lay Preachers: Laura McKee & Julia Klein

Wednesday, November 13
Vespers Service at 6:30pm

Sunday, November 17
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music by the 2U Choir

Wednesday, November 20
Vespers Service at 6:30pm

Sunday, November 24
New Member Ingathering
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music by Rosalind Hurwitz
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Children & Youth Faith Development Schedule
 
Child care for infants and toddlers is available every Sunday in the Green Caterpillar room.
 
Sunday, November 3
Spirit Play
UU Explorers
'Coming of Age' Chalice Retreat

Sunday, November 10
Spirit Play
UU Explorers
Youth Group

Sunday, November 17
Spirit Play
Roots & Shoots

Sunday, November 24
Intergen: No Classes
______________________
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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 12:00-9:00 pm
Sun 9:00-3:00

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 Outreach

Pastoral Care

Safe Congregations 

Small Group Ministry

Social Justice

Sunday Services

Sun/Moon Group

Transylvania Church

Webmaster

Young Adult Group
Erin Rusmi
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Board of Trustees 
 









                                  
Don't Forget to Fall Back This Weekend!
 
Daylight savings time will end with a "fall back" to standard time this Sunday, November 3rd, at 2am. Be sure to re-set your clocks before you go to bed on Saturday night!
 
However, if you are an hour early to church on Sunday, don't worry-- Jen has plenty of projects to keep you busy until the service begins!
We've Got Rhythm!
After your extra hour of daylight savings sleep, join us in worship this Sunday for a special service focused on rhythm and music led by Rev. Adam and Music Director, Marianne Parker. With guest percussionist Elizabeth Newkirk, we'll get a chance to understand our music, our world, and one another a bit better. (And we'll also learn how to clap along with our hymns with one another without confusion or awkwardness! No, really!)

Looking forward to seeing you there,
Rev. Adam
2U Oktoberfest Fall Fundraiser
Oktoberfest 2013  
 Join 2U for an Oktoberfest celebration!

Saturday, November 2, 2013

6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

  

It's your very last chance to purchase tickets online for 2U's Oktoberfest celebration!

 

This year, our silent and live auctions include more items than ever before, including:

  • Memberships at Midtown Athletic Club and Chicago Fitness Center
  • Tickets for performances at the Goodman, Steppenwolf, and Court Theaters
  • Gift certificates at great local restaurants, including Wilde, Stella's, Native Foods, and many more
  • Weekend getaways in Michigan and Wisconsin
  • Fabulous evenings and outings with your 2U community members!

There will be an amazing meal that includes home-made spaetzel, pork roast, vegan and gluten-free options, an abundance of delectable desserts provided by wonderful 2U chefs, plus beer, wine, and a rootbeer keg!

 

Buy your tickets now at 2uoktoberfest.brownpapertickets.com.

 

$35 Adults (reserved) or $45 at the door

$70 to be a Meister (beloved sponsor & supporter)

$15 Students & Seniors

$5 Children (ages 10-17)

Children 9 and under are free

 

Note: We also have a small number of tickets available at no charge for those unable to afford one. Please email Committee Chair Kimberly Bares for availability.

Guest At Your Table
This November, Second Unitarian will once again participate in the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee's Guest at Your Table program. Guest at Your Table is an annual tradition, in which congregation members learn about some of the individuals with whom UUSC is working. This year, UUSC is featuring people who have empowered others to realize their human rights. These people are your "guests," and we ask you to share your blessings with them to support our shared mission.

Materials for the Guest at Your Table program will be available on the first Sunday in November, and for the first time this year, you can also donate online at our very own Second Unitarian GAYT page! In-person donations will be collected and sent to the UUSC on December 1st and December 9th.
Spotlight Luncheon on Social Security
Sunday, November 10, 2013
12:15pm
 
There will be a Spotlight Luncheon in the Palmer Room on Sunday, November 10th after the service. Join members of the Social Justice Council and the Jane Addams Senior Caucus to learn about Social Security and Medicare, and what you can do to help preserve them.
Thanksgiving Pot-Luck
Thursday, November 28, 2013
 
2U will once again be hosting a Thanksgiving pot-luck dinner, coordinated by Judy Corbeille. The bird and dressing will be provided; those who wish to attend should plan to bring their favorite dish to share. Look for a sign-up sheet and more news soon.

Please email Judy Corbeille or call her at (773) 525-9416 with any questions, or if you'd like to volunteer to help out.
November Lay Preachers: Laura McKee & Julia Klein
"Good Walls Make Good Neighbors"
Sunday, November 10, 2013
10:30am
 
On November 10th, Laura McKee and Julia Klein will bring their personal experiences and perspectives to answering this question: "Do good walls make good neighbors?" In this lay service by two members of our 2U community, Laura and Julia reflect on their experiences at the Berlin Wall and also ask us to examine the walls that we create. Do our walls keep us safe? Do they separate us? As we explore these questions, we are encouraged to break down walls together and to see beyond our walls to our common bonds. What might be possible if we work together to break down walls?
LGBT & Friends Brunch
Sunday, November 10, 2013
12:00pm

There will be a brunch on Sunday, November 10th, high noon at a local eatery to be determined by the participants that morning. A sign-up sheet is available on the Welcome Table in the Palmer Room. Please email Rev. Rudra Dundzila with questions. We hope you can join us!
Caregivers Group
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
7:00-8:30pm

The Caregivers Group meets downstairs in the library at 2U on the second Wednesday of every month. The next meeting of the group will be on Wednesday, November 13th from 7:00 to 8:30. For more information, email Myra Epping, or call her at (773) 338-4086.
Town Hall Meeting
November 17, 2013
11:30am - 1:00pm

Join us for a Town Hall meeting on November 17th, hosted by the Committee on Ministries (COM) with support from the Board of Trustees. As a part of COM's review of the minister and ministries of the church, we need your feedback on the ministries of 2U.

At a 2009 congregational business meeting, the congregation passed a resolution to evaluate the minister annually. We're going to use a new format that looks at the minister within the context of the overall ministries of the church. The final report will be completed by COM by January, 2014 and will be submitted to the Board of Trustees.

A light lunch and childcare will be provided for the meeting. COM may also continue the conversation in small group discussions after the meeting, if desired.

Your feedback is vital! If you have any questions, please contact a member of COM; their names can be found on the  bulletin board in the Palmer Room.
Bilingual Storytelling Help Needed
Our community minister, Rev. Rudra Dundzila, is leading worship on Sunday, December 1st, the Sunday after Thanksgiving. It is the confluence of World AIDS Day, the first Sunday of Advent, and mid-Channukah. The Story For All Ages will tentatively be in Spanish. Rudra is looking for someone fluent in Spanish to pare down the story and either tell it or coach Rudra with his basic Spanish skills. Is there someone available? Please email Rudra if you're able to help.
From the Sun/Moon Group
Full CircleOn Saturday, November 16th at 7pm in Fleishman Hall, the Sun Moon Group will host the third part of the Women & Spirituality Film Series: Full Circle. The last chapter looks at the story of goddess worship in ancient and modern times. This film focuses on feminine values of nurturing, the interdependence of all the earth's inhabitants, and honoring them with respect. Full Circle suggests bringing civilization back to a holistic state in which the strengths of both genders are honored. Discussion and refreshments to follow the screening.
Choir Corner
musical chalice Enjoy the warmth of musical community in cold November-- join the choir! The 2U choir rehearses in the sanctuary on Tuesday evenings from 7:15 to 8:30. All voices are welcome! For more information, email music director Marianne Parker, or just come to a rehearsal.
Welcome to Our Newest 2U Members!

Ashley Boyd grew up in Antioch, CA. She attended San Diego State University where she earned a BA in Political Science and Women's Studies and a Master's degree in Women's Studies. Ashley works as the Registrar for the Institute for Clinical Social Work, which offers Master's and doctoral programs in Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy. In her free time Ashley enjoys reading (especially science fiction) and writing (TV and creative writing), and tutors children in an after-school program. 2U was recommended to Ashley by her UU minister, Arvid Straube, in San Diego. She has already joined the Social Justice Council at 2U-- her new church home.

  

Tim Graves grew up in Springfield, IL. He joined the Navy in 1999 and experienced three combat tours: Operation Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and Iraqi Freedom. After teaching aviation electronics, Tim moved back to the Chicago area in 2008. He is the father of Tim Jr., 11, Evan, 9, and Dylan, 5. He works for a company which helps companies advertise and diversify their workforce. Tim is involved with One North Side, and at 2U is on the Social Justice Council, helps produce The Hammer newsletter, and is involved with the Prisoner Ministry and the Night Ministry. He and Alexis Graves were married July 27 and will have a commitment ceremony at 2U on May 10, 2014.

 

Alexis Graves was born in Chicago and raised in Evanston. She attended DePaul University and graduated from National Louis University with a degree in business management. Alexis works as an executive assistant at a property evaluation firm. She has an identical twin sister who lives in California and a father with whom she shares a love of reading (they both enjoy jointly reading crime and mystery novels). Alexis stays current with Jeopardy, which she watches regularly. Alexis found 2U through her husband Tim. She may be interested in joining a small group at 2U. 
 
A warm welcome to Ashley, Tim, Alexis, Tim Jr, Evan, and Dylan!
Deck the Halls at 2U!
sanctuary wreaths
Wednesday, December 4, 2013

7:00pm

 

Save the date for 2U's annual holiday decorating party! Come at 6:30pm for Vespers, and stick around afterward to decorate the sanctuary and Palmer Room for the holidays. The staff will provide the decorations, the music, and the coffee, tea, and hot cocoa; we're counting on you to provide the laughter, the helping hands, and the fellowship to get us ready for the holiday season.

 

We hope to see you there!

Money Matters
The weekly cost of running 2U is $5,275!

2U's annual budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014 is $274,324. This includes a budgeted deficit of $7,174.

For the Year to Date period July 1 to September 30, 2013:
Actual Pledges + Collection Plate =
$50,897
Budgeted Pledges + Collection Plate =
$54,239
     Surplus or (Deficit)
$(3,341)

ActualBudgeted
Total Revenues Year-to-Date =$72,571$66,788
Total Expenses Year-to-Date =$66,359$68,581
     Total Surplus or (Deficit)$6,212$(1,794)

In September, we raised $815.97 for the collection plate sharing recipient, the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society.

Reminder: Please support the November 2nd Fall FUNdraiser!

Thank you so much for helping to make 2U possible!

Did you know?
Prefer to give by donations of stock? 2U can accept your donation of stock via the UUA. Please contact Jen Duston for details. This could be a way to preserve your cash and give in a tax efficient manner if you have unrealized capital gains. Please allow up to two weeks for processing.
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 noon on Wednesday, November 13.