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Newsletter of 2nd Unitarian Church of Chicago
March 15, 2014
In This Issue
Worship at 2U
 
Sunday, March 16
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music by Kimberly Bares & MarySue Barrett

Wednesday, March 19
Vespers Service at 6:30

Sunday, March 23
Service at 10:30
Guest Preacher: 
Rev. Karen Hutt
Music by David Haeckel, Rosalind Hurwitz, Katie Johnson & Jen Duston

Wednesday, March 26
Vespers Service at 6:30

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

Wednesday, April 2
Vespers Service at 6:30

Sunday, April 6
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music by Jim Simonis

Wednesday, April 9
Vespers Service at 6:30
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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, March 16
Spirit Play
Roots & Shoots

Sunday, March 23
Spirit Play
UUExplorers
Youth Group

Sunday, March 30
Spirit Play
UUExplorers

Sunday, April 6
Spirit Play
UUExplorers
Coming of Age at 1pm at First Unitarian
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Church Office Information & Staff

Minister
773-549-0260, ext. 13
Office Hours:
Wed-Thurs afternoons & evenings, other days & times by appointment
 
Dir. of Faith Development
773-549-0260, ext. 12
Office Hours:
Wed 5:00-9:00 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

Covenant of Earth & Sky

Finance Committee

Green Sanctuary

Hospitality 

Library

Lifespan Faith Dev.

Membership

Music

Newsletter

Night Ministry Outreach

Pastoral Care

Safe Congregations 

Small Group Ministry

Social Justice

Sunday Services

Transylvania Church

Webmaster

Young Adult Group
Erin Rusmi
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Board of Trustees 
 









                                  
From the Board Chair

The annual 2U canvass begins on Sunday, March 16, and the focus this year is on living out our values and investing in our future. The canvass is the process by which we discuss what we value about our faith tradition and our congregation, make new connections and forge stronger ones with those we know among our members and friends, and dream big. The results helps us craft a budget for the work of our church on which the congregation will vote at our annual meeting in May.


Over the last couple of months, the members of the Board of Trustees and Finance Committee, in consultation with Reverend Adam Robersmith and our staff, have looked closely at our budget and the ways in which we collect and allocate our resources of time, talent, space, and money. We have created a draft budget that reflects the direction we'd like for the church to take and sets our priorities for the coming fiscal year (which begins July 1). These include: recognizing and investing in our talented and capable minister and staff; caring for and "greening" our building and grounds; supporting our growing congregation with additional resources to make it possible for us to connect with one another, with visitors, and with other organizations; maintaining our commitment to social justice and service to others; and balancing our budget.


In an effort to meet the UUA's fair compensation guidelines related to our minister and staff, the board promotes several changes to the ways in which we compensate our minister and staff, including salary increases so that each of the church's four regular employees receives the minimum salary recommended for their position and moving to provide the UUA's recommended 10% of salary to each eligible employee for retirement. These improvements align us better with our values and help to establish our congregation as a fair employer. Too, they represent an investment in our future: we have an incredibly talented and devoted minister and staff and the more we invest in them, the stronger our congregation will be.


We would like to maintain our old building and make good use of it! This requires our collective energy and resources of both time and money. We have made some important improvements to our building and grounds this year, but there is always more to be done, especially given the challenges of the winter of '14. The 2U Green Sanctuary group, newly energized, hopes to realize some important energy-saving investments in the coming fiscal year, on top of the work for which the board approved funding at its March meeting (we will be replacing outdated and inefficient light fixtures and bulbs as soon as possible).


We hope to have additional funds to make it easier for our church office and programs to run most effectively, and to have the funding required to help us maintain our commitment to social justice. We also plan to pass a budget that is balanced.


One last goal for the canvass is for every member of the congregation to complete a pledge card and, if at all possible, make at least some financial contribution to the church. This church is the community of ourselves and our impact is greater when each and every one of us contributes.


The draft budget under consideration by the Finance Committee and the Board of Trustees calls on us to stretch ourselves to support 2U. But, we hope and trust that each of you shares our commitment to this congregation and will pledge as generously as you are able to the church for the coming fiscal year. Full speed ahead 2U...and with great rejoicing!


Please feel free to contact me or board treasurer Gregory Redfeairn if you have questions about this year's canvass.


Best,

Monica Drane

Chair, 2U Board of Trustees
The Canvass!

The One-on-One Canvass Meeting: The 2U canvass will launch on Sunday, March 16--and we can't wait to get started! We have 23 members of the congregation who have agreed to canvass other members and friends in one-on-one conversations in the coming weeks. In order for the canvass to operate as smoothly as possible, please respond to your canvasser as soon as he/she contacts you to schedule your individual canvass session. These informal sessions are designed to provide members and friends the opportunity to connect with a member of the church who can answer questions about the priorities of the church and the budget and who can take your comments to the board for consideration. We generate lots of good ideas--in addition to pledges of financial support--through the canvass. Please take the time to meet with your canvasser: your meeting can be as quick as 10 minutes in the Palmer Room before church on Sunday or as long as a leisurely conversation over coffee in your canvasser's living room (sometimes your canvass will even bake you muffins to accompany your coffee).


The Pledge Card: Please complete your pledge card, if possible, when you meet with your canvasser. The pledge card enables our office administrator to keep accurate records and our canvass team to monitor our progress. The members of the Finance Committee and our treasurer rely on the timely submission of pledge cards to create a budget that the Finance Committee can present to the congregation on May 18, the date of our annual meeting.


The Thermometer: Watch the thermometer in the Palmer Room as we reach toward our pledge goal!


Thanks: Thanks to those who have agreed to canvass, to Gregory Redfeairn for training the canvassers and assembling the canvass material and preparing the draft budget, to Tom D. and Laura M. for hosting the canvassers for a lovely canvasser appreciation dinner, and to Rev. Adam Robersmith and Jen Duston for supporting the effort.


Please contact Monica Drane or Gregory Redfeairn with questions about the canvass.
Spring Equinox Celebration

Friday, March 21, 2014

7:00pm


COVES (Covenant of Earth and Sky), Second Unitarian's CUUPS Chapter, invites all to join us for Spring Equinox on March 21st, Friday, at 7pm in the Sanctuary. Also known as Ostara, we celebrate the awakening of the earth, fertility and new life. Come experience the turning of the Wheel of the Year as we push out of this deep winter, into the thaw and welcome in the Spring. You are welcome to bring a dish to share for our reception after the celebration.


For any questions or comments, please email Shauna.

Spirit Play Training

Sunday, March 23, 2014

12:00-4:00pm

 

We will be offering our Amazing Spirit Play Training on March 23rd! Please join us for an afternoon of learning in community. The training will take volunteers on a wonderful journey through our Spirit Play classroom. Volunteers will learn how Spirit Play allows our youngest members to worship through story telling within a Montessori style environment. 

All new parents and any volunteers who are currently doorkeepers and are now ready to become storytellers are encouraged to attend.

The training will be led by Susan Frances, and Mary O'Leary. Lunch will be provided. Please email Raquel Garcia if you have any questions. For more information and to RSVP, click here.
3rd Annual 2U Stuff Swap

Sunday, March 23, 2014

11:30am

 

We  have a problem with Stuff. We use too much, too much of it is toxic, and we don't share it very well. But that's not the way things have to be. Together, we can build a society based on better, not more; sharing, not selfishness; community, not division.
 
Check out these videos on The Story of Stuff, The Story of Solutions, and others at TheStoryofStuff.org. Then, bring your unwanted stuff to the 2U Swap, and find a treasure someone else brought in!
 
This is our third annual not-to-be-missed Stuff Swap! Please bring toys, decorations, kitchen utensils, jewelry, baby stuff, dinnerware, and other household goods that you would like to swap. (No clothing, please.)
 
We are also planning a future exchange for books, DVDs, and CDs!
Intercultural Communications Class
Thursdays, April 3-May 8, 2014

7:00-9:00pm


Have you ever wished you could learn how to communicate with people more effectively? Wanted to be better at dealing with conflict? Wondered why you weren't comfortable with certain kinds of conversations about race, politics, class, gender, and so on?  Come join Rev. Adam on Thursday evenings from April 3 through May 8 at 7:00pm!


Intercultural Communication is based in a developmental model. It tells us that we learn how to communicate across difference. It's not an innate skill or a genetic trait; instead, it's a set of skills we develop to communicate more effectively. In these six sessions, we'll pick up some ideas, practice some skills, understand the nature (and culture) of conflict, and talk about how we can do this in the congregation. 

 

This material is applicable to issues of race, gender, orientation, class, ethnicity, ability & disability, age, and much more. It's not just for any one group - this learning has been studied across a wide range of ethnic groups and cultural differences. If you communicate with people who are different from you in some way at home, work, play, or church - and who doesn't? - please join us for this class!
2U Buddhist Fellowship Retreat

Saturday, April 5, 2014

9:00am to 5:00pm


Join the Second Unitarian Buddhist Fellowship (2UBF) for a day of stillness as we kick off a unique meditation group. Explore the intersection of Buddhist and Unitarian Universalist principles in a gentle and welcoming environment.

 

Two long-time practitioners will be giving instruction: Larry Axelrod from Insight Chicago (Vipassana/Theravada) and Larry Wolf from Shambhala Chicago (Shambhala/Vajrayana). Also, near the end of the retreat day we will be inviting everyone to participate in shaping this new Buddhist Group at 2U if they want.

 

Sign up here, or on the Welcome Table.

Sounds of Faith Concert

Sunday, April 6, 2014

3:00-5:00pm

Anshe Emet Synagogue, 3751 N. Broadway

 

"Sounds connect people to the Divine and to each other, bridging divides and promoting compassion and health for the entire family."
~Dr. Shakeela Z. Hassan
 
You are cordially invited to attend the 12th annual Dr. Arnold H. Kaplan Concert: Sounds of Faith.
 
Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi and Dr. Shakeela Hassan bring together the following participants for a magnificent concert of sacred sounds:
 
Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi - Amro Hosny Helmy - Schola Antiqua of Chicago - Cantor Aviva Katzman - Dexter Walker and the Zion Movement - Hakan Berberoglu - The Islamic Foundation Children's Choir - Rev. Fr. Apostolos Gergiafentis - Muezins & Shofar Blowers - Beth Shalom Bnai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation - and more!
 
A thoughtful benefactor has arranged for members and friends of 2U to attend this concert free of charge, but you must sign up by April 1, 2014 to take advantage of this wonderful generosity! Please sign up at the Welcome Table, or email office administrator Jen Duston to add your name to the list of attendees.
 
More information is available at the Anshe Emet website.
Getting Stuff Done: Systems @ 2U
Saturday, April 12, 2014

12:00-2:00pm

 

Have you ever noticed the connections that keep things going at 2U? Some of them are obvious, like how Rev. Adam connects with the congregation during worship on Sunday mornings, or how the Board of Trustees manages the resources we contribute. Other connections are harder to see, but they're just as important when we want to get things done together.

 

If you've ever held or considered a leadership position at 2U, you not only need to know our org chart -- you need to see all the connections among the people and groups who have a stake in what you're doing. On Saturday, April 12 at noon, join veteran 2U leaders Laura McKee and Sue Dunmore for "Getting Stuff Done: Systems @ 2U" to learn to use the skills of systems thinking to identify opportunities to move the congregation forward in support of 2U's mission.

 

To find out more or to sign up, please contact Margaret Redlich; sign-up sheets will also be available on the Welcome Table in the Palmer Room. Please stay tuned for future opportunities such as these later in the year!
Second Sunday Social

Sunday, April 13, 2014

11:30am

 

Congratulations to all for a wonderful inaugural Second Sunday Social on march 9th! It's time to start planning for the next one on April 13th. Again, this will take place instead of coffee hour on that date.

 

If you want to share in a delicious meal and good conversation, those whose last names begin with A-F are requested to bring a main dish; G-L a salad or condiment; M-R desserts; and S-Z beverages (wine is OK). It would be much appreciated if you would list the ingredients on a card that we can set up by your dish for those with allergy problems. If you are not able to bring a dish to share, we ask that you donate $5, which will go toward the furtherance of our social justice programs.

 

We need helpers with set-up and clean-up! When you sign up to attend, please specify whether you will help with set-up (if so, please be at the church at 10am) or clean-up (please plan to stay until about 1pm). Sign up on the Welcome Table in the Palmer Room.

 

We look forward to having you join us!

Child Dedication

Sunday, April 13, 2014

10:30am

 

During our Child Dedication Ceremony, we welcome children into the world, and into our religious community, by formally giving them their name. We dedicate children to the highest ideals of life, and the congregation dedicates itself to supporting parents and guardians and their children, as those children grow up. We rededicate ourselves to creating a more just world, a world in which all children are welcomed and may thrive. If you are a member of 2U and would like to have your child(ren) dedicated into the 2U community during the service on April 13th, please email Raquel Garcia. 

MidAmerica Regional Assembly

Registration is now open for the MidAmerica Regional Assembly in Wausau, Wisconsin on April 11-12, 2014. Register online here. Interested in ride-sharing? Sign up on the Welcome Table in the Palmer Room if you need a ride, or if you can provide a ride for others.

General Assembly 2014

This year's UU General Assembly takes place June 25-29 in Providence, RI. Please contact Monica Drane if you are interested in serving as a 2U delegate at GA.

A Note of Thanks

Thank you to all in the 2U community who have supported Rose and me through the past couple of months of my father's diagnosis, decline and passing.  The thoughts, prayers and hugs shared since mid-January have been more sustaining than words can express.  We offer our apologies for meetings missed and promises not kept due to the limits of 24-hour days, 7-day weeks and the limited capacity of a (non-maternal)  human being to focus on more than 17 things simultaneously.  We look forward to being able to return to our "new normal" life and into the mainstream of our community as we are received with warm hugs, open hearts and untold measures of support.

-Rose and John Broome.

Choir Corner

musical chalice The 2U choir rehearses in the sanctuary on Tuesday evenings from 7:15 to 8:30. All voices are welcome! Tenors and sopranos are especially welcome! For more information, contact music director Marianne Parker.

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 February 28, 2013:
Actual Pledges + Collection Plate =
$140,108
Budgeted Pledges + Collection Plate =
$142,882
     Surplus or (Deficit)
$   2,774

ActualBudgeted
Total Revenues Year-to-Date =$197,055$177,754
Total Expenses Year-to-Date =$188,467$186,704
     Total Surplus or (Deficit)$   8,588$ (8,950)

In February, we raised $695.24 for the collection plate sharing recipient, Chicago ADAPT.

Thank you so much for helping to make 2U possible!
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, March 26.