Wednesday, April 16
Vespers Service at 6:30
Sunday, April 20
Service at 10:30
Easter Sunday
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music by the 2U Choir
Wednesday, April 23
Vespers Service at 6:30
Sunday, April 27
Service at 10:30
Worship leader: John Houck
Music by Audrey Shadle & Marianne Parker
Wednesday, April 30
Vespers Service at 6:30
Sunday, May 4
Service at 10:30
Beltane
Worship leaders: Rev. Adam Robersmith & the 2U CUUPS chapter
Music by Kat Wyand, Gail Gallagher & Rosalind Hurwitz
Wednesday, May 7
Vespers Service at 6:30
Sunday, May 11
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Rudra Dundzila
Music by Katie Johnson
______________________
|
Children & Youth Faith Development Schedule
Child care for infants and toddlers is available every Sunday in the Green Caterpillar room.
Sunday, April 20
Spirit Play
Roots & Shoots
Sunday, April 27 Spirit Play UUExplorers Youth Group
Sunday, May 4 Spirit Play UUExplorers Coming of Age at 1pm Sunday, May 11 Spirit Play UUExplorers Youth Group
|
Recent 2U Plate-Sharing Recipients
_____________________
|
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
Finance Committee
Green Sanctuary
Hospitality
Library
Lifespan Faith Dev.
Membership
Music
Newsletter
Pastoral Care
Safe Congregations
Small Group Ministry
Social Justice
Transylvania Church
Webmaster
Young Adult Group
|
|
|
News From the Board Chair
|
The Big Picture: The members of the 2U board of trustees are fully engaged with the work of aligning our congregation's priorities and values with our resources, especially our financial resources. We are attending to the church's annual stewardship campaign through which we solicit contributions, in the form of pledges of financial support for the coming fiscal year (July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015), from our members and friends. At the same time, we are looking closely at our draft budget for the coming year to assess how our spending might best reflect 2U's values.
We are aiming to increase our pledge income for the coming fiscal year by close to 13%. This represents a substantial increase, but the members of the board and those of the Finance Committee believe that 2U is in an especially strong position to realize this goal. We are a vibrant, healthy, diverse, and energized congregation. Our membership continues to increase at a steady pace and our staff is the most stable it has been in several years.
With the additional funds generated by the anticipated pledge income increase for the new year, the board of trustees plans for the church to:
-
more fairly compensate our minister and staff, invest in their development, and recognize their many contributions and talents;
-
balance our budget, so that we spend only what we are able to generate in income;
-
provide additional administrative resources to meet the needs of a congregation that is growing in both members and activity;
-
maintain our building and "green" it where possible; and,
-
support our social justice work in the Lakeview community and beyond.
We cannot do this important work without your financial support!
The Canvass: We are over the halfway mark in terms of pledge dollars generated by this year's stewardship campaign. Our canvassers, who are members of our congregation, have gathered pledge commitments from close to half of our membership. We are making good progress!
But we still have a way to go. Please respond to your canvasser if he/she has contacted you regarding a canvass meeting. These sessions are great opportunities to discuss the church and your experience of it. They also represent a chance to extend and deepen your connections to 2U. Please submit your pledge card or otherwise communicate, to your canvasser or to Jen in the church office, your pledge commitment by April 21. The members of the board and Finance Committee--who are all volunteers--need to prepare a final draft budget for the congregation to consider at the May 18 annual meeting. The sooner you can communicate your pledge commitment for the coming year, the better. Last, please track our pledge-drive progress on the thermometer in the Palmer Room at church--and consider all that we can do together as members of this liberal faith community!
In Other News: The board agreed to serve as the congregational sponsor for a nonprofit called Healing Moments, on whose board 2U member Darrick Jackson sits. Healing Moments hopes to present a theatrical performance at our church in March 2015, with the support of the UU Funding Panel, to educate people about issues related to caregivers of those with Alzheimer's Disease.
Thanks: I would like to thank for their efforts and their support: the 23 members of the congregation who have volunteered to serve as canvassers this spring; Tom Denio and the members of the Finance Committee, including our 2U Treasurer Gregory Redfeairn; those members who have volunteered to deliver canvass testimonials during Sunday services; and, my fellow board members for their many contributions to this year's stewardship campaign. Jen, our 2U office administrator, has been an invaluable member of the canvass team!
Please contact me if you have questions or suggestions about the church's budget or stewardship campaign or anything else related to the work of the board of trustees.
See you in church!
~Monica Drane
Chair, 2U Board of Trustees
|
The Great 2U Seder is This Saturday!
|
Saturday, April 19, 2014
6:30pm
Join us this Saturday for 2U's annual celebration of Passover, one of the highlights of the Jewish sacred year and, traditionally, our church's biggest event honoring the Jewish sources of our Unitarian Universalist faith.
The seder is a worship service held around the dinner table, as the traditional story of the Jewish exodus from Egypt is retold. We use prayer, ritual, food, and song to celebrate our own freedoms, and to remember all those who do not. The seder also celebrates the return of spring and new growth as this part of the world awakens from the long (LONG) sleep of winter.
The matzah is ready to go, but we need ALL HANDS ON DECK to make this big, beloved event happen, so we hope you can sign up for at least one thing to bring and one thing to do, as you are able. Go to VolunteerSpot now and let us know you're coming!
|
Lay-Led Poetry Service
|
Sunday, April 27, 2014
10:30am
On April 27 we will honor National Poetry Month in a service led by John Houck that is designed to explore and challenge our spiritual uses of poetry. We hope you will join us.
|
What Do You Want from Religious Education?
|
Lifespan Faith Development is planning for next year's curriculum. We value your input! Please fill out this survey and let us know what you are looking for in future Religious Education opportunities.
Thank you,
The LFD Council
|
Choir Corner
|
Welcome spring! Sing! The 2U choir rehearses in the sanctuary on Tuesday evenings from 7:15 to 8:30. All voices are welcome! For more information, contact music director Marianne Parker.
|
Hospitality Team Lead Needed
|
The Hospitality Team is in need of a team lead for the second Sunday hospitality team. The role includes organizing a small team of volunteers to provide pre, during and post services duties every second Sunday of every month. Please contact Christine H. for more information.
|
Beltane Service and Celebration!
|
Sunday, May 4, 2014
10:30am
It is the time of year to celebrate the full bloom of spring, the fertility of the earth and the Unitarian principle of the web of life, where all things are interconnected. Covenant of Earth and Sky (COVES) is offering the service with the participation of Rev. Adam Robersmith. Congratulations to COVES for their new CUUPS status!
After the service, the Roots & Shoots group, Rev. Adam, and COVES have planned a Beltane Celebration for all. Dance around the Maypole, help plant the raised herb garden, make a Bird House (pre-order here), Fairy Wand or May Basket with Rev. Adam, and bring home a surprise!
Roots and Shoots is unveiling a bird bath they have created to help the 2U yard become a wildlife habitat. We're hoping to have one to raffle off as well!
Help! If you have any decorative 12" x 12" paper, ribbons, yarn, buttons or decorative trinkets that need to be repurposed, please drop them off in the Spirit Play Room, after service and prior to April 27th. Please contact Shauna or Libby with questions, or if you would like to help with the celebration.
|
Volunteer With Team 2U for Chicago River Day!
|
Saturday, May 10, 2014
9:00am - noon
Clark Park, 3400 N. Rockwell
(behind Lane Tech High School)
On Chicago River Day thousands of volunteers gather for a day of hands-on environmental work throughout the Chicago River system working side-by-side to collect garbage and sort for recycling, remove invasive vegetation, spruce up river-edge trails, plant native seedlings, and much more.
Chicago River Day participants include corporate teams, community organizations, school groups, families, and individuals of various skill and ability levels from throughout the 673-square mile Chicago River system.
|
Mark Your Calendars!
|
Please attend the Sunday, May 11 board chat after the service to learn more about the draft budget for the coming fiscal year. The members of the board will present the draft budget, and will ask for input from the members and friends of the congregation before the board's vote on the final version of the draft budget at the regular monthly board meeting on May 14. The members of the congregation will then vote on the final draft budget at the annual meeting on Sunday, May 18. Please contact Monica Drane if you have questions or ideas.
|
MidWest Leadership School
|
The MidWest Leadership School for Unitarian Universalist lay leaders will take place July 13-19, 2014 at Beloit College in Wisconsin. If you are currently or soon-to-be active in a lay leadership role, or if you are interested in serving in a lay leadership role sometime in the future, this is a great opportunity to deepen your understanding of lay leadership in UU congregations. This week-long program will include workshops, discussions, intimate small groups, workshop preparation, personal theological exploration and growth, and will teach participants more about consensus-building, conflict management, healthy congregational growth, addressing social justice issues, working with volunteers, and how groups work, grow, and develop. If you're interested in signing up or learning more, please contact Erin Rusmi before May 1.
|
MUUSA 2014
|
It is my pleasure to invite you to join us this summer in the Missouri Ozarks at the annual Midwest Unitarian Universalist Summer Assembly (MUUSA).
Our Adult Planning Council and Youth Program leaders have created an extraordinary offering of workshops and community activities for families, couples and singles of all ages.
Reverend Amy Shaw will lead the daily Morning Celebration service on this year's theme: "Sailing Strange Shores: The Wisdom of the Weird." Come gather with us in the beautiful forests and rolling hills of the Missouri Ozarks at YMCA Trout Lodge, where you can connect with old friends, make new ones and participate in a wide variety of activities.
In 2014, we will be planning and building a permanent labyrinth on the Trout Lodge campus. We are also introducing a new room selection tool on our website. I truly hope you will be able to join us for what is sure to be an unforgettable year!
Chris Cable 2014 MUUSA President
|
2014 UUA General Assembly
|
This year's UUA General Assembly takes place in Providence, RI on June 25-29. The theme of the gathering is "Love Reaches Out." The UUA provides 2U with credentials for five member delegates and one alternate member delegate in addition to our minister-delegate credentials. Off-site delegates may participate for a fee, and must register by June 20. The tentative agenda for GA 2014 is available at uua.org/ga.
Please contact Monica Drane for more information or if you would like to serve as a 2U member delegate to the UUA's General Assembly.
|
|
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 March 31, 2013:
Actual Pledges + Collection Plate = |
| $158,581 | Budgeted Pledges + Collection Plate = |
| $161,454 | Surplus or (Deficit) |
| $ (2,873) |
| Actual | Budgeted | Total Revenues Year-to-Date = | $216,598 | $200,175 | Total Expenses Year-to-Date = | $217,339 | $207,370 | Total Surplus or (Deficit) | $ (741) | $ (7,195) |
In March, we raised $926.73 for the collection plate sharing recipient, Two Li'l Fishes, and $246.35 for the Fifth Sunday recipient, the 2U Night Ministry Outreach.
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, April 30.
|
|
|