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Newsletter of 2nd Unitarian Church of Chicago
May 15, 2014
In This Issue
Worship at 2U
 
Sunday, May 18
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music by the 2U Choir
Annual Meeting Following the Service!

Sunday, May 25
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith

Sunday, June 1
Flower Communion & Ingathering
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music by Carey Farrell

Sunday, June 8
Music Sunday
Service at 10:30
Worship Leaders: Rev. Adam Robersmith & Marianne Parker
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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, May 18
Spirit Play
Roots & Shoots

Sunday, May 25
Spirit Play
UUExplorers
Youth Group

Sunday, June 1
Intergenerational service: no classes

Sunday, June 8
Music Sunday
Intergenerational service: no classes
______________________
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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 Minister & Board Chair

We are coming up quickly on the end of our church year! The Canvass is essentially wrapped up, our Annual Meeting is on Sunday, and the congregation's fiscal year ends on June 30. We're rushing headlong into Flower Communion on June 1 as the close to the "regular" church year and then Music Sunday on June 8 as the beginning of our Summer worship.

 

Please be sure to attend our Annual Meeting this Sunday, May 18th. We need your presence to meet the quorum! We'll be approving the budget, amending the by-laws, and electing leadership for next church year. Without your attendance, we cannot do these things...and will have to call another meeting. That's no fun. So, please help us celebrate the year and stick around for the annual meeting this Sunday!

 

We also want to thank...

  • the Nominating Committee for their work offering Leadership Development opportunities and recruiting a strong slate of candidates for leadership next year,

  • the Committee Council for its efforts in coordinating the life of our congregation and willingness to be open to the feedback of the congregation in our year's review of ministries, and

  • the Canvass Crew for their efforts to engage everyone in the congregation in conversation about the church and about our stewardship of resources.

In terms of stewardship, we are on track to end the year without a deficit. We'd planned to end this fiscal year with a deficit of $7,195, but between giving, rentals, and other income, it looks like we'll end without drawing on our reserves. Even better, we surpassed our Canvass goal. This has allowed us to develop a balanced budget that reflects our values and increases our ability to serve the needs of the congregation well.

 

Please join us to celebrate these accomplishments on Sunday after worship and set us up for a great next church year!

 

Faithfully,

Rev. Adam Robersmith &

Monica Drane, Board Chair

Annual Congregational Meeting

Sunday, May 18, 2014

11:30am

 

Please plan to attend the Second Unitarian Church Annual Meeting on Sunday, May 18, 2014 following the service. Childcare will be provided.

 

As per one of the seven principles of Unitarian Universalism, "the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large," the annual meeting is the time in the life of our congregation when we gather to exercise the democratic process in our church. Additionally, our church bylaws state that it is the member's "right and responsibility to contribute to the democratic life of the community." In order to conduct the business of the congregation, there must be a quorum (25%) of members present. Come and be a part of our church celebration and the planning for next year!

 

The purpose of the meeting is to:

  • Provide a review of 2013-2014 financial status and accomplishments

  • Approve the proposed 2014-15 church budget

  • Elect church leaders

  • Amend the by-laws as recommended by the Board

The Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the following slate of candidates:

 

Board of Trustees:

  • Chair Elect: Susan Zeigler
  • Council Chair: Roger Wykes
  • Treasurer: Jim Redlich

Nominating Committee:

  • Libby Harvey-Hill
  • Katherine Wolf
  • Kate Friedlob

Endowment Committee:

  • Jackie Dienstag

Thank you to the members of the Nominating Committee for their work to assemble this slate. Documentation on annual reports, slates, and the draft 2014-2015 budget will also be sent via e-mail and available on the Welcome Table in the Palmer Room.

 

We look forward to seeing all of you on May 18th!

Chicago World Music Chorus Concert

Sunday, May 18, 2014

5:30pm

 

You are warmly invited to join the Chicago World Music Chorus in the 2U sanctuary on Sunday, May 18th at 5:30pm for their free end-of-year concert! While not affiliated with our congregation, 2U has provided rehearsal space for this wonderful group, which contains a number of 2Uers, since last fall. The group is eager to share what they've learned! There will be powerful South African protest anthems and ancient Corsican calls and Georgian folk songs... and more. We hope you will join us!

Beltane Celebration Photos!

On May 4, COVES had a very successful all-church service to celebrate Beltane, the pagan holiday of fertility, new beginnings, and the burst of life from Nature after a long winter. Afterward, congregants continued the celebration of Beltane in a variety of activities, including making birdhouses for the garden, a bird bath raffle, making fairy wands, and seeing a Beltane altar. We had almost 20 children dancing around the Maypole, with some drumming! It was a bit chilly, but a great time was had by all.

beltane bird baths

beltane maypole beltane drumming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

beltane mosaic bird bath  

  herb garden 

 

 

 

 

beltane bird house building

2U Family Group

Join the 2U Family Group on Sunday, May 25th from Noon - 2pm! 

 
All the families with kids under 18 are invited to meet in the Loft at Noon for a light lunch, some games, and great socializing. See the fun and keep in touch through our site.
For Our Amazing LFD Volunteers

The LFD council and I are so grateful for the amazing work that you have done this year! You have all made my first year running the program such an amazing experience. Your knowledge and patience is truly appreciated. To show our gratitude we would like to invite you to breakfast on Sunday June 1st at 9:00am. We will be meeting at Ann Sather Restaurant to enjoy breakfast and good company. There will be a sign-up sheet at the welcome table; please fill out your name, a contact number, and whether you can attend or not. If you aren't able to join don't worry. We still have a Thank You card, and a gift card to Dollop coffee shop.

 

Remember, if you have helped throughout the year in any of our classrooms or the Welcome Table we want you to join us!

 

Raquel

News from our Community Minister

On Sunday, 11 May, the Great Lakes Unitarian Universalist Military Ministry selected Rev. Rudra Dundzila as their �-time ministerial coordinator for the next year and beyond. This is a UU community ministry focused on young adults. He will coordinate the ministry, coordinate worship leaders and associates, assist with fundraising, and lead worship once a month. The ministry offers a UU RE class, UU worship, and earth-based worship each Sunday at Great Lakes Naval for recruits in basic training. It is developing a UU worship service for enlisted Naval personnel at the A-School (specialized training) at Great Lakes. 

 

Rudra is a member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, for whom he occasionally teaches boating safety classes. He will continue teaching Humanities and Comparative Religion at Truman College full time.

Job Opening at the Night Ministry

The Night Ministry The Night Ministry is recruiting to find a new director for the Outreach and Health Ministry (known by many as "The Bus"). If you are interested in working with the homeless population and with the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual components of health, this job may be for you! Click here to see the posting on npo.net.

UU Midwest Leadership School

July 13-19, 2014

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

 

Find room to grow in a safe, immersive environment. Experience an intense week of small-group activities. Nurture your sense of the sacred through personal and shared theological exploration.

 

Concurrent adult and youth programs allow for a rich intergenerational experience. Come alone or with a team of adults and youth from your congregation.

 

To find out more, or to register, go to mwls.org.

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) from June 29th- July 5th, 2014.

 

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

Choir Corner

sheet music  

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.

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 April 30, 2013:
Actual Pledges + Collection Plate =
$180,310
Budgeted Pledges + Collection Plate =
$180,102
     Surplus or (Deficit)
$       208

ActualBudgeted
Total Revenues Year-to-Date =$243,076$227,173
Total Expenses Year-to-Date =$239,370$227,304
     Total Surplus or (Deficit)$   3,706$    (131)

In March, we raised $915.69 for the collection plate sharing recipient, our Transylvania Partner Church in Kenos.

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, May 28.