Anvil header

Newsletter of 2nd Unitarian Church of Chicago
April 1, 2015
In This Issue...
Worship at 2U

Sunday, April 5
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music by Carey Farrell

Sunday, April 12
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Rudra Dundzila
Music by Jim Simonis

Sunday, April 19
Service at 10:30
Preachers: Rev. Adam Robersmith and Dir. of Faith Dev., Raquel Garcia
Music by 2U Choir

Sunday, April 26
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music TBD
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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, April 5
Spirit Play
UU Explorers

Sunday, April 12
Spirit Play
UU Explorers
Youth Group

Sunday, April 19
Intergenerational service:
no classes

Sunday, April 26
Spirit Play
UU Explorers
Youth Group
______________________
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Church Office Information & Staff

Minister
773-549-0260, ext. 13
Office Hours:
Wed-Thurs evenings, other days & times by appointment
 
Dir. of Faith Development
773-549-0260, ext. 12
Office Hours:
Sun 9:00-3:00
Other days & times by appointment

Congregational 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

Adult Faith Dev.

Bookstore

Buddhist Fellowship

Building & Grounds

Committee on Ministry

Covenant of Earth & Sky

Fellowship Committee

Finance Committee

Green Sanctuary

Hospitality 

Library

Lifespan Faith Dev.

Membership

Music

Newsletter

Night Ministry Outreach

Pastoral Care

Safe Congregations 

Senior Potluck Lunch

Small Group Ministry

Social Justice

Sunday Services

Transylvania Church

Webmaster

Young Adult Group
David Dyer
Stephanie Bens
_____________________
Board of Trustees 
 
 






                                  
From the Minister

I've never been much of an April Fools' Day person. Replacing sugar with salt or changing someone else's calendar pages never held much interest for me as the prankster or the pranked. I do, however, love to laugh and find the humor, absurdity, and joy in life. I always hope for April 1st to be a day that offers me plenty to smile about.

 

What's bringing a smile to my face today is knowing how many of you have checked in with me to say, "Hey! I'd like to be more involved at 2U. How can I help?" No joke! Folks have stepped into positions we need to fill and offered to assist with things beyond what we'd been considering. Getting more involved is one of the best ways to get more out of your participation at the church - and if something is preventing you from connecting more deeply, please let me or someone in the church's leadership know. We'd love to help make it easier for you to find your place to get involved.

 

In this Anvil, you'll read about lots of ways to be involved at 2U including the Canvass (our pledge campaign for the coming year), the "Who Are Our Neighbors?" class I'm teaching in early May, and this Saturday night's Seder dinner. You can get involved beyond 2U through the Chicago Chalice Connection, our Regional Assembly this month, and the UUA's General Assembly in June, too. I hope that today will be a day in which making a connection with the congregation will bring a smile to your face as well. After all, without your participation and your generosity, we simply couldn't do what we do for one another and in the world!

 

Faithfully, and with a smile,

Rev. Adam

Who Are Our Neighbors?
Do you have an interest in how to grow more comfortable being in relationships with people who are different from you? Would you like to learn how to be a better friend, ally, and neighbor? Would you like to explore why our nation and communities struggle with racism, classism, homophobia, sexism, and ableism? Are you wondering how you can be more effective in communicating with others in this increasingly diverse world?  If so, please join Rev. Adam on Saturdays May 2 & 9 from 12-5pm at 2U for "Who Are Our Neighbors?" (Please note the date change!)

In this class, we'll examine how we grow in our ability to speak to one another across our differences and think about how we can each develop greater communication skills. I have found this work transformative and enlightening, and I hope you will, too. You can sign up for the class by emailing me or using the sign-up sheet on the Welcome Table. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to ask me!
What does "Fair Share" mean for 2U?
First, thank you to all the Canvassers and those of you who have pledged already - your generosity and timeliness enables us to more accurately and efficiently budget for next church year. As we make progress in our Canvass, a few questions arose about the pledge card item concerning 2U's "Fair Share." To understand this, you'll need a little background on how 2U fits into the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). As a UU congregation, 2U is "in Association" with the UUA but has individual polity, meaning that our Board controls the finances and policies at the congregational level. We, the Members, elect the Board and the Board asks us to vote on significant changes to how our community works, like changes to the Bylaws and the annual Budget - there is no one from the UUA or the Region telling us how those things must be done. The UUA however, represents us nationally as a religious denomination, and provides value in a great many ways via the UUA Annual Program Fund, which is funded by congregations like ours. Explore http://www.uua.org/giving/apf/stewardship to see how our association with the UUA bears fruit like Standing on the Side of Love and certifying the quality and professional skills of our ministers.

The "Fair Share" is a recommended contribution asked from congregations to support UUA's programs. In FY 2016, the requested UUA Fair Share amount is $60 per member. That is why each year the congregation determines how many members we have in good standing. Currently 2U contributes at a half Fair Share level, and will do so again in 2016. Some years ago, when budgets were even tighter, 2U did not contribute any Fair Share; since then, we have worked our way back up to half. When we didn't contribute, 2U wasn't ejected from the UUA, but we were not bearing our shared responsibility.

Paying our Fair Share also supports the MidAmerica Region UUA. Formerly, we were in the Central Midwest District. Three midwestern Districts were consolidated for greater efficiency into the MidAmerica Region (https://www.midamericauua.org/about-us/who-we-are) which provides support in the form of professional training, consultation on ministerial matters, and our annual Regional Assembly (coming in mid-April). Currently we contribute half our Fair Share ($24/member) to the Region. The last element of our Fair Share is the Chicago Area UU Council (http://uuchicagoarea.org/ See, 2U us on the home page!) to which 2U belongs and pays full Fair Share ($1/member) and funds our participation in raising the profile of Unitarian Universalism in the greater Chicago. Our intention is to eventually return to full Fair Share contribution to the UUA, the Region and Chicago Area UU Council. Please note that the UU Service Committee (http://www.uusc.org/) performs many social actions on our behalf, but are not funded directly via the Fair Share - we invite you to understand and support the UUSC efforts through participation and donations individually.

We encourage you to increase your pledge by the total Fair Share, because your further generosity frees up other contributions that would've been needed to keep 2U a congregation in good standing with our denomination.
The Great 2U Seder is THIS SATURDAY!
Saturday, April 4, 2015
6:00 PM

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 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. Please contact Neal Shankman at [email protected] to sign up.
Committee on Ministries Town Hall Meeting

Rev. Rudra Dundzila has been a part of our congregation for over a decade.  He has provided sermons, headed the pastoral care committee, taught adult religious education classes and served as our community minister. And perhaps most importantly, Rev. Dundzila has been a constant and soothing presence during difficult transitions at 2U.

 

Rev. Dundzila is going through the Ministerial Fellowship process with the UUA. His goal is to be officially credentialed as part of our religious community. Rev. Dundzila has established a Fellowship committee, which includes Marilyn Hebda, a member of our Committee on Ministries (COM).

 

Part of this process is to reflect on how Rev. Dundzila has served 2U. COM has scheduled a chat on Sunday, April 12th after the service to listen to your comments on how Rev. Dundzila has contributed to the life of this community. Please join COM and Rev. Dundzila at this meeting. If you are not able to attend, you may email your comments to [email protected].

MidAmerica Regional Assembly

 

Registration is now open for the MidAmerica Region UUA Regional Assembly. Please click here to register and learn more. 

Stay Connected
Did you know that the UUA and MidAmerica Region UUA have their own respective newsletters?

Click here for more information about the UUA and click here to sign up for their newsletter, UU World.

Click here for more information about the MidAmerica Region UUA and click here to sign up for their newsletter.
Spring Orientation begins on April 19th

Calling all visitors - who want to become members!


The 2U Spring Orientation will be held Sunday, April 19; Sunday, April 26; and Sunday, May 3 following services. Sessions are scheduled to begin at noon in Fleishman Hall and will end at 2:00 PM or before. If you are interested in attending, please sign up on the Welcome Table in the Palmer Room. Child care will be available for those who request it in advance.

 

While attending any one of these three orientation sessions will meet the by-law requirements for membership, attending all three will provide a greater breadth and depth of understanding for the theological roots of our community, ways to engage with the 2U community, how 2U is organized, and what membership really means.

 

Please contact Membership Chair, Judy Corbeillewith any questions, or for more information.
Selma at 50: Still Marching

Chicago Theological Seminary is pleased to announce their 2015 Spring Conference, "Selma at 50" Still Marching." The conference, taking place on campus Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25, will trace a thread through the legacy of civil rights activism to current activist movements in Chicago and around the country to inspire a new generation of leaders working toward a more just society in our lifetime. The conference includes keynote addresses from Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. and Michelle Alexander, award-winning author of The New Jim Crow. Featuring practical workshops, a dedicated track for youth participants, special performances and events this conference is not to be missed! To see the full line up of speakers, partners and events, or to register, please visit selma.ctschicago.edu.

Classes From the Pastoral Care Team in 2015

The Pastoral Care Team at 2U is hosting a series of classes to provide information about approaches to planning for many aspects of the end of life. Thank you to those of you who have attended some of our session so far this year! Mark your calendars for these upcoming session dates:

  • Death with Dignity: While not legal in Illinois, physician-aid-in-dying is an important movement in relation to end-of-life care options, so we will host two events this spring in relation to it. On Saturday, April 25, 10:00am-12:00pm, we will screen the documentary How to Die in Oregon, which tells the stories of terminally ill Oregonians, their family and friends, and their doctors, as they consider utilizing physician aid in dying. The following weekend, on Sunday, May 3, 12:00-1:30pm, we will be joined for a panel discussion by two individuals who are leading the movement to legalize physician aid in dying in Illinois: Bess Schenkier of Compassion & Choices, and Ed Gogol of Hemlock of Illinois.

Please RSVP here to help us plan for each session, and a reminder email will be sent to you the week before. The series is open to everyone, regardless of age, spot in the "planning" process, or being a 2U member or not. To help cover costs of guest speakers, we request each attendee to donate a one-time amount of $10, no matter if you attend one class or all of them. You can bring cash or check (made out to Bonnie Ewald) on the day of the event.

Please contact Nanna Cross or Bonnie Ewald with any questions.

Grief Support Groups for Members and Friends of 2U
Rev. Elizabeth Harding, a member of 2U who works as a Grief Support Counselor with Midwest Hospice and Palliative Care facilitates grief support groups for those who have recently experienced the loss of family members or close friends.  

Elizabeth is willing to do a grief 
support group at 2U but would like at least 8 participants to do the group. Please contact Nanna Cross ([email protected]) if you are interested in participating in a grief support group at 2U. This group wouldn't meet until late spring/early summer. 
 
Elizabeth will be facilitating a group at the Bodhi Center in April, which is on Diversey and Magnolia Wednesday evenings, 7 to 8:30 PM. There is no set date for that group yet. Members and friends of 2U are welcome to join, but Elizabeth requests contacting her at work to register (847-730-1209;
[email protected]).
Beltane Celebration

Friday, May 1st

7:00 PM

 

It is still Early Spring in Chicago, but the Earth will wake up soon and bring forth flowers and milder temps as the Wheel of the Year turns. The Covenant of Earth and Sky welcomes all to join us in one of the most popular celebrations, BELTANE, also known as May Day, on Friday, May 1st at 7pm. It is time to light the fires of Beltane in anticipation of the Summer drawing nearer. Fires of transformation, fires of illumination for all! We will dance around the Maypole, outside if it is mild enough, and celebrate! All are welcome, including children. Please bring a dish to share (sweet or savory) and bring a drum or hand instrument to play for the Maypole dance. Blessed Be!!! 

Chicago Pagan Pride - Opening Ceremony

The Covenant of Earth and Sky is proud to announce that we will be giving the Opening Ceremony of this year's Chicago Pagan Pride in Oak Park, Sunday, September 13th at 11:30am. This is a great opportunity to connect with the Pagan community of Chicagoland as well as those who come from IL, WI, IN and MI to the festival.

 

It may seem early in the calendar, but it is time to start planning!!!! We need a strong group to represent Second Unitarian's CUUPS chapter at this event that draws about 500 people in attendance. We welcome all who would like to participate! Our first meeting will be Wednesday, May 20 at 7pm. Please contact Shauna at [email protected] for any questions or comments.
Coffee Hosts Needed!

Please sign up to be a coffee host! Providing snacks assures that we have a welcoming environment for guests and more reasons to connect with our community following service. Your participation is GREATLY appreciated!


 

Please sign up in the Palmer Room or by clicking below:

 


Please contact our coffee hour maven, Laura McKee, if you have any questions at [email protected].

 

Choir Corner


Sing to Spring!

 

Join the choir! The 2U choir rehearses in the sanctuary on Tuesday evenings from 7:15 to 8:30. All voices are welcome. Sopranos and tenors are especially welcome! For more information, please contact our music director, Marianne Parker.

Money Matters
The weekly cost of running 2U is $5,890!

2U's annual budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015 is $306,403.

For the Year to Date period July 1, 2014 to February 28, 2015:
Actual Pledges + Collection Plate =
$157,769
Budgeted Pledges + Collection Plate =
$164,147
     Surplus or (Deficit)
($6,378)

ActualBudgeted
Total Revenues Year-to-Date =$220,222$214,083
Total Expenses Year-to-Date =$211,439$204,456
     Total Surplus or (Deficit)$8,783$9,627

In February, we raised $501.64 for the collection plate sharing recipient, Black and Pink.

Thank you so much for helping to make 2U possible!
Anvil Deadlines
Have a message to put in the next Anvil? Plan ahead! Please have all submissions for the next newsletter submitted to Andrew Zallar, Congregational Administrator, at [email protected] by noon on Monday, April 13th.