Anvil header

Newsletter of 2nd Unitarian Church of Chicago
February 15, 2016
In This Issue...
Worship at 2U

Sunday, February 21
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music: Marianne Parker

Sunday, February 28
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Rudra Dundzila
Music: 2U Folk Ensemble

Sunday, March 6
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music: 2U Choir

Sunday, March 13
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music: 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, February 21
Spirit Play
UU Explorers

Sunday, February 28
Spirit Play
UU Explorers

Sunday, March 6
Spirit Play
UU Explorers

Sunday, March 13
Spirit Play
UU Explorers
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Recent 2U Plate-Sharing Recipients
 





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Church Office Information & Staff

 Minister
773-549-0260, ext. 13
Office Hours:
Wed-Thurs afternoons and evenings; Sunday afternoons
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
Other days & times by appointment
 
Community Minister
773-593-7500
 
Community Minister
773-592-2809
 
Music Director
                                  
2U Ministry Leaders

Board of Trustees

Adult Faith Dev.

Bookstore

Buddhist Fellowship

Building & Grounds
Open

Committee on Ministry

Covenant of Earth & Sky

Fellowship Committee

Finance Committee

Green Sanctuary

Hospitality 

Library

Lifespan Faith Dev.

Membership

Music

Newsletter

Night Ministry Outreach

Nominating Committee

Pastoral Care

Safe Congregations 

Senior Potluck Lunch

Small Group Ministry

Social Justice

Sunday Services

Transylvania Church

Webmaster

Young Adult Group
David Dyer
Stephanie Bens
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Board of Trustees 
 

 





                                  
From the Board Chair, Susan Zeigler
It was so wonderful to see a packed house on Adam's first Sunday back to 2U on February 7th, and such a warm "Welcome Back" led by Kimberly Bares and MarySue Barrett, too! The feelings that I had during and after the service were of such joy, and I am incredibly excited about what is in store for the remainder of the church year.
           
Very soon you will be hearing much more about the 2U canvass, which promises to be a time where you can share fellowship with others, talking about what makes 2U your spiritual home. Yes, part of the process is to confirm your pledge amount for the 2016-2017 church year, however, the conversation will focus minimally on church money matters, but rather in large part, it will be about the things that keep you coming back. I will be hosting one of the groups, and I look forward to getting to know this group of individuals in a more intimate way.
 
Before I conclude, I would like to give a big shout out to the 2U Board of Trustees and our Congregational Administrator, Andrew Zallar, who have been incredibly supportive of me during Adam's sabbatical. Each of you in your own way has helped with a supportive email or phone call, and many dedicated hours to help keep 2U running while Adam was gone. I will be forever grateful!
 
See you in church.

- Susan Zeigler
From the Nominating Committee
Dear members and friends of Second Unitarian Church,
 
The Nominating Committee would really appreciate your help in finding leaders for our annual slate and also for creating a list of possible future leaders. Each year the Nominating Committee is responsible for preparing a slate of candidates for our church leadership. This is an opportunity for you to share your suggestions or indicate your own interest in leadership by answering these two questions: Who do you think would be or has been a good leader at 2U? What do you think this person would bring to a leadership role?
 
Please fill out our online form by clicking here or complete the form located at the Welcome Table and place your response in the Nominating Committee box at the Welcome Table--it is optional to fill out your name unless you are self-nominating. You can also submit your responses by sending an email to [email protected]

Your suggestions will be an important piece in our consideration of people to nominate. As part of the process, we will review all suggestions with the Minister and the Board of Trustees. We invite you to contact the Committee, or any of us individually, if you have questions or suggestions you would like to discuss at [email protected].
 
We request your response by March 2, 2016.  Thank you for participating with these suggestions.
 
Faithfully,
 
2015-16 Nominating Committee:  
Linda Marquis [email protected]
Kate Friedlob [email protected]
Curtis Smith [email protected]
Jill Althage [email protected]
Why Pledge?
A call faces each of us this time of year: it's 2U Canvass time.  Incidentally it is also tax preparation time, and matters financial are a common consideration, both for ourselves and for our community. The Board of Trustees maps out where our financial situation governs what we can do as a community, and where we might stretch to make it better. For now, though, we're speaking on the more basic decision level of "Do I, and how much?" - pledge support to 2U that is. If you're reading this, I'd suggest to you that you are at least interested in what happens at Second Unitarian, and maybe you are fully engaged to the limits of your time and skills or somewhere in between.

If you are like most of us, there are natural cycles that govern your involvement with this church - times that you may be less visible, and maybe even remote in some sense, balanced by times that you engage more fully when your heart resonates more strongly with an action or event, or you simply see a need. One of the most magnificent aspects of our community is how there is room within the collective efforts that absorbs our physical ebbs and flows.

When I am less physically engaged, I feel safe feeling that when I am ready there will be ample opportunity for me to jump back in and contribute in those present ways - that the flow of our efforts to make this world a bit less hellish and a little more heavenly continues without me. What if I couldn't feel safe in that knowledge? If I came back and, for example, learned that someone new took over coordinating cooking for the Night Ministry, but that the money to purchase food had to be cut, and all the volunteers dissipated so that ministry was lost to all of us.

The point is, whatever enjoyment or enrichment you draw from 2U, the only way for you to know that it will be here for you when you are ready for it is by keeping your individual financial lifeline intact to keep the church moving. So I hope that it is plain to see that as we grow more talents, we live better by bringing those to our communal efforts. Likewise as we have more or less time to exercise those talents we must support the momentum by pledging our financial support - to keep the "there there"  for when we can best add our shoulders, hands and ideas, so there is a source that calls for our action. That source is like life: simultaneously balanced between amazingly robust and surprisingly fragile.  Choosing to pledge, and pledging with generosity puts your thumb on the robust side of the scales and helps make the room for each of our ebbs and flows.
Notes from SELVN Meeting on February 8, 2016
The SELVN (South East Lakeview Neighbors) meetings usually are not that interesting but the February one was an exception. The one year zoning variance for BYC (Broadway Youth Center) came up for renewal. A couple of years ago many 2Uers fought for the initial zoning variance against NIMBY (not in my backyard) complaints from many of the SELVN members. Racial and trans-gendered biases were thinly disguised. However, based on this month's discussion, it looks like we can reasonably hope for another renewal of the variance at next month's meeting.

Also, Alderman Tunney (44th) made an in-person appearance at the meeting. He touted his commitment to affordable housing. He stated that he is not allowing builders to buy their way out of creating affordable housing. He also stated that the efforts to save the Presbyterian Homes for low income housing is "almost 100% completed".

This gave me the opportunity to thank Ald. Tunney for his support. Favorable affordable housing policies are necessary to preserve diversity in both our community and our church. This is an important point to make since in neighborhood organizations such as SELVN many still feel that affordable housing is a threat to their property values.

- Jim Simonis
In Memoriam
Former 2U interim minister the Reverend Jeanne Melis Mills died Tuesday, February 2, 2016 of a heart attack at her home in Dorset, VT. She served as 2U's interim minister from 2001-2002. Condolences may be sent to Nicole Mills, 328 McKinley Terrace, Centerport, NY 11721.

From 2U's Night Ministry Outreach Program
The 2U Night Ministry Outreach Program is looking for Event Coordinator Volunteers who would like to run one or more of our monthly Volunteer events.  Currently, alternate months we are delivering a hot meal either on Halstead and Belmont or at "The Crib" shelter.

Throughout the next several months, there is an opportunity for the 2U Night Ministry Outreach Program to grow and expand.  In order for us to be able to meet these new demands, we will need trained Event Coordinators to be able to step into some of these upcoming opportunities.

Before the idea becomes overwhelming and you consider dismissing it, know that:
  • Event Coordinators can be a single person or a team, such as a couple. 
  • Event Coordinators pick the month(s) they'd like to volunteer and there is never any pressure to do more.
  • The role of an Event Coordinator is a simple, repetitive and learnable process that anyone who loves to organize and cook would truly enjoy.  
So what does an Event Coordinator actually do?  From a high level, an Event Coordinator picks the Soup or Entree of the month, submits the selected recipe(s) for nutritional review, incorporates any suggested changes to the recipe, makes a grocery list, takes a quick food inventory, goes shopping, returns groceries to the Church Kitchen, labels items, and shows up to run the evening on the day of the event - That's it!  

Administrative needs such as maintaining event sign ups, disseminating communications, ensuring volunteer positions are filled for each event, and providing the necessary list of tasks and timeline for the evening are all provided by the Program Coordinator.  

Additionally, Event Coordinators don't have to feel like they must go it alone.  The Program Coordinator is available to each Event Coordinator throughout the process and, until they feel they are ready, is by their side on the night of the event.  The Program Coordinator ensures the Event Coordinator is comfortable and will provide any needed support where necessary, even if that means doing the dishes!  

With a time commitment of less than 11 hours a month to run a single event, not only is it a small time commitment, but running an event is personally rewarding as well as a lot of fun!  Ask those who are doing it today!

If you'd like to volunteer or perhaps just learn more about this unique opportunity, please reach out to the Program Coordinator Kerry Marchetti-Knarr by emailing him at [email protected] or calling him at 412-613-7171.
February Library News
Are you searching for books on meditation?  Try looking for spine labels (what librarians call "call numbers" with the number 242.  Here's an example:  Sonata for Voice and Silence: Meditations by Mark Belletini, published by Skinner Books, Boston, 2008

OR

Perhaps you're interested like the Nominating Committee is on church leadership.  Then you might check out, Selecting Church Leaders: A Practice in Spiritual Discernment, by Charles Olsen and Ellen Morseth, The Alban Institute, Bethesda, MD, 2002.  Look on the spine for the label, 262.1.  Other similar books should be nearby.

- Jill Althage
Hutch Available for Donation to 2U
This walnut hutch is in good condition except for a watermark or two and some minor scratches on one side. Dimensions are 66 inches tall, 50.5 " wide and 15.5" deep. Shelf behind glass is 9.5" deep. Its yours for a $100 donation to 2U and removal by you shortly. If interested, please call or text Tom at 773-458-3674.


February Food Drive
2U will be hosting a food drive throughout February to support Lakeview Pantry. Lakeview Pantry is a non-profit organization with a sole purpose of providing food to those who can't afford it in the neighborhood of Lakeview. Following the holiday months, the Lakeview Pantry is in need of canned food, especially whole grain cereal, jelly, lotion, and juice. Of course other canned items are much appreciated too. Barrels will be located throughout February in the Palmer Room. Thanks for your help!
Money Matters
The weekly cost of running 2U is $6,321! 2U's annual budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016 is $328,672.


For the Year-to-Date period July 1, 2015 to January 31, 2016:
Actual Pledges + Collection Plate =
$154,229
Budgeted Pledges + Collection Plate =
$141,305
     Surplus or (Deficit)
$12,914

ActualBudgeted
Revenues Year-to-Date =$231,271
$196,581
     + Use of Reserves (Rev. Belcher)* =$17,000
$17,000
Total Revenues Year-to-Date =$248,271$213,581
Total Expenses Year-to-Date =$198,413
$199,235
     Total Surplus or (Deficit)
$49,858
$14,346

*Note: The Interim Minister position was budgeted at $17,000 for the 5 months Rev. Belcher was with us and Rev. Robersmith was on sabbatical and this was being paid for out of our reserves. The $17,000 had been transferred into our Operating Account and was paid out through the end of January.

Collection Plate Sharing
In January, we raised $685.46 towards the collection plate sharing recipient, Lakeview Pantry.

Thank you all so much for helping to make 2U possible!
Thank You Spot!
 
Sing a song of thank you and appreciation
For the folks who see to our weekly satiation.
They fix the coffee and food that
We munch while we enjoy a chat.
They wash the dishes, sweep the crumbs,
So we're all set when next week comes.
If in this bunch you'd like to be
Then sign the list to do cof-fee.

This church is a community of ourselves. We make it happen. The Thank You Spot is a space to say "hey! thanks for doing that!" for the one or two or three of the many things around 2U that someone is taking care of. If you have an anonymous thank you to share, please email it to: [email protected].
Choir Corner

Fend off the winter blues! Join the choir!

The 2U choir rehearses in the sanctuary on Tuesday evenings from 7:15 to 8:30 in the sanctuary.

For more information, contact Music Director, Marianne Parker.
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.
Submission Deadlines
Have a message to put in the next Anvil or Orders of Service? Plan ahead! 

Please have all submissions for the next newsletter submitted by noon on Wednesday, February 24.

Please have all submissions for the Orders of Service submitted by noon on the Wednesday prior to the Sunday you'd like the announcement to appear. All announcements are subject to change at the discretion of the Congregational Administrator. Space is limited!

Second Unitarian Church of Chicago
656 West Barry Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657

Phone: (773) 549-0260