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Newsletter of 2nd Unitarian Church of Chicago
July 1, 2016
In This Issue...
Worship at 2U

Sunday, July 3
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music: Reece Johns

Sunday, July 10
Service at 10:30
Preacher: SSC
Music: Carey Farrell

Sunday, July 17
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Karen Fort
Music: Rosalind Hurwitz

Sunday, July 24
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music: Erin Rusmi

Sunday, July 31
Worship in the Park
Service at 11:00
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music: Jim Simonis
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Children & Youth Faith Development Schedule
 
Child care for infants and toddlers is available every Sunday in the Green Caterpillar room.

There will be no children's classes over the summer!

Classes will resume in the fall!
_____________________
Recent 2U Plate-Sharing Recipients
 
UUMMGL




_____________________
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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
 
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
                                  
2U Ministry Leaders

Board of Trustees
Tom Denio

Adult Faith Dev.

Bookstore

Buddhist Fellowship

Building & Grounds

Committee on Ministries

Covenant of Earth & Sky

Fellowship Committee

Finance Committee

Green Sanctuary

Hospitality 

Library

Lifespan Faith Dev.

Membership

Music

Newsletter

Night Ministry Outreach
Open

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
_____________________
Board of Trustees 
 

 




                                  
From the Minister
Upon returning from our UUA General Assembly in Columbus, OH this year, a couple of things have occurred to me:
 
First, what a remarkable thing General Assembly is! For a few days, Unitarian Universalists from all over the nation - all over the world, in fact - come together to discuss the state and direction of our movement. People come together with their own hopes, concerns, and agendas and, out of that, comes how we will move together. We hear from our member-delegates and our faith leaders to guide us. Sometimes, we get it wrong...or not as right as we should. Sometimes, we manage amazing things together! I encourage you especially to listen to the Service of the Living Tradition, the Ware Lecture, the Presidential Candidates Forum, and Sunday Morning Worship.
 
Second, how fortunate I am to serve a congregation to which I am happy to come home! While at GA, I found myself thinking about how I would bring things back to you and how much I was looking forward to being with the community I know best. Through the rest of the summer, I'll be sharing what I've learned and encouraging our other GA attendees to do the same.
 
The two themes that I heard at GA that link to where 2U is and has been are strengthening congregational life and continued work toward equality for all. I think these are very much of a piece: if we focus on hospitality and inclusion within our congregation, we can't help but take that into the world! The way we learn to live together and know one another in faith will also teach us how to create a world that dismantles the systems and thinking that allow for racism, misogyny, homo- and transphobia, and all the other ways we fail to honor the worth and dignity of all people.
 
I'm hoping to learn more to bring home during my next trip, too. I'll be the Spiritual Director for Midwest Leadership School in Beloit, WI from July 8-17. A couple of our other 2Uers will be there as staff and student! I expect it to be a full and lively week of learning. I'm excited for us to bring all of that back to 2U as well.
 
I hope you'll plan to bring back all that you learn from whatever you do this summer - what makes us a vibrant community is what we all bring to our congregation. We've got so much to share...I cannot wait to see how we'll do it in the coming year!
 
Faithfully,
Rev. Adam
Worship in the Park
Sunday, July 31, 2016
11:00 AM
Located at Grove 15 at:
3700 N. Recreation Dr.
Chicago, IL 60613


Please join us on Sunday, July 31 at 11:00 AM for 2U's Annual Worship in the Park located in Lincoln Park, right on Lake Michigan. We will meet at Grove 15, just south of the Waveland Clock Tower at 3700 N. Recreation Dr. Please click here for a detailed map.
 
There will also be a church-wide potluck meal right after the service. So, please bring your favorite dish or beverage to share! If you're bringing drinks: iced tea, lemonade or water are preferred!
 
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Darrin Weatherspoon either by email at [email protected] or by phone at 773-316-4264.
Position Opening: Director of Faith Development
Please pass this posting along to anyone you think may be interested:

Second Unitarian Church (656 W. Barry, Chicago IL) is seeking a 15 hour/week Director of Faith Development (DFD) whose primary area of responsibility will be programming for children and youth, including Sunday morning classes and beyond. We seek a person who is interested in both the overarching vision of the ministry of religious education and faith development within the congregation and also the week-to-week management of classrooms, curricula, and volunteers. This position requires someone who works well both independently and collaboratively, with people of all ages. Strong communications (interpersonal, written, and technological) and administrative/organizational skills are essential in this position, as are a minimum of 2-3 years personal and/or professional experience with education/religious education and demonstrated experience with/commitment to the Unitarian Universalist religious life.

Second Unitarian Church is a congregation with a deeply committed faith development volunteer base, a growing community of young families and children, and a commitment to the development and health of the program. Our DFD will work closely with the Minister (who is also the position's supervisor) and the Lifespan Faith Development Council in planning curricula, intergenerational worship, and family rites of passage. We see faith development as an integral part of the ministry of the church, and want our DFD to be a partner in that ministry.

This is an hourly position to start in the month of August, paid in line with UUA compensation guidelines. The hours are generally flexible with the exception of Sunday mornings and regular office hours, which will be set in conversation with the Minister.

Queries, cover letters, and r�sum�s can be sent to the Rev. Adam Robersmith at [email protected]. We will begin scheduling interviews after July 22 and will accept r�sum�s until we find the right person.
COVES: LAMMAS
Friday, July 29, 2016
7:00 PM

COVES (Covenant of Earth and Sky), 2U's CUUPS Chapter, welcomes all to attend our celebration of LAMMAS, also known as Lugnasah. Friday, July 29 at 7:00 PM in the Sanctuary. This is the First Harvest on the Wheel of the Year. The Second Harvest is Autumnal Equinox (Sept. 23) and the Third Harvest is Samhain (Oct.30). On this day of Lammas, we honor the beginning of the Harvest season, the first fruits of the grain. The hot days of mid-summer are upon us.  It is a time of transformation as the Green Corn grows, the grain ripens and the cycle of life if full of abundance. The Goddesses Ceres, Demeter and the Corn Grandmother are honored as well as the God Lugh to whom we all give thanks. Bring a dish to share of the Harvest. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Shauna Womeldorff at [email protected].
Action Against Gun Violence
Some of you have expressed a willing interest in doing what we can do stop gun violence.

If you are interested in information and acting upon it, I will forward you notices from organizations such as the Illinois Coalition Against Handgun Violence that offer opportunities for involvement.

Involvement can be as simple as calling or writing legislators in Illinois and nationally or attending informational meetings, rallies, demonstrations, etc.

If you would like to be on my mailing list, please contact me at [email protected]. Recently, I forwarded to my existing list an article from the New Yorker called "How Fear Helps the Gun Business". Please let me know if you haven't received it and would like to.

Jill Althage
From Rev. Rudra Dundzila
Dear congregants,
 
I have some great news. July 19-August 3 I will be travelling to Transylvania with the Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council. Besides vising Bucharest, Dracula's castle (it's actually in Walachia), Torda (1568 Edict of Torda granted religious freedom to Unitarians, Catholics, Lutherans, and Reformed), and Kolozsv�r (residence of Unitarian Bishop, Unitarian Seminary, and High School)....I will spend the weekend of 30-31 July at our partner church in K�nos. Its pastor, Rev. Attila Andorko, will be my host. Yeh!

I need your help. I am assembling a photo album from our congregation. It seems we have had very few photo ops from the past year. If you have a photo with people from a Second Unitarian event from the last 2-3 years, please send it to me. I would appreciate high resolution images, since the photo album will be a physical one, not a digital one. I need these photos by July 15th at the very latest (anything earlier would be greatly appreciated).
 
I am also bringing a congregational gift from 2U to K�nos. Rev. Adam and I are working on figuring this out.
 
Thank you very much for your help.

Egy Az Isten! God is one!
 
Yours in faith,
Rev. Rudra
Community Minister

Hungarian & Transylvanian Unitarian Crest. The insignia of the snake circling a dove resting on the Earth refers to a passage from the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus says, "Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (Mt 10:16).

K�nos Unitarian Church
Welcome Our Newest Members!
For Earl Wood, his third connection to 2U turned out to be the charm. He had originally found the church in 1972 when a girlfriend was in a play and he helped with the show's lighting. Then a few years later, he and his fianc�e were seeking a minister and found 2U's Reverend Bart Gould. But it wasn't until he met Janice Stashwick through disability activism that he returned to 2U for good. Earl is retired after a career in maintenance and as a locksmith. He has already gotten involved in the Hospitality Committee and is thinking about becoming active in social justice work and the Building Infrastructure Grounds (BIG) committee. "I really, really like the congregation," he said.

Maria Gregorio was a long time member of Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist in Palatine and had been at 2U for a social justice meeting. When she moved into Chicago two and a half years ago, she visited several UU churches and settled on 2U. "It felt right," said Maria. She liked the congregation's diversity. Maria teaches English as a Second Language at Friendship Junior High School in Des Plaines, and most of her students are immigrants. She has been active in immigration reform interfaith work in Palatine. Maria is very proud of her two adult children who were raised UU, Olivia Gregorio and Anthony Gregorio. On Sunday she is often accompanied by her partner, Joseph "Joe" Moriarty, who is considering becoming UU.

Thirty years ago, Laura Shiplet was complaining to a friend that she wanted a church and just "couldn't get into Jesus." The friend suggested that she "try the Unitarians - they'll take anybody." Since then, Laura has gone to UU churches occasionally and then last spring found 2U. "I feel really lucky," Laura said. "Without 2U, I wouldn't have a church." She called it "the Church of the Open Mind" and said "I'm comfortable in learning and I'm enjoying the community very much." She has already gotten involved in the BIG committee and marketing/fundraising, as well as attending a senior potluck. Laura has "a delightful daughter" who lives in New York City.

Banita McCarn first came to 2U last August for a fundraiser for the Midwest Action Coalition. She was looking for a spiritual community with a strong social justice mission and felt at home her first Sunday at 2U. She is a medical researcher focusing on pediatrics, and lives with her partner, Angie in Printer's Row. Banita is interested in getting involved in social justice work at 2U, including gun control.

Kat Adams first learned of Unitarian Universalism in the early 1970's from an acquaintance. Over the years, she's gone to four or five UU churches in the Chicago area, including attending a Pagan event at 2U over thirty years ago. Four and a half years ago she attended 2U's Christmas Eve service. "I liked it and I've been coming since," said Kat. She joined this spring because it felt like the right time. "I'm glad I did," she said. "I like the people that I've met." Kat grew up on the southwest side and has lived all over Chicago.
From Jill, the Librarian
The 2U Library will be open the following Sundays:
                                         
July 10 and 24                             
August 14 and 28
September 11 and 25
October 9 and 23
November 13 and 27
December 11 and 25
 
New books added recently:

Call Number: 635.092 NOL

Simple, Delicious solutions for Gluten-free and Dairy-free Cooking by Sueson Louise Vess.    
Call Number: 641.56318 VES

The Leader Within: Articles on Community Building, Leadership and Personal Growth by Shauna Aura Knight.  
Call Number: 291 KNI

Happy reading!
Jill Althage
Money Matters
The weekly cost for running 2U is $5,835.60! 

2U's annual budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016 was $328,672.

Below is a brief summary of our pledging/collection plate revenue vs our expenses through May 31, 2016. A detailed summary of the full July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016 fiscal year will be coming soon.

Budget Update: 11 months ending May 31, 2016


Actual
Budget
Difference
Pledges
$210,107$204,437
$5,670
Collection Plate
$12,989$17,055
($4,066)
Total Expenses
$306,015$301,539
($4,476)

Collection Plate Sharing
In May, we raised $683,43 towards the collection plate sharing recipient, UU Military Ministry Great Lakes.

Thank you all so much for helping to make 2U possible!
2U Night Ministry Position Open: Program Coordinator
2U Night Ministry Volunteers:

It is with mixed emotions that I need to let you know that I will be leaving my role of 2U's Night Ministry Program Outreach Director. Due to circumstances beyond my control, my current wage earning job that I have had for the last 18 years is coming to an end. This places me in a situation where I need to dedicate all of my time to identifying the specific particulars for the next chapter in my life. Unfortunately, that means that I have to let go of this position to ensure I am successful.

With this in mind I, along with Church Leadership, need to identify my replacement.  

Here are the current Roles & Responsibilities of the Program Coordinator:
  • Acts as the liaison between The Night Ministry Organization & 2U Church Leadership
  • Is the face of the 2U Night Ministry Outreach Program. Speaks to Congregation and other groups on behalf of the Program
  • Adheres to and enforces all Rules or Guidelines outlined for any of the volunteer positions for any Night Ministry Event
  • Works with Church Leadership to identify the annual fiscal budget
  • Accountable to manage, adhere to, track and speak to the program budget
  • Identifies and trains Event Coordinators
  • Recruits Program volunteers
  • Identifies, implements and provides training on the required administrative tools for the Program utilized by all Program volunteer positions
  • Coordinates the needs of the Night Ministry Organization with the Program capabilities and resources
  • Schedules use of Church rooms (including Kitchen) for Events
  • Maintains the volunteer distribution list
  • Disseminates Program & Event communications
  • Provides Program status to appropriate resources including the 2U Church Leadership and The Night Ministry Organization
  • Coordinates all other Program logistics
  • Ensures each Event is adequately staffed and supports Event Coordinator as necessary throughout the Event lifecycle
  • Acts as Event Coordinator for months not assigned to a specific Event Coordinator
This opening provides an excellent opportunity for an individual or two person team who can dedicate (on average) 4-12 hours a month, have good organizational and time management skills, enjoy working with others, and loves working/cooking in the kitchen!

Over my tenure in this position, I have documented all of the necessary steps and processes to ensure that the Program became truly "turnkey" and because of that, it can easily be transitioned to my successor.   It is my hope that we identify my replacement by June 21st and train the next coordinator by July 21st so they can take over the Program starting with the August Meal on the Street Event.

If you are interested and would like more information about this opportunity, please let me know and I can send you additional materials for your consideration.

Running the program has been a lot of fun and truly personally rewarding.  I have met and worked with a lot of wonderful people in the four years I have been supporting the 2U Night Ministry Program. It has been wonderful being part of an organization that has provided such an important community service for the last 40 years and it is my hope that I have added something special to it so that when I pass the baton - the next coordinator can do the same and the program will continue to grow and flourish! 

Kind Regards,
Kerry Marchetti-Knarr
Great Lakes Ministry Board Opening
The Unitarian Universalist Military Ministry Great Lakes (UUMMGL) has been providing UU worship services to Navy recruits at Great Lakes Naval Recruit Training Command (boot camp) since 2007. It serves the religious needs of future sailors as they go through their physically and emotionally challenging training. For many, the services are an introduction to Unitarian Universalism. UU volunteers have the personal satisfaction of meeting and interacting with as fine a group of young adults as you will meet anywhere. During 2015, about 550 attended UU worship at Great Lakes, and also received a copy of the UU military prayer/meditation manual Bless All Who Serve.
 
UUMMGL is currently looking for a board member, specifically a treasurer. The board is an Illinois not-for-profit, federally tax exempt religious corporation that provides oversight and funding for the ministry. Board meetings are held 4 times a year, usually a Saturday morning in January, April, June, and September in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Board members have some work in between board meetings, commensurate with their board portfolio (chair, secretary, treasurer, and other duties). Board members also serve as liaisons to their congregations, communicating with them about the ministry and seeking funding for the ministry. The board hires and supervises a quarter-time ministerial coordinator who administers the ministry and coordinates worship services. Some board members also serve as worship leaders.
 
If you would like more information about this rare opportunity, email Roger Baron at [email protected] or call 312-560-8382 (cell) or 847-291-1082 (home).
#AmazonSmile
Do you love to shop? Do you love to support 2U? Well, now you can do both through AmazonSmile! 2U is now a supported charity on AmazonSmile. Click here to sign up and to 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.
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, July 13.

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