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

Sunday, October 16
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Scott Aaseng
Music: 2U Choir
Accompanist: Reece Johns

Sunday, October 23
Intergenerational Service at 10:30
Worship Leaders: Rev. Adam Robersmith and Director of Faith Development, Alicia Obando
Music: Erin Rusmi
Accompanist: Reece Johns

Sunday, October 30
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music: 2U Folk Ensemble
Accompanist: Reece Johns

Sunday, November 6
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Dan Lewis
Music: Carey Farrell
Accompanist: Reece Johns

Sunday, November 13
Service at 10:30
Preacher: Rev. Adam Robersmith
Music: 2U Choir
Accompanist: Reece Johns
_____________________
Children & Youth Faith Development Schedule
 
Child care for infants and toddlers is available every Sunday in the Green Caterpillar room.

October 16, 2016
Spirit Play
UU Explorers

October 23, 2016
Intergenerational Service

October 30, 2016
Spirit Play
UU Explorers

November 6, 2016
Spirit Play
UU Explorers

November 13, 2016
Spirit Play
UU Explorers
_____________________
_________________
Church Office Information & Staff

 Minister
773-549-0260, ext. 13
Office Hours:
Wed-Thurs afternoons and evenings; Sunday afternoons
Other days & times by appointment

Director of Faith Development
773-549-0260, ext. 12

Director of Music
773-549-0260, ext. 14

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 

Leadership Development and Nominating Committee

Library

Lifespan Faith Dev.

Membership

Music

Newsletter

Night Ministry Outreach
Open

Pastoral Care

Safe Congregations 

Senior Potluck Lunch

Small Group Ministry

Sunday Services

Transylvania Church

Webmaster

Young Adult Group
David Dyer
Stephanie Bens
_____________________
Board of Trustees 
 

 




                                  
From the Board Chair, Tom Denio
In each of his last three Anvil articles, Rev. Robersmith has pointed to the October 16 Sunday service which will be led by Rev. Scott Aaseng of the UU Advocacy Network of Illinois in order to help us re-organize, re-think, re-envision and re-energize our social justice work. Hmm, three times, Adam! This must be important! Then, on October 30, Rev. Aaseng will lead a workshop for all members on this topic. The Board is very much looking forward to these events and hope you will make a point to join us for these conversations.

Second Unitarian has a rich history of supporting many social justice causes, in particular, those that impact the LGBTQ community, homeless and impoverished individuals, survivors of domestic violence, and seniors. The energy that Scott brings will allow us to both review our accomplishments with these efforts and to consider how 2U will direct its social justice efforts moving forward. We truly need your engagement and ideas to do so effectively. After all, a good church is a terrible thing to waste!

On the lighter side, our fall fundraiser and fellowship bash, the Spooktacular, will be Saturday, October 22. When was the last time you went to a costume party?! It is time to rummage around, surprise your 2U friends and have a great time - please see the details below. Of course, you are most welcome to come in your regular attire.

And finally, the Race: The Power of an Illusion series is well worth checking out. Three things that jumped out at me from the first one were: 1) that fruit flies have more genetic variation than humans; 2) American "research" on racial "differences" were used by the Nazis to justify some of their horrible policies; and 3) it was neat to watch a class of high school students discover that several from different races had more DNA in common than they had with their own white or black classmates.

See you in church and hope to recognize you on October 22!
2U Yard Clean-Up Day!
Please join us today Saturday, October 15 from 9 am to noon (rain or shine) and spend one last morning in the yard at church to end the season. We'll do some final weeding and prepare the grounds for winter. Contact Monica Drane at 312.550.3412 with questions.
Re-Visioning 2U's Social Justice Ministry
Sunday, October 30
Noon - 3 pm (lunch included)

2U has a strong history of social action, and it's time to re-vision and re-invigorate what it means to "live out our inner convictions through struggles for justice and acts of compassion!"

Join us for this interactive workshop on Sunday, October 30 after the service exploring how we can make a difference in the world by strengthening our relationships with each other and with the wider community, and mobilizing that power in effective action. Everyone is welcome, including (especially!) those who haven't been involved before. Led by Rev. Scott Aaseng, Director of the UU Advocacy Network of Illinois.
SPOOKTACULAR FUNRAISER
YOU'RE INVITED!

Our biggest fundraiser of the year will be taking place on Saturday, October 22nd from 6 to 9 pm. This Spooktacular will include dinner, dancing, a costume contest, children's spooky crafts, an auction featuring parties at congregants' homes and much more! We are also raffling an iPad mini. Raffle tickets are $10, and event tickets are $35 for regular tickets and $70 for event sponsorship tickets. Kids are free. You may purchase tickets this coming Sunday, October 16th after the service or online: http://2uspooktacular.bpt.me/

This is truly a community event, and we want congregants to be able to attend regardless of ability to pay. If you are interested in using a donated ticket, please contact Andrew Zallar at [email protected]. If you are interested in purchasing a ticket to donate to another congregant, you may do so either using the link above, or at church this coming Sunday, October 16th after the service.

We are still in need of volunteers for the event, so please email Susan Zeigler at [email protected] if you can volunteer or see the sign up sheet on the welcome table at church. We are also in need of desserts for the event - you can email Kate Friedlob at [email protected] or sign up at the welcome table - we will be auctioning desserts, too, so please do bring two so we can auction off one of them!

Looking forward to seeing you on October 22nd!
Enter to win an iPad mini 4!
As part of our Spooktacular Funraiser, you can enter our raffle drawing for the chance to win a brand new iPad mini 4 (valued at $499.99)! Tickets are only $10.00 each and will be available after service this Sunday, October 16 and during the night of the event on Saturday, October 22.

Please visit the ticket table in the Palmer Room after service to purchase tickets or to learn more!
Race: The Power of an Illusion
Please join us as we share this 3-part PBS video series that was developed with the intention to "help us all navigate through our myths and misconceptions, and scrutinize some of the assumptions we take for granted."

Episodes are stand alone, and yet build on each other, exploring biological myths about race,  the history of the development of the concept of race in the United States, and finally, the impact that the concept of race has had on the lives of Americans, particularly concerning citizenship, education, housing and the accumulation of wealth.
 
Providing a complex historical view of race in the United States, this series allows a fuller insight into what has brought us to the present, so that our current and future actions take the past into account.

Join us the following dates as we plan to watch and discuss this 3-part series:

Episode 1: The Difference Between Us
Sunday, October 9 from 1 pm to 3pm
Tuesday, October 11 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Episode 2: The Story We Tell
Sunday, October 23 from 1 pm to 3 pm
*Tuesday, October 25 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm *This date is still tentative

Episode 3: The House We Live In
Sunday, November 13 from 1 pm to 3 pm
Tuesday, November 15 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
ONE Northside Fall Fundraiser at 2U!
In addition to being 2U's plate sharing recipient for October, 2U will also be hosting ONE Northside's Fall Fundraiser later this month on Wednesday, October 26 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

Join them for their annual Fall Fundraiser to celebrate a successful year and to ensure ONE Northside is able to continue to continue their work work for a city, state and country where everyone has the opportunity to thrive!

Juanita Irizarry
They will be joined be special guest, Juanita Irizarry, who has taken on the Chicago Machine, the Mayor and George Lucas! The Fall Fundraiser is their biggest fundraising event of the year. Drinks and hors d'oeurves will be served.

2U Member Survey
In an effort to get to know our congregants better, and to learn what motivates you to be a part of the 2U community, the Fundraising and Marketing committee is launching a survey. This survey asks basic demographic information about you and your household members (this information will be kept private), as well as questions regarding your training, work and volunteer involvement, and the activities that are of interest to you at Second Unitarian Church.


Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey - it will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
 
If you have any questions about the content of the survey, you may reach out to Susan Zeigler at [email protected].
Fall Orientation
Calling all visitors-- who want to become members!

2U Fall Orientation will conclude this Sunday, October 16 following service. Sessions are scheduled to begin at 11:45 AM 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 session swill meet the by-law requirements for membership, attending all three sessions 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 Judy Corbeille with any questions or for more information.
COVES: SAMHAIN
All are welcome to join us for the celebration of the Third Harvest, 
SAMHAIN

Sunday, October 30th at 7pm in the Sanctuary. 

We will call in the Crone, Hecate and Cerridwen who guides us through the coming darkness with her wisdom and inspiration.  We will call in the Horned God as his deep forest energy of the Green Man. The veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. We will find the mystery and magic at this time of year and connect to our ancestors and loved ones (human and animal). Please bring a token of your loved one for the altar (photo, jewelry, token, etc.). Also, bring a sweet or savory dish to share at our community time after the ritual. Any questions or comment, please contact Shauna at [email protected].
2U Dinners
Want to get to know people at 2U? Please join us for our evening of 2U Dinners on Saturday, November 5. These are small dinners in people's homes. The host provides the main course and menu, and lets the guests know what to bring. For a twist this fall, we will be having a dinner at 2U as well, to make sure that we have an easily accessible option for all our members and friends.

Hosts are needed! If you would like to host, either at your home or at the church, please contact Judy Corbeille.  

Sign up sheets are available at the Welcome Table.
Teens and Young Adults Get Active
The 2U Youth Group is for youth from 7th - 12 grades. The group is led by 3 young adults, Jonah, Megan and Jenny. They will be meeting with the youth at 2U about twice a month starting on October 23rd.
 
The Young Adult Group is for those over 18 and is coordinated by Stephanie and David. They will be organizing brunch outings after the church service on the 3rd Sunday of the month. There is also a Young Adult Conference coming up on October 21st - 23rd at 1st Unitarian Church in Chicago. The theme is DiaCon Alley, with workshops and events around the idea of fiction inspiring social action. Interested young adults can register for the con at   http://midamericauuya.org/index.php/con/registerThe cost is sliding scale, so people can pay what they can afford. There are scholarships available if needed as well.
 
For more information about the Youth Group of the Young Adults Group, contact our Director of Faith Development, Alicia Obando, at 773-549-0260 x12 or [email protected].
Our Whole Lives (OWL) at 2U
Second Unitarian Church is partnering with Epiphany United Church of Christ in the North Center neighborhood to offer a high school OWL class for teenagers from both congregations. OWL, a comprehensive lifespan sexuality education program, was developed jointly by the UU and UCC denominations, and this is the first time in at least twenty years (and maybe the first time ever) that 2U has joined with a UCC church to offer the course. Ten local high school students are enrolled in OWL, which will run for about 12 sessions and is taught by 2U's Sue Dunmore and Epiphany's Aubrey Barnett. Other 2U members, Rev. Rudra Dundzila and Bonnie Ewald, are lending support, as is 2U's DFD Alicia Obando; member Monica Drane is coordinating the logistics for the 2U families. The course kicked off with a parent meeting, led by Sue and Aubrey, on September 25. The first class session was held on Sunday, October 1. The sessions will occur about every other Sunday evening through March, each lasting two hours.

2U has offered OWL twice before in the last ten years, once in the 2007-08 school year and then again in the 2012-13 school year. Sue has been the lead teacher each time, and the parents of participating students are tremendously grateful for her generosity, commitment, and wisdom. 2U is pleased to offer this valuable program to families in our congregation and thanks Epiphany Church for its contributions of students, a teacher, and a meeting space. Thanks, too, to Jill Althage for making it easy to locate the OWL resources in the 2U library.

If you have questions about this year's high school OWL class at 2U, then please contact Monica Drane at 312.550.3412 or follow this link. If you are interested in receiving training to teach a future OWL class, then please contact Monica.
Radical Hospitality Conversation

Introducing Breeze!
Have you heard about Breeze, 2U's new online church management software for members?

This new software enables 2U members to have access to our online member directory (with pictures!), update their contact information, check their contributions online and much more!

Have you had a chance to update your profile and add your photo yet?

By now, you should have received an email inviting you to create your account login. If not, please let me know!

You can access the database here

As always, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions about this or anything else!

Thank you!

Andrew Zallar
Congregational Administrator
Choir Corner
Interested in singing and joining the 2U Choir? The 2U Choir meets on Thursday evenings from 7:15 to 8:45 in the sanctuary under the direction of our Director of Music, Amanda Thomas! All are welcome!

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Amanda at [email protected].
From Jill, the Librarian
The Library is up and running.

We have some interesting materials for your viewing pleasure. You are welcome to come in and browse when you have a meeting and when the library is open officially (without other meetings). Here is the schedule for October: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM on Sunday, October 9 and Sunday, Oct. 23.

Attached is a list of recent books/materials and a list of titles on order. I have added a new books shelf. Come in and enjoy. Checking items out is easy and you can do it without a librarian. Find the card in the back of the book, write your name and the current date, place card in file next to the computer. 
 
Here's where you get to talk/email/phone me about library wishes:
1. How would you like the library to improve? What would that look like?
 
2. Name some books you hope that we have, but if we don't will order. 
 
3. Would you like to help with the library? How?
a. Cataloging new books/materials        
b. Being a member of the Library Committee
c. Helping with policies.
d. New ideas.
e. Checking materials out and telling the world you love libraries.
Looking for 2U Night Ministry Volunteer Coordinator
As you know, for years 2U has regularly served a meal at the intersection of Belmont and Halsted in support of the outreach program of the Night Ministry. Many 2U members have cooked soup, made sandwiches, desserts or served on the corner. Most nights we serve between 30 and 70 people.

What you might not know is, that this year The Night Ministry has cut down on the numbers of evenings it serves the Lakeview neighborhood. So rather than a once-a-month commitment, we only cook and serve on the street once every other month. On alternate months, our church provides a meal to homeless LGBTQ youths who find shelter at the The Crib (located at the Lake View Lutheran Church near Halsted and Addison). The shelter has a maximum occupancy of 20 young people between the ages of 18 and 24.

We are looking for someone or a team of folks who beginning January 2017 would take on the responsibility of coordinating the meal at The Crib 5-6 times a year (the first Sunday night of the odd months). It might involve cooking mac and cheese, a casserole, hot dogs or you can be as creative as you'd like. The meal would be prepared in the 2U kitchen and then transported and served at the Crib. The church has a generous budget for The Night Ministry, so the only expense is your time. The coordinator would not be expected to cook or even be there physically each month, only to organize the event and support the volunteers.

If you are interested in more information you can contact Sami Nordmark at [email protected].
Election Day: Tuesday, November 8, 2016
According to the 5th Principle of Unitarian Universalism, "The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;" the upcoming November election is an opportunity for you to exercise your right to vote.

Please help take part in the democratic process in the general election this year on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Please click here to find information about how to register to vote, your status of your registration, your polling place, and to also find other helpful information.
Money Matters
What is our current financial condition? 
Our Treasurer, Dana Hill, reports that we are off to a decent start for the first three months of the fiscal year, July 1 through June 30, 2017. Our budget for this year is $303,451 or $5,836 per week! Good news includes the fact that we have two reserve accounts and balances are:

Fleishman Reserve: $77,094 (slightly higher than a year ago)

Building Fund Reserve: $18,797 (down from about $25,000 a year ago)

The Fleishman fund's use is restricted. Our building fund falls short of meeting building needs. Our operating account seeks to cover 6 weeks of normal expenses.

What's the point? We really depend on our annual pledges, fundraising and budget to keep things afloat! Please keep up to date with your pledges! Our budgeted pledges for this year of $211,091 are down from $227,152 last year despite generous pledge increases from over 56 households this year. The result largely reflects moves out of town by some large donors. On the bright side, we have raised budget targets for space sharing and special gifts. On the expense side, we are tightening our belts by reducing the hours of our Director of Faith Development by 5 hours per week and our commitment to the UUA by $4,350.
   
In summary, our finances are OK for now and will benefit if we all realize our individual support matters and we all do our part!

So, how did 2U come out financially for the year ended June 30, 2016? Good news: better than expected! We actually met our pledge budget, had a very good year of rental income, and Special Gifts also did well. The collection plate fell well short of budget; perhaps this was due to lower attendance while Rev. Robersmith was on sabbatical. As a result, we were able to return $16,148 to the Fleishman Reserve (big sigh of relief!) and had an $11,703 surplus. Here are some of the highlights:


RevenueOver/Under Budget
Pledges$229,539
+ $2,387
Collection Plate$13,848
- $4,507
Space Sharing$30,227
+ $15,340
Special Gifts$16,637
+ $7,137
Fundraising (Net)$11,149+ $49

Expenses were pretty well controlled although necessary building repairs were $4,019 over budget. For the year, we shared $7,081 from our collection plate with community groups and contributed $9,158 to the denomination (UUA and Mid-America region).

These very good results were due to all of you! Those who fulfilled pledges (and some of you gave hundreds of dollars more), the folks who put on Evergreen Fest last December and participated in the event, those who supported the special gifts campaign, those who chipped in via the collection plate, and those who helped keep our expenses in line. Thank you also to our Congregational Administrator, Andrew Zallar, for the best space sharing year we've had in some time.

What did the Board do with the Surplus from last year?
At our August Board meeting, we voted to allocate the surplus of $11,703 (after repaying the Fleishman Reserve) and an Anonymous donation of $4,500 as follows:
   
Start the new Dir. of Music and DFD 2 weeks early$1,500
Front Landscaping project (about 1/3 of cost)$3,500
Dues for ONE Northside, Com. Renewal Society, etc.$1,000
Participation in a winter program, Beloved Conversations
$1,000
Money set aside towards air conditioning of sanctuary$8,703
Addition to Fleishman Reserves$500
Sum$16,203

The kind and generous Anonymous donor expressed certain wishes to Rev. Robersmith on how their gift should be used and these are incorporated above.

We are seeking quotes for partial air conditioning for the sanctuary and know the money set aside here will perhaps cover 45% of the total. This will make our space more usable by our members and renters in the summer months. However, due to the nature of the space, a realistic expectation is a reduction in the sanctuary of 10-12 degrees compared to the temperature outside.

Here is a summary of our current finances starting July 1 through September 30:


ActualBudgetedOver/Under Budget
Pledges$76,588$57,293
+ $19,295
Collection Plate$2,807$3,700
- $893
Space Sharing$7,395$4,600
+ $2,795
Total Revenues$146,516$82,033
+ $64,483
Total Expenses$94,740$71,066
+ $23,674
Total Net Income
$51,776$10,967
+ $40,809

Collection Plate Sharing
In September, we raised $566.43 towards the collection plate sharing recipient, Jane Addams Senior Caucus.

Thank you all so much for helping to make 2U possible!
#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, October 26.

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