Sunday, July 27, 2008   Rev. David Owen-O’Quill preaches, “Knowing Your Story,” and the 2U Band plays for worship.   There is one service at 10:30 A.M.

 

**Special Request**

Volunteers needed to prepare and paint the Fleishman Hall floor.  We are looking for people who can help prep and paint the basement floor.  Dates set aside for this project are: August 20, 21 and 22 and August 27, 28 and 29.  Please contact Suzanne Larimer at office_2u@att.net or 773-549-0260 ext. 10 if you are available to help for any portion of time.

  

GLBTQ Brunch is this Sunday, July 27 starting at 11:45 am.  We meet after the church service in the Palmer Room and then walk to a nearby restaurant.   Join us!

 

We’ve Got a New Name - WIDE Community

W.I.D.E. Community is the new name of the 2U initiative formerly known as ‘Anti-Bias’.  We chose this name as a way to describe the goals and work of our ministry in a way that everyone can understand and appreciate.  W.I.D.E. is an acronym for:

*Welcoming      *Inclusive     *Diverse         *Equitable

W.I.D.E. Community’s work will be to develop and enhance our church community’s ability to be a welcoming, inclusive, diverse and equitable place through community building, identity group support and leadership development. 

We are having a planning meeting soon (early August) - if you’re interested in coming and sharing inspiration, contact secondunitarian@att.net .  Blessings to all!

Membership 101 orientation class is held the second Sunday of every month.  August 10 will be the next opportunity.  We meet from noon-2:30pm in the Loft.  Please join us for a light lunch and a discussion of Unitarian Universalism.  This class is a great way to meet other folks at church and is also a requirement for anyone wanting to become a member of Second Unitarian.  If possible, read the Sources of Our Faith sermon series beforehand and come with your questions.  Please contact Lisa Todd if you plan on attending at secondunitarian@att.net .

The June collection plate was split with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).  Because of your generosity we were able to give the UUA  $1212.76 and an additional $141.50 to UUA Flood Relief.  If you would like to learn more about the UUA or about Unitarian Universalist programs go to http://uua.org/ .

Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice will hold its Summer Quarter Meeting on Sunday, August 17, from 2 to 5 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church, 70 Sycamore Dr., Park Forest. The program, between 2 and 3 p.m., will feature a panel addressing the subject “War With Iran: Not Inevitable”, which will be followed by a discussion with the audience. This program is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice Peace Task Force.   The program will be followed by a UUSJ Board of Directors meeting, which is open to all. For driving directions or for a pick up from a Metra stop near Park Forest write to uusj@sbcglobal.net  or phone 773-643-8061 at least two days in advance.

Howard Area Community Center recipient of the July collection plate split.  Howard Area Community Center (HACC). Located in Rogers Park, HACC provides comprehensive social and educational services to low and moderate-income neighbors. Many of the clients at HACC survive on less than $8,000 per year.   Money raised at 2U will go towards their Special Assistance Fund to help people with small one-time expenses.

Stuart Iseminger, Director of Social Services at HACC, and 15 year member of 2U recently cited these examples of using the Special Assistance Fund:

“Reyna recently came in with her two pre-school aged children. She had a black eye and could not tolerate another beating from her boyfriend. HACC bought her a bus ticket to re-locate to a city out of state to escape her boyfriend. This family only had what they wore into HACC so we also helped with bags of food, clothes, and toiletries for the trip.

Richard, recently out of prison, needed steel-toed boots for his new job which HACC purchased for $50.

Donald struggled with unemployment for a year. He successfully completed his food sanitation certificate. HACC bought his $185 uniform for his new job at a catering company.

For many of us, these one-time expenses would not cause us an economic hardship. However, for many of HACC’s clients, the Special Assistance Fund can make a crucial and often life-changing difference.”

Stuart is thrilled to be part of 2U - a church that shares its resources with the wider community and knows the difference it can make in the lives of our neighbors.