Blog (Page 2)
This Long Cold Lonely Winter
Robert Redfield, M.D., the head of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), said something yesterday that made me and other people, perhaps you, gentle reader, sit up and get more serious than ever. He said that given winter’s arrival, and the holidays become super-spreader events, and no prospect of mass vaccinations for months still, that the United States is facing “the worst public health crisis in its history.” (!) This is a frightening prospect, but at least we’re getting straight talk…
Welcome to the New Website
Welcome to our brand new website! Want to know how we got here? We’ll answer those questions! Want some tips for using the website? They’re here too!
PADS of Elgin
This month’s Share the Plate recipient is: PADS of Elgin UUCE has been supporting their lunch program for over a year. You can learn more about this on our Justice Projects page. For this month’s Share the Plate, we’ll be supporting their “Housing First” initiative. With the convergence of the pandemic and economic crises, we are facing a significant increase in homelessness in the United States. PADS is on the verge of finding a new site for their facility and…
Pandemic 1918
God is the time of sickness. God is the doctor too. In the time of the influenza, He truly was a god to you. Chorus: Oh, he’s a God God don’t never change, Oh oh oh oh God Always will be God. Blind Willie Johnson, Texas rural blues gospel singer When will this pandemic end? The statistics are that in 1918-1920, the “Spanish” flu (actually the USA flu) killed 50 million worldwide, and 675,000 in the U.S. That’s a death…
Good and Bad Mentors
As you may know, the Boy Scouts of America organization has sought bankruptcy protection against the possible consequences of 92,700 claims of sexual abuse since 1950. This is seen by many observers as an outgrowth of the #MeToo movement of recent years by women who experienced abuse, particularly from men in power positions. Because it’s in the news, I have written to my high school alumni association newsletter to say that, for the record, my two Scoutmasters behaved impeccably toward…
Building Repairs
Rev. Leland and myself along with Mike Moutrie and Joe Masonick (our Building Team) have been working on overseeing some needed repairs to the exterior of our Prairie Cathedral. So far about 2/3’s of the building’s front has been re-stained, split and rotted siding has been replaced, and the building lights have been replaced! Mike made special screens for the lights so they don’t create light pollution. We are also in the process of having the parking lot weeds and…
November Board Update
Visit our Board of Trustees page to meet our current BOT leadership. New Business Minister’s Report We discussed the new website, and showing potential new members the grounds. Congregant Calling Campaign We discussed our progress. The goal is to get it done by Dec 5 – 6. Stewardship Committee Charter Kevin will have it ready by the next Board meeting. Endowment Committee Signatories Jamie will take care of this. Staff Reviews Rev. Leland is working on the staff reviews. Ongoing…
What is Scrip?
Did you know we have a year-round gift card fundraiser called Scrip? Every gift card you order or reload will give the church a portion of that sales price. “Starbucks gives UUCE 7% of all my spending since I reload my card through Scrip.” Jamie Yucuis If you would like to participate, all you need to do is download the RaiseRight app onto your smartphone. Using the app allows you to select from any of the 250+ vendors that will…
On Parents, and Parenthood
Transhood on HBO The documentary “Transhood” that debuted last night on HBO was an informative and loving examination of transgender experiences. It focused on the challenges that young trans people and their parents must navigate, including the blowback they endure. I think having the film deal with young, and very young trans people will help humanize a group that most people haven’t thought about very much. How can a 6-year-old know that they are not what the “authorities” say they…
Reflecting on the Election
It seems, unexpectedly, that most voters got a liberal portion of what they wanted from this past Tuesday’s elections. The Blues won the Presidency, and the Reds held the Senate and made inroads in the House. The “Blue Wall” has been restored (WI, MI, PA) but the “Blue Wave” (general repudiation of Trumpism) fizzled. There are good reasons for all that, of course. Many thoughtful liberals believe that liberals are not listening to the cri di coeur of the rural…
Forming a Search Committee
As you may or may not know, we will soon be starting the search process for a new settled minister. First, we need to select a Search Committee, and in order to do that, the Board of Trustees will be making phone calls to members to select nominees. The Board is looking for members that will best serve the needs of our church community. What to Expect If you are a member of UUCE, expect to receive a phone call…
YWCA of Elgin
This month’s Share the Plate recipient is: YWCA of Elgin YWCA of Elgin serves low-income, at-risk youth and families from diverse backgrounds. All the families YWCA serves are grappling with the uncertainty of how COVID-19 will continue to haunt our community. Their number one priority is surviving until there is an effective vaccine for all. Having cancelled all their live fundraising events, YWCA of Elgin is relying on friends to fill the gap. Our Share the Plate donations will help…