News (Page 2)
Witnessing As a Civic Duty
On Tuesday I was walking toward my car, which, because of its shade trees, I like to park in that big lot that serves the Post Office and Hemmens Cultural Center patrons. When halfway to the parking lot on N. Grove, I noticed two city police SUVs with their lights flashing, and a young black man talking with the Officers. I slowed down and looked closer and saw that on my side of the street there was a young-adult Black woman,…
The Statement of Conscience (SOC): Undoing Intersectional White Supremacy
Elizabeth Olson reports The Statement of Conscience (SOC): Undoing Intersectional White Supremacy (PDF) was adopted. The draft version was shared last week. The General Assembly affirmed these “Actions of Immediate Witness” designed to encourage social justice activism this year. Defend and Advocate with Transgender, Nonbinary, and Intersex Communities (PDF) The COVID-19 Pandemic: Justice. Healing. Courage (PDF) Stop Voter Suppression and Partner for Voting Rights and a Multiracial Democracy (PDF) [by clicking on each bullet point separately, you will be able to see the details of…
Citizens Climate Lobby
The Share the Plate recipient for July is: Citizen’s Climate Lobby At our last Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, the Board of Trustees voted to endorse federal legislation H.R. 2307. Thanks to Mary Alice Masonick, a longtime UUCE member and advocate with Citizens Climate Lobby, for her activism, and for sharing this vital work with us. A Climate Change Organization We exist to create the political will for climate change solutions by enabling individual breakthroughs in the…
Upcoming Events Offered by the UUA MidAmerica Region
1. UU History Renaissance Module Date & time: Wednesday, July 7, 2021, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT The UU History Renaissance module will be offered in an online format on Wednesdays, July 7, July 14, July 21, July 28, August 4, and August 11, 1 – 3pm EST / 12 – 2pm CST / 11am – 1pm MST / 10am – 12pm PST. The module will be led by Arran Liddel and Kirsten Hunter. Registration is limited to 15 participants and the fee for this…
Draft Statement of Conscience
Our Unitarian Universalist General Assembly (GA) delegates are Elizabeth Olson and Rev. Leland Bond-Upson, they will be voting Saturday on the Statement of Conscience. The UU General Assembly traditionally is held the Wednesday after Father’s Day, runs for five days and is preceded by staff Professional Days (Pro Days). This is the second year it is being held online. Next year it is scheduled to be held in Portland, Oregon. Draft Statement of Conscience Undoing Systemic White Supremacy: A Call to…
From CASA Kane County
To Our CASA Supporters & Friends This time of year, as plants grow and multiply, gives one a renewed and positive outlook. Even plants need sunshine, water, and care to grow strong an tall. Our children also need support, especially our most vulnerable children in foster care. I am so proud of our team, leadership, and the wonderful CASA/GAL volunteers that give so much of their time, care, and oversight to the children that we serve. In this Voice edition,…
UUCE PADS Lunch Group New Coordinator
Hello! I’m pleased to announce that I’m the new coordinator for the UUCE PADS Lunch Group! PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) of Elgin aims first to meet the basic needs of homeless individuals, then provide case management. The shelter provides a safe place to sleep, meals, showers, laundry facilities and personal hygiene products. Last year PADS provided 13,611 nights of shelter and 38,111 meals to 302 men, women and children. Please consider signing up to make, deliver and/or serve one…
Fourth Sunday Styrofoam Collection June 27, 9:00 to 9:30 AM
The Fourth Sunday Styrofoam Collection is this Sunday, June 27, 9:00 to 9:30 AM, in the church parking lot. Please separate your CLEAN food grade from your packaging foam and put them in the car with the sign for food foam or packaging foam. No Styrofoam peanuts are accepted (take those to UPS store). The Styrofoam is taken to Dart Container Corporation in North Aurora. Thank you for recycling. Mary Alice
Let Us Give Thanks
Some people are of the opinion that racist and homophobic oppressions are at an all-time high, worse than ever. That kind of statement can, I think, be called demagoguery. Conditions of minorities, while still unequal, are very much better than when I was growing up, when the ‘n-word’ was used a lot, and nobody openly objected. Gay men were a despised and persecuted minority. Bisexuals and gay women were little-known outside of New York and San Francisco, and Trans people…
From the Church Office
Earlier this week I once again had the opportunity to attend the Association of UU Administrators (AUUA) Professional Days, this year it was held online. 120 Administrator joined in from Canada, the US and Mexico. It was a wonderful experience. Pro Days always reminds me how important it is for both staff and volunteers to keep in mind our Covenant when doing our important work. Here it is: At UUCE we covenant to: Nurture the spirit Grow in relationship Serve…
The Sense of Crisis
I had hoped that the sense of crisis that has been so pervasive in our society for the last four years – plus the additional layer of the COVID pandemic for the last 15 months – would have dissipated more than it has. I was hoping we could move away from the subject of our rancorous politics. In fact, there has been some relief provided by the Biden Administration and return to normalcy. But there is a new, growing crisis.…
Upcoming Events Offered by the UUA MidAmerica Region
UU History Renaissance Module Date & time: Wednesday, July 7, 2021, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm CST The UU History Renaissance module will be offered in an online format on Wednesdays, July 7, July 14, July 21, July 28, August 4, and August 11, 12 – 2pm CST. The module will be led by Arran Liddel and Kirsten Hunter. Registration is limited to 15 participants and the fee for this 6-session module is $300, payable on a sliding scale according…