News (Page 30)
Building Policy
For everyone’s health and safety, the UUCE building is closed to the public. Employees and leaders who have a key to the building are permitted to enter given they abide by the following rules. All members, employees, and visitors entering UUCE must sign in at the visitor table outside the church offices. Face masks covering your nose and mouth are required for all inside the building. If you forgot your mask, disposable masks are available at the sign in table.…
Minister’s Discretionary Fund
This month’s Share the Plate Recipient is: The Minister’s Discretionary Fund The is a special fund here at UUCE that is used to support our members and friends who are facing emergency financial need. It’s a separate checking account that the minister uses at their discretion to provide confidential assistance. Records are kept of all the money that’s given out, but those records remain anonymous to assure confidentiality. Contributions to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund are accepted periodically to replenish the…
UUs and Free Speech
We are swiftly approaching the start of a new church year, and I am looking forward to participating in ever-better coping with COVID-19 and the political season. I have been asked by the leaders of a dissident group of UU congregants and Ministers to write a cover letter to regional UU Ministers to accompany this group’s rebuttal to some decisions made by our Denomination and by the UU Minister’s Association; decisions that many see as undemocratic and illiberal. There is…
August Board Update
Visit our Board of Trustees page to meet the current BOT Leadership. Board Business Reopening the Building The Board reviewed the Executive Team’s procedures for reopening the building to small groups. The Board unanimously voted to allow the building to reopen to small groups based on the procedures. Survey Results This past month, the Board sent out a survey to UUCE members to measure the community comfort with reopening the building, or resuming some amount of activities in person. The…
UU Prison Ministry of IL
This month’s Share the Plate recipient is: The UU Prison Ministry of Illinois UUMPI is dedicated to addressing the gross injustices in our criminal justice system: mass incarceration, dehumanizing treatment, lack of restorative justice, and barriers to housing and employment for inmates upon release. They focus on two main functions: Working with those who are victims of the system while they are in prison, and after release. Leading the advocacy effort to change the broken system itself. UUMPI’s most recent…
Actions We Can Take for Black Lives
Running simultaneously with the tumultuous electoral and pandemic news, we are witnessing the remarkably persistent determination by all people of good will to end the evil of racism. This is wonderful good news, and a wonderful opportunity to root out (at last!) our cursed inheritances from the enslavement of Black people, and the racism that targeted dark-skinned people as existed in ancient Greece and Rome. The last several weeks have seen long-standing monuments to the military and political defenders of…
The 8th Principle
I want to start a discussion of the proposed UUA 8th Principle.
Elgin Cooperative Ministry
This month’s Share the Plate recipient is: Elgin Cooperative Ministry As persons of many faiths, we are united by our call to care for the holistic well-being of our neighbors. Elgin Cooperative Ministry The Elgin Cooperative Ministry is a coalition of religious and secular organizations in Elgin, focused on serving the community and relieving food insecurity. Its member organizations include the All People’s Interfaith Food Pantry and the Community Crisis Center, both of which we support with donations of goods.…
Learning from the Pandemic
Some say the pandemic has revealed inequality; some say we knew this all along. Evidence across the nation shows us that more Black Americans have gotten COVID-19 and die from it than White Americans. Gig workers struggle to see how they can get any the funds for bare subsistence. Essential workers are risking their safety, sometimes regardless of their own higher risk status. How do we feel about this? What do our UU souls do with this? How do our…
PADS of Elgin
This month’s Share the Plate recipient is: PADS of Elgin Public Action to Deliver Shelter, or PADS, works to provide support and shelter to homeless families and individuals in Elgin. They provide a safe place for people to sleep, eat, shower, and do laundry, providing all the necessary beds, food, hygiene products, and laundry detergent. They also help individuals create an action plan by identifying barriers which led to homelessness and ways to overcome them. Each year, PADS of Elgin…
CASA Kane County
This month’s Share the Plate recipient is: CASA Kane County Court Appointed Special Advocates of Kane County is a nonprofit volunteer organization that has been advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children within the Juvenile Court system since 1988. CASA Kane County recruits, trains, and supervises community volunteers who serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates and Guardians ad Litem for children who are in court due to abuse, neglect, or private guardianship. CASA Kane County serves over…
Boys & Girls Club of Elgin
This month’s Share the Plate recipient is: The Boys & Girls Club of Elgin Their mission is to enable all young people, especially those most in need, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. They provide a safe and enriching environment for children to gather, get assistance, seek mentorship, and find inspiration. With the help of professional mentors and support from community members, the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin helps children build the skills and…