Letters from Leadership (Page 2)

I’ve rarely had to think about whether or not I was going to church on Sunday.  From the time I first started coming to UUCE as a 21-year-old newlywed eager to find friends in a new community there has always been a compelling reason to show up.  Through years of playing various roles in the church that required my presence before, during and after the Sunday service, church attendance was a habit that was not hard to form.  But the…

The Church Has Left the Building by Margaret Weis The church is not a place; it is a people. The church is not only a steeple above the treeline, streets, and cars.Rather, it is a people proclaiming to the world thatwe are here for the work of healing and of justice. The church is not walls built stone upon stone, held together by mortarbut rather person, linked with person, linked with person:all ages and genders and abilities—a community built on the…

It’s hard to believe, but the end of 2022 is drawing near. We’re in our last month, the weather is getting colder, the streets are lit with twinkling lights, and snow is just around the corner. Another new year is approaching. I know many of us look at a new year as a time to personally reflect, evaluate, and refine ourselves. Resolutions may be made, goals set, intentions defined. For those of us who choose to look at the new…

“How’s Religious Education (RE) going?” I get this question a lot, and it’s a tough one to answer. On the one hand, it’s been a wonderful couple of months with our Youth Group. I know you all know this already, but the Youth of UUCE are caring, smart, fascinating people and it’s a joy to get to spend time with them during RE Classes. Since we started meeting every other week again, they have spent time playing games and getting to…

Climate change is a complex problem. The ways we address it are varied and have different impacts, but all are crucial in addressing climate change. Voting on climate is a critical approach. Our communities are impacted by the climate crisis, but that doesn’t mean we’re powerless. By organizing our churches, neighborhoods, and communities, we build the power necessary to nurture healthy and resilient communities where all can thrive. Together, we can elect officials – from the local to federal levels…

After an amazing year of being part of the worship team, I wanted to take some time to acknowledge my unexpected love for our lay led congregation.  While I know many of us are used to having a permanent minister, I for one am so grateful to get the unique chance of experiencing the creative diversity a lay lead church has to offer!  Since returning to UUCE, one of my favorite things has been to hear so many different perspectives,…

You might have noticed there’s been a lot of work taking place on the church’s exterior. When I first started back in the Admin. job two years ago, I noticed the building siding and trim was in much need of care. So, I made a proposal to the Executive Team and the Finance Committee that we start a four-year building maintenance plan which included repairing, replacing (where needed) and staining the cedar siding and trim of our beautiful Prairie Cathedral.…

It’s an exciting time to be part of the board. As we come out of the pandemic, we’re looking ahead toward growing our congregation and finding ways to engage more with the surrounding community. A few ideas have been floated around (parades are fun!), but we are always open to more suggestions that we can look at and share with everyone here. We are also looking at the possibility of bringing the Service Auction back and what that might look…

Life is full of hard edges and complicated choices. Braver/Wiser gives you a weekly message of courage and compassion for life as it is. Every Wednesday we deliver an original written reflection and brief prayer, grounded in Unitarian Universalism. Join the Braver/Wiser community and sign up today! Be-coming Out by Heather McDuffee, September 28, 2022 “Don’t come out unless you want to. Don’t come out for anyone else’s sake. Don’t come out because you think society expects you to. Come out for yourself.…

Thank you to everyone that joined us two weeks ago for our In-Gathering / Water Communion service!  It was great to have everyone together once again, including the choir, for the service.  I’m sure the taco luncheon afterwards helped boost attendance, but I hope we’ll continue seeing so many of our friends – old and new – at future services!  Speaking of future services, in the coming weeks we have some of our annual favorites lined up on the schedule. …

I’ve had a career in non-profits long enough to know: people get nervous about new people who come along and say “we’re going to try doing this a little differently.” Human beings have a tendency to assume that the way we are currently doing this is the correct or best way to do them, and when someone comes a long and proposes a new way, it feels like a criticism or a rebuke. Also, we usually have good reasons for our current methods. Change often feels like…