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The Uniter
Newsletter of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign
January 7, 2015
Worship Services
January 11, 2015
New Worship Time at 10:15 a.m.
“Better and Better”
The Rev. Axel H. Gehrmann
Second Sunday Potluck
January 18, 2015
New Worship Time at 10:15 a.m.
“Hands Up, Don’t Shoot”
The Rev. Axel H. Gehrmann
January 25, 2015
New Worship Time at 10:15 a.m.
“Half Heaven, Half Hell”
The Rev. Axel H. Gehrmann
Our Mission
Build Community.
Seek Inspiration.
Promote Justice.
Find Peace.
Minister’s Message
– The Rev. Axel H. Gehrmann
I was out of the office after Christmas, spending a
few days with family in California. Thus I offer this
piece by Howard Thurman entitled “The New
Year” for our first 2015 newsletter:
There is always something impressive about
a fresh start. Think how fortunate it would be if
time was not somehow divided into parts.
Suppose there were no day, only night. Even in
parts of the world near the North Pole, there is a
six-month day and a six-month night. Or suppose
there were only winter, or only summer, or only
spring. Suppose there were no artificial things
like months so that we could not be mindful of the
passing of time. Suppose there were no years,
just the passing of hours, with no signposts to
mark them into units of months and years. Then
there would be no New Year.
The beginning of another year means the end
of a year that has fulfilled itself and passed on. It
means that some things are finished, rounded
out, completed forever. It means that for some of
us certain changes have taken place so profound
in their nature that we can never be what we
were before.
The New Year means a fresh start, a second
wind, another chance, a kind of reprieve, a divine
act of grace bestowed upon the children of
[humankind]. It is important to remember that;
whatever the fact may have been, it cannot be
undone. It is a fact. If we have made serious
blunders, they are made. All our tears cannot
unmake them. We may learn from them and
carry our hard-won lessons into the New Year.
We can remember them, not with pain, but with
gratitude that in our new wisdom we can live
into the present year with deeper understanding
and greater humanity. May whatever suffering
we brought on ourselves or others teach us to
understand life more completely and, in our
understanding, love it more wisely…
The theme of January’s worship services is “hope.”
In this spirit, I hope your year to come will be
filled with ever greater wisdom and love.
See you in church!
Religious Education News
– Cindy Wakeland,
Director of RE
New Year Thoughts
Happy New Year! Are you counting your
blessings? Making resolutions? I have decided it is
a good time to try and begin new activities but not
to make the resolutions because I never seem to
keep them. I just want to be the best that I can be,
which means at my job and taking care of myself
personally. If I can balance those two, then I will
be a better person to others.
After Christmas dinner, my mother read some
letters and cards that she found tucked away in
my father’s dresser as she was clearing out his
drawers. This was the first Christmas since his
passing this last July. There was an old letter from
his grandmother, a note my brother wrote when
he was 10 years, and a card from me. It was a
Father’s Day card, nothing real special but he had
pulled it aside and tucked it away for a memory on
another day. That’s what letters can do – they can
be memories from the past that make us happy
today and give us hope for tomorrow. This made
me think:
It’s time for the UUCUC
PEN PAL PROJECT 2015!
Sign-ups began this past Sunday and continue
through January 18th. Pen pals will be
assigned and ready to receive mail on
Sunday, January 25th. Pen pals will write
for five weeks and have their pizza party
reveal on Sunday, February 22nd.
Sign up at the RE Table in Fellowship Hall
or contact me at 384-8862 or
re-director@uucuc.org.
The Uniter
Classroom Changes
Religious Education (RE) Classes are back
together and will be getting used to our new
experimental schedule. Please take note there are
a couple of room changes as we begin the new
semester. The 6th – 7th grade class will move from
the Windowless Classroom downstairs to the
Library upstairs, and the 4th – 5th grade class will
move from Room #4 to the Windowless
Classroom. The other classes, for now, are as
follows: Pre-K will be in the Children’s Chapel, K –
1st grade will remain in Room #2; the 2nd – 3rd
graders will remain in Room #1; and OWL will
remain in Room #4. The nursery will be in Room
#3 and YRUU have their own place. All rooms will
be clearly marked for you to find your way.
Adult Education Venues Start February
Take a glance at some possible adult studies the
Religious Education Committee may offer this
February. Ideas and interest sign-up sheets are
located at the RE Table. The RE Committee will be
discussing the options. Right now, we are
considering “What Really Happened in
Ferguson?” and “The Wisdom Path: Money, Spirit,
and Life.” We also will think about a class on
Meditation.
The Religious Education Committee
This month, Tuesday, January 13th, we will be
discussing several topics, including evaluating the
Holiday programs, looking at the experimental
schedule, and deciding about adult education
classes, to name just a few! We also need to think
about our mission, welcome new members Sophie
Meyn and Sarah Nixon, and begin planning our
Fine Arts Day in classrooms on February 8th. If
you are interested in joining us, please contact me.
Musings on Membership
– Sam
Shore, Membership Coordinator
The beginning of the year is a milestone for many
people in many ways. The start of 2015 has special
significance for me because it was on January 1st,
2014, that I first started working at the Unitarian
Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign. In this
column, I’m excited to report back on some of the
steps I’ve taken in my time at the church.
January 7, 2014
Page 2
At the onset of my tenure, my first concern was
getting to know the organs and individuals that
made the church run. I had an opportunity to sit
in with a number of committees, read through our
church history books, and chat with old and new
members about their experience. I continue to
take advantage of opportunities to do these things,
while also furthering my professional
development through the resources offered by the
Unitarian Universalist Association of Membership
Professionals.
A long-term concern of mine is ensuring that our
church has modes of institutional memory that
help ensure our volunteers have the information
they need to be happy and effective in their roles.
To this end, I helped organize a training about
collaborative technologies for committee chairs
and other interested parties, as
well as a separate training for
our Board of Trustees. I have
endeavored to make myself an
available resource for the
volunteers who make our church
run, providing an extra pair of
eyes, hands, or ears as the case requires.
I am also interested to explore how we can be
more purposeful in helping visitors to our church
become invested, engaged members. This year, we
introduced a Connections Hub table which serves
as a point of contact for new and old congregants
to touch base with representatives of the
Membership Committee on Sunday mornings.
Behind the scenes, I have instituted a tracking
document that can be used to ensure we are
providing visitors with requested information and
following up with
them to ensure
we’re addressing
their needs.
I’m excited to see what our church can accomplish
over the next year. Stay tuned, and see you around
church!
Until next time,
Your Membership Coordinator, Sam
Karla’s Korner
– Karla Peterson, Chair of the
Board of Trustees
Happy New Year! By the time you get this I
hope to have seen you at church… at the new hour
and with only one service. That change occurred
as a result of the ReVisioning Task Force's work.
The Task Force continues to do their work as they
investigate new opportunities for worship and
programming, and as they receive evaluation
feedback from all of you as we try new things.
That “happening” brings to mind the Strategic
Plan and the many things that have been
accomplished toward our goals. First, you
participated in the development of the plan, and
then you supported the goals through
participation in activities as well as through your
generosity in last year’s stewardship campaign.
That generosity enabled us to hire and to keep
Sam Shore as the Membership Coordinator. Sam
has worked diligently with many of the
committees, including Membership and
Communication, the latter of which is working on
developing a new web site and has also opened up
many new electronic avenues to get our message
out. Sam is putting together a report on his many
accomplishments to which we will soon be privy.
Stay tuned!
As a congregation, we also approved the two-year
initiative, Immigration Justice. While most of the
work toward that goal has been behind the scenes
to date, you will be hearing more about it in 2015.
The Social Action Committee (SAC) has shared
some of their budget with the group working on
this “outreach” goal to get started – again, your
generosity came through.
And then there’s the Facilities Improvement Task
Force (FITF) that is busy reviewing the old
architectural plans and taking tours into various
corners of the building. That group will soon be
asking for your input relative to accessibility and
functionality as it relates to our building.
The Property Committee has done a lot in the past
year – due, once again, to your generosity! We
have a new boiler and new windows in much of
the lower level. Those improvements have made
The Uniter
January 7, 2014
Page 3
us more “green.” Much more has been
accomplished on building improvements, but time
and space don’t allow for more detail now.
Church Announcements
The bottom line is this: You have made possible
what UUCUC has accomplished this past year, and
you have helped UUCUC live up to our beliefs and
principles. As we move forward with all aspects of
the Strategic Plan, we would love for you to be
involved. We appreciate everything that you do to
make it possible. THANK YOU.
Lost, Found… Check Out Our Wares!
Come one, come all… Our Lost and Found
overfloweth! Please visit our Lost and Found,
conveniently located to the left of the men’s
restroom in Fellowship Hall, under the Literature
Table. Some items include:
Our Church Family
Joys and Concerns
This information is not available in the online
edition of The Uniter.
•
•
•
•
•
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Black knit hat and other colored caps
One men’s glove
Equal Exchange brand travel mug
Black gloves
Hot pink scarf
Towels and a pillow
And many more, too numerous to mention!
These items will be cleaned and donated within
the next month, so claim your items soon. Thanks
Open Bidding: Join AUUCtion Committee
The AUUction Committee will hold an
organizational meeting on Sunday, January
25th after the service. We will discuss many
aspects of the auction and assign preliminary
roles. The auction is our largest fundraising
activity of the year and is a lot of fun to work on. If
you are interested in helping, there are many
opportunities both large and small for you to
participate.
Please email the committee chair, Bill Childers, at
wchilder57@gmail.com to be included on the
listserv for the committee for this year and/or to
RSVP to attend this month’s meeting.
Welcome to Our New Accompanist
We bid a fond farewell to Gonzalo Farias, who has
served as our Interim Accompanist since
September, and we plan to welcome Matthew
Gladden as our new Accompanist.
Currently a DMA candidate in Vocal Coaching and
Accompanying at the U of I, Matthew has served
as a pianist/organist for the First United
Methodist Church of Urbana, he currently
accompanies The Singing Men of WGNN, and he
has also been an accompanying assistant at the U
of I. In addition, he owns Gladden Music LLC
(www.methodbooks.com), which sells
instructional books to piano teachers. Prior to
moving to Champaign in 2009, Matthew served as
The Uniter
January 7, 2014
Page 4
Welcome to Our New Accompanist, cont.
a pianist in various churches in Oregon, Colorado,
and Washington, and he was the winner of a
number of musical awards.
Many thanks to members of the Accompanist
Search Committee: Marsha Clinard, Axel
Gehrmann, Tanja Hodges, Frank Knowles, and
Matt Sheppard.
– Millie Davis, Chair
Coming Events
The First Happy Hour of a Happy New Year
Join us at the next UU Happy Hour on
Thursday, January 15th at the Clark Bar in
Champaign. Stop by any time between 5:00 and
7:00 p.m. to get together, chat, and relax. The
Clark Bar is located at 207 W. Clark St. in
Champaign.
This group gathers on the third Thursday of each
month. For more information, contact Russ
Rybicki at russadr@fastmail.fm. We hope to see
you there!
Social Action News
Monthly Shared Offering: The Public i
January’s Shared Offering will help support The
Public i, the longest-lived alternative paper in
Champaign-Urbana (C/U).
Affiliated with the
Independent Media Center
for all of its 12 years, the
Public i is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We are all volunteers
to “a collectively-run,
community-oriented publication,” and invite
anyone from the community who wants to attend
editorial committee meetings and contribute a
story. Providing a forum “for topics underreported
and voices underrepresented,” we are local
authors writing about local, national, and
international issues, plus people originally from
C/U who continue to contribute or let us reprint
their stuff (Mark Weisbrot, Robert Naiman, Dave
Roediger, Sarah Lazare). Every article promotes
social justice by valuing diversity, fighting
The Uniter
injustice, and promoting equality. Pieces range
from “A Day at Stateville,” performed at UU
church last May, and Pete Seeger's 1958 visit to
UIUC, to the Northwestern Football Player Union,
to Russia, Ukraine, and Hungary, and from local
healthcare and local prison and police reform (not
building a new jail, returning the MRAP, not
employing tasers) to the environment and
environmental justice (Mahomet aquifer, Homer
Bulldog mine). For these and other stories, visit
our website at http://publici.ucimc.org/
We operate on a shoestring budget. In addition to
an online edition, we publish an eight page print
edition that works out to 10 issues/year. We
distribute our ca. 3000 print run in numerous
cubbies located throughout C/U. The poor quality,
old-timey newsprint vs the better-looking online
version means you have to wash the ink off your
hands when you're done reading.
Money from UUCUC Shared Offering will go
entirely towards publication costs, approximately
$300/issue. The Public i does not run ads and all
labor (editing, distributing) is volunteer-donated.
UUs Gave Boost to Backpack Project
The 2014 backpack giveaway at the Daily
Bread Soup Kitchen was a success, and the
generosity of this church played a significant
role. This year, we approached the project
from two angles. First: We collected filled
backpacks. Second: We donated the items
from the Mitten Tree. Overall, our donation
was huge, and we warmed and delighted a
great many people this past Christmas.
Sandy Hannum poses in Fellowship Hall with the
UUCUC backpack collection donated last month.
January 7, 2014
Page 5
Backpack Project Boost, cont.
We gathered a total of 40 filled backpacks,
plus several extra items for the packs,
including many bottles of assorted lotions,
lots of snacks and games, and four coats! The
mitten tree was absolutely packed in both
services with mittens, gloves, hats, and
scarves for all ages.
the church Library. To get help from Care Core or
to be added to the listserv, please email
gethelp@uucuc.org.
Feminist Book Group
Meets the third Tuesday of the month, from 7:00
to 9:00 p.m. in the Library. Contact Karen Folk at
foxfolk@aol.com or 367-9723 for more
information.
The giveaway day, December 19th, was not
terribly cold, so the people waiting in line
came in feeling cheerful. We gave away 806
backpacks in just two hours. There were lots
of smiles and hugs. Santa and Mrs. Claus
were there handing out candy canes to the
children and several kids sat on their laps.
Finance Committee
Chaired by Tanja Hodges. Meets the first
Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the
Children’s Chapel. To join or for more
information, email thodg01s@gmail.com.
Thank you for helping to make the holidays
happier for people in need.
Grief Chalice Circle
Meets the first and third Saturdays of the month
from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the Library. Contact
Pamela Van Wyk (pcvw811@gmail.com) or Mona
Shannon (mona4shannon@gmail.com).
– Sandy Hannum
Groups and Chalice Circles
Adult Discussion Group
Meets after services every Sunday morning at
11:15 a.m. in the Library. The topics range from
issues related to local Church matters, up through
contemporary international issues, including
denominational, congregational, social, national,
and international and faith issues. Newcomers are
always welcome. Led by Chuck Cooper.
Caregiver’s Chalice Circle
Meets the third Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m.
Contact Sylvia McDermott at evdrew@aol.com.
The Uniter
Reflective Writing Chalice Circle
Meets the third Thursday of the month at 7:00
p.m. Contact Pat Nolan at 384-7477 or
pnolan96@aol.com.
Women’s Brown Bag Luncheon
Meets the second Wednesday of each month from
noon to 1:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Contact
Anine Singh-DeGrood at aninesing@hotmail.com.
Bridge Group
Meets from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the Children’s
Chapel on the second and fourth Monday of each
month. Any one is welcome from “beginner” to
“gee whiz, you're good!” We play to get the
maximum fun out of the game. Contact Barbara
Mann at barber_mann@yahoo.com.
Care Core
Supports church members and friends in need,
shares community resources, and visits anyone
who would like a friendly call. The Steering
Committee, led by Peri Ceperley, meets on the
third Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. in
Playgroup
Meets every Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
in the Nursery. To join the mailing list and begin
connecting with fellow parents and guardians of
children, email childcare@uucuc.org.
Toward a Deeper
Understanding
Join Our Church!
We strive to deepen the religious life and support
the spiritual growth of members and friends who
join together here, working to build a better world
beginning with ourselves.
If you find you are in sympathy with our principles
and at least 14 years of age, then we invite you to
sign our Membership Book.
January 7, 2014
Page 6
Join Our Church, cont.
There is no one single, right path to membership.
But here are a few options: participate in worship
and other events; attend a Q & A Session, or
perhaps one of the three-session Orientations that
are offered twice a year. Above all, familiarize
yourself with our congregation.
Then, fill out a Membership Information Form,
available at our Welcome Table in the lobby or in
the church office. The form asks for contact
information and encourages you to consider the
kind of church involvement you seek.
After returning the completed form, you will be
contacted by the minister or someone from our
Membership Committee, to set up a time to
receive additional information and sign the book.
— From Axel Gehrmann and
The Membership Committee
How to Reach Us
Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Telephone: (217) 384-8862
Mail: 309 W. Green St., Urbana, IL 61801-3221
Email: admin@uucuc.org
Web: uucuc.org/
Publications and Deadlines
The Uniter is published every two weeks from
September through May, and every three weeks
during the holiday season and summer months.
Send announcements to admin@uucuc.org. To
receive The Uniter electronically, contact the
office. The next submission deadline is noon,
Tuesday, January 15th.
Subscribe to our weekly E-News!
The E-News comes out on Fridays and provides
last-minute news and reminders of events taking
place in the coming week. To sign up, contact
admin@uucuc.org.
For questions about pledge payments or
Trust Fund donations, contact the
Financial Secretary, Amy Robison,
at finsec@uucuc.org.
The Uniter
Contacts
Staff
Axel Gehrmann, Minister
(minister@uucuc.org)
Tu., Wed., Fri., 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Cindy Wakeland, Director of Religious Education
(re-director@uucuc.org) 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., M-Th
Brittni Ballard, Office Administrator
(admin@uucuc.org) 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., M-F
Samuel Shore, Membership Coordinator
(membershipcoordinator@uucuc.org)
Wed. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Matt Sheppard, Music Director
(mgs5055@gmail.com)
Matthew Gladden, Accompanist
(matt.gladden@gmail.com)
Beth Cobb, Assistant for Services
(bethac54@comcast.net)
Anine Singh-DeGrood, Childcare Coordinator
(aninesingh@hotmail.com)
Myron Winkler, Sexton
(mjwinkler7@gmail.com)
Josh Winkler, Sunday Sexton
(MrWinky1979@hotmail.com)
Stephanie Cobb, Kitchen Helper
(s-cobb@comcast.net)
Board of Trustees
Karla Peterson, Chair
Chris Hannauer, Vice Chair
Lynn Wiley, Treasurer
Barbara Childers, Clerk
David Prochaska, Finance Liaison
Mona Shannon, Membership Liaison
Brian McDermott, Moderator
Barbara Hudgings, Personnel Liaison
Jared Lofrano, Property Liaison
Libby Tyler, Religious Education Liaison
Mike Retzer, Social Action Liaison
Sue Searing, Worship Liaison
Committees & Chairs
Care Core: Peri Ceperley, gethelp@uucuc.org
Finance: Tanja Hodges
Green UUs: Andy Robinson
Membership: Peggy Patten & Karen Retzer
Ministry: Jeff Unger
Music: Sarah Wisseman
Partner Church: Brigitte Pieke
Personnel: Kathleen Holden
Property: Jerry Carden
Social Action: Ryan Latvaitis
Stewardship: Emily Laugesen, Kathleen Holden, &
Kathleen Robbins
Religious Education: TBA
Worship: Amanda Ramey
January 7, 2014
Page 7
Calendar – January 7, 2015
Thursday, January 8
12:00 p.m. E-News and OOS Deadline
5:30 p.m. Personnel Committee – Library
7:00 p.m. Chalice/SGM Leaders – Library
7:30 p.m. Finance Committee – Children’s Chapel
Thursday, January 15
12:00 p.m. E-News, OOS, and Uniter Deadline
5:00 p.m. Happy Hour Group – Off Site at Clark Bar
7:00 p.m. Reflective Writing Chalice Circle – Library
Friday, January 16
9:00 a.m. Playgroup – Nursery
Friday, January 9
9:00 a.m. Playgroup – Nursery
Saturday, January 17
2:00 p.m. Grief Chalice Circle – Library
Sunday, January 11
10:15 a.m. Worship Service, RE, and Child Care
11:30 p.m. Adult Discussion Group – Library
Sunday, January 18
10:15 a.m. Worship Service, RE, and Child Care
11:30 a.m. Adult Discussion Group – Library
12:00 p.m. Immigration Event – Children’s Chapel
Monday, January 12
1:00 p.m. Bridge Group – Children’s Chapel
Tuesday, January 13
5:30 p.m. RE Committee – Library
7:00 p.m. Board of Trustees – Children’s Chapel
Wednesday, January 14
12:00 p.m. Women’s Brown Bag Luncheon
– Fellowship Hall
6:15 p.m. CrUUners Rehearsal – Sanctuary
7:00 p.m. Adult Choir Rehearsal – Sanctuary
The Uniter
Monday, January 19
7:00 p.m. Social Action Committee – Fellowship Hall
7:00 p.m. Caregiver’s Chalice Circle – Library
Tuesday, January 20
7:00 p.m. Feminist Book Group – Library
Wednesday, January 21
9:30 a.m. Uniter Folding Party – Fellowship Hall
11:00 a.m. Care Core Steering Comm. – Library
6:15 p.m. CrUUners Rehearsal – Sanctuary
7:00 p.m. Adult Choir Rehearsal – Sanctuary
January 7, 2014
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