“What will you do with your one wild and precious life?” asks the poet Mary Oliver in the final line of her poem The Summer Day. Perhaps we can also ask ourselves, what will we do with our wild and precious church community and our wild precious church life? This Sunday we will explore where our … Continue reading Our Wild and Precious Church Life
One of the most profound and influential questions in our civilization has been to ask, “Who is my neighbor?” Each of the monotheisms asks this question and how it is answered has defined our shared history for millennia. From Aristotle’s philosophy to Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan, ‘The Neighbor Question’ continues to impact everything from … Continue reading The Neighbor Question
Join the Rev. Deb Matthews in an exploration into how congregations can be crucial in accompanying those with mental illness through their often difficult lives. Drawing from her own personal experience and witness, Deb will suggest simple, uncomplicated responses and approaches for providing support to ourselves and others. Please be aware that the sermon will … Continue reading The Four Friends: Mental Health in Congregations
In a time of hyper-individualism and extreme divisions, it is vital to create community and build belonging. How do we build bridges without losing our selves? How do we build belonging that is not based in separation and othering? This Sunday, choir members from both our Prairie Circle and Tree of Life congregations will lead … Continue reading Strong is What We Make Each Other
If you missed this service, you can watch the entire General Assembly version here. We are gathering for worship online to create building access for our TOL housemates, the McHenry County Jewish Congregation. While we’ll be meeting from our homes, we will still celebrate the willingness of our faith and our community to become the … Continue reading Ever Willing: Becoming the People Our World Needs
We were having technical issues this day, so the recording above is mostly audio. Inspiring message, none the less. For many years now, our congregation has used the tag line “Rooted in Love, Reaching for Justice”. It grounds us in the core of Unitarian Universalist beliefs, heritage, and values. It challenges us and call us … Continue reading Rooted in Love; Reaching for Justice
It is often easy for us to underestimate the importance of compassionate boundaries in creating a sense of welcome and belonging, for our whole and authentic selves and for those we welcome in our lives and communities. In our current dominant culture, learning to appreciate our own boundaries and the boundaries of others can feel … Continue reading When the Spirit says “Do”, When the Spirit says “No”; Inviting the Sacred Yes AND the Sacred No
Join us online or in-person for this joyful celebration of Tree of Life. We will be welcoming new members today. After the service, we invite you to enjoy refreshments and conversation. 12:15-1:15pm we offer session on Faith Development for Children and Youth. Did you miss this service? You can watch the homily here
The path of belonging to a community can be a long and winding journey. What does it mean to belong to a community? Join us for this exploration and our new member ceremony! Speaker: Rev Jenn Gracen Worship Leader: Ron Relic Chalice Lighter: Ray Beth After the service we will have online and in person … Continue reading To Nurture a Community
Unitarian Universalism is a life giving, life saving, religious tradition. Have we built invisible barriers that prevent people from being a part of our communities? Speaker: Rev Jenn Gracen Worship Leader: Jesse Bowen Chalice Lighter: Carol Alfus After the service we will have online and in person social time. Did you miss this service? You … Continue reading Invisible Barriers
