UUC Hunger Initiative Back Pack Project A Great Success

Thanks to the generosity of our congregation, we were able to donate 75 backpacks, plus a variety of extra items, to the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen backpack giveaway. Congratulations everyone for a fantastic effort! At the Daily Bread on the day before the giveaway we sorted through a mountain of packs. Ellen Harms lost count of the total number that came in, but it was over 1000. There were also lots of boxes full of extra items. The extra things were all filed into boxes according to type of item – blankets, gloves, socks, toiletries, snacks, etc. At first glance it appeared chaotic, but in fact the operation was quite organized. We did our best to stuff some extra things into packs that could hold a little more. We even had enough stuff to fill some bags that were donated empty. In the end, there were three rooms full of packs for men, women, and children. Then on the day of the giveaway, people were lined up around the corner. Unfortunately the weather was a little drizzly, but we had a very jolly Santa and helper who worked the line, giving out candy and doodads to keep people happy while they waited. People were allowed in ten at a time, so the giveaway inside was calm and easy. Everyone got a pack, and then a sack lunch. They exited out the back door. I was quite impressed by the smoothness of the proceedings. It was heartwarming to see how happy people were to receive the packs. Almost 100% of them said thank you and Merry Christmas. It was an uplifting experience. Thank you for helping to make the holidays happier for all these people.

LGBTQ Ally Workshop at the UU Church in Urbana

"LGBTQ Allyship Through Language" Sunday, Dec. 2nd 12:30pm-2pm in the Library Come join members of our congregation for a workshop on language sensitivity related to LGBTQ allyship and our commitment as a Welcoming Congregation. We will explore what terminology is being used around LGBTQ issues; what is sensitive vs. what is a slur; and how we can demonstrate, through language, our commitment to LGBTQ affirmation and inclusion. Come one, come all. This is a workshop for teens and adults, alike!

December Shared Offering: Partner Churches

December’s Shared Offering Recipient: Our Partner Churches The Mission and Objectives of the Partner Church Committee are to develop long term mutually supportive relationships with our fellow Unitarians in Transylvania, Romania and in the Khasi Hills of India. To this end we promote an exchange of people and ideas, provide funds and other forms of assistance to help our Partner Churches in Szekelykal (Transylvania) and Nongtalang (Khasi Hills, India) and their communities to improve the quality of life for all the inhabitants and to foster economic development through enhanced educational opportunities. Our two Partner Churches are quite different, although they share an economy based on farming. In Szekelykal, it’s mixed agriculture, while in Nongtalang the primary crop is beetle nut. In Szekelykal, the Church building dates from before the Reformation during which the Church became Unitarian. The Church in the Khasi Hills has been finished and is a small concrete building. Paved roads are the connections between urban areas and villages. The roads in the villages themselves are dirt roads. Szekelykal has heated homes and electricity, but in the Khasi Hills, the level of income is frequently below the global poverty level of a dollar a day, but they do have electricity. The needs of both congregations are sizeable. Education and basic necessities are high on the list of ways the Committee hopes to support the growth and stability of both our Partner Churches. There are current photos from both Churches on the Bulletin Board in the Fellowship Hall. In the south entrance hall (by the parking lot door) are hanging several gifts from our friends in Szekelykal. If you wish to help support this ongoing effort to benefit those churches, please note that collections throughout the month of December are designated to that end. You may either write a check made out to the UU Church, with a note in the memo line that your donation is to go to Partner Churches, or you may use a red marked envelope. These funds will go directly to the Partner Churches. In addition to those funds, 50% of the undesignated cash collection will go to the Partner Churches. If you would like to visit or join our congregation’s Partner Church Committee, please contact the Chair, Brigitte Pieke, at brigittepieke@hotmail.com. To find out more about our Partner Churches, see pictures, read recipes from the regions, and listen to music from their congregations, please go to our website and click on the Partner Church page. http://uucurbana.publishpath.com/partner-church.

Connect with other UU Church of Urbana-Champaign Parents on Facebook!

Connect with other UUCUC parents on Facebook! We have three groups you can be a part of: * UUCUC Parents (for all parents with any age child) * UUCUC Parents of Teens * UUCUC Parents of Young Children (younger than teens) Please consider joining the general UUCUC Parents group and whichever group(s) applies to your family. We hope these groups can create a social network where parents can ask questions, share stories, articles, or information, and seek and give support to each other. Use the following links to access the groups and click on "Join." http://www.facebook.com/groups/uucucparents/ http://www.facebook.com/groups/uucuc.parentsofteens/ http://www.facebook.com/groups/uucucparentsofyoungchildren/ Thanks to Elaine Gehrmann, Ryan Thomas, and Lara Troyer for getting these groups set up. --Religious Education Committee

Feeding Body and Soul

Feeding Body and Soul

The Champaign-Urbana Storytelling Guild, in partnership with the Hunger Initiative of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign,will be hosting a benefit for the Eastern Illinois Food Bank on Saturday, December1. "Feeding Body and Soul", a story telling celebration, will be held in Fellowship Hall starting at 7:30 p.m. and will feature storytellers Elaine Bearden, Dan Keding, Barbara Bolser, Kathe Brinkmann, Linda Dust, Kim Sheahan and our very own Sue Searing. The evening will be a feast of stories to entertain and engage the mind and heart with a sampling of tasty treats for the body as well. Suggested donation is $10.00, with all proceeds going to the Eastern Illinois Food Bank. Contact the church at admin at uucuc.org for more information.

November Shared Offering: Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Program

The Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Program of the Multicultural Community Center in Rantoul provides child care and comprehensive services of education, health, nutrition, transportation, and social services for children ages birth to five years old of farm worker families. The Multicultural Community Center is based in Rantoul, where many migrant farm workers come to work and live. Beginning in June and going throughout the summer until September, migrant workers and their families make their trek from places like Texas and Florida to Champaign County to detassel corn and to begin removing weeds and other unwanted plants from corn and soybeans. The majority come at the end of June and beginning of July for detasseling and again in September for other harvest activities. At the height of the season, an estimated 400 to 500 migrant workers and family members are in our area. In addition to the Head Start program for younger children, families are provided services such as childcare, dental, medical and legal assistance through the Multicultural Community Center. Migrant families and children need support every time they move. Let’s show them our support!