Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Partner Church Committee

Connecting Congregations Near and Far

Please come to the Partner Church Sunday Services on December 7th. The Partner Church Committee (PCC) is presenting an introduction of our UU ministers in Nongtalang, India and in Szekelykal, Transylvania and will show pictures of the terrain of their respective locations. Our minister Axel will lead our worship. Refreshments will be provided by PCC, so come and enjoy!

PCC Members: Anne Sharpe, Barb Strauss, Gail Hueting, Libby Tyler, Peri Ceperley, Sally Babbitt, Axel Gehrmann, and Brigitte Pieke (chair)

The Power of Words to Feed Body and Soul

The Champaign-Urbana Storytelling Guild, in partnership with our Social Action Committee, will be hosting a benefit for the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen on Saturday, December 6th. “Feeding Body and Soul,” a storytelling celebration, will be held in Fellowship Hall starting at 7:30 p.m. and will feature storytellers Elaine Bearden, Camille Born, Dan Keding, Kath Brinkmann, Linda Dust, Kim Sheahan, Judy Reynolds, 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.

The suggested donation is $10, with all proceeds going to the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen. Dessert donations also welcome!

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Friendsgiving, Food, and Fun

Would you enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with UU friends? Our church's second annual Thanksgiving potluck will be held in Fellowship Hall on Thanksgiving Day, November 27th. We will sit down to eat at 5 p.m. Sign up in Fellowship Hall after each Sunday service, or contact Sylvia McDermott at evdrew@aol.com to let her know you will attend and what dishes you’ll bring. We hope to see you there! Like last year, we're asking for contributions of food and/or beverages amounting to a $10 expenditure per person. 

Friday, November 14, 2014

Take it to the Streets: Backpacks of Love

Our church is once again participating in the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen backpack project, as we have done for the last few years. The Soup Kitchen celebrates the holidays by giving filled backpacks to the men and women who are guests at lunch. The Champaign-Urbana community is very generous to children at Christmastime through such projects as Shop with a Cop, Salvation Army Toy Store, toy drives, etc. However, the men and women who attend the soup kitchen daily are rarely remembered. For many, these backpacks will be their only presents.

Backpacks should be stuffed with toiletries such as deodorant, hand lotion for hands chapped by the cold, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, shaving cream, and cold weather items such as gloves, hats, scarves, socks, sweatshirts, tee shirts, long underwear, and regular underwear. Other appreciated items include hand warmers, cough drops, books, decks of cards, small fleece blankets, candy, gum, and food items. All items should be new. We are asking that all backpacks be new or nearly new as well.

All backpacks should be labelled with the gender and size of recipient (i.e. Man-XL). We found last year that most of our guests requested at least a size Large, while most preferred XL or even XXL. There is also a need for some bags with size 3X.

Bags for children up to age five are also needed. Please label these by gender and age of the child. Children’s bags may include small toys. We would also like to have diaper bags filled with baby items.

We will collect filled backpacks at the church on Sunday, December 7th and 14th. When you drop off a backpack, please let us know so that your gift can be acknowledged. Tax forms will be available. Backpacks will be given away at the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen on Friday, December 19th beginning at 10 a.m. 


If you have questions about this project, visit the Social Action Committee table after services or contact Sandy Hannum at smhannum@gmail.com

Monday, November 3, 2014

Citizens' Climate Lobby: Political Will for a Livable World

Save the date: Thursday, November 13th at 7:00 p.m. marks an evening of solutions to climate change as we explore local actions for global problems. 

This event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the church's own GreenUUs and Social Action Committee.

A preliminary presentation led by Holly Nelson and titled "Putting Solar PV on the Roof of First Mennonite Church" will begin at Holly Nelson will begin at 7:00 p.m.

The main presentation by David Holmquist, Illinois CCL State Co-Coordinator, titled "Building the Political Will to Stop Climate Change: An Introduction to Citizens' Climate Lobby" will begin immediately following at 7:20 p.m.

All are invited to attend to learn how ordinary citizens are changing the conversation in Congress and building support for putting a price on carbon emissions to curb global warming. Find out how you can help.

"Politicians do not create political will, they respond to it. If we want Congress to address climate change then they have to hear from us." -- Mark Reynolds, CCL Executive Director