COVID Protocol: Our Covid-19 protocols have been adjusted, we are now in Green. Masking is recommended. Please visit our website here for more details.

Office Hours: If you are planning to come by 1019 (our Unity Temple Community Center) for any reason during the week, please check to make sure a staff person will be here to help you. Contact [email protected].

Meeting the Moment Together / Rev. Dawn Cooley

October Theme: Courage

Live Stream Worship at 10am / Recorded Viewing Available at Noon

Live stream link can be found here.

Sunday’s chalice table flowers will be given by Donald Bussey in memory of his beloved mother, Martha Bussey.

OFFERING : Austin Scholars Program of Third Unitarian Church

Unity Temple Gives. Each week we give our Sunday collection to an organization that aligns with our values. This Sunday’s collection will benefit the Austin Scholars Program of Third Unitarian Church – since 1974, helping to support more than 500 outstanding high school seniors in the Austin community to attend college. Learn more here. 

You may donate by placing cash or check in one of the circulating baskets during the service, sending a check to the Unity Temple office (875 Lake St., Oak Park, 60301) with (name of organization) on the memo line, by texting 73256 with the message UTUUC $____ (dollar sign followed by your donation amount) and select “Offering,” by using the camera on your phone to scan the QR code on the screen during the Offertory or you can give at the UTUUC website. Whatever modality you choose, may what you give bring you joy.

Sunday Worship Service

In-person and online options for worship are now offered. COVID Protocol: Our Covid-19 protocols have been adjusted, we are now in Green. Please visit our website here for more details.You can access the live stream on YouTube at 10am here.

Community Hour Following the Sunday morning service join us for Community Hour on the patios for refreshments and fellowship as weather permits.

Call for Cookies Our cookie supply is running low. Donations are now being gratefully accepted. If you would like to donate a package or two of cookies, please drop them off in the kitchen on Sunday mornings. Note: NO NUTS. Also, gluten free cookies are much appreciated too. Thank you!

Our office is in the process of transitioning email / storage systems. As with all changes, there are challenges. We have recently been made aware that many emails have been re-routed to spam and in some cases have been deleted. Additionally, some emails are not going through at all. We ask for your patience during this transition. If you have sent an email and have not had a proper response or received a bounce-back message, please follow up with a phone call. 

To help us know how much pizza to provide, please RSVP here. If you’d like to help with the party planning contact Val Ridenour [email protected].

Help Our Worship Thrive 

Did you know that “liturgy” means “the work of the people”? Your worship service assistance enriches our Sunday services. Opportunities range from one-time volunteering behind the scenes, to leading in worship, to providing the chalice table flowers. We have multiple trainings coming up in October and beyond. Learn more and sign up here!

Anti-Oppression Anti-Racism Call

to Action Our congregation is seeking applications for the Anti-Oppression/Anti-Racism Committee. This committee will have the responsibility of guiding the congregation to more authentically and accountably live out its values, covenant, and mission by applying an AO/AR lens to all the ways that we engage with one another and the surrounding community. 

Members may apply here. 

Deadline for applications:

Tuesday, October 25, 2022, noon

In place of our regular RE programming, we offered a Faith In Action for All Ages event that supported our mission by working together to create care packages to hand out to people in need in the wider community. People also participated in a voting activity where the 5th principal was highlighted and the winner was: Video Games! Thank you to the many volunteers and people of all ages for supporting this activity for sharing your talents and gifts with our wider community. 

Becoming a Member

We are excited to resume our Pathway to Membership sessions this fall and invite you to attend! This two part gathering is designed to help you decide whether or not becoming an active member of our faith community is right for you. You will get to know others in a a small group setting, learn about our congregations history and how things work today, as well as explore ways to be part of our future in meaningful and fun ways. 

Fall Pathway to Membership Schedule

These sessions meet from 1-3pm at the UTUUC Community Center. Childcare is available upon request. Online accommodations can be arranged. Masks are required at this time. To register for one of the two-part sessions listed below, contact [email protected]. 

November 13 & 20 We will celebrate new members in community at a brief ceremony during Welcome Sunday on December 4. We look forward to your participation!

Fall 2022 Soup Drive

Please consider preparing a yummy vegetarian or meat soup to be shared with members of our beloved community in times of need.

Prepare soup and ladle into a gallon size freezer Ziplock and FREEZE FLAT (on a cookie sheet or smaller). Label with: Type of Soup Vegetarian or Meat, Ingredients (for allergies, amounts not necessary), Prepared by, and date. Bring your soup donation to Unity Temple on October 23, 30 and place it in the Soup Drive cooler before or after service. You may also drop it off at 1019 South Blvd between 9am–12 noon, Monday-Thursday. Deadline is Thursday, November 10. Thank you!

Would you like to get to know more people in our congregation? Come to our monthly meet and greet on Sunday, November 6 from 1–2pm in Unity House located across from the sanctuary at Unity Temple. New and established congregants alike are invited to attend. Registration is helpful, though drop-ins are welcome. Contact [email protected] to register in advance.

MyHAT Small Support Group Meeting– This group is for people living with mental illness and those who care about them. We practice deep sharing and deep listening. Participation is confidential. We are always open to new participants. We will meet IN PERSON wearing masks on Monday, October 24, at Gale House 7pm. Gale House is the house immediately south of Unity Temple on Kenilworth in Oak Park. If you would like to join the in-person meeting through Zoom, please contact [email protected] 

so a team member can arrange the Zoom and send the links to you.

Did you or one of your loved ones serve in the military? If so, send Rev. Dawn a picture to include in the service on November 13! Please include what branch they served in. 

[email protected].

Men's Retreat 2023

Mark your calendars for the weekend of January 27th–29th, 2023 at the Cabrini Center. Our theme this year will be "Turning Points of Our Lives". Registration will open October 17. Watch eBeacon for live link.

Singers Ages 6-10 are Invited to Participate The 2023 Fall Chalice Singers, the Unity Temple Children's Choir, will begin on Sunday, October 9 and rehearse after Sunday worship from 11:15 to noon each week until performance on November 20. Singers ages 6-10 are invited to participate where the music makes you move and the snacks are fabulous! Music Director, Marty Swisher will lead the troupe! To sign up, email Marty at [email protected].

WISE (Women in Song Ensemble) is returning! We will be rehearsing in the sanctuary directly after the service on the following Sundays:

• October 23
• October 30
• November 6 
• And performing at the November 13 service.  

There is no need to be able to read music, or even be an experienced singer. All materials will be provided for you if you come to our rehearsals. Please join us!

Cards & Stamps 

Donate holiday cards and birthday cards to send to people who are incarcerated, who we support through the Church of the Larger Fellowship Ambassador Program of Illinois.

Many no longer have family connections and struggle with extreme loneliness. Cards must be plain (no glitter, foil, etc.) and envelopes should be white. Postage stamps are also welcome! There is a collection box in Unity House on Sunday mornings, and donations can also be dropped off at the UTUUC Community Center front desk (1019 S. Boulevard, Oak Park). Please place cards and stamps in a labelled envelope. Questions? Contact [email protected].

2nd Friday Food Rescue Our Food Rescue Team, which brings donations from Trader Joe’s in Oak Park to Beyond Hunger, our local food pantry located at First United Church (848 Lake St, Oak Park), is in need of a volunteer to join the Second Friday team.  This team also covers fifth Fridays of the month, when they occur.  Team members must have a vehicle and meet at the Trader Joe’s parking lot at 10 AM on their designated Friday. For more information or to volunteer, contact Barbara Moline at: [email protected]

Support Asylum Seekers We are working with our community partners - the IL Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants - to support asylum seekers who have recently arrived in the Chicago-area.

Please donate new clothing and needed supplies. Order items here to directly support families. Questions? Contact: [email protected].

Vote Love Thanks to all who joined us in writing letters at the Vote Love party last Sunday!  There are still 17 days until the midterm elections! Here’s what you can do to help.  

1. Send letters to disenfranchised voters encouraging people to vote. Contact [email protected] for more information on how to sign-up to write letters.
2. Phone-bank to reach voters with UU the Vote.
3. Apply to serve as an election judge in Cook County.  

Questions? Contact [email protected].

Join us for Worship on Sunday, October 30 Marlon Chamberlain of Fully Free, and Ciera Bates-Chamberlain of Live Free, will co-lead our service. Join us to hear their inspiring messages and calls to action. Music by the Unity Temple Players. To learn more contact [email protected]

To join our new group organizing with community partners to support gun violence prevention efforts contact

[email protected]. 

Meals & Holiday Gifts Needed Meals are needed for Housing Forward's Interim Housing program. Learn more here and sign-up to provide an individually-wrapped meal. Thank you for your generous support!

You are also invited to support the families that Housing Forward serves by providing holiday gifts. Please complete this form to sponsor a family and provide gifts. Gifts are due by noon on Friday, December 9 to the Housing Forward Maywood office, 1851 S. 9th Ave., Maywood, IL 60153. Additional instructions will be included in your confirmation letter. Contact: [email protected].

Community of Congregations Fall Gathering Join us for a Neighborhood Community Peace Circle on Thursday, October 27, 7pm, at New Landmark MB Church, 2700 W. Wilcox St., Chicago 60612. Peace Circles build community, strengthen relationships, and heal spirits. We will gather to learn about important community work, and invite one another into practical action to stem the tide of violence on the Greater West Side. To RSVP please email [email protected].

Faith in Action Newsletter

Our monthly Faith in Action newsletter is filled with impactful actions!  See our latest newsletter here. If you’re not receiving these emails, please subscribe here. Questions?  Contact Rev. Colleen, Assistant Minister for Faith in Action - [email protected].

Religious Education 

Each year, we ask our families to register and re-register their children for our religious education programming. It ensures we have the most up to date information about our young people, helps us with planning, and gives us an ongoing communication loop. Along with information, we ask for a registration fee of $50 per child (for pledging members and friends) and $100 per child (for non-pledging members or friends). These fees help support elements of our program. Scholarships are granted by request to Emily Gage [email protected] 

or Val Ridenour [email protected]. 

Please register your child/children for Religious Education using this link.

The Mindful Reflection 

community meets every TUESDAY evening virtually and in person in Unity House at Unity Temple. Meeting opens at 6:45pm for camaraderie, the program starts promptly at 7:20pm. Vaccinations are encouraged, masks are mandatory. We will follow our usual format with 20 minutes of Mindful Reflection followed by a dharma talk and discussion. Questions email 

[email protected]. Join Zoom meeting here.

Movies with Meaning 

Movies with Meaning offers the congregation an example of each month’s ministry theme through the familiar, friendly and popular medium of cinema sharing the experience in community. For our October theme Courage, Movies with Meaning is showing tick, tick…Boom!, a movie about the power of finding your voice and holding on to a dream. Click here to view the official movie trailer.

Join us Friday night, October 28 gathering at 7pm with movie at 7:30 at the Unity Temple Community Center, 1019 South Boulevard. All are welcome at this gratis event. For more information send an email to [email protected].

Daily Mindful Reflection Community 30 minute meeting, 7 days a week! Starts at 8:25am and ends at 9am every day, seven days a week. This will be different from our regular Tuesday night meeting. The daily meditation will include opening words, 20 minutes of mindful reflection, and closing words. All are welcome! You are welcome to attend regularly or sporadically. 

Time: Every Day (including weekends) at 08:30am Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting here. ID: 373 008 242  / Passcode: 4IFrYx. One tap mobile: +13126266799,,373008242#,,,,*940220#1 312 626 6799 Meeting ID: 373 008 242 / Passcode: 940220

Job Postings Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation is hiring! We are looking for a part time Bookkeeper, a part time Office Assistant and a Nursery Supervisor and Childcare Coordinator. Details can be found on our website here. 

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