What does BELONGING mean? Click HERE to find out.
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Dear members and friends of DuPage UU Church,
I would like to begin my first newsletter column with deep gratitude for the welcoming you have given me and my family! There has been much learning, much transition, and a lot of meetings - and you have embraced me with grace and love - what a warm welcome to my position as your new settled minister. Thank you!
And we are definitely off and running. There is more in the excitement here at DuPage UU Church than just coming back together after pandemic might explain. You all have waited so long to begin or continue so many aspects of your ministry as a church and goodness, are you ready! What an exciting time to be joining such a dynamic congregation!
One of the first things I noticed about you all during candidating week, that continues to be true, is that you all are not afraid to try new things. It is such a delight to work with your leadership, committees, and teams who are willing to step into the unknown with the knowledge that we can adjust and pivot if we find out that something doesn’t work. In Shawn Ginwright’s book The Four Pivots: Reimaging Justice, Reimaging Ourselves, he writes it this way, “The truth is that the quality of our journey is not figuring out how to be perfect but rather reflecting on who we become in the process.”
How fantastic to be on a journey with people who are more interested in becoming than in being perfect! People wishing to become more of all that we really want to embody - more loving, more kind, more justice-filled.
Beloveds, I am so delighted and excited to be on this journey with you. We will definitely make mistakes. We will definitely need grace with each other. And through it all we will find the joy in becoming together!
Your partner in becoming,
rev. mandi huizenga
Ginwright, Shawn A., The Four Pivots: Reimaging Justice, Reimaging Ourselves. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2022. 16.
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Sunday Service
In-person and Online
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September 4, 2022 @ 10:30am
The Trees of Life
By Green Sanctuary Committee and Friends
Join the Green Sanctuary team as we explore the cultural and spiritual roles that trees play in our lives, and learn about the irreplaceable ecosystem services they provide for us. We will also discuss the recently acquired North lot and go outdoors to explore the natural landscapes surrounding our church home. The prairie is in full bloom!
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September 11, 2022 @ 10:30am
Coming Together to Build Community
By rev. mandi huizenga
It is Ingathering Sunday and Water Communion! Bring water that you collected from a place that has meaning for you and your family - which could even mean your tap from home! Join us for this multigenerational service celebrating the new program year and our commitment to community.
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September 18, 2022 @ 10:30am
Kith and Kin
By rev. mandi huizenga
Being together in community crafts our sacred space. What kind of space do we wish to create together? How will this space impact our community?
September 25, 2022 @ 10:30am
Beloved Community
By rev. mandi huizenga
Unitarian Universalists use the phrase "Beloved Community" all the time, but what does it really mean? While Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. popularized the phrase, it originated with American philosopher, Josiah Royce, who developed a deep and compelling understanding of Community and how it could be Beloved. Let's explore what we really mean when we use this phrase and how it impacts how we are together.
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Board and Elected Leaders 2022-23 |
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Zoom with Your Board for conversation and questions on the 2nd Sunday of the month at Noon. Join us in-person in the Founders Room or via Zoom.
The Zoom link is:
Or dial +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 910 2998 3070
Passcode: 272229
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Board planning and goal setting for 2022-23
Your Board of Trustees met on August 13 to plan for the church year and set goals as the basis for their work. The broad theme of this year's vision also will provide a framework for Staff, Committees and Teams to set their sights as they perform their work for our beloved community.
As we begin a new settled ministry with rev. mandi, here's the message that will guide us:
Coming together to build community
Let’s find ourselves on a path together, renewing connections and relationships; sharing dreams through conversation; exploring and creating meaning through our shared values.
How this translates to Board goals:
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Making good on our pledge to begin holding annual Congregational Conversations with you! A sub-team of the Board will meet next week to discuss the format(s) and questions for conversations in the November time frame. Stay tuned for details; your participation is requested - and needed - for the Board to understand your feelings about our community and wishes for programming, personal growth and connection, and maintenance of our beautiful facility.
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Participation in Leadership Development planning to develop curriculum. Volunteers are the backbone and lifeblood of this church! The Board will assist mandi and the Nominating Committee in creating opportunities for members to participate in ways that meet you where you are, now and as your relationship within the congregation evolves.
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Exploration regarding a future capital campaign. The Board will identify a facilitator to meet with and help us discern our current needs as well as how to establish a reserve fund for the long term financial health of our programs, building, and grounds.
We look forward to coming together to build community with you!
Ann Arellano, Kaiya Iverson, Linda Zetterberg, Katie Hay, Diane Gelder, Kelley Trombly-Freytag, Caroline Bailey, and ex-officio rev. mandi huizenga
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September 4, 2022 @ Noon
Opioids, Solution or Crisis?
We will look into the benefits claimed for opioids balanced against the costs that these drugs inflict on our society.
September 18, 2022 @ Noon
The Community of Science - the pursuit of knowledge as a social activity.
We'll quickly cover some working definitions of "science" from the philosophy of science, and then spend the majority of our time together discussing science as an organized communal pursuit of knowledge. We'll cover issues of social status, community self-policing, ethics standards, social (i.e. academic) expectations, and how the pursuit of science brings people from diverse cultural backgrounds together. Please join us for this Science Sunday to get a look into the "sausage factory" of the profession of science.
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During September our special offering will benefit The Alive Center of Naperville, nominated by Dean Reschke, who was a founding member. Their mission is to be a Teen-Led, Teen-Driven™ (TLTD) center focused on empowering the youth of today to become the impassioned, resilient leaders of tomorrow. As a nonprofit organization they offer free drop-in hours after school and over the summer as well as a myriad of programs, classes and events, designed to build confident and resilient teens. On any given day at Alive one will find teen-led tutoring, mentoring and clubs as well as life skill classes such as unstructured art and dance, nutrition and healthy cooking, stress management, open music venues, creative writing and just plain fun! It is a place to belong and learn important life skills. For more information about The Alive Center visit their web site at https://www.alivecenter.org.
$1,142.31 was collected for UUPMI during July. Thank you for your generosity.
Donations can be made through the church website or during in person services. If giving by check, please designate the special collection on the memo line. Cash donations in the collection basket are divided equally between the church and the special collection.
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Sheri will be in the office Monday - Friday.
By appointment: Tuesday-Thursday, 10am-2pm.
630-505-9408, ext. 701.
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rev. mandi's ordination and installation!
You and your families have been invited to mandi's ordination and installation! Reminder: On Saturday, September 17 at 3:00pm, we have the honor of hosting the ordination of rev. mandi as a Unitarian Universalist minister. Her Ordination ceremony will be followed by her Installation as our settled minister. There will be an impressive processional, beautiful choral music, and inspiring messages from UU’s best. View the invitation to mandi's ordination and installation ceremony. The information and invitation also can be found on the church website on the Here's What's Happening page.
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Auction 2022: Get Your Muppet Slapstick On!
Ready for a little sassy and crazy? Winning bidder Brigid Coleman chose this year's theme: The Muppet Show!
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The Silent portion of the Auction will be online only (same format as 2020 and 2021) and will open on Thursday, November 3 and close at noon on Sunday, November 6.
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The Live Auction will return in fine form in 2022 on Saturday, November 5, with bidding in the Sanctuary! More details to come.
Start planning now: Submission details will be posted soon for your goods, services, parties, and more. Ticket info for Silent and Live also is coming soon. In the meantime, refresh your memory: Kermit, of course, and the ever-dramatic Miss Piggy, the hilarious (well, he tries!) Fozzie Bear, Crazy Harry the pyrotechnic "expert" and master hecklers Statler and Waldorf might show up!
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Membership Class
Saturday, October 1, 9 am – 3:30 pm
Want to learn more about Unitarian Universalism? Thinking about becoming a member of DuPage UU Church? Already a member but want a refresher?
rev. mandi invites you to join her in learning more about our faith and our religious community. This class will be held in person at DuPage UU Church.
A sign-up sheet is also available in Kreves Hall.
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Mindfulness Meditation
Mondays 7:00pm - 8:45pm
This mindfulness meditation group is open to anyone who has interest in meditation from beginners to more advanced. Our time together consists of sitting meditation, walking meditation (when we meet in person), a short teaching and responsive group sharing.
For more information, go to our website:
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 879 0920 0423
Passcode: 401647
Or dial 1 312 626 6799 and use the appropriate Meeting ID and Passcode.
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The End of the World: Myth, Science, and Imagination
Sunday, Sept 11 3PM via Zoom
How the world will end is a question long pondered by humanity. Bound by time marked with beginnings and endings meant that the world itself would surely cease one day. Many religions offer an explanation and reasons for this seemingly inevitable end. While science proposes several theories on what may end all life on Earth or even destroy the universe. And in fiction, authors have created new scenarios of doom both simple and mind-bending. Joins us as we discuss incidents from all three categories. Not responsible for any existential terror that might arise.
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Pastoral Ministry Associates
Pastoral Ministry Associates (PMA) are selected church members who provide a ministry of support, caring, and helping activities to our church members who are experiencing a difficult time. We also celebrate the joyful events in our lives. Members of Pastoral Ministry Associates serve as administrators of the Joys and Concerns Facebook page.
The Joys and Concerns Facebook Page is available to members of DUUC. This is a private page that has been successful in connecting our community and finding support. It is also a place to request assistance like Meal Train support during a difficult recovery.
Members of PMA are Brigid Coleman, Holly Harris, Jack Sechrest, Mary Hamill, Sarah Ruban, and rev. mandi huizenga. Sarah Baldwin and Ingrid Marshall serve as co-chairs.
If you would like a member of PMA to contact you, please send an email to:
This link can also be found on the DUUC web site under Ministries.
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Landscape Maintenance Task Force
The minister and board have authorized a task force to assess the status of the church's external grounds. This Landscape Maintenance Task Force will assess the current grounds situation, determine a way to get the prairie and other plant growth back under control, and outline the best way to manage it over the years. The task force will report back to the congregation in October/November for review and comment. In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, please contact the task force team: Jenny Hobbs, Jane Gano, Susan Camasta or Carl Nash.
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Accessibility and Inclusion News and Resources
- Individuals experiencing Long COVID and associated conditions
- Health care personnel who work with and treat individuals experiencing Long COVID
- Individuals experiencing longer-term impacts of COVID-19, including mental health and substance use challenge
- Individuals dealing with the loss of family members or loved ones to COVID-19.
The National Action Research Plan on Long COVID introduces the first U.S. government–wide national research agenda focused on advancing prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and provision of services and supports for individuals and families experiencing Long COVID. It proposes an effective, comprehensive, and equitable research strategy to inform our national response to Long COVID.
More information on the reports and on Long COVID can be found at COVID.gov.
If you have questions about AIM at DuPage UU, have accessibility or inclusion questions, suggestions, or concerns at church, and/or would like to join the DuPage UU AIM Team, please email us at aim@dupageuuchurch.org.
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The fall retreat will not be held this year due to the continued concern about the COVID variants. The retreat committee is very disappointed that we had to cancel our yearly weekend gathering once again but, after considerable thought and discussion, feels we are better safe than sorry. We are signing a contract to be at Pilgrim Park in Princeton, IL in October, 2023.
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SMILE SAMPLES OF SUMMER 2022
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Smiling faces of happy interns and supportive mentors produced positive experiences for both groups. One major accomplishment: THREE of our interns have been asked to apply to continue to work in their businesses during the coming school year!
“Thank you for including the Eola Road Branch of Aurora Public Library. District in the SMILE internship program. We really valued Kevin and Chelsea’s contributions while they were with us, and hope they were able to learn valuable lessons about job readiness at the library!”
Emma at Oswald’s Pharmacy was “An awesome worker! Willing to learn anything and everything. Asks a lot of questions, very interested and very excited to work.”
Emma is pictured demonstrating a wheelchair for a customer.
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Sunday Flowers Needed
Celebrate a person or event by providing flowers for a Sunday service. Flowers are needed throughout the church year. You may request to have Sunday Flowers order a $35 standard arrangement for you from Phillip’s Flowers. Or, if you are planning to attend the service in person, you may choose to bring in your own arrangement from your garden or favorite flower shop. The arrangement should be brought to the sanctuary by 10:20 a.m. Your dedication will be printed in the email with the link to the on-line version of the Order of Service as well as in the printed Order of Service. The flowers are yours to take home after the service. If you are not attending service, you may pick up your flowers either on Sunday 11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m., or contact Sheri, office@dupageuuchurch.org or (630) 505-9408, to make arrangements for a contactless pick-up during office hours. Remember, masks are required to enter the church. Payment may be made by sending a check made out to DUUC for $35 to the church office (write “flowers” on the memo line), through the DUUC Payment Portal (select “other” under donation, and write in “flowers”), or VANCO (select “flowers fund”). Contact Kristen Tang at flowers@dupageuuchurch.org or (630) 305-7771 for more information and/or to request a date. Thank you!
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Current status of in-person activities at DuPage UU
Church meetings should be multi‐platform if meeting in‐person, meaning that individuals can choose to join via Zoom or in person. Technology has been upgraded in many of the meeting rooms and we will continue to work toward improving this technology.
The following are Group Expectations and Guidelines:
- For the safety of your group, other groups and church staff please enforce our safety measures within your groups.
- Please ask members of your group to refrain from attending if they show signs of illness (coughing, fever, sore throat).
- Arrive no sooner than five minutes early and leave no later than five minutes after scheduled ending time.
- No community food or drinks to share.
- Wear a facemask while traveling through building.
- If seated and socially distanced facemask may be removed if all parties are agreeable.
- Individual impromptu meetings can take place on benches in the backyard.
We do encourage individuals or families to visit the church property and enjoy our prairie, gardens and labyrinth at any time (no reservation required). If small groups would like to meet in the backyard for a social gathering or meeting, it should be scheduled through calendar@dupageuuchurch.org to avoid conflicts.
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Please consider making a donation to support
DuPage UU Church and all of its programs ~
thank you!
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Find out what's happening at DuPage UU Church! |
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DuPage UU Church
630-505-9408
office@dupageuuchurch.org
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See what's happening on our social sites: |
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