Our Covid-19 protocols have been adjusted; we are now in Green. For more details visit our website.

The Spirituality of Welcome

Rev. Roger Bertschausen

Tate Van Druinen, Sophia Bondurant and Mackensie Cohen, recipients of the Spring Musical Festival vocal scholarships, will perform during worship in appreciation to the congregation for the awards which have been applied to their private vocal study.

September Theme: Gift of Welcome

Live Stream Worship at 10am

Live stream link can be found here.

Today’s chalice table flowers are given by Vera and Duane Dowell to wish

their daughter Beth a very happy birthday.

OFFERING : Unity Temple’s Faith in Action Network

Unity Temple Gives. Each week we split our Sunday collection with an organization that aligns with our values. This Sunday’s collection will benefit Unity Temple’s Faith in Action Network, a web of teams made up of members whose work is grounded in our belief that “love is the doctrine of this congregation...and service is its prayer.” Learn more here. May what you give bring you joy.



You may donate by placing cash or check in one of the circulating baskets during the service OR:

• by sending a check to the Unity Temple office (875 Lake St., Oak Park, 60301) with org name on memo line, 
• by texting 73256 with the message UTUUC and select “Offering,” 
• by using the camera on your phone to scan the QR code on the screen during the Offertory. 
• You can also give at the UTUUC website. 

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

Join us after the livestream Sunday morning service a Community Hour for refreshments and fellowship in Unity House.

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!

Sermon Writing Seminar Unity Temple will be continuing to offer more lay-led services and we are providing a free seminar for those who are interested in participating. Shared Pulpit is a UU curriculum that prepares lay people in all aspects of creating worship, with an emphasis on sermon writing. This seminar will be facilitated by Jay Cohen, a previous participant of Shared Pulpit. Participants will write segments of sermons and receive gentle feedback from each other. There are 8 sessions that meet on a variety of Monday evenings from October 2 to December 18, sometimes back-to-back weeks and sometimes every other week. You can see the seminar description and full calendar of sessions here. If you are interested in participating, you can find the registration form here.

Religious Education for children and youth kicked off the full year of programming last Sunday. So many volunteers shared their time and talents with our young people and a good time was had by all! Sadly we cannot fit all of the 130 people who participated in RE into this one picture. What an amazing problem to have! Thank you ALL for doing your part to create a safe and welcoming space for our lovely, multigenerational congregation!

The Reproductive Justice Team presents: Heart to Heart Conversations on Abortion Join us Thursday Evening, September 28 from 7-8:30pm at 1019 South Blvd for facilitated small group and dialogue discussions on your values and thoughts about abortion access. We will focus on love and empathy and listening deeply to others, knowing that storytelling and intentional conversations are powerful tools. Conversations will be grounded in autonomy, intersectionality, compassion, and collective power. This will be a great opportunity for building community and understanding amongst each other, and equipping us for larger conversations. Please register by emailing [email protected].

Faith in Action Newsletter To learn more about living our mission through our Faith in Action Network subscribe to our monthly newsletter here. Questions? Contact [email protected].

Our Immigration Justice team asks for your help to support people seeking asylum. Join us to support a new house of hospitality, Amate House, in Little Village for our new neighbors who are seeking asylum and need a temporary place to live. Shop for bedding, towels, and other urgently needed items here.

Are you considering becoming a prison pen pal and want to learn more? You are invited to attend a special meeting of our bi-monthly Unity Temple/First United Prison Pen Pal support group meeting. Saturday, September 16, 10am—noon, at the home of coordinator Barbara Moline in Oak Park. Hear first hand stories! Contact [email protected] for further info and to RSVP.

UUANI Action of the Week Each week our Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of IL (UUANI) offers a call to action. Sign-up to receive these simple and impactful actions direct to your in-box here.

Do you consider yourself part of the queer UTUUC community? If so, please join us on Thursday, September 21 for the Rainbow Connections Potluck Homecoming starting at 6pm followed by our usual meeting from 7 to 8:30pm. Bring a dish to share (ingredients labeled) if you are able but your presence is all that is required. (Allies are welcome, on occasion, by invitation only.) We will be meeting in person at 1019 South Blvd, Oak Park as well as on Zoom. Zoom room opens at 7pm. Hope to see you soon! Zoom link can be found here.

UTUUC Cares For those of us who are facing life challenges, help is available. The Caring Committee arranges for meals and other practical assistance for those in need of help due to illness and other life limitations. They can be reached at [email protected]. And if you would like a compassionate ear when facing troubling circumstances, trained, commissioned members of the Spiritual Care Team are available to meet with you. When shadows fall on the path of life, you need not walk alone. The team can be reached at [email protected].

The Engagement Fair is Right Around the Corner! There are many interest groups at Unity Temple, providing members with diverse opportunities for community, learning, service and fun! Please mark your calendar for Sunday, September 24 right after service to visit the Engagement Fair in Unity House. Friendly representatives from the groups will be on hand to tell you about what they do and how to get involved. It’s a wonderful way to learn more about the culture and values of our congregation and to find new ways to be involved. Don’t miss it!

Flowers for Chalice Table If you are thinking about bringing flowers for the chalice table, several Sundays in the next few months are available. Just email 

[email protected] for more information.

Great News! The UTUUC All Congregation Retreat is back and still has limited space for a few more groups to join us. We will again be registering all via Realm–our online database and directory. Registration is now LIVE under "Events" and in the News Feed in Realm. 

The UTUUC All-Congregation Retreat is a great occasion for new or long-term UTUUC members of all ages, whether single, couples, or families to play, talk, relax, and be together in a country setting near the shores of Lake Michigan. Join us Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, October 13-15, at Tower Hill Camp in Sawyer MI.  

Registration includes a $70 Retreat Fee which includes light dinner on Friday (there will be a sign-up to bring extras!), three meals on Saturday, Sunday breakfast, snacks, materials for crafts and sessions, and s’mores around the campfire. On top of the per-person retreat fee, each person/family/group unit will also have a room fee for the weekend. 

Note: There are currently only a few rooms with 3-4 beds and there is a waitlist for single rooms. Let us know if you are willing to share or wanting to be paired up. Questions? Want to help plan the weekend? Email [email protected].

Listen UP!! You won't want to miss this Interview with pianist Simone Dinnerstein and Henry Fogel, Past President & CEO, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Wednesday, September 27

8pm CST

Schubert+ Fest 2023 Ticket Sales Please plan to join us for this highly anticipated, biennial event; two concerts on one extraordinary day with a dinner break in-between performances. Concert ticket pricing when purchased at the same time: 1-3 tickets: $100 per person / 4 or more tickets: $80 per person.



Program Details:

Doors open 4pm  

Vocal Recital 4:30pm 

Dinner Break 6pm 

Piano Recital 7:30pm 

On-site Austrian Style Dinner; limited number of tickets. For more information, visit the website here.

Soul Connections! New Groups Starting in October!! Are you looking for a way to engage your faith more deeply? Build relationships with others? listen and be listened to with love and care? In our congregational Soul Connections groups, participants use the theme based packets each month to delve deeply into their own lived experiences of those themes, and come together and share in small groups. Each group is led by a skilled facilitator and meets monthly over the course of a year, a 12 month commitment. We have both in-person and Zoom options. If you are interested in joining a Soul Connections group either as a participant or a facilitator, please contact Rev. Emily Gage at [email protected].

Adult Religious Enrichment Gathering! Bring your ideas and enthusiasm to our table! Sunday, September 24 after the worship service, Rev. Emily Gage will be hosting a table to talk with those who have ideas for potential adult religious enrichment opportunities. Generally speaking, we strive to provide opportunities so that adults will: 

• Develop an integrated sense of their own UU identity
• find resources for encountering the various stages of their life journey
• be empowered to live their beliefs through their actions
• cultivate their spiritual deepening and spiritual practices
• enrich their understanding of the world around them
• build connections with others.

Hope to see you at the table! Come be part of the idea storm! 

Religious Education for Children and Youth is Underway!

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 $100 per child. These fees help support all 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 on our website by using this link.

Tuesday Evening Mindful Reflection Community  We generally meet virtually and in person in Unity House at Unity Temple. Meeting opens at 7pm EST for camaraderie, the program starts promptly at 7:20pm. Vaccinations are encouraged, masks are optional. 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.

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. 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

Please consider these new opportunities to discuss See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love by Valarie Kaur. If you haven't read the book, no worries, you are still welcome to attend! Consider watching TED talk. You will be inspired!

Virtual discussion:

• Tuesday, September 19, we will join with the Unitarian Church of Hinsdale for a virtual book discussion. Please register here.

In-person discussion will take place on:

• Wednesday, October 11 at 6:30pm at St. Francis Xavier Church, Unity Hall, 124 N. Spring, La Grange. Enter off church parking lot. Refreshments will be served.
• Sunday, October 22 at 12:30pm at Unitarian Church of Hinsdale, 17 W. Maple, Hinsdale. Refreshments will be served.

Resources for the book are available at the author's website, including a learning hub, reader's guide, information about the Revolutionary Love Project and the Revolutionary Love Compass.

UTUUC Office Hours The office/community center located at 1019 South Blvd is open Monday-Thursday from 9am-3pm. 

Chalice Table Reservations We welcome floral arrangements or other decorations such as objects from nature or spiritual symbols to be included on our Chalice Table during worship on Sunday mornings. Please refrain from political/campaign related objects as they will be removed. To reserve a date, please fill out this form. Thank you for contributing to our worship experience. For assistance contact

[email protected].

Guidelines for submissions to the eBeacon newsletter can be found here.

Calendar Reservations Do you need to reserve space in one of our three buildings for a meeting, activity or event? You may make a reservation request by clicking here.

Congregational Life Table Reservation Would you like to reserve a table to promote congregational happenings during Community Hour in Unity House? Hosting a table is a great way to make sure congregants know how to participate in events, activities, and service opportunities. To reserve space contact [email protected].

We Celebrate Our Differences :: The beloved community includes people with diverse life experiences. Here at Unity Temple we call people to live out the values of our faith: interdependence, pluralism, justice, equity, generosity and transformation. As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large while also knowing that endorsements or support of particular candidates cannot be part of our congregational process.

Planned Giving offers a variety of meaningful ways to support our congregation through charitable gifts and can be made by anybody – young and old, working or retired. These gifts are made today, but they support the future needs of your congregation and Unitarian Universalism. You can obtain more information about planned gifts by contacting the Planned Giving Team at 

[email protected]