Volume 60, Issue 3

Sunday Services: Service 10:00 A.M. till 11:15 A.M.

June-July 2019

The Pathfinder A Publ ica t ion of the Uni tarian Universa l i s t Fel lowship o f DeKalb

Together as a reli-gious community, we put our liberal faith in action, striving to nurture our families and our spiritual lives, protect the earth, eliminate pov-erty, and stop oppres-sion, while offer-ing love and hope for all.

(UUFD mission statement adopted May 17, 2009)

INTERIM MINISTER: Rev. Jennifer Gracen (minister@uufdekalb.org, 815-408-1079 ) OFFICE MANAGER: Kathryn Jones MUSIC DIRECTOR: Bonnie Anderson PRESIDENT: Laura Gillberg TREASURER: Kristina Olsen

Office Manager Office Hours: Wed 9 - 2 and Fri 10 - 3 Church Office phone number: 815-756-7089 email: office@uufdekalb.org Web site: uufdekalb.org

In case of an emergency, call Rev. Gracen, the Board President Laura Gillberg, or the President Elect Jenny Stamatakos.

CONTACTS:

DEADLINE The deadline for the Au-gust/September edition of the Pathfinder is July21.

Please note that this is the third Sunday of the month. Submissions are to be sent

to the church office via email:

office@uufdekalb.org or hard copy left in the Office Manager’s mailbox in the

library.

158 N. Fourth St. DeKalb, IL 60115

July Theme: Freedom & Responsi-bility

Freedom without responsibility can be-come anarchy, while responsibility

without freedom can become mindless

duty. Freedom is our fate. We are faced with endless choices, decisions large &

small. How we use our freedom deter-mines everything. Warren Wiersbe re-

minds us that, “The privilege of free-dom is precious, the responsibilities of freedom are serious, and we can’t have

one without the other.”

July 7 – Diane Johns, Worship Leader

Vanstrom Dracul, Assistant July 14 – Ed Miguel, Worship Leader Maylan Dunn-Kenney , Assistant

July 21 – We’re All Stories in the End – Join us for Rev. Jenn’s farewell sermon. Rev. Jenn, Worship Leader

Ed Miguel, Assistant July 28 – Finding Freedom in a Unfree World Maylan Dunn-Kenney, Worship Leader Dorothy Coleman, Assistant

June Theme: Transcendence

In everyday language, transcendence has the sense of “going beyond.” The idea of transcend-ence is captured in our first Unitarian Universal-ist source: “Direct experience of that transcend-

ing mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cul-tures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life.” By going beyond ourselves, we connect more deeply with others and life.

June 2 – Hymn Sing: The Transcendence of Music

Maylan Dunn-Kenney, Worship Leader Vanstrom Dracul, Assistant June 9 – Strength, Vision and Courage: Songs by Women About Women Special Worship with folk duo February Sky

Maylan Dunn-Kenney, Worship Leader June 16 – Daddy Daycare and Other Oxy-morons Can we volunteer to take care of our children?

Our families? Our Fellowship? Rev. Jenn, Worship Leader Dorothy Coleman , Assistant June 23 –

Ed Miguel, Worship Leader Maylan Dunn-Kenney, Assistant June 30 – Kriss Olsen, Worship Leader Ed Miguel, Assistant

PAGE 2 THE PATHFINDER

UUFD Staff News

“The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss,

they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it’s a world, or a relationship… Everything has its

time. And everything ends.” – Sarah Jane Smith,

Doctor Who

My Beloved Spiritual Companions, After two years in ministry together, we are nearing the end of UUFD’s interim transition. I will continue serving as your minister until the middle of August, preaching on June 16 and July 21. I will be on Study Leave for July and the first part of August. During that time, iif there is a pastoral emergency, please contact the Ministry Council or the board so they can get hold of me. While Study Leave is an important opportunity for UU ministers to grow in their skills, and I look forward to completing addi-tional training in Interim Ministry during that time, I am still with you in ministry at UUFD until August 14.

Over the last two years, my official title with you has been “transitional minister.” We didn’t know in 2017 just how appropriate that title would be! This congregation has experienced multiple transitions – in staffing, in leadership, in programming, and more. It is common for congregations, especially after a ministry as long as Rev. Linda’s, to experience sig-nificant and overlapping changes. It is why our UU tradition recommends a transitional or interim minis-ter, someone able to walk with a congregation through those changes. The interim or transitional minister is different from the previous minister, al-lowing the congregation to explore new possibilities and see what kind of minister they might want to work with as they move forward. As your quarter-time minister, my hours with you have been more limited than I would have liked. (I was surprised to learn in seminary that sermons take, on average, 1 hour per minute to research and write!) I have focused my time with you in a few areas, primarily on working with the worship team, providing pastoral care, and working with staff and

the leadership. We have been transitioning most of our staff positions. While this can be hard on a com-munity, it is not at all unexpected in an interim peri-od. Our leadership has also faced significant changes as we have begun the process of examining who we are and who we hope to become. As you know, when my formal ministry with you is over, I will be unable to be in contact for two years. This is a professional guideline I support, be-cause it allows you to establish a strong relationship with your next minister. If we are linked on social media, I will be ending those contacts for two years as you and your next minister learn about one another and deepen your shared ministry together. Of course, if we see each other at General Assembly or other UU gatherings, you’re welcome to wave or say hello! This boundary is simply meant to prevent ongoing entanglements and interference with the work of a colleagues’ ministry.

I’ve grown to know and care deeply for you. I will miss you. You and your ministry to the Dekalb area will be forever in my heart.

With Love, Reverend Jennifer Gracen

Rev. Jenn’s schedule Rev. Jenn will be in town in June 15-16 and July 20-21.

Rev. Jenn encourages you to reach out to her if you’d like to meet or talk by phone: 815-408-1079. Office schedule

Office manager Kathryn Jones’s hours are Wed 9 - 2 and Fri 10 - 3.

Gray Areas: Thoughts from the Minister

PAGE 3 THE PATHFINDER

Mark Your Calendar For These UUFD Events

June 2019

June 2 – Buddhist Study Group and Meditation 11:45 a.m. (1st & 3rd Sunday) June 2 – UUFD Board Meeting 1:30 p.m. (Rescheduled from 5/26)

June 5 – Yoga canceled (*Yoga with Ed Miguel is on hiatus until June 26th)

June 7 – Restorative Meditation 5:30 p.m. (Fridays) June 7 – Social Justice 1st Friday Film Festival 6:30 p.m.

June 9 – Ordinary Folk Musical Gathering 2 p.m. (2nd & 4th Sunday)

June 9 – UUFD Social Justice Committee Meeting 11:45 a.m. June 16 – UUFD Board Meeting 12 p.m.

June 18 – Hope Haven Meal 6:30 p.m.

June 23 – UUFD Green Sanctuary Group 11:30 a.m. June 26 – Yoga with Ed Miguel returns 5:30 p.m. & 7 p.m. (Wednesdays)

July 2019

July 6 – Social Justice 1st Friday Film Festival 6:30 p.m. July 14 – UUFD Social Justice Committee Meeting 11:45 a.m.

July 16 – Hope Haven Meal 6:30 p.m.

July 21 – UUFD Board Meeting 12 p.m. July 27 – UUFD Welcome Essentials Panty 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

July 28 – UUFD Green Sanctuary Group 11:30 a.m. Save the date: July 20 – Potluck and Game day. Bring your favorite games and your favorite dish and let’s spend time being

social! Watch the weekly announcements for more details!

The worship theme for June is Transcendence; for July the theme is Freedom and Responsibility. The worship leaders will use these themes to guide their services throughout the month. We encourage you to take a look at the Touchstones Journal on our website at uufdekalb.org/touchstones (or pick up a copy at the table by the magazine rack) and hope it will lead to deeper discussions!

Music Notes

Choir has completed the 2018-19 season. I have so much respect for the members who have been dedicated Choir mem-bers. On to our summer special events. If you have a music talent -- of any kind!! -- to share, please contact me and we'll set up a time for you to share that talent during a summer service. We are an accepting, compassionate audience! My term as Music Director will end July 31. Thank you all for your kindness during this transitional period. I will con-tinue playing the piano for services as needed. - Bonnie Anderson

Thanks to all who volunteered at the UUFD Welcome Essentials Pantry this past month! With the NIU sorority sisters out of town for the summer, this congregation stepped up and filled bags, collected forms and made the community welcome here.. Special thanks to Teri and Dave Diaz, Bonnie Anderson,

Maylan Dunn-Kenney, Dorothy Coleman, Kriss Olsen, and Ed Wilcox.

Do you have a joy, sorrow, or milestone to share with the congregation? Contact the church office and we will share it in the eNews and Pathfinder.

JOYS & SORROWS

PAGE 4 THE PATHFINDER

February Sky is returning to UUFD!

Save the date and invite your friends! Folk duo February Sky will be returning to lead another special worship service on June 9.

The theme is "Strength, Vision and Courage: Songs by Women About Women."

As in many other fields, women tend to have a hard time being taken seriously as songwriters. Yes, their writing is subtly different from men’s, and this is seen as making it inferior rather than “different therefore equal.” But many well-crafted and meaningful songs have been written by women about women. This service will focus on a number of them.

Learn more at FebruarySky.com.

HOPE HAVEN NEWS Thanks to all those who pitched in to cook for the folks at the emergency shelter in Hope Haven the last couple of months: Danica Lovings, Gretchen Sigwart, Emily Witherell, Sharon Blake, Sheryl Nak, Bonnie Anderson, Mary Von Zellen (with Jim's help), Vir-ginia Wilcox, Beth Schewe, Kathy Clark, and Maylan Dunn-Kenney. It takes a lot to put a full meal for 60 together!

Do you have menu ideas for the Hope Haven meal? What do you like to cook? We need some new ideas. If you have a meal sugges-tion, send it to maylan.dk@hotmail.com.

PAGE 5 THE PATHFINDER

News from the Social Justice Ministry Committee

Green Sanctuary at UUFD

The Social Justice and Outreach Ministry has formed a group to work on the GREEN SANCTUARY (GS) process at UUFD. GS accreditation is a formal recognition of a congregation’s service and dedication to the Earth. Created in 1989, the GS program provides a path for congregational study, reflection, and action in response to environmental challenges, worshiping and acting - grounded in justice and Unitarian Universalist values. Twenty-five percent of UU congregations (254 congregations) have achieved GS accreditation and another 70 are working toward accreditation. As UUFD already undertakes many types of environmental activities, engaging in the GS process is a natural next step for our congrega-tion. The GS program is a specific program targeted at assessing our congregational and personal practices and educating ourselves about earth friendly options. To earn GS accreditation, the congregation engages in a two to three year process of bringing congregational culture into greater alignment with environmentally aware faith and practices. This compre-hensive program educates congregations about their environmental impact as institutions and individuals. Action plans seek to increase building sustainability, improve congregational practices, and create relationships within the wider com-munity. Congregations follow a customized, five-stage process towards accreditation:

Stage 1: Team Building and Congregational Education Stage 2: Congregational Assessments of Building and Practices Stage 3: Creating an Action Plan for the Future Stage 4: Applying to be a Green Sanctuary Congregation Stage 5: Gaining Green Sanctuary Accreditation

We are in Stage 1: We have formed a GS group and are working to educate the leadership and congregation about the GS process. We have joined a network of UU congregations that support environmental and climate justice work (Create Climate Justice Net). Joining the network will provide us with outreach and support as we move through the process. As we move into Stages 2 and 3, we will invite the congregation to participate in the assessment and action plan. The above description includes excerpts the UUA’s Green Sanctuary website (https://www.uua.org/environment/sanctuary). If you are interested in joining the UUFD GS Sanctuary work group, please contact Virginia Wilcox (vlw@niu.edu).

News from Congregational Care! As we wrap up this year of caring for our membership, we have been talking about ways to make our volunteering more equitable across the board, so that everyone has the opportunity to participate in the Sunday Service support for UUFD. Rev Jenn shared with us an idea that she has seen implemented and we hope to try it in the fall. It involves form-ing teams within the congregation and having teams be in charge of both greeting and coffee hour a couple times a year. This will really help spread out the fun (and it really is fun believe it or not!). More to come this summer. We hope eve-ryone will be willing to participate in our new system! Speaking of greeting and coffee hour, we have lots of people to thank! Our greeters since March have been Kevin V, Sumiko K, Eric and Dawn A/W, Howard S, Carey B, Mary V/Z, Virginia W, Elisa W, Sharon B, Donna V, and Ashley F. Coffee hour hosts have been Kriss and Ed, Donna V, Dylan P, Sharon B, Kim M, Nicole and Shane, Howard S, Cathy S, Beth S, Emily W and Bonnie and Beau. If you see any of the above folks, please say a thank you….so many of them did two or three, or even more Sun-days….hopefully our new system will be more fair to everyone. Remember, be well, and if you are not, be sure to let us know, as we are here for YOU :) Sharon Blake and Florence Gerlach, Congregational Care Co-Chairs

Zen Sitting Group DeKalb (ZSGD) is a formal ongoing Zen sitting group that began on May 9th at 6 PM at UUFD. ZSGD is affiliated with the Great Plains Zen Center of Monroe, Wisconsin, and we are very grateful to UUFD for helping us house this local Zen group. Meditation sessions will occur two times per month on a variable schedule so please check the 'Zen Sitting Group DeKalb' facebook page (zendekalb) for times and dates. ZSGD welcomes all persons any time regardless of cultural background, religious affiliation, color, sexual or gender identity.

A PUBLI CATI ON OF THE UNI TARIAN

UN IV ERSA LIST FELL OWS HI P OF DEKAL B

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of DeKalb 158 North Fourth St. DeKalb, IL 60115

In celebration of Earth Day (Monday, April 22, 2019), The Social Justice & Outreach Committee of UUFD organized a "Protect the Earth" Trash Pick-Up Event on the preceding Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Ten members and friends of UUFD picked up trash along Peace Road starting from Lincoln Highway and heading south to the Tollway entrance while another member prepared a lunch to be shared afterward.. The City of DeKalb provided security vests, trash bags, and ties. Litter is more than an eyesore. It blows and washes into waterways, is eaten by wildlife, and can result in contamination of soil and water. This trash pick-up is in keeping with Unitarian Universalist principles, particularly the principle of respect for the in-terdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.