Speak flowers, speak! Our UU Flower Communion

Speak flowers, speak!  At the end of each service year we gather together to celebrate the time we have shared together, the community we have worked to build, and to wish the summer season in.

Please join us for our  Flower Communion on Sunday June 1st at 9:30am.

This annual ritual of our church is called the Unitarian flower communion. Developed by the Unitarian minister in Prague, Czechoslovakia, before WWII, it has become a favorite of many of our congregations. Bring a flower with you, and bring the children as this a time for the whole congregation to participate together in a ritual.

From the Unitarian Universalist Association the beauty of the communion is described this way:  
The significance of the flower communion is that as no two flowers are alike, so no two people are alike, yet each has a contribution to make. Together the different flowers form a beautiful bouquet. Our common bouquet would not be the same without the unique addition of each individual flower, and thus it is with our church community, it would not be the same without each and every one of us. Thus this service is a statement of our community.

Please visit our website HERE for current events and directions.  For more information about the flower communion please feel free to visit the Unitarian Universalist Association.  

Unbroken Circle: Mental Health Awareness

DUUC Editor's Note:   May is Mental Health Month.  In addition to the national advocacy for and awareness of mental health issues our congregation has been working on creating an atmosphere of understanding and care in regards to mental health.  We recently hosted a training seminar for Mental Health First Aid  and our pastoral care group is working to strengthen our community as a place for support.  In this blog post one of our congregants, Paul Sellnow, explores the taboo behind mental health and shares with us a piece of his own journey.  For more information on mental health issues and awareness visit the National Alliance on Mental Health. 

A few days ago, one of my coworkers arrived at the office just before lunchtime and announced "I'm late because I had to drive my wife to the doctor's office. She broke her arm roller skating last night." He did not seem the least bit embarrassed by his wife's apparent lack of rinkmanship, nor did he appear to have any reservations about her character or strength of will.

Most of us are comfortable talking about physical injuries and ailments. I've broken three bones, and each of them has a story behind it. I'm not the least bit squeamish telling you that I have had my gall bladder removed. I hesitate slightly when mentioning my incident with thyroid cancer, only because the "C" word can cause needless consternation on the part of listeners. (Completely treated, more than five years ago, no cause for concern.)

Other topics in our lives may be more intimidating. Some of us may feel awkward talking about money or political views, concerned that relationships with those of different positions may be strained. Some of us may be reluctant to discuss sexual orientation or religious beliefs, worried that family or friends may not approve and may even break off relations and cut us out of their lives. These can be difficult conversations, but a healthy respect for the inherent worth and dignity of the other person will often get us through.

Mental illness, however, retains a stigma in many people's minds despite years of progress in diagnosis and treatment. I've never heard anyone arrive late to work saying "sorry I'm late, my wife had a schizophrenic episode and I had to have her committed." Yet everyone should know that mental illness is a brain disorder, not a character flaw or a lack of willpower, and definitely not a choice. We should be able to talk about it as openly as we would an appendectomy or tonsillectomy.

Life with addiction, mental illness and stigma

DUUC Editor's Note: Our fellow congregant,Ruth Elliott, has graciously shared with us her family's journey of addiction, mental illness and facing the stigma that goes with each. Ruth previously shared this story with our congregation and we appreciate her sharing it again here.

It started about 9 years ago with a handwriting tutor.  In grade three Graham’s handwriting was terrible. I found him a handwriting tutor and drove him there three times a week until we realized it wasn’t having any effect on his handwriting. Over the next year it became clear it was something more than sloppy penmanship, it was like his brain was going way too fast for his hand to keep up. I found him a psychologist, had him tested and to absolutely no one’s surprise he was diagnosed with ADHD, and so started a long and inglorious period where I became an expert on 504 education plans, communicating with teachers, school social workers, and psychologists. I learned everything I could about the –constantly changing - prescribed medications and while I was at it I tweaked his already pretty healthy diet in an effort to improve his concentration and focus. At some point he told me he was seeing colors that weren't there, I had his eyes checked – all normal, and chocked it up to an intelligent and creative kid’s imagination.

Spotlight on UU: Susan Birk

Spotlight on DuPage Unitarian Univeralist Congregant:  Susan Birk
(Each month DUUC spotlights a member of our congregation and asks them for a peek into their relationship with DUUC)

How did you find DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church?
We used to go to Diversity Dinners, which is run by DUUC member Stephanie Downs Hughes. One night, we were supposed to bring an image that really meant something to us. Stephanie brought a framed image of the 7 Principles. When she read the 7 Principals, it was the first time I had ever felt a connection to a religion of any kind. I didn't know anything about Unitarian Universalism, but the 7 Principles embodied the ideas I already believed in. My husband, David, was reading about the Jefferson Bible and Thomas Jefferson’s connection to Unitarianism. That led him to the DUUC website. We decided to visit DUUC. We've been members for about four years.

What keeps you coming back?
We love many of the services by Emmy Lou Belcher because they inspire us to work on being better people. We like that they’re both spiritual and intellectual.
We've met so many wonderful people here. This is an activist church that is really involved in supporting the community. The green thrust is
especially important to me.

What has been your most memorable moment here?
The new member recognition service when we became members. That was when I realized I
had really made a commitment to UU-ism. I felt like I had found my spiritual home.

Where is your favorite spot to sit in the new sanctuary?
I somehow end up in the front on the right a lot.

What have you participated in here at DUUC?
I’m on the Public Ministry, Marketing and Green Sanctuary committees. There are so many ways to get involved!

Get to know Susan and our other fellow congregants at our next service or activity!  You can find what we are doing, both at sanctuary and in our community by visiting our website!

Heart Talk: Youth Religious Education

Photo Credit: "Rainbow paper heart bunting" by the green gables Flickr 

©Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License

We are midway through our Spring session of Youth Religious Education (Y.R.E) 
here at DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church. It is great to see our young congregants meeting together, forming friendships, and discussing great things together. 

This session, in our 1st - 6th grade classes we are using a new (to us!) curriculum called Heart Talk for Kids©. 

Heart Talk for Kids© is based on Compassionate  (Nonviolent) Communication. Curriculum designers Debbie Berkana and Veronica  Lassen, were inspired to create Heart Talk because of their passion for creating  more connection and peace on the planet. 

The main intention is to create a space where people truly see each other. This space of respectful connection is a place that honors the ‘inherent worth and dignity of every person.’ It is a space that allows us to live our UU values. Each lesson in the curriculum includes specific references to one or more UU Principles.

Sample of Lesson Topics:- Heart Talk Introduction - Observation - Feelings - Human Universal Needs- Requests - Self-Empathy - Exploring Anger - 6th grade classes, we are using a new (to us!) curriculum - Gratitude and Celebration - Observation in Nature - Empathy and Conflict Resolution Empathy for Others - Anger, Empathy and Conflict Resolution - Peace and Contribution 

If you have a child in the Y.R.E program we encourage you to spend some time discussing their classroom theme for the day and their thoughts on the topic. OurY.R.E children have amazing insight and the lesson themes encourage openness and discussion.

For more information on Heart Talk for Kids© or the research that led to its creation please visit:www.heartvistas.com Debbie and Veronica live in the Pacific Northwest and arecommitted to growing luscious tomatoes, happy children and peace. 

www.cnvc.org : international Nonviolent Communication (NVC) website with information on NVC activities worldwide. You can also find a list of feelings and 
universal needs there.

www.nonviolentcommunication.com : Puddledancer Press, publisher of NVC-related materials. It includes many articles on parenting, NVC in schools, mediation, restorative justice, interviews with Marshall Rosenberg, etc.

WomanSpirit Winter Conference 2014 in Pictures

On February 7-9, DUUC hosted the Women & Religion Committee’s Winter WomanSpirit 2014 conference.  The conference,  Wisdom for the Journey: A Weekend with Sue Monk Kidd,  had 150 attendees. Below are just some of the photographs, taken by our very own Ruth Elliott, of the many powerful moments at the conference.  

Becky Trombley-Freytag speaking during the Opening Ceremony.

The group Cymbal performed.  From Dekalb,   the group members are (not in order of picture) Rev. Linda Slabon, Dr. Toni Tollerud, Dr. Lynn McCanne, Terri Mann-Lamb, Linda Matuszewski, and Elisa Woodruff.

The attendees sang along with the group Cymbal on Friday night.  Sue Monk Kidd (fourth woman from right, in red scarf) attended the opening ceremony as well.

Sue Monk Kidd during the keynote speech on Saturday. 

 

The 150 attendees of Winter WomanSpirit Retreat were excited to see Sue Monk Kidd and hear about her books, including her new one “The Invention Of Wings.”

Sue Monk Kidd autographing books.

Kelley Trombly-Freytag lit the chalice before the closing ceremony Saturday.

 

Rev. Denise Tracy, chair of the Women & Religion Committee during the closing ceremony.

All photography by Ruth Elliott Photography.

Liberal Theology 101

Does the word theology make you shudder? If so, join our Community Minister Myriam leanings. Theology has a range of meanings. Did you know that nearly every theologian (and there have been many!) working through the ages has had a different definition of this word, some of which you may find interesting and compelling. This course will explore a Renaud on Sunday February 16^th for Liberal Theology 101.  This course aims to put an end to your case of the shudders by helping you discover a new meaning(s) that fits your spiritual and religious way to claim, or reclaim, this important word. Do you also wonder what makes a theology, “liberal?” Come find out in this two-hour class!

Liberal Theology 101              Feb. 16, 2014                 1:30-3:30 PM

Save the dates for another fantastic course coming up in March!

Have you found yourself backing off from taking risks? Got burned in life or in social-justice-work and you’re not taking any chances you’ll get burned again? For ethicist, Dr. Sharon Welch, backing-off is the result of what she calls an “ethic of control.” When we subscribe to such an ethic, we expect (demand!) results. Welch recommends that we adopt an “ethic of risk” instead.  In this course we will discuss readings from Welch’s book (provided in advance as .pdf files). We will apply her ethic of risk to real-life quandaries. This course is two two-hour sessions. 

Sharon Welch’s Ethic of Risk  March 2 & 9, 2014         1:30-3:30 PM

Courses are open to DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church (DUUC) members, friends and the general public.

Rev. Renaud will also be at DUUC on February 23^rd to present her second service of the year at both the 9:30am and 11:15am services.  Rev. Renaud is currently a PhD student in Theology at the Chicago Divinity School and serves our DUUC community through academic scholarship.

For more information about our Ministerial team including Rev. Myriam Renaud, please visit:

http://www.dupageuuchurch.com/index.php/who-we-are/staff