UU 101 CLASS Saturday November 2, 2013 Including:

*A brief history of our congregation and the Unitarian and Universalist movements in the United States *How to get involved in activities of the congregation *How the church is governed *What is stewardship and what is expected of members of the congregation *There will be a mini-connection circle.  Lunch and childcare will be provided, but we need to know in advance if you can attend and if you need childcare.

Please call Stephanie at the office 563-359-0816 or Melanie Landa 563-320-6106

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION PRACTICE BEGINS!

 

For many years I have maintained a personal Vipassana Meditation Practice.  In addition, I have participated in and led meditation groups.  My meditation practice has helped me remain centered and focused throughout my life.

 

Please join us for the start of a Mindfulness Meditation Group as part of our Spiritual Practices and Program Team.  We will meet every Tuesday night (unless otherwise mutually agreed) starting October 15^th from 5:30-6:30 in the Sanctuary.  All are welcome whether you are new to meditation or if you have meditated a long time.  There is no commitment to show up.  Feel free to drop in whenever you can make it.   The format will include a brief instruction, formal seated meditation, (possibly a walking meditation) a reading, short discussion time and checkout. I look forward to being with you. Rev. Jay

 

If you need childcare, please call the office at least 48 hours in advance at (563) 359-0816.

 

What Moves Us
Please join Rev. Jay Wolin as he utilizes the Tapestry of Faith curriculum "What Moves Us" to "explore the life experiences of historic Unitarian Universalist theologians, highlighting that which caused in them a change of heart, a new direction, new hope, and a deeper understanding of their own liberal faith. These workshops offer participants a chance to engage with and bring their personal experiences to bear on the very questions explored by each theologian in turn. The program offers a pathway for developing not only one's own personal theology but also one's deep understanding of the threads of our Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist theological heritage."  The classes will be on Wednesday nights from 7-8:30pm in the Lounge.

October 30th                Hosea Ballou's Theology of Happiness.

November 6th               William Ellery Channing's Theology of Emotional Struggle.

November 13th              Margaret Fuller's Liberal Theology of the Human Heart.

If childcare is needed, please notify us at least 48 hours in advance at 563-359-0816.

CAKES FOR THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN SERIES UU CONNECTION CIRCLE

Look for signup sheet in the lobby. *PLEASE SIGN UP FOR EACH SERIES YOU WANT TO ATTEND*

Start date is October 24 2013, continuing on the second and fourth Thursday through July, 2014

There are three sessions throughout the year; this means a person can attend session one, two or three or attend all sessions or a combination of them that fits your needs.

• SESSION I -- IN ANCIENT TIMES -- FIVE SESSIONS - OCTOBER 24 - DECEMBER 26, 2013 [we will work around the holidays]
• SESSION II -- ON THE TRHESHOLD -- SIX SESSIONS - JANUARY 9 -- MARCH 27, 2014
• SESSION III -- UNRAVELING THE GENDER KNOT -- SEVEN SESSIONS - APRIL 10 -- JULY 10, 2014.

The material is grounded in feminist thealogy and based on the cakes for the queen of heaven by Shirly Ranck and unraveling the gender knot by Barbara G. Schonborn, PhD, rosemary Matson Ba, and the late Alison Campbell, Ma.

GLBTQIA  Connection Circle

Tuesdays 6:30-8pm November 5 - December 17 Meet others to discuss current topics related to GLBTQIA related issues.

Eight Sessions -  Topics Include

1. Terms/Labels/Definitions/Symbols/Slang

2. Public Figures/History/Authors

3. Legal/Employment/Politics/Crime

4. Dating/Marriage/ Family/Commitments

5. Personal Journey/Coming Out Stories

6. Medical Issues/Mental Health/Suicide/Drugs

7. Support/Resources/Interweave/Religion

What is a Connection Circle?

This is more than a group discussion! Covenant groups are a transformational practice through which we, with others, can discover our own underlying assumptions about reality and examine our ways of being. Participants engage with others in reflection and suspend judgment long enough to hear respectfully the understandings of others, even those vastly different from their own.

Due to the nature of the group, participants are asked to attend all or most of the gatherings. This encourages relationship building, trust, and development of community.

The Connection Circle is based on caring, listening and respect. Group rules allow everyone to talk and ask everyone to listen. The goal is for a balance between total confidentiality and relationship building. Participants should learn something new and gain wider perspectives.

Register Soon!

The group will be limited to 12, so register as soon as you can. A waiting list will be kept with the possibility of additional group formations.

To register or for questions contact:

Christine  Phone: 563.359.0816 or Email natursoul3@aol.com

The curriculum explores female religious history in the western tradition, including Jewish, Christian and earth centered traditions.  The gender knot materials include gender, religion, feminism, economics, invisibility and denial and how to challenge the patriarchal system.

The group is open only to women, in order to better explore the multiple meanings and roles of the female divine in women's lives.

CONTACT LANA LONG [LANASUE6@MSN.COM] OR LUCIA DRYANSKI [MUDCREEKPRAIRIE@NTINS.NET] FOR MORE INFORMATION.

If childcare is needed, please notify us at least 48 hours in advance at 563-359-0816.

Make-A-Wish^® Illinois grants wish to teen girl with life-threatening illness

PEORIA - Kelly Suarez's wish to visit Comic Con resulted in an experience of a life-time that included unique costumes, brushes with celebrities and a trip to San Diego over the summer.

Kelly, age 14 of Sterling, is a shy and soft-spoken teenager that loves to read graphic novels and watch her favorite television shows.  In early 2010, Kelly was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a form of cancer.

After being referred to Make-A-Wish during her treatment, Kelly wished to go to Comic-Con International in San Diego to meet her favorite characters.  Comic-Con International: San Diego is a convention that celebrates the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture. Kelly traveled nearly 2,000 miles from home with her mother and sister.  Amy Suarez, Kelly's mom, described Kelly's Wish as "awesome and crazy."  Kelly met members of the cast of the hit television show How I Met Your Mother, the creator of The Walking Dead and caught a great photo opportunity with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Wish granting volunteer, Mary Beth Eggers, helped Kelly and her little sister prepare for the trip.  Eggers enlisted the help of local seamstress Julie Doty to make the girls custom costumes for the day.  Both girls had a hand in the design process from colors to props.  Kelly dressed as Link from The Legend of Zelda and her sister dressed as Carl from The Walking Dead.  Eggers also took Amy and her sister to a book store to pick out a few books on their favorite characters as well.  "She went above and beyond anything that we could have ever expected," Amy said of Mary Beth.

While on the wish, Kelly and her family met several other wish families at the event and have remained in contact with a wish family from Texas.  Currently cancer free, Kelly will have the memories of Comic Con to look back on as she ventures to the next chapter of her life.

About Make-A-Wish^® Illinois

Make-A-Wish Illinois grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich their lives with hope, strength and joy. Since being founded locally in 1985, the chapter has granted more than 11,000 wishes and continues its mission to share the power of a wish^® with special children across the state.  For more information or to find out how you can help, call 309.530.0080 or visit www.illinois.wish.org

Rock Island, IL, October 18 - 1st Class Staffing will hold an Employment Food Drive at Christian Care's Rescue Mission this Friday, October 18 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. To participate in the job fair, bring in a canned food item in exchange for 1st Class Staffing's services. A representative will be on hand that day to help with all of your employment needs. The Rescue Mission is located at 2209 - 3rd Avenue in Rock Island; for more information, call 309-786-5734.

Christian Care's services are available in the Quad Cities to a growing number of homeless men and abused women and children 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Through their two facilities?a domestic violence shelter for abused women and children and a rescue mission for homeless men?they provide safe shelter, nutritious meals, clothing, counseling, referrals and guidance to anyone in need. They serve homeless individuals, victims of domestic violence, veterans, men and women coming out of prison, and the mentally ill. Their vision is to transform the lives of those they serve by providing their residents with an opportunity to start a new, more productive life.

###

The Arc of the Quad Cities Area will host a Job Fair at its Heritage Fifty-Three campus this Tuesday,  October 15, 2013, from 9 am to 2 pm. The address is 4601 53rd Street in Moline. Open Interviews will be extended to candidates qualifying for the following positions:

Director of Development and Communications;

Program Supervisor - Residential;

Program Trainer - 1st shift and 2nd shift;

Production Worker with CDL Class A License; and

Dietary Supervisor.

All current openings may be found online at www.arcqca.org. Though The Arc encourages applicants to apply online in advance, laptops with internet access will also be available during the Job Fair.

The Arc of the Quad Cities Area is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The Arc's mission is "To live and work in partnership with the community to support individuals with developmental and other disabilities, through a variety of support services. " The Arc of the Quad Cities Area serves more than 350 individuals with intellectual and other disabilities. Programs foster the highest degree of independence possible, offering residential services, developmental and vocational skills training, supported employment, and respite care. From its humble beginnings in the living room of a privately-hired teacher in 1952, The Arc has evolved to a $12 million non-profit which employs a staff of more than 250.

###