E-news Summary 9-1-21

Please tell us what you think!

You received an email on Saturday, with links to three separate surveys about religious education for children and youth, our justice work and involvement in the community, and your sense of connection to our congregation.  Please take a few minutes to fill them all out, and help our leaders understand your needs as we discern how to work together toward our shared mission.

JRUUC Connections Survey

JRUUC RE Family Survey

JRUUC Justice Survey


Get Ready for Water Communion Service on 9/13/21!

Water takes on many different forms in response to its surroundings, and keeps flowing – an apt metaphor for our congregation and our spirits in this time.  For our annual ingathering service, our choir will sing outside our building, we’ll see pictures of each other, Rev. Karen will reflect on the nature of rivers and blend the waters we bring in a common bowl, and you’ll all be invited to speak briefly about your connection to water.  Don’t miss this chance to see and hear from each other!

Rev. Karen is so disappointed that we can’t meet in the sanctuary to share water and stories.  But we can still share, and we invite you into several activities to help this service be as relational as possible.

First, please send us your pictures to be part of a slide show during the service!  We’d love a picture of yourself in any location, so we can see your face.  We also welcome pictures of you and/or your loved ones near water, pictures of a body of water that’s meaningful to you, pictures of drawings or paintings or other representations of water – anything that can be saved as an image file.  Multiple pictures are welcome!  Please send your picture(s) to Bret Buchanan by Thursday, September 9.

Second, please bring us your water to be blended during the service!  It can be water you’ve collected from a place that’s meaningful or water from your home or anywhere else.  Rev. Karen will blend the waters we receive – and then you’ll receive a small vial of blended water the week after the service.  She will be in front of the JRUUC building on Thursday 9/9 at 3:30-4:30 pmFriday 9/10 at 5:30-6:30 pm, and Saturday 9/12 at 3:00-4:00 pm and 7:00-8:00 pm.  Please bring your water in a small container, and wear a mask.

Finally, please reflect on your connection to water.  We’ll invite you all to unmute and turn on your video, so we can all speak briefly.


Reeb and Covid-19

JRUUC activities remain online or outdoors in accordance with Level 4, the most restrictive level of concern on our Covid-19 Strategic Plan. As a result of the Delta variant, daily new Covid infections in Dane County are at their highest level since early February.


Upset that our Reeb Rummage Sale has been postponed and wondering what to do with all your “stuff”?
Donate it to the MOSES Rummage Sale Fund Raiser this weekend!
St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church6205 University Ave
No pricing sale September 4th, 8:30am-2:00pmItems may be dropped off Thursday evening or Friday 9 am – 6pm
Clothing in good condition – on a hanger and sizedKitchen appliances and equipment, Sporting goods, Books (be selective)Odd items, Craft supplies, Baby items, Tools, Pet itemsNo dressers, bureaus or mattresses, please
MOSES (Madison Organizing in Strength, Equality, and Solidarity)

Minister’s Availability

Rev. Karen is holding in-person and virtual office hours while our building is closed.  Both are drop-in, and open to as many participants as show up at once.  Please reach out to Karen via email, phone, or text if you’d like to connect individually – she’s happy to set up a time to meet with you!  And, as always, please call or text her if you have a pastoral emergency.  Please note that Karen doesn’t check email on Mondays (her rest day) and Thursdays (her writing/study day) and will reply to your non-emergency messages the following day.  Karen will be off through Tuesday for Labor Day weekend, but will be available via phone or text for pastoral emergencies.

Outdoor Office Hours  

Rev. Karen would love to see you in person on Fridays at 2:00-4:00 pm!  She’ll set up a chair on the lawn just east of the Olbrich Gardens parking lot, between the Children’s Kitchen Garden and the shelter at 201 Garrison Street.  Come by if you’d like to chat!

Virtual Office Hours 

Rev. Karen opens a zoom room on Tuesdays at 4:00-6:00 pm, and you’re invited to join her when you can for as long as you can.  There will be no virtual office hours on Tuesday 9/7, while Karen is off for Labor Day weekend.


Small Group Ministries – Meditation, Octavia’s Parables, Covenant Groups

Let’s Talk about UU Music! – (From Heather Yonker) – I will be hosting a 2 hour event providing the opportunity to explore how music shapes our culture and experience. This is a chance to humanize stories and information and provide a widening of our awareness of others’ perspectives. Space will be made for each participant to speak and to be heard. There will be some breakout groups within the 2 hour period.  Ideally 8-12 participants in a variety of ages would make for an effective event. 

Consider these two dates/times: Thursday September 16th at 6:30pm or possibly Sunday, September 19th at 4pm.

It can be finalized according to the schedules of those that sign up. Please contact me at your earliest convenience if you would like to participate.

Heather Yonker, Music Director, JRUUC, music@jruuc.org


Justice CALL TO ACTION
Justice Leadership Team CALL TO ACTION The Justice Leadership Team encourages members to work for justice in our community and country. Here are actions you can take this week.IMMIGRATION REFORM e-mail your representativesHelp Afghan Refugees, click the button above for a note from Jewish Social Services.

What’s Happening in Unitarian Universalism

Are You a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color) Unitarian Universalist?
Diverse Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries invites you to the Fall Regional Caucuses
As we face a world on fire and the dehumanizing impact of racism, we need one another more than ever for our own healing and liberation.  We are organizing these member-led BIPOC spaces with the intention of deepening our connections with one another, being present to one another’s stories and truth, and fostering systems of care.   This is sacred work that makes space for the spirit and shapes our UU faith.


The Regional Caucuses will happen simultaneously on Saturday, September 18th from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM Central Time.  Members will gather via our virtual Zoom room and caucuses will meet in breakout rooms with facilitators.  Our agenda will center on relationship building, sharing your story, and checking in.  We’ll be focusing our discussion on the ways we are sustained and uplifted as Unitarian Universalists.  This is a BIPOC-only program, and you can register here.



Are You a White Unitarian Universalist?
Allies for Racial Equity invites you to their September Community Caucus
We invite White Unitarian Universalists to join the upcoming virtual regional caucus sessions on September 18th at 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm Central Time.  This year’s caucuses will focus on discussions of the 8th Principle.  The caucuses are intended to nourish anti-racist community; to inspire attendees with a sense of parallel connectedness to DRUUMM (Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries); and engage deeply in reflection and analysis for sustainable anti-racist work.
DRUUMM is a Unitarian Universalist BIPOC ministry and anti-racist collective bringing lay and religious professionals together to overcome racism through resistance and transform Unitarian Universalism through our multicultural experiences.  ARE’s Community Caucuses are being held concurrent with the Fall 2021 DRUUMM Regional BIPOC Caucuses.  You can register here.

What’s Happening in our Community – COVID info