News: We are an active UU community. You will find links to some of our activities and announcements here. 

• Sunday, Oct. 7, we welcome our new student minister, Allison Farnum. We eagerly look forward to all that Allison will share with us this year; don’t miss this opportunity to begin to get acquainted with Allison.  She will be with us again on Oct. 21.
• Volunteers are needed to host Coffee Fellowship in November and December . Sign up sheet is on the welcoming table.
• We welcome Angie Leu as Open Circle’s new child care provider. Parents of children too young for the Religious Education program are invited to leave children with Angie.
• Sunday service announcements are due to Madonna Bowman by Thursday noon.
• Oct. 7-21:  " Eat Local for a Day Challenge." Choose one day to try to include as many local food products in your menu as you can. Cap off the challenge with the Harvest Dinner!
• Saturday, Oct. 20, 9 a.m., current meeting space in 104 S. Main, building ideas and visions meeting. Come join the process for reconfiguring the former print shop to meet the needs of our fellowship. Everyone is invited to share his/ her ideas; iIf you cannot attend the meeting, please email ideas/ concerns to John McDowell j_mcdowell77@yahoo.com. More information regarding the Building Renovation Committee and planning process will be provided via email.
• Harvest Celebration Sunday, Oct. 21. , Founders Hall, St. Agnes Convent, 320 County Road K, 4 p.m. fellowship and children's activities. 5 p.m. dinner; bring a side dish, salad, bread or dessert to complement the meat and veggie lasagna supplied by the Eco-Food Committee; aim for local and organic ingredients when possible! Please bring your own plates and flatware, to avoid disposables. Coffee and water will be supplied; bring other beverages if you like. Suggested donation of $5 per family for Loaves and Fishes. RSVP: By Oct. 14  to Karen Lindberg-Schuppe by e-mail (preferred), klindberg-schuppe@charter.net or  921-2675:   number of adults and children and what category dish you’d like to share.Table seating will be arranged.

Around the Commmunity:

• Stand for Peace, every Thursday, 5-6 p.m., corner of Johnson and Peters streets.
• Just Fare Market opens Oct. 18, First Presbyterian Church (4th St. Road). Offering fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate and gift items from around the world. Volunteer staff needed for Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (2 or 4-hours shifts) Contact Jill Stiemsma of Prairie Lake UU Fellowship for more information and to get involved.

UUA Central Midwest District:

• “Feel the Rhythm” UU Women’s Connection Lake Geneva Fall Retreat, Nov. 9-11, at Aurora University/ GWC Retreat Center.  Shelly Jackson Denham, lyricist, singer and musician is the featured keynote speaker. (She wrote the lyrics for several hymns in our UUC Hymnal.) Music will be central to this weekend and a wonderful opportunity both to “feel the rhythm” of music, and be in rhythm with other UU women.  We don’t have services that weekend and it would be fun to have a group from Open Circle take part in this retreat.  Information is posted on the bulletin board.  Contact Madonna if you are interested.

  Updated 10/4/07