Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of DeKalb

Adult Lifespan Faith Development Program (LFDP)

Dear Friend, 

 NOW is the time for spiritual liberals to turn this nation around. 

Let me share with you why I believe this is true.  I am a proud member of the Southern Poverty Law Center (www.splcenter.org), an organization that seeks justice, fights hate, and teaches tolerance.  I contribute regularly and read their publications Teaching Tolerance and Intelligence Report.  In the fall 2008 edition of Intelligence Report, I learned about the following…

There is a growing movement of hard-core Christian evangelicals, called Joel’s Army, that believe that America should be governed by conservative Christians and Christian interpretation of biblical law.  Casting themselves as God’s avenging army, their rhetoric and numbers have increased significantly, as their presence on MySpace and Facebook draws in teens and young adults.  They are clear about forming an army that can use military force to establish theocratic rule.  Revivals and faith healing services draw over 10,000; annual youth revivals draw 20,000; and at the kids’ camp which is held each summer, even the children under six years of age are taught to become “soldiers for God’s Army.” 

I find this appalling, but not new.  Over a year ago I showed clips about one of these kids’ camps at a Sunday service.  The documentary Jesus Camp is a wake-up call to religious liberals. Do we really want to leave the work of shaping this world to those who will do so from a fundamentalist ideology?  Shall we abandon public discourse on meaning, faith, and justice to those who would silence us?  Liberals have been notorious for eschewing or abandoning the empowerment of congregational community to the religious right.  No more. 

Rabbi Michael Lerner, author of The Left Hand of God, Taking Back Our Country From the Religious Right, wrote, “Cruelty is not destiny.  Imperialism and class conflict, murder and rape, anger and hatred are not built into the fundamental structure of reality.  There is a flow of social energy, a movement of consciousness between hope and fear – inside each of us and in our society – and we can move that flow.”   So, spiritual liberals, let’s move that flow.  I claim faith and hope as part of my spiritual tradition, and I believe that Unitarian Universalists must be capable of articulating our free faith tradition with integrity, clarity, and passion.

That is why I invite you – Members, Friends, Newcomers, Visitors, Students, and Seekers – to join with me on selected Sundays to explore our rich history and our dynamic faith.  Come if you are curious about Unitarian Universalism.  Or, if you are already a UU, come to rekindle your connection to our faith and to re-ignite your sense of mission and purpose.  (See flier for info or call Rev. Slabon at 815-501-4788)

The Rev. Bill Sinkford, president of our Unitarian Universalist Association, observed, “In the face of the well-organized and well-funded dominance of the fundamentalist religious right in the public square, I believe that we are called to offer a liberal religious alternative.  I am not willing, nor should you be, to cede the moral high ground to religious fundamentalists, of any faith tradition, who preach that there is only one way to be religious, only one scripture worthy of being followed, only one way to be a family, only one way to lead a good life.  There must be a liberal religious alternative.  And, my friends, we’re it.”  

Let us foster a spiritual consciousness, a new bottom line in America, where organizations are measured by how they ethically respond, that is, how they treat people and this earth. This is our faith tradition.  Now is the time, spiritual liberals, for us to turn this nation around. 

Rev. Linda S. Slabon, M.A., M.S.W., L.C.S.W.

UUFD 2010 NEW UU PROGRAM:

Welcome to a Free Faith

To sign up for either class, contact our office manager, Bonnie Freeman, at 815-756-7089 or uufdchurchoffice@aol.com. We can provide childcare but we must know in advance.
Thank you.

Facilitators: Rev. Linda Slabon & Sabiha Sorgun
Location: UUFD at 158 North 4th Street, DeKalb
All About UU: An Introduction to Unitarian Universalism

Sunday, March 7 8:30a.m. to 10:00 a.m. OR Sunday, April 11 8:30a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

We are a spiritual community that celebrates the Mystery, values reason and faith, works for justice, and heals the human spirit. Come raise questions. Learn about our theology, history, and our church of the living tradition.

Pathways to Membership

Sunday, March 7 1:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. OR
Sunday, April 11 1:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Part 1 -- Who Are You?
The Unitarian Universalist tradition deeply appreciates theological diversity. We trust that we do not need to think alike in order to love alike. In this segment, we will build community by sharing our stories and spiritual journeys.

Part 2 -- Do We Fit?
Explore the spiritually committed life -- from the various reasons why people get involved in a church to attitudes about social justice, worship, religious identity, financial support, and service. Rev. Slabon has served as minister of UUFD since 1991. In addition to her ministry degree, she completed two additional Masters degrees, one in Social Work and one in American Culture Studies from the University of Iowa.

Sabiha Sorgun is a young adult leader at UUFD and is a doctoral student in a graduate program at Northern Illinois University.

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of DeKalb
158 N. Fourth Street
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-756-7089
uufdchurchoffice@aol.com

 

Child care services available.

Our church is handicapped accessible.

For directions to our church, please click [map]