Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Oct 8, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: When did the Unitarian Universalist church become welcoming? As we look forward to National Coming Out Day on October 11 and hosting the Drag Story Time at the...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Oct 1, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview:Along with the rising importance of freedom in thought and identity, we also see a rise in efforts to control our minds and behaviors. Where did modern fascism...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Sep 24, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: We speak of welcoming, but what does it mean to do so in real life? Coffee Hour Afterwards & Offering...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Sep 17, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Jesi Laughlin, DLRE Overview:Nurturing moral and spiritual growth is the foundation of any faith. What are we exploring this year? The children and youth begin their program today. Coffee Hour...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Sep 10, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: Potluck and Splash Games after Service This Ingathering marks the start of the church year. We offer our commitments to one another and celebrate being part...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Sep 3, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: For our end of summer Question Box Sermon, we are part of creating the message along with Reverend Jennifer. Send her your questions ahead of time or in person...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Aug 27, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis and a Cast of Thousands Overview:Join us for our Blessing of the Animals! Beloved animals are welcome to join us on site or in a photo. In person pets must be leashed or...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Aug 20, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Michael Brown Overview: Rev. Michael will share reflections on the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions. Coffee Hour Afterwards & Offering...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Aug 13, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): BJ Lindsey Overview: BJ challenges us to appreciate what we may be overlooking. Coffee Hour Afterwards & Offering...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Aug 6, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Joyce Harant Overview:Film will educate us on the closure of the coal plant and the current issues. Discussion in the conference room will follow. Click HERE to view the film on its own. Coffee...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Jul 30, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): CUUPs Overview: Lughnasadh is a Pagan Holiday and one of the eight Wiccan Sabbats that mark the turning of the year. This ritual is a time to celebrate the very beginning of the harvest, when...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Jul 23, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Jeanette Gruber Overview: Jeanette helps us explore love relationships (including the ones with our pets!) along with author Mary Frances O’Connor, PhD, whose work, The Grieving Brain, is our...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Jul 16, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Paul Resnick Overview: Paul will share alternatives to the green grass lawn. Coffee Hour Afterwards & Offering...
PREPARING FOR LUGHNASADH RITUAL Tuesday, July 18, 5:30 PM, Sanctuary All those with speaking roles in the Sunday, July 30, Lughnasadh service will gather to run through the script and block the service. MAKING MUFFINS FOR LUGHNASADH Saturday, July 29, Noon, Kitchen...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Jul 9, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Pat Harris Overview: Pat will share the immigration story of her father and the remarkable way in which it unfolded. Coffee Hour Afterwards & Offering...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Jul 2, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Brad Keefauver Overview:Even though fans are wiser than ever about the mythology of sports entertainment, professional wrestling is still popular. What can this tell us about belief, truth, and...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Jun 25, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Judith Koren-Shanahan, Peoria UU Member Overview: We explore the impact the arts have on us today. Coffee Hour Afterwards &...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Jun 18, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Kathy Carter, Peoria UU Member Overview: Kathy will share stories and events from the UUPC history that have shaped us into who we are today. Coffee Hour Afterwards & Offering...
NO ZOOM PLEASE JOIN US AT THE HERM FARM IN-PERSON OR WATCH THE PRE-RECORDED SERVICE BELOW Sunday, Jun 11, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer and a Cast of Thousands Overview:Join us at the Herm Farm for our annual picnic and celebration of the past year....
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Jun 4, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis and Jesi Laughlin, DLRE Overview: Join us for a celebration of story and the abundance of life as we honor our ritual of the Flower Communion. For this multi-age service,...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, May 28, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: Memorial Day weekend marks the cusp between Spring and Summer. What have we already received year? How shall we prepare for what is to come? Coffee Hour...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, May 21, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Universalist Unitarian Church Choir Overview: Join us as we enjoy our annual Music Sunday with our excellent choir led by Dave Breeden. Everyone starts in worship. Children may remain in service...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, May 14, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: The creative principle is everywhere, as are the forces working against it. How do you navigate that flow? We will enjoy the music of the Peoria Recorder Group....
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, May 7, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: As the Nazis rose to power in Western Europe, many churches ignored or denied the growing threat. Unitarian theologian James Luther Adams called those...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Apr 30, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: Unitarian Universalism is committed to creating a more just and equitable world. And – we arepredominantly white with a mixed history of being anti-racist and...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Apr 23, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Florence Caplow Overview: “Oh to be a pear tree—any tree in bloom!” Zora Neale HurstonCome celebrate Earth Day with the poetic voices of women honoring the earth, as well asreflections...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Apr 16, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview:Humans come in so many forms, including how our minds work. How do we expand ourunderstanding of human intelligence as we strive to welcome all?The choir will...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Apr 9, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: Guest Musician: Wes SedrelJesus always flipped the tables on people’s expectations as he showed a new way of relating toeach other. What do we learn from him...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Apr 2, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: What might we mere mortals offer to a bruised and hurting world? Join us for the kickoff of our Annual Campaign and dream of our work in the world. The choir...
NEW DATE – MAY 5TH @ 7:00 PM Trans Day of Visibility Celebration Trans Day of Visibility is dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of transgender and gender nonconforming people while raising awareness of the work that still needs to be done to achieve...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Mar 26, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: On this last Sunday with the theme of Vulnerability and before we enter into April’s theme of Resistance, we pause to pay attention to our brokenness, our...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Mar 19, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: The first women in ministry faced bias and few opportunities. But the Great Plains of the 1800’s were an opportunity for a band of Unitarian women. Who were...
Sunday, Mar 12, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: Rosabeth Moss Kanter tells us that “The most radical thing we can do is connect people to one another. That starts conversations toward a vision for change.” What does connection mean for us...
Ostara Ritual Sunday, March 19th @ 5:00 pm Ostara is celebrated on the spring equinox and is a time to celebrate rebirth and renewal. Hosted by the Universalist Unitarian Church of Peoria in collaboration with Susan Smith and The Cauldron of Knowledge. Join us for a...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Mar 5, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: How do we declare what we hold dear in this time? Join us for how this faith is exploring new ways to name our foundation and our values. See the notice about...
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Feb 26, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview:As part of Black History Month, hear about a woman who sought equality for all people as she navigated being a Black Unitarian woman in antebellum United States....
Join the 10:30am Service Zoom Sunday, Feb 19, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Carin Bringelson Overview:Come explore the loving roots of Unitarian Universalism. When we dig deep into our spiritual sustenance, we might just find that love is as messy as it is...
Sunday, Feb 12, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview:In conjunction with our series on the six sources of Unitarian Universalism, we consider the relationship between love and surrender in Islam. Coffee Hour Afterwards & Offering...
Sunday, Feb 5, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview:Over the past few decades, Love has grown as the primary word for Unitarian Universalism. Are we The Love Church? The choir sings today. Coffee Hour Afterwards & Offering...
Imbolc Ritual Sunday Feb 19th @ 4:00 pm Fellowship Hall This cross-quarter holiday takes place at the midway point between the winter solstice (Yule) and the spring equinox (Ostara). It has long been recognized as the beginning of the end of winter, marked by the...
Sunday, Jan 29, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Craig Schwalenberg Overview:Ever play Let’s Pretend? Ever visit the Kingdom of Make-Believe? Maybe when we were kids, but we’re too old for that now…aren’t we? I certainly hope not. Grab your chalk, hop on the...
Sunday, Jan 22, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Members of the Congregation Overview: Finding our center includes listening to the lives of those who have seen and known so much of this world. Children and youth ask questions of our older members. All are welcome for this...
Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: As we remember the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., what is the place of justice in our lives and in our beliefs? Coffee Hour Afterwards & Offering...
Sunday, Jan 8, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview:Our efforts at a liberal approach to religion is based on deep mutual commitments. Speaking our covenant out loud lifts the heart. How do our promises work with real, live human beings? The...
Sunday, Jan 1, 2023 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Jesi Laughlin, Director of Lifespan Religious Education Overview: What is at your center? Let’s look inside ourselves set an intention, and create a touchstone to recall all year long. Coffee Hour Afterwards & Offering...
Sunday, Dec 25, 2022 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis and the Congregation Overview: On Christmas Morning, join us for carols, stories, and brunch in Fellowship Hall. We will take turns unwrapping the parts of the service and sharing them as they emerge....
Saturday, Dec 24, 2022 @ 7:00 pm Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis and the Congregation Overview:For Christmas Eve, we share the message of the birth of Jesus through ancient and modern texts and beautiful music. This service will feature music from Dave Breeden and...
Sunday, Dec 18, 2022 @ 10:30 am Speaker(s): Reverend Jennifer Innis Overview: So often in our language we use “black” or “dark” to refer to what is fearful and evil. Let us explore the richness of the Dark in our lives. The choir will sing. Coffee Hour Afterwards...
Virtual only: ARE Humanist Discussion Group via Zoom #2
Virtual only: ARE Humanist Discussion Group via Zoom #2
July 1, 20257:00 pm - 9:00 pm Zoom at https://bit.ly/3rthCHr
Join us on Zoom at https://bit.ly/3rthCHras we invite guest presenters and talk about videos of current events, religion, and politics. We aspire to use empathy, humility, curiosity, critical thinking, and compassionate communications to discuss new insights, controversy, disinformation, irrationality, and magical thinking.
July 3, 202510:00 am - 12:00 pm Zion Coffee Bar, 803 SW Adams St, Peoria, IL 61602, USA
Drop in and join Membership Coordinator Regina Stanley to discuss whatever is on your mind. Questions? Contact Regina at 309-648-2767 or membership@peoriauuchurch.org.
You are welcome to join ongoing weekly sessions of A Course in Miracles, a self-study spiritual program based on universal spiritual themes, primarily including forgiveness as the path to love in order to focus on living more peacefully in this world. To RSVP, contact Suzette Boulais at zetter3@comcast.net.
Life Force Tai Chi
First & Third Sundays through December 2024
Tai Chi is an ancient discipline from China. Join Dave Grebner for this class, where we will learn how to stand and move to enhance the flow of chi life energy through our bodies.
Virtual only: ARE Humanist Discussion Group via Zoom #2
Virtual only: ARE Humanist Discussion Group via Zoom #2
July 8, 20257:00 pm - 9:00 pm Zoom at https://bit.ly/3rthCHr
Join us on Zoom at https://bit.ly/3rthCHras we invite guest presenters and talk about videos of current events, religion, and politics. We aspire to use empathy, humility, curiosity, critical thinking, and compassionate communications to discuss new insights, controversy, disinformation, irrationality, and magical thinking.
July 10, 202510:00 am - 12:00 pm Zion Coffee Bar, 803 SW Adams St, Peoria, IL 61602, USA
Drop in and join Membership Coordinator Regina Stanley to discuss whatever is on your mind. Questions? Contact Regina at 309-648-2767 or membership@peoriauuchurch.org.
Come learn about the nutritional and medicinal uses of herbs in community. We will explore the history of Peoria through its cuisine: the Native, French, German, Lebanese, and more. We will occasionally prepare a dish to share after service on Sunday. For more information, contact Kevin Cashmer at kevincashmer44@gmail.com.
You are welcome to join ongoing weekly sessions of A Course in Miracles, a self-study spiritual program based on universal spiritual themes, primarily including forgiveness as the path to love in order to focus on living more peacefully in this world. To RSVP, contact Suzette Boulais at zetter3@comcast.net.
Do you play Mah Jongg or do you want to learn? Join the fun on 2nd and 4th Sundays! Bring your own drink and snack, and if you have a Mah Jongg set or mat, bring it, too. Contact Char Rickey at spinwool7@aol.com or 309-472-7085 or Evan Stubbs at sirstubby@hotmail.com or 575-621-5519 with questions.
Virtual only: ARE Humanist Discussion Group via Zoom #2
Virtual only: ARE Humanist Discussion Group via Zoom #2
July 15, 20257:00 pm - 9:00 pm Zoom at https://bit.ly/3rthCHr
Join us on Zoom at https://bit.ly/3rthCHras we invite guest presenters and talk about videos of current events, religion, and politics. We aspire to use empathy, humility, curiosity, critical thinking, and compassionate communications to discuss new insights, controversy, disinformation, irrationality, and magical thinking.
July 17, 202510:00 am - 12:00 pm Zion Coffee Bar, 803 SW Adams St, Peoria, IL 61602, USA
Drop in and join Membership Coordinator Regina Stanley to discuss whatever is on your mind. Questions? Contact Regina at 309-648-2767 or membership@peoriauuchurch.org.
July 17, 202510:00 am - 11:30 am Lakeview Park, 1125 W Lake Ave, Peoria, IL 61614, USA
Park Day
Thurs., July 17, 10-11:30am
Rain Date: Thurs., July 24
Lakeview Park Playground 1125 W Lake Ave, Peoria
UUCP families and friends are invited to meet for some weekday fun in the park. Jesi Laughlin and Liz Tiethoff will be at the playground near the Lakeview Recreation Center. Come and play with us!
July 17, 202511:30 am - 12:30 pm The Queen Of Squash, 1108 W Glen Ave, Peoria, IL 61614, USA
Third Thursday Ladies’ Lunch
Thursday, July 17, 11:30am
The Queen of Squash ~ 1108 W. Glen Ave.
Join us at this cozy restaurant in the Metro Center that serves healthy locally-sourced dishes. Vegan options are available. Please RSVP to Carlette at 309-258-5890.
Calling all night owls, snack monsters, and game champions! It’s time for the most epic overnight of the summer—at church! (Yes, seriously!) Watch a movie in the Sanctuary! Go for a midnight hike in the grove! Play silly games! Make your own pizza! Laugh uncontrollably!Pack your sleeping bag, overnight supplies, and your best dance moves. Bring a snack to share and prepare for a night of unforgettable fun and very responsible chaos. Registration and permission required (because adults are still in charge, technically). Register at https://uuchurch.flocknote.com/signup/215833 and fill out the permission form here: https://forms.gle/Unik8GgGUnJ2aBBd7 Questions? Email Jesi at DLRE@peoriauuchurch.org.
Calling all night owls, snack monsters, and game champions! It’s time for the most epic overnight of the summer—at church! (Yes, seriously!) Watch a movie in the Sanctuary! Go for a midnight hike in the grove! Play silly games! Make your own pizza! Laugh uncontrollably!Pack your sleeping bag, overnight supplies, and your best dance moves. Bring a snack to share and prepare for a night of unforgettable fun and very responsible chaos. Registration and permission required (because adults are still in charge, technically). Register at https://uuchurch.flocknote.com/signup/215833 and fill out the permission form here: https://forms.gle/Unik8GgGUnJ2aBBd7 Questions? Email Jesi at DLRE@peoriauuchurch.org.
You are welcome to join ongoing weekly sessions of A Course in Miracles, a self-study spiritual program based on universal spiritual themes, primarily including forgiveness as the path to love in order to focus on living more peacefully in this world. To RSVP, contact Suzette Boulais at zetter3@comcast.net.
Life Force Tai Chi
First & Third Sundays through December 2024
Tai Chi is an ancient discipline from China. Join Dave Grebner for this class, where we will learn how to stand and move to enhance the flow of chi life energy through our bodies.
Join us on the fourth Tuesday of each month on Zoom. We’ll read and discuss young adult books that have been banned or challenged in parts of the U.S.—books that spark meaningful conversations around social justice, identity, and UU values. Come ready to read courageously, reflect deeply, and stand up for the stories that matter. Books are available locally at Lit on Fire, online at bookshop.org/shop/UUCP, for free at your local library, and at many more locations.
This month’s selection, Looking for Alaska by John Green, follows Miles Halter (“Pudge”) to boarding school as he seeks a “Great Perhaps,” in the famous last words of French writer François Rabelais. This coming-of-age novel explores themes of meaning, grief, hope, and youth–adult relationships. It has frequently been in the top ten of the American Library Association’s list of most-challenged books, with profanity and a sexually explicit scene identified as objectionable.
Join us this month or in the future: August 26: Kindred by Octavia Butler; September 23: Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe; October 28: Crank by Ellen Hopkins; November 25: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
Virtual only: ARE Humanist Discussion Group via Zoom #2
Virtual only: ARE Humanist Discussion Group via Zoom #2
July 22, 20257:00 pm - 9:00 pm Zoom at https://bit.ly/3rthCHr
Join us on Zoom at https://bit.ly/3rthCHras we invite guest presenters and talk about videos of current events, religion, and politics. We aspire to use empathy, humility, curiosity, critical thinking, and compassionate communications to discuss new insights, controversy, disinformation, irrationality, and magical thinking.
July 24, 202510:00 am - 12:00 pm Zion Coffee Bar, 803 SW Adams St, Peoria, IL 61602, USA
Drop in and join Membership Coordinator Regina Stanley to discuss whatever is on your mind. Questions? Contact Regina at 309-648-2767 or membership@peoriauuchurch.org.
Bring your own lunch and join in conversation with others. This lunchtime community is open to anyone who wants to come! Questions? Contact the church office at office@peoriauuchurch.org.
Let’s spread some love—one chalk drawing at a time! Join us for this all-ages event, where we’ll turn our church parking lot into a colorful celebration of community, creativity, and kindness. Come anytime Friday afternoon or Saturday morning to complete your masterpiece. A section of the parking lot and sidewalk will be designated for artwork, so come early to grab your spot! Then, be sure to come at noon on Saturday for a casual potluck and fun awards, like “Most Joyful,” “Best Message of Love,” “Chalk-tastic Colors,” and more! You can bring your favorite potluck dish, specialized art supplies (we’ll have plenty of basic chalk), and your creative spirit. Let’s fill our space with color and connection!
Come learn about the nutritional and medicinal uses of herbs in community. We will explore the history of Peoria through its cuisine: the Native, French, German, Lebanese, and more. We will occasionally prepare a dish to share after service on Sunday. For more information, contact Kevin Cashmer at kevincashmer44@gmail.com.
Let’s spread some love—one chalk drawing at a time! Join us for this all-ages event, where we’ll turn our church parking lot into a colorful celebration of community, creativity, and kindness. Come anytime Friday afternoon or Saturday morning to complete your masterpiece. A section of the parking lot and sidewalk will be designated for artwork, so come early to grab your spot! Then, be sure to come at noon on Saturday for a casual potluck and fun awards, like “Most Joyful,” “Best Message of Love,” “Chalk-tastic Colors,” and more! You can bring your favorite potluck dish, specialized art supplies (we’ll have plenty of basic chalk), and your creative spirit. Let’s fill our space with color and connection!
Let’s spread some love—one chalk drawing at a time! Join us for this all-ages event, where we’ll turn our church parking lot into a colorful celebration of community, creativity, and kindness. Come anytime Friday afternoon or Saturday morning to complete your masterpiece. A section of the parking lot and sidewalk will be designated for artwork, so come early to grab your spot! Then, be sure to come at noon on Saturday for a casual potluck and fun awards, like “Most Joyful,” “Best Message of Love,” “Chalk-tastic Colors,” and more! You can bring your favorite potluck dish, specialized art supplies (we’ll have plenty of basic chalk), and your creative spirit. Let’s fill our space with color and connection!
You are welcome to join ongoing weekly sessions of A Course in Miracles, a self-study spiritual program based on universal spiritual themes, primarily including forgiveness as the path to love in order to focus on living more peacefully in this world. To RSVP, contact Suzette Boulais at zetter3@comcast.net.
Do you play Mah Jongg or do you want to learn? Join the fun on 2nd and 4th Sundays! Bring your own drink and snack, and if you have a Mah Jongg set or mat, bring it, too. Contact Char Rickey at spinwool7@aol.com or 309-472-7085 or Evan Stubbs at sirstubby@hotmail.com or 575-621-5519 with questions.
Virtual only: ARE Humanist Discussion Group via Zoom #2
Virtual only: ARE Humanist Discussion Group via Zoom #2
July 29, 20257:00 pm - 9:00 pm Zoom at https://bit.ly/3rthCHr
Join us on Zoom at https://bit.ly/3rthCHras we invite guest presenters and talk about videos of current events, religion, and politics. We aspire to use empathy, humility, curiosity, critical thinking, and compassionate communications to discuss new insights, controversy, disinformation, irrationality, and magical thinking.
July 31, 202510:00 am - 12:00 pm Zion Coffee Bar, 803 SW Adams St, Peoria, IL 61602, USA
Drop in and join Membership Coordinator Regina Stanley to discuss whatever is on your mind. Questions? Contact Regina at 309-648-2767 or membership@peoriauuchurch.org.
