We’re glad you’re interested in joining us at UUCCPF. We are located east of Western Avenue and south of Sauk Trail and Steger Road. For directions and maps, click here. Here’s what you might want to know about your visit with us.

• Feel free to dress comfortably and casually. Most of our members dress casually for Sunday morning, often in jeans and even shorts in the summer.
• Our services start at 10am but if you join us a little earlier we have coffee, tea, water and hot chocolate and light snacks available.
• We have designated a parking spot just for you. When you turn off Western Avenue on to Sycamore Drive, we’re just on the right hand side. That’s us, the little brown building tucked into the woods. As you turn into the parking lot you can see that the spots on the left are designated for our visitors so please park there. There are also handicapped parking spots available on the right and our building is fully accessible and ADA compliant. If the parking lot is full there is additional parking along Sycamore Road.
• The primary entrance to the building in under the awning pictured above. After you enter the front door you’ll be greeted by one of our members. We want to get to know you better so they’ll probably ask if you’d like to make a nametag for yourself.
• The hallway on the right past the front doors in where you will find the restrooms and a place to hang your coat as well as the offices of our minister and administrative assistant.
• The room to your left is The Gathering Room. Here is where you will find the refreshments both before and after service. This is a great place to meet and mingle with other guests and members. In The Gathering Room there is a wall of brochures about Unitarian Universalism and other activities and programming. Feel free to take whatever you’d like.
• The Gathering Room is connected to our sanctuary. When you see the wood panels close between the two rooms, it means its time for the service to begin.

Just in case you’re new to the whole UU experience here’s what you can expect from a typical service. Every church is unique, like the people in it, and in some cases the man or woman leading the service may do things a little differently, but here are some of the most common elements of our Sunday morning services.

• Hymns: Our UU hymnals contain a wide variety of inspirational music from many cultures: traditional Native American prayers and songs, African-American spirituals, Buddhist meditations, and American folk music among others.
• Chalice Lighting: The chalice is a candle or flame in a bowl or dish. It is our denominational symbol. Every UU church will have a chalice, although they may vary greatly. Like UU’s themselves, it represents and means many things to many people. There’s a great pamphlet in the gathering that will tell you all about the history of the chalice and how it came to be our symbol. We light the chalice near the beginning of each service and it is often lit by someone attending service in memory or honor of someone or something special in their life.
• Story for All Ages: This will usually be led by the speaker or Director of Religious Education. It allows the children present to hear an abridged version of the sermon topic suited just to their ages before they break off into their Religious Education classes (like Sunday School). One of our traditions is that when the children leave the sanctuary for the classrooms they collect canned goods and non-perishable food items for a local depository. If you are visiting with us please don’t feel obliged to contribute. You can learn more about our Religious Education from the menu at the top.
• Sharing of Joys and Sorrows: Our members, attendees and guests can come to the front and share with the congregation something they are joyful for in their lives or an area of concern. They may also choose to light a candle as well. This is often followed by a guided meditation or prayer and then special music at which point people may come forward and silently light a candle.
• Sermons/Talks: As well as the minister that is on staff with UUCCPF we regularly have guest ministers, speakers and even members of our own congregation who deliver thought-provoking and stirring sermons or talks from a variety of religious and spiritual traditions. We guarantee no two Sundays are ever alike! We also have an archive of sermons available.

Immediately following the service is our coffee and fellowship time in the Gathering Room. If it’s the first Sunday of the month you’re invited to have lunch on us. Our members bring dishes on the first Sunday of the month for Community Sunday. We all gather around tables and get to spend some quality time with each other. September through May we have forums that start at 11:30 each Sunday (except for Community Sundays).

We hope you enjoy and benefit from a visit with us. If there is anything we can do to make your visit more accommodating please don’t hesitate to let our minister or a greeter know.