Tree of Life UU Congregation Finds New Home in Ridgefield

The historic Ridgefield/Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church is welcoming Tree of Life UU Congregation to share its facilities, TOLUUC will worship in the modern addition on the right at the same time the host holds their service in the sanctuary of the old church. 

Two of the oldest congregations in McHenry County will share space and fellowship starting this Sunday, May 10 at 10 am at 8505 Church Street in Ridgefield.  The Ridgefield/Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church (RCLPC) was organized in 1839 and has occupied their classic New England-style meeting house since 1872.  The First Congregational Church of Woodstock was organized in 1866 and built a church near the Square.  A new brick building on the same site opened in 1906.  Through various name changes the congregation evolved and moved to McHenry in 2013 and became the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation (TOLUUC).

When TOLUUC decided they needed to sell the McHenry property, the Congregation began a search for potential partners with which to share worship space.  RCLPC was clearly the best match and was eager to move forward.  The building in McHenry on Bull Valley Road will be continuing its role as a religious gathering place as Sikh group, Gurdwara Kukh Nivaran Sahib bought the building and anticipate holding their first service in August 2026. 

At the last service in the McHenry building on April 26 members made a symbolic recessional behind the Chalice, pulpit banners, and other Congregational symbols.

The Congregation will also be joining the McHenry County Jewish Congregation (MCJC) who's former synagogue was located less than a mile away in Ridgefield and who shared TOLUUC's worship space for a year.  

A banner at Ridgefield/Crystal Lake Presbyterian proclaims the new partnership.

This is not a merger or consolidation.  TOLUUC service will be held in the Fellowship Hall while the RCLPC congregation will have their worship service upstairs in their sanctuary. We plan to gather after service to enjoy a combined fellowship hour with coffee and treats.  While Tree of Life, RCLPC and MCJC will all offer their own worship services, programs, identities, and governance we are looking forward to supporting each other around projects and causes we share in common. 

Flower Communion in McHenry.

Tree of Life's first service in the new facility this Sunday will celebrate the multi-congregational shared church building with Rev. Matthew Johnson, Congregational Life Consultant from UUA MidAmerica Region.  Chaplain Dave Becker will officiate with an observance of Flower Communion, originated over 100 years ago in Czechoslovakia and cherished by UU congregations around the world, celebrating the beauty of our uniqueness and diversity, interconnectedness, life, and community.  Members and friends are invited to bring a flower or two from their yard, garden, local florist, nearby field or store to share with all in the multigenerational ceremony.  It will also commemorate Mother's Day.

After the service everyone is invited for a social hour shared by our new friends from Ridgefield/ Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church.

The service will be shared on Zoom.  Join from Zoom Workplace app - Zoom or from your bowser. 

  

Two Traditions, Two Faiths Share One House of Worship

A tip-o'-the-hat to Beth Hoover for this photo collage of the Sunday move in ceremony at Tree of Life building in McHenry.  Top right, Rabbi Marilee Gordon escorts the Scroll of the Torah into the building.  Middle left, Rabbi Gordon consecrates the Arc of the Covenant which will house the Torah with Bruce Weise in dark jacket who is a lay leader of the MCJC and has also been a member and friend to Tree of life.  Middle left lower, a packed house in the sanctuary.  Bottom, reception refreshments and snacks courtesy the TOL Fellowship ministry.

Last Sunday, August 18, two congregations with long connections inaugurated sharing a building and worship space.  The McHenry County Jewish Congregation (MCHC), which just sold its building near Ridgefield, officially moved in to the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation (TOLUUC) edifice at 5603 Bull Valley Road in McHenry. 

MCJC said goodbye to their building earlier in the day as they removed their mezuzot and deconsecrated it while sharing memories.  At 4 pm members came Tree of Life and placed a mezuzah on a front door post as they consecrated our building and moved their Torah scrolls and Ark into their new home.

MCJC former home in Ridgefield

After the ritual members of TOLUUC’s Fellowship ministry provided a welcome reception to celebrate our new entwined relationships.

The event culminated months of discussions and planning by both Boards, Rabbi Maralee Gordon, and finance and building and grounds committees.  There are a lot of details to be ironed out to share space and time.  MCHC will hold worship services on rotating Friday evenings and Saturday mornings and will hold special Holy Day services as well.  Classes and meeting will be held during the week using basement space.  TOL will continue to hold worship services at 10:45 Sunday mornings and use upstairs spaces for religious education classes, meetings, community events, and special programs.

In September both congregations will have a joint worship celebrating their new connection and relationship.

Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation building in McHenry.

But the connection began decades ago when the Jewish Congregation was just beginning.  The Congregational Unitarian Church in Woodstock—an earlier incarnation of Tree of Life—welcomed them and provided space for their services and holy day observances.  MCHC remained there until they could purchase their building in Ridgefield.  The Church continued to invite temple members to lead at least one service annually.  In turn CUC members were invited to special Passover Seders.  Some individuals and families were active members of both congregations.  The two congregations shared many social concerns and members often worked side by side on issues like gun violence, marriage equality, women’s rights, reproductive freedom, immigration justice, and in the defense of democracy.  Both congregations helped lead and hold solidarity and support vigils and events when terrorists targeted Jewish congregations and businesses, Islamic mosques and schools, a Sikh temple, or LGBYQ welcoming churches.  They were always allies against hate. 

Rabbi Marilee Gordon.

Rabbi Marilee Gordon has been a regular guest speaker and worship leader at TOLUUC Sunday services for about four years.  She retired from MCHC in 2016  Rabbi to spend time with her far-flung family but returned to the congregation to help lead it through a difficult and emotional transition.  And on a personal note Rabbi Gordon and I share a fifty-year-old connection of our own—we were both members of the Chicago Seed staff collective, the hippie underground newspaper in the turbulent years of the Vietnam War, Black rebellion, and the emergence of modern militant feminism and the ecology movement.

Tree of Life's Jewish window.

When she led her Congregation into the McHenry building escorting the Scroll of the Torah members were greeted by Tree of Life’s social room gazebo featuring original stained glass windows from the Woodstock church representing the spiritual traditions from which Unitarian Universalists draw wisdom and inspiration and in turn honor.  One window has a Jewish Mogan David.

This coming Sunday at 10:45 Rabbi Gordon will return to the Tree of Life pulpit to address the elephant in the room for American Jews and their friends and allies—the ongoing carnage of the Israeli assault on Gaza.  Her message, in Can We Talk About Israel and Palestine? asks “We are so used to taking sides on any issue or situation. This blinds us to complexities and compassion.” Rabbi Gordon will share a different way to frame this. 

Coffee and conversation will be shared following the service.