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Sunday, March 19
Worship Service - 9:15 and 11:00am
"Jefferson's Greatest Story Ever Told"
Throughout his adult life, Thomas Jefferson, a self-professed "Unitarian of one," was obsessed with creating a single, cohesive narrative of Jesus' teaching, which he eventually titled The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth. With razor in hand, he literally spent decades cutting apart the gospels to reveal what he felt were the essentials of Jesus' ministry. It's the "Greatest Story Ever Told" as only Jefferson could. Rev. Bret Lortie speaking.
Religious Education
This Sunday our preschool, kindergarten-first-second grade, and third-fourth-fifth grade classes will meet from 9:15-10:30 and 11:00-12:15. All begin in the sanctuary for the first part of the worship service before going to classes.
Starting time for the sixth-seventh-eighth grade class to watch this week's movie is 9:45am. Senior high meets at 11:00am.
Childcare for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers is available from 9:00-12:30.
Pledge Day Celebration - 12:00pm
Join us for free lunch, music, art and kids' activities to celebrate the end of our annual pledge drive.
Door prizes (get your name in the Grand Prize drawing for a Kindle Paperwhite e-reader by getting your pledge in by the 19th!) See below for more information.
Crackerbarrel - 9:30am
"Free Speech"
Fighting words and yelling "fire" in a movie theatre have never been tolerated as free speech. However, much speech protected by the first amendment would be classified as hate speech in Europe and Canada. Many U.S. college campuses now have safe spaces and speech codes, bringing students to tribunals for micro-aggressing. Although there has been pushback from the left and the ACLU, free speech is increasingly identified with the right. We will also touch on the Citizens' United decision. To what extent should citizens be protected from offense, and who should decide what is offensive? Discussion facilitators: Gordon Mallett & Scot Campbell. Click here for upcoming topics.
Join us to stand in support of Black Lives Matter
12:10pm-12:30pm
You are invited to stand on Ridge Avenue between 12:10pm and 12:30pm to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
Signs and buttons are available for purchase at the back of the sanctuary. Signs and song lyrics will be provided for use.
Sponsored by the REAL team.
The Chris Isely Cancer Support Group -
9:15am
The group is open to anyone facing cancer, either personally or through a family member or friend. This lay-led group is a safe place for sharing and hope. Interested participants are encouraged to drop in any time. Questions? Contact Renee Hoff or Brian Meister.
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Celebration Sunday Extra Special Super Party
Sunday, March 19, 12:00pm 
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Will you attend the Celebration Sunday Super Duper Party to celebrate the end of our Pledge Drive after the 11:00 worship service on Sunday? We certainly hope so.
Join your fellow UCEer's in an early afternoon for food, fun, and fellowship. Cake will be served after both the 9:15 and 11:00am services. The festivities will begin immediately after the 11:00 worship service.
On Sunday, we invite you to wear your dancing shoes, don your painting smocks, watch the kids as their smiles brighten-especially when they create Slime, and prepare to party as only we can.
The afternoon will begin with a
free lasagna lunch, and then watch the sanctuary transform into a Party Palace. Paint like Pollock (a la
Van Dyke); learn the Madison (from master dance captain
Phillips), join the kids area and make the latest craze-Slime and create other wonderful works (under the watchful eye of
Tackett and Kurth and helpers).
Master of Jestering and renowned provocateur,
Vito Vitkauskas will incite you to submit your pledge form no later than 2:00 so that you will qualify for the Grand Prize, a Kindle Paperwhite reader. Oh, and don't forget, periodic drawings will be held beginning at 1:30 for other exciting door prizes.
Attend the celebration. You won't be disappointed!
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On Easter Sunday, April 16, children in Preschool through Fifth Grade are invited to participate in a "canned goods hunt" at 10:30 am (between the 9:15 and 11:00 religious education sessions). Children will hunt for the hidden cans and then trade in the cans they find for a small bag of toys and treats. Our senior high youth will organize the event and assist children in the cooperative "hunt."
Please bring in your donations of canned goods by Sunday, April 9 and place them in the labeled bin in the lobby. After the "hunt," the canned goods will be donated to Hillside Food Pantry.
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UCE/Countryside Church UU Camping Trip August 11-13, 2017
Kettle Moraine State Forest, South Unit, Dousman, WI
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Please make your reservations soon for another fun church camping trip. This is a very informal trip, with time together or apart, as you wish. We have a potluck on Saturday night, and lots of opportunities to hike, swim, boat, visit small towns nearby, and have campfires. It is a great opportunity to get to know other UCE and Countryside members better.
Please complete the form and turn in by March 31.
Payment of $55.65 is required. The $55.65 covers 2 nights of camping ($23/night) as well as the $9.65 reservation fee. Upon arrival, there is a $22 vehicle sticker fee as well.
Reservations can be limited and are offered on a first come-first served. All checks must be made payable to: Unitarian Church of Evanston. Please write "Camping Trip" in the memo. Drop off the form with payment in the "camping folder" in the church office.
Contact John Bolling or Dale Griffin for information.
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Women Making Change
Saturday, March 25, 6pm at UCE
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ALERT - if you are planning to come to the Women Making Change dinner/discussion on March 25, please register at ucevanston.com. Many who have said they are coming do not yet appear on the registration list. Thanks!
The REAL team invites you to an event on March 25, 6:00-8:30 at UCE that will provide food for thought and spirit, as well as sustenance. We are lifting up the stories of black women in Evanston, famous and ordinary, that can help us understand what we can do now to help make a better history for tomorrow. Dinner will include conversation with black and white neighbors and is part of the program. Click here for more information and to register.
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Billionaire cabinet? Tax cuts for the rich? Join members of the Peace and Justice team on the next two Wednesdays to discuss and strategize around the problems of money in politics. This topic is the subject of the newest UUA study/action issue, titled "The Corruption of Democracy." We can make a difference and solve this problem if we work together to change the political climate.
For our first meeting on Wed, March 22, Prof. Benjamin Page from Northwestern's Political Science dept will speak and answer questions on "How to Curb Money's Impact on American Politics". Prof. Page is a well-known expert on this topic. He's even appeared on Jon Stewart's "Daily Show" to describe the policy-making impact of America's economic elite.
Click here for more information.
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Do you have a task around your home that you need help with?
Hire a team of UCE Journeys students to get a lot done in a little time! As a fundraiser for their Boston trip they will be available for hire to help with household tasks such as yard work, garage cleanup, or getting "rummage" together for the upcoming sale. Hourly rate for a team of three youth and an adult supervisor is $50.00 (minimum two hours), with Saturday mornings or afternoons and Sunday afternoons available in April. Please contact
Valerie Curtis
with a description of what you need done and an estimate of how long it will take. We can then get a crew together and schedule a time.
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Update on Atheism
Tuesdays, April 4, 11, 18 & 25, 7:00pm
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We'll consider each of the four "angry atheists" from 10 years ago (Dawkins, Dennett, Hitchens, and Harris) when they first became well-known. Where are they and their arguments now? We will review their initial statements, the criticisms, the rebuttals, and some more recent writings. Did the angry atheists spark a new consideration of atheism, agnosticism, and naturalism? We'll look at famous atheists in history and their contributions to the current debate, as well as some recent studies on the sociology of belief. Suggested reading: Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion (2006); Sam Harris The End of Faith (2004); Greg Epstein Good Without God (2009). Facilitated by Dick Whitaker. Click here to register.
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2017 Soup Kitchens
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UCE hosts soup kitchens when our neighbor Beth Emet is celebrating the Jewish holidays. We have added two dates this year to assist Second Baptist Church. March your calendars for the following dates: Wednesdays - April 12, September 20, 27, October 4 and October 11 at UCE and Mondays - August 14 and August 21 at Second Baptist Church. Click here to sign up. For questions, contact
Winnie Stevenson or
Marilyn Wroblewski.
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Covenant Group Sunday
Sunday, April 2
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If you are wondering about covenant groups and want to learn more, stop by the information tables on Sunday April 2 to talk with covenant group facilitators and members about their experiences. A covenant group could be a part of your monthly spiritual practice. Contact Eileen Wiviott
for more information.
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If you are in a care giving role, whether it be caring for an ill family member, a disabled child, an aging parent or any of a number of other care giving arrangements, we invite you to join the Caregiver Support Group. We will next meet on Tuesday, March 21, 7:00pm at UCE. Then, going forward, we plan to meet the 2nd/4th Tuesdays of the month (4/11, 4/25, 5/9, 5/23, etc.) If you have questions,
please contact Renee Hoff
or Joyce Lofstrom.
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Doing the Most Good Group
Monday, March 20, 7pm
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The book, Reinventing Philanthropy: A Framework for More Effective Giving, challenges common views about charitable giving and offers practical strategies for donors to maximize the impact of their gifts. The book raises many important questions and Friedman writes that it is intended to provide donors with a framework to make the biggest impact with their donations.
Also join us on April 5 at 7pm for a public lecture at UCE from the author.
Click here for more information.
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Reinventing Philanthropy: A Framework for More Effective Giving
Wednesday, April 5, 7:00pm at UCE
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Most of us want to make a difference, and we donate our time and money to causes we deem worthy. Americans give over $350 billion to charity every year. Unfortunately, our best intentions often lead to ineffective outcomes. How can we maximize the positive impact of our resources? Eric Friedman, author of the book Reinventing Philanthropy: A Framework for More Effective Giving, challenges common views about charitable giving and offers practical strategies, including the best ways to identify high performance nonprofits and the most important criteria for selecting causes to support. Contact Jordan Skowronski for more information.
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We are caught between Postmodernism and the legacy of the Enlightenment. This conflict affects how we think of science, other cultures and even liberal religion. The class shows how we got here and suggests that we need more reason, not less. Recommended: The Enlightenment: A Very Short Introduction and Postmodernism: A Very Short Introduction. Facilitated by Rev. Jerome Stone, UCE's Affiliated Community Minister. A former United Church of Christ pastor and philosophy teacher, Jerry is the author of A Minimalist Vision of Transcendence and Religious Naturalism Today.
Click here for information about upcoming Adult Religious Education programs sponsored by the Learning Associates.
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Upcoming UCE Events
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Sunday, March 19, 12;30pm
Pledge Day
Monday, March 20, 7pm
Doing the Most Good Group
Wednesdays, March 22 & 29, 7pm
The Impact of Money on Our Political System
Saturday, March 25, 6:00pm
Women Making Change
Sunday, March 26, 12:30pm
One Book, One Church
Tuesday, March 28, 5:00pm
Recently Retired (But not retiring!) Women
Sunday, April 2
Covenant Group Sunday
Tuesdays, April 4, 11, 18 and 25, 7:00pm
Update on Atheism
Wednesday, April 5, 7:00pm
Reinventing Philanthropy: A Framework for More Effective Giving
Sunday, April 9, 12:30pm
Town Hall Meeting
Thursday Nights, 5:30pm
Meditation Group
Thursday Nights, 7pm
UCE Addictions and Recovery Group
Sunday Mornings, 8:15am & Wednesday Mornings, 9:30am
Yoga
Saturdays at 10:00am
Open Drumming Circles
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Save the Date!
Town Hall Meeting
Sunday, April 9, 12:30pm
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One Book, One Church
Sunday, March 26, 12:30pm
Citizen: An American Lyric
by Claudia Rankin "throws a Molotov cocktail at the notion that a reduction of injustice is the same as freedom." (NY Times) This book length poem about race and the imagination is the chosen book for our coming discussions. Called one of the best books of the year, you will not want to miss the discussion on March 26 - 12:30pm. You can find the book at Book H.
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Fiction Book Group
Friday, March 17, 7:30pm
We will be discussing
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri. All are welcome.
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UU Identity Discussions
Continued learning opportunities offered monthly by the New Member Committee; open to all who want to better understand what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist, no matter where you are on the membership journey:
Principles and Sources Class
1st Sundays 10:15 - 11am
Whether you are new to Unitarian Universalism or you would like to better understand the seven principles and six sources of our faith, join us for this rich 45-minute discussion led by members of the New Member Committee. We
'
ll use thought provoking metaphors to dive deeper into the foundations of being a UU.
Next Principles & Sources Class: April 2 between services.
Spiritual Journeys -
a 3-part conversation
2nd, 3rd, 4th Sundays
at 10:15-11am
We'll explore our religious and spiritual backgrounds, where we come from, what we want to cherish and what we want to release as we continue our journeys. This is a conversation open to all no matter where you are on the path - exploring membership, new members and long-term members alike. You can participate in any one or all three in any order.
Next Spiritual Journeys Sessions: 3/19, 3/26.
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Yoga at UCE
Join us every Sunday at 8:15am and every Wednesday at 9:30am.
Yoga at UCE is designed to reduce stress, bring relaxation, increase range of motion, and find balance - restorative yoga. If you never have done yoga before, this is your opportunity. Drop in, wear comfortable clothing for stretching, and try it. Yoga is learned by doing. Community yoga mats provided if needed.
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Opportunities
for Spiritual Practice
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Upcoming Membership Classes
For those who are thinking about becoming a member of the church.
Intro to Unitarian Universalism
Sunday, March 12,
12:30 - 2pm
Led by Rev. Bret Lortie, we'll look at our history, our principles, the sources of our faith, and the meaning of covenant. (This is the first step in the membership process.)
Orientation Toward Membership
Sat. March 25, 9am - 12pm
Led by Rev. Connie Grant, Membership Director Eileen Wiviott, and members of the New Member Committee. An interactive class exploring our spiritual journeys, the diversity of our beliefs, and what it means to be a member of this congregation. (This is the second step in the membership process.)
Sign up at the Guest & Member Table in the lobby or email
Eileen Wiviott. There will be childcare available upon request in advance for both of these classes.
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Quick Links
(protected documents)
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Ministers' Schedules
Rev. Bret Lortie
is available on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and by appointment. Monday is sabbath and Friday devoted to writing. To send a message or read Rev. Bret's blog, visit
www.liberalfaith.org
.
Rev. Connie Grant is generally in the office during the day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and often has evening meetings on those days. She takes Mondays off and works at home on Fridays. Please email or call Connie for an appointment.
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