Nurturing the Human Spirit for a World Made Whole |
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Virtual Worship Service
this Sunday, April 18 at 11:15 am
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The Beauty and Promise of our Earth and its Inhabitants
Music, poetry, and dance have the power to inspire, and to effect change. These art forms can teach us to look within, to listen, to take risks, and to help heal a wounded world. The UCE Choir and Soloists, Gregory Shifrin and Guest Instrumentalists, Dancers, Worship Arts Team, Music Director Vickie Hellyer and Rev. Eileen bring you songs and poems to celebrate the beauty and promise of our Earth and its inhabitants. View the service flyer here.
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From Sandra Robinson, Executive Operations Director |
Members and Friends opportunities are being planned for outdoor activities at UCE this summer and here is the first one of the season. You will have the chance, in a safe environment, to see fellow congregants you may not have seen in months.
I invite you to join in on the fun for our first-ever UCE Parking Lot Pop-up Sale. May 22, 2021 (rain date May 29) 10-2. This is an important fundraising event for UCE and is guaranteed to be fun for people of all ages...
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Hats Off to Lucinda Lodder Lindstrom and Chloe Toporek! |
Many thanks to Lucinda Lodder Lindstrom and Chloe Toporek for their dedicated leadership in the visioning and creating of this year’s virtual Earth Day celebration. They have brought together novel content, including the logo designed by Chloe and a film from Lucinda’s environmental writing teacher, and recruited youth participants from UCE, Evanston, and Canada.
Chloe and Lucinda have experience being youth leaders at UCE. They were instrumental in planning the Jr. High’s May 2019 Boston Bound trip, including creating a range of fundraising options from baking to yard work. In May 2020, Lucinda and other youth from UCE put together the first virtual Earth Day celebration for the Evanston community, and this year’s event will be just as excellent!
Join Lucinda, Chloe, and the Evanston community for a virtual Earth Day celebration on April 22, 2021, at 7 pm! Lucinda and Chloe, thank you for your commitment to creating a sustainable climate and caretaking the flora and fauna of our world.
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Healthy Planet, Healthy People - Earth Day 2021 |
Join us through livestream on YouTube on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22, from 7-9 pm, in this city-wide, youth led event, including poetry, music, speakers (including the present and incoming mayors of Evanston) and more!
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Get Your Peter Mayer Concert Tickets Today! |
Peter Mayer, celebrated singer and songwriter, will perform on Saturday, April 24 at 7 pm. Peter's work is known throughout Unitarian Universalist Congregations and one of his best known and beloved songs Blue Boat Home is included in the UU Hymnal.
Our congregation was honored to see Peter perform in our sanctuary last year and are very excited to welcome him back, this time on Zoom. The concert is hosted by the UCE Green Team with proceeds benefitting The Talking Farm. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased through Eventbrite.
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UCE Building Availability - The UCE building and grounds are available on a limited basis to small gatherings. Please read UCE's Reopening Guidelines before contacting staff about availability.
Chalice Lighters Needed - Looking for chalice lighters for Sunday service! If you would like to light the UCE chalice OR record you and your family lighting a chalice at home to be used in the Sunday service, please send an email to Rev. Eileen.
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Annual Meeting Preview Town Halls next Wednesday and April 25 at 1 pm via Zoom. More info below.
Evanston Earth Day Celebration - April 22 at 7 pm via Youtube Livestream. More info below.
"UU Justice Revival: Taking a Collective Breath" on Sunday, April 25th at 10 am in place of the 11:15 am service
Limited Plant Swap on Saturday, May 15 at 2-3:30 pm. More detail coming soon.
UCE's First Pop-Up Parking Lot Sale is Saturday, May 22. Sign up for a table and learn more below!
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This Week's Events & Links |
Friday, April 16
Saturday, April 17
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Immigrant Solidarity Team at 4 pm via Zoom.
Sunday, April 18
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Chris Isely Cancer Support Group at 9:30 am via Zoom - Email Renee Hoff for details.
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Forum Discussion Group at 10 am via Zoom. Click here to join.
Monday, April 19
Tuesday, April 20
Wednesday, April 21
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Virtual Yoga at 9:30 am via 8x8. Click here to join.
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Green Team Walk at Harms Woods at 1 pm. More info below.
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All Church Zoom gathering at 5:30 pm - Look for the link in Wednesday emails.
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Annual Meeting Preview Town Hall at 6:30 pm via Zoom. Click here to join.
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Learn Spanish Group at 6:30 pm via 8x8. Click here to join.
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Reconstruction History Discussion Series with UCE's REAL Team at 7 pm via Zoom. Click here to join.
Thursday, April 22
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UCE Named Family Focus
"Make a Difference" Organization Honoree
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We are so honored and excited to be named "MAKE A DIFFERENCE" Organization Honoree. Join Family Focus virtually on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 7 pm, for their 45th Annual Family Focus Evanston Benefit!
Hosted by Tim Rhoze, this evening will include, Family Focus afterschool students, portraying Evanston Black Heroes; The trailer preview of our new book, Family Focus Faces 2020 With Poetry; and the annual "Make A Difference" Award presentations.
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Endowment Fund: Deadline for Grant Applications |
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The final deadline for submitting Endowment Fund grant applications during the current church year will be May 31. There is about $10,000-$15,000 available for disbursement from the 2020-21 distribution amount.
Endowment Funds are a significant resource for our community because they can used to support special initiatives that further the mission and work of UCE. For additional information, read What Can Endowment Funds be Used for? at UCE Endowment Fund: Frequently Asked Questions.
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Congregational Connections |
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BLUU Havens Chicago April Gathering |
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We welcome you to join us for our April Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism BLUU Havens Chicago Gathering on THIS Saturday, April 17 at 1-2:30 pm via Zoom.
This Month’s Theme: “Inspiration Through Art.” Bring some form of art to share. A poem, photo, song, sculpture, monologue etc. Anything that inspires you.
We will also welcome your ideas for themes for future gatherings and you won’t want to miss our Closing Dance Party! This will be a Black Only Sacred Space. To request a zoom link please email: BLUUHavenChicago@gmail.com
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Come and Learn about the 8th Principle! |
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The final congregation wide meeting about the 8th Principle will be a Board chat. Please attend the Board Special Edition: Consider the 8th Principle on Friday, April 23, 2021 from 6:00 - 7:00 pm. The Board will create space to hear the pros and cons from church members before the congregational meeting regarding the idea of adopting the 8th Principle.
If you have not yet been part of a group conversation about the 8th Principle and would like to talk with someone from Team 8th one-on-one to understand more about the 8th Principle, please contact Rev. Susan Frances at sfrances@ucevanston.org.
Q&A from the Town Hall meetings: Does the 8th Principle solely address black/white race issues?
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Annual Meeting Preview - Town Halls April 21 & 25 |
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What will happen at our annual meeting this year? Many wonder what may be on the agenda, so let’s talk about that now. There will be a financial report and a vote on a budget for the new fiscal year starting July, 2021. There will be a slate of candidates for new Board of Trustee members, the name of the proposed new Endowment Trustee, and a slate for new Nominating and Recruiting Committee members. Those are the standard agenda items. There will also be proposed changes to our bylaws.
In addition this year there will be a vote on adopting the 8th principle. The Board will host a Board Special Edition: Consider the 8th Principle on Friday, April 23, 2021 at 6 pm. The Board will create space to hear the pros and cons from church members before the congregational meeting regarding the idea of adopting the 8th Principle.
To find out more about the entire congregation meeting, please read more and plan to attend a congregational conversation at our Town Halls on April 21 at 6:30 pm and April 25 at 11:45 am.
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Donut miss this Rainbow Alliance Art & Spirituality Afternoon!
Join Art and Spirituality's virtual art hangout, co-led by Rainbow Alliance, on April 24 at 2:30-4 pm. We will be making some donut crafts! Make sure to sign up for this a-glaze-ing art afternoon to receive the Zoom link. Perfect for the hole family.
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"UU Justice Revival: Taking a Collective Breath"
Sunday, April 25th @ 10 am - Instead of UCE Service at 11:15
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Twenty five Unitarian Universalist congregations in IL, the UU Advocacy network and UU Prison ministries are gathering to take a collective breath. As spring waits on the horizon, can we breathe? We can breathe as vaccines become available. We can breathe as we once again gather together. We can breathe into a new administration, breaths of accountability, breaths of attention. We have work to do to create a just world where everyone can find their breath. It is time to breathe. Let us take a collective breath together. |
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Do you want to learn more about Realm? Join the Basic REALM training on May 2, 2021 at 1:15 pm. All skills levels are welcome to join. We will review the basics of Realm from setting up your account, editing your profile, accessing your giving history and more! If you haven't set up your Realm account, you are encouraged to attend and we'll help you get set up.
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Virtual Singers Volunteer by May 3 for June Pride Service |
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Rainbow Alliance is looking for volunteers to record themselves singing "We Are a Gentle, Angry People" for our June 13 Sunday morning Pride service. Please contact Lizzy Powers (eapowers1019@gmail.com) or Jordan Strueber (jordan.strueber@gmail.com) by May 3, 2021, if you would like to be involved.
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Chicago Area UU Council (CAUUC) Spring Conference - May 8 |
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The Chicago Area UU Council (CAUUC) Spring Conference will be held on Saturday, May 8th 9:30am-11:30am and be conducted via Zoom video conference. There is NO FEE required to participate. The CAUUC annual meeting will be held after the conference. This year's topic is "Re-Opening and Reimagining Church." Our own Rev. Eileen Wiviott and Adam Gough will be panelists!
We are 1 year into the pandemic and many congregations are in the planning stages of re-opening the doors to in-person gatherings after the pandemic. Our panel discussion will be related to how the lessons learned from the pandemic.
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Mark your calendars for Saturday, May
15 at 2-3:30 pm for a LIMITED Plant Swap in the UCE parking lot.
This will be an outdoor event no rain date. We ask that everyone bring Plants Only, no pots, books, hoses, tools or garden equipment. We will follow social distancing guidelines. Everyone should stay 6 feet apart, wear a mask, and wait in line outside the parking lot if more spacing is necessary. There will be no food or refreshments. Pre trades/swaps are encouraged. More details to follow as we get closer to the event. Thanks to everyone for making this such a wonderful event.
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UCE's First Ever Pop-Up Parking Lot Sale is Coming Soon!
Join in on the fun May 22, 2021 (rain date May 29) from 10-2 for our first-ever UCE Parking Lot Pop-up Sale. This is an event for the entire family which will be fun and will help UCE make its 2021/22 budget for Rummage Sale. All proceeds from the sale will benefit UCE in lieu of our regular Annual Rummage Sale.
Here's what we need from you. Sign your family and friends up to host a table or volunteer. You can sign up as an individual, a family, two friends, three friends, or your covenant group or any church group you belong to...
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Are you contemplating attending the virtual General Assembly (GA) this year? If you are willing (eager?) to be a delegate, let the board know that by using the link below. Delegates must attend all of the plenary sessions, so it is a commitment. The board will choose 8 delegates from the pool of available members.
There are scholarships available from UCE Endowment and from the UUA to cover the registration fee. The dates are June 23 - 27, 2021. More than 20 members attended last year and this year there is a youth track. So families can attend together.
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VirtUUal Faith Formation and Ways to Connect |
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8th and 12th Grade Bridging – We will meet on the lawn at UCE at 4 pm on April 25 to record your bridging ceremony – our UU recognition of your next stage of life. All young adults and high school youth are welcome to participate! If you haven’t received an email about this yet, please email Kathy Underwood.
RE Sunday – May 2 – Featuring YOU! We’re taking submissions from families, kids, and youth to contribute to this special worship service. Here are some ways to do so:
- Send pictures of your family or kids doing an activity from the Soul Kits or Soulful Home packet.
- Make a short (1-2 minutes) video of your family about any of the following:
- How you have felt and stayed connected to UCE this past year
- How you have lived out your UU values as a family or individually
- Playing a musical interlude or singing your favorite UU song
- Showing artwork or reading a poem that relates to our UU Principles and values – including the proposed 8th Principle
- Your family lighting a chalice at home
Taking Flight Sex Ed Program for 7th-9th Youth – Sunday at 1 pm. Youth must be registered to attend. See the email with Zoom info.
Pre/K Kids and Families - POP (Parents of Preschoolers) – April’s materials are available here. The password is YouGotThis2020 (case sensitive.) This UU-based program is to be used all month long. Do whatever fits your family’s schedule.
High School Youth – No gathering this week, so look for an email next week.
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UCE Forum Discussion - THIS Sunday, April 18 at 10 am |
Please join Shirley Adams and Michael Drennan for an Earth Day discussion that calls us to act:
"Personal Steps Toward a Better Environment" How you can contribute as an individual, a family, a congregation, a community.
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Current and Upcoming Adult Religious Education |
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Sealed by Katie Langston: Reading Group and Q&A with Author – Tuesdays, April 27 at 8 pm and June 1 at 7 pm - Katie Langston’s memoir, Sealed, tells the story of her conversion to mainline Christianity out of Mormonism. A conversation with Ruth Orme-Johnson for those interested in joining this “reading group” will be held on April 27th at 8pm. Attendance is not required to also attend the Q&A.
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Deepening UU Identity - April 28 at 7-8:30 pm via Zoom – Second of four sessions. The Six Sources: understanding UU pluralism – how the broad sources from which we draw inspiration and wisdom make our living tradition unique. Led by Rev. Susan Frances.
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Intersectionality in Speculative Fiction: N. K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season - Tuesdays, May 4, 11, 18 at 7-8:30 pm - Facilitated by UCE member Emily Eckwahl-Sanna. Imagine a world where apocalypses are commonplace. Where frequent seismic activity—whether volcanoes, earthquakes, or other environmental disasters—result in extended winters and the widespread loss of human life.
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UCE Book Groups - Everyone is welcome to join! |
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The Fiction Book Group will meet TODAY, Friday, April 16 at 7:30 pm. Our selection for April is Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet: A Novel of the Plague. Fitting, we know! Winner of the National Book Critics Circle and the Women’s Prize for fiction
A tender and unforgettable re-imagining of a boy whose life has been all but forgotten, and whose name was given to one of the most celebrated plays of all time.
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The nonfiction group will meet via Zoom at 2 pm on April 25th to discuss Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago's South Side by Eve L. Ewing.
The author writes of the impact on communities of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's closing of forty-nine "failing" schools in 2013 and of the resistance of black community members in Bronzeville to what they considered a racist policy that would take away an integral part of their neighborhoods. This book is available from public libraries in paperback, hardcover, and digital audio formats. Link available soon.
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Reconstruction History Discussion Series
with UCE's REAL Team - Wednesdays at 7 pm
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Please join the REAL History team in watching and discussing the 4-part PBS Series “Reconstruction: America After the Civil War” and then discussing each episode. WTTW (or other PBS station) members can stream each episode, or you can watch them on DVD, then join us for a discussion on Zoom at 8 pm. Or you can join at 7 pm to watch the episode on Zoom and stay on for the discussion. DVDs are available at local public libraries, or you can arrange to borrow one of the 2 UCE copies by contacting Dana Deane. You do not need to attend all four sessions to participate. |
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Celebrate with the Green Team this month! |
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Walk at Harms Woods, Wednesday, April 21, 1 pm; Gather at the Blue Star Memorial Woods on E. Lake Ave.
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UCE Earth Day Celebration on Thursday, April 22, 7 pm;
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Peter Mayer Concert benefiting The Talking Farm on Saturday, April 24;
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Free viewing of "Kiss the Ground", a film on regenerative farming, April 10 - April 26;
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Beach Clean ups in Evanston and Chicago, April 17 - April 24;
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City of Evanston Earth Month, all of April;
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Harms Woods Restoration on Saturday May 15 at 9 am;
- 2021 Plant Swap, Saturday, May 15, 2 - 3:30 pm in UCE Parking Lot.
Join the Green Team monthly session on the first Saturday April 3 at 1pm. Click here to join the Green Team Meeting. We could use your help in planning some local hikes, bike rides and hopefully a camping trip! We address environmental issues as well but celebrating the Earth sustaining us through the challenges.
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Next Rainbow Alliance Meeting
Rainbow Alliance Meets on Wed, May 5 - All are Invited! Rainbow Alliance's next planning meeting will be held on May 5 at 7:00 pm. If you are interested in joining, please email Lizzy at eapowers1019@gmail.com or Jordan at jordan.strueber@gmail.com for the Zoom link.
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Unitarian Church of Evanston
1330 Ridge Ave. Evanston, IL 60201
847-864-1330
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