Nurturing the Human Spirit for a World Made Whole |
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Virtual Worship Service
this Sunday, April 25 at 10 am
(instead of the usual 11:15 am service)
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UU Justice Revival: Taking a Collective Breath
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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For Justice to be Made Real |
I tuned in to WBEZ at 3:30 Wednesday to hear the verdict come through. I heard the first guilty verdict come in and I shouted, “YES!” in a deep, guttural tone of triumph. The next one came in and I clenched my hands in prayer, closed my eyes and bowed my head, saying “hallelujah”. The third came in and I burst into tears, not so much with joy as relief. I had been carrying the fear for weeks as I listened and read about the gut-wrenching testimony, of what would happen if there wasn’t a clear and resounding conviction... |
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Hats Off to Jane Kenamore! |
Thanks to Jane Kenamore for extending her term as an Endowment Trustee and making an important contribution to the continuity and competence of the Endowment Fund Committee!
Jane served as Chair of the Endowment Trustees in 2019-2020, which was the final year in her term as a Trustee. She had been working with the Trustee who was to be the Chair in the current 2020-21 church year, when that person had to unexpectedly resign. Jane agreed to stay on as a Trustee and Co-Chair with Margaret Schatz, who Jane has mentored to be the 2021-22 Chair....
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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 Named Family Focus Evanston "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! Learn more or purchase tickets.
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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Sign up by May 3 to be a virtual singer for the June Pride Service. More info below.
Chicago Area UU Council (CAUUC) Spring Conference is May 8. More info below.
Green Team's annual Harms Woods Outing is Saturday, May 15 at 9 am - Noon. More info below.
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!
Deadline for Endowment Fund Grants is May 31. More info below.
UUA Virtual General Assembly is June 23-27. Register today! More info below.
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This Week's Events & Links |
Friday, April 23
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Special Reflections with the Board: Consider the 8th Principle at 6 pm via Zoom. Click here to join.
Saturday, April 24
Sunday, April 25
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Chris Isely Cancer Support Group at 9:30 am via Zoom - Email Renee Hoff for details.
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Annual Meeting Preview Town Hall at 11:45 am via Zoom. Click here to join.
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Virtual Nonfiction Book Group at 2 pm via Zoom. Click here to join.
- 8th & 12th Grade Bridging Ceremony at 4 pm on UCE Lawn.
Monday, April 26
Tuesday, April 27
Wednesday, April 28
Thursday, April 29
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Virtual Meditation at 5:30 pm via Zoom. Email Andrea DeMers for the link.
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Note from the Endowment Task Force |
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The newly formed Endowment Task Force has met for the first time this week. Our members include Jane Kenamore, Margaret Shatz, Susan Comstock, Rob Wingader, Tom Ticknor, Alice Swan, Eileen and Joe Romeo. We had an excellent first meeting and are excited to begin our work. We want to be sure we are considering every topic related to Endowment which might be of concern to UCE. If there are any issues about which you have concerns or thoughts regarding how Endowment might better help UCE meet our mission, please send them to Joe Romeo at Romeo.joe@gmail.com, preferably by Wednesday, April 28.
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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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Come and Learn about the 8th Principle! |
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TONIGHT is the final congregation wide meeting about the 8th Principle and it is hosted by the Board. Please attend the Board Special Edition: Consider the 8th Principle, on Friday, April 23, 2021, from 6-7 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.
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Donut miss this Rainbow Alliance Art & Spirituality Afternoon! |
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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 let us know you'll be there. Perfect for the hole family.
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Annual Meeting Preview - Town Hall April 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 TODAY 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 last Town Hall on April 25 at 11:45 am (at the same link as Coffee Hour).
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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. 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. Let us continue the community spirit we have enjoyed so many times.
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UCE's First Ever Pop-Up Parking Lot Sale is Coming Soon!
Join us on Saturday, May 22 for a fun day. Our UCE Parking Lot Pop Up Sale is happening. Bring your wares to the parking lot at 8 am. We will set up and begin the sale at 10 am.
So far, we have individuals as well as Monday Night Women's Group, The Board of Trustees, Staff, Chris Isely Cancer Group, and the Choir. Don't miss this chance to be with fellow congregants of all ages. Nick the balloon guy will entertain the children. We will have covid safe food and drink available.
If you have large items to sell, please try to sell on Member-to-Member or Marketplace for those of you familiar with that local venue. Lynn Kendall was successful in selling a grill to a fellow member, and proceeds benefit our rummage sale budget line item. Help us meet our budget for this year. Every sale counts. The deadline for table sign up is May 14. Once we get your sign up we will send you an instructions packet.
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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 Sunday at 4 pm to record the bridging ceremony.
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 – Bridging at UCE on Sunday at 4 pm.
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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 Nonfiction Book Group - Everyone is welcome to join! |
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The nonfiction group will meet via Zoom at 2 pm, THIS SUNDAY, 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.
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UCE Forum Discussion - Sunday, May 2 at 10 am |
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Please join Linda LaPlante and the Denominational Affairs Committee in a discussion about "What’s Happening at General Assembly this Year: Attending GA by Zoom." |
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Volunteers needed for local LGBTQIA+ Survey |
Rada Yovovich (she/hers) is the co-founder of The Darkest Horse, an Evanston-based consulting firm focused on inclusion and equity work, and sits on the Board of Evanston Pride. Rada's consulting firm is seeking to collaborate with UCE LGBTQIA+ members in order to engage and amplify existing LGBTQIA+ communities and efforts in Evanston. If you are a member of any UU LGBTQIA+ communities and are willing, here is their survey in English and Spanish versions.
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Reconstruction History Discussion Series
with UCE's REAL Team - Wednesday, April 28 at 7 pm
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Please join the REAL History team in watching and discussing the last part of PBS Series “Reconstruction: America After the Civil War.” 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! |
Did you miss the April 22nd Earth Day Celebration? It was inspiring and informative. Check it out here.
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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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