Sunday Service

August 24, 2025 at 10:30 am 

Send in your photos of water

September 7th is our Ingathering service where we traditionally gather water from our summer adventures near and far. You are invited to bring a vial of water with you to that service and also to send in a photo of water by September 2nd to Rev. Eileen for inclusion on the screen. You can upload them directly to this Google folder or email ewiviott [at] ucevanston [dot] org.

THIS SUNDAY: Children and youth will go to their faith formation program after Joys and Sorrows

Childcare (0-3 years) is available in room 11 – 10:15a-1p – extended hour this week so parents can attend the AI Town Hall discussion in Room 3.

Summer Artsy Fun! Those 3 years and older are invited to join us in Room 3 for some art fun!

This week, we’ll have a little dance party and some free time for creating art.

Be sure to check out the new Soulful Home packet on our summer’s theme of Freedom. 

  You can see what’s coming up on our evolving calendar here.

This Sunday…

Backpack Blessing this Sunday to start the new school year!

All young people are invited to bring your backpack or any bag you use for a special blessing and

to get a tag to attach to it to remind you that Something Possible can happen any day of the week.

Community Singing Circle

The Music Team is sponsoring a community singing event at UCE, Sunday August 24th at 12:15pm.

We have arranged for an experienced song leader, Megan Eberhardt (Old Town School of Folk Music and more) to help us join in an informal singing experience. All songs will be taught orally, on-the-spot. Experienced and non-experienced singers are welcome! We will sing songs in unison, rounds, call and response and more. Come experience the simple joy of singing together. And walk away revitalized, connected and with old and new singable songs in your heart and pocket.

This a free event open to all. Children accompanied by parents are welcome.

Here are 2 links to get an idea of what it is like:

https://vimeo.com/1100698680?share=copy#t=0

https://vimeo.com/1106512402

photo credit: Tess Graham.

AI Town Hall: Listening for What Matters Most

Sunday, August 24,

after Worship in the Sanctuary 

and Wednesday, September 9, 7 pm on Zoom

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping our world in ways that are both exciting and unsettling—and we know it raises important questions for our congregation. Join Dr. Emma after worship on Aug 24 for a special Town Hall gathering where we’ll set aside time to reflect, connect, and share what’s on our hearts and minds.

There won’t be a formal presentation; this is a chance to listen deeply to one another, surface hopes and concerns, and help shape the direction of upcoming workshops on AI. Whether you’re curious, cautious, overwhelmed, or inspired, your perspective is welcome.

All are invited. Paper and digital options will be available to share thoughts anonymously or out loud.

RSVP on Realm:

8/24 in-person or 9/3 Zoom 

Registration Time is Here!

Please register your child(ren) and/or youth for the nursery or faith formation programs here.

Faith Formation programs begin September 14!

Volunteers are still needed to help create a fun and safe program. 

Come to the Meet & Greet (see below) to learn more or see Kathy Underwood.

Faith Formation Meet & Greet – Saturday, August 23, 10-11:30am

Everyone is invited to come learn about the coming year in our program for children and youth and to brainstorm some more possibilities! 

This is for those who will be a volunteer, 

or any parent, grandparent, or curious person.

RSVP here to help in planning for childcare and food.

Or join the Zoom - 

Meeting ID: 920 6408 4730

Passcode: 469450

Do you like to be creative?

If yes, then we want you! We’re charged with creating a display for the purple wall in the lobby to reflect the monthly Soul Matters theme. Young people and adults are invited to gather August 24 in the lobby at noon to share ideas on the theme of Building Belonging.

You can also email Kathy if you have an idea and can’t attend.

You are invited to our "Welcome to the 2025-2026 Choir Season" Party/Rehearsal

Thursday, August 28th 7-8:30pm in Room 3

(for those presently singing and those who are thinking about it)

We’ll be celebrating the start of this year’s choir year! Whoohoo! Whether you are presently singing with the choir or you are interested in the possibility of singing with the UCE choir, you are invited to attend! There’ll be info about this upcoming choir season, answers to any choir-related questions you may have, choir schedules, choir info sheets, a chance to get to know UCE Choristers and prospective choristers, some snacks to take home with you, a bit o’ singing, and a lot o’ FUN!

Any questions? Contact Vickie Hellyer – vhellyer@ucevanston.org. Also contact Vickie if you’d like to join off-site and need the Zoom info.

UPDATE FROM REV. EILEEN WIVIOTT



Claiming Life

This summer has been one with many joys for me. I’m grateful to have had time in nature, fun time with family and friends, and of course, adopting our puppy. Bert has brought us great joy. For those of you who attended last Sunday’s service and were outraged by my oversight of not showing a photo of him on the screen, here you go!

Our Hats are off to the Hope Covenant Group, including Jean Butzen, Marcy Hicks, Lynn Kendall, Laura Lothschutz, Jeanie McCullough, Brian Nielsen, Carol Nielsen, Fay Robinson and Anne Sullivan who donated 103 pairs of underwear to Connections for the Homeless Underwear Drive. Connections’ goal was 1000 pairs, and they were able to collect almost 3000 pairs. National Underwear Day helps focus awareness about the importance of donating underwear. It is the most requested item at Hilda’s Place. Maybe next year the whole church can donate! Covenant Groups are encouraged to undertake a service project each year and the Hope Covenant Group provided a meaningful example.

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Friday, August 22nd:

• Board Retreat, 6-9pm, Room 3

Saturday, August 23rd:

• Board Retreat, 9-3:30pm, Room 3
• Virtual Pilates, 9:30am, via Zoom
• Beginner Tai Chi, 9:45-10:45am, Sanctuary
• Faith Formation Orientation, 10:30-12pm, Room 6 and Zoom
• Intermediate Tai Chi, 11am-12pm, Sanctuary

Sunday, August 24th:

• Chris Isely Cancer Support Group, 9am-10:15am, in-person Rm 6 and via Zoom
• Worship Service, 10:30-11:30am, Sanctuary
• Summer Artsy Fun, 11:00-12pm, Room 3
• Kinship Time, 11:30-12:30pm, Back of the Sanctuary
• AI Town Hall, 12-1pm, Sanctuary
• Young Adult Soulful Sunday, 12:15-1pm, Room 12
• Community Singing Circle, 12:15-1:15pm, Room 3

Monday, August 25th:

• UCE Addictions and Recovery, 6:45-7:45pm, via Zoom

Tuesday, August 26th:

• Retired Women's Group, 5-7pm, Room 3
• Leadership Development Team Meeting, 6-7pm, via Zoom

Wednesday, August 27th:

• Yoga Online, 9:30-10:30am, via Zoom
• Hope Covenant Group Meeting, 7-9pm, via Zoom

Thursday, August 28st:

• Anti-Oppression Task Force, 5:30-7pm, Room 6 and Zoom
• Meditation Group, 5:30-6:30pm, via Zoom
• Choir Rehearsal, 7-8:45pm, Room 3
• Beacons of Light Gathering, 7-7:30pm, Dempster and Ridge, Chicago and Main, and Central and Lincolnwood

Our Shared Offering Program

Our Shared Offering Program is one of the ways that we live into our mission statement "for a world made whole." Each Sunday, the funds collected during our worship service either via text donations or in the collection bowls (and not otherwise designated for a pledge or something else) are shared equally between our operating budget and the current Shared Offering Recipient.

This Sunday's offering will be shared with Brave Space Alliance, which creates and provides affirming and culturally competent services for the entire LGBTQ+ community of Chicago.

Come be a Beacon of Light!

The gatherings at the corner of Dempster & Ridge, inspired by the Beacons of Light movement, continue to provide a source of hope and solidarity for the participants, those driving by, and our neighbors.

All are welcome to join us every Thursday from 7:00-7:30 pm throughout the summer. Bring a colorful sign with a positive message visioning a future shaped by love and justice (sign inspiration here), or include The Beacon’s QR code to spread the light even further.

If you want to stay connected to the Beacon movement, you can sign up for their Monday Meetings and/or join the WhatsApp group by filling out their form.

If Dempster & Ridge is not near your home, you are invited to join one of the other locations in Evanston (there will be people gathering at all 3 locations each Thursday): Chicago & Main or Central & Lincolnwood. Whether we’re three people or 100, we are part of something bigger. Come be a light!

JOIN UCE’S TEAM! Walk and/or Donate to Support Open Communities, a Fair Housing Agency and UCE Community Partner.

*REDLINING WAS A HISTORICAL PRACTICE in which officials drew lines on maps in red around neighborhoods of color and denied equitable access to credit there.

WALK OR ROLL THE HISTORICALLY REDLINED ROUTE

Participants will walk or roll (eg. wheel chair, bike) a 1-mile route along the western border of Evanston’s historically redlined neighborhood. Information along the path and at the resource fair in the Evanston Ecology Center parking lot (2024 McCormick Blvd) will explore our past and imagine ways to create an abundant, inclusive housing future.

FOR QUESTIONS, TO DONATE and/or TO REGISTER TO WALK WITH UCE’S TEAM

1. Access the UCE team page: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/team/unitarian-church-of-evanston-uce OR

2. Visit the Program Table on Sunday August 24th, 31st, Sept 7 (checks & cash accepted) OR

3. Contact Mary Beth:mbc dot roth at comcast dot net

Registration is $40.00/participant. FREE to the first 6 members to sign up directly with Mary Beth.

Faith in Place Annual Summit September 29-30

UCE is a Snowy Owl sponsor of Faith in Place’s 2025 Environment and Spirituality Summit. The Summit will explore the theme of 'Strong and Supported' and features keynote speaker Robin Wall Kimmerer. Each session of the Summit will dive into ways we can give and receive healing to the Earth around us and create a healthier and more just world.

Register here

UCE Young Adult Group

Third Friday Faith Formation & Game Nights

Our next gathering is Friday, September 19th



The Young Adult Group at UCE is a group for young adults (18-35) interested in exploring spiritual deepening in community. We meet on every 3rd Friday from 7-9pm in Room 3 to discuss monthly Soul Matters themes, check in with each other, eat snacks, and play games.

Contact Kiley Korey (kileyekorey at gmail dot com), Kevin Barrow (kbarrow13 at gmail dot com) or Kathy Underwood (kunderwood at ucevanston dot org) with any questions.

We’re forming a UCE jazz combo! The goal of this group will be to occasionally play for church services and community fundraisers, to blend good music with fellowship, and to bring a little extra joy and spirit to our community. Rehearsals will be scheduled based on availability and will be low-pressure and enjoyable. Whether you're a seasoned musician or someone who just enjoys playing and wants to be part of a fun, supportive group, we’d love to have you join us!

Here's a list of instruments/musicians we'd be hoping could participate in the group:

Piano/keyboard

Bass (upright or electric)

Drums

Wind instruments

Guitar

Vocalists

Interested in joining, or finding out more about this group? Please contact Kevin Barrow at kbarrow13@gmail.com

August is National Make-A-Will Month



Has life gotten in the way of writing your will? You are not alone. About three-fourths of American adults don’t have plans to protect their loved ones. But you don’t have to stress about it. Check out this UUA resource page: https://plannedgiving.uua.org/wills-and-living-trusts.

Endowment Fund committee members are ready to discuss with you including the UCE Endowment Fund in your will, simply email Endowment@ucevanston.org. You can feel confident that your final gift to the church will support your values and enrich this community for the long-term future.

The Endowment Fund Committee is holding an End of Life Planning workshop Sunday, Oct. 5th where you can get more information about wills and related topics. More details to come.

The next meeting of the UCE Nonfiction Book Group will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 24th on Zoom using our recurring Zoom link. At that meeting we will not discuss a book. Instead, we will select the books we will discuss in the coming months. Please send Jackie Seaman the titles, authors, and number of pages in books you recommend by Sunday, August 17th.

8/31/25 Service of Remembrance

9:00 a.m on the South Lawn

The Chris Isely Cancer Support Group will host the annual Service of Remembrance on Sunday, 8/31/25, at 9:00 a.m. This service honors the loved ones we’ve lost for any reason, whether within our church family or in our personal lives. Rev. Eileen and members of the group will lead the brief ceremony.

At this service, we will read aloud the names of those who we've lost over the last 12 months. In addition, anyone who wishes to honor the memory of a loved one, regardless of when they died, is invited to attend. The service will take place outside on the south lawn of the church. (In the event of rain, the service will move inside, to the rear of the sanctuary.) The community is invited to join us.

Picnics in the Park, September 7

Weather-permitting, families of all ages (not just littles!) are invited to meet up at 

Penny Park after worship on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month.

The REAL Team is sponsoring a trip to the brand new National Public Housing Museum, located in the Little Italy neighborhood on Chicago’s near westside community, on Sunday Sept. 7^th directly after the church service. Up to 15 people can sign up to travel to Taylor Street, where we will first have lunch at the Peanut Trattoria Italian restaurant, and then go across the street to tour the National Public Housing Museum. Museum entrance is free, however, to tour the historic apartments costs $25.00 per person. We have scheduled apartment tours for 2:30 for up to 15 people.

To sign up for the tour or to get more information, please contact jeanbutzen at gmail dot com. For more information about the museum, go to:

National Public Housing Museum. For museum reviews go here.

Greening our Futures at UCE

If the Environment is your jam, join us before service on Sept. 14 and meet others with your passion. We are juggling several events/actions and one of them is bound to appeal to you. We plan a brief monthly meeting on the second Sunday with a focus on action. Bring your coffee/tea to room 2, at 9:30am Sunday Sept. 14. In person only this time. Questions? Contact Shirley Adams or Rev. Susan.

The next meeting of the UCE Fiction Book Group

is Friday, September 19th, 7-8pm using our Recurring Zoom link

Our next read is by Fiona McFarlane, The Sun Walks Down.

Set in colonial Australia, we follow the fate of 6-year-old Denny Wallace, lost in a dust storm, and the many folks of his community who search for him. As they scour the desert and mountains for the lost child, the residents of Fairly―newlyweds, farmers, mothers, Indigenous trackers, cameleers, children, artists, schoolteachers, widows, maids, policemen―confront their relationships, both with one another and with the land­scape they inhabit.

In September we’ll also choose new books for the fall.

ONGOING UU CONNECTIONS

Unitarian Church of Evanston

1330 Ridge Ave. Evanston, IL 60201

847-864-1330