Nurturing the Human Spirit for a World Made Whole
In-Person & Virtual Worship Service
this Sunday, August 7th at 10:15 am
Social Transformation Through Music

Music has tremendous power to heal and connect, to transform our brains and shift our moods. Music has also long been a source of power in social movements. We begin our exploration of the transformative power of the arts with music. How has it shaped social movements in this country and how can we use its power to restore ourselves?
Please join us after the service this Sunday for
Kinship Time in the back of the Sanctuary!
Ingathering, Water Communion Service, and Potluck Picnic - September 11
All are welcome to join this special worship service at 10:30 am and stay for a potluck picnic on the lawn. Bring a bit of water to symbolize blessings from the summer and a dish to share as we reconnect for a new church year!
From Susan Frances, Assistant Minister for Congregational Life
Dear Friends, 
 
I hope you are enjoying your summer. My wife and I are still being cautious about where we go and who we see, so we have been spending a lot of time enjoying our back porch. The photo is of our climbing morning glories, snap dragons, geraniums, herbs, and the ridiculous fish planter that we imagine looks like a lion fish, which are bringing bees and butterflies flying through our lunch breaks on the porch. 
 
I am starting to look toward the fall as the programming staff and I start to collaborate on fall classes and events. Save the date for our Ingathering on Sunday, September 11, 2022 at 10:30 am. Please note that our service time is changing. Ingathering Sunday is when we come back together after the summer to share stories and resume regular programming. We have big plans for this year’s Ingathering Sunday.
New Sunday Schedule beginning in September 
After gathering feedback from the congregation and considering options, the staff, ministers, and lay leaders have responded with some adjustments to the Sunday morning schedule. These changes will begin on Sunday, September 4, 2022. We hope this will be a positive change and relatively easy to acclimate to. Here are the highlights: 
  • The Worship Service for all ages will shift to 10:30 am rather than 10:15 am. Nursery care provided. 
  • Children and youth faith formation time will be from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm.  
  • Adult faith formation time will be before the Worship Service, from 9:30 – 10:30 am. This will be a time for groups such as cancer support, new member classes, pre-service choir rehearsal, and possibly Forum to meet. Nursery care will be provided. 
  • A full hour of Kinship Time after the Worship Service will be from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, when we can enjoy each other’s company. We will continue to have all ages potlucks, social justice activities, and treasured traditions like Ornament Sunday each month. Nursery care until 12:00 pm. 
 
As with most things in the pandemic, we are leaning into new ways of being, finding our way forward, and embracing experimentation. We hope you will lean with us with open minds and hearts, and continue to provide us with feedback with love and in covenant. We also hope you will say yes to volunteering in the ways that you can. We will especially ask you to consider saying yes to leading faith formation for children and youth and to join in our shared endeavor of radical hospitality and welcoming. If you have questions, concerns, or want to volunteer, please contact Rev. Eileen, Rev. Susan, or Kathy Underwood, our Director of Lifespan Faith Formation. 
Faith Formation begins September 18! Register your children and youth today! 
We’re gearing up for a fun year in faith formation for all ages! Please register all young people 0-18 years old in your family here so we can plan accordingly.  
 
Based on parent feedback, our schedule this fall for children will be in 3 or 4-week blocks, and for middle and high school youth, it will be twice monthly on average. You can see a working calendar here that includes multi-age events. As in life, things change, so you can refer to this calendar throughout the year for updates or read them in the newsletter. 
Hats Off to Dale Griffin!
Our hats are off to Dale Griffin for his cheerful demeanor and good work around UCE.

Dale is active in the UUPMI and the Green Team, and regularly leads clean-up outings to Harms Woods. He also recently joined UCE's Gardening Team, where he helps keep UCE's grounds looking beautiful.

Thanks, Dale, for all you do.
Congregational News
UCE Building Availability -
The UCE Office Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10am-5pm

Please review UCE's current COVID Guidelines before considering to meet in person. If your group would like to meet in-person at UCE, please fill out a Room & Publicity Request Form.

If you have music to share in worship, we would love to add your to our list. We are looking for either live or recorded performances for Sunday mornings to enhance our worship. Reach out to Rev. Eileen or Vickie Hellyer.
Save the Date
Ingathering, Water Communion Service, and Potluck Picnic - September 11

Transgender Inclusion in Congregations begins Wednesday, October 5. More info below.

Register for REAL Team Book Discussion of Kindred, by Octavia E. Butler. See below.
This Week's Events & Links
Saturday, August 6
  • Virtual Pilates at 9:30 am on Zoom. Email Janelle Brittain to join.
  • Tai Chi at 9:45 am and 11 am in Room 3.

Sunday, August 7
  • Chris Isely Cancer Support Group at 8:45 am in Room 6 & via Zoom. Contact Renee Hoff for the Zoom link.
  • All-Ages Worship Service at 10:15 am - Sanctuary & Youtube. Click here to join.
  • Kinship Time after the service in the back of the sanctuary
  • Penny Park Picnic at Penny Park in Evanston. Meeting at UCE to walk over at 11:45 am. See below for details.

Monday, August 8

Tuesday, August 9
  • Denominational Affairs at 11 am on Zoom. Click here to join.
  • Caregiver Support Group at 7 pm on Zoom. Email Renee Hoff & Joyce Lofstrom for more info.
  • Faith Formation Spruce-Up at 5:00 pm.
  • Legislative Action Team at 5:30 pm on Zoom. Click here to join.
  • Rainbow Alliance at 7 pm on Zoom. Email a group leader in Realm to join.
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Wednesday, August 10

Thursday, August 11
  • Meditation Group at 5:30 pm via Zoom. Email Lisa Solomon for the link.
If you're viewing the newsletter in your email inbox, click on "View entire message" at the bottom of the email to read the full newsletter!
Congregational Connections
The Anti-Oppression Task Force Needs You!
As you may recall, the Board of Trustees commissioned an Anti-Oppression Task Force (AOTF) at UCE in response to a call from the congregation, Evanston Interfaith leaders, the UUA through the Commission on Institutional Change, and Black Lives of UU “to engage in the struggle to dismantle white supremacy as it collectively exists” and “to become more inclusive, equitable, and diverse while… work[ing]...to be accountable to those most affected by injustice.” The purpose of the UCE Anti-Oppression Task Force is to determine the ways in which we might answer this call, making justice a reality both in our congregation and beyond.
Save the Date for Lobby Art Show
Friday, September 2nd at 7pm

Featuring Artist, Joseph Kayne and Indigenous Scholar, Starla Thompson
We hope you will join us for this special presentation by our next lobby artist, Joseph Kayne, and Indigenous scholar, Starla Thompson. 
More information to come but please, save the date.
You don't want to miss this.
New Beginner Tai Chi Class
Tai Chi at UCE is one year old this September and will welcome new beginners on Saturday, September 10, from 9:45-10:45 in Room 3, for an ongoing class.
UCE member Renee Gatsis teaches the class and has played Tai Chi for 40 years and taught it for over 20. She credits Tai Chi in large part for her equanimity and good health.

Students will learn a Sun-style tai chi form adapted and popularized by Dr. Paul Lam (https://taichiforhealthinstitute.org/about-dr-paul-lam/). This meditation in motion is a gentle exercise with graceful, flowing movement per-formed at a slow tempo. The Sun style is a simple, upright form ideal for people of all ages, from teens to elders.
Regular Tai Chi practice yields many benefits including, but not limited to: improved concentration, relaxation, balance, flexibility, fitness, immunity, pain relief and quality of life.

Interested? What to learn more? Please register for the first class!
Lifespan Faith Formation
What's Happening in Faith Formation?
This Sunday… 
  • All ages are invited to remain in the worship service. Nursery care (ages 0-3) is available during worship in room 11 from 10:15-11:30a followed by Penny Park Picnic at noon! Those at UCE for worship will walk over together at 11:45. It’s an awesome playground with shade trees to sit under. Bring your lunch if you’d like and enjoy meeting other parents while the kids play.  

And looking ahead… 

  • Last Concert Meetup August 9 - Join a group of UUs at Mason Park (Near ETHS, Church & Florence) any time after 6p. Concerts start at 7p. Look for the UCE sign and our point-person, Toni Rey. Some events have food vendors. Check out the entire series here. It’s a great way for proximity partners to gather too! 
  • Wednesdays on the Lawn - Mark your calendars for the following dates:  
  • August 17 – Back-to-School Bonfire – 6:30-8p – please note the later starting time.
  • August 31 – Movie on the Lawn - 6:30 for picnicking, 7:15-ish showtime. If you have a suggestion for a movie, email Kathy with your ideas! 

  • Families can explore our theme of Celebrating Blessings in their own timeframe in the Soulful Home packet.  
UCE Book Groups
The UCE Fiction Book Group is reading The Promise, by Damon Galgut. In this 2021 Booker prize-winner, White complacency meets the Black experience in South Africa. Four generations of one family contend with a promise made to their Black maid by the matriarch on her deathbed, reflecting the changing atmosphere of South African racial accord, from the mid-80’s to the present.

Join us for the book discussion on Friday, August 19 at 7pm by ZOOM.
The nonfiction book group will not meet in July.

We invite people to read nonfiction books over the summer and attend our Zoom meeting at 2 pm on Sunday, August 28 when participants will recommend and decide on books our group will read and discuss in the coming months.
Transgender Inclusion in Congregations
Transgender Inclusion in Congregations is a 6-part series created by the Transforming Hearts Collective, featuring instructors Rev. Mykal Slack & Zr. Alex Kapitan and presented by Rev. Eileen, Christine Peters, and Carla Williams. This course is for anyone (ages 12 and up) who wants to contribute to building Beloved Community and help UCE become fully inclusive and actively affirming. 

Over six sessions we will deeply explore the intersection of trans identity, spirituality and faith community in order to gain grounding, context and skills to transform ourselves and our congregation. The course meets people where they are and will move us toward welcoming, relationship-building, and skills-building. Each session will include a webinar video, individual and group reflection, and discussion on topics ranging from what does Beloved Community really mean; the ways trans folks have been and remain marginalized; and ways our congregation can more fully celebrate and nurture the spirits of all people.

Wednesdays October 5th – November 9th from 7-8:30 pm on Zoom. For your benefit and the benefit of all participants, the expectation is that you attend all sessions. However, we understand that schedules can be challenging and unexpected conflicts occur. Please register for this event so we can plan and send you required materials. 
Social Justice & Action
Beloved Conversations Registration Open Through August 26
The REAL Team highly recommends that anyone who has not taken the online version of Beloved Conversations sign up for "Beloved Conversations: Within"

Register Here. Early bird registration for 10% off runs through August 12, 2022.

The Beloved Conversations in-person curriculum has evolved to be a three-part online curriculum divided into the Within Phase, the Among Phase, and the Beyond Phase. If you took the original in-person curriculum, the new online Beloved Conversations: Within is a restyled individual curriculum that will bring you something new. If Beloved Conversations is new to you, it is a program that “focuses on the internal work that each of us needs to do as we engage in deeper personal understanding, explorations of race and racism, extracting our souls and spirits from white supremacy culture, and work for racial justice.”

UCE has scholarships available for the Beloved Conversations: Within registration fee. Please complete an application here or contact Rev. Susan Frances at sfrances@ucevanston.org.
Save the Date: Faith in Place 2022 Green Team Summit
Faith in Place logo
Whether or not you are on the UCE Green Team, if you have an interest in advancing the conversation about climate change, you are invited to join in the 2022 Green Team Summit!

Rev. Susan is one of the interfaith presenters for the September 12th session titled Interwoven: Exploring Environmental Justice with Faith Leaders. Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is the keynote speaker to open the summit on September 11th.

Date: September 11-14, 2022
Location: Multiplatform (Zoom and In-person watch parties
No admission fee
Stop Privatization of Medicare Action of Immediate Witness 
One of the Actions of Immediate Witness (AIW) passed at the 2022 Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) General Assembly was Stop the Privatization of Medicare. This AIW opposes the implementation of the ACO-REACH program and privatized Medicare Advantage plans and calls on: 
  • The UUA to contact program officials and implore them not to allow the implementation of ACO-REACC and the continuation of privatized Medicare Advantage plans, and urging them to support a Medicare for All Program such as those introduced by Senator Sanders and Representative Jayapal; 
  • UU congregations and UU-related organizations and their members to contact program officials, as well as to write their legislators to do what they can to see that ACO-REACH and privatized Medicare Advantage plans cease.  
  • UU Congregations and UU-related organizations and their members to join National Nurses United, Healthcare-NOW!, and Physicians for a National Health Program in fighting for a truly universal healthcare coverage for all. 
 
Why these actions? 
Book Discussion: Kindred, by Octavia E. Butler
The Real Team is sponsoring a book discussion of Kindred, written by Octavia E. Butler. The book discussion will be held via ZOOM and facilitated by UCE member Jean Butzen. Participants will meet twice and prior to the first session will have access to online materials available through a Google docs folder which contains background information for the book, author, and the topic of slavery. Here are the meeting dates for the book group: 
 
  • Monday, September 19th: 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Zoom, Session #1: Introductions to the participants, the author, the book, and to several Google doc materials being made available to participants for the book and the topic. Then we will break for a few weeks for participants to read the book, however, feel free to start reading the book right away. Some people need to read Ms. Butler’s books a little more slowly, to absorb the material. 
  • Monday, October 17th: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., Session #2: Inter-active discussion of the book Kindred, facilitated by Jean Butzen. 
It's Time for Springfield to Step Up!
In the wake of the horrific mass shooting in Highland Park, many of us are asking the same question: WHAT CAN WE DO?

The UCE Legislative Advocacy Team urges all of us to demand that Illinois have a special legislative session dedicated to gun violence prevention in Illinois. Specifically, we believe the legislature should immediately consider:
  • a ban on assault-type weapons
  • a ban on large capacity magazines
  • mandatory fingerprinting to get a FOID card

While Congress recently enacted some meaningful but modest gun violence prevention legislation, our influence as citizens is strongest at the state level, so that is where we should focus our efforts in this time of crisis.

Please call and email the leaders listed below, as well as your own state representative and senator, and demand a special legislative session to address the plague of gun violence in Illinois.

  • Governor Pritzker - Click here to send an email or call (312) 814-2121 or (312) 814-2122 
  • Senate President Don Harmon - Click here to send an email or call (708) 848-2002
  • Speaker Chris Welch: Click here to send an email or call (708) 450-1000
  • Find your senator and representatives here.
 
For more information, contact Carolyn Laughlin through Realm or at admin@ucevanston.org.
Knowing Your Rights for Reproductive Justice
Illinois is a state with strong legislative protections for people who are pregnant, including providing legal access to abortion care. The ACLU of Illinois provides information about Illinois laws and protections and knowing your rights to abortion access. Our Unitarian Universalist faith supports Reproductive Justice and affirms that our bodies are sacred, that we are each endowed with the twin gifts of agency and conscience, and that each of us should have the power to decide what does and doesn’t happen to our bodies at every moment of our lives because consent and self-determination are holy.  
 
Here are some of the many ways to live into our UU values and support Reproductive Justice:
Sack Lunches at Connections for the Homeless
Pick up Sites Still Needed
Connections for the Homeless has an urgent need for sack lunches to be provided at its three pick-up locations. Food insecurity is ever present in our community and making lunches is one way we can help!

Please note the different delivery instructions for different locations. If you have any questions about how to sign up on the Connections calendar, please contact Sheila Holder through REALM or at admin@ucevanston.org. Sheila also has packets of mayo and mustard to include in your prepared lunches.

HOW TO NAVIGATE THE CONNECTIONS WEBSITE...
UCE UUtheVote 2022: The Time is Now, the Outcome is Critical
UCE’s campaign to empower underrepresented voters is on a roll! Fabulous UCE members, friends, and their networks have written and mailed 5,300 post cards to Black, rural, Florida voters facing aggressive voter suppression tactics. With specific registration, poll location, and free transportation information, these folks are far more likely to cast their ballots!

On to Virginia! The next drop is Sept 5. Bundles of 40 cards and supplies are in the back of the sanctuary each Sunday, through August. Contact Carolyn Laughlin (Realm or Admin@UCEvanston.org) for more information or delivery to your door.

Another opportunity: Come to Milwaukee to register voters at a DMV office. Folks waiting around to be processed overwhelmingly appreciate our friendly, non-partisan pitch. Posing our question, “Are you registered to vote at your CURRENT address?” many realize they aren’t and would be ineligible or face difficulties on election day without our help. This work is perfect for those who enjoy face-to-face contact. Contact Greg Grabowski (Realm of Admin@UCEvanston.org) for more information, and connection to brief training.

Finally, join the UCE UUthe Vote team! Shirley Adams, Greg, Lee Bannor and Carolyn welcome you! Help staff our table, promote or host post card parties, or share your own ideas!
Sign Petition to Support Local Housing Program
Please consider signing a petition to support the purchase of the Margarita Inn by Connections for the Homeless in order to operate their Bridge Housing program. Throughout the pandemic, Connections heroically stepped up to provide shelter for more than 300 people experiencing homelessness. Since 2020, 184 homeless individuals have been served at the Margarita Inn, including men, women, and children. Currently, 86% are Evanston residents. We believe all our neighbors deserve a safe, stable place to call home. The services provided by Connections for the Homeless at the Margarita Inn create the path to stable housing and a brighter future.
UCE 2022 Vision Keeper is Toni Rey
Join us in celebrating Toni Rey as our 2022 Vision Keeper at the Interfaith Action of Evanston (IAE) Vision Keepers Dinner, when Evanston faith communities honor those who exemplify the IAE vision of interfaith social action and dialogue.

Date: Sunday, September 18, 5:30 pm
Location: Double Tree, 9599 Skokie Blvd., Skokie

Tickets: $75.00 per person. Please make checks payable to Interfaith Action of Evanston. Ticket price includes a donation to support IAE's direct services to people experiencing homelessness and food scarcity in Evanston.

To register to attend: Contact Sheila Holder through REALM or at admin@ucevanston.org. Or, you may leave a check in the envelope in the FAST inbox in the office, making sure to mark on the front of the envelope your name and if you want a veggie meal. All checks must be received by Sheila by September 8, 2022.
UCE Resources
Unitarian Church of Evanston
1330 Ridge Ave. Evanston, IL 60201
847-864-1330