Nurturing the Human Spirit for a World Made Whole |
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Virtual Worship Service
this Sunday, December 26th at 10:15 am
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I Love to Laugh
Laughter is the best medicine, a pure form of joy, with the power to connect us. As we conclude our monthly theme of Opening to Joy and the year 2021, which didn’t give us much to laugh about, we look for laughter to heal, connect, and fortify us.
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There will be NO Faith Formation Hour this Sunday |
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Tonight's Virtual Christmas Eve Service at 7pm |
A Child's Christmas in Evanston (and beyond)
With joy we come together to celebrate the spirit of the child in all of us and the wonder of this holiday season. Join us online only through the Youtube channel. This service is led by Rev. Eileen Wiviott, with Diane Markel as Worship Associate and musical guests Henry Pleas, Andy Carpenter, Marge Shenk, Nadav Simon, and Julia Schifrin, and UCE Choir. In light of the spike in cases in our area, the service will be held online only. We hope you can join with your families from home.
For our silent night candle lighting, you will be invited to text in your candle lighting selfie photos, so we can share our light virtually. Please note these photos will be shared publicly on the Youtube Livestream.
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Join an Ends Conversation! |
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- January 2nd (Sunday) as part of Faith Formation Hour, 11:30 am-12:30 pm on Zoom
- January 5th (Wednesday) from 5:30-6:30 pm on Zoom
PLEASE NOTE: If you have previously registered, but need to sign up for more than one time, please go through and update your registration. The settings have changed and you may now register for more than one conversation.
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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.
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Wednesday Zoom Gatherings Continue on 2nd & 4th Wednesdays at 5:30 pm via Zoom.
Upcoming ENDS Statements Conversations:
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January 2nd (Sunday) as part of Faith Formation Hour, 11:30-12:30 on Zoom
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January 5th (Wednesday) from 5:30 – 6:30 on Zoom
The Next Worship Planning Playdate is Saturday, January 8 at 9 am - Noon. More info below.
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This Week's Events & Links |
Sunday, December 26
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Chris Isely Cancer Support Group at 8:45 am via Zoom. Contact Renee Hoff for the Zoom link.
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Worship Service at 10:15 am via Youtube ONLY. Click here to join.
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Virtual Kinship Time immediately following the service on Zoom. Click here to join.
- No Faith Formation Hour
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Nonfiction Book Group at 2 pm via Zoom. Click here to join.
Monday, December 27 - Friday, December 31
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Please email staff with your questions and concerns. In the event of a pastoral emergency, you may contact Rev. Eileen Wiviott at ewiviott@ucevanston.org.
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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!
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Congregational Connections |
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Living our values in the World |
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UCE member, Ellen Bates Jefferys co-authored research published in Science Magazine on the effectiveness of masking in Bangladesh to prevent the spread of COVID. Here is a link to the study. Ellen shared that the “broad mandate was to study the efficacy of community-level adaptation of masks to reduce COVID transmission. However, sub-analysis revealed that quality surgical masks were notably superior to cloth masks.” Thank you, Ellen, for your work in the world and for sharing it with our faith community.
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BLUU Havens Chicago invites you to a Zoom
KWANZAA CELEBRATION
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With Special Guest Atena O. Danner |Saturday, January 1st, 1pm-2:30 CST | Join at 12:30 for Music & Conversation | All Are Welcome
Atena O. Danner is an unapologetically Black time-traveling poet-activist who dwells in the past to survive the future. She writes toward Beloved Community, Black liberation, and collective imagination. Atena has poems published in 'Shelter in This Place: Meditations on 2020,' 'Struggle, Elevate, Celebrate: An Anthology of Women's Voices' and in the inaugural issue of 'understory quarterly' an independent online zine. Her first published book of poems is expected in Spring of 2022. Atena lives north of Chicago with her partner and 2 free Black children.
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Next Worship Planning Playdate - Jan 8 |
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Our next Worship Planning Playdate is coming up Saturday, January 8th from 9 am – noon in the sanctuary at UCE. All are welcome if you are interested in helping to shape the upcoming worship services. |
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A Conversation about Long Term Care with
Evanston Ombudsman, Candice Mitchell
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January 9 at 1 pm - on Zoom
Candice Mitchell will speak to UCE members and friends about choosing a facility, how to age in place, and navigating the financial implications and possibilities of long term care.
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Join Janelle Brittain for Free Zoom Pilates every Saturday continuing January 8 from 9:30-10:15 AM in your own home. It is called Adaptive Pilates because she provides a variety of options for the movements depending on your abilities, aches, pains or injuries. She seeks to make it workable and fun for every level and every age. All you need is a mat or a carpet. And if you are shy, you can keep your camera off. Just email Janelle to receive the Zoom link at janellebri@aol.com.
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What do yUU Believe? A credo class
for youth and adults together on Zoom
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How do you talk about what you believe and how does what you believe show up in the way you live your life? How do you articulate what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist? In these four sessions, designed for youth and adults (age 12 and up) Kathy Underwood and Rev. Eileen Wiviott will accompany you on the journey toward understanding and articulating your beliefs and how they align with our UU faith.
- January 18th 7pm - 8:30pm
- January 25th 7pm - 8:30pm
- February 1st 7pm - 8:30pm
- February 8th 7pm - 8:30pm
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Save the Date - Upcoming Classes for Deeper Engagement |
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Would you like to learn more about Unitarian Universalist history? Introduction to Unitarian Universalism is a single session class that will be offered virtually on Sunday, January 16 at 1:00-2:30 pm.
Would you like to enhance how you express your personal theology? What do yUU Believe? is a 4-part class that will be offered on Tuesdays, January 18, 25, February 1, and 8 at 7:00-8:30 pm. More info above!
Would you like to learn more about becoming a member of UCE? Journey Toward Membership is a 2-part class that will be offered in-person on Tuesdays, February 1 and 8 at 6:30-8:00 pm and virtually on Wednesdays, February 2 and 9 at 6:30-8:00 pm.
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The Nominating and Recruitment Committee (N&R) is beginning to identify potential candidates for future positions, such as the Board of Trustees, Endowment Committee, and our own N&R Committee.
Please help us! We may not know what skills and experience you have that would make you a perfect fit for one of the positions. You may know someone who would step up if asked. We especially want to encourage folks who have not previously served on these committees to consider this opportunity to support the church.
Please fill out this Google form if you would like to nominate someone or volunteer yourself. Also feel free to reach out to Janice Milanovich (through Realm). See the website for more information.
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What's Happening in Faith Formation? |
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Faith Formation Hour on Holiday!
With many people traveling and spending more time with family and friends over the holiday, we will take the next 2 weeks off. Please join the virtual all-ages worship service this Sunday though – you are guaranteed to find joy and laughter! And on January 2, we will have our annual Fire Communion.
And as you hopefully have heard by now, the decision has been made to return to virtual worship services for the next few weeks and possibly longer. The good news is that we can still have some smaller gatherings in person, and of course continue with those that are virtual.
Looking into the New Year...
New plans are underway for January 9, so be sure to look for details in next week's newsletter!
Registration for Faith Formation continues! This year more than ever, it is important that parents register their young people, so that we can plan according to current guidelines. Please complete the form here for all young people, 0-18 years old.
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Upcoming Adult Faith Formation Classes |
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A Pandemic and an Epidemic: Covid-19 and Alternative Facts
Tuesday, Jan 4, 7:00-8:30 pm, on Zoom | Facilitated by Howard Jarvis, MD.
Dr. Jarvis will speak about how a large regional health system in rural America confronted the medical and cultural realities of Covid, and what unique steps were taken initially. They eventually became the epicenter of the delta wave pandemic, and are now dealing with another peak. The crisis continues to be exacerbated by a low vaccination rate in Springfield, and dismal vaccination rates in the more rural areas. There will be some discussion of the politics of downplaying the effectiveness of masks, social distancing, and vaccines.
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Healthcare in a Time of Covid
Tuesday, Jan 11; 7:00-8:30 pm, on Zoom | Facilitated by Dr. Andi Chatburn
Dr. Chatburn values time spent “standing in the gap” of uncertainty in clinical questions ranging from beginning to the end of life. This promotes curiosity and relationship while exploring questions of ‘how we ought to be with one another in community’ as we seek to address the challenges of promoting health for a better world.
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Forum Discussion - January 16 - MLK Weekend |
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Scaling up social solidarity: Is it realistic for all to have what they need? Envision what is possible. Steve Serikaku and perhaps one other co-leader and/or some youth who could participate. Words to contemplate before Forum: "The world has enough for everyone's needs, but not everyone's greed," Mahatma Gandhi |
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The UCE Fiction Book Group meets next on Friday, January 21, at 7pm to discuss The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner.
“Sweet, smart escapism,” according to People magazine. Perfect for the holidays!
Just after WWII, in a small English village of Chawton a group of like-minded wildly diverse people gather to preserve the legacy of their most famous past resident, Jane Austen (Chawton was the final home of Austen).
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REAL Team History Program |
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The REAL History team will present 4 episodes of the series Amend from Netflix, on four Wednesdays from January 12 through February 2. Amend tells the story of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. From its origins in the heart and mind of Frederick Douglass to the political wrangling needed to get ratification to the attempts to nullify it over the years and the struggle to make this country live up to its stated ideals. This series tells unfinished story of this life-changing, controversial addition to the Constitution. The REAL team will show episodes 1, 2, 3, and 6 - - the ones that involve race and ethnicity.
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Unitarian Church of Evanston
1330 Ridge Ave. Evanston, IL 60201
847-864-1330
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