If using Gmail, please click: [Message clipped]  View entire message to read the whole newsletter.

In-Person & Virtual Worship Service

this Sunday, February 12th at 10:30 am

Pledge Drive: A Smooth Take-Off

Our pledge drive has successfully launched! Pledge packet emails were sent out on February 1st and many people have already returned their pledge forms. Thanks to these early pledgers for a smooth lift-off and getting us off to a good start.

Your Packet Hasn’t Landed? If you have not received your packet and it's not in your spam folder, please contact David in the church office at admin@ucevanston.org.

Please join us next Sunday, the 19th after the service to celebrate the conclusion of our pledge drive. There will be a mimosa brunch, music, fabulous balloon constructions, and some fun games for children of all ages. Plus, it will be a wonderful time to connect with others.This is not to be missed!

Ethical Social Media Engagement – Tuesday, February 14 at 8-9pm – Zoom only. Join us for part two of this three-part series on how and why we engage in social media and what this has to do with being a Unitarian Universalist. Facilitated by Emily Eckwahl-Sanna. For details and to register, click here.

Hats Off to the Iles Family 

We are grateful for the numerous ways Sarah and Shawn Iles and their kids, Nathaniel and Madeleine, support the work of UCE and live our shared UU values.

Sarah is our congregational legal consultant offering help as needed on the Covid Task Force, regarding contracts, and on property matters. Shawn works for Interfaith Action of Evanston, managing the overnight shelter for all the hosting congregations, including UCE, and as a UCE member, he made sure things ran smoothly and the cots were delivered and picked up in a timely way. The whole family, including Nathaniel and Madeleine, are often helping in the kitchen, with Sunday morning hospitality, and at special events. It’s a joy to see a family contributing together in so many ways.

Many thanks to the Iles Family! 

"Save the Date"

Budget Town Hall 

February 21st at 7pm on Zoom. 

Our congregational budgeting process is something all members have a right and responsibility to participate in. A Budget Working Group as part of the Integrated Stewardship Council, has drafted an annual operating budget based on our expected expenses and pledge drive goal. Please join this meeting to understanding our budget process, challenges and needs. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and prepare yourself to vote at our annual meeting in May. 

Deepen Your Understanding of our Covenantal Community and Values

Our Journey of Belonging Series is a 3-part class for visitors and members. Get to know folks in our UCE community as we delve into our UU history, sources, and values. This series is great for all members and highly recommended for visitors and new members. Attend one session or attend all.

Join Rev. Susan in-person the 2nd Sunday of the month at 9:30 am in Room 12 for these Journey of Belonging sessions:

• Journeying in Covenant on February 12, 2023: Delve into our UU principles, our shared values, and what it means to be in covenant. Register HERE.

• Spiritual Journeys & Inspirations on March 12, 2023: Delve into our UU Sources and share your personal journey. Register HERE.

Googling at UCE

On Sunday, February 12th, Adam Gough will be holding Google Docs Training in Room 3 from 12-1pm. Please feel free to drop along!

Report of the Article II Study Commission Issued

The UUA Article II Study Commission has issued its report making suggestions for transforming our principles and sources in our UUA Bylaws.

Read the full Report HERE.

Join Betty Walker, Carla Williams, and Cheryl Mounts with the UCE Denominational Affairs Team to explore the anticipated revisions to our UU Principles and Sources. We are having three more evening sessions to explore different themes provided by the Article II Study Commission. Join us for one or all of these sessions to delve into what it means to shake up our UU Principles & Sources.

The next session is Article II Mission & Purpose: A Wider UU world on February 15, 2023, 6:30-8:00 pm, via Zoom. Register HERE.

BLUU HAVENS CHICAGO FEBRUARY GATHERING SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH 1:00-2:30 on Zoom Join at 12:30 for Socializing or Just Hanging Out & Listening to Music!

We welcome you to join us for our February Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism BLUU Havens Chicago Gathering.

In Celebration of Black History Month please join us for “Shared Stories-Histories of the Diaspora".

2023 UUA General Assembly

The 2023 UUA General Assembly will be held in Pittsburgh, PA from June 21 – 25 online and in-person. 

Registration is now open. Click here for details.

The Denominational Affairs Team is asking you to consider being a Delegate to this General Assembly. Delegates will be considering changes to the UUA Bylaws, Article 2, that address racism, non-human life, and the inclusivity of the democratic process in our Principles, Purposes, and Sources. Delegates can attend in-person and virtually.

If you are interested, please contact Peggy Boccard via REALM or at admin@ucevanston.org.

We will continue to provide information via the Newsletter. 

Our first Families Friday event was full of Groundhog Day fun!

Here are a few participants with the winner of the Pin-the-Shadow-on-the-Groundhog game, Norell Liddell.

Families First Friday – March 3, 5:30-7:30pm in Room 3

Join us for a family-friendly game night! This will be an appetizer potluck, so bring your favorite munchies to share. We’ll have an assortment of games or bring your family’s favorite. Sign up here.

Parents Circle – March 5 at 9:30am in Room 13 – All parents are invited to meet to share the joys and challenges of parenting before the worship service.

Lunch-Making for Connections for the Homeless



The Family Ministry Team invites all ages to help make lunches for Connections. You can sign up here to donate supplies or to deliver them, or help assemble the lunches after worship on March 12.

UCE Fiction Book Group: Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty

Join us Friday, February 17, at 7 pm by ZOOM

A vivid and charming portrait of a large southern family, the Fairchilds, who live on a plantation in the Mississippi delta. The story, set in 1923, is exquisitely woven from the ordinary events of family life, centered around the visit of a young relative, Laura McRaven, and the family’s preparations for her cousin Dabney’s wedding.

Next Reads:

March 17: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

April 21: Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

May 19: I Will Die in a Foreign Land by Kalani Pickhart.

UCE Non-Fiction Book Group: The Big Thirst by Charles Fishman

The nonfiction book group will meet Sunday, February 26, 2023 at 2 p.m. via Zoom.

The Big Thirst brilliantly explores our strange and complex relationship to water.

We delight in watching waves roll in from the ocean; we take great comfort from sliding into a hot bath; and we will pay a thousand times the price of tap water to drink our preferred brand of the bottled version. We love water--but at the moment, we don't appreciate it or respect it. We need to rethink our essential relationship to water and bring creativity to ensuring that we'll always have plenty of it.

Expanding Ownership of Anti-Oppression,

Everywhere All At Once!

Join the UCE Racial Equity Action and Leadership (REAL) Team on February 22, 2023, from 7:00-8:30 pm via Zoom to vision the future of UCE's anti-oppression work, and the role of the REAL Team in light of the information shared during the Anti-Oppression Summit. 

Whether or not you were able to attend the Summit, you are invited to attend on February 22nd and share your ideas about ways each of us can expand the ownership of our anti-racism and anti-oppression work within our congregation, and how the REAL Team can contribute and support the process.

Expand Ownership of Anti-Racism at UCE!

It's time to enroll for Beloved Conversations online class!  About 20% of our UCE congregation have taken this course, and you can too!  Click the button below to register. Scholarships are available.  This is an online course that includes self exploration of resources, small group discussions, and large group presentations.  From the Fahs educators: 

We are currently building new communities of learners in both of our Gathering Our Selves programs (for Black, Indigenous, People of Color participants) and our Un/Learning for Liberation program (for white participants). Join us for a deep dive into the personal, transformative, spirit-growing work each of us needs to do around issues of race, identity, and justice, in relationship with other folks who share some similar experiences!

Registration will run from February 1st through February 28th and the Spring Term will kick off on March 13th, 2023. Whether this is your first time joining us or you are considering returning for another term of the program, we would love to have you as a part of our learning community! Spring and Fall content are different, so even if you were with us in the fall, you can join us again for entirely new learning! If you participated in a previous term of BCV: Within, you can save 20% off your registration using coupon code BCVALUMSPRING23

Check out our Beloved Conversations website for lots of information about Within and all of our exciting programs!

Post Carding for Consequential Wisconsin

Supreme Court Election

Make a big difference with a little effort! Wisconsin is holding elections to replace a retiring Supreme Court justice. The result will impact Wisconsin for years to come. 

A POSITIVE outcome will...

• Safeguard abortion rights in Wisconsin by preventing the enforcement of a law passed in 1849, 70 years before the 19th amendment gave women the right to vote

• Address Wisconsin’s severely gerrymandered map, widely considered to be the nation's most egregious, which constricts the voice of progressives

• Prevent Wisconsin’s legislature from disenfranchising voting rights during the 2024 presidential election

These off-year state Supreme Court elections are notoriously low-turnout— so get-out-the-vote efforts can have an outsized effect. This election will have a nonpartisan judicial ballot — thus voters need more encouragement to be informed, and VOTE.

Pick up a bundle of PRE-PRINTED (minimal writing!) postcards and addresses at the back of the sanctuary Sunday Feb.12 OR contact Carolyn Laughiln (REALM or admin@ucevanston.org) to have 48 or 72 postcards delivered to your door.

Join the Abortion Access Team

Are you ready to take action to address the access issues caused by the Dobbs decision? UCE’s Abortion Access Team meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month on Zoom from 7:00-8:30 pm. Please join us for the next meeting on March 8, 2023. Please contact Jean Butzen or Jon Siegel through REALM or at admin@ucevanston.org to learn more.

Abortion Access Fundraising

The UCE Abortion Access Team is seeking individuals to host informational and fundraising meetings to benefit the Chicago Abortion Fund, which provides support for people facing barriers to accessing abortion care. Hosts invite congregants and friends to either a Zoom or in-person gathering during April, May, or June. The Abortion Access Team will provide the invitation, a facilitator, and a script for the meeting. Thank you for taking action to reclaim abortion access! Please contact Jean Butzen or Jon Siegel through REALM or at admin@ucevanston.org to learn more.

Giving House Continues... February is CANNED SOUP month

We are accepting donations of CANNED SOUP in the giving house for the month of February.

The Giving house is a small wooden "house" that is located in the front lobby. We are partnering with a new free food supplier for the food insecure.

Clarence Weaver and his wife Beverly in March 2020 responded to the covid crisis by setting up a nonprofit organization and using 

their storefront (C&W Market & Ice Cream) to distribute free foods to those in need.

They provide fresh meat, vegetables and fruit along with nonperishable food items to seniors, District 65 families and those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. They serve almost 50 people every other Saturday morning. They are continuing this service to our community

Since they have plenty of storage, we can support their generous work by providing nonperishable items. We will be collecting one type of non-perishable food each month. February is CANNED SOUP month.

 C&W Market & Ice Cream is a Black owned business on the corner of Dodge and Church. This is a prime location for food distribution.  You can also support this business by buying Ice Cream and/or other sundries there. Thanks for your donation.