Sunday Service

July 20, 2025 at 10:30 am 

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-12:15p

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

This week, we’ll explore meditation by creating Zany Zentangles. Parents of those younger than 3rd grade, please sign your child(ren) in and then pick them up at noon.

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.

The Latest Endowment Fund Grants

In June, the UCE Board of Trustees approved several Endowment Fund grants recommended by the Endowment Committee.

Congregational Support

• $10,000 to UCE Board and Staff for building repairs and improvements
• $4,000 to the Social Justice Council for scholarships to attend the September Alabama Living Legacy Pilgrimage

Community Projects

• $1,000 to REAL Team for Haitian Community Back-to-School Day supplies
• $2,200 to Abortion Access Team for post-abortion care packages (Chicago Abortion Fund)
• $1,200 to FAST for Soup Kitchen bag lunch supplies
• $5,000 to Native Communities Solidarity Working Group for Gichigamiin Museum exhibits/programs
• $12,500 to Immigrant Solidarity Team for six months of rent support for two refugee families
• $2,500 to Prison Ministry Team to reduce debt for a UUPMI Solidarity Circle member’s release
• $3,000 to REAL and UUPMI Teams for Curt’s Café renovations

Endowment Fund grants support:

• Congregational needs (building, education, projects)
• UCE’s community partners
• Nonprofit initiatives aligned with UU values

UPDATE FROM KATHY UNDERWOOD

Taking Time

I love my job. It has such a wide variety of tasks and challenges, I never get bored. Frustrated, perhaps, but never bored. There are many aspects to being a religious educator that uses both the left and right sides of my brain, such as creativity, art, and music, thinking outside of the box, budgeting, organizing, relationship-building. There is the physical aspect – logging many steps and stairs on my pedometer, moving furniture and supplies, late nights and overnights. And then there is the emotional side, the times when someone is hurt, angry, sad, anxious, and they need a compassionate ear or help working out a conflict. I love my job. This reminds me of a song I like, Vacation by Dirty Heads. Take a listen here, and see if you agree. “Ay, ay aye, I’m on vacation every single day because I love my occupation!”

Our Hats are off to Wendy Drake for filling Kathy Underwood's shoes while she was on vacation - and she has big shoes (size 12 to be exact)! For three weeks, Wendy came early to set up The Nest in the sanctuary ad then put it away, ensure that childcare staff was here, help faith formation volunteers as needed, and greet visiting families. She even had to fill in for a volunteer with an unexpected injury. And she did all of this while also monitoring her own two kids. Awesome job, Wendy!

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Friday, July 18th:

• Fiction Book Group, 7-8:30pm, via Zoom
• Young Adult Group, 7:00-9pm, Room 12

Saturday, July 19th:

• Virtual Pilates, 9:30am, via Zoom
• Worship Planning Team, 9:30-11:30am, Room 6 and Zoom
• UCE Prison Ministry Team, 10:30-11:30am, via Zoom
• Pastoral Care Team Training, 11-2pm, Room 3
• Immigrant Solidarity Team, 4-5pm, via Zoom

Sunday, July 20th:

• 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
• UCE Beach Day at Lighthouse Beach, 12-3pm
• UCE Pagan Collective Monthly Meeting, 12-1:30pm, Room 12
• Young Adult Soulful Sunday, 12:15-1pm, Room 3
• Sine Nomine Covenant Group, 12:15-2pm, Offsite or Zoom
• TransParentsy Group, 12:30-2pm, Room 2

Monday, July 21st:

• UCE Addictions and Recovery, 6:45-7:45pm, via Zoom
• Durkin Covenant Group, 7-9pm, via Zoom

Tuesday, July 22nd:

• Legislative Action Team, 4:30-5:30pm, via Zoom
• Peg Heads, 6:30-9:30pm, Room 3
• Caregiver Support Group, 7-8:30pm, via Zoom
• First Women's Circle, 7-8pm, Online

Wednesday, July 23rd:

• Yoga Online, 9:30-10:30am, via Zoom
• Leadership Development Team Meeting, 6-7pm, via Zoom

Thursday, July 24th:

• Evanston Near South Proximity Group, 1-2pm, via Zoom
• Anti-Oppression Task Force Meeting, 5:30-7pm, Room 3 and Zoom
• Meditation Group, 5:30-6:30pm, via Zoom
• Beacon of Light Gathering, 7-7:30pm, Dempster and Ridge

Ministers' Time Away

Rev. Eileen and Rev. Susan will be away these weeks in July and August:

July 20-26: Rev. Eileen away.

July 28-August 3: Rev. Susan away.

August 3-9: Rev. Eileen away.

August 10-15: Rev. Susan away.

For pastoral emergencies, please contact the minister who is present. For their overlapping day off on August 3rd, please contact Rev. Eileen.

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 Open Communities, which works to eradicate housing discrimination and unjust practices that perpetuate segregation and inequity.

Shared Offering Nomination Deadline July 26th

Nominations for the 2025-2026 Shared Offering Program are due July 26, 2025. Nominations will be reviewed by the Social Justice Council in August and announced in September.

If you have any questions about this Program, please contact Rev. Susan at sfrances@ucevanston.org.

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!

Plan to Walk the Redline with UCE's Team.

For more information, contact roth dot marybeth at gmail dot com

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, July 18th



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.

Only 10 Spots Remaining For

Alabama Living Legacy Pilgrimage

There are only 10 remaining spaces on the September 24-28, 2025, Alabama Living Legacy Pilgrimage. The tour is organized by the Living Legacy Project (LLP). If you plan to participate, please register as soon as possible. The registration deadline is July 24. There is a two-step registration process:

1. Pre-register with the Living Legacy Project, who is the tour guide.
2. Register and make a non-refundable deposit of $600 with Educational Travel Adventures, who handles the transportation, lodging and meal logistics.

If you have any questions about the tour or about scholarships, please contact Rev. Susan at sfrances@ucevanston.org. 

“I Wish I Could Do More!”

“I love UCE! But I work full-time, care for three kids, and have limited mobility…”

We understand! Many of us are juggling a lot. But if you attend services regularly and can stay a little longer on a Sunday, there’s a meaningful and manageable way to contribute: becoming a greeter/usher.

Greeters arrive about 40 minutes before the service to welcome members and guests, offer a smile, and help people find a seat if needed. It’s a simple but powerful way to share our community’s warmth and hospitality.

Interested in learning more? Reach out to Carolyn at CarolynBLaughlin at gmail dot com — we’d love to have you join the team!

The next meeting of the UCE Fiction Book Group

is Friday, July 18th, 7-8pm using our Recurring Zoom link

The UCE Fiction Book Group is reading Cat’s Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut’s 1963 satire of an American vision for the future of mankind, “at once fatalistic and hilariously funny." Banned in several spaces, Vonnegut’s take-down turns out to be one of the twentieth century’s iconic works of fiction.  

Picnics in the Park - next gathering will be July 20

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.

Beach Day this Sunday July 20

The Family Ministry Team invites all ages to Beach Day at Lighthouse Beach in Evanston from 12-3p. Bring a picnic lunch and your beach toys for some fun in the sun! Information on passes can be found here. In case of rain or storms, our backup date is August 10.

The next meeting of the UCE Nonfiction Book Group will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 27th on Zoom using our recurring Zoom link.

We will discuss Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck. In this book, Steinbeck describes his 1960 cross country trip with his French poodle Charley. Steinbeck’s goal was to rediscover the country he had been writing about for many years.

On August 24th we will select the books we will discuss in the fall and winter.

Family Fun at Sketchbook! August 5 at 6p



The Family Ministry Team invites you to join them under a shady tree in the beer garden at Sketchbook Brewing in Skokie. 



They have a wonderful beer garden as well as indoor seating with all kinds of games 

to entertain kids and adults. Snacks are available for purchase and you can bring your own food in.

Dances of Universal Peace

August 9 • 1:00–2:30pm

Free and open to all

Join us for a joyful, meditative experience combining sacred phrases, live music, and simple movement from spiritual traditions around the world. The Dances of Universal Peace offer a chance to connect—within and with others—through shared song and motion.

No experience or special attire needed. All steps and chants are gently taught in a welcoming space. Participation, not performance, is the focus.

Led by Donna Schiller, Certified Dance Leader.

Questions? Contact Ellie Feddersen: elliefeddersen at gmail dot com

ONGOING UU CONNECTIONS

Unitarian Church of Evanston

1330 Ridge Ave. Evanston, IL 60201

847-864-1330