Here’s what’s coming up in our congregational life—opportunities to connect, learn, and participate in the weeks ahead

Sunday Service

July 26, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. 

What's Your Story?

Storytelling has always been an important part of being human. So important, in fact, that stories are a key way for us to understand ourselves, each other, and the world around us. Today, we reflect on how we write our own stories, how we tell them, and how we can use stories to build a better future and a better world. Nellie Eastman leads the service with Sarah Vanderwicken as Worship Associate. Gregory Shifrin is our pianist.



Nellie Eastman is a transgender woman, a mother, a lover, and a fighter. She cares fiercely for her family, friends, loved ones, and community, and strives to make the lives of everyone around her just a little bit better, or at least a little more entertaining. She has two wonderful children that she is raising in partnership with her friend and Coparent. She lives in Chicago with her nesting partner, and stays out of trouble. ...Most of the time.

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 from 10:15a - 2:15p. 

Phineas and Ferb Phartsy Fun

This week we’ll watch the episode, Tropey McTropeface,

and draw pictures to use in our own zoetrope.

Hi Friends,

I hope this summer is bringing you some moments of rest and some moments of joy. I am trying to visit new places this summer. This month, my wife and I went bowling at Timber Lanes Bowling Alley on Irving Park Road for the first time when four of our nephews visited us and ate lunch at the Waterfront Café on Sheridan Road for the first time with friends we haven’t seen in a while. Next week, I will be in Door County from July 27-31 visiting another set of new places. Rev. Elizabeth Harding, our Community Affiliated Minister, will be in town and available if you have a pastoral care need arise.

Each Sunday I am grateful for the community we have at UUCE. Grateful for the Sunday morning volunteers. Grateful for the Sunday morning guest leaders and staff. Grateful for each of you who shows up in this sacred space to share a bit of yourself, to share your joys and celebrations, to share your sorrows and hardships. 

If you are looking for ways to get more connected, here are several ideas for this summer:

• Stay after the Sunday worship service and sit down in the Continuing the Conversation Circle near the lobby doors at the back of the sanctuary. 
• Stop by our UU the Vote program table after the Sunday worship service to learn more about how to support voter engagement, maybe taking home a stack of postcards to write and mail.
• Log into our online Yoga group on Wednesdays from 9:30-10:30 am.
• Show up and join the Catalyst for Democracy Team members at the weekly Beacon for Democracy gathering on Thursdays from 6:00-6:30 pm at Dempster & Ridge.
• Save the Date for our Service of Remembrance at 9:00 am on August 30th and our Engagement Fair at 11:30 am on September 20th.

And, if you are feeling new to UUCE and wanting to learn more about our community, I invite you to attend one of the upcoming Journey Toward Membership classes to learn more about how to make a deeper connection within UUCE. 

Our hats are off to Chris Meyers and Lina Hilko, who imagined and then organized into existence our Continuing the Conversation Circle that happens at the back of the sanctuary after our Sunday worship service. The circle of chairs that is pulled together after the service is an informal, casual gathering space where new and long-time attendees are able to sit down, meet other congregants, and enjoy some time together.

In addition to Chris and Lina, we are thankful for Kera Beskin, Bex Blackmore, Michael Drennan, Elizabeth Kennedy, Carolyn Laughlin, Leslie Piotrowski, Peter Silverman, Patrick Thornton, and Carlos Waldron, who volunteered to be the first set of hosts for this additional way of building kinship among us. We are grateful for your presence each Sunday morning as you create an open and welcoming environment for anyone and everyone to join the circle.

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Friday, July 24th:

• NO EVENTS

Saturday, July 25th:

• Virtual Pilates, 9:30am, via Zoom

Sunday, July 26th:

• Chris Isley Cancer Support Group, 9-10:15am, Room 6 & Zoom
• Worship Service, 10:30-11:30am, Sanctuary
• Kinship Time, 11:30am-12:30pm, Back of the Sanctuary
• Etchen Covenant Group, 12-2pm, Room 2
• Parent's Covenant Group, 12:15-2:15pm, Room 6

Monday, July 27th:

• UUCE Addictions and Recovery, 6:45-7:45am, via Zoom

Tuesday, July 28th:

• Leadership Development Team Meeting, 6-7pm, via Zoom

Wednesday, July 29th:

• Yoga, 9:30-10:30am, via Google Meet
• Hope Covenant Group, 7-9pm, Room 2 ?

Thursday, July 30th:

• Evanston Near South Proximity Group, 1-2pm, via Zoom
• Meditation Group, 5:30-6:30pm, via Zoom
• Beacons of Light, 6-6:30pm, Dempster and Ridge

Rev. Eileen Wiviott is on sabbatical July - August 2026.

Light the Chalice and Bring the Chancel Flowers for our Sunday Morning Worship Service

Would you, your family, or your group enjoy bringing flowers for the chancel and then lighting and extinguishing the chalice during a Sunday morning worship service?

We’re in need of volunteers throughout July, August, and September. You may now sign up online by clicking this link, going to the Sunday that you would like to volunteer, and selecting the Flowers/Chalice spot. You may add a Comment indicating that you are bringing the flowers in honor of, in memory of, or in recognition of someone or something. You may also email Rev. Susan Frances at sfrances@ucevanston.org for assistance getting signed up on the Sunday morning schedule.

UUCE Camping October 16-18

Those interested in camping this fall are invited to give their feedback on which campground to go to. You can find a short survey here.

The UUCE Fiction Book Group is reading "Taiwan Travelogue" by Yang Shuang-zi, translated by Lin King. Winner of many prizes, including the international Booker prize for 2026, US National Book award for translated literature, and the highest prize in Taiwan. A young Japanese novelist comes to Taiwan to experience “real” island life. A friendship develops between her and her Taiwanese interpreter that is tested by separation.

Meeting Friday, August 21st at 7p.m. by ZOOM

The Nonfiction Book Group will discuss A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson on Sunday, July 26th. Join us at 2 p.m. using our recurring Zoom link. The book has been described by many readers as hilarious. Bryson describes his travels as a neophyte hiker learning hard lessons about self-reliance.  The Appalachian Trail is clearly portrayed as a magnificent place.

Readers can choose to experience the beauty and the humor in print, audio or cinematic format. A 2015 movie starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte is available through the public library.

Picnics in the Park August 2nd at noon

Family-Friendly Friendship Meals 

The next family-friendly event coming up:

Backyard Chillin' and Grillin' Barbeque on 08/29 for children 6 and up - sign up here

Social Action Project for National Underwear Day!

We’re joining Connections for the Homeless in collecting new, adult underwear this summer through August 5.

Drop off packaged underwear in the marked bin in the lobby.

UUCE Young Adult Group

Third Friday Faith Formation & Game Nights



The Young Adult Group at UUCE 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@ucevanston.org) with any questions.

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 something else) are shared equally between our operating budget and the current Shared Offering Program recipient.

This Sunday's offering will be shared with Zacharias Center, which works to mobilize the community toward ending systemic sexual violence while amplifying the voice of survivors through trauma-informed care, advocacy, and prevention education.

We need your help!

The Haitian Community Organization is having a Family Picnic on August 15th to keep their spirits up, as it is a tough time for the community.

At the picnic they will hand out backpacks filled with essential school supplies. Could you donate some new school supplies? There is a box in the lobby by the coat racks and we’ll be accepting donations there until August 13th.

Popular donations include:

Backpacks

Spiral notebooks and folders

pencils/pens/markers/colored pencils/highlighters

Erasers and glue sticks

Scissors

Pencil cases and sharpeners

Any donation of any size helps us get these kids what they need for school.

We also need a handful of volunteers to pack backpacks at UUCE on Friday, August 14th 10:30am-12:30 pm in Room 3.

If you want to volunteer to help with backpack packing--please send an email to Jeanne Kerl (address is in Realm).

Thanks so much for considering this!

Michigan VOTES!

Michigan votes in the mid-terms, and we want voters who share UU values to come out in droves!

Indivisible Evanston is sending half a million postcards to Michigan (and North Carolina) on Oct. 21, and you can be part of this impactful work.

Pick up a pack of 25 postcards at the program table any Sunday through September. Start writing the week of July 27th. Not at service? Reach out to Carolyn Laughlin in REALM.

LOVE RESISTS

ONGOING UU CONNECTIONS

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Evanston

1330 Ridge Ave. Evanston, IL 60201

847-864-1330