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

Sunday Service

August 2, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. 

Dreamers

“Their heads were always in the stars.” This could be said of Joseph from the Biblical book of Genesis and Luke Skywalker of Star Wars. Their hero journeys have much to teach us about where we come from and why we might be here. Rev. Jules Taylor is our Worship Leader with Mary Dudek as Worship Associate. Gregory Shifrin is our pianist.

Rev. Jules Taylor is a Unitarian Universalist community minister specializing in critical incident response, community crisis, and pastoral care. Jules is the Senior Director of Contextual Ministry and an affiliate professor at Meadville Lombard Theological School. In addition, Jules serves as a chaplain (Major) in the New York Air National Guard, responder with the UU Trauma Response Ministry, and is a certified divorce coach.

This Sunday…

Children and youth will remain in the worship service.

Childcare (0-3 years) is available in room 11 from 10:15a - 12:15p. 

Phineas and Ferb Phartsy Fun Resumes August 9

Widening the Circle

by Kathy Underwood

It’s hard to believe that summer is more than half over for those who go by the school calendar. I prefer to go with the technical date of August 7, which is the halfway point between the summer solstice and the fall equinox. Time seems to go faster as I get older. As of this writing, I mark seven years at UUCE and 30 years as a religious educator. So much has changed in our congregation and in the larger world in that time!

At this time of year, I anticipate all the excitement in the coming church year – worship, potlucks, the Engagement Fair, game nights, campfires, and of course, faith formation! There is so much happening at UUCE all year, but fall has a special energy with it.

Our hats are off to our very dedicated Kitchen Attendants, who are often the last to leave on Sunday mornings. Thank you to Kaz Ayukawa, Bonnie Bean, Kera Beskin, Bex Blackmore, Sarah Bloethe, Janelle Brittain, Tom Carlton, Topher Carrington, Becky Crawford, Cathy Deamant, Bonnie Dohogne, Anne Figert, Renée Gatsis, Robb Geiger, Betsy Godwin, Meredith Haydon, Judy Holman, Erlene Howard, Dan Lawrence, Carolyn McMurray, Carol Nielsen, Mary Beth Roth, Debbie Schaaf, Steve Serikaku, Margaret Shaklee, Michael Skilton, Hòa Voscott, Carlos Waldron, and Chris Yoo for providing our food and beverages during Kinship Time and then staying to clean up. Please help them care for you by taking all used dishes back to the café area and placing them in one of the grey dish bins.

We are also grateful for Barbara Badr, Jeanie McCullough, and Kathy Talmage who coordinate our Sunday mornings as Kitchen Staff!

Thank you all for caring for our congregation!

Newsletter Information

• To submit Newsletter requests please use our Google Form found HERE to submit your articles and images. The deadline is Noon on Wednesdays.

• 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!

Friday, July 31st:

• NO EVENTS

Saturday, August 1st:

• Virtual Pilates, 9:30am, via Zoom
• Beginner Tai Chi, 9:45-10:45am, Sanctuary
• Intermediate Tai Chi, 11am-12pm, Sanctuary

Sunday, August 2nd:

• 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
• Herried Covenant Group, 3:30-4:30pm, via Zoom
• Jazz For Food Aid, 6-9pm, Sanctuary
• Nominating Committee Meeting, 7-8:30pm, via Zoom

Monday, August 3rd:

• UUCE Addictions and Recovery, 6:45-7:45am, via Zoom
• Durkin Covenant Group, 7-9pm, via Zoom
• Monday Night Covenant Group, 7-9pm, via Zoom

Tuesday, August 4th:

• Membership Team Meeting,12:30-1:30 pm, via Zoom
• Executive Committee, 5:00-5:45pm, via Zoom
• Caregiver Support Group, 7-8:30pm, via Zoom
• First Women's Circle, 7-8pm, via Zoom

Wednesday, August 5th:

• Yoga, 9:30-10:30am, via Google Meet
• Music Team, 4-5pm, via Zoom
• Congregational Connections Team, 7-8pm, via Zoom

Thursday, August 6th:

• 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.

Be a part of our growing community!

Join our mission “to nurture a vibrant and inclusive community that engages

and anchors all ages in our UU faith”.

We’re looking for 20 adults who can help 5-6 times this year

in our faith formation program for young people and youth.

Attend our Volunteer Orientation on August 22 or 

email Kathy Underwood for more details.

UUCE’s Catalyst for Democracy team invites our congregation to join with other Chicagoland UU congregations and UUANI as we Side with Love by joining the National March into Marquette Park, Sat, 8/1/26.  We will be carpooling from UUCE at 8 AM.  Contact Mary Dudek (see REALM) for more details or sign up at https://www.fierceurgency.now/

 Attend a Journey Toward Membership Class

We will be welcoming new members during the worship service on September 27th. If you are interested in joining at that time, please make sure to register for one of the upcoming Journey Toward Membership classes. You only have to attend the class once.

Our Journey Toward Membership class is a 90-minute class that explores our UU identity, what it means to be part of a covenantal faith tradition, and the rewards and responsibilities of membership. To register, please click the link on the date and time that works for you:

• Sunday, August 16, from 9:00-10:20 am in Room 12.
• Thursday, August 27, from 7:00-8:30 pm in Room 3.
• Sunday, September 6, from 9:00-10:20 am in Room 12.
• Wednesday, September 9, from 6:30-8:00 pm via zoom.
• Tuesday, September 15, from 6:30-8:00 pm via zoom.

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

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 meet Sunday, August 23rd at 2 p.m. using our recurring Zoom link. Join us as we consider the books we will discuss in the coming months. If you have books to recommend, please send titles and authors to Jackie Seaman via her email listed in Realm. We will not discuss a book at our meeting on August 23rd.

Reminder: our group meets on Zoom on the fourth Sunday afternoon of each month.

Picnics in the Park Sunday, 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

Last Week for National Underwear Day!

We’re joining Connections for the Homeless in collecting new, adult underwear this summer through August 2.

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 Mother and Child Alliance, whose mission is to strengthen the safety net for pregnant persons before and after delivery, to prevent HIV transmission and other serious infections in newborns, and to address the disparate prenatal and postpartum systems of care in Illinois and across the U.S.

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. Illinois is holding a 10-day back-to-school sales tax holiday from August 7 through August 16. During this period, the state sales tax on qualifying school supplies is reduced from 6.25% to 1.25%.

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. 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