Nurturing the Human Spirit for a World Made Whole |
|
In-Person & Virtual Worship Service
this Sunday, March 27th at 10:15 am
|
|
Faith in Meaning
We are meaning making people, and we make meaning in our lives out of the stories we share. But what is meaning making when our stories are so subjective and there is little to no agreement about what is true? How do we create meaningful lives without being attached to any one meaning or single story? Rev. Eileen Wiviott leads the service and Marianne Griebler is our Worship Associate.
|
|
|
|
Faith Formation Hour for All Ages (11:35 am-12:30 pm) Following Kinship Time: New Member Reception in the back of the sanctuary (11:15-11:35 am) |
|
-
Chair Yoga – Room 3 and Zoom. Click here to join.
-
World Peace Meditation/Prayer with Renee Gatsis: Room 6 and Zoom. One’s vibration has a powerful effect on others. We’ve all experienced how someone with a sunny disposition can enter a room and shift the energy or conversely how someone with much anger can do the same. Your energy/vibration is powerful; and when we come together in peace and love, we can have a profound effect. Synergy is truly awesome. We are going to create a state of being from a place of love, comfort, ease and grace. This state of love and peace is beneficial to us, all that is around us and to the world. And we can direct it effortlessly wherever we want: To Chicago’s gang torn south and west sides; To Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria; To Ukraine…Possibilities are endless! Click here to join on Zoom.
-
Sacred Space Tour - Begins by the pulpit
-
Nursery (ages 0-3) – Room 11
|
|
From Rev. Susan Frances, Assistant Minister for Congregational Life |
Dear Friends,
You are invited to our New Member Reception in the sanctuary this Sunday after the worship service!
We are welcoming 9 new members during our service this Sunday. Plus, the 29 members who joined us since our building closed in March 2020 will be part of the New Member Reception. It will be a time for introductions and connecting. I hope you join us!
|
|
|
Mother's Day Child Dedications at UCE |
|
If you have a child or children you would like to be dedicated to our UCE community on Mother's Day (regardless of the child's age), please contact Rev. Eileen at ewiviott@ucevanston.org.
|
|
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)
responds to the war in Ukraine
|
|
The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee responds to the war in Ukraine and demands an end to the bloodshed. Follow the link below to their response and for ways to help the Ukrainian people. |
|
We Need Your Input On Our New ENDS Statement! |
Our Ends Statements are a map of where we hope to be in 5 years. They are a vision of who we want to become. These statements have been created with your input and we need your continued feedback to get them ready for the whole congregation to vote on at our annual meeting, May 15th.
This is the proposed draft of our Congregational Ends, offered by the Board of Trustees and Ministers:
We welcome, affirm, and promote the worth and dignity of people of all ages, abilities, backgrounds, cultures, and identities in our physical and virtual spaces as we practice Beloved Community.
We support the spiritual growth and well-being of our congregational community, cultivating gratitude, joy, wonder, and an openness to personal and relational transformation as we strive to build a better world.
We bravely and lovingly engage in conversations that challenge us to explore our personal, congregational, and community history, and commit to anti-racism and anti-oppression with honesty, humility, and accountability.
We engage in our interconnected world, form diverse connections in the community, and act for peace, social, environmental, and economic justice, within, among, and beyond our congregation.
Please join us at one of these times to offer your perspective on these statements:
-
Wednesday, March 30th at 7pm (on Zoom)
-
Sunday, April 3rd at 11:35 for Faith Formation Hour (in person and on Zoom)
-
Tuesday, April 5th at noon (on Zoom)
-
Saturday, April 16th at noon (on Zoom and in person)
|
|
|
Hats Off to Michael Drennan, Greg Grabowski,
Dale Griffin, and Michael Skilton!
|
|
Hats Off to Michael Drennan, Greg Grabowski, Dale Griffin and Michael Skilton for coming to the rescue Tuesday working to clear our furnace room and adjacent storage room. The air conditioning installation begins this week and we needed space.
These four guys sifted through many years of accumulated items from small screws to carpet squares and lighting fixtures. The storage room was overflowing. What an amazing site it was when they finished two hours later! They even carried the garbage and recycling to the refuse area outside and left the space in clean order.
It means so much to the staff to depend on reliable, thoughtful, eager and well organized volunteers who love UCE and our building and were willing to give up their time to help. You all are so appreciated. Thank you.
|
|
Thank you to our Soup Kitchen Volunteers! |
|
 |
UCE Building Availability -
The UCE Office Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10am-5pm
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.
|
Wednesday Zoom Gatherings Continue on 2nd & 4th Wednesdays at 5:30 pm via Zoom.
The Next Worship Planning Playdate is Saturday, April 9. More info below.
The Rosemary Zwick Afternoon of the Arts is Saturday, April 9 at 3-5 pm. More info below.
UCE Earth Day Celebration is Friday, April 22 at 7 pm at UCE.
Emma's Revolution Concert is Saturday, April 30 at 7 pm at UCE.
UCE's Rummage Sale is May 20-21! More info below!
|
|
|
|
This Week's Events & Links |
Saturday, March 26
-
Virtual Pilates at 9:30 am on Zoom. Email Janelle Brittain to join.
- Tai Chi at 9:45 am & 11 am at Room 3 at UCE.
Sunday, March 27
-
Chris Isely Cancer Support Group at 8:45 am in Room 6 and via Zoom. Contact Renee Hoff for the Zoom link.
-
Worship Service at 10:15 am - Sanctuary & Youtube Livestream. Click here to join.
- Kinship Time: New Member Reception at 11:15-11:35 am - back of the sanctuary
- Faith Formation Hour this Sunday (look for links in Friday's Newsletter):
-
Chair Yoga - Room 3 & Zoom. Join on Zoom.
-
World Peace Meditation/Prayer - Room 6 & Zoom. Join on Zoom.
- More activities listed above.
Monday, March 28
Tuesday, March 29
Wednesday, March 30
Thursday, March 31
-
Meditation Group at 5:30 pm via Zoom. Email Lisa Solomon for the link.
|
|
|
|
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!
|
|
Congregational Connections |
|
In-Person Zoom Training - April 3 during Faith Formation Hour |
|
Do you want to learn more about using Zoom? Join Adam Gough on April 3 during Faith Formation Hour (11:35-12:30) for some helpful tips and tricks. Adam will share ways to use closed captioning and other exciting features of Zoom. Bring any and all questions to this learning session. |
|
Upcoming Worship Planning Playdate - April 9 |
|
Our next Worship Planning Playdate is coming up April 9th from 9 am - Noon in the UCE Sanctuary. All are welcome if you are interested in helping to shape the upcoming worship services. Registration is not required to attend but will help us in planning.
|
|
|
The Rosemary Zwick Night Afternoon of the Arts
|
|
Reviving a tradition started by artist and UCE member Rosemary Zwick, The Rosemary Zwick Night
Afternoon of the Arts will be Saturday, April 9 from 3:00-5:00 pm. The sanctuary will be filled with people of all ages enjoying a variety of art projects.
If you’re interested in hosting an art station or helping in other ways, contact Karena Nelson at karenaknelson@gmail.com….Don’t worry if you don’t know the project you’d offer--we can help with that!
|
|
2022 UCE Rummage Sale Update |
|
When is the Rummage Sale?
-
Friday, 5/20/22 from 9 am - 6 pm
-
Saturday, 5/21/22 from 9 am - 1 pm
What is the format? How will it be different from previous sales?
Rummage sale veterans told the planning group that, although they loved the sense of community surrounding their volunteering in years past, the workload has become too burdensome. The new rummage format is a streamlined version of the way we used to do it. The sale categories have been narrowed down to those yielding the highest sales and the sale will be inside the building (first floor only/no basement sales.)
Our theme this year is “share the work”
This means that we are all joining in as a congregation to make this the most successful, easy to manage and interactive event as possible as we transition from the traditional sale to this new, condensed version...
|
|
Emma's Revolution Concert at UCE - Saturday, April 30 |
|
|
|
UCE is excited to host Emma's Revolution CD Release Concert In-Person & Livestreamed on Saturday April 30th at 7pm! Tickets can be purchased on their website. Be sure to scroll down to the April 30th date. This is a special evening of music and an important fundraiser for UCE. Please plan to join us.
|
|
Help Grow Food for the Hungry |
|
Volunteers needed for planting session at the UCE Cahill Food Pantry Garden May 14th, 10 am - 12 pm
Join an intergenerational social justice effort in the garden! Last year UCE gardening at John J. Cahill, Inc. (on Church St.) resulted in almost 300 pounds of produce donations to Edible Evanston (for Harvest Pantry and Hillside Pantry). Be a part of the experience this season starting with a planting session Saturday May 14, 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Young gardeners with adult supervision also welcome. Help later in the season with cultivating, weeding and harvesting is also needed. Please contact Dale Griffin or Barbara Butz to register or express interest for later. Thanks!
|
|
Endowment Funding 2022-2023 |
|
It’s that time. UCE committee and group leaders and UCE community organization members should begin work on Endowment Fund applications for FY 2022-23, beginning July 1. The first deadline for proposals is May 31 when applications for the next fiscal year will be reviewed and recommended to the Board of Trustees for funding.
-
Read instructions and fill out an application.
- Purposes for use of endowment funds are listed in application instructions.
- Funds should be spent within the fiscal year awarded unless the application includes a specified timeline.
- One contact person should be named in the application. That contact person has the responsibility of communicating with their committee members about the application
-
If considering a grant which benefits a community organization, read the qualifications and additional instructions.
Applications submitted during April and early May will receive a preliminary review by the Endowment Committee. This ensures that the application is filled out completely and correctly and questions from the committee are answered. Be creative. The Endowment Fund is a resource and a means to fulfill UCE’s Whole Mission. Questions: Contact Trustees Margaret Schatz, chair; Tom Hempfling; and Bill Hartgering.
|
|
13 States Participate in Regional Assembly.
Can You Name Them?
|
|
The MidAmerica Region of the Unitarian Universalist Association includes nearly 200 UU congregations and lIke UUA, provides numerous services and support to UU congregations. These services include relationship building, leadership development, faith formation, cultural competence, and support for dismantling systemic white supremacy culture, as well as coaching in stewardship and conflict transformation.
Regional Assembly is MidAmerica’s annual gathering and will happen virtually on April 30. The keynote speaker is CB Beal - if you have participated in the Beloved Conversations program in the last few years, you know CB! In addition to the keynote, we will hold worship, the Annual Business Meeting, and there will also be time for break out rooms for connection and conversation.
Looking to connect with other UCE members attending Regional Assembly? Send an email to a member of the Denominational Affairs Committee: Shirley Adams, Lee Bannor, Peggy Boccard, Melanie Kitchner, Cheryl Mounts, Betty Walker or Carla Williams.
|
|
Come to General Assembly 2022!! |
|
Friends, now is your opportunity to join thousands of other UUs at the annual General Assembly! The steps are easy. For information about GA, go here. At that GA website you’ll find links to everything you’d want to know. But for what you need right now:
|
|
2) Sign up for Housing. If you’d like to take advantage of the special offers assigned to UUA GA participants, go to the sign-up page to select your hotel and room.
|
|
Call for UCE Delegates to the UUA General Assembly |
|
Now is your opportunity to join thousands of UUs, both in-person or virtually, at the 2022 UUA General Assembly (GA). UCE is looking for members interested in serving as delegates. Whether attending in-person or virtually your participation supports your personal development and our congregation’s growth and development, which in turn supports our mission to nurture the human spirit for a world made whole.
Delegates are asked to commitment to the following:
-
Study: https://www.uua.org/ga/congregations/delegates
- Read and review the proposed issues for the assembly
- Attend Preparing for General Assembly workshop(s) about planned issues to discuss and understand the congregation’s response/concerns
- Attend plenary sessions (business meetings) at assembly and vote as appropriate
- Contribute to a consolidated report back to the Board and congregation after the assembly (major vote results, new resolutions, significant theme messages)
Funds Available for Delegates and Non-Delegates Attending General Assembly
|
|
UUA Study of our Principles and Sources Seeks Your Input |
|
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has commissioned a study of Article II of the UUA Bylaws. Article II is comprised of our Principles and Purposes and is the foundation for the work of our Unitarian Universalist (UU) movement. It encompasses the covenant to which all of our UU congregations and UU covenanted communities pledge themselves when they become members of our UUA. |
|
Have you heard the buzz about a reparations vote at our congregational meeting in May? At UCE’s annual meeting members will have a chance to vote on a resolution supporting reparations at the national and local level, and how UCE can support these programs and make further inroads against racism and promoting racial healing. We welcome your feedback on the planned motion for our May congregational meeting.
Please join us at one of the following congregation wide conversations with a short presentation followed by open discussion:
-
April 10, 2022, Town Hall from 1:15-2:15 pm, via Zoom. Join here on Zoom.
-
April 15, 2022, Discussion with the Board from 6:00-7:00 pm, via Zoom. Join here on Zoom.
-
April 27, 2022, Wednesday Gathering from 5:30-6:30 pm, via Zoom. Join here on Zoom.
-
May 1, 2022, Faith Formation Hour from 11:35 am – 12:35 pm, in-person and via Zoom. Join here on Zoom.
You may also plan to have your covenant group or small group discuss Reparations when you meet in April or May. If you would like to talk with someone from Team 8th one-on-one to understand more, please contact Gretchen Brewster through REALM or at admin@ucevanston.org.
|
|
UUtheVote Launch on April 10, 2022 |
|
This year UCE’s UUtheVote team has a 40,000 Points of Love initiative that we will live into through our partnerships with the UUA Side With Love Organizing Strategy Team, Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of Illinois (UUANI), Reclaim Our Vote (ROV), and local non-partisan non-profits organizing around getting out the vote and voting our values!
Shirley Adams is our lead organizer. We will be engaging in the following 4 areas:
- Get Out The Vote (postcard and letter writing from home or in small groups), led by Carolyn Laughlin.
- Voter Registration (in-person at various locations).
- Advocacy/Education Virtual (phone banking or text banking).
- Values Conversations (in-person at community locations or door-to-door).
|
|
Taproot: A National UU BIPOC Space |
|
The work of spiritual community is complicated in the 21st century. From busy schedules to the ever-pressing tension brought on by systemic injustice, the need for faithful leadership that is grounded and resilient is imperative. This is all the more true for leaders within our congregations who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPoC). BIPoC Leaders rooted in Unitarian Universalist congregations are invited to take part in a monthly virtual gathering as we explore these pillars in creating means by which to ground ourselves in resilient communities of care:
- Rest & Renewal
- Analysis Building
- Leadership Development
Dates: April 14, and May 12, 2022.
Time: 7 PM CT
This space is explicitly for people identifying as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPoC).
|
|
What's Happening in Faith Formation? |
|
Faith Formation Hour this Sunday at 11:35 am…
Due to Spring Break and low volunteer availability, Heads, Hearts, and Hands (K-6th grades) will not meet during worship. Nursery care will be available for ages 0-4 in room 11 from 10 am-12:30 pm.
All-Ages are invited to participate in one of these programs:
-
Chair Yoga in room 3 & Zoom
-
Meditation/Prayer in room 6 & Zoom
We continue our new monthly theme, Renewing Faith! Families can explore this in their own timeframe in the Soulful Home packet.
...and beyond!
Afternoon of the Arts – April 9, 3-5 pm: All ages are invited for an afternoon of art and fun! Come make a fairy house, collage, air-dry clay, recycled bicycle-part jewelry, paper quilts, and more!
March 29 at 7 pm on Zoom: "What are Prisons For?" with Dr. Caleb Smith, Professor of English and American Studies at Yale. He is an expert on the cultural history of discipline and punishment in the United States. Register here.
Youth Group Gathering at Busse Woods - Saturday, April 23, 2022
3:00 pm -7:30 pm (Times are still tentative). Come with your peers and spend an afternoon with UU teens from Elgin, Geneva, Hinsdale, Naperville and Palatine.
Earth Day Justice Fair – April 24 during Faith Formation Hour
We’ll be making lunch bags for Connections for the Homeless using earth-friendly sandwich bags. There will also be many family-friendly activities facilitated by the Green Team.
Listening Circles in May – Rev. Eileen and Kathy Underwood want to hear from you! As we near the end of this experimental church year, we want to hear what your experience with faith formation hour has been for you and how we can make it better for next year. Please join us for one of these gatherings:
May 1 at 11:35 am at UCE
May 4 at 7 pm on Zoom
May 10 at 7 pm on Zoom
May 14 at 10 am at UCE
|
|
UCE Nonfiction Book Group |
|
The nonfiction book group will meet via Zoom at 2 pm on Sunday, March 27th to discuss The Devil You Know: A Black Power Manifesto by NY Times opinion columnist Charles M. Blow.
The central question of the book is "What could and should Black people do to acquire and maintain the economic and political power — for the many, not just for the few — that the Great Migration failed to secure?” Join us to consider the author's answer to the question.
|
|
|
"What are Prisons For?" with Dr. Caleb Smith |
|
Dr. Caleb Smith is Professor of English and American Studies at Yale. He is an expert on the cultural history of discipline and punishment in the United States. His books include:
-
The Prison and the American Imagination, Yale U.P. 2009 traces a genealogy of the penitentiary system from its origins in enlightenment reforms to the prison industrial complex;
-
The Life and the Adventures of a Haunted Convict, Random House, 2016, authenticated and edited Austin Reed’s 1858 manuscript, the first known prison memoir by an African American writer;
-
The Oracle and the Curse: A Poetics of Justice from the Revolution to the Civil War, Harvard UP, 2013.
|
|
Registration Open for this summer's
Chalice Sparx Family Camp & Retreat for UU Families
|
|
Registration for this summer’s Chalice Sparx Family Camp & Retreat for Unitarian Universalist families is now open. Join us July 8-10 in Cassopolis, Michigan for an amazing all-ages experience at lovely Camp Friedenswald in southwestern Michigan -- only 90 miles from Chicago. As an intentional UU covenanted community, we are especially welcoming to Trans children, youth and their families.
We are a non-profit organization run by Unitarian Universalist religious educators, ministers, and lay persons from all over the Midwest.
|
|
Unitarian Church of Evanston
1330 Ridge Ave. Evanston, IL 60201
847-864-1330
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
