Becoming Real through the

Transforming Power of Love.

This Easter Sunday and Trans Day of Visibility, we celebrate the transformation of mind, body, spirit and the joy and possibility in becoming REAL. Rev. Eileen and Board Member, Forrest Marie Peters Linsell, lead the service with the choir, directed by Vickie Hellyer, and accompanied by Gregory Shifrin on piano, Sarah Bloethe on violin, Dale Griffin on trombone, and the UCE choir.



Our special fifth 5th Sunday offering will be given entirely to four organizations: Doctors without Borders, Med Global, Middle East Children’s Alliance, and World Central Kitchen.



Children and youth will remain in this morning’s worship service.

Child Dedication

Members of UCE are invited to dedicate their child(ren) in a ceremony on May 12th, Mother's Day. Children of any age can be dedicated. If you wish to have your child(ren) dedicated, contact Rev. Eileen by April 21st.

What is the UUA General Assembly and Why Are We Voting on Article 2?

Join members of the Denominational Affairs team on Monday, April 8th from 6:30-8:00 p.m. via zoom for a lively conversation about the 2024 UUA General Assembly and the proposed Article 2 revisions that will be debated and voted on in June.

The revisions present six values statements linked together by love (see graphic). These statements reflect the history of our 8 principles and the evolving nature of our faith. Click this link for April 8th zoom 

At this year’s UUA General Assembly, June 20-23, delegates from UCE and other UU congregations will be called to vote on revisions to Article 2 of the UUA Bylaws. Why is change important to our faith? How does the interconnectedness of all things make change so challenging? Where do you see interdependencies within the UCE community and the world at large? How does that impact our transformation to a truly beloved community?

What are your questions or ideas about the proposed values of Transformation and Interdependence, and the evolution from sources to Inspirations. 

Join us via zoom to discuss and debate the proposed revisions to Article 2.

The last session on the proposed revisions to Article 2 will focus on Pluralism and Freedom of Belief and will be held in-person at UCE on Sunday, May 17th from 12:00-1:30 pm in room 2. Read more about our UU values and these sessions here. Click the image below to watch a video on the GA.

5 Weeks to UCE's 2024 Rummage Sale! 

Now is the time to sign up to volunteer, gather donations and spread the word! It's a great way to make new friends

and get rid of stuff! Read on for details.

1^st Annual PEEPS Art Show!

Those who created dioramas can leave them on the counter by the storage room on the West wall near the kitchen before worship. Everyone can view the Peeps Show while waiting in line for the Easter potluck.



You can watch a tour of last year’s International Peeps Art Show at the Racine Art Museum here to give you some inspiration! You can also see this year’s exhibit at the museum March 21-April 13.

Easter Egg Hunt during Kinship Time

Families can gather at The Nest for instructions after worship. Children 1-5 years old will go first, and older children will go after the younger ones have had time to hunt for eggs. We will hunt outside on the South Lawn, weather permitting.

Young Adult (18-35yo) Meetup - April 5th

Our next adventure will be at Stay & Play Game Café. Come any time after 6:30pm for some games and Puerto Rican food.

TransParentsy – April 21 at 12:30pm



Parents and grandparents of trans individuals are invited to share their joys and sorrows in a safe space. If you need childcare, please contact Kathy Underwood by April 14.

UCE Passover Seder – April 26 at 5:30pm

All ages are invited to experience a family-friendly Seder to learn about this holy celebration of the Jewish faith. Mark your calendar now and look for more details soon!

UCE Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Resolution and Humanitarian

Aid Effort

An informal UCE task force is working toward a vote at the May 19 annual meeting on a congregational Israel-Gaza Ceasefire/Hostage Release Resolution, coupled with an effort to raise life-saving humanitarian aid. Information about Town Hall Meetings and how to contribute to humanitarian aid are below.



A Call to Action

Our principles as Unitarian Universalists call us to act, bear witness, and to urge our leaders to end the mass killing. We urge all UCE members and friends to take a moral stand on this tragic humanitarian crisis and contribute to the combined effort to end it, so that the long process of finding a permanent and just political and human rights solution can begin.

How to Contribute Food and Medical Aid

Please consider bringing your check books this Sunday, March 31. The entire morning collection will be split equally among four organizations, along with further donations made through UCE until Saturday, April 6, if clearly marked GAZA:

•             Doctors without Borders

•             MedGlobal

•             Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA)

•             World Central Kitchen

After April 6, please send contributions directly to one or more of these organizations. All receive Charity Navigator’s highest 4-Star rating, all gifts are tax deductible, and all are strongly involved in providing life-saving relief.

To build UCE community support, we ask contributors to please sign in at the Gaza Table if you have donated or plan to donate to Gaza aid to add your name to the dove poster in the sanctuary. We hope for strong participation to meet the urgency of this moment, and welcome donations of any amount. Consider, MECA provides food aid at 31 cents per meal, so a donation of $20 will feed a mother and two children for a week, while $310 will provide 1,000 meals for the 2.2 million people relying on humanitarian aid in the face of impending famine.

The UCE Ceasefire Resolution

Copies of the Resolution will be available at the back of the Sanctuary after the service beginning on March 31, and you can read it online at this link. There is a list of articles and sources that have informed the Resolution, which we hope you will read, linked at the end of the Resolution itself and available at this link. We hope you will join us for any of four Town Hall meetings to discuss UCE’s Ceasefire Resolution, to listen to your input, learn more, and help make the Resolution happen.

·        Sunday, April 7 at 11:45 a.m., in-person after the service;

·        Wednesday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom at this link;

·        Saturday, April 13 at 4:00 p.m. on Zoom at this link;

·        Monday, April 15 at 6:00 p.m. at UCE.

Please direct questions about the fundraising effort to Tom Ticknor (tticknor at aol dot com). For questions about the Resolution, please try to attend one of the four Town Hall meetings.

UCE LOCAL RESPONSE NETWORK

I WANT to do more social justice work!! (But, I don’t have much time, and there are so many issues!)

The UCE Local Response Network could be for you!

The Local Response Network (LRN) enables members of the UCE community to take immediate, short-term action on a range of local social justice issues. 

LRN alerts invite volunteers to engage in opportunities across multiple issues affecting our local community. Marching for abortion rights, attending a cease fire vigil, or speaking at a council meeting to support tenant rights might be examples. There is NO obligation to say “yes” to any particular invitation, and no long-term commitment. Joining LRN offers total flexibility, fits any personal schedule, and enables UCE members to take quick, short-term action right in our own community. 

Whether you are already a member of a UCE social justice team or not, the Local Response Network may be right for you. To learn more or sign up, reach out to Carolyn Laughlin through REALM, or contact Rev. Susan at sfrances@ucevanston.org.

Grant Applications for Community Partners Due March 31

Applications for the Endowment Fund Community Partners are due March 31, 2024. Submissions must be made by a team or group within UCE, so if you are engaged with an organization that has at least a three-year relationship with UCE, please talk with your social justice team about applying. If you have questions, please contact Rev. Susan Frances at sfrances@ucevanston.org. 

UCE Is Defending Democracy!

Our campaign to protect democracy and champion our UU values has exploded with energy, and commitment!  

Join our postcarding team, reach out to registered voters who often face restrictions, and ensure voter knowledge and access. "Postcarding" is easy and convenient. The UCE UUtheVote team provides the postcards, addresses, recommended script & contact information labels for you to apply. You'll complete the postcards as instructed, add stamps & drop them in the mail at the recommended time.

Pick up a bundle of postcards at the back of the sanctuary this Sunday, March 31. Greg Grabowski, UCE Postcard Lead, at [gregwgrabowski at gmail dot com] or 847-772-0766 will keep the table filled!

Want more action? Come register voters in Milwaukee! Training, support, and carpooling is included. Folks in line at their DMV are receptive to completing the quick and easy form. Our efforts reduce barriers and boost voter participation. Wisconsin is key in 2024, many potential voters are NOT registered, and UCE will be a positive force here. Reach out to Shirley Adams, UCE Wisconsin Voter Registration Lead, at [shirley at comeoutdancing dot com] for more information.

Read on to learn more about postcard writing and Milwaukee voter registration.

Wisconsin Voter Registration Training

Get trained to register voters in Wisconsin. Required training is via Zoom and lasts about one hour. Upcoming training sessions.  

- Wednesday, April 3 at 7:00 PM OR 

- Tuesday, April 9 at 1:30 PM

To register, email Laura Kushner with the Milwaukee Voter Project at laurakushnerx2 at gmail dot com.

You only need to attend one. The trainings are one hour, on zoom, and presented by the Milwaukee Voter Project. If you have questions, please contact Shirley Adams at shirley at comeoutdancing dot com.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE

FOR MORE

DETAILS!

Evanston Environmental Justice Conversation Series

April 13, 2024, 1:00 - 3:00 pm CST

Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center

1655 Foster, Evanston

Centering the voices of leading Chicagoland and environmental justice advocates, the Evanston Environmental Justice Conversation Series provides a biannual forum fostering rich conversations between community members, environmental justice advocates, and civic, religious, and academic leaders from the Evanston community and beyond. The Series focuses on local and national issues shaping the contemporary struggle for environmental justice. It is made possible through a partnership between the Center for the Church and the Black Experience and the Stead Center for Ethics and Values at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary and the Evanston/ North Shore branch of the NAACP.

The keynote speaker will be Cheryl Johnson, Executive Director of People for Community Recovery (PCR) in Chicago. PCR aims to promote healthy communities by addressing climate and environmental impacts through projects based on community priorities. Ms. Johnson will be followed by an intergenerational panel with Janet Alexander Davis, Co-chair Environmental Justice Evanston of Climate Action Evanston, Isabel Bernal, High School Student from Evanston Cradle to Career, and Nicole Hoskins, Assistant Professor at the University of Scranton and Garrett Scholar-In-Residence



For more information, contact Mary Beth Roth, in Realm.