Dedicating Ourselves to Care

Part of our Unitarian Universalist theology and tradition, is to dedicate ourselves as a community to the spiritual formation of people of all ages, and especially to the children among us.

Together, we dedicate ourselves to helping our children grow into people living our shared values. This Sunday, we will dedicate our congregation to one of our youngest and one who is crossing the threshold from adolescence into young adulthood. Rev. Eileen leads the service with Carla Williams as worship associate. The UCE choir, led by Director of Music, Vickie Hellyer, and accompanied by Gregory Shifrin on the piano.

Chalice Children (pre/k) will go to their faith formation programs after joys and sorrows. All others will stay for our Bridging Ceremony.

Mark your calendars for this annual gathering on UCE's South lawn. We have fun activities planned for all ages, including games and decorating for the Evanston Pride car parade!

Bring a blanket or chair, and a dish to share!

UCE is providing the protein with meat and vegan options.

Did you hear?...The 2024 UCE Rummage Sale netted a little over $22,500!

We wouldn’t have been so successful if it were not for those who contributed as donors, volunteer workers, bakers, soup makers and shoppers.

A BIG THANK YOU to all who helped out in one (or more) of these ways! Likewise, a big thank you to UCE staff for their support and extra effort. We couldn’t have done it without ALL of you!

We even got mentioned in the Evanston RoundTable! Check out the article here.

Family Friday Gardening Friday May 17 –Come one, come all to our upcoming Fun Friday Family Garden event! It's a wonderful opportunity for all ages to come together, roll up their sleeves, and dive into the joys of gardening while strengthening our UCE community.

Our Gardening Team will be leading the charge as we work together to enhance the grounds. Whether you're a seasoned green thumb or just getting started, there's something for everyone to contribute as we nurture our shared space.

But the fun doesn't stop there! If you'd like, bring along a picnic supper and a blanket to enjoy on the lawn from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. It's the perfect way to fuel up before our gardening adventures begin.

And of course, what's hard work without a sweet reward? We'll cap off the evening with a cool treat to celebrate our accomplishments. So mark your calendars and join us for an evening of gardening and community building. 



Register HERE.

Come one, come all to the 2024 Annual Community Plant Swap!

Date: Saturday, May 18 

Time: 1-3 pm 

Location: UCE Parking Lot 

Bring your green treasures – plants, seedlings, divisions – and swap them with fellow garden lovers. It's a chance to share, learn, and grow together. Come with something you have, leave with something you want to grow! Let's unite to nurture Mother Earth and our community. See you there! For more information and pre-swaps, visit the garden.org event page. 

The UCE Endowment Committee is pleased to announce that a total of $33,380 is available for Community Project grants for the coming church year (starting July 1). Grant application forms are available HERE on the Endowment Fund page of the UCE web site.

The next deadline for grant application submissions is May 31st. Additional grant application submission deadlines are October 31, 2024 and January 31, 2025 if funds remain available.

For more information, contact Bob Seyfried, Endowment Committee Chair.

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

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 Pluralism and Freedom of Belief. Join us in room 2 to discuss and debate the proposed revisions to Article 2.

Read more about our UU values and these sessions.

Click the image below to watch a video on the GA.

Young Adult Nature Walk – May 11 at 11:30am – Skokie Lagoons – meet at the parking lot on Willow Rd., West of the lagoons and East of I94!

Youth Eco-Ambassador Program application is live on the Faith in Place website! Students get paid like a summer job to participate at $135 per week for five weeks starting in July! Applications are due by May 15^th. APPLY HERE.

Beach Day – June 9, 12:30-3:30pm at Lighthouse Beach

Bring a picnic lunch and grab your towel for an afternoon of sun and sand!

Beach passes are required and can be obtained online at the Yodel Portal or in-person at the Dempster St. Beach Office or Clark St. Beach Office.

Watch Gathering for Israeli-Palestinian

Joint Memorial Day Ceremony

Join with UCE members and friends on May 12, 2024, at 12:30 pm in Room 6 to watch the livestream of the 19^th annual joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony organized by Combatants for Peace and The Parents Circle - Families Forum. The ceremony occurs yearly on the eve of Yom Hazikaron (Israeli Memorial Day). This year, the ceremony will center around the stories of children. What will be the future of the next generation? How can we bring hope amidst so much tragedy?

Preparing to Vote on May 19:

You Are Invited Into Conversation.

At our May 19 Annual Congregational Meeting we will elect congregational leaders, vote on the proposed 2024-2025 Operating Budget, and consider a resolution titled The Unitarian Church of Evanston Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Resolution. A UCE working group has submitted the resolution for vote by the membership and links to the resolution and resources are provided here and below. Per our Bylaws passage of Statements of Advocacy require a two-thirds vote of the members present at the meeting where twenty percent of the total number of eligible voting members shall constitute a quorum. If passed, public reporting of the resolution shall state either the actual numbers or the percentages of the vote supporting and opposing the resolution.

Statements of Advocacy are significant decisions by a congregation. And I am calling on members to participate in conversations about the resolution. I especially call on those members in leadership positions on the Board, Councils and Committees to engage in review and discernment of the process and the resolution to be as informed as possible about this important vote. To support congregational conversation and engagement, two zoom sessions are being hosted for participation by all members of the congregation. One session was last week and the final date is May 14th at 7 pm. The zoom link is provided here.

UCE Ceasefire Resolution FAQs

The Ceasefire working group appreciates the participation by many of you in the four Town Hall meetings, and we have incorporated your suggestions with thanks and gratitude. The Board of Trustees has called for two additional Zoom meetings, and we look forward to more thoughtful comments and questions from the congregation. Here are responses to a few frequently-asked questions about the resolution:



What difference will this make?

The Ceasefire Resolution is a matter of conscience, an opportunity to bear witness and take action in an effort to end the siege and the famine in Gaza. Although we cannot know whether our small voice will make an impact on policy, we believe as Unitarian Universalists that we have a moral duty to speak out. We make the statement at the request of Palestinians and peace activists in the Chicago area and around the world who have asked people of conscience to speak out. We also hope to provide an example of local leadership to groups that might consider issuing similar statements. UCE has historically shown moral courage, in our early support for Open Housing, our vocal opposition to the Vietnam War, support for Marriage Equality, and in our recent support for Black Lives Matter and the Evanston Reparations Movement.

UCE’s spring postcard work has been great!

We have committed to an average of 500 postcards every week over the last 7 weeks!

Reminder:

• Virginia postcards- Mail these starting now, and be sure they are postmarked no later than June 3rd.

Join us for the inaugural Interfaith Family Pride Festival in Evanston!

Save the date for the Interfaith Family Pride Festival, a joyous celebration of Pride month for families on June 2, 2024, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Raymond Park in Evanston, IL. Organized by 15 diverse faith communities, this event will honor LGBTQ+ families, while recognizing the importance of repairing relationships and building bridges between faith communities and the LGBTQ+ community.

This family-friendly festival will feature captivating performances by renowned artists including Flamy Grant, Artemis Singers, and The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus, along with engaging activities for children. Additionally, don't miss the inspiring Youth Showcase, highlighting the talents and voices of our younger generation. All are welcome to an afternoon filled with love, acceptance, and celebration of diversity.

For more information, visit the Facebook Event page. 

Blues Dancing in the Sanctuary?

What a great idea! 

Friday August 2 2024.

~Put on your dancing shoes or come and tap your feet to great blues tunes by the MO Blues Band.

~Bring friends and BYOB!

~Listen to one of the band's tunes HERE.

This is an auction offering from Alicia Hempfling and Shirley Adams and Martha Holman.