Our new Ministerial Intern, Emma Farrell, will be introduced this Sunday, September 8th during service.

Please join Emma for one of these two Meet-the-Intern opportunities:

• September 17^th at 7pm on Zoom
• September 22^nd (Sunday) after our Evacuation Drill at about 12:15 in Room 3

Orientation For Volunteers and Parents Saturday, September 14th, 10-11:30am



All volunteers in our Faith Formation Program for Children and Youth and those considering it are invited to gather for a continental breakfast to learn more about what we’ll be doing this year, meet others, ask questions, and offer suggestions. Please let Kathy Underwood know by September 8 if you’ll need childcare.

OWL (Our Whole Lives) for 4th-6th Grades

SAVE THE DATE: We will have an Orientation for parents and young people on October 6, 12-3pm for those interested in learning more about this sex-ed program. Lunch will be provided. If childcare is needed, please let me know by September 30. Email Kathy Underwood for further details.

Communication is hard.

Human beings are uniquely cooperatively communicative. It’s what makes us human and has driven our evolution (see my sermon on the book, Survival of the Friendliest from last September). And I would say about 99% of my job is communication. The other 1% is stacking, restacking, and carrying books back and forth from my home to my office.

But even though it is so fundamental to who we are and such a big part of my job, communication is so hard! There are thousands of ways, in any given day, to get it wrong, both in terms of what we say and how we interpret what others say. There are so many ways to not say enough, to say too much, to say something with your face that you don’t mean to say or to think someone else is saying something they don’t mean to say. There are times I think I’ve communicated something only to find I just had the conversation in my head but didn’t get it out of my mouth. Do I need to even mention how social media has complicated our communication?

 Sunday Morning Hospitality Team Training

Every member is invited to get engaged in one of our Sunday morning hospitality teams. If you are interested in joining or reengaging with creating a welcoming space on Sunday mornings, please join Rev. Susan on Sunday, September 8th after the Ingathering Potluck for a training from 12:30-2:00 pm.

RSVP by clicking here, going to Sun Sep 8th, and selecting the Greeters Hospitality Team Training, Kitchen Hospitality Team training, or Money Counters Hospitality Team training. If you aren't sure, select one and then you can confer with Rev. Susan at the training. It'll be fun!

Wednesday, September 18th, 7-8:30pm in the Sanctuary

Join us for an inspiring evening of song and community, featuring the talented volunteer church members. Enjoy a night of beautiful music and fellowship. There will be wine, tea, water, and snacks available.

Admission: FREE (Donations welcome, proceeds will be donated to our Royalties Fund for Use of African-American Spirituals.)

We are also looking for volunteers to bring snacks, as well as to help work the event. If you're interested in volunteering, please Sign Up Here

Help Needed to Plan Samhain Spiral Dance

Save the date on October 27, 2024 at 6:00 pm to celebrate Samhain. This year, our Samhain ritual will again include a Spiral Dance to connect us with our deceased loved ones and to build energy to sustain us as the winter begins. We will follow the Spiral Dance with a potluck to honor the time of year that traditionally marks the last harvest of the season.

The UCE Pagan Collective is looking for volunteers to help plan the Samhain ritual and the potluck that follows. Please contact Taryn Seawright (tarynnelsonseawright at gmail dot com) or Peter Silverman (ptiferet at mac dot com) to get engaged!

TRY TAI CHI!

Tai Chi @ UCE is welcoming new students the beginner’s class on Saturdays. The class will run from October 5 to December 21, from 9:45-10:45am.

There will be no classes on 10/12 or 11/30. This will be a hybrid class with new students and current ones.

UCE member Renée Gatsis teaches the class. She has played Tai Chi for over 45 years and taught it for over 25. Renée credits Tai Chi in large part for her equanimity and good health.

Participants will learn the first part of a Sun-style tai chi form adapted and popularized by Dr. Paul Lam M.D. This meditation in motion is a gentle exercise with graceful, flowing movement performed at a slow tempo. The Sun style is a simple, upright form ideal for people of all ages from teens to elders.

Regular Tai Chi practice yields many benefits including, but not limited to:

improved concentration, relaxation, balance, flexibility, fitness, immunity,

quality of life and pain relief. Many have found this form crucial in managing chronic illness, especially arthritis.

Interested in learning more? Come to the first class on October 5th and experience the power of Tai Chi for yourself OR contact Renée at renee.x.gatsis at gmail dot com, to reserve your spot in the 10 week class!

Dance as a Spiritual Practice

If you were inspired by the August 25th worship service on Dance as a Spiritual Practice, and would like to join a conversation about having a regular practice of spiritual dance circles at UCE, join us on Wednesday, September 25th at 5:30pm on Zoom to discuss how to make it happen. If you are interested, contact Rev. Eileen, Shirley Adams, or Elizabeth Kennedy for the Zoom link.

UCE Young Adult Group - Third Friday Faith Formation & Game Nights

The Young Adult Group at UCE is a group for young adults (18-35) interested in exploring spiritual deepening in community. Beginning September 20th, we will meet on 3rd Fridays 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 at ucevanston dot org) with any questions.

Curious about Beloved Conversations?

Register Today!

It's time to register for the fall session of Beloved Conversations, which is 12-week deep dive into the personal, transformative, spirit-growing work each of us needs to do around issues of race, identity, and justice, in relationship with other folks who share some similar experiences.

This spiritual formation program that mixes multi-media learning and reflection at your own pace, processing in small groups, and worshipping together in community! You can access it entirely online and the materials are accessible for up to a year after the start of the program. Check out our Beloved Conversations website for lots of information about Within and all of our exciting programs!

Fall Term Within Begins: September 10th, 2024

Fall Term Within Ends: December 3rd, 2024

Register here through August 31, 2024.

UCE has scholarships available for the Beloved Conversations: Within registration fee. Please complete an application here or contact Rev. Susan Frances at sfrances@ucevanston.org.

Have you already taken Beloved Conversations? If so, please complete these three questions. We are still trying to get an accurate count of UCE alums. If you have questions, please contact Rev. Susan at sfrances@ucevanston.org. 

Energy and Action On Display !

UCE members and friends clamored for over 1,100 postcards Sunday!  Vital information and voter participation encouragement will be on the way to GA and NC - mail dates are: Sep 15-30th.

Distribution continues every week in the back of the sanctuary. Come by for your packet of 20 or 40 cards. Need a “special order” of over 100 cards? Reach out to Carolyn Laughlin (CarolynBLaughlin at gmail dot com) who will bundle and deliver to you!                              

Milwaukee Voter Registration Project (MVP)

Meet folks face-to-face to check registration status, register folks who have changed their address, and share enthusiasm for participating this fall.

The Teutonia DMV location has the IDEAL demographics for this work!

Teutonia - 6073 N Teutonia Ave, Milwaukee, WI (M-F, 3 shifts per day)

Trained and seeking a shift? Use SignUp here: 

Need one hour Zoom training? Email LauraKushner2x at gmail dot com and share the best date and time for your 1 hour Zoom training:

- Wednesday, September 4 at 7:00 PM

- Tuesday, September 17 at 1:30 PM

SAVE THE DATE: 

Sunday, October 6th -UCE UUtheVote Grand Finale Celebration!

We will recognize and celebrate ALL of the UCE election work. 

Accolades, cake, and prizes!

LAST DAY to pick up postcards to hit our final October 15th mail deadline!

Interfaith Action of Evanston SNAPGap – September 2024 Please assist with the collection of items to bridge the gap for individuals and families. Your participation and generosity is greatly appreciated. In August we distributed items to 279 families. For September we are collecting: • Shampoo • Soap These items will be distributed at the

Tu Sep 10th Producemobile.

Items can be purchased online for delivery or drop them off at:

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church,

1509 Ridge, Evanston, IL 60201

Drop-off Hours start Tues. September 3rd

• Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

• Sun. Sept. 8th, 12 pm - 2 pm.

• Mon., Sept. 9th, 4 pm - 6 pm

MEDICAL AID IN DYING (MAID)

End-of-Life Options SB3499

Have you ever wondered if you would want to determine your own time of death if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness? In 10 states plus D.C., you have that option. All eyes are now on Illinois where SB3499 has a strong chance of passing into law in the veto session of the state General Assembly this November. It creates the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act.

Here is how you can help. If you would like to have the choice of how you would die, or if you have someone in your family, or a friend, that you believe would like that opportunity, support passage of the bill. UCE’s Legislative Action Team supports this bill and will have representatives at a table in back of the sanctuary on September 15 following the service. Talk to them and write postcards to your state Senator and House representative. Postcards provided.

The Legislative Action Team is working in conjunction with Compassion & Choices and the local ACLU branch to bolster passage of the bill. Come to the medical aid in dying (MAID) program table on September 15th to learn about the bill specifics and other opportunities you can join. 

Celebration of the Life of Lorna Galich

Saturday, September 21, at 1 pm, we will gather to celebrate the life of our beloved Lorna Galich. Two Margarets (Shaklee and Talmage) are organizing hospitality. If it would please you to take on a small role or bring a favorite food for the reception buffet, please sign up HERE.  

To opt out of the technology, email either Margaret with your offering.

We Are Raising Funds for a Healing Space

for Liz Kennedy Eason -

Click here for more info!

UU MEN'S RETREAT

Virtual Retreat Event on Saturday, September 14, 2024.

10:00AM until 12:00PM (CDT), On-Line via Zoom.

"The Invisible Partners: How the Male and Female in each of us affects our relationships."

Facilitated by: Illuman-Men Transforming Men, a global non-profit committed to helping men become healthier, more authentic men. Their presenters through a combination of ritual, story, image, and council will introduce the four stages of the Anima archetype in a Man's life: Eve, Helen, Mary, and Sophia.

OPEN TO ALL PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS MALE.



REGISTRATION COST: Suggested donation of $20 is asked with a minimum set at $5. Donation instructions will be sent with link.

TO REGISTER, GET LINK, OR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS: e-mail to mensretreat@unitytemple.org

Sponsored by the Men's Retreat committee: Mark Johansen, Rich Pokorny, Allan Lindrup, Bob Innocenzi, Alan Johnson, Nai Owens, John Meade, Johnathan Hand, Doug Erickson & Ron Dubreuil.