A Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Nurturing the Human Spirit for a World Made Whole
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The UCE Office and Building is closed December 24 through January 1. All services will continue as scheduled. Small group virtual meetings and gatherings will continue as scheduled at the discretion of the groups and leaders.
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UCE Ministers and Staff wish everyone a Happy New Year!
Enjoy this Wednesday newsletter and know you all are held in our hearts. Whether you are spending this time with loved ones in person or through screens, may this time be filled with happy memories and smiles. Thank you for a wonderful year of community and love!
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Tonight's Wednesday All Church Zoom Gathering |
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We continue our All Church Zoom Gathering tonight at 5:30 pm.
If you need technical tips before the meeting begins, join us at 5:20 pm
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Reading and Questions for Tonight
“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.”
“The present changes the past. Looking back you do not find what you left behind.”
“Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge.”
― Eckhart Tolle
Question
- As you reflect on the experience of the past year, which of these quotations resonates most for you?
- How have you been changed by the experience of living in this time of pandemic?
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This virtual worship service will be at 11:15 am
This Sunday, January 3
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The Great Turning
It is the turning of the year and possibility emerges out of the ashes of this extraordinary time. As a community of faith, we reaffirm our commitment to play our part in making the world whole and fully participate in the work that reconnects us to our mission. We spiral inward with gratitude and grief and then out again with new vision and determination. Joanna Macy is an eco-philosopher and teacher of creative responses to planetary crisis. In this service we will explore the lessons of her work through the book she co-authored with Molly Brown titled, Coming Back to Life. Rev. Eileen leads this service.
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We encourage you to submit your joys and sorrows ahead of time to this online form. We will read aloud in the service, those that are submitted by 11 am on Sunday. If you are unable to access the google form for some reason, you may send an email to Rev. Eileen Wiviott at ewiviott@ucevanston.org, however, it is easier for us to keep track through the google form. We continue to celebrate and mourn together through this important ritual and appreciate your understanding as we explore the various ways to hold what is on your hearts.
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This Sunday's shared offering recipient is Community Renewal Society (CRS). You can read more about them below. Your offering can be given through Text-to-Give, online, or mailed to the office with "Shared Offering" in the memo line.
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Other Gatherings this Sunday |
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Chris Isely Cancer Support Group at 9:30 am via Zoom
Forum Discussion via Zoom at 10 am
More information below in "What's Happening in Lifespan Religious Education"
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Virtual Coffee Hour immediately following Worship Service
+13126266799,,94356542944#,,,,,,0#,,690720# US (Chicago)
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Important News & Upcoming Events |
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Holiday Message from the Board of Trustees |
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In this season of sparse daylight, but increasing hope for things to come, we are grateful for our UCE community. We appreciate the gifts and leadership of our ministers, the kind assistance of our staff, and the warm smiles of our friends. The Board of Trustees wishes you and your family happy holidays and a healthy new year. We look forward to the time when we will be together again. |
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Deck the Halls with Lights and All! |
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Between now and New Year’s, all ages are invited to add a decoration to the deciduous tree by the bench facing Greenwood Ave. Bring an ornament (weather-resistant) or make something edible for birds (popcorn, berries, nuts) to hang. You will find a container with hooks and pieces of yarn on the bench to use as hangers.
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Update from the Anti-Oppression Task Force |
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UCE’s call to dismantle white supremacy, be inclusive, be antiracists, and be accountable continues and we need your assistance! Representatives from the Board of Trustees, the ministerial team, and REAL are in the midst of interviewing outside consultants to partner with UCE as we form our Anti-Oppression Task Force. Here is the list of the organizations being reviewed:
- Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Ministries at First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
- Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism
- Crossroads of Chicago
- Evanston/Northshore YWCA
- Transforming Hearts Collective
Our first conversation was with the Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Ministries at First Universalist Church of Minneapolis on November 24, 2020. Our second conversation was with Crossroads of Chicago on December 10, 2020. Please contact Rev. Susan if you would like to review a recording of these conversations and provide input.
Our next conversation will be with Evanston/Northshore YWCA on January 7, 2021 at 7:00pm. Please contact Rev. Susan at sfrances@ucevanston.org by January 5, 2021 for the zoom link.
Thank you for being engaged with this important work!
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Denominational Affairs Next Meeting |
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The Denominational Affairs team meeting is coming up on the second Tuesday, Jan 12 at 11 am. Click here to join the Zoom meeting. Join us as we gear up for online leadership school in March and April and online General Assembly in June.
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Help Build Community Connection - Set up your Realm Account Today! |
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UCE's new membership database has launched! Don't forget to set up your account, so you can start taking advantage of this awesome system. Login to see your giving history, update your contact information, and access the updated and more secure directory! Group leaders can take attendance and keep track of who is participating in their group. Realm has so much more to offer, so join us online and check it out! Contact Adam if you need more help setting up your account at agough@ucevanston.org.
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What's Happening in Lifespan Religious Education |
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RE-visioning our Multigenerational Reglious Education Program |
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In case you missed this in recent newsletters and emails, Rev. Eileen, Rev. Karen, and Kathy Underwood invite you to explore our purpose and mission for the religious education program as we look towards a post-pandemic future at UCE.
At our previous gathering last February, we stated our hopes and ideas, which included:
- Being a multigenerational community with more diversity, energy, and vibrancy
- Connecting people within peer groups as well as across the ages
- Nourishing parents to feel grounded in our UU values so they can be the spiritual guide for their child(ren)
- Speaking to the deep hunger of people of all ages
At our next gathering, we want to delve deeper and express our hopes into future goals that say exactly what it is we want our children and youth to have as they grow older. We will also consider our Ends Statement: We foster intellectual excitement, lifelong learning, truth seeking, and respect for our traditions of reason and faith.
Does it still resonate with us and fit our vision?
We are aware of how over stretched you are. We know that time is precious, and we want to respect yours. We hope that you feel motivated by love for this congregation and the religious education program at UCE rather than by onerous obligation. We are hopeful that, together, we can discover our collective passions, values, and investments as well as the obstacles that get in the way of living into them.
Please join us for ONE of the following virtual gatherings:
January 9 – 10-11:30 am
January 16 – 1-2:30 pm
January 17 – 2-3:30 pm
We look forward to seeing you there!
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UCE Forum - Sunday, January 3rd at 10 am
Facebook II: How We Can Confront Facebook's Worst Problems as We Move Forward
Leaders: Andy Schlickman and Jessica Meis
At our first session, there was a consensus we should continue using Facebook while at the same time taking tangible steps to rein in the worst aspects of the platform. At our Jan. 3 session, we will continue our discussion and consider alternatives to Facebook. How can we improve our use of social media, to continue building our community and address injustices that users face? Some options might include educational programs for UCE members to discuss social media use and impact, communication with UUA about congregational education on effective use of social media, as well as, supporting state and national initiatives to better regulate Facebook and other social media platforms. Join us to discuss ways we can make social media an online world made whole.
Click here to join the Zoom meeting. Meeting ID: 924 4957 5721; Passcode: 489150; One tap mobile +13126266799,,92449575721#,,,,,,0#,,489150# US (Chicago)
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The nonfiction book group will meet via Zoom on Sunday, January 24 at 2 pm to discuss The End of Policing by Alex Vitale. Vitale says that the problem with policing is not police training , police diversity, or police methods. It is policing itself. In chapters on the school-to-prison pipeline, mental illness, gangs, sex work, drugs, border work, and homelessness, Vitale sets out the policing problem in depth, explores the success of reforms, and then offers ideas for alternatives.
This book is available in libraries and from booksellers in various formats. Everyone is welcome. Please invite friends who may be interested. A Zoom link will be provided in the January 22nd newsletter.
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The next read of the UCE Fiction Book Group is Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven. Join us on Friday, January 15 at 7 pm via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting.
Set in the post-apocalyptic world of the outcome of a flu pandemic, a traveling group of actors set on keeping alive the humanities roams the devastated outposts of the Great Lakes region.
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Social Jutice & Volunteer Opportunities |
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From the Immigrant Solidarity Team |
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You may recall that UCE made a contribution from Endowment Funds last summer to help support Chalice House, a home associated with Countryside UU Church, which was made available for a family seeking asylum. Here is some holiday news from them, which we hope will warm your season. Please note that if you would like, there is an opportunity for individual donations for Christmas. (See below)
Thank You from the Immigrant Solidarity Team.
Family Update and Christmas
We are happy to report that the family thoroughly enjoyed their Thanksgiving meal and was very grateful for the generous gift card to Eurofresh grocery. Thanks to all who contributed.
We’re hoping to make the Chalice House family’s first holiday season in the United States extra special, and we’d love your help and holiday spirit!...
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January Shared Offering Recipient: Community Renewal Society |
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In January UCE is sharing our loose plate offering with the Community Renewal Society. CRS is an organization of over 70 churches in the Chicago area who have been fighting for social justice for over 130 years. Each church member of CRS organizes a social action team that supports CRS activities and policy goals. These goals include policies to reduce and eliminate race and class barriers in our society, and to provide better education, jobs, housing and justice for minorities and the poor.
This year CRS is focusing on more initiatives to promote more police accountability in Chicago, and to stop police actions that are directed against minorities. This includes better oversight of Chicago police practices, and ending the cash bail system that denies bail to those who have no money when they are arrested – a result that mostly hurts black and brown people. Your donations will help us reduce these injustices and improve our community.
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Green Team Meets on January 2 - All are Invited! |
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Zoom into the UCE Green Team meeting on Saturday Jan. 2 at 1pm and talk with other UU's about priorities for this new year. How can we nurture our spirits for a world made whole (and green)? Click here to join the Zoom meeting.
Questions, contact Shirley Adams or Renee Hoff. All are welcome. All ages can participate.
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Rainbow Alliance Meets on January 7 - All are Invited! |
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Prison Industrial Complex 101: Virtual Training |
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Saturday, January 16, 2021, 10:00am - 11:30pm CST and
Saturday, January 23, 2021, 10:00am - 11:30pm CST
It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of the racial and economic injustice in our society. This is an opportunity to learn and reflect on what we can do to change it. This workshop is intended to educate participants and inspire action. During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to:
- Examine the prison industrial complex root: its reach, impact and our ability to transform it.
- Connect Unitarian Universalist (UU) values to the work to divest from prisons and police and invest in building new systems of safety, healing, and accountability.
- Build connections with organizations engaged in prisoner solidarity and restorative justice.
- Learn about the UU Prison Ministry and how your congregation or community can support our work.
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Interested in knowing more about UCE? Scroll down for info on ongoing programs and useful information. Can't find your answers here? Click the button below to learn more on our website. |
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Opportunities For Community Connection |
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UCE Addictions and Recovery
For more information about the group, click here.
Grief Support Group
Every other Monday at 6:30 pm (next meeting is January 11)
UCE Men's Group
1st & 3rd Mondays at 7 pm via conference call.
For more information, click here.
Retired (but never retiring!) Women
Monthly on the 4th Tuesday at 5pm.
For information, contact Margie Rogasner.
Caregiver Support Group
Tuesdays at 7 pm via Zoom.
Udumbara Zen Sangha
Tuesday Evenings and Saturday Mornings
For more information, click here.
Learn Spanish Group
Wednesdays at 6:30 pm (Meetings are on a break during the holidays. Group will resume on January 6, 2021)
For more information, click here.
Women's Spiritual Group
Every other Wednesday (next meeting is December 30)
Email Amy Grabowski at if you are interested in joining.
Buddhist Meditation
Greenwood Investment Club
People interested in learning about personal investing by doing
3rd Thursday this month at 7:30 pm (next meeting is TBA)
Virtual Art and Spirituality
Every other Saturday at 2:30 pm (next meeting is January 2)
For more information, click here.
Chris Isely Cancer Support Group
Sundays at 9:30 am via Zoom
Staff are available to help with setting up virtual meetings and getting the word out to the congregation. For more information on how to set up a digital meeting, click the button below. Email Jessica Meis at admin@ucevanston.org to add your event to UCE's calendar and to submit an article about your virtual meeting to the newsletter.
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Your Financial Support is So Appreciated! |
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Please help us ensure your contribution is credited appropriately by indicating on the memo line of your check if it is for 19/20 Pledge, 20/21 Pledge, Shared Offering or a Donation.
If you are texting to give, please send a text message to 312-584-9160 with the amount you would like to contribute and the one word code for where you would like it to go (e.g., 50 OFFERING). Valid codes are OFFERING (Shared Offering), PLEDGE (Pledge Payment), CAP (Capital Campaign), SOUPKIT (Soup Kitchen), or MUSIC (music fund). If you do not include a code after your donation amount, the system will automatically select DEFAULT and the church office will contact you to determine how to direct your gift. To learn more, click here. If you experience any issues or would like a one-on-one session to go over Text-to-Give, contact Adam at agough@ucevanston.org.
During these times when UCE staff are working from home we are trying to make trips to the church and our accounting tasks manageable for our Staff Accountant, Vickie Doebele. We respectfully request when you make a shared offering donation please do not ask for 100% to go to the organization. This truly would be helpful. We appreciate your understanding.
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Beware scam e-mails and texts from those
posing as UCE ministers, Staff, or Board Members
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Please do not respond to the e-mail or text scam that is going out with Rev. Eileen's, Sandra's, or Jessica Tomell-Presto's names. UCE ministers, Staff, and Board Members will never ask you for money in an e-mail or for you to send gift cards to anyone. Check the e-mail address and phone number it is coming from. If it is not familiar, it is a scam. Most of you have gotten wise to these scams. They will keep coming nonetheless. Thank you to those who let us know they received this scam.
This is someone who is using Eileen's, Sandra's, or Jessica's name with a generated email address and phone number. They haven't hacked their personal accounts. The e-mail addresses Eileen will send messages from will be either ewiviott@hotmail.com or ewiviott@ucevanston.org. The address Sandra will send messages from is srobinson@ucevanston.org. The address Jessica willIf you are unsure about the number texting you, please call the office.
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The Board of Trustees meets the third Thursday of every month.
The next virtual meeting is on January 21 at 7 pm. Please email the office at admin@ucevanston.org if you would like to attend.
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