A Unitarian Universalist Congregation |
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The UCE building and grounds are available on a limited basis to small gatherings. Please read UCE's Reopening Guidelines before contacting staff about availability. We will continue to offer ways to connect virtually.
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The Sunday virtual service will be at 11:15 am
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“Claiming the Story: Racism at UCE in Real Time” – Rev. Karen Gustafson
“We cannot change what we do not see.”
We are all aware of the power of story. The story of the very public murder of George Floyd in May of this year was a story that galvanized the world. It was not a new story. Black men in America have been brutally murdered by white men for centuries. Power came because it was recognized as part of a larger story: the story of systemic racism that is embedded in white supremacy culture. The extreme violence and injustice and harm portrayed here are easy to identify as acts of oppression that must be addressed. This tragic event became, for the world, a teachable moment. The less evident pieces of the larger story are the countless often unnoticed stories in the lives of people of color and others that do not become opportunities for any kind of growth or learning. As you strive to embody “the beloved community” at UCE, we offer a story that became a teachable moment in the work of the Ministerial Search process at UCE. I will be joined in this service by Shannon Lang, Lisa Presley, Susan Carlton, and the UCE Search Committee.
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Other Virtual Gatherings this Sunday |
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Chris Isely Cancer Support Group at 9:30 am via Zoom
Forum at 10 am via Zoom
More info in "What's Happening in Lifespan Religious Education"
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Virtual Coffee Hour hosted by REAL at 12:15 pm via Zoom
To join the virtual coffee hour by phone dial +13126266799,,94356542944#,,,,0#,,690720#
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Please Note: Next Sunday's service (October 25) will be replaced by the Democracy Revival at 10 am with other UU congregations and UUANI. Cottage Meeting at Noon to follow. More information below! |
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In honor of All Souls on November 1st, please send a photo of a loved one lost in the last year to Rev. Eileen at ewiviott@ucevanston.org by October 28th.
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Important News and Upcoming Events |
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All Church Zoom gatherings continue on Wednesday at 5:30 pm.
Look for the link in our Wednesday e-mails. If you need online Zoom support before the All Church gathering begins, join us at 5:20 pm.
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Rev. Karen Gustafson, Interim Minister |
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For as long as I can remember, I have had a curiosity about the complexity of things. Not just exotic things like works of art or airplanes or chocolate eclair and bone china, but ordinary, everyday things like screws and pencils and traffic signs. When my children were just into their double digit ages, we used to play a game in the car on road trips. We would pick something, like the knobs on the car radio (this was in the days of knobs - look it up) and we would try to name everything that went into the creation and production of that particular object. It started with a perceived need. Cars need radios. There needs to be a way to turn them on, etc. Then we might turn to that particular knob and all of the processes and decisions, designers and workers and decision makers that went into making it and getting it into our particular car. A designer, a design; decisions about color and size and materials and how it fit into the dashboard design. Someone designed and made a machine that would produce that very knob and install it in a factory where workers were employed etc., etc., etc... |
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“Claiming the Story: Racism in Real Time at UCE”
Post-sermon community conversations hosted by the REAL Team
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The REAL Team will host three community conversations following the worship service on October 18th in order to continue the dialogue about repair and reconciliation within our community. These will be moderator-led sessions via Zoom. We look forward to seeing you!
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Update on the Anti-Oppression Efforts |
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UCE’s call to dismantle white supremacy, be inclusive, be antiracists, and be accountable continues and we need your assistance!
First, if you have ideas about the process that should be used to organize the Anti-Oppression Task Force, including how to determine membership and mission, please contact one of the following people by November 15, 2020:
Second, as mentioned in the October 2nd newsletter, representatives from the Board of Trustees, the ministerial team, and REAL are working to find an outside consultant to partner with UCE as we form our Anti-Oppression Task Force. Below is the list of organizations that we are reviewing. If you know of any other organization that you would recommend regarding a racial equity audit or anti-racism consulting, please send that information to Rev. Susan at sfrances@ucevanston.org, by November 15, 2020.
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
We are in this work together and look forward to your engagement.
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IL Unitarian Universalists Democracy Revival - October 25 at 10 am |
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Join with hundreds of other Unitarian Universalists around IL for a Democracy Revival. Along with 16 Unitarian Universalist congregations across IL, UU Advocacy Network of Illinois (UUANI) and UU Prison Ministries of IL (UUPMI) we will sing, dance and shout (virtually) together to revive democracy and our spirits! Democracy has always been a core of our Unitarian Universalist faith. Using our online technologies, we will gather our resources and energies for this worship service. |
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Join in on "There is More Love Somewhere" |
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You are invited to video record yourself and join your voice with congregants from other area churches in the Virtual Choir version of “There is More Love Somewhere.”
This will be NO FAULT singing. Sing with the melody. Sing a harmony. Pretend you are singing (well probably not that). We will gather the voices together for a piece.
We will be singing 3 verses in this - love, hope, joy.
** Recordings for More Love should be uploaded by Oct 19th **
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From the Board of Trustees |
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The Board of Trustees wants to ensure you have an opportunity to share your thoughts about the skills the next called Senior Minister should possess. Please attend the remaining Cottage Meeting on Sunday, October 25 at approximately 12 pm, following the 10 am service (DURING THE COFFEE HOUR.)
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What should a new minister know about our congregation?
Here's your chance to have your voice heard!
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So you’ve completed the ministerial search survey, entered the raffle prize, and shared your thoughts about our congregation. (Thank you!) What comes next?
The next step to the search process is a series of cottage meetings—group conversations where members of the congregation come together to share their thoughts about our congregation, our future, and how a minister can help us get there. Each cottage meeting will be held over Zoom and will last for 90 minutes. We’re interested in hearing about why you’re proud of our congregation, who’s lives we touch, and the skills you look for in a minister.
There will be four cottage meetings in the next six weeks. If you’re interested in attending, please click on one of the links below to RSVP.
We hope to see you there!
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Never heard of the Serendipity Auction before?
Here is something old and something new to learn
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The Serendipity Auction is a social highlight of the church calendar and one of our major fundraising events. Although we cannot be together for an evening of bidding, food and entertainment, we can still have fun bidding and gathering virtually for connection and entertainment.
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The Serendipity Auction website is still being built, but you can start viewing the catalog on the new auction platform without logging in. Click here to visit the NEW Serendipity Auction site. The catalog is a work in progress, and we are still finalizing details. Yet, we wanted you to see some of the great things that are being offered. For those who have already made donations—thank you! Ready to add your donation to the catalog? Click here to donate.
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Many donations will be familiar to you (delicious desserts, artwork, crafts, children’s toys). We are also offering virtual group events (virtual concerts and play reading) for creative ways to be together.
- Wondering how this online auction process will work? Stay tuned! We will have some “How To” sessions and a “Frequently Asked Questions” page on the website.
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Virtual Memorial Service for Nancy Seyfried |
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A memorial for Nancy Seyfried, beloved sister of Bob and Barb Seyfried, will be held virtually on October 17th at 11 am. A Zoom reception will follow.
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"Bigger Than the Building"
Chicago Area UU Council Fall 2020 Conference
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The CAUUC Fall Conference will be held on Saturday, October 17th 9:30-11 am and be conducted via Zoom video conference. There is NO FEE required to participate.
This year's conference topic is "Bigger than the Building: Membership Engagement During a Pandemic" We are six months into the pandemic. Our congregations have worked hard at creating a new normal. We are grateful to be part of a faith that honors and respects science, and to have wise leaders who listen to the experts. We also know that offering programs and events exclusively online isn’t meaningful for everyone. How do we continue to offer touchpoints for those in our congregations who need community more than ever? How can we help all people engage deeply with each other and our faith at a time when we are so isolated?
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Braver Angels: Skills for Bridging the Political Divide Workshop |
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Join us Sunday, October 18th from 3-5 pm for an Evanston interfaith Braver Angels event co-sponsored by UCE, Lake Street Church, and Grace Lutheran Church. On October 18th, we will participate in a skills building workshop, "Skills for Bridging the Political Divide."
The ability to talk to people who disagree with us is vital to our democracy, essential to critical thinking and peaceful relations, and crucial to a life connected to others.
Yet we may live in the most divisive time since the 1850s. Conversations across the political divide have become treacherous, with many people avoiding them or regretting them afterwards. Some family members and friends stop talking to each other altogether. In this workshop you’ll learn skills for communicating effectively and respectfully with friends, classmates, co-workers, neighbors, and loved ones who strongly disagree with you...
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If you have had the loss of a loved one or are experiencing grief due to other less concrete losses in your life you are welcome to join a zoom grief group. This group will begin Monday, October 19 from 6:30 to 8 pm. We will meet every other other Monday for 8 weeks. It will be facilitated by Ellen Rieger CADC, LCPC. Please contact Ellen at ellenerieger@gmail.com if you are interested. If you know someone outside of our church community who would benefit from this group they could also contact Ellen.
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Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s 80th Anniversary
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This year marks the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s 80th Anniversary. It was in 1940 when Rev. Waitstill and Martha Sharp traveled to Europe to organize rescue for victims of the Nazis. Since then, UUSC has been working to advance human rights and social justice and, today, embraces 40,000 dedicated members and more than 40 grassroots partners from 20 countries around the world. To commemorate UUSC’s brave legacy and bold future, we invite you to join us for a Virtual Anniversary Celebration on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at 7 PM ET/ 4 PM PT. The evening promises to be one of hope and inspiration, and of gratitude—for you and for UUSC’s partners. Our event will feature an interview with Samantha Power, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and a Musical Performance by The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. We will also hear from special guests and UUSC partners from around the world. This is a free event, but we ask that you please register online. Sponsorship packages are also available, if you are interested in supporting the festivities and UUSC's programs. To learn more, please contact Elizabeth Auwood at eauwood@uusc.org.
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Doing the Time Warp with Rainbow Alliance |
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Get your flashlights ready for a “Science Fiction - Double Feature!” Join us for a Rocky Horror Picture Show virtual movie night, sponsored by UCE's Rainbow Alliance group!
Date: Friday, October 30
Time: 7pm CST
Come ready with your props and dressed up for a night (in) at the movies! You also might want to brush up on your Time Warp dancing skills.
We can't wait to see you! We are shivering with antici......
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The fall deadline for submitting grant applications to the Endowment Committee is October 31. The Endowment Fund supports special UCE projects and opportunities for enrichment within the congregation, scholarships and grants for members and staff, and UCE building and property repairs and upgrades.
The Fund also seeks to enhance the impact of UCE’s shared ministry by funding Community outreach initiatives. Endowment grant applications may be filled out using Adobe Acrobat. If you have an idea for a grant, but are unsure about filling out the application, the Endowment Committee will put you in touch with someone who can help. Please contact Jane Kenamore, Jkenamore@ameritch.net, Margaret Schatz, mesharbor@gmail.com or trudiannedavis@gmail.com with questions.
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Are you thinking big during these exciting times? |
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Could you extend your wings and assist our MidAmerica Region? The MidAmerica Nominating Committee is seeking fresh voices for leadership positions to strengthen the future of the MidAmerica Region. Our region needs energetic people with diverse perspectives to fill these leadership positions. The deadline to submit a nomination is November 14. Click the button below and learn more! |
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Eight of us from UCE have been attending the Virtual Midwest Leadership School. Who are we? What are we doing? How can you get involved? The UCE congregants attending the leadership school are: Christine Allender, Jeanne Kerl, Elizabeth McDonald, Mary Beth Napier, Joe Romeo, Donna Schiller and Jessica Tomell-Preston. We are attending four workshops that cover topics such as nurturing beloved community, examining our covenant and how alive or hidden it is at UCE, identifying our spoken mission and other “unspoken missions,” how things work at UCE and how to work with conflict as we move forward as a congregation especially as we work on widening our circle of concern. We are also learning about UU history from many perspectives. We are reading articles and book chapters, watching videos, discussing topics and issues with other congregations and each other. Each week in the UCE newsletter one of us will give you a short write-up on something we have learned to peak your interest. Our hope is that you will have questions, concerns, doubts, suggestions, stories and experiences that can make these learnings come alive among us. Every person’s voice is welcomed and valued. Stay tuned for more information! From Mary Beth Napier |
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Hats off to the Ministerial Search Committee! |
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The Ministerial Search Committee has spent countless hours compiling information, soliciting input, and deeply listening to members of UCE in order to put into words a Congregational Record reflecting our UCE identity and envisioning our future. Many thanks to Susan Carlton, Emily Eckwahl-Sanna, Tom Hempfling, Sandy McNabb, Steve Serikaku, Jordan Strueber, Alice Swan!
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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! |
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We're looking for virtual worship participants |
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Would you like to share your talents and gifts in a worship service? We are looking for people of all ages to pre-record service elements such as:
- Songs
- Dances
- Readings
- Stories
- Our covenant
- Lighting the chalice
The process involves video recording yourself and uploading the file to a shared google folder. Instructions will be provided. You might be asked to read a particular story or sing a song that fits the theme of the service. Or, you might offer a song, story or poem you’d like to share, which we can use when and where it fits.
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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 PLEDGE. 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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Virtual Meeting Planning Tips! |
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Do you need help setting up a virtual event? Have you been hosting a virtual event and want to make the planning and publicity process easier? UCE ministers and staff are here to help! There are several ways you can host an online event for free. If a free meeting won't work for your meeting, consider these steps:
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Email the details of your meeting to admin@ucevanston.org so staff can help you set up and publicize your virtual event. Virtual UCE events can be advertised in the weekly newsletter, on the UCE calendar, on the UCE Facebook groups, and sometimes on the UCE homepage.
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Work with staff on deciding who would be best to host the meeting. Do you or a member of your group have their own Zoom account? Is someone in your group willing and able to purchase an account? In these times of social distancing, it may be worthwhile to purchase an account for a year and use it for any personal or UCE-related events. Will a minister or staff member attend your meeting? Staff will put you in touch with that staff member to see if they can host your meeting with their Zoom account. If not, we can use another staff member’s Zoom account.
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Once the Zoom link is created, consider whether you want to set up a registration for the virtual event. Is there a limit on how many you would like to participate? Do you want a list of participants so you can email them the link before the event?
Don't forget all UCE virtual events can be added to the UCE calendar. If you are interested in having your virtual events featured on the calendar, please contact the office at 847-864-1330 or email admin@ucevanston.org. If you want
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Social Jutice & Volunteer Opportunities |
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New Partnership Launched with UCE and Connections for the Homeless: Calling UCE Congregants to be Part of Changing the World
One Person at a Time
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We are pleased to announce that the UCE Endowment Fund and the Board of Trustees have approved a grant of $40,000 to fund a Housing Specialist position for Connections for the Homeless (CFTH). The Prison Ministry and the Food and Shelter Team cooperated in submitting the proposal to the Endowment Fund for this position. At CFTH, a housing specialist identifies landlords who will accept persons who are homeless, some returning from prison, some with substance abuse problems, and mental illness. The specialist also helps clients understand what is involved in renting an apartment. In a recent meeting with the staff at CFTH we learned that this is one of the largest gifts from a faith community.
We should be proud of this new partnership and the bold efforts we will make to change lives, one person at a time. There are three areas where volunteers are needed: Direct Service, Housing Advocacy and Prison Ministry. We want you to be a part of this partnership. Let’s lift up UCE’s financial commitment and match it with a commitment of time, skills, and love.
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UCE Soup Kitchen Update Fall 2020 |
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The Soup Kitchen Committee would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone that helped out in 2020! We regularly step in for Beth Emet Congregation during the Jewish Holidays and had four dates this year. We started in April just a few weeks after the church closing due to the pandemic. Volunteers battled pouring rain, cold weather and hot pavement in the summer heat to distribute the meals we purchased from Dengeos. At our four events we served close to 250 people. Budget cuts threatened to challenge our our ability to purchase food and UCE members came through! We are deeply grateful to all of those supporters that contributed monies to help with the shortfall. We had an unexpected surprise when we secured a grant from the Faith In Place organization to offset Covid-19 related food issues in our area. Thankfully this means we’ll be able to fund several dinners in 2021 with the $1,900 that members donated.
Here’s to the many volunteers who packed lunches and served food despite all the obstacles! We tip our hat to the wonderful bakers at Beth’s Little Bake Shop, Hewn Bakery and Bennison’s for the amazing fresh bread, pastries and donuts that they contributed for each event. Please make sure to patronize these providers along with Dengeos for their sustained commitment to the food insecure population in our area. We are hopeful that next year will bring us back into UCE and to our new kitchen!
Winnie Stevenson, Maggie Weiss, Marilyn Wroblewski
Soup Kitchen Coordinators
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UU Wild and Scenic Environmental Family Film Festival |
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The UCE Green Team would like to alert everyone to the opportunity to watch the virtual Wild and Scenic Environmental Family Film Festival. It will be held the evening of Saturday, Oct 17, starting at 8:30 PM CDT. The Festival is sponsored by the Orange Coast UU Church in California. Each of the movies runs between 5 and 20 minutes long, and the admission charge is $15.00. Here is more information from Orange Coast UU:
Orange Coast UU Church would like to invite you to our third annual Wild and Scenic Environmental Family Film Festival. This year, it is VIRTUAL, so fellow UU’s from all over can watch high quality films about the environment from the safety and comfort of their homes. We embrace social activism, our 7th Principle, and fun! Click here to get started!
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Please join us for an afternoon of restoration work in beautiful Harms Woods Forest Preserve in Glenview on Sunday, October 25th at 1:15 pm. We plan to gather wildflower seeds to be used in restoration next spring. It's an easy and fun activity, and it's important work in the restoration of our local habitats. It will be outdoors, and we will be wearing masks and practicing social distancing, but it's always enjoyable and social.
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RefugeeOne Seeking Volunteers |
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The Immigration Solidarity Team has been working with RefugeeOne, a non-profit organization that takes on responsibility for settling and integrating refugees in the Chicago area.
Surprisingly, we are still receiving refugees, and RefugeeOne is seeking volunteers in the following areas:
- Tutoring or homework help for children, 2 hours a week for 6 months
- Mentoring for teens and young adults, weekly for 3 months or biweekly for a year
- Mentoring for adults
- Short-term help, such as driving refugees to medical appointments or job interviews
- Translation. They are particularly looking for people fluent in Arabic, Kiswahili, or Rohynga
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Volunteers and Donations Needed for Interfaith Action of Evanston |
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Interfaith Action of Evanston’s goal is to help the hungry and homeless. In Evanston, it operates soup kitchens, the overnight emergency shelter, a morning drop in shelter, and the Produce Mobile.
Volunteers are needed:
- To be door keepers at St. Marks on weekday mornings from 7-9AM or 9-11AM;
- To help distribute food at the twice monthly Produce Mobile; and
- To help with coordinating volunteers for the lunch time soup kitchen on Mondays hosted at Second Baptist Church.
Please call Sue Murphy at 847-869-0370 for more information.
Donations are needed:
UCE is collecting deodorants to be distributed at the Produce Mobile. These can be ordered online or purchased and dropped off. The delivery or drop off points are UCE or Toni Rey’s building.
Please call Toni at 847-847-7644 for more information.
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There are so many ways you can participate in social action, from showing up, signing on, and donating to committing yourself to learn more.
#SayHerName
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Breonna Taylor. A grand jury in Kentucky indicted one officer of endangering neighbors with reckless gunfire, but no one was charged with causing Breonna Taylor’s death in her Louisville apartment. Sign here to Demand Justice for Breonna Taylor.
Learn
“Protest is telling the truth in public. We’re saying, This is a truth that you tried to hide, that you tried to tell us we weren’t supposed to talk about, and we refuse to let you do that. Protest opens space for the solution;…. I am mindful that like protest, voting is one tool in the toolkit, and the only way to build a house is to use all the tools. I tell people to vote, not because it’ll automatically change the world, but because we’re trying to build a house.”
~ DeRay Mckesson (italics are authors; bold is added) from his appearance on the podcast, At Liberty.
Volunteer
Donate
Vote
Census
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Make sure your community is represented, submit your census form online or call 844-330-2020. The deadline for completing the census form has been extended to October 31, 2020.
Social action continues! Check out the UCE Homepage for more ways you can support our communities. If you have any questions, please reach out to Rev. Susan Frances at sfrances@ucevanston.org. Thank you all for continuing to live UCE's mission!
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What's Happening in Lifespan Religious Education |
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Welcome to our October theme of Deep Listening! |
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If you missed the Welcome and Intro to RE, check it out here, or you can read about it here.
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Although we might not be having in-person RE on Sunday mornings yet, it is important to know who wants to connect – whether virtual or not. By registering, we can ensure that you get information on all programs and events for all ages this year.
Please sign up below!
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All Families:
Fellowship – Sunday after worship – Join the virtual coffee hour zoom where parents and families can meet and greet in their own breakout room!
Halloween Campfire (weather permitting) – October 24 at 5:30-7:30 pm. Wear your costume, enjoy some s’mores, and maybe share a scary story or two! Sign up here.
Parents on the Porch - Pre-Election Support - October 25 at 8:30-9 pm – Grab your favorite beverage and join other parents on the porch - virtually - to share concerns and thoughts on the upcoming election and our monthly theme of Deep Listening. Sign up here.
Pre/K Kids and Families – POP (Parents of Preschoolers)! October's materials are available here. The password is YouGotThis2020 (case sensitive.) This UU-based program is to be used all month long. Do whatever fits your family’s schedule. We’ll have a parent’s virtual gathering on October 26 at 8 pm to share our experiences. Sign up at here. Zoom info will be sent via email closer to the event.
1st-5th Kids and Families - Thursday, October 15 at 4-4:45 pm. Sign up here.
UU Kids Connect - A free virtual gathering of UU kids K-8 from around the country and Canada! This program started as a summer camp and was such a success that they are continuing with monthly virtual gatherings. Click here for more info.
High School Youth - Sunday at 6-7 pm – Look for emails with details!
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UCE Forum - Sunday, October 18th at 10 am
Of, By, and For the People: UU's 5th Principle
Leader: Jim Kepler
The UUA is not a religious denomination. It is an association of autonomous congregations that are democratically governed, and mutually committed to principles derived from a variety of belief sources. We’ll discuss members’ democratic rights and obligations. Click here for more info.
One tap mobile +13126266799,,98351360044#,,,,,,0#,,789218# US (Chicago)
Visions of God
Tuesdays thru October 27 at 7-9 pm via Zoom
Facilitated by UCE members Bob Mesle and Dan Solomon.
This class aims to help people explore a range of important visions embracing or rejecting “God,” and to share personal journeys with each other. We hope class members will learn some new ideas, clarify familiar ones, make new connections, and enrich in their own thinking.
The question, “Do you believe in God?” is not productive unless we can get some clarity about what a person mean by “God.” But for us, the question certainly raises interwoven questions of both REALITY and VALUES. It asks about what exists and how the universe works. Talk of “God” also raises important questions about what values “God” stands for and what feelings are invoked. Geneticist and religious naturalist, Ursula Goodenough, notes that religion is about both “What is, and what matters.” –i.e., truth and ethics. Religions, including atheistic secularism, propose visions of reality coupled with claims about how we should treat each other given those beliefs. This class will explore how some concepts of “God” engage us in those reflections.
Click here to join the Zoom meeting. Meeting ID: 828 7766 5260, Passcode: 934455. One tap mobile +13126266799,,82877665260#,,,,,,0#,,934455# US (Chicago)
Christ for UU’s
Tuesdays, Nov. 10, 17; Dec. 1, 8, 15; 7:30-8:45 PM,
All sessions will be via Zoom.
Facilitated by UCE member Amy Pooley.
What can we as Unitarian Universalists learn from reading the New Testament?
Who was Jesus and why does he matter?
How can getting in touch with our Unitarian and our Universalist roots help us rethink the Christian message and even understand it in a new way?
Join us in discussing these questions and more on five Tuesdays in November and December. The course will be based on readings from the New Testament and the recent Beacon Press release "Christ for Unitarian Universalists." We welcome you to purchase a copy of the book here to follow the course's reading schedule, but the discussion will also be accessible for those who have not done the reading and would simply like to show up to share and listen.
Amy Pooley has been a UU for over a decade and a Christian for just a few years. She has a love for our faith’s Unitarian and Universalist roots. She is a graduate student in Counseling and she and her wife Ruth are the moms of a toddler.
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The nonfiction book group will meet via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 25th to continue our discussion of the (second half of) the book A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn. A Zoom link for the meeting will be provided in the October 23rd newsletter. Please join us even if you have not read the entire book. We will focus on what is of greatest interest to participants, concentrating on the history of the U.S. since the beginning of the 20th century.
In November we will meet via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Sunday the 21st to discuss two books, The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin and The Fire This Time: a New Generation Speaks about Race, edited by Jesmyn Ward. In the second book, Jesmyn Ward takes James Baldwin’s 1963 examination of race in America, The Fire Next Time, as a jumping off point for a collection of essays and poems about race from voices of our time. Join us if you have read both books or only one of them.
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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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How to get in touch with UCE's Ministers |
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UCE ministers are available throughout the week by appointment. If you are in need of pastoral care or someone to talk to, please reach out to them by email.
We are here for you.
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Our next Intro to Unitarian Universalism is Tuesday, October 20th at 7-8:30 pm via Zoom. Our next Journey Toward Membership takes place in two parts on Tuesday, October 27 and Wednesday, October 28 at 7-8:30 pm via Zoom.
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Offer to Provide Technical Support |
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Physical separation is leading many of us to find new ways of forming and maintaining virtual connections through the internet. The UCE staff and Board of Trustees wants to make sure that no one is isolated because they lack access to technology or technical skills.
If you would like assistance please reach out to:
We will be happy to work with you to make sure that you get the most out of your membership experience using the latest tools.
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Opportunities For Community Connection |
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Learn Spanish Group
For more information, click here.
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.
Women's Spiritual Group
Every other Wednesday (next meeting is October 21)
Buddhist Meditation
UCE Addictions and Recovery
Form more information about the group, click here.
Greenwood Investment Club
People interested in learning about personal investing by doing
4th Thursdays every month at 7:30 pm (next meeting October 22)
Virtual Art and Spirituality
Every other Saturday at 2:30 pm (next meeting is October 24)
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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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 November 19 at 7 pm. Please email the office at admin@ucevanston.org if you would like to attend.
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These are closed groups that allow members to post directly to each other. If you have an event you want members to know about, or have a cause you hope to bring attention to, in addition to the newsletter and order of service, you can post to the Facebook Group. Click the links below or search for the groups by name when you are on Facebook and ask to join.
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