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Sunday, October 23
Worship Service - 9:15 and 11:00am
"Interdependence and Interconnectedness"
What does it mean to respect, revere, and participate in the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part? We'll explore the "interdependent web" from a variety of perspectives, as a fundamental understanding of the ways everything affects everything in our lives and in the universe. A worship service for all ages. Rev. Connie Grant leading.
Religious Education
This Sunday is a worship service for all ages. Children will join their families in the service. Childcare for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers is available from 9:00-12:30.
Name Change Circle - 12:30pm
Non-Fiction Book Group -
12:30pm
We will be discussing:
Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War
by Robin Yassin-Kassab, Leila Al-Shami.
Join us! The books for the rest of the church year are listed on the
non-fiction book group webpage.
Crackerbarrel - 9:30am
"A Better, Fairer and Less Expensive Healthcare System"
Dr. Bill Reed will present the work Physicians for a National Health Program (PHNP), a non-profit research and education organization of 20,000 physicians, medical students and health professionals who support single-payer national health insurance. He has studied Universal Health Care, international comparison and plans for the US. He will talk about Universal Health Care for the US. Dr. Bill Reed is a General Internist MD. Discussion leader: Dr. Bill Reed.
Join us to stand in support of Black Lives Matter
12:10pm-12:30pm
You are invited to stand on Ridge Avenue between 12:10pm and 12:30pm to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Each week, the reception has been a most affirming experience. We hope to continue this on a weekly basis with your help.
Signs and buttons are available for purchase at the back of the sanctuary. Signs and song lyrics will be provided for use.
Sponsored by the REAL team.
The Chris Isely Cancer Support Group -
9:15am
The group is open to anyone facing cancer, either personally or through a family member or friend. This lay-led group is a safe place for sharing and hope. Interested participants are encouraged to drop in any time. Questions? Contact Renee Hoff
or Brian Meister.
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Breaking News! You now can reserve your dinner choices online! Our dinner will be from the Pita Inn with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Dinners are $11 for adults and $6 for children 6-10 years old. You can still make dinner reservations by calling the church office or at the Serendipity Auction table on Sunday mornings.
There is so much that only you can add to the Serendipity Auction evening, Saturday, Nov. 12. The sanctuary will be sparkly and elegant and will be filled with treasures. Your friends will be there and new friends. Offer to contribute something that fits your unique talents. This evening is a bit like a family gathering: everyone celebrates, contributes, and is nourished. To donate, visit the auction website or contact Tom Hempfling. Click here to read more.
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Calling all UCE Gardeners!
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Do you have a home garden you would be willing to show to other UCE members?
I am putting together a UCE Garden Walk as an auction item for the Serendipity Auction. Would you be willing to share your garden for a good cause?
Do you know a UCE member who has a beautiful garden?
Please contact
Jessica Tomell-Presto as soon as possible.
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From the Board of Trustees
Name Change Circle Update
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Scheduling Changes: Circles opportunities will be extended to November 13 meeting on Sundays only at 12:30. Those dates include Oct 23, 30 and Nov 6, 13. The response forms will be accepted until Nov 13. The Board meets for our regularly scheduled meeting on Nov 16 where we will discuss a recommendation for next steps.
Response forms are available on the UCE bulletin board and will be available after Sunday services at the back of the sanctuary. Response forms can be returned to the UCE office in a mail slot dedicated to the Name Change Circles or a marked envelope at the same table the response forms will be after Sunday services.
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Activate Your Voice
Saturday, October 29,
9:30am-4:30pm
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NEW WAYS TO MAKE SURE BLACK LIVES MATTER
Our congregation and community have moved forward significantly in the last couple of years in understanding racial issues and why our UCE sign proclaims Black Lives Matter.
But there is more to learn, and work to do. The superiority of "whiteness" is deeply embedded in ourselves (regardless of our race) and our institutions. How do we recognize it? What can we do about it?
UCE's Racial Equity Action and Leadership (REAL) Team, along with Evanston's Organization for Positive Action and Leadership (OPAL), is sponsoring a highly interactive workshop on October 29, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, including lunch, to help us get further on our way toward eradicating racism in ourselves and our world. Click here to read more.
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Recently Retired (But Never Retiring) Women
Tuesday, October 25, 5:00pm
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W
e will be meeting in the back of the sanctuary, beginning with our always wonderful potluck! Our discussion topic will be led by Marci Hicks on the issue of "Decluttering." As retirees, this term could have several different dimensions, not all of which refer to the downsizing of "stuff." For more information, please contact Margie Rogasner.
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Sign Up to Join a New Covenant Group 
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Are you interested in further reflection on our monthly themes? Would you like a way of getting to know a small group of people well? Are you hungering for an opportunity to develop deep listening skills and to be truly listened to? If so, you might enjoy a covenant group. We have two groups starting: one will be a 6-month group, led by Brian Meister two Sundays a month at 12:30; the other will be co-led by Brian and Carol Nielsen once a month on either the 2nd or 4th Thursdays of the month. If you are interested, please contact Eileen Wiviott or look for the sign up sheets after the service on October 30 or November 6.
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Refugee Potluck is Sunday, October 30
Sponsored by the Endowment Committee and the Refugee Team
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Don't miss October 30 when we introduce our refugee family to the congregation at the 11:00 service and at the potluck after church. One of the blessings of our sponsorship is that we are all learning so much about Syrian culture. It expands our life experience to sponsor our family. Last week we mentioned that you need to use halal meat if you make a Mediterranean dish. You can buy halal meat at the following locations: Valli Produce, 1910 Dempster in Evanston, 5705 Dempster Street in Morton Grove, Pita Inn, 3924 Dempster Street in Skokie, Farm City Meat, 2255 Devon Avenue, Chicago, Northside Meats and Eats, 5705 Dempster Street in Morton Grove.
Please bring your dish with a 3 x 5 card indicating what ingredients are included.
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Volunteers Needed for Memorial Service
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Many of us have marked our calendars to remember our dear friend Charlotte Tyksinski at her memorial service on November 5 at 1:00pm. We will need much help with the reception following the service. Please use this link to volunteer your assistance. All donations of food and time are greatly appreciated.
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Sing Thing
Wednesday, October 26, 7:00pm
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If you play a folk type musical instrument (or anything else that would blend with guitars and banjos), please bring it. Or just come and sing along!
We supply words (and chords if needed). All are welcome!
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Winter Chicago Standdown
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UCE Military Bridge Builders
invites you to participate in Winter Chicago Standdown again this year. Held at the Northwest National Guard Armory on Friday November 18, Standdown offers a day of hospitality and support to indigent and homeless vets, serving breakfast and lunch, offering health support, and distributing warm clothing, shoes, toiletries, sleeping bags and blankets
.
You are invited to donate gently used winter-worthy clothing - especially jeans!
UCE Military Bridge Builders will coordinate a team to help out the day of and welcomes your participation. Contact: Gary Zacny.
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Refugee Roundtable Kicks off on
November 2, 7pm
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UCE has joined with other Evanston Faith Communities to host a Refugee Roundtable. Please join us on Wednesday, November 2 at UCE to be a part of this group. We will be sharing our experiences, talking about future sponsorship and exploring how different faith communities in Evanston can work together on this urgent international crisis. Contact
Carol Nielsen if you have questions.
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Special Programs for Parents and Kids
Sunday, November 13, 10:20 - 10:50am
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Answering Kids' Big Questions:
Talking about Death
Some of the hardest questions kids ask are the ones about what death means, either as a practical reality or a theoretical concept. How can Unitarian Universalist parents respond, even in our own uncertainty and grief? A sharing of ideas and resources, led by Rev. Connie Grant.
The first in a series of discussions on Parenting for Unitarian Universalists. Next, December 11: Navigating the Winter Holidays.
Yoga for Kids
A 30-minute session of yoga specially designed for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade. Yoga is beneficial for reducing stress, connecting mind/body, and promoting body awareness. We will do basic yoga postures: twists, backbends, seated, standing, and balancing poses. Songs and games will be incorporated into the lesson. Please bring a yoga mat, if you have one. Taught by UCE member and certified yoga instructor, Jessica Tomell-Presto. The first in a series of special activities for kids. Next, December 11: Meditation for Kids.
Childcare will be available for infants and toddlers in Room 11, and for three- and four-year-olds in Room 9.
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Adult Religious Education
The Inner Life: Therapeutic and Spiritual Reflections
November 15, 22, & 29 7:00 - 9:00pm
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Freud dismissed religion as a superstitious illusion; but later psychotherapists, notably Jung, found wellsprings of meaning and self-transcendence in religious experience. Psychotherapist Jay Einhorn will discuss a model of the relationship of psychotherapy, religion and spirituality, which he presented last year at the Parliament of the World's Religions. Psychotherapist Chet Mirman will argue that religion is largely a methodology for self-transformation, helping to foster a "felt sense of divine, loving presence." Because selfhood is fundamentally a function of one's internalized relationships, religion is, at its core, a relational experience, and thus this transformational process is also the transformation of a relationship. Dan Solomon will follow up on this idea by discussing how Martin Buber's philosophy of "I-Thou" relationship has been applied in approaches like the "dialogical therapy" of Maurice Friedman, Buber's friend, translator, and biographer. Register
here or on the Religious Education bulletin board.
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CROP Walk
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This Sunday, bring your friends to First Congregational Church of Evanston and register for Cropwalk! Walk the lovely 5k walk along the lakeshore or make a donation
online.
Take a walk to end hunger in our neighborhood and around the world.
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Come Clean the Woods with the
UCE
Green Team!
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Harms Woods East is a mixture of upland woods, floodplain and wet woods lying east of the Chicago River. Work at this part of the site began in 2012 with brush removal and seeding of native woodland seeds. The close-by North Branch bike trail offers views of more fine oak woodlands.
Directions: The meeting place for workdays at Harms Woods East is the Harms Woods Central parking lot (Groves 3 & 4), one block south of the traffic light where Old Orchard meets Harms Road.
There will be a short reading and moment of silence before we commence work.
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For those who are thinking about becoming a member of the church.
Intro to Unitarian Universalism
Sunday, December 11, 12:30 - 2pm
(note that November 6th has been cancelled)
Led by Rev. Bret Lortie, we'll look at our history, our principles, the sources of our faith, and the meaning of covenant. (This is the first step in the membership process.)
Orientation Toward Membership
Saturday, November 12, 9 am - 12pm
Led by Rev. Connie Grant, Membership Director Eileen Wiviott, and members of the New Member Committee. An interactive class exploring our spiritual journeys, the diversity of our beliefs, and what it means to be a member of this congregation. (This is the second step in the membership process.)
Sign up at the Guest & Member Table in the lobby or email Eileen Wiviott.
There will be childcare available upon request in advance for both of these classes.
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Gen X Family Friendly Campfire
October 22, 4 - 6:30 pm at the home of member Sarah Hendershot
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If you are in your 30's to 50's, with kids or without, come and enjoy an outdoor gathering with vegan refreshments, meaningful conversation and space for the children to play. Please RSVP to Eileen Wiviott or Sarah Hendershot.
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Upcoming UCE Events
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Sunday, Oct. 23, 10:15am Spiritual Journeys
Tuesday, Oct. 25, 5pm Recently Retired (but never retiring!) Women
Wednesday, Oct. 26, 7pm Sing Thing
Saturday, October 29, 8:30am Activate Your Voice - REAL Workshop
Saturday, October 29, 7:30pm UCE Coffee House
Sunday, October 30, 12:00pm Endowment Sunday All Church Potluck
Sunday, October 30, 12:30pm We Can Work It Out Workshop
Wednesday, Nov. 2, 7:00pm Refugee Roundtable
Sunday, November 6, 10:15am Principles and Sources Class
Saturday, November 12, 5:30pm Serendipity Auction
Tuesdays, Nov. 15, 22 and 29, 7pm The Inner Life: Therapeutic and Spiritual Reflections Thursday Nights, 5:30pm Meditation Group
Thursday Nights, 7pm UCE Addictions Ministry Group
Sunday Mornings, 8:15am & Wednesday Mornings, 9:30am Yoga
Saturdays at 10:00am Open Drumming Circles
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Fiction Book Group
Tonight, October 21, 7:30pm
We will discuss
The Sympathizer
by Viet Thanh Nguyen.
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Serendipity Auction
Saturday, November 12
Our online catalog is getting populated with many interesting items.
Click here to see the Serendipity Auction catalog,
and think about what kind of gift you can offer that will be uniquely yours.
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Common Threads
Common Threads, the UCE knitting and crocheting group, meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 10am, and the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7pm.
We make hats and blankets for babies, and scarves and shawls for people who we think would like a hand-knitted or crocheted care shawl. Sometimes, we also work on our own projects.
We have a huge stash of donated yarn, needles, and directions, as well as people who can help you improve your knitting and crocheting skills.
Our next meeting dates are October 25 at 7pm and November 1 at 10am. Contact
Joan Horberg
with any questions.
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The Coffee House is Coming!
Saturday, October 29, 7:30pm
Tom O'Donnell, Aidan Calkin and Audrey Hills from the Musical Offering Music School in Evanston will perform. In addition there will be Jen Halman and African Groove Dances, and John LaPlante and Brian Nielsen from the Wednesday Sing-a-long.
Do
you sing, play an instrument, tell stories, tell jokes, recite poetry? If you wish to go onstage, e-mail
Alicia Hempfling
.
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CRT Workshop
"We Can Work It Out: Constructive Conflict as Part of Healthy Engagement"
Sunday, October 30, 12:30-2:30
The UCE Congregational Relations Team (CRT) will offer our previously well-received workshop "We Can Work It Out: Constructive Conflict as Part of Healthy Engagement."
The workshop is intended to help us keep the commitments made in our Covenant of Engagement - something that can be easier said than done once feelings are hurt, tempers flare or anxiety (including anxiety about conflict!) is stirred. The workshop will be both didactic and experiential, including a brief power point presentation, small group discussions and role plays. Click here to read more.
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Congregational Thanksgiving
You are cordially invited this year to join your UCE community for our annual Thanksgiving Day celebration!
 We will again share our table with recruits from the Great Lakes Naval Base. Come for breakfast or come for dinner, come to share our wonderful UCE fellowship with some sailors far from home.
Opportunities for participation include contributing food, helping to prepare our meal, and hosting our guests. You may sign up electronically by visiting our signup page here. Questions? Not tech-savvy? Email Linda Clark
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Our Giving House for the month of October is collecting Razors, Shaving Cream, and Deodorant.
Donations will be matched by a Covenant Group or family or other group of sponsors. Donations are given to Connections for the Homeless for distribution at Hilda's Place pantry or the Entry Point program.
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UU Identity Discussions
Continued learning opportunities offered monthly by the New Member Committee; open to all who want to better understand what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist, no matter where you are on the membership journey:
Principles and Sources Class
1st Sundays 10:15 - 11am
Whether you are new to Unitarian Universalism or you would like to better understand the seven principles and six sources of our faith, join us for this rich 45-minute discussion led by members of the New Member Committee. We
'
ll use thought provoking metaphors to dive deeper into the foundations of being a UU.
Next Principles & Sources Class: November 6 between services.
Spiritual Journeys -
a 3-part conversation
2nd, 3rd, 4th Sundays
at 10:15-11am
We'll explore our religious and spiritual backgrounds, where we come from, what we want to cherish and what we want to release as we continue our journeys. This is a conversation open to all no matter where you are on the path - exploring membership, new members and long-term members alike. You can participate in any one or all three in any order.
Next Spiritual Journeys Sessions: part 3 is 10/23 and then 11/13, 11/20, and 11/27.
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Opportunities
for Spiritual Practice
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Ministers' Schedules
Rev. Bret Lortie
is available on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and by appointment. Monday is sabbath and Friday devoted to writing. To send a message or read Rev. Bret's blog, visit
www.liberalfaith.org
.
Rev. Connie Grant is generally in the office during the day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and often has evening meetings on those days. She takes Mondays off and works at home on Fridays. Please email or call Connie for an appointment.
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