July 26th, 2019: Letter from Eileen
Worship Service Times This Year
Eileen Wiviott, Acting Senior Minister
You may have participated in a brief survey this past winter asking about the worship service times that would work for your family. The purpose of the survey was to determine whether we should attempt to adjust service times in order to balance attendance between the two. At the same time, we made some adjustments to the structure of the early worship service, in an attempt to be more welcoming and engaging to people of all ages.
We are grateful to all of you who completed the survey and, as you are aware, much has changed in our congregation since you completed it. While the results of the survey point to the possibility that a shift in service times might help balance attendance, Rev. Karen and I, along with the Board of Trustees and staff, agree that making a shift in the worship service times this year would cause more upheaval than we need at this moment. For now, we’re sticking with the 9:15 and 11 a.m. worship service times, beginning on September 15th. That said, I encourage you and your family to give the early service a try. We’ll continue to craft it as a worship for all ages, with story, song, and ritual that will help you find meaning, inspiration and comfort in a world of uncertainty. We’d like to invite children and youth to sign up to light the chalice, sing or play instrumental pieces at the 9:15 service. Please reach out to me if you are interested.
We’re looking forward to our annual Ingathering Service on September 8th (still one service at 10 a.m.). Please bring water to symbolize your summer adventures, whether from near to home or far away. We will celebrate the power of our collective community as we mingle our lives, experiences and journeys.
Yours in faith and in beloved community,
Rev. Eileen
July 26th Capital Campaign Q&A
Q. When will I be contacted about making my gift to the Capital Campaign?
A. Given the size of our congregation, we have decided on a phased-in campaign approach to meet individually with all congregants. Because arranging in-person get-togethers is a time-consuming process, it will take several months to meet with all UCE members.
You can expect that sometime between now and the fall, a member of our Campaign Leadership Team will reach out to set up a face-to-face meeting with you.
July 28th, 2019
Telling the Truth – For a study group, I was asked to write a paper on “Truth.” I thought that might be simple, but many books and magazine articles later, I found it to be a subject with more than one answer. In this service, I will present my findings and ways we might approach “The Truth” in the political arena.
Rev. Emmy Lou Belcher is Minister Emerita from DuPage UU church. For over 30 ears she labored in the vineyards of UU churches as a teacher, Member of the Board, DRE, and Minister. In retirement, she has moved to Chicago to be nearer to her two granddaughters whose parents wouldn’t consider living anywhere else. Before becoming a minister, Emmy Lou was an artist with a degree from the University of Michigan and teaching credentials from Carthage College in Kenosha. She has run art galleries, done restoration work in old Detroit mansions, illustrated ads and created logos, worked the ropes for a tree trimmer and cutter, and taught art to people from age 5 through 80.
July 21st, 2019
Person ≠ Mental Health Obstacle – People living with mental health obstacles are but one group who desire the visibility of the individual. We live in a society that is fascinated with labels. One could imagine that labeling is a way of our culture that aims to provide a comfort zone for the unknown. Nevertheless, many individuals want family, church, work, and society-at-large to see them beyond such labels.
Jon Gilbert Martinez is a recent graduate with a Master of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. He is originally from Deep South Texas along the US/Mexico border and a multi-generational Tejano and Chicano. His home church is First Congregational Church of Evanston a part of the United Church of Christ where Gilbert is a member in discernment on track for ordination. Currently, he serves as the Community Pastoral Care Minister at San Lucas UCC in Humboldt Park. He also serves on the United Church of Christ Mental Health Network Board of Directors. Gilbert lives in Chicago with his husband, infant son, two nieces, sister, and several fur-children.
July 5th Capital Campaign Q&A
Q. Why is sanctuary cooling a proposed Capital Campaign project? We have reduced programming over the summer months, and many people are out of town for vacation.
A. With year-round minister-led summer services, our Sunday attendance has increased significantly over the last five years. We’ve outgrown Room 3, where we used to gather in the past.
Even with lake breezes, Evanston summers are hot and humid, and cooling will make the sanctuary a more welcoming place on sweltering Sunday mornings, especially for our guests and visitors. We would also have the option of scheduling congregational and community programming on summer evenings and weekends.
And there are other concerns that cooling in the sanctuary would address:
- UUA security personnel and Evanston police emphasize that we should have only one building entrance open for public events. That eliminates natural air circulation in the sanctuary.
- UCE has lost summer rental revenue because of our lack of comfort control in the sanctuary. Ours is an especially beautiful venue for weddings, and they — along other rental events — not only provide us with income but introduce the community to the congregation.