Sunday, April 6, 2025
Returning to the Root of Joy
Music is an expression of our deepest emotions and it can also transform our spirits into a transcendent experience of joy, especially when practiced in inclusive, beloved community. Vickie Hellyer, Director of Music, leads worship with the UCE Choir; Ann Gadzikowski on viola, Elizabeth Anderson on cello, Andy Carpenter on sax, Nadav Simon on drums, and Gregory Shifrin on piano. Soloists and Readers from the UCE Choir and Rev. Eileen contribute to this, our annual Spring Music Sunday.
Today’s offering will be shared with Sanctuary Working Group, a solidarity organization, which supports and accompanies vulnerable migrants in their journey towards sustainable independence.
Upcoming worship services:
April 13th – Rev. Eileen with UCE Youth on Joy
April 20th – Easter Sunday and Child Dedications – Rev. Eileen with Dr. Emma Farrell
April 27th – Rev. Susan
May 4th – Faith Formation Recognition
Friday, March 28, 2025
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March 21, 2025
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Sunday, March 30, 2025
Understanding Each Other
Rev. Susan is back from her three-month sabbatical, during which she traveled through Nepal and Morocco. She encountered people from many backgrounds, from fellow travelers to her Nepali and Moroccan hosts, teachers, and guides. Her conversations restored her hope for our future. This Sunday, she will share some of her experiences around opening ourselves up to discussions involving complicated cultural and political topics as we continue to vision a future that benefits all.
Today’s offering will be shared with Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network Illinois (UUANI), whose mission is to build power among UU congregations in Illinois to accountably advocate with those who have been historically marginalized.
Upcoming worship services:
April 6th – Music Sunday – The Practice of Joy
April 13th – Rev. Eileen with UCE Youth on Joy
April 20th – Easter Sunday and Child Dedications – Rev. Eileen with Dr. Emma Farrell
Sunday, March 23, 2025
Call & Response
Singing out and singing together is part of the creation story of humanity. When our ancestors felt worried or alone, they called out into the darkness with song, and their community would respond in harmony. Join us for a service of song and silence, and an exploration of call and response. When times are uncertain, let’s gather to celebrate the communities where we practice love and resilience.
March’s shared offering recipient is the Unitarian Universalist Prison Ministry of Illinois (UUPMI), whose mission is to equip UU’s in Illinois to transform institutions; partnering with and supporting people harmed by the prison industrial complex.
Upcoming Worship Services
March 30th – Rev. Susan returns from sabbatical to share her experiences
April 6th – Music Sunday – The Practice of Joy
April 13th – Rev. Eileen with UCE Youth on Joy
April 20th – Easter Sunday and Child Dedications – Rev. Eileen with Dr. Emma Farrell
March 14, 2025
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Sunday, March 16, 2025
Trusting the Way
Up is down. Left is right. Fact is fiction. In these dizzying and dispiriting times what and who can we trust?
Drawing from The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust by Francis S. Collins, Rev. Eileen with worship associate, Robb Geiger, will explore the essentialness of cultivating trust in community. The UCE Choir, directed by Vickie Hellyer and accompanied by Gregory Shifrin will lift our spirits.
March’s shared offering recipient is the Unitarian Universalist Prison Ministry of Illinois (UUPMI), whose mission is to equip UU’s in Illinois to transform institutions; partnering with and supporting people harmed by the prison industrial complex.
Upcoming Worship Services
March 23rd – Call and Response – Matt Meyers, UU Musician and Worship Leader
March 30th – Rev. Susan returns from sabbatical to share her experiences
April 6th – Music Sunday – The Practice of Joy
April 13th – Rev. Eileen with UCE Youth and Young Adults on Joy
Friday, March 7, 2025
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