Friday, August 29, 2025
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Update from the Board of Trustees, August 29, 2025
The UCE Board of Trustees held our annual Board Retreat on August 22 and 23. We celebrated our new Board President, Hoa Voscott. Other Board members for the 2025-26 Congregation year include Vice President Kera Beskin, President Emerita Elaine Siegel, Peggy Boccard, Ally Hunter, Sally Parsons, Forrest Marie Peters Linsell, Melanie Kitchner, and Michael Drennan. Rev. Eileen Wiviott, Rev. Susan Frances, and Dr. Emma Farrell joined us. It was a thoughtful and convivial event, planning the coming year.
Rev. Roger Bertschausen, presently the Developmental Lead Minister at Unity Temple in Oak Park, led us through an analysis of our governance. Last year’s Board Retreat focused on the Policy Governance model; this year, we refined its application to UCE. Rev. Roger stressed that Policy Governance aligns responsibility, authority and accountability, and differs by congregation. Lack of clarity and alignment can cause conflict. Our structure should be highly adaptable and fluid.
We considered and clarified our lines of responsibility, modifying our organization chart accordingly. We reviewed the roles of the Board, in relation to the leadership, staff, and Congregation.
We also scrutinized the financial structure supporting our work. We reviewed the checks and balances in our financial procedures, the expertise and diligence of our officers and personnel, and the success of our pledging and fund-raising activities. We noted the successful solar panels project, funded by the generous bequest of Barbara Young, and shepherded by Adam Gough. Our financial security enables UCE to maintain a well-functioning basis for spiritual development and social action.
An outgrowth of last year’s Retreat has been our “Big Questions” project, focused on the issues raised by our Congregation during last year’s Board Retreat: (1) How can we foster connections that go beyond our comfort zones at UCE and in the larger community? (2): How do you imagine we need to grow individually and as a congregation to create a more accessible, open environment?
The Retreat featured an overview of the many insights and suggestions of the members of our Congregation who participated in this spring’s discussion groups. Select suggestions will be pursued in the coming year.
For the past half decade, UCE’s Anti-Oppression Task Force (“AOTF”) has been instrumental in supporting our efforts to “widen the circle” of our Congregation, to develop cultural competency and greater inclusion. The AOTF will soon be sunsetting. The REAL Team (“Racial Equity Action and Inclusion”) will be continuing its work, in collaboration with the Social Justice Council.
As part of that process, in the course of our new year together, our Congregation will seek and identify a new name for what we have known as the Unitarian Church of Evanston. The ultimate Big Answer to our Big Questions!
Sunday, August 31, 2025
Working for Justice Collectively
Our religious tradition includes a history of coalition building around social justice and service work in our local communities and around the world. As authoritarianism rises, what lessons do our ancestors who have taken bold actions in the face of atrocities offer us and how can we heed them as we strive to respond boldly today? We honor the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee this Labor Day. Rev. Eileen leads the service with Mary Dudek as Worship Associate. Ken Smith on piano provides the music.
Today’s offering will be shared with UUANI, whose mission is: To build power among UU congregations in Illinois to accountably advocate with those who have been historically marginalized.
Upcoming Services
September 7 – Ingathering/Water Communion – All Ages – Rev. Eileen
September 14 – Belonging: Interdependence & Engagement – Rev. Eileen
September 21 – Belonging Without Othering – Rev. Eileen
Friday, August 22, 2025
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Sunday, August 24, 2025
Claiming Our Identities, Claiming Our Joy
As the summer fades and the throngs attending the various identity parades disburse, it is sometimes difficult to continue to claim our identities and claim our joy on our own. You are not alone. Join us this Sunday as we honor the culmination of identities that makes each of us unique and experience the joy that comes from getting to know ourselves.
Also, bring your backpack, school bag, or work bag for a blessing! As we head into a new school year, and for some new jobs or a new work season, we will be sending you off with a blessing.
Rev. Susan Frances, Kathy Underwood, and Carla Williams lead the service along with Robb Geiger, hymn leader and pianist, Gregory Shifrin.
Today’s offering will be shared with Brave Space Alliance, an LGBTQ+ focused Center on Chicago’s South Side that welcomes and serves all who come through our doors.
Upcoming Services
August 24 – Claiming Our Identities; Claiming Our Joy – Rev Susan
August 31 – Honoring the UU Service Committee – Rev. Eileen
September 7 – Ingathering/Water Communion – All Ages – Rev. Eileen
September 14 – Belonging: Interdependence & Engagement – Rev. Eileen
Sunday, August 17, 2025
Growing Curiosity
Masks are required for this service.
Cultivating curiosity, in a polarized and atomized world in which entrenched certainty is validated, is a revolutionary spiritual practice. Let’s explore the call of our values, visions, and covenant to practice curiosity and a willingness to learn. Let’s lean into the possibilities born in the release of certainty. Rev. Eileen leads this service with Andy Fisher as Worship Associate. Gregory Shifrin, on piano, is our music leader.
Today’s offering will be shared with Brave Space Alliance, an LGBTQ+ organization in Chicago’s south side providing services, programs, and an affirming space. Their mission is to empower, embolden, and educate one another through mutual aid, knowledge sharing, and the creation of community-sourced resources as they build a world of liberty and justice for all.
Upcoming Services
August 24 – Claiming Our Identities; Claiming Our Joy – Rev Susan
August 31 – Honoring the UU Service Committee – Rev. Eileen
September 7 – Ingathering/Water Communion – All Ages – Rev. Eileen
September 14 – Belonging: Interdependence & Engagement – Rev. Eileen
Friday, August 8, 2025
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New Year Memories, August 2025
August has always been a month of mixed feelings for me. As a youngster, my family went on just one vacation when I was six years old to visit family in Marquette, Michigan. I have quite a few memories of that trip – partially because it was the only one we ever took, and partially because my younger sister and I got lost in the pine forest while there. Why my parents let us roam around in a strange place, I’ll never know! Things are certainly different these days.
While my family didn’t travel, the summer months were filled with adventures around our block. Bicycle riding and roller skating were favorites. Playing jacks, spoons, and Ghost in the Graveyard, and getting hot and sweaty until it was time to go inside to enjoy a cold bowl of ice cream. Time at the local pool with swimming lessons, the smell of chlorine, suntan lotion (not recommended now!), and sunshine.
My sister and I have birthdays at the end of August, which was exciting as long as we didn’t think about having to go to school. There were years when school would start on my birthday, which was not fun. No one would know ahead of time that it was my birthday, and so it was never acknowledged. I always felt bad for those of us with summer birthdays.
However, the start of the school year had some perks. The best one was our once-a-year shopping trip for clothes and shoes for school and gym class, not to mention all of the supplies. I reveled at choosing my crayons, folders, notebooks, and pens! The smell of new notebook paper and markers was heaven to me!
When I think about those summertime memories, I can’t help but wonder if our young people have similar experiences about summer and the start of a new school year. My hope is that all of our kids and youth have fond memories and feelings about their time in our community. And while it is important that they learn academic skills, sports, and hobbies, it is imperative that they learn about and reflect the values we uphold as Unitarian Universalists: justice, equity, transformation, pluralism, interconnectedness, generosity, and of course, love.
All of us here at UCE are helping our young people learn these values and demonstrating how to live them in our daily lives. Whether you volunteer with a group of kids or not, they are watching what we do and hearing what we say. They are forming their faith as well as informing ours. I often hear adult volunteers say how surprised they were to be more of a learner than a teacher when working with young people, and that their own faith formation grew by doing so. Some also say that they feel more hopeful about the future by hearing the kids and youth converse on topics beyond their years. Their imaginations and insights are creative and inspiring!
This year in our Faith Formation Program, we continue to build community and relationships while exploring our UU values and striving to make the world a better place. We’ll be using a variety of curricula during the year for those in 1st-9th grades, such as Soul Matters, Holy Troublemakers and Unconventional Saints, Games to Build Community, and ChUUrchcraft. For our youngest, Ann Gadzikowski continues to create a special program based on storytelling. You can see an example here.
If any of this has piqued your interest, we have volunteer spots open for Chalice Children (pre/K) and for Heads, Hearts, and Hands (1st-5th). You can learn more about the year ahead by joining us at our Meet & Greet on August 23 from 10-11:30a. This is for any parent, grandparent, or curious person, and those who will be a volunteer. RSVP here by August 19 to help in planning for childcare and food. And I’m happy to talk with you more at any time, of course!
Our Middle School Youth Group will be having a lock-in on September 12-13 at UCE. Details were emailed out this week. If you didn’t get the email, please let me know.
Our Family Fridays resume on September 5 at 6p for a Dance Party. Join the Lively Spirits Dancers for an evening of music, dancing, and fun! Come and go as you wish. Bring a snack or beverage to share. You can help choose dance songs too – just submit your vote here (and your kids’) for songs to be added to the playlist.
For the adults, Dan Solomon, Bob Mesle, Rev. Eileen and I are planning the program calendar for the year and we’ll be sharing it with you soon. Our lineup includes continuing the Meeting Our Interfaith Neighbors and End of Life Planning programs, as well as Deepening the Spiritual Journey and UU history.
I hope that these last few weeks of summer become cherished memories, and that we create new ones at UCE as we start a new church year.
In Faith,
Kathy
Sunday, August 10, 2025
The Journey of Discovering Love Without Limits
Wendy Herman, UCE member and storyteller, shares her spiritual journey of discovering how to live a life of compassion. Rev. Eileen will be the worship associate. Gregory Shifrin offers his musical gifts on the piano and Kiley Korey will be our soloist.
Today’s offering will be shared with Brave Space Alliance, an LGBTQ+ organization in Chicago’s south side providing services, programs, and an affirming space. Their mission is to empower, embolden, and educate one another through mutual aid, knowledge sharing, and the creation of community-sourced resources as they build a world of liberty and justice for all.
Upcoming Services
August 17 – Curiosity – Rev. Eileen (Masks Required)
August 24 – Claiming Our Identities; Claiming Our Joy – Rev Susan
August 31 – Honoring the UU Service Committee – Rev Eileen
September 7 – Ingathering/Water Communion – All Ages – Rev. Eileen