April 2026 - UC Evanston

Update from Dr. Emma Farrell – May 3, 2026

Dear beloved community,

It’s hard to believe that my time with you is beginning to draw to a close. In about a month, I will say goodbye — with my last Sunday among you on June 7. Even writing that feels a little surreal. I will carry so many of you with me. You have shaped me, challenged me, encouraged me, and trusted me in ways that have changed who I am as a minister and as a human being. That is a gift I will always cherish.

As I prepare for what comes next, I’ve also been wrapping up some meaningful work beyond UCE. I just finished facilitating a series of workshops with the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association on artificial intelligence, and I’ve been invited to turn that work into a standalone curriculum, which will be my summer project. It feels like a continuation of something many of us have already been doing together: learning how to meet a changing world with curiosity and courage, not knowing how the future will look but approaching it grounded in our values.

As part of that, I’ve created an AI Toolkit that will soon be available on the UCE website. It includes an overview of what AI is (and isn’t) good at right now, a practical matrix to help you discern when and how you might decide to use it, guidance on transparency and disclosure, and tools for skillful prompting, iteration, and evaluating outputs. If you’re curious, here’s a sneak preview.

And one more invitation: I hope to see some of you at my ordination on June 13 at 2:30pm at Unity Temple (and on YouTube for those joining from afar). All are warmly invited — you can RSVP here.

It would mean so much to celebrate that moment with you, the people who have helped form me into a parish minister. It’s not any “higher power” or authoritative body that ordains a UU minister, it’s the people who give us our sense of call and legitimacy, and your trust in me has been both humbling and sustaining. I carry that trust forward, hoping to continue growing into it.

Thank you for the ways you have loved me, taught me, and walked alongside me. I will continue to carry you with me.

With deep gratitude and love,

Emma

Update from Dr. Emma Farrell – May 3, 2026adminuce2026-04-29T19:13:24+00:00

Sunday, May 3, 2026

Constructing Curiosity: Faith Formation Sunday

As we returned to in-person worship in 2021, our Faith Formation Sunday looked at how we wanted UCE to be for all to grow in their UU faith. Together, we built a structure with our visions and commitments written on blocks. Are you curious about whether we have kept to those visions? How can we continue constructing and building Beloved Community on the foundation we began with? Kathy Underwood, Director of Lifespan Faith Formation, leads this service with Ally Hunter as worship associates. Ally Hunter on vocals and the ukulele, Taylor Hobart on harp, and Gregory Shifrin on piano provide the music.

Today’s offering will be shared with Children’s Best Interest Project.

Upcoming Services

May 10 – The Fierce Love of Mothering – Dr. Emma Farrell

May 17 – A Home By Any Other Name – Rev. Eileen Wiviott

May 24 – Rev. Allison Farnum

Sunday, May 3, 2026adminuce2026-04-29T16:08:37+00:00

Friday, April 24, 2026

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Friday, April 24, 2026adminuce2026-05-05T19:31:16+00:00

Sunday, April 26, 2026

Honesty, Integrity, Good Works

Long time UCE member and choir tenor, Mike Dickenson, shares his Spiritual Journey which includes what it means to him to be a ‘true Christian’ and a Unitarian. Rev. Eileen Wiviott and Heike Eghardt will serve as his Worship Associates, Charles M. Anderson as hymn leader and soloist, Kevin Barrow on guitar, and Gregory Shifrin on piano.

Today’s offering will be shared with Connections for the Homeless, one of our longest community partnerships. Connections serves as a safety net for neighbors who need support to maintain safe, stable housing in Evanston and northern Cook County.

Upcoming Services

May 3 – Faith Formation Sunday

May 10 – The Fierce Love of Mothering – Dr. Emma Farrell

May 17 – A Home By Any Other Name – Rev. Eileen Wiviott

May 24 – Rev. Allison Farnum

Sunday, April 26, 2026adminuce2026-04-21T20:39:40+00:00

BOT Column – April 19, 2026

April Newsletter

Happy spring, everyone! This season of renewal and change brings longer days, warmer weather, and a welcome shift from sweaters to t-shirts and boots to sandals.

Last August, the Unitarian Church of Evanston (UCE) Board of Trustees held a retreat to reflect on the themes that emerged from the 2025 congregational focus groups that focused on what the future of our congregation could look like. One key theme that stood out across every conversation: a desire to reconsider our congregation’s name. A small workgroup was assembled that conducted research with over 40 UU congregations who changed their name previously and spoke with the Unitarian Universalist Association about their recommendations on a possible name change.

Congregants shared two primary reasons for exploring a change. First, many expressed a desire to include our Unitarian heritage in our name. Second, there was thoughtful discussion about whether the word “church” fully captures our commitment to pluralism and the breadth of our faith community.

The Board acknowledged that a name change has been proposed several times in the past. In those instances, conversations stalled due to a lack of clarity around a specific alternative. To ensure productive conversations, the Board identified a potential new name to bring to the congregation for consideration: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Evanston.

Over the past several months, the Board sought input from the congregation:

Focus Groups: Four focus groups were held, with more than 80 participants
Individual Meetings: Board members met one-on-one with congregants who preferred to share feedback privately
Emails: Board members received several emails from congregants who wished to share their feedback via email
Survey: An online survey distributed through the newsletter received over 50 responses

Survey Results:

74% of people supported changing to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Evanston
15% were opposed to changing the name to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Evanston
11% were undecided

Based on feedback, the Board compiled a summary of common themes, including both the benefits and concerns related to a name change. We encourage you to review this document for a deeper understanding of congregational perspectives. Click on this link to read the common pros/cons.

You should also have received the Annual Meeting packet that includes the congregational budget as well as a Frequently Asked Questions document prepared around the name change motion.

What’s Next?

The proposed name change will be brought to a vote at the May 17th Annual Meeting following worship services. As a reminder:

A quorum requires participation from at least 20% of voting members (either in person or online).
Approval for the name change requires a two-thirds majority of those present to vote during the Annual Meeting

The UCE Board of Trustees encourages all members to attend the May 17th Annual Meeting and vote on this important decision.

Finally, thank you to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts on the name of our congregation. While we may not all agree, we are grateful for the care, respect, and thoughtfulness that have characterized this process.

BOT Column – April 19, 2026adminuce2026-04-14T16:55:23+00:00

Sunday, April 19, 2026

Welcoming One Another Home

We come together to practice Beloved Community, to welcome and affirm the worth of all people, and to heal our spirits through joyful song. This spring music service allows us to set down our loneliness and despair, as we participate in the

deeply human desire to experience home as a place of radical belonging.

Musicians include:

The UCE Choir, Dana Plazak, vocal soloist, Andy Carpenter, soprano sax; Julia Schifrin, violin and fiddle; Kevin Barrow, clarinet, Gregory Shifrin, piano; Nadav Simon, drums and timpani; Vickie Hellyer, conductor

Readers include:

Eleanor Boyer, Thom Duncan, Ellie Feddersen, Robb Geiger, Lynn Kendall, and Rev. Eileen Wiviott

Today’s offering will be shared with Connections for the Homeless, one of our longest community partnerships. Connections serves as a safety net for neighbors who need support to maintain safe, stable housing in Evanston and northern Cook County. They’ve been a tireless advocate and leader for affordable housing in our area.

Upcoming Services

April 26 – Mike Dickenson’s Spiritual Journey

May 3 – Faith Formation Sunday

May 10 – The Fierce Love of Mothering – Dr. Emma Farrell

May 17 – A Home By Any Other Name – Rev. Eileen Wiviott

Sunday, April 19, 2026adminuce2026-04-16T16:39:58+00:00

Friday, April 10, 2026

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Friday, April 10, 2026adminuce2026-04-16T20:25:49+00:00

Update from Rev. Susan Frances – Friday, April 10, 2026

Hi, Friends,

UCE was again a polling place on March 17th for three precincts during the primary election. Since 2024, when we resumed being a polling place, I have enjoyed the camaraderie with the election judges in the 5-6 am hour when I arrive to let them in for the day. And my favorite part of voting day has become the moment at 6 am, when one of the election judges asks me to unlock the parking lot doors and then steps outside to proclaim “The polls are open.”

This primary election, I was pleased to see more children with their parents than usual. I feel this might be because with all our country is going through, parents are motivated to make sure that the next generation understands not only what democracy means, but how, as a citizen, you actively engage with it.

I am grateful for the unique ways each of us is doing what we can to live into our mission of nurturing the human spirit for a world made whole. The photo is of me on voting day wearing my UU the Vote shirt and the Melt the ICE hat handmade for me by Lynn Kendall. I wore my Melt the ICE hat again to the No Kings rally in Chicago on March 28th, where I was pleased that the speakers included two high school students who spoke honestly about the fear they and their classmates are experiencing due to the tactics of ICE agents in the Chicagoland area. My friends, we must stay engaged. Voting, crafting, protesting, playing – there is no one way to be engaged in caring for ourselves, our society, and our planet.

The day following the No Kings rallies, our Membership Team put together a lovely New Member Reception. We celebrated the 15 people who joined on Sunday, March 29th and the 9 people who joined in October. Plus, we have 9 more people who have joined over the past year but have not yet been available to participate in one of our new member worship services. I invite you to look around on Sunday mornings and take a moment to greet someone you do not know.

As we continue to build community within UCE, we also continue to build our community relationships across Evanston. Climate Action Evanston has put together a nice list of the Earth Day events happening April 18-26, along with who is sponsoring each event. The week starts off here at UCE on April 18th. That afternoon from 2-5 pm, we will be hosting the Community Earth Day Celebration organized by Climate Action Evanston and I will be providing the welcoming remarks.

The upcoming week of Earth Day activities ends on April 26th with the Interfaith Action “Prayers for Planet” Service Day and Community Prayer from 10 am – 3 pm at the Evanston Ecology Center. Rev. Eileen will be providing a reading during the Prayers for Planet liturgy. I invite you to check out the list of Earth Day events and participate as you can.

May we continue to care for each other and the next generation as we show up for democracy, show up for the planet, and show up for love.

Yours in Faith,

Rev. Susan

Update from Rev. Susan Frances – Friday, April 10, 2026adminuce2026-04-07T16:07:56+00:00

Sunday, April 12, 2026

Breaking the Rules

In this special service, where our youth and young adults take the helm, we’ll explore what happens when we break the rules. Our young people will help us examine when rules should be broken, and how we can live with the consequences when our values, integrity and conscience call us to challenge unjust rules.

Rev. Eileen works with members of the Youth and Young Adult Groups to lead.

Worship Leaders/Designers:

Youth: Birdie and Clementine Dreznick, Henry Donoghue, Lee Horn, Sophia Kern, Sydney Lawrence, Lucas O’Reilly, Ned Parsons

Young Adults: Julia Adams, Kevin Barrow, Bex Blackmore, Aidan Caravana, Rai Johnson-Nicholson, Kiley Korey, and Grey Wiviott

Today’s offering will be shared with Connections for the Homeless, whose mission is to serve and catalyze our community to end homelessness, one person at a time.

Upcoming Services

April 19 – Music Sunday – Vickie Hellyer

April 26 – Mike Dickenson’s Spiritual Journey

May 5 – Faith Formation Sunday – Kathy Underwood

May 12 – Mother’s Day – Dr. Emma Farrell

Sunday, April 12, 2026adminuce2026-04-02T16:51:27+00:00

Friday, April 3, 2026

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Friday, April 3, 2026adminuce2026-04-05T17:48:13+00:00