Friday, October 17, 2025
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Two impressions for you of the SOLARbration this past Sunday from Board Member, Michael Drennan
1. Folk music matters: As a longtime advocate of sustainability and environmental justice in Evanston, working for big companies and small houses of worship I find it easy to get “lost in the weeds” of multivariate data streams and conflicting technology assessments. To see the country walk away from united action on a general interest item like their kids’ future makes it hard to want to raise my head. However something in Kristin Lem’s tone, a freshness, an enthusiasm in her original composition titled “solartopia” based on Harvey Wasserman’s book brought hope that we can live within our (planetary) means. The lyrics of Pete Seeger’s 2010 composition titled “SolarTopia” suggested we would power our houses and cars “with the might that is made up in the stars.” We knew we could go solar and recognized that we should leave fossil fuels in the ground, and now we have.
2. Just keep talking: As Rev. Eileen took pains to recount after service Sunday we’ve been talking solar since the turn of the century. And while I wouldn’t chalk up our daytime solar use simply to regulatory state changes, the IRA, better technology or the last best wishes of old friends now gone, I would also be remiss not to mention them. We wouldn’t have solar power at UCE without Barbara Young, Faith in Place, and Verde Energy Solutions.
And what made them do what they did; say yes when it didn’t seem it would matter much, say “go for it” when the way to go was less than certain? We’ve been discussing this for twenty five years, especially the coulds: could we switch from gas and nuclear to using solar and geothermal; could the building envelope and those gorgeous windows have upgrades to make them more efficient? Those kept me busy a long time parsing numbers and estimates, talking to building professionals and church members. And I remain occupied charting those small steps towards carbon neutrality.
When Rev. Eileen saw panels go up on her neighbors roof, some small spirit told her we should go solar. Probably the same spirit who spoke to Barbara Young – who’d also heard us Green Team types go on about solar for years. She knew what she should do, what she personally could do. And when she passed she made sure it happened. As your newest Board of Trustees member I’m obliged to continue exercising the courage Rev. Eileen, Kristin, Barbara and countless others have expressed through their words, songs, and actions. We can all look forward to Pete Seger’s SolarTopia across “God’s Green World” given we just keep talking.
Sunday, October 19, 2025
Self-Compassion
How might our world change if we treated ourselves with the same compassion we strive to give others? This Sunday we explore the practice of self-compassion – its challenges, its quiet power, and the ways it can open us to deeper connection, healing, and belonging. When we give ourselves compassion, we are opening our hearts in a way that transforms our lives.
Dr. Emma Farrell leads this worship with Barbara Mesle as Worship Associate. Kiley Korey leads us in song, and Gregory Shifrin, offers his musical talents on piano.
Today’s offering will be shared with Run On Climate Education Fund, whose mission is to accelerate cutting-edge climate policy at the local level in communities across the country, including right here in Evanston, which is one of Run On Climate’s focal cities for 2025.
Upcoming Services
October 26th – Steady, Loving Confrontation – Rev. Eileen and the Living Legacy Pilgrimage participants
November 2nd – Honoring Our Founders – Rev. Eileen
November 9th – Cultivating Gratitude in Hard soil – Dr. Emma Farrell
Sunday, October 12, 2025
Fierce Compassion
Practicing compassion is a lifelong challenge. It’s harder still while holding righteous anger at the injustices we witness and experience. Exploring the distinction between anger and hate and the root of compassion. Rev. Eileen will preach after
Rev. Susan and the Membership Team invite us to welcome our new members. The UCE Choir, directed by Vickie Hellyer our Music Director, and accompanied by Gregory Shifrin on piano provide music. Mary Dudek is our Worship Associate.
Today’s offering will be shared with Run On Climate Education Fund, whose mission is to accelerate cutting-edge climate policy at the local level in communities across the country, including right here in Evanston, which is one of Run On Climate’s focal cities for 2025.
Upcoming Services
October 19th – Self Compassion – Dr. Emma Farrell
October 26th – Steady, Loving Confrontation – Rev. Eileen and the Living Legacy Pilgrimage participants
November 2nd – Honoring Our Founders – Rev. Eileen
November 9th – Cultivating Gratitude in Hard soil – Dr. Emma Farrell
Update from Rev. Susan – 10/10/2025
Hi Friends,
Mickey and I just returned from four days at Starved Rock State Park. We celebrated our 18-year wedding anniversary on Monday evening on the patio of a restaurant overlooking the Illinois River with delicious food and a flock of freshwater pelicans as entertainment.
The changing climate was evident at the park. The few park rangers we talked with bemoaned that the nine canyon waterfalls that rely on rain to feed them were dry this year due to limited rain fall. St. Louis Canyon, the only canyon waterfall in the park that relies on a spring to feed it was still flowing. I’m standing in front of that waterfall in the photo. This trip reminded me how grateful I am that our congregation continues to be proactive about finding ways to reduce the negative impacts of our consumption of natural resources.
I hope you will stay after the service this Sunday, October 12th, from 12-1 pm for our Solarbration! Rev. Nic Faison, the Outreach Director of Faith in Place, Cara Pratt, the City of Evanston’s Sustainability Officer, and Chris Gersch, the CEO of Verde, will speak in the sanctuary before we head out onto the South Lawn for a congregational photo as part of a green ribbon cutting. We will honor the bequest from Barbara Young and the grant from Faith in Place that allowed us to afford to install our solar panels this year. Then, you are invited to view the solar panels on the wing from my office windows and enjoy treats provided by our Green Team.
I also hope that you will find a way to be engaged next weekend, on Saturday, October 18th, with the No Kings day. Here are a few options for ways to be engaged:
- 10:00 am, training at Second Baptist Church, Evanston, IL. Join facilitators from Second Baptist Church in a “Houses of Worship: Preparing for ICE Encounters” interactive and skill-building workshop. See flyer in this newsletter for details. If you attend this, please contact me so we can find ways to share what you learned.
- 10:30 am, No Kings Rally at Fountain Square, Evanston, IL. Rev. Eileen and UCE folks will meet at 10:30 am on the southwest corner of Fountain Square.
- 12:00 pm, No Kings Rally at Butler Field in Grant Park, Chicago, IL. Rev. Susan and UCE folks will meet at 11:45 am on Michigan Avenue in front of the lion on the south side of the stairs to the Art Institute and walk over to Butler Field together.
- All day, call or email your federal representative and senators to encourage them to continue to request a full release of the Epstein files or to thank them for a vote that was in line with your values.
- All day, make a financial donation to a non-profit organization that shares your values.
Many of you know that I am on the Board of the Illinois Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU-IL). Their message on October 3rd was: “On Saturday, October 18, No Kings protests will be happening across the country. To push back against the administration, we must show up and protest in large numbers. If you have not attended protests in the past, this is the moment to do so. It is important to encourage everyone in your network to attend a protest to take a stand against the abuses of power from this administration.”
If you would like to be added to the UCE Local Response Network (LRN), which is the internal email list we use to send out information about civic meetings, rallies, and vigils, as well as about trainings and preparing for demonstrations, please click here to submit the form to request being added to the LRN.
I was also reminded this week that this fight against the diminishment of civil rights and human rights for citizens and non-citizens, this push back against the fear of violence, and this choice to experience the joy and beauty in everyday life is something we can do. Something that previous generations have done. One of our UCE members who recently returned from the Alabama Living Legacy Pilgrimage sent me this quote from Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. Rabbi Heschel marched in the Selma Civil Rights Movement and wrote: “For many of us the march from Selma to Montgomery was about protest and prayer. Legs are not lips and walking is not kneeling. And yet our legs uttered songs. Even without words, our march was worship. I felt my legs were praying.'”
Let us pray with our participation this coming Saturday. Let our pluralist faith be a beacon of hope for all fighting for civil and human rights. Let our covenantal faith bring us into deeper relationships so that our future is not a return to the status quo, but a movement into our country’s future with a government that supports the most vulnerable and a culture that embraces all.
In hope,
Rev. Susan
Friday, October 10, 2025
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Sunday, October 12, 2025
Compassion for All Beings
With gratitude for the lessons we learn from the creatures we share this planet with, and in honor of St. Francis Day, we bless the animals who bless our lives. Rev. Eileen leads this worship with Annette Wallace as Worship Associate. Ally Hunter leads us in song, and Gregory Shifrin, offers his musical talents on piano. You are invited to bring in your well-behaved and leashed pets to be blessed or send a photo to Rev. Eileen for those who don’t worship well with others.
Today’s offering will be shared with Run On Climate Education Fund, whose mission is to accelerate cutting-edge climate policy at the local level in communities across the country, including right here in Evanston, which is one of Run On Climate’s focal cities for 2025.
Upcoming Services
October 19th – Self Compassion – Dr. Emma Farrell
October 26th – Steady, Loving Confrontation – Rev. Eileen and the Living Legacy Pilgrimage participants
November 2nd – Honoring Our Founders – Rev. Eileen
November 9th – Cultivating Gratitude in Hard soil – Dr. Emma Farrell
Friday, October 3, 2025
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DLFF Newsletter, October 5, 2025
DLFF Newsletter – October 2025
Fall Findings
I write this upon my return from the Living Legacy Pilgrimage in Alabama that I went on, joined by 17 others from UCE. To say that this experience was transformative would be an understatement. While I was fortunate that I grew up in a place that had good public schools and didn’t shy away from the history of the Civil Rights Movement, I still learned even more about the many stories that happened in between the ones I learned about in school. However, hearing the personal accounts and walking in the same places that made history were the things that brought that history alive and helped me feel many emotions. Our tour guides used readings, poetry, and music to enhance it all in a meaningful way.
I am thankful to Rev. Eileen for telling me about this tour five years ago and her dream of having a group from UCE go – a dream that has now happened! And so I now have a dream: to pass this pilgrimage on to our youth. I’m not exactly sure when or how this will happen, but it will. Perhaps if enough people in the coming generations have such an opportunity, then I can only believe that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream of equality for all can be a reality.
Dreams aside, there is much happening in faith formation and UCE as a whole. The Family Ministry Team and the Lively Spirit Dancers had a wonderful turnout last month at their dance party on the lawn. The weather was perfect, the music uplifting, and the company joyful! Our next event is this Friday when we join the garden team to do a little weeding followed by a campfire and s’mores. Come join us at any time between 6-8p! And then on November 7, we will have a family game night, so mark your calendars for that too.
In faith formation, we have some wonderful opportunities for adults to explore and grow in. This Sunday, the Endowment Committee hosts an “Estate Planning and Charitable Giving Workshop” after the worship service. You can register and learn more here. On Tuesday, October 7, be sure to catch Dr. Emma Farrell’s first session in their series on Artificial Intelligence, which will be on Zoom. On October 14, Rev. Eileen and I begin our three-part series on Deepening the Spiritual Journey, which is an exploration of the spiritual pathways we have all traveled in our lives; the pathways which have led us to where we are today.
For our young people, we are blessed to welcome our newest faith formation guides/leaders: Andy Donatowski, Katie Ediger, Dr. Emma Farrell, Lee Solock, and Patrick Thornton. They are gathering this Sunday before worship to learn the about what we do and why we do it, and to ask questions along the way. If you are interested in connecting with our younger members, feel free to join us! We will have light refreshments at 9:15a and begin immediately at 9:30a in room 3. Childcare is available.
We continue to welcome new families at UCE and in our faith formation program for children and youth. We have had an average of ten young people in each of our groups for the first few weeks of the new church year. Our youth had a lock-in two weeks ago, with 14 attending! They voted on ideas for the year and had fun playing games – especially Hide-and-Seek and the Cookie Face game.
We are growing in numbers and in spirit! Indeed we are blessed.
In Faith,
Kathy
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Compassion for All Beings
With gratitude for the lessons we learn from the creatures we share this planet with, and in honor of St. Francis Day, we bless the animals who bless our lives. Bring your well-behaved pet or a photo. Rev. Eileen leads this worship with Annette Wallace as Worship Associate. Ally Hunter leads us in song, and Gregory Shifrin, offers his musical talents on piano.
Today’s offering will be shared with the Run On Climate Education Fund, working to build the climate movement by empowering those devoted to climate justice with the skills they need to move their community off of fossil fuels as quickly as possible.
10/12/2025 Fierce Compassion – Rev. Eileen Wiviott
10/19/2025 – Self-Compassion – Dr. Emma Farrell