Sunday, December 25, 2016
“Stories of the Season” – 9:15 and 11:00am
Unconventional stories of the season, for Christmas Day and the first day of Hanukkah. Rev. Connie Grant speaking.
News from the REAL Team
A core group of leaders created the Racial Equity, Action and Leadership Team in early 2015 to create, sponsor and implement programs, activities and workshops for the UCE community. REAL is organizationally part of the Social Action Council and is focused on providing education about racism and what it means to be white in our work for racial justice; and to provide channels for direct action by members of the congregation.
After two years of successful programming, the REAL Core Team (Martha Holman, Joan Retzloff and Sarah Vanderwicken) is now defining a broader committee of UCE members and friends to be REAL Activators. Several UCE members have been invaluable in the execution of programs and activities REAL has sponsored, and have in fact initiated projects themselves. These contributors are the first new Activators: Heike Eghardt, Karen Courtright, Betty Walker and Shirley Adams. These newly designated team members will participate in planning, implementing and promoting new initiatives in 2017 and beyond.
News from the Fair Trade Cart: December 15, 2016
Here are some of the kids who are enjoying learning about healthy living at Chute Middle School with support from UCE’s Fair Trade Cart.
We have provided funds for their Healthy Eagles Club to plant and tend a garden at school and then to learn to prepare their harvest from visiting chefs. Your purchases make possible this year-long activity at Chute School in addition to paying for the gift certificates given to selected families at holiday time. We, and these kids, thank you for your continuing support of the Fair Trade Cart and wish you a Happy New Year!
Sunday, December 18, 2016
9:15am – “The Christmas Story”
Telling of the Christmas Story, with Christmas carols.
11:00am – “Participatory Pageant for All”
We’ll enact the Christmas story and reflect on its meaning. Have you always wanted to be a star? Or maybe an angel, a wise person, or a shepherd? This is your chance! No advance preparation is required: costumes, props, and stage directions will be provided on the spot. A worship service for all ages.
Sunday, December 11, 2016
”The Power of Silence”
“All I want for Christmas is a little peace and quiet,” someone recently said. This sounds like a cry for freedom: from the media, from the holiday blitz, from politics as unusual. Silence is one tool in our kit that we might cultivate, especially this time of the year, to regain our sense of equilibrium and even power. Rev. Bret Lortie speaking.
From the Executive Operations Director
The past several weeks have been brimming with good work and community connection at UCE.
November 12, 170 UCE congregants shared fun and fundraising together at Serendipity Auction.
Friday evening, November 18 through Sunday morning, November 20, UCE hosted CON, the Northern Area Youth Conference, with over 120 high schoolers and adult chaperones in attendance, supported by numerous congregation members who assisted with food preparation and serving.
Sunday, November 20, four Democratic legislators convened a rental event in our sanctuary to discuss “where do we go from here” following the election. Four hundred people filled our sanctuary to capacity, with an overflow crowd of 200 plus unable to enter.
Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Trilogy, a Rogers Park mental health social service agency, held a holiday party for two groups of 180 people throughout the day. The sanctuary was bedecked in red and white cloths and large vases of festive flowers while holiday music filled the air.
That afternoon our sexton Liz and custodian Steven turned the room around to set up for UCE’s Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, attended by 10 Navy recruits and 50 or so UCE members and guests.
Next time you see Liz and Steven, please let them know how much they are appreciated. When we sit down on Sunday morning in our beautiful sanctuary, it is hard to imagine that the day before it was a space for others to enjoy, hold shared values and be engaged in meaningful work together. This space and our work is important not only to this congregation but also to the community!
News from CRS, UUANI, UU Prison Ministry
Actions you can participate in with CRS, UU Prison Ministry, and UUANI:
CRS (Community Renewal Society) held its annual membership assembly on November 12 and several UCE members participated. This year’s actions will focus on violence prevention, jobs in the inner city, employment opportunities for people with records, and implementing the Fair Cops Ordinance in Chicago.
Our Evanston team gathered with CRS teams from congregations in the north suburbs (there are 6 of us) to plan to work together to bring CRS issues forward in our own communities, linking with local community groups addressing like issues. We will continue to meet periodically to strategize and energize. We are meeting with our legislators in December to inform them of the CRS agenda and invite them to the Annual martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Faith in Action in January. Our north suburban legislators have been enthusiastic supporters of CRS.
Join Community Renewal Society for our Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Faith in Action on Monday, January 16, 2017. Contact Dale Griffin for more information or to RSVP today!
The UU Prison Ministry of Illinois is conducting its annual fundraising campaign with individuals who would like this ministry to thrive. You can donate online by clicking “give” on the UCE homepage.
We expect to have a presence in Logan Correctional Facility and Cook County Jail soon, and have begun to help people returning from prison. We are working together on ways to be radically welcoming congregations to those who have been incarcerated.
UUANI (UU Advocacy Network of Illinois) begins a new year with emphasis on raising the minimum wage (economic justice), passing a clean jobs Illinois bill (environmental justice) and passing anti-solitary confinement legislation (racial justice).
UUANI recently completed a very successful fundraising campaign, exceeding our goal of $12,000 to complete a package to hire the very energetic Rev. Scott Aaseng as half-time director. UCE folks have been very generous in their support and we are grateful!
For more information on any of these please contact Dale Griffin or other participants. DaleCGriffin@comcast.net