Sandra Robinson, Author at UC Evanston

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So far Sandra Robinson has created 17 blog entries.

Endowment Fund Gift Announcement

We are thrilled to announce that the Endowment Fund recently received a $1,000,000 donation from some very generous UCE members. This amazing gift will allow our congregation to further live out our UU values and principles—to unite as a church community and dream together about how we can do the most good, who we can impact, and where we can effect change.

How does the Endowment Fund work?
The Endowment’s Fund’s by-laws state that each year, 5% of the fund’s year-end balance can be released in the following calendar year to:

Support special church projects not anticipated in or provided for by the operating budget
Support the communities in which UCE resides
Enhance, repair, or improve the UCE’s building and property
Provide scholarships and grants to UCE members and staff for education and training
Support the wider mission of Unitarian Universalism

With the addition of this donation, Endowment’s current balance is now over $1.4 Million, which means that in 2019, we will be able to grant approximately $70,000 – a significant jump from the $21,000 we can grant this year.

How does this impact UCE’s financial picture?
Issues many church communities grapple with when they receive a gift of such magnitude are: How will this impact our church in the long run? What about our annual pledge drive? What about capital campaigns? And, how do these three work together?

Our annual pledge drive provides the operating funds to keep the lights on, the staff here and programs for our church community.
Capital campaigns are intended to finance significant maintenance and improvements to UCE’s structures.
And the Endowment Fund is designed to insure a lasting financial base so we can continue to nourish our congregation and empower our life-changing work in the community.

As stated earlier, in 2019, the Endowment Fund expects to grant around $70,000. While a remarkable number, it is less than 10% of our annual operating budget of $750,000. Our community still needs to live out our commitment to UCE through our annual pledges. (So, if you haven’t turned in your pledge form, please do so!) And, we will still need to mount periodic capital campaigns to address improvements that go beyond our annual pledges.

But now we also get to imagine and dream bigger than ever before about our work in the world. To lengthen our vision and create a new reality for UCE. To use this extraordinary gift for an even stronger future as we continue to “nurture the human spirit for a world made whole.”

We hope you will join us in celebrating this extremely generous and transformational gift.

—The UCE Endowment Committee

Endowment Fund Gift AnnouncementSandra Robinson2018-03-27T23:23:07+00:00

Volunteers Make It Happen

Volunteers are the life-blood of any non-profit organization. The paid staff and clergy keep the body healthy, of course, and the Board of Trustees through policy-making builds the skeleton on which the church can grow, but its volunteers who put flesh on the bones and make it come alive.vVolunteers give any program or project its human touch – they infuse their work with beauty and humor and fun. They bring skills to the tasks, they bring energy, an they bring the wisdom of the crowd.

But we are all busy people, and sometimes it is difficult to find volunteers to animate a pet project. Howvto recruit volunteers? It starts by asking for help the right way: in person, face-to- face. The personal appeal communicates your sincerity, your commitment, your belief in the importance of the work. It helps people say “yes” if you explain in some detail what needs to be done. Write a job description, or at least indicate the time, travel and skills that might be required. A good place to begin planning for volunteers is at the UUA website: https://www.uua.org/leadership/skills/development/101254.shtml

Volunteers Make It HappenSandra Robinson2018-03-27T23:16:03+00:00

LULA update

Much progress has been made to get the Lift of Love off the ground. Thank you to all donors and pledgers, as well as the Accessibility and Inclusion Team. It has been an effort of many hearts and minds working for better access in our space.

Currently, the LULA equipment is being manufactured to fit into the lift housing. The original planned goal for completion was the first week of April. Due to severe cold during the winter, the death of the father of our construction engineer and a subsequent off-site injury to himself, several weeks delay has occurred. The current planned date of use is May 23rd.

We are very excited about this grand event, which will be celebrated with a ribbon cutting and party. The Accessibility and Inclusion Team and staff are already discussing plans to make this a fun celebration for all.

A special note of gratitude to MaryBeth and Kinnie Smith who contributed generously and inspired others to donate and pledge. An email will be sent to pledgers soon asking for donations to be completed sometime between now and May 30.

On the administrative office front….we are about to make a decision on the new staff person. Many resumes were reviewed, several candidates telephoned, and we have narrowed our search to two highly qualified individuals. Eileen and I are meeting on Friday for a final interview with one of the two. An announcement will be made next week to the congregation.

Sandra Robinson

Executive Operations Director

LULA updateSandra Robinson2018-03-16T00:56:08+00:00

Your Input on Interim

As the board moves forward with the Interim Minister search process, we’d like your input. Just click here to answer this one question survey. We will be filling out the application form in the next couple of weeks, so we’d appreciate your quick response.

The Process

To review: March/April is the application and matching time for Interim Ministers. We will know by mid-May who our Interim Minister will be and they would start on August 1^st. In the meantime, Rev. Eileen will be covering through the rest of May and the first part of June. Then she’ll go to General Assembly and take her vacation. During that time, we’ll have a Summer Minister, arranged by Revs. Bret & Eileen, since they know our church well, know who is available, and who would be a good match for the Summer. So, as they say, “We gotcha covered!”

Why a 2 Year Interim?

Many people have asked if we could replace our minister within one year. We understand that a year would mean a shorter time of uncertainty until we have our next settled Senior Minister in place. However, Interim Ministry is important and vital ministry and our Unitarian Universalist Association Transitions office recommends two years as a best practice. Additionally, the search process can take more than a full year to be done well and thoughtfully. Our focus now is on finding a really great Interim Minister who we will learn from, inspire us and keep our church advancing forward. So when our next settled Minister arrives we will be setting them up for a strong start.

Yours,

Janelle Brittain

UCE Board of Trustees President

Your Input on InterimSandra Robinson2018-03-09T18:12:26+00:00

A letter from Debra Clements-Simmons on the Black Lives Matter sign (April 2018)

Dear UCE Family,

I am writing in regards to the Black Lives Matter sign that we will be voting on in May. Let me begin by just saying how much this sign has meant to my wife and I. Since its installation, it has been a constant reminder to me of why I chose to become a member of this community. There are a myriad of reasons why the sign is so important but l will mention just a couple.

First, it makes me proud because it tells all who pass by that UCE understands. It lets passersby know that this church gets that there are still very real issues in this country (world?) for people of color regarding the justice system, stereotypes, equal pay, law enforcement relations, civil rights, employment (and on and on). This understanding is a big deal. I feel as if I spend a lot of time trying to explain to people simply how these issues still present themselves to us in our day to day lives. My wife and I have more than once been mistaken for maids when lodging at a very nice hotel. Not sure what maids wear flip flops and a swimsuit cover up but I have stopped trying to figure it out. I just assume that my brown face seems out of place in a five star hotel – unless of course I am the maid. However, I do not have to explain these issues or problems to my church community. UCE understands -so much so that they put up a sign announcing it to the world. The sign does not just say Black Lives Matter; it says so much more.

My wife and I once joined the gathering to stand by the sign on a Sunday after church. An African American couple initially drove by with the wife enthusiastically hanging out of the window and her husband honking in support. The next thing we knew – they had parked and come to join us. They said they could not just drive by and that they wanted to stand with us. They seemed amazed that this group of (truth be told) mostly Caucasian People thought that Black Lives Matter. They even asked “What church is this”? It was just wonderful and I will never forget it. This is the message that the Black Lives Matter sign is sending, even when no one is gathered near it after church on Sunday.

The sign also makes me proud because it took courage to put it up in the first place. When so many cannot even begin to understand the slogan and get stuck asking “Doesn’t my life matter too?”. It is refreshing to me to know that I belong to a community that knew that when the sign went up some in the community may not only be unhappy but could very well vandalize the sign or church for that matter. Only pure love and courage could put the sign up anyway.

Thirdly, the sign is so important because like any sign it announces loud and clear what is happening inside of the building that it is in front of. Any good sign has one job and that is to inform in a short and concise manner what’s inside (a school, hamburgers for sale, open or closed for business, a church, etc.). Our Black Lives Matter Sign shouts that significant work is taking place inside of our church’s four walls. Why else would one put up a sign like that – unless it was to announce to the world that this is what we are about? In its simplicity, the sign tells the world about the wonderful and essential work that UCE has been doing and I am certain will continue to do. I personally NEVER get tired of telling people that MY CHURCH had Dr. King speak at it. People literally run from me when I start bragging. Never mind that I was not even born when he visited UCE.

Thank you for allowing me to tell you my feelings about the Black Lives Matter Sign. To me, it is a thing of great pride and beauty. I smile a big, fat, stupid grin every single time I drive by it. It was relevant when we put it up almost three years ago and it is still relevant. It is my sincere hope that the members of UCE will vote that it remain.

My best,

Debra Clements-Simmons

A letter from Debra Clements-Simmons on the Black Lives Matter sign (April 2018)Sandra Robinson2019-01-14T20:17:04+00:00

Tearing Down Walls – Building up connections, community & solidarity: A UU Justice Event

Friday, March 23: 6:00 – 9:00 pm and Saturday, March 24 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

This weekend-long justice event is a collaboration between several Unitarian Universalist groups – the UU Prison Ministry of Illinois, the UU Action Network of Illinois, and the Youth & Young Adult Visioning Team. Our goals are to build power through affirming our collective story. We want to educate and agitate our faith community so that we can better contribute to movements working to abolish unjust systems. We will weave a narrative that includes a drastic reduction in our prison population, a fossil free world and a fair economic world. We recognize that dreaming sharing a larger vision can dramatically sustain us in this work. We affirm the value of multigenerational communities engaged in this work in our congregations and beyond.

Friday: Dinner & Panel Discussion be inspired by advocates and organizers: Ethos (Circles & Ciphers), Monica Cosby (Mothers United Against Violence & Incarceration), Marlon Chamberlain (Live Free Chicago), Michelle Day (Nehemiah Trinity Rising).

Saturday workshops: Rev. Scott Aaseng (UUANI), Monica Cosby, Ethos, Rev. Karen Mooney (UUPMI), Rev. Booker Vance (Faith in Place), Saeed Richardson (CRS/Poor People’s Campaign)

Brought to you by UU Advocacy Network of IL, Youth and Young Adult Visioning Team and UU Prison Ministries of IL :: Learn, Reflect, Act

Tearing Down Walls – Building up connections, community & solidarity: A UU Justice EventSandra Robinson2018-03-06T19:53:54+00:00

Ministerial Plan Forward

From Janelle Brittain

UCE Board President
Rev. Bret’s sharing with us about his moving into a new role as a Chaplain in the Air Force has brought us a variety of responses. We are pleased that he’ll be able to share his unique and valuable ministerial support to people of many faiths at challenging times in their lives. We may feel sad that we are losing our wonderful minister who has touched our hearts, inspired our minds, challenged us to action and led the way on social change. As we look toward his last Sunday on May 6^th, you may be asking, what happens after that?

Your Board of Trustees have been busy working with Rev. Bret, Rev. Eileen, and our regional and national specialists in ministerial transitions. We have decided to go forward with an Interim Minister. We are at a good time in that March/April is the application and matching time for Interim Ministers. We will know by mid-May who our Interim Minister will be and they would start on August 1^st.

In the meantime, Rev. Eileen has agreed to cover through the rest of May and the first part of June. Then she’ll go to General Assembly and take her vacation. During that time, we’ll have a Summer Minister who will be someone Rev’s Bret & Eileen will choose, since they know our church so well and who is available who would be a good match for the Summer. So, as they say, “We gotcha covered!”

FAQ’s

A couple of commonly asked questions are:

Couldn’t Rev. Eileen just step into the Senior or even Interim Minister position?

The quick answer is no. The Ministerial Fellowship Committee will require Eileen to eventually serve another congregation in order to achieve Final Fellowship. She will definitely be with us at UCE at least through the next year (2018-2019).

Couldn’t we just do the “Evanston Model” approach we used last time we were in between ministers?

Even though we enjoyed all of the great ministers who each came for 2 Sundays + one workshop, it took a major toll on the church at a staff level, on support for our programs and did not set up the next minister well. Additionally, Interim Ministers have specific training and accreditation that will be a benefit to us as we move forward.

We have a very strong and healthy church. We are so grateful for how Rev. Bret has brought us together, lifted us up and helped to lead us to have the strong foundation we have today. We thank each of you for your participation and leadership as we go forward. After all, the church is made up of the congregation…YOU!

Ministerial Plan ForwardSandra Robinson2018-03-01T18:01:03+00:00

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