UCE, Author at UC Evanston

Sunday May 19, 2019

Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing

Come feel the rhythms of life as our choir, Gregory, and guest jazz musicians lay down the beat for us. Nadav Simon, our guest percussionist, has selected our musical pieces based on their rhythm histories, and the choral sharing will be an outgrowth of their recent workshop with him. At the 9:15 service, Dr. Mary will share the story Love, by Matt de la Peña, and we’ll hear from our seniors bridging to adulthood; at our 11:00 service, we will celebrate our beloved teachers and the arc of our year of learning in religious education. Join us!

Sunday May 19, 2019UCE2019-07-11T18:45:06+00:00

May 10, 2019

May 10, 2019UCE2019-05-10T20:03:28+00:00

Sunday May 12, 2019

Concerning Character

At one church I served as Interim Minister of Religious Education, I was struck by the fact that they called their Sunday school “Character School.” For me, this name embodies what all great RE programs aspire to be in liberal religious circles. Rather than teach kids what to think, we instruct them how to think for themselves. I know of no better way to build character. So what does a church with good character look and feel like? How does a church with good character make decisions? Is good character one of the qualities of the church’s leaders? Together, we’ll explore why character matters. Service Led by Rev. Gregory Stewart. 9:15am All-Ages Worship, 11am Worship in Sanctuary & Religious Education downstairs.

Sunday May 12, 2019UCE2019-05-06T15:38:48+00:00

May 3, 2019

May 3 2019

May 3, 2019UCE2019-05-03T19:14:59+00:00

From The Interim Minister

GROWING FOR GOOD

What are the signs of a thriving congregation? Every faith community is unique, yet there are some commonalities among those who are making a real difference for their members and the wider community. Among them:

Good congregations have visitors attending every Sunday. Three is a buzz among non-aligned seekers that something positive is happening and they are welcome to come and see. Visitors are welcomed every Sunday, and church members seek them out at coffee hour. Some members will sit with visitors in the sanctuary, especially if they are sitting alone. Visitors will stay and eventually become church members if they make a friend or two during their early days at the Unitarian Church of Evanston.

Good congregations have an outward focus. People come to be refreshed and refueled through the church’s ministries and then are a force for justice wherever life takes them. Work in the wider community develops a reputation that Unitarian Universalists are on the frontlines of social change. The congregation’s justice efforts themselves becomes a draw to curious seekers who want to put hands and feet on their spiritual principles and purposes. Millennials in particular are looking for spiritual communities that walk their talk and don’t get caught up in inward facing congregational drama.

Good congregations stand for something. Far from being an outpost only for theological misfits, members can articulate what they do believe, as opposed to what they do not believe. They embody the congregation’s mission and vision on days other than Sunday, in the communities where they live, in their social circles, and with the general public. Their churches are known in the community for what they do more than by what they believe. They believe they have many friends and neighbors who are Unitarian Universalists but don’t know it yet. These congregations tend to do fewer things with greater expertise.

Good congregations exemplify a generous spirit. Money is talked about freely and openly but is only one of several indicators. Congregants eagerly volunteer their time and enthusiastically share their talents as well. There is a desire to do the work of the church in the world and a realization that this can take big bucks. Members are willing to give sacrificially because they’re congregation gives so much to them. They insist on building a culture of generosity with their walls and understand that being generous is a spiritual gift and a character builder. And when times are tough, they know their church family has their backs.

Sound familiar? It does to me, thanks to you.

The joy continues,

Greg

From The Interim MinisterUCE2019-05-02T19:14:37+00:00

“Oh the Places We’ll Go!”

It is ministerial intern Susan Frances’ last Sunday at UCE. She will talk about how we make life goals and then how we keep going when the “Bang-ups and Hang-ups” happen. Service led by Susan Frances. 9:15am All-Ages Worship, 11am Worship in Sanctuary & Religious Education downstairs.

“Oh the Places We’ll Go!”UCE2019-04-29T14:33:18+00:00

April 26, 2019

April 26, 2019UCE2019-04-26T19:35:39+00:00

From The Executive Operations Director

Life at UCE is about to buzz as we will begin set up on Sunday for our annual Rummage Sale.

This event is one of the best examples of how our congregation comes together for the good of the church and practices community work and being together for an entire week. It is always a pleasure for me to have our building filled with voices and activity and know that it is done well and with love.

Remember to bring your donations and sign up to help. There are sign-up sheets in the lobby. Barbara Versino and Nancy Lee, our co-leaders are available to answer questions on Sunday and by email throughout the week.

This is one of important fundraisers to help us meet the needs of our active church. Rentals, Serendipity Auction and Rummage Sale contribute substantially to the financial health of UCE.

Thank you for all of you who have pledged this year. The pledge drive efforts to get pledges in continued weeks after the end of the drive. If you have not yet pledged, please email me at srobinson@ucevanston.org or call the office and Tamiko can fill out a pledge form for you. Your financial support enables us to provide a church home for our congregation as well as all who come through these doors for community events and rentals.

During the week I met with the new Endowment account. I gave her a tour of the building and talked about who we are and what we do. She had looked at our website and was impressed with the level of activity and good work done at UCE. She was taken by the beauty of our sanctuary and its connection to the outside. She was particularly moved by the fact that we have a congregational relations team and that we make a conscious effort to live our values and work in good covenant with one another. At the time she was here many were standing against Racism with many others in the community. These moments underscore the importance and appreciation of our building and our denomination’s work.

There is much work in progress and ahead as we continue with our Capital Campaign. Project plans are underway that will improve our building, update the wing and create a safe, welcoming space for all. Thank you for CC Chairs Martha Holman, Gillian and Dan Lawrence, as well as the many leaders who are on this team. A kick-off celebration is being planned for the day on June 2^nd. More detail will follow.

From The Executive Operations DirectorUCE2019-04-26T16:51:46+00:00

From Lane Deamant, Board Member

Ways to Engage Electronically with UCE

Whether you are a new member or have been here for years, take some time to explore our website and acquaint yourself with the information there. This a centralized place for all the moving parts at UCE, and especially in this age of technology we are working to examine and deepen the ways that UCE is present online.

A few great pages on the website to start with: (click on the blue text to find the link)

1) Things to Know About Our Community – Especially relevant for newer members who might not be familiar with all of the details about the UCE community. Learn how you can light the chalice during a Sunday service, or how to access the Member Directory, or why you’ve been seeing all those rainbow stickers on people’s name tags.

2) All About Religious Education – For parents and non-parents alike, learn or review all the cool things that the children in this congregation are learning every Sunday, and why we explore those topics.

3) Church Calendar – Check out all the events that UCE has going on every day – try making a commitment to explore a new event you haven’t experienced before. Stay up to date on some of the most important events happening here, including the dates for the upcoming Rummage Sale.

4) Living In Our Covenant of Engagement – This was discussed and explored in the recent “No Agenda” meeting among a group of church leaders (see Jeanne’s article in the last newsletter). Read the Covenant online at this link. The goals and values written there are important for all of us to remind ourselves about, for the benefit of our relationship to ourselves and to others in the congregation.

Beyond the website:

1) Join us on Facebook – UCE has three pages on Facebook – the UCE page, the UCE Member to Member Group, and the UCE Social Action group (links to all of these can be found under the Things to Know About Our Community page, so read through that first!). These are great places to engage with members of UCE online and to share your thoughts as well as hear what others have to share.

2) Follow the UUA on Twitter – stay connected with Unitarian Universalists around the world and be informed about the latest news from the UUA (Unitarian Universalist Association).

3) Check out what other UUs are doing: Second Unitarian Church (Chicago) reaches out to people via email with their monthly social justice newsletter, The Hammer. In the newsletter, they share stories of justice and ways to participate in social action within the Chicagoland area. It’s a great read. To subscribe to get their monthly email, click here.

From Lane Deamant, Board MemberUCE2019-04-26T14:37:51+00:00