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Sanctuary Cooling System is in!: July 22, 2022

The UCE Sanctuary Cooling System is in! And we are ready for Chicago’s hot Summer.

Thank you to everyone’s contributions to the Capital Campaign which made it possible for us to install a cooling system for the Sanctuary and adjacent Social Area. We’ve been enjoying this system since the end of May. It simply “takes the edge off” the indoor environment by cooling the room and removing some of the humidity. The intention is to make the Sanctuary & Social Area more comfortable on oppressively hot and humid days in Summer. It is not UCE’s intention to have cold storage facility-like conditions. Instead, the goal is to create a space that will be more comfortable for the members, community members and friends of UCE as well as for renters, who approach to share or rent the Sanctuary and Social Area. We researched many options and chose the best one that balanced caring for the environment and costs. We are pleased with the results.

Here are a few details about our new cooling system. Like our gas-fired furnaces, the cooling equipment mirrors the zoning arrangement of the furnaces. These zones include the east & northeast portions of the Sanctuary, the west & north west portions of the Sanctuary and the South zone which is basically the Social Area at the back of the Sanctuary. We’ve retained our existing furnaces and retrofitted them with eight new indoor cooling coils. We’ve also added eight, new outdoor condensing units and had the systems filled with R410a refrigerant, an environmentally favorable refrigerant with an ozone depletion potential of zero and a low global warming potential value. R410a also has a low toxicity, is not flammable and has an A1 safety classification. The seasonal energy efficiency ratio, or SEER, of the condensing units is as high as 19. The new cooling systems are zone controlled by three Ecobee programmable thermostats each one paired with a wireless remote temperature sensor for accurate control of operation. And, as a plus, the systems can be controlled remotely via a phone app!

Sanctuary Cooling System is in!: July 22, 2022UCE UCE2022-07-22T15:41:27+00:00

Restorative Justice Action of Immediate Witness: July 22, 2022

How Will You “Live Into” Restorative Justice?

One of the Actions of Immediate Witness (AIW) passed at the 2022 Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) General Assembly was “Anti-Racism and Reparations via Restorative Justice.” This AIW statement admits the inhuman sufferings of Americans of African descent through forced labor and egregious punishments, and recognizes that the reality of this violence has not been taught, discussed or acknowledged which has given rise to the belief in and practice of white supremacy. In alignment with our UU faith values, this AIW, adopted by a resounding majority, resolved that the member congregations of the UUA engage in the principles of restorative justice and truthful American history, to fully understand and reject white supremacy.

Here are some of the many ways to live into this AIW and our UU values: 

EMBRACE & ENGAGE – Create Study/Action Groups in our UU congregations, which engage in Restorative Justice. Embrace the principles of restorative justice and partner with marginalized communities to seek societal repair/reparations as an essential underlying aspect of our social justice work.

PROMOTE & SUPPORT cultural and gender identity in leadership and learning environments.

SPEAK UP & OUT – Condemn current misconceptions of true history as political and religiously motivated censorship.

JOIN & ORGANIZE – Be a part of national and local initiatives and organizations fighting for Reparations via Restorative Justice.

UCE continues to work toward restorative justice. Learn more about social justice work opportunities at UCE and beyond:

Live into the 8th Principle

Join the UCE Racial Equity Action Leadership (REAL) Team, UU Advocacy Network of Illinois, and UU Prison Ministry of Illinois

Participate in Reparations, Reconciliation and Repair: Evanston’s Interfaith Reparations Effort

Restorative Justice Action of Immediate Witness: July 22, 2022UCE UCE2022-10-25T15:08:06+00:00

From Kathy Underwood: July 22, 2022

The Chicken or the Egg?

It’s a classic question: Which came first? For those of you who are scientifically-minded, you can find the answer here or in this short video.

So what does this have to do with Faith Formation, you ask. As I think about programming for next fall, especially for our children and youth, I struggle with my version of this question: Which comes first? A programming plan or the volunteers?

I could spend countless hours making plans (let’s call it the eggs) for each age group from preschool through high school, and then cross my fingers and hope I can find the 25 volunteers (the chickens) to make it happen. OR I could try to get as many volunteers (chickens) that I can and THEN make the plans (eggs) for the year. Just for the record, our beloved volunteers are not chickens! This analogy is meant to be humorous and yet get the point across. So what are the possible consequences in each scenario? Would one make more sense than the other?

In the first scenario, I might waste a lot of time making the eggs and then need to change it if I don’t get enough chickens, which would then take more time. I could also change the ages of each group so that I wouldn’t need as many chickens. If we look at it from the perspective of parents and their children though, this doesn’t seem as desirable. There is quite a difference between a six-year-old and a twelve-year-old, so it’s not ideal to have them together all of the time for many reasons. While having them together periodically is good, they also need time with their peers, just like adults do.

In the second scenario, it would take time to find chickens before making the eggs, although perhaps not as much time. The pros to this are that I would know exactly how many chickens I had and could then determine the age-range for each of the groups for the children and youth.

Another analogy comes from Field of Dreams, with the saying, “If you build it, they will come”. This would align with the first scenario above of making the eggs and then finding the chickens. The movie romanticized this nicely, didn’t it? And while part of me loves to indulge in the romance of this approach, I have struggled with it every year of the 26 that I have been a religious educator. Some years it works out awesomely, some years it doesn’t.

The pandemic has changed this too. It feels like starting from chicken scratch over and over. I keep trying new ways of approaching and doing things in hopes of finding the golden egg. I’m sure many of you feel this way too – in your jobs, in your social life, in your daily life. My dream is for UCE to be the golden egg – the place where everyone’s life is enriched, nurtured, tended to – so that we can be our best selves out in the world. The world needs this as much as we do.

As I muse the chicken or the egg dilemma over in my mind, I have decided to get the chickens first. And then together we can make the golden egg.

In Faith,

Kathy Underwood,
Director of Lifespan Faith Formation

From Kathy Underwood: July 22, 2022UCE UCE2022-07-22T14:28:23+00:00

July 24, 2022

We will host an in-person and virtual worship service on Sunday, July 24th at 10:15 am.

Fluent in Faith
When it comes to languages, most of us take being fluent in one language for granted. Some of us are even fluent in more than one language. But what does it mean to be “fluent in faith?” What does it mean for Unitarian Universalists? And why does being fluent in faith matter? These are a few of the questions we will explore in our time together this Sunday.

Heike Eghardt is a student in the MDiv program at Meadville Lombard Theological School. She found Unitarian Universalism in 2013 and has been a member of UCE ever since. Born and raised in Germany, she has called the greater Chicago area home for over two decades. She currently lives with her husband in Evanston, IL.

Please submit your Joys and Sorrows through this online form. If you submit a message by 9 am, we will try to read it that Sunday. Thank you for your patience as we are adapting to best serve you all! Note there will only be one service time so that we can gather together as a whole community of faith. You can still give to the shared offering through “text to give,” mail a check to the office with “shared offering” in the memo line, or go to our website and hit “give” on the upper right or click here. This Sunday’s shared offering recipient is the Moran Center for Youth Advocacy.

July 24, 2022UCE UCE2022-07-18T22:22:54+00:00

July 15, 2022

Click here to read this week’s newsletter.

July 15, 2022UCE UCE2022-07-15T16:33:22+00:00

UUtheVote – We’re Doing It: July 15, 2022

We are already at 15% of our 40,000 Points of Love goal and it’s four months until the general election. If you have made any point of contact to encourage another person to vote, if you have registered voters or handed out voter information, if you have talked with someone about your values and how they influence your voting decisions, please let us know by emailing Shirley Adams through Realm or at admin@ucevanston.org. Each conversation or action is a Point of Love.

Here are some of our successes and words of encouragement:

“Good morning! Are you registered to vote at your current address? Let me check for you!” Thus began my experience with 40 prospective voters during a day in a Milwaukee DMV office. All are now guaranteed ready to vote without a hassle on Election Day and will have their voices heard. I had a great day! I also realized that, by way of my conversations with these voters, several hundred folks in and out all day were reminded of the importance, value, and impact of voting. I’m going back again next week, for a double shift! ~ Carolyn

Everywhere I turn is an invitation to write postcards to get out the vote. My favorite postcard party will be at the local wine cafe in Evanston. Organize something in your backyard like The Village People Proximity Partners is doing. Let’s make writing postcards a social event and invite our friends to help. ~ Shirley

I have worked in every election since 1968. I’ve canvassed door to door and made thousands of phone calls. One of my pet peeves is that the turnout drops off significantly in the off-year election. Accordingly, I’m going to be making trips to Wisconsin to register voters and making phone calls into Wisconsin to turn out voters for the November election. I’m so pleased that UU the Vote is on the case! ~ Lee

We have many opportunities to assist our Wisconsin neighbors to register to vote and to support the effort to get out the vote. There are in person opportunities at the Milwaukee Department of Motor Vehicles and other opportunities in Racine. There are also opportunities for you to help from home, on your own schedule through mailing/texting/calling programs. There is training available for all of this. For more information, contact me or anyone on the UUtheVote UCE Leadership Team. ~ Greg

Pick up Postcards at UCE on Sundays through August 7 

UCE is partnering with Reclaim Our Vote (ROV), a non-partisan organization which targets potential voters in states experiencing aggressive voter suppression. ROV sends specific information to voters on how to validate their registration, obtain mail-in ballots, and get transportation to distant polling locations. The time for us to act is NOW! Pick up postcards in the back of the sanctuary this Sunday or contact Carolyn Laughlin through Realm or at admin@ucevanston.org. 

Distribute Voter Information in Racine, WI, Now – August 6 

UCE is linking with Racine Interfaith Coalition (RIC) and Turn Up The Vote to distribute voter information between now and August 6. Training is provided 1 hour before each shift starts. No prior experience needed! Snacks and drinks will be provided. Shifts available on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays: 9am-12pm or 1pm-3pm. Register below! Melissa R. Michelson states in Scholars Strategy Network that personal contact urging individuals to vote has “strong spillover effects within households, boosting participation by others as much as 60 percent.” 

Register with RIC here.

Thank you for living out your values in the world! 

– UUtheVote UCE Leadership Team, Shirley Adams, Carolyn Laughlin, Greg Grabowski, Lee Bannor, and Rev. Susan Frances

UUtheVote – We’re Doing It: July 15, 2022UCE UCE2022-07-15T16:07:35+00:00

Goodbye from Jessica Meis: July 15, 2022

Hi UCE,

Most of you hopefully read Sandra’s column last week announcing my resignation from UCE. I have been attending graduate school at Columbia College Chicago since the Fall of 2021 and I’ve learned a lot. This program has also opened up some amazing opportunities for my future career, so it is time to say goodbye to you all for now.

What will I be doing? Along with continuing my program at Columbia, there are two opportunities that start at the end of this month/beginning of August. First, I was offered to lead a hospitality team at Lollapalooza, the music festival in Chicago. This will be a great opportunity to serve in a leadership role and help put on a fun event for music lovers. Second, I will be serving as the Collections Assistant at the Museum of Contemporary Photography (MOCP) at Columbia starting in August. With an undergraduate degree in Art History and Latin American Studies, I have always wanted to work in a museum where I can help reshape the traditional Eurocentric narrative around art and culture to be more inclusive and reflective of our communities. This is my next step towards that goal and I’m excited to see where it will lead after I finish graduate school. If you see me at Lollapalooza or the MOCP, don’t hesitate to say “Hello!”

Thank you for being such an awesome community. Your passion for social justice and the environment, and care for one another has been inspiring. I have been so honored to serve you all. My last almost three years at UCE have been a time of growth for myself and UCE. I have seen a beautiful transformation of UCE’s building and grounds through the various Capital Campaign projects, as well as, an important transformation in this community through the interim work with Rev. Karen Gustafson and the continued work through the Membership Engagement Task Force and the Anti-Oppression Task Force.

Thank you all for your patience, kind wishes, and encouragement along the next steps in my journey. My last day at UCE will be July 27, so I will continue to serve you all as Communications Coordinator to the best of my abilities until then. Rev. Eileen and Sandra are actively searching for my replacement in the office. If you know of anyone with administrative office experience, please direct them towards the job listing on Indeed.

I look forward to seeing you continue to grow and transform as you nurture the human spirit for a world made whole. I hope to remain as a friend of this congregation and will always cherish my time serving UCE. May our paths cross again in the future.

Thank you for being you,
Jessica Meis
She/Her/Hers

Goodbye from Jessica Meis: July 15, 2022UCE UCE2022-07-14T20:34:35+00:00

Time for Springfield to Step Up: July 15, 2022

In the wake of the horrific mass shooting in Highland Park, many of us are asking the same question: WHAT CAN WE DO?

The UCE Legislative Advocacy Team urges all of us to demand that Illinois have a special legislative session dedicated to gun violence prevention in Illinois. Specifically, we believe the legislature should immediately consider:

a ban on assault-type weapons
a ban on large capacity magazines
mandatory fingerprinting to get a FOID card

While Congress recently enacted some meaningful but modest gun violence prevention legislation, our influence as citizens is strongest at the state level, so that is where we should focus our efforts in this time of crisis.

Please call and email the leaders listed below, as well as your own state representative and senator, and demand a special legislative session to address the plague of gun violence in Illinois.

Governor Pritzker – Click here to send an email or call (312) 814-2121 or (312) 814-2122
Senate President Don Harmon – Click here to send an email or call (708) 848-2002
Speaker Chris Welch: Click here to send an email or call (708) 450-1000
Find your senator and representatives here.

For more information, contact Carolyn Laughlin through Realm or at admin@ucevanston.org.

Time for Springfield to Step Up: July 15, 2022UCE UCE2022-07-14T18:55:30+00:00

July 17, 2022

We will host an in-person and virtual worship service on Sunday, July 17th at 10:15 am.

Some, if not all
The year was 2022. | They answered the phone call from Planned Parenthood where they had volunteered. They were being asked to staff the phone line. “I can do some of the hours, but not all.” | He woke up in his grief. He stared at the toaster waffles he had made. “I can eat some of them but not all.” | There are days when “some” is good enough. The fear of “all” can’t stop us from doing what “some” we can. In this service, we will explore how to know the “some” we can do even when we feel like we can’t do “all.”

Rev. Jon Coffee is a UU minister in Knoxville, TN, where he lives with his husband, Keith. Jon is a community minister affiliated with Tennessee valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Jon graduated from Meadville Lombard in 2017 with a Master of Divinity degree. He became a staff member at Meadville Lombard Theological School during his final year of the MDiv program. In his role as Assistant Director of Financial Aid and Student Services, he forges relationships with Meadville students, past (alumni), present (current students), and future (prospective students).

Please submit your Joys and Sorrows through this online form. If you submit a message by 9 am, we will try to read it that Sunday. Thank you for your patience as we are adapting to best serve you all! Note there will only be one service time so that we can gather together as a whole community of faith. You can still give to the shared offering through “text to give,” mail a check to the office with “shared offering” in the memo line, or go to our website and hit “give” on the upper right or click here. This Sunday’s shared offering recipient is the Moran Center for Youth Advocacy.

July 17, 2022UCE UCE2022-07-11T18:41:37+00:00

July 8, 2022

Click here to read this week’s newsletter.

July 8, 2022UCE UCE2022-07-08T18:08:12+00:00

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