Hello from the edge of a blank canvas that will soon fill with color, energy, music, and purpose. We return with eager caution to our brick and mortar home to celebrate familiar creases in the eyes of our masked smiles, and to smash one another in (consensual) hugs. 

This is my first year on the UCE board. What a privilege. What a learning curve! There’s a lot of Big Stuff in here/out there. But it’s no bigger than our own small efforts. As I heard long ago: “do your best work and be kind.” 

There is more complicated machinery in our goals than simple philosophy, but I trust it completely for engagement with you, and our shared aspirations. 

We’ll keep current with news from the board in this newsletter and other touch points, and hope to hear from you as well. 

We gather at our annual board retreat August 20 – 21. You’ll learn in short order what topics, urgencies, and goals are addressed or generated then. I hope there are costumes. 

In love and service,
Ally Hunter 

* SNAP LINE, carpentry: a tool to draw a line between two points, a guide. 

It is our goal as the Board of Trustees to maintain connections with you. To that end, we are hosting a program entitled, “Reflections with the Board.”  We host these sessions via zoom once a month at 10am before the service.  Our next session will be held on June 13th at 10am.  For this session, the Board would like to spend some time talking with you about Widening the Circle of Concern.  This month we will discuss Chapter Five, Living Our Values.  You did not have to attend any of our previous sessions to join us.  

Here is a link to the chapter: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/cic/widening/living-values 

Questions from Study Guide for WTC chapter, Living Our Values: 

What is the difference between a charitable approach to social action and a justice orientation? Ask the recorder to note responses in two columns titled “charity” and “solidarity.” 

• How does this congregation/community go about learning about the experiences of those we seek to serve in our justice work? 
• How does our congregation follow the lead of those most affected? 
• Who are the Black, Indigenous, and people of color whose lead we follow, and on what issues? On what other issues might our congregation seek to follow them? 
• To what organizations led by Black, Indigenous or other people of color is our community accountable?  
• Who are we in relationship with? 
• If we have no accountable relationships or no relationships at all, what can we learn from that? 
• What are some important lessons from our community’s history? 
• What are the other groups led by people with marginalized identities to which we can be accountable? 
• How do we continue to educate ourselves as a congregation/community about issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion? 

Which of these questions would you like to discuss?  What have you been learning as you have been reading Widening the Circle? Please join us on Sunday. Thank you. 

Click here to join Zoom Meeting.
Meeting ID: 862 4288 7134
Passcode: 220807
One tap mobile:  +13126266799,,86242887134#,,,,,,0#,,220807# US (Chicago) 

Want to know what the Board has been working on in April and May? 

• Working with the YWCA Equity Institute to create our anti-oppression task force 
• Reading and discussing Widening the Circle of Concern 
• Attending the Revolutionary Love conference 
• Attending the Breaking Covenant workshop offered by the Midwest UUA 
• Supporting Rev. Karen in her interim work 
• Supporting Team 8th in their work to inform the congregation about the Eighth Principle 
• Monitoring the Ends statements 
• Monitoring the yearly Board goals  
• Forming the Endowment Task Force  
• Surveying congregation to consider Endowment history and practices 
• Surveying the congregation about their experience in applying for Endowment grants 
• Hosting Town Hall meetings about the Eighth Principle 
• Hosting Town Hall meetings to discuss the proposed bylaw changes and the annual budget 
• Attending Council meetings as liaisons – there to learn and to assist, if needed 
• Hosting “Reflections with the Board” where we meet monthly with the congregation 
• Connecting with other UU congregations and the Midwest UUA through weekly leadership zoom calls  
• Preparing for new board member orientation and annual board retreat in August 
• Preparing for the annual meeting by sending out the proposed bylaw changes and the annual meeting packet 
• Leading an annual meeting where we successfully approved the 2021-22 budget, changes to the bylaws, and elected new Board, Endowment, and Nominating and Recruiting members 
• Successfully approving the adoption of the Eighth Principle at our annual meeting! 
• Writing newsletter articles to keep you updated! 

Want to know more about any of these topics?  The Board minutes and agendas are available on the UCE website or feel free to contact the Board at BOT@ucevanston.org! 

It is our goal as the Board of Trustees to maintain connections with you. To that end, we are hosting a program entitled, “Reflections with the Board.” We host these sessions via zoom once a month (the second Sunday of the month) at 10 am before the service. Our next session will be held on April 11th at 10 am. For this session, the Board would like to spend some time talking with you about Widening the Circle of Concern. This month we will begin discussing Chapter Four, Hospitality and Inclusion. You did not have to attend any of our previous sessions to join us.

Questions from Study Guide for WTC chapter, Hospitality and Inclusion

• Who is responsible for greeting and welcoming in our congregation?
• What kind of education or dialogue is held with them?

Now invite the group to imagine a first encounter with the congregation, either physically or virtually. What might people notice or experience? Collect impressions from the group. Ask:

• Based on this, who would feel most welcomed? Why?
• Who might question their welcome? Why?

Next, form two- or three-person small groups and invite them to undertake a mini-audit of how your congregation presents itself to newcomers and visitors. Ask each group to appoint a note- taker. Instruct groups to examine the congregation’s newsletter, website, and recent sermons:

• Look for words like “we,” “everyone,” “our” and consider both who is meant and how a reader might understand who is meant. Who is the “we”?
• Look for words like “others” and phrases like “surrounding community” that make a distinction between this faith community and someone else. Who is the someone else?
• Beyond noticing words and phrases, give careful thought to their meanings and messages.
• Bring the groups back together. Invite each group to report one observation that struck them.

Now lead a discussion on these questions:

• What can we say now about how language can intentionally or unintentionally include or exclude?
• What harm can happen because of it?
• How hard was it to look at our congregation in this new way?
• What would it take for this new mindfulness to become the intentional practice of our community? Together, answer these questions:
• In the congregation, how do people learn about affinity group opportunities for BIPOC across the broader Unitarian Universalist movement, such as Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU) and Diverse and Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM)?
• Is there a congregational or local UU cluster BIPOC affinity group? If so, how do people of color in the community learn of its existence?

Which of these questions would you like to discuss? What have you been learning as you have been reading Widening the Circle? Please join us on Sunday. Thank you.

Click here to join the Zoom meeting.
Meeting ID: 862 4288 7134
Passcode: 220807
One tap mobile: +13126266799,,86242887134#,,,,,,0#,,220807# US (Chicago)

What will happen at our annual meeting this year?  Many wonder what may be on the agenda, so let’s talk about that now.  There will be a financial report and a vote on a budget for the new fiscal year starting July, 2021.  There will be a slate of candidates for new Board of Trustee members, the name of the proposed new Endowment Trustee, and a slate for new Nominating and Recruiting Committee members.  Those are the standard agenda items. There will also be proposed changes to our bylaws.  

In addition this year there will be a vote on adopting the 8th principle.  The Board will host a Board Special Edition: Consider the 8th Principle on Friday, April 23, 2021 at 6:00 pm. The Board will create space to hear the pros and cons from church members before the congregational meeting regarding the idea of adopting the 8th Principle.   

To find out more about the entire congregation meeting, please read more and plan to attend a congregational conversation at our Town Halls on April 21 at 6:30 pm (COMPLETED) and April 25 at 11:45 am. 

8th Principle Vote 

There have been many open sessions introducing the 8th principle and discussing its meaning for us at UCE.  Two more sessions are planned – one on April 11th after coffee hour and one Friday evening, April 23rd.  The Friday, April 23rd meeting will be co-hosted by the Board of Trustees and the 8th Principle Team as we seek to listen carefully to all members on this topic. Links to both of those meetings can be found in the newsletter for those weeks.  In addition, your covenant groups are holding discussions on the 8th principle, as are other small groups.  If you would like a discussion guide and/or facilitator for your group, please contact the Board for more information (BOT@ucevanston.org). 

The Board of Trustees is recommending we call for a 75% YES count for the vote on the 8th principle at the annual meeting.  We believe it merits a 75% positive vote because it is a significant addition to our guiding principles! 

Changes to Bylaws Vote 

As part of the Interim work, the Board has been reviewing the bylaws and has found a few areas that need to be updated to more closely reflect  the practices of UCE. Some of the changes to the Bylaws are technical, clarifying how UCE is operating and fulfilling our mission.  The Board proposes   

1.  We change all pronouns in the bylaws to gender neutral pronouns. 
2. Any minister of the Unitarian Church of Evanston, whether called or hired, shall have freedom of the pulpit.  Until recently, we had only called ministers, and we believe we should change the bylaws to ensure this is clear: all ministers have freedom of the pulpit. 
3. To update the table of contents to match any changes. 

Other changes are more complex.  

1. Currently a board member may serve up to three terms within a ten-year period.  The Board proposes that these three terms be staggered by requiring a three-year hiatus before being slated again, if a trustee has already served two terms within an eight-year time period.   
2. We need to clarify how senior staff positions are filled within a modified policy governance structure such as that at UCE.  Language has been added to show that, while the senior minister is always called by the congregation, other positions may be hired by the senior minister in covenantal consultation with the Board of Trustees and the Executive Team.  Contracts with these hired employees will be co-signed by the senior minister and the Board President, with approval of the Board of Trustees. The positions affected are a minister other than senior minister, a director of religious education, director of congregational life, director of music and executive operations director.  

Please note that, since all changes are clarifications and corrections, we will vote for the full list of changes all at one time; there will be only one vote for all the bylaw changes. This will also ease the complexity of our Zoom voting process. 

Please attend town hall meetings to discuss the proposed budget and these proposed bylaw changes on Sunday, April 25 at 11:45am (following the special UUANI service at 10am and a brief coffee and conversation time.)  Please plan to attend the Board Special Edition on the 8th Principle on Friday, April 23 at 6:00pm.  Meanwhile, should you have any questions or concerns, please contact a board member or email us at BOT@ucevanston.org. We want to hear from you! 

As a part of the interim process, the Board of Trustees has been meeting with some of the committees with whom it has a working relationship, namely Nominating & Recruiting, Integrated Stewardship Council, and the Endowment Committee.  The Board appreciates these conversations and the opportunity to strengthen our relationships with these committees.   

Some of these meetings have generated questions that need additional time and consideration.  As a result, the Board of Trustees has commissioned a task force to review and evaluate current Endowment management practices and procedures relative to their alignment with the overall budgeting process of UCE; to recommend to the Board and the congregation an Endowment management and distribution structure consistent with the UCE bylaws that reflects best practices of congregational endowments comparable to that of UCE; and if appropriate, make recommendations for changes in policies, procedures, or bylaws.   

If you are interested in hearing more about the task force or would like to be involved, please contact the Board at BOT@ucevanston.org by Monday, March 29th.  Thank you.