The Serendipity Auction needs you (yes, you)!!

Can you make something: knit a scarf, bake cookies, bead a necklace, woodwork? Do you have a piece of art (painting or ceramics) you want to share with others? These donations have always been treasured as auction offerings.

Group events and activities (virtual or in-person) are wonderful opportunities for creating connections. Click on the UCE auction website to directly enter your donation. Deadline for donations is October 30, 2022.

One way to live our principles is to consider purchasing a gift certificate from a business or organization that aligns with our UU values to donate to the auction.

Looking for some ideas? Click on the UCE auction website and check out our “Need Donation Ideas?” page and start to view the catalog.

The goal of the Serendipity Auction is to strengthen or create connections between UCE members and friends while raising funds for UCE activities. The Auction Committee is available to help you decide what and how to donate. Still have questions or want to discuss more ideas or volunteer?

Contact us at the UCE Serendipity Auction email: auction@ucevanston.org

Auction Planning Team: Catherine Deamant, Meredith Haydon, Mary Beth Roth, Christine Allender, Lizzy Powers, Ally Hunter, Alexa Avery and Carla Williams

A huge thank you from the entire auction team to all our Serendipity Auction bidders this year. Thanks to you (and all our amazing and creative donors), we exceeded our auction goal, grossing over $30,000!! About 100 people attended our closing celebration and enjoyed entertainment in the form of music and quizzes while making last minute bids on favorite items and purchasing tickets for 5 fabulous raffle items! Many thanks to Christine Allender for the past auctions photo slideshow, Kristin Lems and Steve Courtright for premiering Kristin’s “We Need a Vaccine” song and to Lizzy Powers and the Serendipity Singers for a super fun, serendipity auction version of “Let It Go”!

Just a few items are left in the catalog, including a few seats at some great and affordable virtual entertainment–Jim Strickler’s Civil War Reparations talk, Kristin Lems’ concert, a Virtual Karaoke night, Ben Butler a Play by Richard Strand, and an Evening Square Dance. Take a look here. All are now set as “Buy It Now”, so items are first come, first served. If you are not registered, use your email in the church directory to do so or email us at auction@ucevanston.org for help. And if you haven’t collected your boodle yet, please come during church office hours, Tues-Fri from 10 am-5 pm to pick up your items.

Thoughts about how to make the auction better, or interested in being a volunteer for next year? We would love to hear from you at auction@ucevanston.org.

The hybrid Serendipity Auction opens on Sunday, November 14, 2021 at 11:15 am after the church service.  We are thrilled with the catalog–over 200 items of “Boodle”. Now we just need YOU “Bidding” so that we end up with a lot of “Bonding”! 

Here is your “To Do” list: 

1. Complete registration on the Auctria auction website using the email you use for the church directory–it’s very quick. Refer to the two emails (check spam) you got on November 8 and 9 from “Unitarian Church of Evanston” for detailed instructions and the link to register. Do this NOW so we can fix any registration issues early. 

1. If you have any questions or problems with registration or bidding, we will be available after church on Nov. 14 or email us at auction@ucevanston.org. 

1. Have an item to drop off? Bring it to the church on Sunday, November 14th or drop it at the church Tues-Fri from 10:00 am-5:00 pm this coming week. If you need other special arrangements, contact us at auction@ucevanston.org 

1. Come to the church on Saturday, November 20th from 10:00 am-1:00 pm to see the items, socialize, get a balloon sculpture and pick up a pre-ordered dessert box.  

1. Don’t forget to buy raffle tickets–we are running FIVE different raffles this year for a variety of wonderful items.  

1. Mark your calendar for our big closing celebration on Saturday, November 20th (preparties start at 6:40, and the celebration–which we promise will be a lot of fun–is from 7 pm to 8 pm). 

1. Buy a 4- or 8-piece dessert box from the catalog by Nov 19th to have desserts from UCE’s talented bakers during the celebration.  

Exciting Offerings at the Serendipity Auction
And keep your donations coming… 

This year’s Serendipity Auction is brimming with amazing and creative offerings. Click here to view the Serendipity Auction catalog. Check out the beautiful handmade cards by Kathy Talmage. There are several gift certificates to local minority or woman owned or environmentally focused businesses, theatre tickets, sports teams, art classes, Pilates instruction, dinners and desserts delivered to your door, and that’s just the beginning! 

Hoping to get away to a quiet place when the weather warms up again, look at these two wonderful lodging options in Wisconsin. Eager for a multi-generational online family game night activity, consider the drawful2 item. Interested in a thought provoking look at our history, check out this year’s Civil War Talk on Reparations. 

We have 82 offerings so far (almost half from local businesses) and WE’D LOVE TO HAVE MORE! Have you hosted a group event in the past? Invite a new member from your Covenant group to co-host. Have a special talent or skill to share? Need other inspirations? Contact us at auction@ucevanston.org. 

Never heard of the Serendipity Auction before?    
Here is something old and something new to learn  

The Serendipity Auction is a social highlight of the church calendar and one of our major fundraising events. Although we cannot be fully together for an evening of bidding, food and socializing, we can still have fun bidding and gathering virtually for connection and entertainment.  

Our goals this year are to have a multi-generational event and to engage newer members to be a part of this fun event! Enjoy singing? Here are instructions to help record a parody of Let It Go from Frozen, (due Oct 29), which will be shown during our Celebration Party on November 20, 2021. All ages welcome.  

Those who have already made donations—thank you! Check out the UCE auction website. Still contemplating what to donate? Consider inviting a newer member to share in a donation or to co-host an event. This is a great way for affinity groups to participate together to offer a donation. Perhaps a donation that reflects our UU principles and values? Let us continue to get through this upcoming winter with virtual group events and be creative for in-person outdoor events for the spring and summer.  

Have ideas or questions? Contact us at: auction@ucevanston.org  

Donations, Donations, Donations!
2021 Serendipity Hybrid Auction  
November 14-20, 2021 

The Serendipity Auction needs you (yes, you)!!   

Can you make something: knit a scarf, bake a cake, bead a necklace, woodwork? Do you have a piece of art (painting or ceramics) you want to share with others? These donations have always been treasured as auction offerings.     

Last year’s virtual events and activities were a hit to get us through a long winter and fostered connection. This year, the popular in-person group events from past auctions can be offered. In our covenantal relationship, we ask for the offerings to align with current UCE COVID-19 guidelines. New this year, you can make your donation directly in the UCE auction website. Deadline for donations is November 7, 2021 

If you have a favorite business (hair salon, restaurant or bookstore), consider seeking their support of UCE and our larger community by asking for a donation. Click here for a sample business letter and business donation form for you to use. One way to live our principles is to consider purchasing a gift certificate from a minority owned business to donate to the auction.     

Looking for some ideas? Click here for 10 inspiring ideas.  

The goal of the Serendipity Auction is to strengthen or create connections between UCE members and friends while raising funds for UCE activities. The Auction Committee is available to help you decide what and how to donate.   

Still have questions or want to discuss more ideas?   

Contact us at the UCE Serendipity Auction email: auction@ucevanston.org  

Catherine Deamant, Chair
Susan Comstock and Jennifer Walsh, Chair Emeriti
Carla Williams, Planning Committee Member 

1. Get yourself registered on our new Auctria auction platform using the email you use for the church directory–it’s very quick. Refer to the two emails you got on November 2 at about 10 am from “Unitarian Church of Evanston” for detailed instructions and the link to register. Do this NOW so we can fix any registration issues early.
2. If you have any questions or problems with registration or bidding, please come to one of our friendly information sessions–the information is here. Or email us at auction@ucevanston.org.
3. Come to the church coffee hour on Sunday, open the catalog and start your bidding! Check back often during the week. Don’t forget to buy raffle tickets–we are running THREE different raffles this year for delectable baskets of goodies.
4. Mark your calendar for our big closing celebration on Saturday, Nov 14 (preparties start at 6:40, and the celebration–which we promise will be a lot of fun–is from 7 pm to 8 pm).
5. Buy a dessert box from the catalog by Nov 12 to have desserts from UCE’s best bakers during the celebration. And, if you are so inclined, get the ingredients for the “Serendipity Boulevard” and “Anything Goes” mocktails/cocktails (click here for ingredients list) before the 14th and come to Dan Lawrence’s drinks preparty to learn how to make them!

Ingredients List

Mocktail/Cocktail Preparty

Saturday, Nov 14, 2020 6:40 pm

(Zoom link to be sent later)

Anything Goes Mocktail (with Cocktail Variation) 

So named because hopefully many people will have enough of something lying around to make some version of this if they can’t/don’t want to get special ingredients! 

• One lime (or a lemon would do in a pinch; lime works best for the majority of spirits, but a lemon would work nicely with vodka or a more specialty spirit like pisco or possibly a very spicy rye) 
• Some type of sugar (dark brown sugar, simple syrup, agave syrup, etc.) 
• Some type of base spirit (rum, gin, whiskey, vodka, tequila) if making this alcoholic 
• Club soda (only for a splash if desired to top, or in larger amount if making non-alcoholic) 
• Maraschino cherry to garnish (if desired) 

Additional non-alcoholic variations on the Anything Goes include:

• A modified Moscow Mule (needing only spicy ginger beer (which is non-alcoholic) in addition to existing ingredients, with mint leaf as an optional garnish) 
• A modified Mojito (needing fresh mint leaves, apple juice, and perhaps a tiny dash of almond extract (optional) 
• Or any sort of sparkling Italian soda instead of club soda; sparkling grapefruit soda with muddled fresh lime and an orange peel garnish would be a particularly nice version 

Serendipity Boulevard Cocktail 

• Campari 
• Sweet vermouth 
• Bourbon or rye whiskey 
• One orange (to use peel as a garnish) 
• Angostura bitters are a nice addition if you have them around, but are not part of the traditional recipe