Welcoming One Another Home

 We come together to practice Beloved Community, to welcome and affirm the worth of all people, and to heal our spirits through joyful song. This spring music service allows us to set down our loneliness and despair, as we participate in the

deeply human desire to experience home as a place of radical belonging. 

Musicians include:

The UCE Choir, Dana Plazak, vocal soloist, Andy Carpenter, soprano sax; Julia Schifrin, violin and fiddle; Kevin Barrow, clarinet, Gregory Shifrin, piano; Nadav Simon, drums and timpani; Vickie Hellyer, conductor

Readers include:

Eleanor Boyer, Thom Duncan, Ellie Feddersen, Robb Geiger, Lynn Kendall, and Rev. Eileen Wiviott

Today’s offering will be shared with Connections for the Homeless, one of our longest community partnerships. Connections serves as a safety net for neighbors who need support to maintain safe, stable housing in Evanston and northern Cook County. They’ve been a tireless advocate and leader for affordable housing in our area.

Upcoming Services

April 26 – Mike Dickenson’s Spiritual Journey

May 3 – Faith Formation Sunday

May 10 – The Fierce Love of Mothering – Dr. Emma Farrell

May 17 – A Home By Any Other Name – Rev. Eileen Wiviott

Breaking the Rules

In this special service, where our youth and young adults take the helm, we’ll explore what happens when we break the rules. Our young people will help us examine when rules should be broken, and how we can live with the consequences when our values, integrity and conscience call us to challenge unjust rules.

Rev. Eileen works with members of the Youth and Young Adult Groups to lead.

Worship Leaders/Designers: 

Youth: Birdie and Clementine Dreznick, Henry Donoghue, Lee Horn, Sophia Kern, Sydney Lawrence, Lucas O’Reilly, Ned Parsons

Young Adults: Julia Adams, Kevin Barrow, Bex Blackmore, Aidan Caravana, Rai Johnson-Nicholson, Kiley Korey, and Grey Wiviott

Today’s offering will be shared with Connections for the Homeless, whose mission is to serve and catalyze our community to end homelessness, one person at a time. 

Upcoming Services

April 19 – Music Sunday – Vickie Hellyer

April 26 – Mike Dickenson’s Spiritual Journey

May 5 – Faith Formation Sunday – Kathy Underwood

May 12 – Mother’s Day – Dr. Emma Farrell

Another World is Possible

This Easter, we reflect on the possibilities of what might rise after the fall of the empire. We look to history and the courage of our ancestors to conjure up hope for our descendants. Rev. Eileen leads this service with Barbara Mesle as Worship Associate. The UCE Choir will be singing two pieces written by UCE congregants and directed by Vickie Hellyer and Gregory Shifrin, on piano, provide music for this service.

Upcoming Services

April 12 – Youth & Young Adult Service – Breaking the Rules

April 19 – Music Sunday – Vickie Hellyer and the UCE Choir

April 26 – Mike Dickenson Spiritual Journey

May 3 – Rebuilding Bridges of Faith Formation – Kathy Underwood

 This Sunday, we honor the connections within our community. We will welcome new members during the worship service and recommitment to what it means to be a part of a covenantal faith tradition. Please plan to stay after the worship service for our New Member Reception.

Rev. Susan Frances leads the service with Lynn Kendall as our worship associate and Leslie Piotrowski with our Membership Team.

Today’s offering will be shared with the Unitarian Universalist Prison Ministry of Illinois.

Upcoming Services

April 5 – What Might Rise (Easter Sunday) – Rev. Eileen Wiviott

April 12 – Youth & Young Adult Service – Breaking the Rules

April 19 – Music Sunday – Vickie Hellyer and the UCE Choir

Note: Service starts at 11 am

Breathing Newness Into Life

 When we breathe in, we inspire new possibilities. When we breathe out, we aspire to new endeavors and commitments. When we breathe together, we conspire to deepen our partnerships toward building a better world. We are grateful to be in partnership with Lula B. Sherman United Methodist Church today in celebration and worship. This is part of a woman’s history month celebrating the Gospel According to Patti LaBelle. Rev. Eileen Wiviott and Rev. Aaron McLeod lead the service, with UCE Worship Associate, Annette Wallace. This will be a music-full service with the UCE Choir directed by Vickie Hellyer, Lula B. Sherman’s Music Ministry led by Jeffrey Hardy on keyboard, and instrumentalists Darryl Petty on piano, Charles Horne on drums, Vuyani Wakaba on bass guitar, and Chris Greene on saxophone.

This Sunday’s offering will be shared with UUANI (Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of Illinois). UUANI empowers Unitarian Universalists across Illinois to work for spiritually grounded, relationally accountable, and strategically effective action in solidarity with those most impacted by injustice. They provide leadership training, build congregational capacity, and organize statewide advocacy efforts in loving accountability with their partners. Together, they seek to bend the arc toward justice.

Upcoming Services

March 29 – New Member Covenanting – Rev. Susan Frances

April 5 – What Might Rise (Easter Sunday) – Rev. Eileen Wiviott

April 12 – Youth & Young Adult Service – Breaking the Rules

April 19 – Music Sunday – Vickie Hellyer and the UCE Choir

 A New Era of Action in Illinois

What happens when 30+ congregations speak with one moral voice? We are delighted to welcome Natasha Walker, our new leader at the UU Advocacy Network of Illinois (UUANI), to the pulpit. Natasha brings a unique perspective to our movement, combining two decades of strategic work in Corporate America with a deep commitment to the interconnected web of life. This morning, she shares her vision for UUANI’s three-pronged strategy of advocacy, activism, and resistance. Come hear why our daily actions are “inextricably braided into everything else” and how your engagement can help shape the future of our state.

Worship led by Natasha Walker, with Dr. Emma Farrell, Ministerial Intern. Kiley Korey leads us in song, and Gregory Shiffrin shares his talents on piano.

Today’s offering will be shared with UU Advocacy Network of Illinois (UUANI).

UUANI empowers Unitarian Universalists across Illinois to work for spiritually grounded, relationally accountable, and strategically effective action in solidarity with those most impacted by injustice. They provide leadership training, build congregational capacity, and organize statewide advocacy efforts in loving accountability with their partners. Together, they seek to bend the arc toward justice.

Upcoming Services

March 22 (Note time change – 11 am) – The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle – Worship in collaboration with Lula B. Sherman United Methodist Church, Rev. Eileen Wiviott and Rev. Aaron McCleod

March 29 – New Member Covenanting – Rev. Susan Frances

April 5 – Justice – Rev. Eileen Wiviott

April 12 – Youth Group & Young Adult Group with Rev. Eileen Wiviott

A Piece of Fertile Ground

Expect the unexpected as we explore this month’s Soul Matters Theme: Paying Attention. This will be a highly interactive service, set up for connection and discovery. Rev. Eileen and Director of Lifespan Faith Formation, Kathy Underwood, lead this service together, with Janelle Brittain as Worship Associate. The UCE Choir, directed by Vickie Hellyer, with Gregory Shifrin on piano, provide the music. 

Today’s offering will be shared with the Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of Illinois or UUANI. UUANI devises programs to build power among UU congregations in Illinois in order to achieve meaningful, concrete, far-reaching results which put our UU values and principles into action. 

Upcoming Services:

March 15 – UUANI – Natasha Walker and Dr. Emma Farrell

March 22 (Note time change – 11 am) – The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle – a Worship in collaboration with Lula B. Sherman United Methodist Church – Rev. Eileen and Rev. Aaron McCleod

March 29 – New Member Covenanting – Rev. Susan Frances

God Doesn’t Give You More Than You Can Handle and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves

What gets us through the impossible things we face, if not a deity? Exploring what sustains us when God DOES give us more than we feel we can handle. This sermon is inspired by Kristin Larsen who won the chance to pick the topic at the 2025 auction. Rev. Eileen leads this service with Ellie Feddersen as Worship Associate. Kiley Korey is our hymn leader and soloist, accompanied by Grey Wiviott on vocals, Kevin Barrow on guitar, and Gregory Shifrin is our pianist.

Today’s offering will be shared with Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of Illinois or UUANI. UUANI devises programs to build power among UU congregations in Illinois in order to achieve meaningful, concrete, far-reaching results which put our UU values and principles into action. 

Upcoming Services

March 8 – A Piece of Fertile Ground; Rev. Eileen and Kathy Underwood

March 15 – UUANI – Natasha Walker and Dr. Emma Farrell

March 22 (Note time change – 11 am) – The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle – a Worship in collaboration with Lula B. Sherman United Methodist Church – Rev. Eileen and Rev. Aaron McCleod

March 29 – New Member Covenanting – Rev. Susan Frances

In Community Today

Many of us have several communities to whom we devote our energy and with whom we spend our time, from a small community of close friends or neighbors to a mid-sized community like our congregation to a large public community focused on civic engagement like the ACLU or NAACP. We will reflect on how we share wisdom across communities and build bridges to create solidarity and practice being allies and accomplices. 

Worship will be led by Rev. Susan Frances with worship associate Michelle Thompson-Hay. The UCE Choir, Music Director Vickie Hellyer, and pianist Gregory Shifrin will provide our music.

Today’s offering will be shared with Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism or BLUU, whose mission is to expand the power and capacity of Black UUs within Unitarian Universalism; provide support, information, and resources for Black Unitarian Universalists; and justice-making and liberation for Black people through our faith.

Upcoming Services

March 1 – God Doesn’t Give You More Than You Can Handle and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves; Rev. Eileen

March 8 – A Piece of Fertile Ground; Rev. Eileen and Kathy Underwood

March 15 – UUANI – Natasha Walker and Dr. Emma Farrell

 I’m Not Okay, You’re Not Okay, and That’s Okay

How to be not fine together, so that we can overcome what’s not okay and maybe, possibly, make it better.  Rev. Eileen leads this service with Kiley Korey as Worship Associate. The UCE Choir, directed by Vickie Hellyer, and Gregory Shifrin on piano, and Nadav Simon on percussion offer their musical blessings. This is the first Sunday of our annual pledge drive.

Today’s offering will be shared with Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism or BLUU, whose mission is to expand the power and capacity of Black UUs within Unitarian Universalism; provide support, information, and resources for Black Unitarian Universalists; and justice-making and liberation for Black people through our faith. 

Upcoming Services

February 22 – In Community Today; Rev. Susan

March 1 – God Doesn’t Give You More Than You Can Handle and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves; Rev. Eileen

March 8 – A Piece of Fertile Ground; Rev. Eileen and Kathy Underwood

March 15 – UUANI – Natasha Walker and Dr. Emma Farrell