A Generous Love

Generosity is one of the proposed values we are considering as a faith. The new Article II proposal reads: We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope. We covenant to freely and compassionately share our faith, presence, and resources. Our generosity connects us to one another in relationships of interdependence and mutuality. What would an ethic of generous love in action look like for UCE and how might living this value, help us fly farther toward our mission and purpose?

We will host an in-person and virtual worship service on Sunday, February 5th at 10:30 am.

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 Black Lives of the Unitarian Universalism (BLUU)

Journeys from the Center of Our Spirits

Sharing and listening to each other’s stories is a powerful way to build empathy and compassion. We all have a journey of the spirit, turning points along the road, big questions we’ve sought the answers to, and it helps to remember that we are companions to one another. Sharing our journeys of the spirit grounds our work to live our mission and values in the moral obligations of the soul. This Sunday, members Sue Yochum and Kristin Larsen will each share their journeys.

We will host an in-person and virtual worship service on Sunday, January 29th at 10:30 am.

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 Community Renewal Society.

The Inspirations at Our Core

One of the most controversial aspects of the proposed changes to Article II of the UUA’s bylaws is the change from our sources to our inspirations. We’ll explore the reason for this proposed language, what we might be losing and what we might be gaining from the shift. An exploration of the sources of our faith and what inspires us as Unitarian Universalists to live our values. Rev. Eileen leads the service with Bob Mesle as Worship Associate.

We will host an in-person and virtual worship service on Sunday, January 22nd at 10:30 am.

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 Midwest Access Coalition.

Exploring Our History to Find Our Center

As part of our commitment to supporting reparations locally and nationally, a group of us have been exploring our congregation’s archives. We’ve been looking into the ways we’ve responded to the cries for racial justice in our local community, through the Unitarian Universalist Association, and in the nation. Being honest about when we’ve shown up and when we have fallen short, or remained silent and complicit, can help us to be more accountable as we move forward, in partnership, toward healing and repair. Rev. Eileen partners with Lee Bannor, Dana Deane, Jane Kenamore, and Margaret Shaklee in this service.

We will host an in-person and virtual worship service on Sunday, January 15th at 10:30 am.

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 Midwest Access Coalition.

Looking Ahead to Find Our Center

We begin the new year, centering ourselves in community, purpose, and commitment to our values enacted. It is the call of our faith to consider the possibilities ahead and set our intentions with love. You may take a look at a resource called YearCompass as a tool for reflection before or after this service. Rev. Eileen leads this service.

We will host an in-person and virtual worship service on Sunday, January 8th at 10:30 am.

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 Midwest Access Coalition.

Fire Communion

On Fire Communion Sunday, we will pause to reflect on the past year and look forward to the new year. In-person participants will be invited to burn flash paper as we set an intention to let go of something we no longer need to be carrying. Online participants are invited to have 1 to 4 candles ready to use during the Fire Communion. We will then turn our attention to the new year. Bridging our first two Sundays of the new year together, you are invited to review last year and vision the new year using the YearCompass in anticipation of our January 8th service.

We will host an in-person and virtual worship service on Sunday, January 1st at 10:30 am.

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 Midwest Access Coalition.

Christmas Returns

Christmas Eve Service – 7:00pm

“Christmas returns, as it always does, with its assurance that life is good,” writes theologian Howard Thurman. We come together, once again, on this night filled with wonder, magic, and light, to honor the spirit of the holy born within each of us. Come and let your heart be filled with light and faith in life’s possibility.

We will host an in-person and virtual worship service on Saturday, December 24th at 7:00 pm.

This Saturday’s shared offering recipient is the Pastoral Care Fund

Simple Gifts

Christmas Day Service

If you are looking for a simple, wonder-filled, and probably intimate gathering, join us for this service of shared stories, songs, and readings.

We will host an in-person only service on Sunday, December 25th at 10:30 am.

This Sunday’s shared offering recipient is the Evanston Reparations Community Fund

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 Evanston Reparations Community Fund

Our Annual Christmas Pageant

In honoring our Christian heritage, we celebrate the Christmas season by retelling the story of Jesus’ birth in an interactive and music-filled worship service. Kathy Underwood leads and Rev. Eileen will be the Worship Associate.

We will host an in-person and virtual worship service on Sunday, December 18th at 10:30 am.

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 Evanston Reparations Community Fund

The Wonders of the Season

A musical service for all ages featuring the UCE Choir, Gregory Shifrin and guest instrumentalists to get us into the spirit of this holiday season. After the service we’ll trim our Christmas Tree.

We will host an in-person and virtual worship service on Sunday, December 11th at 10:30 am.

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 Evanston Reparations Community Fund