What Might Rise?

In uncertain times, as all times are, choosing hope is an act of courageous defiance. In community we practice choosing hope and planting seeds of what might emerge from the soil of creative resistance. Rev. Eileen leads this service with Charles M. Anderson as our Hymn Leader and Gregory Shifrin on piano.

Today’s offering will be shared with FORA, which works to ensure that refugee families are provided access to an education sufficient to prepare them to become economically self sufficient and robustly engaged in American civic life.

Upcoming services:

December 14th – Music Sunday – UCE Choir led by Vickie Hellyer

December 21st – Pageant Sunday – Kathy Underwood

December 24th – Christmas Eve Service (7pm)

December 28th – Living Faithfully – Dr. Emma Farrell

January 4th – Fire Communion – Rev. Susan

Until We Are All Free

This Sunday’s service is a haunting meditation on what happens to the human soul when it is caged. Keith Talley with the Unitarian Universalist Prison Ministry of Illinois (UUPMI) leads our service this Sunday with Rev. Susan Frances, worship associate Sally Parsons, and pianist Gregory Shifrin.

Keith Talley (him/him) is a system-impacted Muslim leader working at the crossroads of reentry, faith, and narrative justice. He serves as Prison Solidarity Specialist with the Unitarian Universalist Prison Ministry of IL, Reentry Program Coordinator at Phalanx Family Services, and Founder & CEO of Revolutionary Reentry Hub. Introduced to UUPMI through the Pen Pal Program while caged, Keith found not a call to conversion, but a deep alignment of values. Today, he works to build bridges between spiritual traditions and to transform how we see and stand with those returning from prison.

MASKS ARE REQUIRED AT THIS SERVICE to create space for in-person community time with our immunocompromised members and friends.

Today’s offering will be shared with the Unitarian Universalist Prison Ministry of Illinois in its effort to equip UU’s in Illinois to ​transform institutions and partner with people harmed by the prison industrial complex. 

Upcoming Services

December 7th – Hope in the Darkness – Rev. Eileen

December 14th – Music Sunday – UCE Choir led by Vickie Hellyer

December 21st – Pageant Sunday – Kathy Underwood

December 28th – Living Faithfully – Dr. Emma Farrell

Thanks For Being

Our annual Bread Communion service in which we share from the abundance of our traditions, with gratitude for what we have and knowing that what we pay attention to grows. Rev. Eileen leads this service with Ellie Feddersen as Worship Associate. The UCE Choir, directed by Vickie Hellyer and accompanied by Gregory Shifrin and Ken Smith share their musical gifts.

The Alchemy of Gratitude

As we explore nurturing gratitude we consider how to transform gratitude into generosity, the kind that comes from a place of abundance and mutuality rather than scarcity. Rev. Eileen leads this service with Kiley Korey as Worship Associate. Jenn Wisegarver is our Hymn Leader with Gregory Shifrin on piano.

Today’s offering will be shared with Restore Justice Foundation, which advocates for fairness, humanity, and compassion throughout the Illinois criminal legal system, with a primary focus on those affected by extreme sentences as youth.

Upcoming Services

November 23rd – Bread Communion – Rev. Eileen

November 30th – UUPMI – with Rev. Susan

December 7th – Hope in the Darkness – Rev. Eileen

December 14th – Music Sunday – UCE Choir led by Vickie Hellyer

Cultivating Gratitude in Hard Soil

In a world that can feel heavy and unyielding, how do we keep our hearts open? This service explores the practice of gratitude—not as denial of pain, but as an embodied discipline that softens the hard soil in our lives and helps us stay resourced for the journey.

Dr. Emma Farrell leads this service with Janelle Brittain as Worship Associate. Andy Carpenter shares his talents on the tenor saxophone and Gregory Shifrin shares his talents on the piano.

Today’s offering will be shared with Restore Justice Foundation, which advocates for fairness, humanity, and compassion throughout the Illinois criminal legal system, with a primary focus on those affected by extreme sentences as youth.

Upcoming Services

November 16th – The Alchemy of Gratitude – Rev. Eileen

November 23rd – Bread Communion – Rev. Eileen

 Gratitude for Our Ancestors

Honoring our UCE Founders, with thankfulness for those ancestors who planted long ago seeds of possibility so that we may continue to carry on their legacy and be good ancestors for our descendants. Rev. Eileen leads this service with Shirley Adams as Worship Associate. The UCE Choir, directed by Vickie Hellyer and accompanied by Gregory Shifrin on piano bless us with music.

Today’s offering will be shared with Restore Justice Foundation, which advocates for fairness, humanity, and compassion throughout the Illinois criminal legal system, with a primary focus on those affected by extreme sentences as youth.

Upcoming Services

November 9th – Cultivating Gratitude in Hard soil – Dr. Emma Farrell

November 16th – The Alchemy of Gratitude – Rev. Eileen

November 23rd – Bread Communion – Rev. Eileen

Steady, Loving Confrontation

 Members of UCE who journeyed the Living Legacy Pilgrimage to Alabama in September reflect on their experience and learning. Rev. Eileen leads the service with contributions from Bex Blackmore, Gretchen Brewster, Dana Deane, Carol Emory, Meredith Haydon, Jeanne Kerl, Cheryl Mounts, Jinny Niemann, and Carla Williams. The UCE Choir, directed by Vickie Hellyer our Music Director and accompanied by Gregory Shifrin on piano provide music.

Today’s offering will be shared with Run On Climate Education Fund, whose mission is to accelerate cutting-edge climate policy at the local level in communities across the country, including right here in Evanston, which is one of Run On Climate’s focal cities for 2025.

Upcoming Services

November 2nd – Honoring Our Founders – Rev. Eileen

November 9th – Cultivating Gratitude in Hard soil – Dr. Emma Farrell

November 16th – The Alchemy of Gratitude – Rev. Eileen

November 23rd – Bread Communion – Rev. Eileen

Self-Compassion

How might our world change if we treated ourselves with the same compassion we strive to give others? This Sunday we explore the practice of self-compassion – its challenges, its quiet power, and the ways it can open us to deeper connection, healing, and belonging. When we give ourselves compassion, we are opening our hearts in a way that transforms our lives.

Dr. Emma Farrell leads this worship with Barbara Mesle as Worship Associate. Kiley Korey leads us in song, and Gregory Shifrin, offers his musical talents on piano.

Today’s offering will be shared with Run On Climate Education Fund, whose mission is to accelerate cutting-edge climate policy at the local level in communities across the country, including right here in Evanston, which is one of Run On Climate’s focal cities for 2025.

Upcoming Services

October 26th – Steady, Loving Confrontation – Rev. Eileen and the Living Legacy Pilgrimage participants

November 2nd – Honoring Our Founders – Rev. Eileen

November 9th – Cultivating Gratitude in Hard soil – Dr. Emma Farrell

Fierce Compassion

Practicing compassion is a lifelong challenge. It’s harder still while holding righteous anger at the injustices we witness and experience. Exploring the distinction between anger and hate and the root of compassion. Rev. Eileen will preach after
Rev. Susan and the Membership Team invite us to welcome our new members. The UCE Choir, directed by Vickie Hellyer our Music Director, and accompanied by Gregory Shifrin on piano provide music. Mary Dudek is our Worship Associate.

Today’s offering will be shared with Run On Climate Education Fund, whose mission is to accelerate cutting-edge climate policy at the local level in communities across the country, including right here in Evanston, which is one of Run On Climate’s focal cities for 2025.

Upcoming Services

October 19th – Self Compassion – Dr. Emma Farrell

October 26th – Steady, Loving Confrontation – Rev. Eileen and the Living Legacy Pilgrimage participants

November 2nd – Honoring Our Founders – Rev. Eileen

November 9th – Cultivating Gratitude in Hard soil – Dr. Emma Farrell

Compassion for All Beings

With gratitude for the lessons we learn from the creatures we share this planet with, and in honor of St. Francis Day, we bless the animals who bless our lives. Rev. Eileen leads this worship with Annette Wallace as Worship Associate. Ally Hunter leads us in song, and Gregory Shifrin, offers his musical talents on piano. You are invited to bring in your well-behaved and leashed pets to be blessed or send a photo to Rev. Eileen for those who don’t worship well with others.

Today’s offering will be shared with Run On Climate Education Fund, whose mission is to accelerate cutting-edge climate policy at the local level in communities across the country, including right here in Evanston, which is one of Run On Climate’s focal cities for 2025. 

Upcoming Services

October 19th – Self Compassion – Dr. Emma Farrell

October 26th – Steady, Loving Confrontation – Rev. Eileen and the Living Legacy Pilgrimage participants

November 2nd – Honoring Our Founders – Rev. Eileen

November 9th – Cultivating Gratitude in Hard soil – Dr. Emma Farrell