Christmas Hope: Our Annual Christmas Pageant

Winter can be a discouraging time with the shortness of sunlight and cold weather, and perhaps even more so given all that is happening in the world around us. The winter solstice brings the promise of returning light and warmth, and the birth of Jesus, celebrated a few days later, brings hope and joy for better days to come. Join us in celebrating 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.  Chester, Beck, Kiley Korey, Bruce Lorie, and Jenn Wisegarver will lead our hymns.

Throughout the month of December, our offering will be shared with Restore Justice Foundation, whose mission is to make Illinois a safer and more compassionate state by replacing the ineffective, extreme sentencing policies of the past with evidence-based laws that allow families and communities to heal.

Upcoming Services

December 24th – Christmas Eve Service, 7pm

December 29th – Dr. Emma Farrell, The Gift of Your Presence

January 5th – Fire Communion Service – Rev. Eileen Wiviott

Finding Peace Wherever We Are

Through music, poetry and prose, we celebrate various ways to experience peace during this holiday season. Join us for this much-loved and festive service led by Music Director, Vickie Hellyer, the UCE choir, Gregory Shifrin on piano, Ann Gadzikowski, viola; Kevin Barrow, clarinet;  and Nadav Simon, percussion.

Throughout the month of December, our offering will be shared with Restore Justice Foundation, whose mission is to make Illinois a safer and more compassionate state by replacing the ineffective, extreme sentencing policies of the past with evidence-based laws that allow families and communities to heal.

Upcoming Services

December 22nd – Annual Christmas Pageant

December 24th – Christmas Eve Service

December 29th – Dr. Emma Farrell, The Gift of Your Presence

January 5th – Fire Communion Service – Rev. Eileen

Bodhi Day

December 8th is a day many Buddhists celebrate as Bodhi Day, the day that Prince Siddhartha Gautama reached enlightenment while sitting under a Pippala tree. One of the visions he had before attaining enlightenment was a vision that everything that exists is one thing expressed in many forms. Join us to celebrate the Buddha’s life and explore the concept of the Oneness of life and environment.

Worship is led by Rev. Susan Frances, Dr. Emma Farrell, Gregory Shifrin, and Kiley Korey.

Throughout the month of December, our offering will be shared with Restore Justice Foundation, whose mission is to make Illinois a safer and more compassionate state by replacing the ineffective, extreme sentencing policies of the past with evidence-based laws that allow families and communities to heal.

Here are the worship service topics for the next 3 weeks:

Being Present in Anxious Times

The task of this moment is to both stay present in our bodies and to each other, while we are imagining the world we long for. Creative solutions to the challenges we face can only come from our presence, and so we must tend to our fears, anxieties, as well as our hopes and dreams. Rev. Eileen leads this service with Kiley Korey as our Worship Associate, and Kathy Underwood, our Director of Lifespan Faith Formation. Gregory Shifrin offers his musical gifts on the piano.

Throughout the month of December, our offering will be shared with Restore Justice Foundation, whose mission is: to make Illinois a safer and more compassionate state by replacing the ineffective, extreme sentencing policies of the past with evidence-based laws that allow families and communities to heal. 

Here are the worship service topics for the next 3 weeks:

Finding my Spiritual Home

Karen Courtright shares her spiritual journey, and we will be welcoming our newest members.

Worship leaders this week are Rev. Eileen Wivioitt, Senior Minister, Rev. Susan Frances, Assistant Minister, Karen Courtright, Worship Associate. Our musicians are Charles M. Anderson, Steve Courtright, and Gregory Shifrin.

Throughout the month of November, our Shared Offering Program partner is the Chicago Abortion Fund who will receive half of all donations designated for the Shared Offering or undesignated.

What’s Next?

We’ve been holding our breath for so long. Knowing what we know now, where do we go from here? One thing is certain, regardless of the outcome of this year’s election, we have work to do to repair and rebuild what has been broken, and to restore our faith in ourselves, each other, and relationships.

Rev. Eileen leads this service with Annette Wallace as Worship Associate. The UCE Choir, Directed by Vickie Hellyer and accompanied by Gregory Shifrin provide our music.

Throughout the month of November, our Shared Offering Program partner is the Chicago Abortion Fund who will receive half of all donations designated for the Shared Offering or undesignated.

November 17th – Karen Courtright shares her Spiritual Journey

Promises Made, Promises Kept, Promises Broken, Promises Remade

The world is in disrepair. Any hope for making the world more whole rests in repairing the soul, each soul, one at a time, moment by moment. Weaving the promises of our ancestors to the promises we want to make to our descendants. As we look to an uncertain future, how do we cherish the promise of every soul to choose the transforming power of liberating love and help heal the world?

Rev. Eileen leads this service with Ministerial Intern, Dr. Emma Farrell as worship associate. Kevin Barrow will be our hymn leader and provide clarinet accompaniment with Gregory Shifrin on piano.

Throughout the month of November, our Shared Offering Program partner is the Chicago Abortion Fund who will receive half of all donations designated for the Shared Offering or undesignated.

November 10th – What’s Next? Knowing what we know now, where do we go from here? – Rev. Eileen Wiviott