Dear Friends,

I am so honored and grateful for your affirmations, congratulations and your unanimous vote this past Sunday to ordain me into Unitarian Universalist Ministry. I don’t remember ever feeling more held in love and I am humbled by your generosity and kindness. The ordination will be Sunday, June 4th at 4pm. More formal invitations will be sent out soon but I hope you will save the date to join me for this meaningful celebration. Some of you have asked for the written version of the comments I made on Sunday after the vote. I may have strayed from this a bit but, in essence, this is what I said and very much what I feel:

“Almost twelve years ago, I spoke in front of this congregation for the first time at the behest of our former minister, Rev. Pescan. If I remember correctly, the directive was something along the lines of, “say something pithy about how this church transforms your life.” I had no idea at the time just how much transformation was to come. I found that short speech I gave twelve years ago and is some of what I said:

My name is Eileen Wiviott and I am a new member of the Religious Education Board. Some of you have heard me say, because it is often something I repeat, that I am not a natural born leader. Tell me what needs to be done and I’ll do it but say the word “chair” or “lead” and I try to sit as still as I can and blend in with the background. As the youngest of five with only older brothers, I was never looked upon to inspire the dog let alone to inspire a vision. But low and behold there I was with some of the leaders of our church yesterday at the Connections Convocation to discuss our Mission and Vision. It was there that I realized that sometimes leadership happens just by nodding your head. This is why I am standing here. When Barbara asked who would be willing to share with the congregation a few tidbits about our meeting, I, who thought that was a great idea, was nodding my head in spite of myself. This is essentially how I have found my way into involvement here at UCE. When someone asks, I say, “yes.” I figure if they think I can do it then I must be able to. I often feel overwhelmed and under-qualified but I keep my ears and mind open and continue to ask, “What can I do?” Sometimes leadership happens just by following the leaders.

We broke into groups of two to discuss what brought us here and at what moment did it feel like home. I literally wandered into this church looking for something I hadn’t even put words to and it immediately felt like home. That feeling of belonging has deepened the more I have gotten involved and the more I have been able to meet the needs of my spirit.

There is a beautiful balance here between the nourishing roots of tradition and the spreading branches of openness. I like that I feel grounded and safe in this community at the same time that I am pushing my own comfort zone and reaching out to help others. I love that I have found peace as well as energy here. As I become more involved this year, I am looking forward to getting to know more of you. I hope you will all bear witness as I uncover the hidden leader inside me.

“My friends, my beloved community, my spiritual home, you have not only witnessed as I have emerged as a leader, but you have called me, nurtured me, loved me into being who I am. Each person in this room, and many who are not here in body but will remain forever with me in spirit, have and continue to transform my life.”

I am so excited to share in the celebration of my ministry with you on June 4th at 4pm. Your love and encouragement has made all the difference in my life. Thank you.

SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice)
Hold Dec 10 to attend the SURJ training on accountability, privilege, and the movement for racial justice. The purpose of the workshop is to increase racial consciousness among whites and get more white folk in Chicago active in the fight for racial justice. The event is open to the public but the content will be geared toward addressing whiteness and White people’s position as oppressors. Look for location and time information in the coming days.

Bystander Intervention Workshop
Hollaback (ihollaback.org) is an organization and movement to end harassment in public spaces. They offer training on how to help someone who is the target of harassment in the moment of the harassment. Haven’t we all said to ourselves, “I wish I knew what to say/do”? Go to ihollaback.org and look for BYSTANDER INTERVENTION TRAINING WEBINAR. Tuesday, Nov. 29 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm Central time. They ask for a small donation (of any size) to participate.

YWCA Evanston/Northshore
Lots of ways to take advantage of the YWCA’s programs to eliminate racism and empower women, stand up for social justice, help families, and strengthen communities is as relevant as ever. Here are some things you could do to become part of that mission:
1. Go to a Let’s Talk @ Lunch: bit.ly/TalkatLunch
2. Sign up for YWCA’s monthly e-newsletter here: bit.ly/YWCA-News
3. Become a donor and support the issues you care about: bit.ly/GivetoYWCA

Congrats to all of the 30 teams in UCE who went through the Long Range Planning process earlier this year. The Councils and the Board have assimilated all of your great plans and we are now ready for Phase 2. But first, let’s talk about the outcomes of the plans and process.

Phase 1: Long Range Planning Process
After leaders and representatives from the church teams were trained in how to facilitate the brainstorming process, they held 5-Year Long Range Planning meetings with their teams. Reports were that they came up with new ideas, heightened their energy around goals, helped to prioritize and created an enthusiasm for the future. Additionally, it was a great way for 3 young teams to set themselves up for success. As the teams brought their plans to the Councils, they were able to see where there was overlap and create collaboration and coordination. We are asking every team to revisit their Plans every 6 months…around January and June. Want to see other team’s Plans? Just go to the UCE website in the “Members & Friends” top tab, then the “Leadership & Governance” sub-tab.

Phase 2: Long Range Plan Project Evaluation
In order to bring many of the great ideas and projects to fruition, we need to get specific on priorities, what it would cost, what efforts it would require etc. So the Integrated Stewardship Council (ISC) is putting together a Long Range Plan Project Evaluation Team to work with all teams who have projects that would require funding or have other major impacts on the church. Some projects will need professionals to assess the projected costs. Other projects may involve changes in our church building that could affect multiple teams and many congregants.

Phase 3: Capital Campaign
Once we have more specifics for what our great plans will cost, then we’ll create a Capital Campaign Team that will help to guide us through the fund raising process.

In the meantime, the teams are progressing forward with great energy on many of their plans that can be accomplished with current funds and volunteers. We’ve observed that this process has helped to take UCE’s energy and excitement to live our Mission “To nurture the human spirit for a world made whole” to an even higher level.

UCE’s Mitten Tree has collected gifts and holiday food for over 25 years and is a wonderful tradition of generosity for those who need help during the holiday season. Contributing generously not only helps those in need but helps each of us add to the love in our hearts during the holiday season. Paper mittens (with the wished for items noted) will be available from at tables at the back of the sanctuary. Please bring your new, unwrapped gifts to UCE as soon as you purchase them. The final deadline for bringing gifts is Dec. 3, 2023. We are providing gifts and food for nine groups this year.

Volunteers are needed to help at the Mitten Tree tables on Sundays and to sort, wrap, and deliver gifts.

If you wish to volunteer please contact Alice Swan. If you have questions about Mitten Tree please contact Carol Nielsen.

Summer may be ending, but UCE members can look forward to Evanston’s fall event: Bike the Ridge.This Sunday, September 25 from 9:00-1:00pm, Ridge Avenue between Howard and Church will be closed to vehicular traffic for “Bike the Ridge.”

This event is an excellent community building opportunity for UCE. Hundreds of people will be biking by UCE’s doorstep; let’s give them a UCE welcome!  We will have a tent set up on Ridge.  Here UCE members can greet bikers, supply them with water and cookies, and provide information about the church. We need lots of friendly faces on Ridge to represent UCE!

Please consider biking to church that day.  There will be a monitored bike corral in the grassy area behind the sanctuary.  Having Ridge closed to vehicular traffic is an excellent opportunity to support environmental sustainability by biking to church.

For both our community members and UCE members, there will be bike decorating on the church lawn.  Anyone who stops by can decorate their bikes with streamers, pipe cleaners, or ribbons.

With us again this year will be members of The Recyclery Collective.  The Recyclery will also be the Shared Plate Recipient that day.  The Recylery is an educational bike shop that provides a space for empowerment through education, transportation, and community building.  The shop offers Open Hours, Volunteer Hours, Spanish Open Hours, and Youth Programming.  There is an “Earn a Bike” program where youth can log volunteer hours to earn a reconditioned bike.  Reconditioned bikes can be purchased through the shop and a number of bikes are designated for those who cannot afford them.  Please stop by and meet our friends from The Recyclery.

Please volunteer for this community-building event!  We need the following:  1) volunteers to help decorate bikes, 2) volunteers to organize and monitor members’ bikes in our bike corral, 3) volunteers to greet bikers, distribute water and information about the church on Ridge or 4) contributions of materials—streamers, pipe cleaners, old playing cards, scotch tape, water, etc.

Please contact Jessica Tomell-Presto to volunteer or with any questions: prestomgk@comcast.net.

Submitted by: Tom Hempfling

Our Reparations Study Action of Immediate Witness (AIW) did not get enough votes to be one of the three approved AIWs at the 2016 UUA General Assembly.   (The three approved AIWs were: expressing solidarity with Muslims, advocating gun reform, and affirming support for transgender people).   We were encouraged that the Counsel for Social Witness staff chose to include the Reparations Study AIW as one of the six that were voted on by all delegates, and our team collected the most nominating signatures of any of the AIWs.    For some delegates, the Reparations Study proposal did not meet the test of immediacy as well as the three adopted AIWs.

We believe circulating the petition was a good experience for our delegation — it got us in touch with the Black UU and the Allies groups and honed our understanding of the bill.  We are determined to continue with a long-term sustainable approach for this effort–one that is focused, yet recognizes valid opportunities for synergies.

UUs for a Just Economic Community chose Reparations as one of the issues to continue work on, including holding a lobby day / conference in Washington, DC in April, 2017.   We have engaged with a trustee of UUJEC with the intention of seeing how Reparations Study Advocacy might be folded into its work and how we can further support it.   The New Orleans GA in June of 2017 will be a “Justice GA” like the GA in Phoenix two years ago with opportunities for greater follow-up.

In the book of Genesis, God says to Abram, “and you shall be a blessing.” Rachel Naomi Remen writes, “We are all born to be a blessing.” What does it mean to bless each other, and bless the world, with our lives? 

Join us for the hands-on adventure of this all-ages service of blessing led by Joy Justicia, our religious educator along with our all-ages worship team. You are invited to bring any of the following “blessing ingredients” to the service:

• Canned goods to give away
• Pieces of colorful yarn
• Pieces of colorful tissue paper
• Live flowers
• Small smooth stones

Whether you’re able to bring something or not, you’ll depart with something amazing. Questions? Contact Joy Justicia.

we are delighted to have launched our new site. We hope you like it!

“Where common memory is lacking, where people do not share in the same past, there can be no community. Where community is to be formed, common memory must be created.” — Georges Erasmus, Canadian Aboriginal Leader

Beginning on January 10, several members of the Reparations Study Team will offer you the opportunity to sign your name on a petition for UCE to express support for legislation introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. John Conyers, Jr., HR 40, entitled: “The Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act.” If such a resolution is approved at a Congregational meeting, we will inform elected representatives and others, and seek follow-up actions with the UUA.

• The legislation would establish a study of the economic deprivation and physical and emotional suffering of the descendants of slaves, including through Federal Government policies.
• A key component is education–to help Americans move toward a “common memory.”
• If reparations are enacted, the form they could take might not involve payments to individuals but rather programs such as job training linked to public works that include racial justice in their mission.

Many of us at UCE have become more aware of parts of our country’s history that are often downplayed, for example the enormous impact of slave labor in creating our nation’s wealth. There is a plausible case that slave labor and the invention of the cotton gin in 1793 precipitated the industrial revolution. The first recognizable factories were built to mass produce textiles with the cheap cotton made possible by slave labor. As late as 1860, slaves as an asset were worth more than all of America’s manufacturing and railroads put together.

In “The Warmth of Other Suns,” by Isabel Wilkerson, we read first-hand accounts of life in the Jim Crow South, a euphemism for terrorism.

And we learned about systemic economic obstacles for blacks through at least the 1970’s that whites did not face. One example: New Deal housing and mortgage programs enabled a tremendous increase in home ownership in the U.S. But these Federal agencies instituted redlining and supported restrictive covenants, generating self-fulfilling prophesies for black neighborhoods to lose value over time while white neighborhoods gained value, and where homes could become family nest eggs. Meanwhile black home buyers were driven into the arms of unscrupulous contract sellers; such homes became money pits with debt creation instead of wealth creation.

Yes, there are people who have their minds closed. But if we have an orthodoxy, it is that opinions and attitudes can change enough to make a difference. Facing this question of reparations would, as Ta-Nehisi Coates has written, “represent America’s maturation out of the childhood myth of its innocence into a wisdom worthy of its founders.” Only then can our country exorcize these terrible demons of its past.

Tom Hempfling