Dear Friends,

Life is complicated, and for me, the Thanksgiving holiday is always a reminder of that. I grew up with divorced parents, so Thanksgiving was the start of a whirlwind schedule of seeing everyone that lasted through the end of winter break. When I was in my 20’s, I was a vegetarian and Thanksgiving was the holiday that was hardest to navigate. Also in my 20’s, I became educated about the genocide of Indigenous communities and that made the cultural rhetoric around the beneficial relationship of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags difficult to reconcile. All of that is to say, Thanksgiving remains a complicated time for me.

This year, as I live into the Thanksgiving tradition of gratitude, I want to share with you how fortunate I feel to be serving the UCE community and to be on this part of life’s journey with you.

This summer and fall have been busy for our congregation and I am grateful for the creative and earnest ways in which we are living into our mission, to nurture the human spirit for a world made whole. For when our spirits are cared for, we have the energy to help shape our society, and as our world is made more whole, we have the resources to care for ourselves. It is a cycle that I see playing out in our congregation. In the past six months, we have formed five new teams. I hope as you learn about them, that one of them calls to you. There are various ways to be engaged with these teams, so I encourage you to reach out and have a conversation with the listed contact person to find out how you might get engaged in a way that matches with your time and energy.

Our Membership Engagement Task Force is will be providing its final report to the Board in January. As this Task Force winds down, we have two teams emerging from their work:

Congregational Connections Team – This team is the newest version of a membership engagement team. If you enjoy helping others get connected within our UCE community or providing fun ways to enjoy each other’s company, contact Susan Carlton through Realm or at admin@ucevanston.org to find out more.

Leadership Development Team – This team is our newest version of a leadership engagement team. If you enjoy helping others grow their skills and transition from engaged member to engaged leader, contact Carolyn Laughlin through Realm or at admin@ucevanston.org to find out more.

Engaging with the 2020 UCE Climate Action Resolution passed by the Board to bring our building’s carbon emissions in line with the 2018 City of Evanston’s Climate Action Resilience Plan, we have formed a new team that sits at the intersection of the Board of Trustees, Green Team, and Building & Grounds Team:

Emissions Reduction Team – This team has a long-term vision to help us reduce our community’s carbon emissions by 2035. If you have ideas or want to get involved at any level to accomplish this goal, contact David Bates-Jefferys through Realm or at admin@ucevanston.org to find out more.

Building off of our work last year to create our Land Acknowledgment, we have coalesced a group of people with engaging ideas about how our faith community can grow in solidarity with local Indigenous communities:

Native Communities Solidarity Team – This team will be engaging our faith community in education and activism as we come together to be in relationship with local Indigenous communities. Contact Sallie Eggers through Realm or at admin@ucevanston.org to find out more.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the reproductive healthcare case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, members and friends of our community have come together to work on this pivotal issue of our time:

Reproductive Justice Team – As more individuals come to Illinois to access vital healthcare, this team will be collaborating with the Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of Illinois (UUANI), Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF), and Midwest Action Coalition (MAC) to provide support for local clinics that provide abortion care. To find out more contact Jean Butzen through Realm or at admin@ucevanston.org.

Other things to watch out for in the coming weeks:

Our Mitten Tree is in full swing. To participate in purchasing presents, wrapping gifts, or making a financial contribution, click here.

Team 8th is working on a Black Labor Acknowledgement. To participate, contact Rev. Susan at sfrances@ucevanston.org.

Our Anti-Oppression Task Force (AOTF) and YWCA Equity Institute Consultants will be presenting the results of the congregational survey at a congregation wide meeting on January 21, 2023. To participate, register here.

We are an expansive community and when each of us commits to doing one thing deeply and meaningfully, our hearts open and our world shifts. May you find that one thing and feel the joy of your commitment.

Yours in faith,
Rev. Susan

As we celebrate National Native American Heritage Month through learning and anti-oppression work, the REAL Team invites you to discuss Common Misconceptions and Injustices Facing Indigenous Peoples Today on Wednesday November 30th from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. (Central Time) via Zoom.

Our Indigenous siblings encounter widespread racism, poverty, and environmental degradation on Indian reservations and in urban areas. This oppression makes it difficult to survive as a people and to live fully according to their traditions. Many do not have the necessary resources, financial support, time, and energy to sustain and teach their language and culture. Survival itself depends on keeping their families intact, surviving rampant gender violence, stopping the destruction of their land, and maintaining their language and distinctive ways of life.

While some languages and cultural traditions are in danger of being relegated to the pages of ethnologists’ books, many Native communities enjoy a thriving original language and vibrant cultural traditions. Given the dominance of Euro-American culture and economy, these traditions also embody resistance and resilience.

Join the conversation to learn about misconceptions, the rich heritage at stake, and present-day struggles including:

• Brackeen v. Haaland, the Supreme Court case slated to strike down the Indian Child Welfare Act that also may destroy tribal sovereignty for land and other rights,
• The movement to address lack of protection for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and
• The fight to stop pipeline and other infrastructure projects being built on Native land.

We hope you can join us via Zoom on November 30 at 7:00 p.m.

I recently posed the following question to several UCE folks: “What word(s) best describe how you feel when walking into UCE?” Some popular responses included: peaceful, serene, thankful for this beautiful space, in community, inspired, at home, renewed, remembering wonderful times. Such reactions bring a smile to Liz Kennedy-Eason’s face. Together with her husband, Steven, Liz takes great pride and joy in their joint role caring for the building. When I recently interviewed Liz, it was clear that the church is her second home. “I work with love,” explained Liz. “I strive to provide a beautiful environment where a person feels safe and welcomed when they enter our building.” One of Liz’s favorite quotes comes from Maya Angelou: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Liz relates this quote to her job: “Many people have walked through UCE’s doors and may have forgotten the details of what they heard or saw, but all will remember how the church made them feel. This is why my job is so important and why I give it my all.”

In 1998, Liz’s husband Kirk died unexpectedly and together with her 10-year old daughter, Lindsey, they began a search for spirituality and community. The first time they visited UCE was during the summer. At that time, summer services were lay led in Room 3 because that was the only air-conditioned space in the church. Margaret Shaklee led a Sufi dance that brought Liz to tears. Liz and Lindsey knew they had had found a home and Liz became a member shortly thereafter.

Fast forward a few years and we find Lindsey working part-time after school as a lobby staff person. As a teenager, Lindsey didn’t like working Saturday nights, so “Mom Liz” started filling in. At that point, Liz had worked 30 years in Human Resources and Payroll/Accounting and recalls the “a-ha” moment in the church parking lot when the trajectory of her life changed. “Right then and there, I made the decision to retire from the corporate world to embrace my ‘time’ versus my ‘stuff.’ I realized that time is life,” explained Liz. “I had enough ‘stuff’ but I didn’t know how much ‘time’ I might have.” The year was 2012 and Liz was hired on the spot as UCE’s first female sexton.

I’ve always thought it odd that churches still use the ancient word sexton to describe the duties that Steven and Liz perform. Per Wikipedia, “the words sexton and sacristan both derive from the Medieval Latin word sacristanus meaning custodian of sacred objects.” After spending time with Liz, I now think the word is a perfect description for what they do. Liz commented that “this building knows that Steven and I are here to take care of it. The church is alive – it has its own spirit.” In this Spring season, please join me in saying thank you to Steven and Liz for their hard-working and loving attention to all that is sacred at UCE.

Perhaps you’re like me and sometimes forget to be grateful for things in life. It’s too easy to focus and dwell on the things that are wrong in this world and in our personal lives. I tried keeping a gratitude journal and would forget to write in it. My middle child, Roman, gave me a gratitude jar he made with popsicle sticks inside to write on. The idea was that when you needed a reminder, you would pull out a stick to read about something you’re grateful for in life. I have totally failed in using this too. Maybe I will give this one other try.

Recognizing the little things here and there along the way seems to be the best strategy for me. On my morning walk with our dog I always see or hear something new that I appreciate, such as the footprints of a small bird in the now-dry cement of the sidewalk. I wonder if the bird’s feet were okay when that happened – did the cement come off? Did the bird look at the prints in wonder and awe?

My camera on my cell phone is full of pictures to capture these moments – when the sun glints through the colorful leaves in the fall or the moon rising behind the Burr Oaks in my yard. I am just realizing as I write this that this is my gratitude journal. I’m going to make an album for these photos as a way to go back to them and remember the joy of those moments.

When my kids were younger, I would find simple crafts to honor the meaning of gratitude at this time of the year. Cutting turkey feathers out of construction paper and writing what we were thankful for on them was an easy project. Sharing around the dinner table was even easier, although not as decorative. And being a tree-loving person, a gratitude tree was one of my favorites.

Here at UCE, I am most appreciative of the support that has come from so many of you. The staff, the Family Ministry Team, the Adult Faith Formation Team, the Lifespan Faith Formation Council, the Board, and so many individuals who have shown their gratitude for my efforts these past three years. We are all blessed to be a part of this community.

In Faith,

Kathy

Melanie DeMore is a singer/composer, choral conductor, music director, and vocal activist who believes in the power of voices raised together. In her presentations, DeMore beautifully brings her participants together through her music and commentary. DeMore facilitates vocal and stick-pounding workshops for professional choirs, and community groups as well as directing numerous choral organizations across the U.S, Canada, and beyond. She is a featured presenter of SpeakOut!-The Institute for Social and Cultural Change, the Master Teaching Artist for Music at UC Berkeley/ CalPerformances; works with everyone from Baptists to Buddhists, and was a founding member of the Grammy-nominated ensemble Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir. She became Music Director for Obeah Opera by Nicole Brooks as part of the Luminato Festival in 2019. She is a charter member of Kate Munger’s Threshold Choirs and conducts song circles with an emphasis on the voice as a vessel for healing. In her own words: “A song can hold you up when there seems to be no ground beneath you”.”

Fall Greetings,

Beyond my window is a gorgeous array of colorful sun-kissed leaves ranging from red, rust, orange, yellow and a tinge of green. I am reminded of the beauty that surrounds us in this space, our building, the grounds, our sanctuary. So many hands have tended the soil, planted trees, and have cared for all with their talents, time and treasure. I want to remember Bud Brock this month as we will hold a memorial for him. Bud loved this building and spent many years caring for it. He was a most dedicated co-lead on Buildings and Grounds with me. He was always here when I needed him, even mopping after a flood in the kitchen at midnight. I reluctantly accepted his keys to the building after a few years, as we had trained Dick Whitaker to take on that responsibility. Dick eagerly and graciously took on the work and cared for our buildings and grounds. And now, Robb Geiger has taken on this role. Still we continue a tradition of ensuring a welcoming, clean and comfortable space for each and every one within and outside our church community. Bud Brock, “Big Brother”, “Little Sister” will always remember your kind self, your generosity of spirit and your love for this church.

We are all trying to return to a world that feels normal, but the rhythm is just off. Church Administrators talk of the shortage of volunteers, Rentals are more challenging as organizations are doing online fundraisers. But, on Sunday morning, we are seeing a growing number of members, friends, and guests whose desire is to come together to hear a message that will inspire more hope, more of what we need to do our part to heal the world.

This past Sunday we had a successful music concert featuring Howard Levy and Chris Siebold 120 in attendance. The duo performed a satisfying 3 hours of music with an intermission where guests could enjoy refreshments and purchase merchandise. Howard shared the merchandise income with UCE. Attendees commented on the feeling of being in a living room enjoying great music with Howard and Chris. It was a very special evening. Thank you to all who attended and supported our fundraising effort as we heard outstanding selections that warmed our souls. A special note of gratitude to David Carling, Adam Gough, Lynn Kendall, Peg Boccard, Janelle Brittain, Renee Hoff, Marcy Hicks, Alice Chrostowski, David Schroeder and Kathy Talmage who helped me make this concert a terrific evening for all who attended. A special thanks to Gay Riseborough for the motivating article about the concert and UCE in The Evanston Roundtable.

Your staff is working to provide a space for our congregation to return with ease and comfort. It’s not easy to return to following protocol and to make things happen. Please help us by remembering to fill out your Room & Publicity form when requesting the use of a room. There is some juggling to do as many want our rooms with the new hybrid equipment. Our new Office Administrator David Carling will do his best to balance out all needs and requests.

Rentals are beginning to pick up. We have an assertive budget this year and are striving to use our space to support our financial needs.

Mothers of Multiples joined us for their resale in September. North Shore Choral Society has a concert in our sanctuary on November 13, North Shore Weavers Guild meets monthly, North Shore Chamber Orchestra returns for rehearsals and a concert. I continue to reach out to not-for-profits to rent our space for their meeting and event needs. If you know of an organization that needs meeting space or a music group that wants to record or perform, please give them my email address srobinson@ucevanston.org

Our Capital Campaign projects continue to progress. Soon we will be launching construction of an accessible and inclusive bathroom in the lower level, as well as cosmetic changes to the existing girls bathroom. The Capital Campaign Implementation Committee has hired Biltmore Homes headed by Contractor Eric Barton to do this work. Drawings were done by Architect Mark Miller, former UCE member and someone who provides excellent guidance to us from time to time. This is an important and exciting addition to our lower level.

Thank you to Johna Van Dyke and Maggie Weiss who will be working in our lower level Room 7 to repair the sanctuary banner that was deteriorating due to sun and age. Your talents and efforts do not go unrecognized.

Yay to our Serendipity Auction Team. October 30th is the deadline for submitting your donations. Please support this terrific “Fundraiser” by donating an item, a dinner or service and plan to attend the auction on Saturday, November 12. Details can be found in this newsletter and on our website at ucevanston.org

Dear Friends,

I have been enjoying all the moments of beauty and joy our community has created this fall. From our rainbow filled congregational picnic to our new Journey of Belonging membership classes to our overflowing animal blessing, it has been good to be together in-person on a regular basis while still maintaining connections via Zoom. I am so grateful to be part of a faith community that makes time and creates space to celebrate the wonders in life and embrace life’s moments of delight.

I am also grateful for a community that holds space for our grief. Within the last four weeks, both my brother’s family and my sister’s family have endured the death of their 14 year old dogs, who joined our family as puppies. I’ve grown into an allergy to dog dander, so Bosko and Truffles were the closest I’ve had to a furry pet in over 17 years. They will be missed. I know the past two and a half years have been full of grief for many of us. Since the pandemic lockdown occurred in March of 2020, I have had 2 uncles, an aunt, and a great-aunt die. Navigating grief in this time of limited in-person contact has been challenging. Ellen Rieger, LCPC, will be offering a grief group beginning November 10, 2022.  If joining this group would be helpful to you, whether you have lost someone recently or in the past, please contact Ellen directly or reach out to me or Rev. Eileen and we’ll help get you connected with Ellen.

If you are finding the upcoming holidays daunting or life right this minute is overwhelming, please do not hesitate to contact the Pastoral Care Team. They are able to offer a listening ear or help you get connected with one of the ministers or other resources. You are not alone.

During the next few months, there will be many ways for us to connect with each other, virtually and in-person. The first way being our annual fall fundraiser, the Serendipity Auction. We are still looking for donations and volunteers. Please check this newsletter for details. You are invited to join-in online during auction week and participate in-person or online during our Celebration Party on Saturday, November 12.

On the heels of our Serendipity Auction is the start of our annual Mitten Tree. This year we will be partnering with four organizations to provide holiday gifts to their clients. Keep your eye on the newsletter for details about how to donate gifts or join in the gift wrapping parties.

One great way to connect with others is to join one of our Hospitality Teams. The commitment is four Sunday mornings over the course of a year (and since we are well into October, if you join now, it will only be three Sundays over the rest of this congregational year). We are always looking for more volunteers for our Greeters Hospitality Team, Kitchen Hospitality Team, and Online Host Hospitality Team. Contact me at sfrances@ucevanston.org if you are interested or want to learn more.

If you want to get deeper involved, the new Leadership Development Team is in the process of forming right now and the Nominating & Recruiting Committee will start contacting congregants soon. I invite you to say yes if you are contacted by members of either, knowing that our teams and committees are grounded in covenant, which allows you to bring your entire self to whatever the work is. In addition to attending to the needs of the congregation, you are also attending to the joy of relationship building and often spiritual growth (yes, even through committee work!).

The leaves on the tree outside my office windows are a wonderful red color. If you haven’t taken a moment to walk through UCE’s South Lawn, with its hop scotch tiles, children’s labyrinth, and rain garden, then I invite you step outside on a Sunday morning or walk around the building on another day and enjoy what the nature in our own backyard has to offer you. Fall is my favorite season. I find it is a beautiful time of year to bundle up and be restored by a walk that engages my senses – feeling the wind on my skin, viewing the vibrant colors and listening to the rustle of the leaves, and noticing that smell of healthy decay.

Whatever rejuvenates you, make time soon to engage in that activity. From sitting down with a good book and a hot cup of tea to jogging at the gym or through the neighborhood, we each have something that restores our life sustaining energy to thrive. What is yours? I invite you to make time to do that and in the process to be open to life’s moments of delight.

Yours in faith,

Rev. Susan