Friendship Meals

Sign Up Is Open for February 2024 Friendship Meals

Sign ups are open for the February Friendship Meals! The online sign up sheet (click here to access) contains meal details so you can browse the choices and select the one that works best for you. Sign up help will be at the back of the sanctuary after worship on January 21st and 28th. Or for further assistance, contact Lina Hilko (LHilko at aol dot com) or Margaret Koreman (Margaret.Koreman at gmail dot com). Winter session meals are:

• Fri, Feb 9th 6:30pm in-home chicken curry potluck dinner

• Sat, Feb 10th 1pm split-the-bill restaurant outing

• Sat, Feb 10th 6pm in-home appetizer and dessert potluck

• Fri, Feb 16th 6:30pm in-home “flexitarian” potluck dinner

• Sat, Feb 17th 6pm in-home potluck chicken dinner

• Sat, Feb 17th 6pm in-home potluck chili dinner

• Sat, Feb 17th 6pm in-home potluck chicken enchilada dinner

• Sun, Feb 18th 5pm in-home vegetarian potluck dinner

The Congregational Connections Team (CCT) kicked off a renewal of a favorite tradition in November 2023 with a fall pilot session of 6 meals. CCT’s winter session has expanded to 8 hosted meals. Friendship Meals are open to members and friends and are a really enjoyable way of connecting with others in the congregation in a small-group setting. The next round of Friendship Meals (after this winter session) will be in the summer, probably around July/August. Summer meals will include more outdoor and intergenerational opportunities. CCT welcomes your feedback as we go through the year so we can make Friendship Meals as inviting, interesting, accessible, and fun as possible. If you are inspired to serve as a host, please contact Lina Hilko or Margaret Koreman to be added to the contact list for future sessions.Friendship Meals Are Back – Sign Up to Attend Begins Today

 

September 6, 2023

The Congregational Connections Team joyfully announces that sign up for fall Friendship Meals begins today. The online sign up sheet (click here to access) contains meal details so you can browse the choices and select the one that works best for you. There will also be sign up help at the back of the sanctuary after the service on October 1st. Or for further assistance, contact Lina Hilko  or Margaret Koreman . The six fall meals are:

Sat, Nov 4th 11am-1pm in-home potluck brunch, children welcome

Sat, Nov 4th 1pm split-the-bill restaurant outing

Sat, Nov 4th 5:30pm in-home appetizer and dessert potluck

Sun, Nov 5th 5pm in-home vegetarian potluck dinner

Fri, Nov 10th 6pm in-home gluten-free potluck dinner

Sat, Nov 11th 5:30pm in-home potluck dinner

Remember that in an effort to be as inclusive as possible, we are encouraging hosts to open their homes for guests to join them for a potluck brunch, lunch or dinner. A host might also choose to host a potluck at UCE or a split-the-bill restaurant outing instead. These meals are open to members and friends and are a really enjoyable way of connecting with others in the congregation. 

In this fall pilot session, we are limiting the number of hosts and, therefore, the number of guests that can participate. If you find the dates/times don’t work for you or the date you want is already full, please know we’ll be offering meals again in the winter and next summer. The online sign up sheet provides for waiting list entries. All sign-ups will help us gauge interest in order to adjust programming as we learn from the congregation.

Please share your feedback as we go through the year so we can make Friendship Meals as welcoming, interesting, accessible, and fun as possible.

 

Friendship Meals Are Back

Sponsored by Unitarian Church of Evanston’s

Congregational Connections Team

The Congregational Connections Team is delighted to let you know we are launching Friendship Meals this fall.

We plan to offer the Friendship Meals program, similar to our previous Friendship Dinners, in the fall, winter and summer. Fall Friendship Meals will be scheduled on Friday, November 3rd, Saturday, November 4th, Sunday, November 5th, Friday, November 10th and Saturday, November 11th. You can click here to view an Information Sheet about the program.

Hosts for the fall program are being recruited now. People who would enjoy hosting can let Lina Hiko or Margaret Korement know of their interest after the September 10th Sunday service or by email through the Realm Membership Directory or at admin@ucevanston.org. 

In an effort to be as inclusive as possible, we are encouraging hosts to open their homes for guests to join them for a potluck brunch, lunch or dinner. They might also choose to host a potluck dinner at UCE or a “chip-in” meal at a restaurant instead. Folks who want to attend a meal will be able to browse the available options online and choose the date, time and place that works best for them. These meals are open to members and friends and are a really enjoyable way of connecting with others in the congregation. Sign up to attend a meal will begin in early October. Details will be available in the newsletter at an information table in the rear of the sanctuary after Sunday services.

Please share your feedback as we go through the year so we can make Friendship Meals as welcoming, interesting, and fun as possible.

 

UCE’s Friendship Meals are an updated design of a tried-and-true favorite, Friendship Dinners. Friendship Meals provide intimate, social opportunities three times a year for UCE members and friends to gather together over a shared meal.

The Congregational Connections Team has heard you! So many folks have let us know they are eager to bring back Friendship Dinners as one really enjoyable way of connecting with others in the congregation, making new friendships, and visiting with old friends.

We’re delighted to let you know we are launching a pilot – Friendship Meals – this fall. Why a pilot and why a slightly different name, you might ask. A different name because we are expanding the concept from having dinner together to an option to have brunch, lunch or dinner, depending on what a particular host(s) would like to offer.

A pilot because not only are there expanded offerings of types of meals, but also the scheduling and sign-up will be handled a bit differently. Hosts may open their home for guests to join them for dinner, brunch, or lunch. They might also choose to host a meal at a restaurant or at UCE instead. Folks who want to participate will be able to peruse/browse the available options online and choose the meal that works best for them.

We plan to offer the Friendship Meals program in the fall, winter and summer. Fall Friendship Meals will be scheduled on Friday, 11/3; Saturday, 11/4; Sunday, 11/5; Friday, 11/10; and Saturday 11/11. Hosts for the fall program are being recruited now. There will be a table at the rear of the sanctuary after the service on Sunday, September 10th with information about the program, how it will be organized, and host responsibilities. People who would enjoy hosting can let us know of their interest on Sunday or email Lina Hilko at lhilko @ aol dot com. 

When do meals occur?

UCE is planning to pilot this updated design in Autumn 2023, followed in 2024 by a Winter session and a Summer session. There is no up-front commitment for the whole year. Hosts and attendees make decisions to participate one session at a time.

What is a “meal?”

The updated design changes terminology from “dinners” to “meals” to introduce more flexibility. Meals could be brunch, lunch, or dinner. Meals can be hosted in a home setting, in a restaurant, or at UCE. The model favors sharing through potlucks or splitting the bill.

Who is a host?

Each meal is hosted by a voluntary host or hosts. The voluntary host(s) decide the meal setting, considering their available and accessible space and weather. So, for example, a host who lives in a small apartment could host in their apartment’s community room or outdoor deck. A host who doesn’t have much space at all might find a co-host who would appreciate a helping hand. A host who lives adjacent to a park might choose to host a summer session picnic. And there will be hosts who are most eager to introduce new friends to a favorite neighborhood restaurant or to explore new restaurants with new friends!

How many meals per session?

Our Autumn 2023 pilot session will include 6 hosted choices, such as 3 in-home; 2 restaurants; and 1 at UCE. Depending on the popularity of both hosting and attending, we may adjust numbers in the future. We will maintain a waiting list during sign-up so we can do our best to fill all the available slots. 

How many people per meal?

Without imposing or committing to strict rules, generally each gathered group will be about 8 adults, give or take. The goal is to create small gatherings conducive to building connections through meaningful conversations. That said, some meals might be enhanced by slightly bigger groups. For example, a summer picnic in a park or a meal at UCE open to adults and children would allow for more attendees.

How are attendees paired with hosted meals?

About 1 month before the session, the congregation will have access to a link to a sign-up Google Sheet which will include the list of hosted meals. Attendees choose the meal that works best for them, based on their availability and preferences for date, time of day, venue, accessibility … whatever matters to them. The sign-up sheet will provide descriptions of the venue, the date and time, and the planned entree to inform their choices. Attendees can also include a note on the sign-up sheet of any restrictions (e.g., allergies) or help needed (e.g., carpooling requests).

Coordination of meal details?

About 7-10 days before any given meal, the host(s) will email attendees (using the email addresses provided in the sign-up Google Sheet) a reminder of the upcoming meal with details and any instructions or requests. Since all parties (hosts and attendees) have access to the sign-up Google Sheet, direct communication can occur within the small meal group.

What if I have questions?

Please feel free to contact the current leaders of UCE’s Friendship Meals Program with any questions. We encourage you to try out the program. We hope you will have a good time and will let us know your feedback on how we can continue to create a positive experience for everyone attending. 

Leaders:

Lina Hilko – LHilko @ aol dot com; Cell (312)399-1848

Margaret Koreman – Margaret.Koreman @ gmail dot com; Cell (773)972-3235