Ministers & Staff

Rev. Eileen Wiviott,
Senior Minister

ewiviott@ucevanston.org

Rev. Eileen nurtures the human spirit for a world made whole by preaching about our interconnection, encouraging us all to consider how we answer the call to justice, and by helping to sustain our collective spirits during times of joy and sorrow, struggle and strength.

Eileen was called as Senior Minister on January 24, 2021. Her ministry grew out of a call to usher people into a sense of belonging in our congregation and a passion for creating opportunities to engage in social justice collaboratively. She leads the pastoral care team in tending to the spiritual needs of the community, helps to celebrate life passages, and empower individual and collective efforts toward equity, compassion and sustainability. Her faith is rooted in the interconnection of all things. She believes that, together, we are called to create life’s meaning together. The purpose of religious community is to cultivate and expand the transforming and healing power of love in our world. Eileen graduated from Meadville Lombard Theological School in May 2017 and was ordained by this church on June 4, 2017. She also serves as a trustee on the Interfaith Action of Evanston board and as the chaplain for Meadville Lombard Theological School.

Rev. Eileen holds office hours most Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and often has evening meetings on those days. Mondays are her sacred days off and Fridays she works from home. Please contact her via e-mail at ewiviott@ucevanston.org or at the church 847-864-1330 x 201.

Dr. Emma Farrell, PhD.,
Ministerial Intern

Emma nurtures the human spirit for a world made whole by training to become a UU minister and working towards dismantling white supremacy culture and its legacy burdens within themself and in our shared spaces to make space for mutuality, alterity, and care. 

Rev. Elizabeth Harding,  AM, MDiv, LCSW,
Affiliated Community Minister

eharding@ucevanston.org

Kathy nurtures the human spirit for a world made whole by providing a safe and welcoming place for all ages to connect with each other, learn about our faith and its role in creating a better world, and to nurture our spirits. 

Kathy has been a Unitarian Universalist religious educator since 1996, and UCE is the third congregation she has served. She has a degree in psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, which has been an asset throughout her career. Before becoming a religious educator, she worked as a program manager at Clearbrook Center helping developmentally disabled adults, and at several restaurants and microbreweries. She is a third-generation UU, and attended religious education at UCE as a young child. For fun, she likes playing the piano and tennis, reading, doing word puzzles and needlework, hiking, bowling, and learning about cultures both ancient and current.

Lifespan Faith Formation enables us to have the confidence and tools to do what we can in helping others in the greater community and world. As the Director of Lifespan Faith Formation, she coordinates the educational programming, as well as some social events and social justice activities for adults, youth, and children. If you have an idea that gets different generations together, or for a particular age group, give her a call.

Vickie nurtures the human spirit for a world made whole through her leadership of our music program which seeks to enhance the worship experience in services by selecting music that supports the theme of each service. 

Vickie has conducted church choirs for 28 years and has served as the Music Director at UCE since 2015.  She also is in her 24th year as the adult choir conductor at the DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church. Vickie has been a chorister and soloist in a number of professional groups in the Chicago area and, when in the Chicago Symphony Chorus and the Grant Park Chorus, she had the privilege of singing under and learning from the direction of many world-renowned conductors. She has also acted on stage and has an extensive repertoire of roles in the world of musical theatre. Trained in Applied Voice at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Vickie teaches voice in Naperville and at her home studio in Skokie. She is married to Jon Siegel, who sings bass in the UCE choir, and whose connection with UCE goes back to 1981.

Vickie comes to us with a wealth of conducting, singing, and acting experience. Vickie lives UCE’s mission by preparing and inspiring the choir to deliver their very best rendition of each musical selection and coordinating the performances of other musicians when the choir isn’t involved. Her well-run rehearsals are infused with good humor and joy and her choir selections are varied in styles, genres, and texts to best complement the theme of each service. She works her hardest to help all choristers grow as musicians and contributors to the choir.

Gregory nurtures the human spirit for a world made whole by providing his multi-cultural musical experience so that we all may have deep and meaningful worship services. 

Gregory Shifrin has been the UCE pianist since 2006. Gregory is a graduate of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and the Hebrew University. As a member of a piano duo, Gregory Shifrin has won International competitions in the USA and Poland. The Duo has been featured in recitals and performances with orchestras in the USA, Europe, and Israel. In addition to his work for the Unitarian Church of Evanston, Gregory serves as a principal pianist for the Youth Choral Theater of Chicago, Music Institute of Chicago Chorale, Congregation Temple Chai (Long Grove), and Glenbrook South High School.

Gregory believes that being a universal language of emotions transferred through sound, music plays a crucial role in creating a deep and meaningful worship experience. Gregory is happy to contribute to the UCE his multi-cultural musical experiences. Gregory absorbed musical influences of Russia, where he grew up, of Israel, where he studied during college years and formed a piano duo, and of the United States, where his solo and accompanist’s skills are demanded by choirs, solo singers and instrumentalists. Gregory believes that music can be found in anyone’s heart, as an Estonian poet Juhan Liiv said:

“Somewhere the original harmony must exist,
Hidden in the vast wilds,
In sunshine, in a little flower,
In the song of a forest, in a music of a mother’s voice,
Or in teardrops…
How else could it have formed in human hearts- music?”

Liz nurtures the human spirit for a world made whole by providing small comforts such as a clean bathroom when you need a place to cry. 

After working 30 years in corporate America, she changed direction and decided to follow what was fulfilling to her heart instead of financially. So after working at UCE for 15 years as a side job the transition was made to make it her main job. It was also at this time that she made a transition and went back to school to earn a Life Coach Certification to help people manage life’s Transitions. 

Liz is UCE’s Sexton (Church CareTaker) as well as part of our husband/wife Custodial Staff. Her title of Sexton represents the many jobs she handles, including Lobby Staff, Event/Rental Staff, Office and Security Staff as well as anything that is needed to ensure the details are covered. Her love for the church and the UCE community goes beyond a job title, it is a ministry of creating a safe, clean and welcoming environment in simple ways for all who enter its doors. Like welcoming someone into her home she feels that no detail is too small. She has said that something as little as providing a clean Bathroom for those who may need a clean place to cry is an example of that Ministry/Mission.

Adam nurtures the human spirit for a world made whole by caring for our building and our equipment to give UCE a strong foundation and tools to carry out its mission.

Adam joined UCE in June of 2017, the day after graduating from DePaul University with a Bachelor of Science in Sound Recording Technology and a minor in Physics with an electronics concentration. While at DePaul, Adam learned about all aspects of the audio world from recording and music production to film and composition. He is also CompTIA A+ and Network+ certified as of 2019, making him a certified Operations Specialist capable of supporting the IT needs of small and home office environments. As part of the UUA General Assembly in 2023, Adam was one of the eight panelists from five states presenting for the UU Livestream Production – Building Community with Tech program.

As the Facilities and Technology Coordinator at UCE, Adam oversees the building and its equipment, ensuring it is maintained and repaired. He also runs the Sunday morning worship services.

Tori nurtures the human spirit by thoughtfully managing office operations and providing dedicated support to staff, ministers, and congregants, always striving to create a welcoming, supportive environment where everyone feels valued and cared for.

A longtime Evanston resident, Tori she has a deep commitment to both her community and lifelong learning. After raising four children here, Tori has spent much of her career in education and volunteer work. She holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology from DePaul University and a Master’s in Teaching from National Louis University. Tori’s experience as a teacher, along with her ongoing involvement in local initiatives, reflects her passion for supporting others and fostering growth.

Outside of her professional life, Tori enjoys singing, dancing, and gardening. 

Vickie nurtures the human spirit for a world made whole by making sure the staff gets paid on time and keeping the books up to date so the church knows the resources available to it to do work within the church and reach out to the larger community. 

Vickie grew up in the religious education program at the Unitarian Meeting House in Burlington Iowa.  After graduating from college with an accounting major, Vickie moved to Chicago to begin her accounting career.  In 2003, she joined the Unitarian Church of Evanston. She retired in April 2017. Once retired, she was able to spend more time attending adult education events in the evening at UCE.  

In 2019, when the part time accountant position at UCE was vacated,, Vickie volunteered to help until a new accountant was found.  In August, Vickie became the part-time Staff Accountant at UCE. Vickie enjoys the part time work and getting to know the staff and members on a deeper level.  She makes deposits, keeps track of pledges, completes the staff payroll and lets Sandra know when things don’t make sense to her.

Steven nurtures the human spirit for a world made whole by providing the simple, necessary comforts that makes everyone’s experience at UCE even more enjoyable.

Steven has many years of experience with building maintenance and customer service. Born and raised in Evanston, he went to Evanston Township High School class of ‘94. He is the father of a beautiful son. Steven married Liz at UCE in 2016. He’s an animal lover currently housing cats, snakes, geckos, frogs and a bunch of fish. Steven loves music, all genres of music. Sometimes you’ll hear his smooth jazz lightly playing through the hallways will he’s working. Other passions include, doing jigsaw puzzles, critiquing reality shows and movies, taking pictures/making movies, hiking, traveling, trying new and different foods, and being himself.

Steven believes in treating UCE as he would his own home. He keeps our church clean and ready to welcome all who visit whether by setting up for events and rentals or by having UCE looking its best. He is reliable and always available to help when needed. He feels that his Mission at UCE is to provide simple necessary comforts. The kind of feeling that you get when you visit Grandma’s house. The comforting smells and embracing warmth of a clean and safe environment.