Sunday Service: In-person and Online Sunday at 10:30am

VirtUUal RE: May 31, 2020

With the end of May coming up, we are finishing our monthly theme of Thresholds this week. Many of you have completed e-learning and have crossed the threshold into summertime and freedom from schoolwork. And some of you have crossed the threshold of graduation, whether it be from one grade to another, from high school or from college. And we are collectively beginning to cross the threshold from social distancing and isolation to being able to see family and friends and eventually gather for worship.  

Our metaphor this week in VirtUUal RE is the door of imagination. You can find the VirtUUal RE session on the homepage. Your family can do this together at your own convenience any time during the week. You can read the session here or watch the video here.

For middle school youth, take a virtual tour of the Baha’i Temple in Wilmette here in this “Summit” Sunday session. The building’s architect, Louis Bourgeois, was a French Canadian who joined the Bahá’í faith more than a decade before working on the temple. Bourgeois felt the design of the temple needed to reflect the Bahá’í belief of oneness for humanity, as well as the unity of all religions. In describing his design, he said, “There are combinations of mathematical lines, symbolizing those of the universe, and in their intricate merging of circle into circle, and circle within circle, we visualize the merging of all religions into one.” If architecture interests you, then read more here.

High school youth can connect Sunday evening at 7 pm on Zoom. Look for an email from the advisors later in the week with info on how to join. 

Of course, we also have our virtual worship service on Sunday mornings at 11:15 am. I continue to post ideas on the UCE Children and Youth Facebook page, along with some interactive things to share, so look for that as well.  

We traditionally have a short break in RE between the church year and the start of the summer program. The Children and Youth Team is planning things now, so look for more info next week in the newsletter and on the website.    

The Non-Fiction Book Group will meet Sunday to discuss Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration by Emily Bazelon. More information is in this week’s newsletter.

In Faith, 

Kathy 

VirtUUal RE: May 31, 20202020-05-28T16:46:06+00:00

From MSC: May 29, 2020

From the Ministerial Search Committee… 

Over this past year, the Ministerial Search Committee took a step back from the search process in order to present a candidate for settled minister to the congregation in the spring of 2021. By doing so, our goal was to allow space for the congregation to engage in the interim tasks, which are critical to preparing for a new settled ministry. In 2019–2020, we focused on supporting the interim work; someone from the Search Committee attended every activity planned by Rev. Karen G. We will be using the information obtained from these workshops and discussions to inform our discernment process during this coming church year.  

Beginning in August 2020, the Ministerial Search Committee will engage you in a series of activities to better understand what the congregation needs to fully live our mission during the next settled ministry. These activities include a congregational survey, which will be distributed in late August; cottage meetings, which will be held in late September and October; and focus groups with church leadership. Based on these events, we will then write what is called the “Congregational Record,” a document that lays out who the congregation is, our goals, and what we need from a minister going forward. 

We urge you to participate in this discernment process at the start of the church year. Complete the congregational survey when you receive it; attend a cottage meeting; participate in a focus group, if applicable; and reach out to the Search Committee to share your thoughts and ask questions. This is your opportunity to make your views known and to share what you think the congregation needs in its next settled ministry—what will best help us realize our hopes and dreams.  

From MSC: May 29, 20202020-05-26T21:32:36+00:00

May 31, 2020

We will host an online worship service on Sunday, May 31st at 11:15 am.

“Tradition, Transition, and Transformation” – led by Rev. Karen Gustafson and Rev. Eileen Wiviott

The end of May has traditionally marked for many of us, a shift in the course of the year. School out. Gardens in. Coats off. Lawn mowers on. Predictable changes, these. Traditions that are holding their places, albeit in ways vastly changed from last year to this. Transition, the psychological response to change, unsettles and creates new pathways. In ways we are both aware and unaware, for better and for worse transformation is happening to individuals, institutions, and whole cultures. What are the questions being asked of us by our Unitarian Universalist faith? What are the traditions that hold us? How is transition challenging our best selves? What transformations are we prepared for?

Please submit your Joys and Sorrows through this online form. If you submit a message by 11 am, we will try to read it that Sunday. Thank you for your patience as we are adapting to best serve you all! Note the 9:30 and 11:15 services are being rolled into one service time so that we can gather together as a whole community of faith. You can still give to the shared offering through “text to give,” mail a check to the office with “shared offering” in the memo line, or go to our website and hit “give” on the upper right or click here. This Sunday’s shared offering recipient is The Brennan Center (click here to learn more).

May 31, 20202020-05-26T20:01:56+00:00

Our New Kitchen: The Big Reveal

Over the past four weeks we have unveiled photographs of the new UCE kitchen. Now, you can experience a virtual tour narrated by Carol Nielsen, filmed by your Executive Operations Director and novice videographer. Enjoy….

This has been such an experience from start to finish and here are the many people involved in the creation of our new kitchen space.

  • Carol Nielsen and Sandra Robinson, Project Management
  • Janelle Brittain, Chair, Capital Capaign Implementation Committee
  • CCIC Team Members Sandy Danforth, Vickie Doebele, John LaPlante and Ann Peterson
  • Alice Crostowski and Brian Nielsen for restocking kitchen
  • Robb Geiger for assembling our beautiful serving tables
  • Karen Courtright for sharing ideas and for sewing lovely aprons
  • Liz Kennedy and Steven Eason for cleaning up after each restocking

The talented people we hired and had the pleasure of working with:

  • Architect Thomas Ahleman, Talo Studio
  • General Contractor, Scott Perstangen, Parallel Design Build
  • All the subcontractors—plumbing, mechanical, electrical, painting, carpentry, flooring

We look forward to when we’ll be able to use this beautiful kitchen for our Sunday coffee time, social events, rentals and feeding the homeless. Serving food warms the heart and the soul, thus helping us meet our mission of Nurturing the Human Spirit for a World Made Whole.

From Sandra Robinson, Executive Operations Director

Our New Kitchen: The Big Reveal2020-05-21T21:41:09+00:00

Kitchen Renovation Update #4

Karen Courtright has been busy during the quarantine sewing 14 new butcher aprons for the kitchen. Here she is smiling and ready to cook in our new kitchen.
The new serving tables arrived and Robb Geiger aided by Brian Nielsen put them together. They are gleaming white with chrome legs. They will offer a versatile serving area—they are wide so we can have two serving lines if necessary, and, also have room in the center for additional food. Thanks to Robb and his tool box and Brian for helping us get ready.
Meanwhile Carol and Brian continue to unpack and organize the kitchen putting each item in its logical, convenient place so that when we return all will be ready to go.
Check out the link below for Illinois Food Handling Certification. The online course takes about 90 minutes. When you pass the exam you will be qualified to work in the UCE kitchen. We encourage everyone who will work in the new kitchen to do this so that we can comply with safe food handling at such time we are able to serve food again.
If you have questions about the kitchen, please contact Carol Nielsen.
Kitchen Renovation Update #42020-05-21T18:10:12+00:00

VirtUUal RE: May 24, 2020

It is hard to believe that Memorial Day weekend is here already. For those who have served our country, whether in the military or otherwise, I am grateful for your service and the freedoms it brings. Yes, there is still inequality here and yet collectively, we are better off than many around the world. My white, middle class privilege allows for more than most people. I struggle with gaining the courage to do what I can and then some, and to do it more often.  

Our metaphor this week in VirtUUal RE is a door of courage. We explore the symbol of our US flag this Memorial Day weekend, and what that means to us. You can find the VirtUUal RE session on the homepage of UCE’s website, www.ucevanston.org. Your family can do this together at your own convenience any time during the week. You can read the session here or watch the video here.

The Children and Youth Program Team and I are exploring ideas for this summer. How would your family like to connect with UCE friends this summer? What fun ways have you been connecting with family and friends that we could use at UCE? Send me your ideas at kunderwood@ucevanston.org. 

For middle school youth, learn more about the Baha’I faith here in this Tack Sunday session.

High school youth can connect Sunday evening at 7 pm on Zoom. Look for an email from the advisors later in the week with info on how to join. 

Of course, we also have our virtual worship service on Sunday mornings at 11:15 am. I continue to post ideas on the UCE Children and Youth Facebook page, along with some interactive things to share, so look for that as well.  

For our theme of Thresholds this month, check out the Soulful Home family packet here.   

The Non-Fiction Book Group will meet May 31 to discuss Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration by Emily Bazelon. Look for more information in this week’s newsletter. 

In Faith, 

Kathy 

VirtUUal RE: May 24, 20202020-05-21T17:54:36+00:00

May 24, 2020

We will host an online worship service on Sunday, May 24th at 11:15 am.

“Re-Membering: A memorial day journey” – We know this don’t we, no one gets away in life just floating. All of us take our turn in the whirlpool something eventually brings us into a head long spin: health, work, family, the environment…life is out there and at some point it will be our turn to get sucked into a whirlpool of change that was not there a moment before. How we respond beyond the mayhem is what will define our lives.

Please submit your Joys and Sorrows through this online form. If you submit a message by 11 am, we will try to read it that Sunday. Thank you for your patience as we are adapting to best serve you all! Note the 9:30 and 11:15 services are being rolled into one service time so that we can gather together as a whole community of faith. You can still give to the shared offering through “text to give,” mail a check to the office with “shared offering” in the memo line, or go to our website and hit “give” on the upper right or click here. This Sunday’s shared offering recipient is The Poor People’s Campaign (click here to learn more).

May 24, 20202020-05-19T17:39:56+00:00

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Evanston

1330 Ridge Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
Directions

(847) 864-1330
uce@ucevanston.org

UCE’s office hours:

Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: 10 AM – 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM – 4 PM
Wednesday: 10 AM – 1 PM
Thursday: 10 AM – 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM – 4 PM
Friday: 10 AM – 1 PM
Saturday: CLOSED
Sunday: 10 AM – 1 PM

In-person and Virtual Sunday Service is held at 10:30 am.

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Member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association covenant to affirm and promote the Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism.

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Evanston is recognized by the Unitarian Universalist Association as a Welcoming Congregation, a Peace Advocate Congregation, and a Green Sanctuary.

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