Ministerial Search Committee Final Report: November 24, 2020
Thank you to everyone who attended the Search Committee’s presentation of our findings from the cottage meetings, focus groups, and survey data and who participated in our Q&A after the presentation. Your feedback and questions are important to us and to the process of finding a new settled minister. For those of you weren’t able to join us on Sunday, November 22, you can use the buttons below to view a recording of the presentation on YouTube and/or download a pdf of the slide show.
Revisioning Our Multigenerational Community: December 16, 2020
We have been exploring our purpose and mission during this interim ministry period with Rev. Karen’s grace and guidance. Before we closed our doors last March, a group of us had met to share our hopes and dreams for the religious education program as we look towards calling a new minister. We had many insights and ideas! And now we are ready to continue the journey. Will you join us?
Rev. Karen, Rev. Eileen, and I want to hear what is on your heart and mind, centered around the questions:
- “What is the role of a faith community in your life and your child(ren)’s life?”
- “How can UCE create a mutually caring, thriving, supportive faith community?”
It is not our intent to stir up feelings of guilt either. Rather, we wish to discover what obstacles you’re facing and what you have passion around.
Please join us for ONE of the following virtual gatherings:
January 9 – 10-11:30 am
January 16 – 1-2:30 pm
January 17 – 2-3:30 pm
We look forward to seeing you there!
VirtUUal RE: December 18, 2020
Stuffie Pageant
Here’s a creative idea to occupy the kids: have them create their own Christmas pageant with stuffed animals! And be sure to join the 1st Virtual Pageant on Sunday!
Welcome to our theme of Stillness!
This week in the Soulful Home packet we focus on the segments On the Porch, and The Extra Mile. Check out this week’s video for a short synopsis.
Many Ways to Connect
Solstice Campfire and Carols on the Lawn – We’re sorry this event is sold out!
Pre/K Kids and Families – POP (Parents of Preschoolers) – Decembers’s materials are available here. The password is YouGotThis2020 (case sensitive.) This UU-based program is to be used all month long. Do whatever fits your family’s schedule.
High School Youth – Two Opportunities on Sunday: Forum at 10 am – Facebook Controversy Discussion. Click here to join the meeting. Youth Group 4-5 pm – look for an email with details!
UCE Forum Discussion
UCE Forum – Sunday, December 20th at 10 am
Facebook: “Friend” or Foe
Leaders: Andy Schlickman, Jessica Meis, George Monical, Joe Romeo
Join us for a discussion about the pros and cons of using Facebook, especially in our socially and politically polarized environment. We would also like to hear your views on what steps can be taken to use Facebook in a more responsible manner, and whether UCE should somehow limit its use OF Facebook.
Suggested readings:
- “Facebook Gets Pushback. More Is Needed,” by Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, Sept. 9, 2020 – https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/09/facebook-gets-pushback-more-is-needed/
- “Do You Have a Moral Duty to Leave Facebook?” S. Matthew Liao, New York Times, Nov. 24, 2018 – https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/24/opinion/sunday/facebook-immoral.html
Click here to join the Zoom meeting. Meeting ID: 924 4957 5721; Passcode: 489150; One tap mobile +13126266799,,92449575721#,,,,,,0#,,489150# US (Chicago)
Revisioning Our Multigenerational Community
We have been exploring our purpose and mission during this interim ministry period with Rev. Karen’s grace and guidance. Before we closed our doors last March, a group of us had met to share our hopes and dreams for the religious education program as we look towards calling a new minister. We had many insights and ideas! And now we are ready to continue the journey. Will you join us?
Rev. Karen, Rev. Eileen, and I want to hear what is on your heart and mind, centered around the questions:
- “What is the role of a faith community in your life and your child(ren)’s life?”
- “How can UCE create a mutually caring, thriving, supportive faith community?”
It is not our intent to stir up feelings of guilt either. Rather, we wish to discover what obstacles you’re facing and what you have passion around.
Please join us for ONE of the following virtual gatherings:
January 9 – 10-11:30 am
January 16 – 1-2:30 pm
January 17 – 2-3:30 pm
We look forward to seeing you there!
Update from the UCE-Connections Partnership: December 18, 2020
WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO, LATELY?
1,025 tasty, healthy sack lunches, that’s what!
Bravo! to the volunteers who shopped, made sandwiches, packed and delivered them! Many hungry people had a meal instead of an empty stomach.
Last October an article in our Newsletter gave details of our new partnership with Connections for the Homeless. Connections is a long-standing non-profit in Evanston with the goal of finding permanent housing for all, with supportive resources all along the way. UCE has had a relationship with Connections for many years, through our Giving House, Mitten Tree, and volunteer work of many of our members.
The UCE Endowment Fund and the Board of Trustees approved a grant of $40,000 to fund a Housing Specialist position for Connections for the Homeless. We also wanted to find volunteer opportunities for our members to assist in the effort to change lives, one person at a time.
One of the areas we decided to focus on, as a start, is the sack lunch program run by Connections at three locations in Evanston. We worked out a plan where we would supply each volunteer lunch-maker with a bag of non-perishables needed for 25-30 lunches, (granola bars, juice boxes, mustard/mayo packets, bags). Volunteers signed up online for the day they wanted, packed the lunches, and delivered them to their chosen location. They were responsible for providing the fresh components of the lunches – bread, lunch meat, cheese and fresh fruit.
Many people found this to be easy enough that they contributed lunches on several days. Some folks found it was fun to do with a partner to share the task and the costs. Through December, we will have provided over 1,000 lunches – all through generous volunteer efforts. Many thanks to everyone who participated in making such a success of this undertaking.
In case you missed out on this opportunity, or just want to do more, we have good news. We have received generous funding from Martha Holman and Faith in Place to keep our lunches-for-hungry-people going. After a break in January, we will resume sign-ups starting Monday February 1.
This is a chance to volunteer with the safety of physical distancing, in a way that produces immediate, concrete, satisfying results. Give it a go!
Carol Nielsen, Maggie Weiss, Sheila Holder
From the Immigrant Solidarity Team: December 18, 2020
You may recall that UCE made a contribution from Endowment Funds last summer to help support Chalice House, a home associated with Countryside UU Church, which was made available for a family seeking asylum. Here is some holiday news from them, which we hope will warm your season. Please note that if you would like, there is an opportunity for individual donations for Christmas. (See below.)
Thank You from the Immigrant Solidarity Team.
Family Update and Christmas
We are happy to report that the family thoroughly enjoyed their Thanksgiving meal and was very grateful for the generous gift card to Eurofresh grocery. Thanks to all who contributed.
We’re hoping to make the Chalice House family’s first holiday season in the United States extra special, and we’d love your help and holiday spirit!
The family, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, celebrates Christmas, and the mentor team would like to provide them with some holiday cookies, a Christmas Eve and Christmas morning meal, and a few gifts. For more details, please visit this SignUpGenius. Donations of just a few dollars will help make their spirits bright.
“Nothing short of astounding”
As you have no doubt noticed, immigration is in the news a lot lately. On the positive side, a recent court ruling reinstated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; and President-elect Biden has pledge to renew and expand DACA protections and raise the refugee limit SEVENFOLD to 125,00 per year.
However, the need for community housing such as Chalice House will likely increase as a result of Biden’s pledge to rescind the “Remain in Mexico” program – which has tens of thousands of migrants with asylum claims at the U.S. – Mexico border, some living in tent cities that resemble refugee camps.
News like this only makes us more grateful than ever to know that with your support, we are able to provide one family with a home where they are safe and secure, and can work their way towards independence. The Community Housing model is a good one. In fact, on a recent update call, the case manager from ICDI (Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants) said that what he’s seeing with the family in Chalice House is “nothing short of astounding.”
With that, we wish you a peaceful holiday season, and a healthy, happy new year.
7,000 tons and counting
Congrats! Collective Resource recently announced an inspiring “7000 Ton” achievement – check out the article reprint below. If you are not currently composting, we urge you to get on-board! One easy way is to join the UCE Composting Coop for only $5/month per person (max of $15/month per household.) See the 2-page Composting Tip Sheet for details. When you’re ready to sign up, just fill out the online UCE composting signup form. Questions? Contact Renee Hoff at rdhoff99@yahoo.com.
And (drumroll!) here’s the Collective Resource article reprint
We’re happy to announce that we have reached another diversion milestone: 7000 tons! Can you believe it?
What’s amazing to us is that’s 7,000 tons lifted, shifted and tipped by hand—no hydraulics. That’s a whole lot of muscle power from our crew. 14 million pounds of lifting and that doesn’t even include the weight of the containers, just the food scraps within. (1)
Because tons are kind of hard to visualize, we used this nifty calculator (2) to try to help you understand how very much that is. It’s about 1/4th as heavy as the Statue of Liberty and equivalent in weight to 60 blue whales, 560 school buses or 1,400 elephants. Can you picture that?
Who do we thank first? Our crew for all of the heavy lifting or our composting community for putting their money and effort where it counts? Don’t make us choose!
By diverting all of those food scraps from landfills, we’ve had the collective impact of reducing 11,978 tons of methane, and we’re not stopping there!
Collective Resource Compost
838 Brown Ave, Evanston IL 60202
customerservice@collectiveresource.us
www.collectiveresource.us
(1) The first ton was hauled by Erlene [Howard] with some help from her friend Marla.
(2) If you have a minute, play around with this calculator. On the right is something called “Sort Order”. Changing the setting from “closest first” to “highest first” or “lowest first” yields different and delightful results.
December 20, 2020
We will host an online worship service on Sunday, December 20th at 11:15 am.
A Virtual Christmas Pageant for All
We gather on-line to retell an old, familiar story in a new way. The joy of our annual Christmas Pageant continues with costumes and carols. Join us!
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 there will only be one service time during the summer 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 Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC).
VirtUUal RE: December 11, 2020
Last Chance to Sign Up for the Christmas Pageant!
Can you believe that we don’t have any stars yet? And we could certainly use more animals! Those whmo sign up will have an opportunity to pick up a costume at UCE this Sunday at 2:30 p or Dec. 19 from 4:30-6 pm – or to be creative and make one from things at home. Sign up here for a part. An email will be sent in early December with further instructions to those who sign up. Feel free to email Kathy at kunderwood@ucevanston.org with any questions.
Welcome to our December Theme of Stillness!
This week in the Soulful Home packet we focus on the segments Welcome Mat, At the Table, and On the Message Board. Check out this week’s video for a short synopsis.
Many Ways to Connect
Solstice Campfire and Carols on the Lawn – December 19 at 4:30-6 pm – sign up here TODAY!
Pre/K Kids and Families – POP (Parents of Preschoolers) – Decembers’s materials are available here. The password is YouGotThis2020 (case sensitive.) This UU-based program is to be used all month long. Do whatever fits your family’s schedule.
Popcorn Theology Online for 6th-8th Grades – December 13 at 1 pm – Look for Zoom info in the RE Weekly Update.
High School Youth – Youth Group 4-5 pm – look for an email with details!
For Adults
UCE Forum – Sunday, December 20th at 10 am
What about Facebook? An Exploration
Leaders: Andy Schlickman, Jessica Meis, George Monical, Joe Romeo
Click here to join the Zoom meeting. Meeting ID: 924 4957 5721; Passcode: 489150; One tap mobile +13126266799,,92449575721#,,,,,,0#,,489150# US (Chicago)
Christ for UU’s
Continues Tuesday, Dec. 15; 7:30-8:45 PM,
All sessions will be via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting.
Facilitated by UCE member Amy Pooley.
The upcoming session will discuss Chapters 5 and 6.
If you’re interested in attending and are not already registered, please click here to RSVP.
Contact Amy Pooley at amycpooley@gmail.com if you have questions.
Revisioning Our Multigenerational Community
We have been exploring our purpose and mission during this interim ministry period with Rev. Karen’s grace and guidance. Before we closed our doors last March, a group of us had met to share our hopes and dreams for the religious education program as we look towards calling a new minister. We had many insights and ideas! And now we are ready to continue the journey. Will you join us?
Rev. Karen, Rev. Eileen, and I want to hear what is on your heart and mind, centered around the questions:
- “What is the role of a faith community in your life and your child(ren)’s life?”
- “How can UCE create a mutually caring, thriving, supportive faith community?”
It is not our intent to stir up feelings of guilt either. Rather, we wish to discover what obstacles you’re facing and what you have passion around.
Please join us for ONE of the following virtual gatherings:
January 9 – 10-11:30 am
January 16 – 1-2:30 pm
January 17 – 2-3:30 pm
We look forward to seeing you there!
