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Sunday, October 16
Worship Service - 9:15 and 11:00am
"The Vision of Hildegard"
A happy 918th birthday to Hildegard of Bingen, the twelth-century "celebrity" monastic whose philosophy, music, theology, choreography, drama, and vision defied all convention. Despite her orthodoxy, her ideas about the harmony of body and spirit, the emptiness of thought without action, and theory that music speaks to the divine in each of us, still holds inspiration for us today. This service will be filled with Hildegard's music and poetry. Rev. Bret Lortie speaking.
Jeanne Rhodes will be our soloist on Sunday as choir takes a break. She was a voice performance major and studied with many of the greatest teachers and coaches in Chicago. She has won awards for her singing and her acting. Her solo performances include the leads in musicals, operettas, operas and many recitals. She was a soloist with the Chicago Symphony and has been a member of the UCE choir since 2001.
Religious Education
This Sunday our preschool, kindergarten-first-second grade, and third-fourth-fifth grade classes will meet from 9:15-10:30 and 11:00-12:15. All begin in the sanctuary for the first part of the worship service before going to classes. The sixth-seventh-eighth grade class begins at 10:30am this week to watch "Trashed." Senior high meets at 11:00am. Childcare for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers is available from 9:00-12:30.
Name Change Circle - 12:30pm
Crackerbarrel - 9:30am
"Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis,"
by J. D. Vance is a passionate and personal analysis of a culture in crisis-that of white working-class Americans. The decline of this group, a demographic of our country that has been slowly disintegrating over forty years, has been reported on with growing frequency and alarm, but has never before been written about as searingly from the inside. J. D. Vance tells the true story of what a social, regional, and class decline feels like when you were born with it hung around your neck.
We will discuss the book and its implications.
Discussion leader: Jim Kepler.
Join us to stand in support of Black Lives Matter
12:10pm-12:30pm
You are invited to stand on Ridge Avenue between 10:20am and 10:50am to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Each week, the reception has been a most affirming experience. We hope to continue this on a weekly basis with your help.
Signs and buttons are available for purchase at the back of the sanctuary. Signs and song lyrics will be provided for use.
Sponsored by the REAL team.
The Chris Isely Cancer Support Group -
9:15am
The group is open to anyone facing cancer, either personally or through a family member or friend. This lay-led group is a safe place for sharing and hope. Interested participants are encouraged to drop in any time. Questions? Contact Renee Hoff
or Brian Meister.
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Upcoming Crackerbarrel Topics
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Sunday, October 23, 9:30am
"A Better, Fairer and Less Expensive Healthcare System"
Discussion leader: Dr. Bill Reed
Sunday, October 30, 9:30am
"
The Theory of Moral Sentiments"
Discussion Leaders: Gordon Mallett & Scot Campbell
Sunday, November 6, 9:30am
"Humanistic Judaism"
Discussion leader:
Dan Solomon
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From the Board of Trustees
Name Change Circle Update
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Scheduling Changes: Circles opportunities will be extended to November 13 meeting on Sundays only at 12:30. Those dates include Oct 16, 23, 30 and Nov 6, 13. The response forms will be accepted until Nov 13. The Board meets for our regularly scheduled meeting on Nov 16 where we will discuss a recommendation for next steps.
Response forms are available on the UCE bulletin board and will be available after Sunday services at the back of the sanctuary. Response forms can be returned to the UCE office in a mail slot dedicated to the Name Change Circles or a marked envelope at the same table the response forms will be after Sunday services.
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Special Invitation to Serendipity Auction
for Families with Children
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One of the most magical evenings of the UCE year is quickly approaching and the Serendipity Auction Team would like to extend a special invitation to families with children. The date is Saturday, November 12th. The evening starts with an optional dinner beginning at 5:30 PM, in the sanctuary ($11 for adults who make reservation, $6 for children 6-10 years old) and silent auction, including items for kids to bid on [using parents Bidder #]. Then, children are invited to Rooms 2 and 3 for various supervised activities. They will also watch a movie theater-style, projected onto the wall and eat some popcorn.
Please let the UCE office know how many children will be attending from your family -
uce@ucevanston.org
,
Also, consider donating a kid-friendly auction item. Examples are duct tape wallet made by a youth, kids cooking class or an afternoon of Legos at your house.
We are hoping this will be a great evening for parents and children alike. See you at the UCE Serendipity Auction!
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Special Programs for Parents and Kids
Sunday, November 13, 10:20 - 10:50am
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Answering Kids' Big Questions:
Talking about Death
Some of the hardest questions kids ask are the ones about what death means, either as a practical reality or a theoretical concept. How can Unitarian Universalist parents respond, even in our own uncertainty and grief? A sharing of ideas and resources, led by Rev. Connie Grant.
The first in a series of discussions on Parenting for Unitarian Universalists. Next, December 11: Navigating the Winter Holidays.
Yoga for Kids
A 30-minute session of yoga specially designed for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade. Yoga is beneficial for reducing stress, connecting mind/body, and promoting body awareness. We will do basic yoga postures: twists, backbends, seated, standing, and balancing poses. Songs and games will be incorporated into the lesson. Please bring a yoga mat, if you have one. Taught by UCE member and certified yoga instructor, Jessica Tomell-Presto. The first in a series of special activities for kids. Next, December 11: Meditation for Kids.
Childcare will be available for infants and toddlers in Room 11, and for three- and four-year-olds in Room 9.
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Activate Your Voice
Saturday, October 29,
9:30am-4:30pm
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NEW WAYS TO MAKE SURE BLACK LIVES MATTER
Our congregation and community have moved forward significantly in the last couple of years in understanding racial issues and why our UCE sign proclaims Black Lives Matter.
But there is more to learn, and work to do. The superiority of "whiteness" is deeply embedded in ourselves (regardless of our race) and our institutions. How do we recognize it? What can we do about it?
UCE's Racial Equity Action and Leadership (REAL) Team, along with Evanston's Organization for Positive Action and Leadership (OPAL), is sponsoring a highly interactive workshop on October 29, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, including lunch, to help us get further on our way toward eradicating racism in ourselves and our world. Click here to read more.
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Refugee Potluck is Sunday, October 30
Sponsored by the Endowment Committee and the Refugee Team
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Don't miss October 30 when we introduce our refugee family to the congregation at the 11:00 service and at the potluck after church. One of the blessings of our sponsorship is that we are all learning so much about Syrian culture. It expands our life experience to sponsor our family. Last week we mentioned that you need to use halal meat if you make a Mediterranean dish. You can buy halal meat at the following locations: Valli Produce, 1910 Dempster in Evanston, 5705 Dempster Street in Morton Grove, Pita Inn, 3924 Dempster Street in Skokie, Farm City Meat, 2255 Devon Avenue, Chicago, Northside Meats and Eats, 5705 Dempster Street in Morton Grove.
Please bring your dish with a 3 x 5 card indicating what ingredients are included.
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Introducing the Khalaf Family
By Jane Kenamore
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We are looking forward to a visit from the Khalaf family on Sunday, October 30, at the 11am service. As you know, UCE is co-sponsoring the Khalafs with Refugee One, a not-for-profit agency that resettles refugees.
The family is composed of parents Khaled and Fattoum; son Mohammed, 22; daughter Aya, 18; and son Uday, 14. The family left their home in Aleppo in 2012 and had lived in a refugee camp in Turkey before their arrival here on September 8. Since they arrived, they've been settling in and have become familiar with their neighborhood in Skokie and the greater environs.
Click here to read more.
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Volunteers Needed for Memorial Service
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Many of us have marked our calendars to remember our dear friend Charlotte Tyksinski at her memorial service on November 5 at 1:00pm. We will need much help with the reception following the service. Please use this link to volunteer your assistance. All donations of food and time are greatly appreciated.
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Refugee Roundtable Kicks off on
November 2, 7pm
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UCE has joined with other Evanston Faith Communities to host a Refugee Roundtable. Please join us on Wednesday, November 2 at UCE to be a part of this group. We will be sharing our experiences, talking about future sponsorship and exploring how different faith communities in Evanston can work together on this urgent international crisis. Contact
Carol Nielsen if you have questions.
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Adult Religious Education
The Inner Life: Therapeutic and Spiritual Reflections
November 15, 22, & 29 7:00 - 9:00pm
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Freud dismissed religion as a superstitious illusion; but later psychotherapists, notably Jung, found wellsprings of meaning and self-transcendence in religious experience. Psychotherapist Jay Einhorn will discuss a model of the relationship of psychotherapy, religion and spirituality, which he presented last year at the Parliament of the World's Religions. Psychotherapist Chet Mirman will argue that religion is largely a methodology for self-transformation, helping to foster a "felt sense of divine, loving presence." Because selfhood is fundamentally a function of one's internalized relationships, religion is, at its core, a relational experience, and thus this transformational process is also the transformation of a relationship. Dan Solomon will follow up on this idea by discussing how Martin Buber's philosophy of "I-Thou" relationship has been applied in approaches like the "dialogical therapy" of Maurice Friedman, Buber's friend, translator, and biographer. Register
here or on the Religious Education bulletin board.
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News from CRS, UUANI and UU Prison Ministry
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Progress and preparation for change with CRS, UU Prison Ministry, and UUANI:
CRS (Community Renewal Society) greatly influenced the Chicago police accountability changes passed by the Chicago City Council recently.
The UU Prison Ministry of Illinois held a workshop on radical hospitality on October 1 at Countryside Church UU in Palatine, which Dave Conrad, Brian Meister and Michael Skilton attended. This is step toward making our congregations more welcoming and helpful to people returning from prison.
UUANI (UU Advocacy Network of Illinois) is our shared plate recipient this month and is conducting a statewide fundraising campaign to support the work of our half time minister, Rev. Scott Aaseng.
For more inf
ormation on any of these please contact
Dale Griffin
or other participants.
Join Community Renewal Society for our Annual Membership Assembly on Saturday, November 12!
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Our Giving House
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The Giving House is under the care of Will and Johna Van Dyke for this year. We publicize, and see to it that there is a sponsor every month. The sponsors volunteer for a given month, and are responsible for 2 things. 1 - matching the amount of product in the Giving House for their month, and 2 - getting it to Hilda's Place along with the existing contributions from the house. However your group decides to accomplish this is entirely up to you. We will count up the contents, call you with the amount you need to contribute on the last day of the month. When you are ready, we will choose a time to consolidate all of the items for your group to deliver. We will need a contact from your group.
This is an excellent activity for Covenant Groups or other groups. It is simple, rewarding, team oriented, and not too expensive. ($10.00 to $20.00 a person) If you have a problem with the cost of your particular month, just let us know. We will help out.
Click here to read more.
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CROP Walk
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Join the students and teachers in the Religious Education classes as we participate in this year's Crop Walk. The 5K course will be along the lakeshore. A shorter course is available. The walk begins at First Congregational Church of Evanston. We are encouraging participants to meet at the church and carpool to First Congregational Church. Visit the display table at the back of the sanctuary for more information, to make a donation and to sign up.
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"Race: The Power of an Illusion"
Concludes Tuesday, October 18
7:00-9:00pm at UCE
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The Evanston YWCA and UCE's Racial Equity Action and Leadership team are presenting a three part film, "Race: The Power of an Illusion" this October 4, 11 and 18 at UCE.
We have shown this film before. Why show it again? Why watch it? Why watch it again?
Because this film reveals how we came to believe, incorrectly, that there are real, immutable differences among us.
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For those who are thinking about becoming a member of the church.
Intro to Unitarian Universalism
Sunday, October 16, 12:30 - 2pm
Led by Rev. Bret Lortie, we'll look at our history, our principles, the sources of our faith, and the meaning of covenant. (This is the first step in the membership process.)
Orientation Toward Membership
Saturday, November 12, 9 am - 12pm
Led by Rev. Connie Grant, Membership Director Eileen Wiviott, and members of the New Member Committee. An interactive class exploring our spiritual journeys, the diversity of our beliefs, and what it means to be a member of this congregation. (This is the second step in the membership process.)
Sign up at the Guest & Member Table in the lobby or email Eileen Wiviott.
There will be childcare available upon request in advance for both of these classes.
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Gen X Family Friendly Campfire
October 22, 4 - 6:30 pm at the home of member Sarah Hendershot
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If you are in your 30's to 50's, with kids or without, come and enjoy an outdoor gathering with vegan refreshments, meaningful conversation and space for the children to play. Please RSVP to Eileen Wiviott or Sarah Hendershot.
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Upcoming UCE Events
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Race: The Power of an Illusion
Sundays, Oct. 16, 23, 10:15am
Spiritual Journeys
Saturday, October 29, 8:30am
Activate Your Voice - REAL Workshop
Saturday, October 29, 7:30pm
UCE Coffee House
Sunday, October 30, 12:00pm
Endowment Sunday All Church Potluck
Sunday, October 30, 12:30pm
We Can Work It Out Workshop
Wednesday, Nov. 2, 7:00pm
Refugee Roundtable
Sunday, November 6, 10:15am
Principles and Sources Class
Saturday, November 12, 5:30pm
Serendipity Auction
Tuesdays, Nov. 15, 22 and 29, 7pm
The Inner Life: Therapeutic and Spiritual Reflections
Thursday Nights, 5:30pm
Meditation Group
Thursday Nights, 7pm
UCE Addictions Ministry Group
Sunday Mornings, 8:15am & Wednesday Mornings, 9:30am
Yoga
Saturdays at 10:00am
Open Drumming Circles
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Serendipity Auction
Saturday, November 12
Our online catalog is getting populated with many interesting items.
Click here to see the Serendipity Auction catalog,
and think about what kind of gift you can offer that will be uniquely yours.
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Non-Fiction Book Group
Sunday, October 23, 12:30pm
We will be discussing:
Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War
by Robin Yassin-Kassab, Leila Al-Shami
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Common Threads
Common Threads, the UCE knitting and crocheting group, meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 10am, and the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7pm.
We make hats and blankets for babies, and scarves and shawls for people who we think would like a hand-knitted or crocheted care shawl. Sometimes, we also work on our own projects.
We have a huge stash of donated yarn, needles, and directions, as well as people who can help you improve your knitting and crocheting skills.
Our next meeting dates are October 25 at 7pm and November 1 at 10am. Contact
Joan Horberg
with any questions.
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The Coffee House is Coming!
Saturday, October 29
Do you sing, play an instrument, tell stories, tell jokes, recite poetry? If you wish to go onstage, e-mail Alicia Hempfling.
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CRT Workshop
"We Can Work It Out: Constructive Conflict as Part of Healthy Engagement"
Sunday, October 30, 12:30-2:30
The UCE Congregational Relations Team (CRT) will offer our previously well-received workshop "We Can Work It Out: Constructive Conflict as Part of Healthy Engagement."
The workshop is intended to help us keep the commitments made in our Covenant of Engagement - something that can be easier said than done once feelings are hurt, tempers flare or anxiety (including anxiety about conflict!) is stirred. The workshop will be both didactic and experiential, including a brief power point presentation, small group discussions and role plays. Click here to read more.
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Congregational Thanksgiving
You are cordially invited this year to join your UCE community for our annual Thanksgiving Day celebration!
 We will again share our table with recruits from the Great Lakes Naval Base. Come for breakfast or come for dinner, come to share our wonderful UCE fellowship with some sailors far from home.
Watch this space for opportunities to sign up, to volunteer to bring food, and to help host our guests.
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Our Giving House for the month of October is collecting Razors, Shaving Cream, and Deodorant.
Donations will be matched by a Covenant Group or family or other group of sponsors. Donations are given to Connections for the Homeless for distribution at Hilda's Place pantry or the Entry Point program.
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UU Identity Discussions
Continued learning opportunities offered monthly by the New Member Committee; open to all who want to better understand what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist, no matter where you are on the membership journey:
Principles and Sources Class
1st Sundays 10:15 - 11am
Whether you are new to Unitarian Universalism or you would like to better understand the seven principles and six sources of our faith, join us for this rich 45-minute discussion led by members of the New Member Committee. We
'
ll use thought provoking metaphors to dive deeper into the foundations of being a UU.
Next Principles & Sources Class: November 6 between services.
Spiritual Journeys -
a 3-part conversation
2nd, 3rd, 4th Sundays
at 10:15-11am
We'll explore our religious and spiritual backgrounds, where we come from, what we want to cherish and what we want to release as we continue our journeys. This is a conversation open to all no matter where you are on the path - exploring membership, new members and long-term members alike. You can participate in any one or all three in any order.
Next Spiritual Journeys Sessions: October 16 and 23 between services.
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Composting at UCE
At the south end of the parking lot, there are two green totes for compost. If you would like to participate in this composting program for church members and friends, please remember to contribute. We are asking for $60 per person, per year to be paid to UCE by check (put
"
composting
"
in the memo).
Thank you for caring for our planet by diverting waste from our landfills. A note to those composting in the bins outside - PLEASE DO NOT BRING YOUR COMPOST IN PLASTIC BAGS! It is not compostable that way. Stop by the compost station after church if you want to purchase an inexpensive kitchen counter container.
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Opportunities
for Spiritual Practice
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Ministers' Schedules
Rev. Bret Lortie
is available on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and by appointment. Monday is sabbath and Friday devoted to writing. To send a message or read Rev. Bret's blog, visit
www.liberalfaith.org
.
Rev. Connie Grant is generally in the office during the day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and often has evening meetings on those days. She takes Mondays off and works at home on Fridays. Please email or call Connie for an appointment.
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