November 2018
First Chronicles
The Newsletter of the First Congregational Church of Evanston UCC
Standing in Solidarity
We are in the midst of a season of remembrance and
thanksgiving. Our memories of the people in our past
will be joined together at the table of remembrance in
communion on Sunday morning. What we miss about
the people who died are their positive qualities. By
remembering them we are made stronger in the present,
just as remembering the trial, death, and resurrection of
Jesus the Christ strengthens us for the future. We give
thanks for their lives and for the gift of life that renews
every day.
When this gift is taken for granted—when the gift
of life is callously disregarded—we cannot stay silent.
When human life is destroyed because of anger, hatred,
bigotry, racism, and misguided passion, we cannot
stay silent.
The anti-racism film series here at church is
designed to keep us listening and talking. There were
over 25 people at last Sunday’s session! By coming
together, we remember all whose lives have been dimin-
ished by myopic world views, by the impulse to punish,
and by enslaving people of color. The voices of our dis-
cussion leaders, Jerry Davis and Colette Payne, were
compelling; their voices were focused on change for the
better. Plan to attend the last film on November 11.
It is important to acknowledge the power of our
voices in making change, too. In response to the recent
shooting in Pittsburgh, last Sunday morning our con-
gregation signed this letter and sent one each to Beth
Emet Synagogue and the Jewish Reconstructionist
Congregation.
October 28, 2018
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We write to you on this day following the horrific
tragedy in Pittsburgh, where 11 people died at the Tree
of Life Synagogue.
We denounce the hate and bigotry these murders
represent, and join you in mourning the deaths, injuries,
and trauma inflicted by the grievous sin of an individual.
The mind-set he represents is not shared in our community
of faith at First Congregational Church of Evanston. We
stand with you in love, and in the hope of peace, in the
face of overwhelming intolerance in our society.
You are a valuable and powerful presence in our city—
a beacon of faithfulness, social activism, and kindness. Our
prayers surround you for a deep and abiding freedom from
the fear of mortals, and for confidence in divine shelter that
is beyond our comprehension.
May our common faith in a compassionate God draw
us closer together.
Ready to be at your service,
Members and Friends of First Congregational Church
of Evanston, UCC
Standing in solidarity is a form of speaking out.
How simple it was to sign a letter! What else might we
speak out about? Where else can our voices of support,
advocacy, and transformative love be heard on behalf of
those whose lives have been diminished or destroyed? I
will strive to take more opportunities to speak directly
and truthfully about injustices in our midst. Will you
join me?
Blessings,
Rev. Ann
This Month’s Chancel Choir Anthems
November 4 (Remembrance Sunday)
Gabriel Fauré, Requiem (excerpts)
November 11
Kevin Riehle, “We Are All One in Mission”
Antony Baldwin, “The Heart’s Offering”
November 18
Alan Ridout, “Let Us With a Gladsome Mind”
John Rutter, “Look at the World”
November 25
Al Fedak, “Christus Paradox”
Mack Wilberg, “Rejoice, the Lord
Is King”

Upcoming Events
Saturday, November 3
10:00 a.m.–noon, Worship Design: Writing Prayers
Sunday, November 4
11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., Worship Design: Planning
Worship (repeat session)
Saturday, November 10
10:00 a.m.–noon, Worship Design: Selecting Music
Sunday, November 11
11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., Worship Design: Writing
Prayers (repeat session)
3:30–5:30 p.m., Anti-Racism Fall Film Series:
The Kalief Browder Story
Sunday, November 18
10:00 a.m., Christmas Pageant casting
11:00 a.m., Christian Education Open House
11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., Worship Design: Selecting
Music (repeat session)
5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m., Family and Friends Spaghetti
Dinner Fundraiser, Church House Dining Room
Wednesday, November 21
7:00 p.m., Interfaith Action of Evanston’s Interfaith
Thanksgiving Eve Service, in the Sanctuary (arrive
by 6:00 p.m. to sing in the Community Choir)
Saturday, December 1
1:00–3:00 p.m., Christmas Party in the Sanctuary
Sunday December 9
11:00 a.m., Congregational Budget Meeting
Saturday, December 15
3:00–5:00 p.m., Christmas Pageant rehearsal
Sunday, December 16
10:00 a.m., Children’s Christmas Pageant
Monday, December 24
5:00 p.m., Christmas Eve Service of Lessons
and Carols
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News and Notes
Warming Center News
We’ve been busy readying our Warming Center to wel-
come chilly guests each Thursday afternoon this winter.
We welcome returning volunteers as well as new people
who want to get involved for the first time. We hope you
can help us on a few shifts this season!
We’re here every Thursday afternoon from Novem-
ber 15 through March 2019. The first shift is 12:45–
3:00 p.m., and the second shift is 3:00–5:15 p.m. (On
Thanksgiving we have one shift, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.)
We use a “3 + 1” model for the Warming Center:
For each of the two shifts each week, we need three
people signed up, plus one additional person to commit
to being an “on-call” substitute in case of last-minute
absences. This 3 + 1 model ensures that we are adequate-
ly staffed for almost any eventuality and will minimize
last-minute searching for subs, since there’s always a
designated sub on call and standing by.
Sign up on your own or with a friend—we’ll do our
best to accommodate everyone’s preferences. Make it a
“giving-back” date with a friend or loved one, grabbing
a cup of coffee before or a bite to eat after you volunteer
together! If you’d like to get involved, here’s what to do:
Email Betsy Lane at lizajanelane@gmail.com and let her
know which dates and which shift you would like to vol-
unteer for. If you’re more comfortable being our on-call
sub for a shift, let Betsy know that by email, too. Thanks
for helping us keep Evanston warm this winter!
Anti-Racism Film Series: The Kalief Browder Story
Join the Mission Board on Sunday, November 11, from
3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Church House Dining Room
for The Kalief Browder Story, the concluding film in a
powerful series that may educate you, touch your heart,
and inspire you to help dismantle racism. The screening
will be followed by a conversation about the intersec-
tions of race, justice, and mass incarceration in United
States as well as opportunities to put our faith into ac-
tion. Please RSVP to spetersen@firstchurchevanston.org
if you require childcare. Bring a friend.
The Kalief Browder Story recounts the tragedy of
Kalief Browder, a Bronx high school student who was
imprisoned for three years, two of them in solitary
confinement on Rikers Island, without being convicted
of a crime. His family was unable to afford his bail.

Christmas Pageant Casting on November 18
Calling all young people: we want you to be a part of
this year’s Christmas Pageant on December 16! Andrew
Biliter, artistic director of Mudlark Theater, is hard at
work crafting another amazing, original script for us
with a fresh perspective on the Christmas story. There’s a
part in it for you! Be sure to come to Sunday School on
November 18, when we’ll be reading from the script and
fitting youth (ages 4–18) to parts—no one will be left
out! If you’d like to be in the pageant but cannot attend
casting on Sunday, please contact Sarah Petersen. Our
infant and toddler actors through age 3 will be included
in the pageant and fitted for costumes at dress rehearsal
(December 15, 3:00–5:00 p.m.) but do not need to be
present for casting or other rehearsals. Contact Sarah for
more information on this holiday tradition!
Christian Education Open House on November 18
Following worship, grab a
cup of coffee and walk down
to the Church House for
treats and fellowship time
in the Sunday School and
youth rooms. This is a great
opportunity for the whole
congregation to see what our young people have been up
to in Sunday School this fall and to see fresh updates to
our space. Come support our youth with your presence!
Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser on November 18
Please join us for our first Family and Friends Spaghetti
Dinner Fundraiser on Sunday, November 18, from 5:00
to 7:00 p.m. in the Church House Dining Room. Come
for dinner (homemade sauce and meatballs), dessert, and
games for the whole family! Enjoy a night with church
friends (or bring a friend) and take a night off from
cooking. The cost is $5 per person or $20 per family.
RSVP by November 11 to Christine at Christinecochran1
@yahoo.com or Larissa at larissah66@hotmail.com.
Our Faith Our Vote
We vote faithfully because
our churches and congrega-
tions know the importance
of caring for our neighbors
and lifting our voices to-
gether to further God’s work
in our world. As people of
faith, we can play a unique role in this election cycle by
empowering every voice and offering a hope-filled vision
of the future for all people. For more information, visit
www.ucc.org/ourfaithourvote. #VoteFaithfully this Tues-
day, November 6.
Come Sing with Us!
Holiday singers are invited to join the Chancel Choir for
the Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols. This
beautiful service on Monday, December 24, at 5:00 p.m.
will feature scripture and carol singing, candle lighting,
and choir anthems with instrumental accompaniment.
Choir rehearsals for this service will begin on Sunday,
December 2, at 11:30 a.m. in the choir room of the
Church House. If you have never sung with our choir
and would like to take advantage of this opportunity,
contact music director David Lornson at 847-864-8332,
ext. 23, or dlornson@firstchurchevanston.org.
Return Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Boxes
Please return your UNICEF donation boxes to the
collection plate, Sunday School, or Sarah Petersen by
November 18 so the money can be pooled and sent to
UNICEF to benefit children around the world. Thanks!
Christmas Party in the Sanctuary on December 1
The whole congregation is warmly invited to our Christ-
mas Party and Greening of the Sanctuary on Saturday,
December 1, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. There will be
activities and refreshments for all ages! Come make a
shadow box nativity scene, decorate the sanctuary with
greenery,
sit and
visit with
friends, put
together
an advent
wreath, dec-
orate angel tree gift tag ornaments, sing carols, and dip
a cookie into a cup of hot chocolate. Everyone is wel-
come—bring a friend! Each child will receive an advent
gift to help prepare for the season. RSVP to spetersen@
firstchurchevanston.org or sign up in the narthex.
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The World for Our Children
At the beginning of October, we celebrated World Com-
munion Sunday and the baptism of Isaac Lumpkin with
the help of many youth who gathered with us in worship
that morning. The young people processed in, carrying
breads from around the world to set our communion
table for all. Little hands helped pour and bless the water
used in Isaac’s baptism as we welcomed him into our
church family as a Child of God. Children decorated
colorful paper doll chains for our altar celebrating the
beautiful differences and connections among people
across town and around the globe. Resources for Talking about Race and Racism
We hope for our children to live this vision of a
world where we value one another, see our intercon- At home
nectedness with one another, care and stand up for one www.todaysparent.com/family/parenting/how-to-talk
another. Yet we know too well the hurt, pain, and in- -to-kids-about-racism-an-age-by-age-guide
justice doled out to so many of our children in our own www.raceconscious.org/2016/06/100-race-conscious
country and around the world. How do we hold onto -things-to-say-to-your-child-to-advance-racial-justice
the hope of a greater Love in the face of such hatred? We
begin with our own hearts, digging deep into our own At church
blind spots where unrecognized bias still can cause unin- November 11, 3:30–5:30 p.m., Anti-Racism Film Series,
tentional harm. We continue with our children, teaching Church House Dining Room, The Kalief Browder Story
not only Love but also Justice, so our children learn to
spot unjust realities in the world and work to transform In the community
them. We press on and challenge ourselves not only to November 5, 6:30–8:30 p.m., Nichols Middle School
advocate for our own children but to begin to think of Library, “From ‘My Child’ to ‘Our Children’: The Lure
everyone’s children as our own and use our voices to of Opportunity Hoarding and How to Transform It,”
fight for those children, too. presented by Amanda Lewis, coauthor of Despite the Best
As we read in Matthew 19:14, “Jesus said, ‘Let the Intentions
little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for
the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’” Jesus
showed us through his actions what radical inclusion and
radical Love look like. Let’s work together to follow the
path of Jesus in creating a living Heaven of Justice, Peace
and Love on earth. Let’s talk with our children about
race, power, and oppression and show them how walking
the way of Jesus means turning beautiful visions of unity
into actions for justice in our world today.
In Peace,
Sarah Petersen
Director of Learning and Outreach

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December: A Month for Mission
Our Church Council has designated late November
and December to be the time we focus on our 2018
Mission Giving. Our mission offerings are many, includ-
ing Family Promise housing and meals, the Interfaith
Action emergency overnight shelter, the Friday sack
lunch program, and the Thursday warming center, to
name but a few. In addition, our congregation also gives
money to several organizations in need of help. Each
year, our Mission Board researches and determines where
our gifts should go. To this end, we have embraced the
“Loaves and Fishes” allegory found in the book of Mark.
As the story is told, Jesus and his disciples were
mobbed by throngs of people who clamored to hear his
words. One day, after Jesus had been teaching all day, the
hour grew late and the crowd was hungry. The disciples
wanted Jesus to send all the people away, but instead, he
commanded them to feed the people. They protested,
how could they possibly do this? Jesus told them to find
out what food was available. They reported that there
were five loaves of bread and two small fish. Mark tells
us that Jesus commanded the crowd to sit and that he
took the five loaves and two fish, blessed them, and
divided them, and the disciples fed the crowd. When all
were satisfied, they took up 12 baskets of broken bread
and fish! What a miracle! Those who ate numbered
5,000! Later, another 4,000 people were fed the same
way. Amazing!
With the many gifts and blessings we have received
from our Father, we have both the privilege and oppor-
tunity to help those less fortunate. This year, our goal
is to raise $5,000 through a giving campaign. In the
narthex are five posters of baskets—some with loaves
and some with fish. Each basket is worth $1,000 but
each loaf and each fish has a different value. Two baskets
contain fish worth $250 apiece! Another has fish and
loaves worth $100 each. Yet another basket has loaves
worth $50. The fifth basket has small fish worth $25
each. It will take many individual donations to reach our
goal of $5,000. Will you be one of the many needed to
fill up our baskets by sending a check to First Congrega-
tional Church of Evanston? You can give any amount of
“loaves and fish” that fit your budget—every donation
counts! Please note “Mission Giving” in the memo line.
Only Melia Pappas, office administrator, will know the
amount you sent, and that amount will be credited to
your FCCE giving receipt. Please help us fulfill our Mis-
sion vision by “filling up” our baskets of loaves and fishes
this December! Watch each week as we check off those
loaves and fish!
—Sheran Fiedler, Music, Worship, and Arts Board Chair
We’re Almost There—A Stewardship Update
Thank you, thank you, thank you. As we begin to wrap
up this fall’s stewardship campaign, we want to thank
those of you who have made a pledge for 2019. (So far,
we have approximately $105,000 in pledges toward our
goal of $180,000.)
We also want to thank our speakers who have shared
stewardship moments in worship: Hal Sprague, Alan
Cubbage, Mark Daniels, and Kevin Siembor. Your words
and personal reflections were meaningful.
There’s still time to make a pledge for 2019! If you
haven’t yet turned in your pledge card, you can do so un-
til November 15. Or, if it’s easier, you can call the church
office or email church administrator Melia Pappas
(mpappas@firstchurchevanston.org) or Stewardship
Committee chair Hal Sprague (hhsprague@gmail.com)
with your pledge amount.
Why make a pledge for 2019? Our church is com-
pletely self-sustaining—we don’t receive money from
outside sources to pay our bills. We rely on the generos-
ity of members and friends to cover our expenses. And
while we are grateful for any gifts, pledges are particular-
ly important for the budgeting process. Pledges help us
know what funds we can count on for the coming year.
No matter if you’re an active or occasional partici-
pant in the life of the church, we invite you to help keep
the church alive and thriving. If you value what the
church gives you—no matter what that is—and if you
value the church’s mission in Evanston and beyond, we
hope you’ll make a pledge. Thank you!
The Stewardship Committee
Nancy Anderson, Gary Hardesty, Bob Krause,
Thekla Metz, Doug Smith, Hal Sprague
Happy Birthday to everyone
celebrating a birthday in October!
Beth Babbitt Borst
Shane Colton
Owen DeStefano
Jessica Don
Paul Janicki
Harriet Lake
David Lornson
Bennett Peterson
Michelle Plasz
Nathan Sefton
Margaret Tinzmann
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