November 2017
First Chronicles
The Newsletter of the First Congregational Church of Evanston UCC
Sanctuary for All
Randy Lynn Scruggs wrote a popular song titled “Lord,
Prepare Me to Be a Sanctuary.” Usually we embrace
the concept of sanctuary as a place of security, warmth,
protection, and peace. Or we think of sanctuary as a
place where we go to encounter God and God’s people.
In order for us to be a sanctuary, the lines around our
definitions need to blur a bit. Jesus challenged leaders of
the temple to reevaluate their practices—he called them
out on separating the people from Yahweh, on changing
money in the hallways, and on being so tied to the letter
of the law that the heart of the law became lost. His
teachings steered individuals and communities to be
sanctuaries of welcome in themselves.
One year ago, there was a rally in Evanston’s Foun-
tain Square to stand in solidarity with those in our com-
munity and nation who are being targeted for exclusion
and hatred because of religion, race, immigration status,
sexuality, gender, culture, and more—all the things we
stand for in our congregation’s mission statement! As a
result of that rally, the Evanston Interfaith Clergy and
Leaders decided to evolve into a group of action. We
developed the Evanston4All campaign, encompassing
Solidarity Support Teams, Uniting Voices Teams, and
Faith Resources Teams.
On Sunday, November 12, at 2:00 p.m. there will
be another rally in Raymond Park specifically calling
faith communities to be sanctuaries for people at risk of
deportation—not a physical place for refugees to stay,
though Lake Street Church is doing exactly that, but
to be a sanctuary in one or more of the following ways:
• Conduct an intense education campaign to pro-
tect the well-being of undocumented immigrants under
threat of deportation and their families
• Support sanctuary ordinances and laws to protect
undocumented immigrants
• Support passage by the U.S. Congress of legislation
to protect DACA recipients from deportation
• Support passage by the U.S. Congress of compre-
hensive immigration reform
• Provide Know Your Rights and Active Bystander
trainings
• Assist undocumented immigrants and their fami-
lies in securing access to legal representation and to the
essentials of life, including housing, health care, mental
health services, housing, food, clothing, and education
• Facilitate the ability of undocumented immigrants
under threat of deportation to reside safely in the U.S.
with their families
• Accompany immigrants to deportation hearings
and appointments
• Commit to working with other religious and
community-based organizations in support of immigrant
justice
• Participate in vigils and demonstrations
• Partner with Evanston schools to support students
and their families under threat of deportation.
I hope you will join me at the rally to expand
our definition of sanctuary, and to learn about how
to participate in God’s wide welcome.
Blessings,
Rev. Ann
Upcoming Events
Remembrance Sunday
Sunday, November 5
Book Talk: Hass Adamji
Sunday, November 12, 11:15 a.m.
Robinson Recital: Pianist Kingsley Day
Sunday, November 12, 3:00 p.m.
Pageant Casting in Sunday School
(all children and youth invited)
Sunday, November 19, 10:00 a.m.
Christian Education Open House and Refreshments
Sunday, November 19, 11:15 a.m., Church House
Greening of the Sanctuary and
Youth Cookies, Cocoa, and Caring
Sunday, November 26, 11:15 a.m.
November Chancel Choir Anthems
November 5 (Remembrance Sunday)
John Rutter, Requiem (excerpts)
November 12
Jane Marshall, “Awake, My Heart”
Natalie Sleeth, “Joy in the Morning”
November 19
Antony Baldwin, “The Heart’s Offering”
James Rogner, “We Are Grateful”
November 26
Ralph Vaughan Williams, “Antiphon” and
“At the Name of Jesus”
Book Talk by Hass Adamji on November 12
Please join us on Sunday, November 12, after church
for a book talk with local author
Hass Adamji. A longtime neigh-
bor and friend of Mark and Pam
Daniels, Hass has captured the
fascinating story of his lifetime
physical and spiritual journey
from Zanzibar to Evanston. His
new book, Zanzibar to Chicago—
A Bohra Muslim’s Search for God
by Fakhruddin Muhammedali
Adamji, is a wonderful story of
faith, love, family, and struggling
to understand it all. Mark has a limited number of books
to share for reading in advance. Copies are also available
at the Evanston Public Library and for purchase
on Amazon.
Robinson Recital by Kingsley Day on November 12
The Robinson Recital Series
presents pianist Kingsley Day
in the Sanc­tuary on Sunday,
November 12, at 3:00 p.m.
His program will feature
Brahms’s Op. 117 Intermezzi,
Chopin’s Nocturne No. 13
in C Minor, Scriabin’s Sonata
No. 4 in F-sharp Major, and
Schumann’s Fantaisie in C
Major. A suggested offering
of $10 will be collected at the door; a reception follows.
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Christmas Pageant Casting Call on November 19
All children and youth are invited to participate in this
year’s original Christmas pageant. Andrew Biliter of
Mudlark Theater will again be writing us an original
script for a fresh exploration of this ancient story. Our
theme this year focuses on the innkeepers who turned
Mary and Joseph away and those who welcomed them.
The pageant explores the ways we close or open doors to
people and the Spirit in our lives. Parts are available for
all youth from nursery through high school who would
like to participate. School-aged children should attend
casting at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 19, so we
know who wants to participate and can match you to
the right roles. Email Sarah Petersen with questions or
to sign up: spetersen@firstchurchevanston.org.
Greening of the Church on November 26
Everyone is invited to stay
immediately after worship
on Sunday, November 26, to
join the Board of Worship,
Music, and Arts in greening
the sanctuary with wreaths,
garlands, and our Christmas
tree to prepare for the
Advent season.
Cookies, Cocoa, and Caring on November 26
Start the season with sweets and sharing. While the
adults decorate the sanctuary with greenery, we invite
children, youth, and families to gather near the rocking
chairs for cookies, cocoa, and decorating for our season
of giving. We’ll be decorating a special youth tree, color-
ing mitten ornaments for the Family Focus gift-giving
partnership, and setting up a spot to receive hats, mit-
tens, and socks for guests seeking shelter on bitter cold
nights. All youth will also receive a special gift to take
home to prepare for Christmas!
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 Sunday, 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,
November 26, at 11:45 a.m. in the sanctuary. If you
have never sung with our choir and would like to take
advantage of this opportunity, please contact music
director David Lornson at 847-864-8332, ext. 23, or
dlornson@firstchurchevanston.org.
Let’s Talk
The Spirit feels palpable when people come together to
talk with open hearts. That’s what I experienced dur-
ing our first Youth Talk last Sunday. Our small group
of middle and high school students sat together in the
service and then regathered in Fellowship Hall following
Rev. Ann’s sermon. We shared a youth-led prayer, then
sat down to the business of getting to know one another
in a deeper way.
We played a game called “Elaborate,” where you
choose a brightly colored slip of paper and answer one
of the two questions written on it. Anything from “who
was your best friend in childhood?” to “are you outra-
geous?” to “what do people in high school not know
about you?” could appear on your paper for you to
share with the group. I won’t go into everyone’s personal
answers, but what struck me most was the feeling of
openness, safety, and bravery. The hunger we all feel to
be seen for our wholeness—who we are beyond the daily
description of our activities—is fed by a community
where we are welcome to be who we are and make time
to pause and truly see one another.
After a moment of personal connecting, our group
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Our Recent Intern
Your warm welcome into First Congregational Church
of Evanston has been a very kind, caring, and enjoy-
able one. We have indeed enjoyed the last few months
of worshipping, camping, fellowship, and learning with
you. FCCE is about being part of a community, not just
a “church.” Additionally, you have been very supportive
of my family along with my discernment process. While
our presence may not be as frequent now that I have
been called to serve as full-time pastor at St. Peter’s UCC
Chicago, my family will still make occasional visits to
worship with you. You remain our home church and an
awesome model for UCC congregations.
A special thank you to Rev. Ann, Sarah, David, and
Melia for making me feel like an official part of the team
while I served as an intern. All this couldn’t have been
possible without the Church Council’s approval.
Paz y Amor,
Gilbert Martinez
Return Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Boxes
Thanks to all the youth who collected money for
UNICEF while out trick-or-treating. Please return
your boxes with donations to Sarah Petersen or put
the whole box in the collection plate. We’ll bundle the
donations and send them to UNICEF, where they will
help children needing disaster relief around the world.
brainstormed ideas for future Youth Talks. In our shar-
ing, we named snacks we like to eat and games we enjoy
like Twister. Students wanted to discuss essential topics
in our society like climate change, global access to nutri-
tion and water, and responses to the political realities
of our country. Students suggested exploring how Rev.
Ann’s powerful sermons can be applied to the lives of
youth today. The group had depth, energy, connection,
and Spirit. That’s something I want to be a part of more
and more these days.
So if you didn’t make the first Youth Talk, know that
you are welcome, and we are eager to see the real you at
the next one. Monthly Youth Talks will resume in Janu-
ary following our season of pageant preparation (I hope
many older youth will want to be involved in this year’s
unique pageant). We agreed to keep the game of “Elabo-
rate” in play for our opening circle, eat cheese sticks and
sandwich creams, and try some of the new topics we
discussed, as well. Until then, I hope we’ll all find times
to connect with one another on a deeper level where our
Spirit resides by asking one another to elaborate.
Keep talking,
Sarah Petersen, Director of Learning and Outreach
In Memoriam: Jean Davies
We have held Jean Davies in
the embrace of prayer for many
years, especially in her last days
of life. She died on October 27
with her daughters, Nancy and
Jan, at her side. Through­out her
days in hospice care, there was
ample opportunity to share fam-
ily stories and to commend Jean for her gifts
as a mother, spouse, and friend. Jean was active
in our church for many decades, as was her
late husband, Les. The two were named our
Woman and Man of the Year in 2001. She will
be missed dearly, and we give thanks for her
faithful presence among us.
Daylight Saving Time
ends November 5
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Overnight Shelter
First Congregational Church will again participate with
five other Evanston congregations to house homeless
guests on bitter winter nights (15 degrees and colder).
We will host November 28–December 3 and December
17–30. You can volunteer to set up in the evening, clean
up in the morning, or (especially needed) stay overnight.
You can also volunteer at any time during the winter
at any of the six locations! If you have not volunteered
before, you must attend one training session, 7:00–
8:00 p.m. on November 7, 8, or 9. Questions? Contact
Sue Murphy at info@interfaithactionofevanston.org.

Christmas Day Volunteers Needed

Volunteers are needed to serve a meal at St. Paul’s
Lutheran Church from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on
Christmas Day. Share the Christmas spirit of love
and welcome with those in need. Contact Rev. Ann
if you are able to help.

Fall Diaper Drive

The Mission Board is sponsoring the Fall Diaper Drive.
Please bring your diaper donations to the box in the
Narthex. Donations will benefit the families of Child
Care Center of Evanston/Learning Bridge and Childcare
Network of Evanston. All sizes of diapers and pull-ups
are needed. The collection box will be in the Narthex
every Sunday through November 26. Thank you!
First Congregational hosted the Crop Hunger Walk send-off in
Family Focus—Christmas 2017 our sanctuary again this year. All ages from our congregation
Once again, we are joining forces with Family Focus participated in walking and donating. Together our Evanston-
Skokie community raised over $11,200 to address hunger locally
to make the holidays just a little better for local resi- and internationally.
dents. Names and gift requests will be available later
this month. If you would like to reserve a name (or
two), please contact Melia Pappas in the church office
mid-November. More information to follow.

Happy Birthday to everyone cele­brating

a birthday in November! Birthdays are
acknowledged at the Second Saturday
Brunch (second Saturday of each month).

Beth Babbitt Borst Harriet Lake

Shane Colton David Lornson
Owen DeStefano Bennet Peterson
Jessica Don Nathan Sefton
Paul Janicki Margaret Tinzmann
Marit Koestring
Special thanks to Sheran Fiedler for directing our Youth Choir
with skill and joy to share songs of thanks at the Crop Walk.
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