October 2020
First Chronicles
The Newsletter of the First Congregational Church of Evanston UCC
From the Minister’s Desk
At the congregational meeting on September 27, the
Re-Gathering Collective made a report on plans for the
coming months. Their deliberations were based in large
part on results of the survey of membership. The deci-
sion is that there will be no in-person worship for the
remainder of 2020. I know that this is a difficult deci-
sion for many of us. As a church, we must be concerned
about the health and safety of our members as well as
visitors that we would normally welcome to worship.
As Christians, we know the value of coming together
as the body of Christ—the importance of being physi-
cally present with one another. Since the earliest days of
the church, it has been our custom to gather regularly
to worship God together—to worship together, to sing
praises to God together, to listen together for the Word
of God that comes to us through scripture and to reflect
on what we have heard, to pray with and for one anoth-
er, to encourage one another, to be a community of
faith. Church is where we find reassurance and comfort.
Church is where we go when we need to find our bear-
ings and find strength to face whatever challenges lie
ahead. Church is where we are reminded that the people
of God have faced peril in the past and that we worship
a God who promises to accompany us in difficult times
and makes a way where there is no way. And so, in this
strange and difficult time, we all want to be together in
our church.
But, in this time of pandemic, we bear witness to
our faith by not being together. It is for the greater good
of everyone that we are maintaining physical distance.
COVID-19 has stricken so many and has taken the lives
of so many, especially those most vulnerable. Being apart
is a way of being compassionate toward one another. It
is a way of loving our neighbors, as we love ourselves.
We are all eager to worship together in person once
again. What we must realize is that we cannot simply
or quickly return to the way things were before. We will
need to develop protocols for entry to worship. We will
need to restrict the use of bulletins, hymnals, and Bibles.
Singing is considered to be a super-spreader activity.
There would be no passing of the peace or fellowship
time following the service. Safety-compliance monitors
would be needed to ensure that everyone wears a mask
and follows safe practices. We might need to take every-
one’s temperature and have them fill out a questionnaire
as they enter. And we know that when we do start in-
person worship again, many members of the church will
be unable to attend because of personal risk factors. All
these factors would tend to make worship less inclusive
and less personal.
The staff is working hard to create a sense of inti­
macy and community in online worship, a way to con-
nect and create sacred space. First Congregational has a
rich tradition of moving music and stirring preaching.
The staff endeavors to continue that tradition in this
new medium. We are committed to being a welcoming
community of faith, open to all. This is a process of
experimentation and learning. None of us expected to
be doing worship in this way, and none of us has train-
ing in the technologies we are now learning to use. We
appreciate your support and we welcome your sugges-
tions for enlivening our worship experience together.
As mentioned in the congregational meeting, we
will be exploring ways to do more frequent Zoom wor-
ship services. Watch for coming details.
We will also hold Zoom coffee hours after the
Facebook premiere of the worship service, at 11 a.m.
each Sunday in October. Check out the weekly email
for details or contact me directly.
While we are continuing to hold committee meet-
ings over Zoom, we encourage you, whether through
committees or as individuals, to organize small outdoor
(socially distanced) social gatherings—perhaps a time
for coffee and conversation in a park or the church
yard. The staff would be more than happy to help
with logistics.
We are committed to using the resources available
in this difficult time to build community and connec-
tion with one another as a church. Again, your sugges-
tions are welcome.
Please feel free to contact me at any time via
email (tstevens@firstchurchevanston.org) or by phone
(312-608-4775).
Blessings and Peace,
Tim
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Bingo Boo on Zoom! Virtual Crop Hunger Walk
Youth and families: put on your costumes and join us Our community believes
via Zoom on Saturday, October 24, from 4 to 5 p.m. in ending hunger. And, in
for family fellowship fun at Bingo Boo! Use the Bingo 2020, we will continue to
card on the flyer from your BOCE goodie bag if you fight against the new chal-
received one, or create your own card by spelling out lenges of disease and disas-
B-I-N-G-O at the top and picking numbers at random ter that leave people hungry. Join with us in raising
between 1 and 75 to fill in 5 rows below each letter. funds to help neighbors near and far get the meals they
Don’t forget to give yourself a “Free Space” in the center need this year.
square. Mark off This year’s North Shore Crop Hunger Walk is going
squares with a virtual. That means you pick where, when, and how
pencil or chip as long you want to walk. Walk with your family, walk
they are called out socially distanced with your friends, and help raise
during the Zoom donations to feed people locally and globally. Visit
gathering. Show https://www.crophungerwalk.org/skokieil/FCCE to
off your costumes, sign up to walk virtually with our First Congregational
connect with your Church team or make a donation by October 18. The
church family, walk this year may be virtual, but hunger is very real.
and win fun You can help!
prizes! Email spetersen@firstchurchevanston.org to Take photos of yourself walking to raise funds and
sign up and receive the Zoom link. send them to spetersen@firstchurchevanston.org to be
included in a future Youth News or newsletter!
Our Faith, Our Vote
Are you registered to vote? Do you have a plan to vote? 2021 Pledge Campaign
Are you encouraging others to This year’s stewardship theme is “Your Gift is God’s
vote? Voting is one way we can Love in Action.” As you consider your pledge, please
express God’s love in action. reflect on how important our church and its work are to
The UCC’s Our Faith Our Vote you, our church family, and our community. God’s love
Campaign is designed to engage in action feels real in the call from Rev. Tim or from a
the faith community in elec- church friend; the beauty of an anthem or poetry online
tions. It holds voter registration that brings peace to the soul; seeing a young child
drives and candidate forums watching Sarah’s video message, or
that get to the heart of the issues we care about. Visit connecting with church family on
ucc.org/ourfaithourvote to learn more and get involved. Zoom or in the church yard; or the
nourishment that sharing a meal
Pastoral Search Committee Formed with a visitor to our sack lunch pro-
Thank you for grams provides you and them. Your
sharing your pledge is God’s love in action! You can mail your com-
nominations and pleted pledge card (including credit card or other bank-
selections for the ing information) to the church office at 1417 Hinman
Pastoral Search Avenue, Evanston, Illinois 60201. If you are mailing
Com­mittee. The checks for/during your 2021 pledge, you can email your
following congre- pledge card to pledge@firstchurchevanston.org. For your
gation members security, please do not email banking information.
will serve on our
behalf and lead Live Zoom Coffee Hour
the search process to call a settled pastor: Beth Babbitt Grab your favorite mug or cup and join us for a live
Borst, Jennifer Coyne, Curt Fuller, Candy Heaphy, Bob Zoom Coffee Hour to connect each Sunday in October
Krause, Jansen Krei (youth representative), Linda Krei, at 11 a.m. Check your Friday email from the church for
Thekla Metz, Chris Petersen, Lindsey Siemens, Nick the Zoom link or email info@firstchurchevanston.org.
Tucker, and Catherine Watkins.
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Baking Bread, Breaking Bread

HECTOR FARAHANI ON UNSPLASH

During the spring quarantine, we began baking bread—
a lot of it. It started when Chris bought a bulk box of
flour bags to stash away and I thought we’d never be
able to use it all. With a whole month between shop-
ping trips, we began making from scratch the premade
things we used to buy for convenience. I quickly real-
ized we’d need even more flour! In the cool, uncertain
moments of early spring, a warm oven and a warm loaf
brought a tangible comfort to our days. We turned our
bags of flour into bread, naan, tortillas, pizza dough,
cookies, and cakes. The same wheat and water could be
transformed into modified savory and sweet treats from
around the world.
Over the hot days of summer, turning on the oven
became decidedly less appealing, so fresh bread gave way
to store-bought. Flash forward to fall, and we go to the
store or get a delivery of groceries a little more frequently,
so we’ve slipped back into the habit of not using the very
last ingredient left in the cupboard. Now the weather is
starting to cool, and my mood naturally turns to soups
and newly baked biscuits. The chill in the air triggers
the familiar cellular-level anticipation of hunkering down
for winter, with the mental awareness of the added trials
and isolation this year’s winter is likely to bring.
With worries over the election, health, loss, hunger,
violence, hatred, and isolation, it would be easy to sink
into sadness with the shortening hours of sunlight. But
in our community of faith, there is also hope. As we
wait patiently for our dough to rise, or clap our hands
in corn-tortilla-making rhythm, nourishment can come
to our spirits, as well as our bodies.
On October 4 we celebrated World Communion
Sunday, a day when Christians around the world share
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the simple meal of bread and wine to remember Jesus
and remember our connection to one another. In the
act of breaking bread together—as a family, as a com-
munity, as people coming together in an act of Love
and faith—we embody hope, we embody unity, we
embody the promise of justice that won’t leave anyone
out. Whether we are alone in our individual homes,
together with our families, or surrounded by our chosen-
family friends, we are all connected. We are united by
Love. We are empowered by that Love to work for jus-
tice, turn the world upside down like Jesus, create change
that honors all persons for their unique humanity, their
perfect gifts for the world.
Bake bread with your loved ones, or gather with a
carton of crackers and a box of juice. Use what you have
on hand. Break bread together, in person, or online.
Make your meal Holy by committing to the depth of
Love that connects us all, and turn it into action that
will help transform our broken world.
With Love,
Sarah Petersen, Director of Learning and Outreach

Remembrance Sunday Meals for Hilda’s Place

On November 1 we honor Due to COVID-19, Hilda’s Place
our departed loved ones Shelter has shifted guests to the
for Remem­brance Sunday. Margarita Hotel and is providing
During our vir­tual worship meals for 60 people each day as a
service, we will show a slide- shelter and drop-in center. Help
show of the names and pho- is needed to prepare and individ-
tos of First Congrega­tional ually package meals. Contact Barb Ferguson or info@
Church members and your firstchurchevanston.org to sign up to bring meals.
loved ones who have passed
away in the year since last Happy October Birthdays!
Remembrance Sunday. If Nancy Anderson Barbara Lee Jean Stafford
you’d like loved ones to be Megan Bezaitis Shea Lutton Ryan Tripp
remembered in the service, Matei Bradean Thekla Metz Cherie Weil
please send their names and photos if available to Mark Daniels Lyn Page Stephen Wilson
miko@firstchurchevanston.org by October 26. Al Finley Jordan Robertson Tyler Yost
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