Laura Sniderman, M.A. Clinical and Counseling Psychology, Concentration in Mind-Body Spirituality, Friendship in the Digital Age.

Richard Wilders, Professor Emeritus, History of Science and Mathematics, North Central, How God Became a Mathematician: Kepler, Galileo, and Newton and the Unification of the Laws of Motion.

Jonathan Schooler, Ph.D., American Psychologist and Distinguished Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Why Does Love Feel Magical? It’s an Evolutionary Advantage.

Susan Kern, Ph.D., Adjunct Associate Professor, Expert in Early America/U.S., Dept. of History, College of William and Mary, How Museums and Historic Sites Make Use of the Recent and Distant Past.

Brian Carwana, Executive Director, Encounter World Religions Centre, Love and the World’s Religions

Dr. Jordan Grafman, Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurology, Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Center, Department of Psychiatry at Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, will speak on the topic of The Neural Basis of Religious Cognition

Deborah Cohen, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Dept. of History, Northwestern University, Last Call at the Hotel Imperial: The Reporters Who Took on a World At War

Mary Wisniewski, Chicago-based writer, teacher, and actor, will speak on the topic of Nelson Algren: Bard of the Proletariat. 

Sandy Goldberg, Ph.D., Chester D. Tripp Professor in the Humanities, Professor of Philosophy, Northwestern University, The Philosophy of Language.

Andrew Rivers, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Through 18 Mirrors, Darkly - Webb Telescope Unveils the Universe.

Shogo Sato, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biology with a Specialty in Chronobiology, Texas A & M University, Learning How to Maximize the Benefits of Our Internal Clocks: Latest Research Findings

Hugh Leeman, Artist, Lecturer, Teacher, Beneath the Beauty of 17th Century Dutch Masters

Silvia Foti, Author, Journalist, My Grandfather's Crimes Against Humanity: The Search for Truth

Lee Scheier, Journalist, Lecturer, Freud, Mahler, Winnecott and Kohut: A Look at the Thoughts on Anxiety, Depression and Mental Illness by Top Thinkers' in the Field of Psychoanalysis.

Trent Spoolstra, Associate Director at Anti-Defamation League-Midwest, The State of Anti-Semitism.

David Smith, Ph.D., Distinguished Senior Lecturer, Psychology, Weinberg School of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Music and the Mind Part 2: Music and Emotion.

Farhad Zadeh, Ph.D., Professor, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, The MeerKAT Radio Telescope in South Africa: New International Discoveries in the Nucleus of our Milky Way Galaxy.

Jon Marshall, Master of Science in Journalism, Associate Professor, Medill School of Journalism, Media History and Social Justice Issues, Northwestern University, Clash: Presidents and the Press in Times of Crisis.

David Smith, Ph.D., Distinguished Senior Lecturer, Psychology, Weinberg School of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Music and the Mind Part 1: The Psychology of Music and its Healing Power.

Representative Robyn Gabel, Illinois’ 18th District State Representative, will speak on the topic, Robyn Gabel’s Election Path and Illinois’ Bright Financial Future.  Rep. Gabel will share her story about how [...]

Sherman Hicks, Pastor and Advocate for RefugeeOne, will speak on the topic, RefugeeOne: Understanding and Responding to Today’s Worldwide Refugee Crisis.  Today, perhaps more than ever, we may be aware [...]

Dr. Nancy Burgoyne, Chief Clinical Officer at the Family Institute of Northwestern University, will speak on the topic, Metacognition: What’s It All About?  Tapping into one's "metacognition,”, or thinking about [...]

Sandy Goldberg, Ph.D, Professor in the Humanities and Professor of Philosophy at Northwestern University, will speak on the topic, What Is a “Work of Art”?  He addresses the challenge of [...]

Dr. Leon Intrater, Ph.D., Psychologist, will speak on the topic, Foster Care vs. Homelessness: What is the Difference?  Foster care is a situation in which for a period of time [...]

Joel Shapiro, Ph.D., J.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Managerial Economics and Decision Sciences at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, will speak on the topic, Why Companies Want Your [...]

Christina Rivers, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science at DePaul University will speak on the topic, Voting Rights and Representation: Federal and Local Issues.  This discourse will cover current policy [...]

We will be located in the garden room 111A in today's service. Julie Strauss, Ph.D., will speak on the topic, Women in Politics: The Difference They Make.  Running for office [...]

Lee Scheier will speak on the topic, The Life and Work of Edward Bernays: the Father of the Public Relations and Advertising Industry in America and the Use of Propaganda [...]

Jerry Wagner, Ph.D., M.Div., will speak on the topic, The Enneagram as a Tool for Spiritual Growth.  From a theological perspective, there are many ways divinity manifests in humanity.  From [...]

Rev. John Kartje, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Biblical Studies and Homilectics at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, will speak on the topic, [...]

David Keith, Ph.D., is Professor of Applied Physics at Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He will speak on the topic, What Is the Least Bad Way to Cool [...]

Stephen Kinzer, a LSUS favorite, will speak on the topic, America after Afghanistan: Turning Point or Bump in the Imperial Road?   For a few weeks this summer Afghanistan was in [...]

David Zarefsky, Ph.D., popular LSUS speaker, will speak on the topic, Updating Lincoln’s 1838 Lyceum Speech.  When he was not yet 29 years old, Abraham Lincoln spoke to the Young [...]

Judson Brewer, M.D., Ph.D., will speak on the topic of his book, Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind.  [...]

Danny M. Cohen, Ph.D., Professor of Instruction at Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy and the Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies, will speak on the [...]

Nina Kraus, Ph.D., Professor of Neurobiology and Otolaryngology at Northwestern University, will speak on the topic of her book, Of Sound Mind: How Our Brain Constructs a Meaningful Sonic World.  [...]

Shane Larson, Ph.D., Associate Director of CIERA (Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics), will speak on the topic, Astrobiology: Looking for Life in the Cosmic Ocean.  Humans have [...]

In 2017, Anne Bokma embarked on a quest to become a more spiritual person.  After leaving the fundamentalist religion of her youth, she became one of the 80 million North [...]

Don’t miss our special holiday service, Holiday Music with a Charles Dickens’ Twist on Dec. 12! We’ll have Andrew Blendermann’s gorgeous holiday music, a UU Christmas Carol starring Liz Garvey, [...]

Alan Mather, President of the Golden Apple Foundation, will speak on the topic, Golden Apple Award: Addressing Illinois’ Teacher Shortage.  As with the rest of the country, Illinois is facing [...]

David Gunkel, Ph.D., Professor in Media Studies at Northern Illinois University, will speak on the topic, Robot Rights: Can and Should Robots Be Persons?  Whether we recognize it or not, [...]

Dr. Drew Edward Davies, Associate Professor of Musicology at Northwestern University, will speak on the topic, Tyrants or Gods? Orchestral Conductors and Their Orchestra Performance Styles.  Tyrants or Gods? In [...]

Julie Strauss, Ph.D., will speak on the topic, Major Supreme Court Decisions of the 2020-2021 Term.  She will discuss two of the major decision of the U.S. Supreme Court as [...]

Due to the Annual Antiques and Modernism Show at the Community House, when we do not have access to Room 101, our service this week will be via Zoom.  You [...]

Due to the Annual Antiques and Modernism Show at the Community House, when we do not have access to Room 101, our service this week and next will be via [...]

Craig Klugman, Ph.D., Professor at DePaul University College of Science and Health, will speak on the topic, How Do We Balance the Benefit of Booster Shots for Americans against the [...]

Erin Waxenbaum, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Instruction of Anthropology at Northwestern University, will speak on the topic Human Evolution, Science and Religion from a Biological Anthropologist’s Point of View.  Are [...]

Chernoh Sesay, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at DePaul University, will speak on the topic, Democracy, Hope and the Meaning of the American Revolution.  As we [...]

David Y. Chack, Professor of Theater and Jewish Culture at DePaul University, will speak on the topic, Elie Wiesel: A Messenger to Humanity.  The story of Elie Wiesel is one [...]

Dr. Kimberly Suiseeya, Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Political Science, Environmental Policy and Culture Program at Northwestern University, will speak on the topic of her book, The Justice Gap [...]

Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, State Representative for Illinois’ 17th District, will speak on the topic, Lawmaking through International Human Rights Framework: Does U.S. Immigration Policy Violate the Refugee Convention and What is [...]

Paul McComas will speak on the topic, Memory, Memoir and Humankind: Reflections on Our Universal Themes.  Entertaining, compelling, often moving excerpts from memoirs of the famous (Katherine Graham, Anwar el-Sadat, [...]

Lee Scheier, journalist, researcher and educator, will speak on the topic, Dark Money: The Billionaire Businessmen Koch Brothers’ Successful Mission to Turn America to the Right.  In 1975 the billionaire [...]

Pam Siegel and Leslie Zinberg will speak on the topic of their book, Grandparenting: Renew, Relive, Rejoice.  Do you want to be a mindful grandparent?  Want another shot at childhood? [...]

Karen Kaplan, author and international speaker, will speak on the topic of her book, Descendants of Rajgrod-Learning to Forgive.  Karen Kaplan tells the story of her father, Arie Kaplan, who [...]

Julie Strauss, Ph.D., will speak on the topic An Analysis of the Political Parties’ Response to the 2020 Election Results.  Since neither party can claim an overwhelming mandate from the [...]

Erin Waxenbaum, Ph.D., will speak on the topic, The Greatest Show on Earth: Human Evolution and Our Species Today.  What is the story with all those crazy skulls we see [...]

Michael De Dora, Washington D.C. Advocacy Manager of the Committee to Protect Journalists, will speak on the topic, Keeping the Press Free: Attacks on Journalism at Home and Abroad.  Each [...]

Jim Kenney, Founder of Global Lecture Hall, will speak on the topic, Joseph Priestley: Primitive Christianity.  One of the leading English intellectuals of the 18th century and credited as one [...]

Paul McComas will speak on the topic, “Eye of the Beholder”: A Meaningful Masterpiece from “The Twilight Zone.”  For McComas (last November's "Hero's Journey" program presenter), this 1960 episode is [...]

Abdi Nor Iftin, author, advocate for refugee rights and community navigator, will speak on the topic Call Me American, One Somalian Man’s Journey from Somalia to American Citizenship.  As a [...]

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, M.D., MPH, FAAP, will speak about the subject of her book, What the Eyes Don’t See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City.  [...]

Dr. Shane Larson returns to LSUS to speak on the topic, A Storm of Stars: A Living History of the Milky Way.   For most of human history, we have been [...]

Jesse Evans-Schroeder, Tucson-based attorney committed to defending the rights of immigrants facing removal from the U.S., will speak on the topic, Defending the Rights of Both Detained and Non-Detained Immigrants [...]

Stephen Kinzer, Author, Journalist and Senior Fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University, will speak on the topic, New Direction or More of the [...]

Reverend Erin Walter, UU Minister in Austin, Texas, will speak on the topic, The World’s On Fire (and We Still Fall in Love).  After almost a year of pandemic life, [...]

Dr. James Marquardt, Associate Professor of Politics at Lake Forest College, will speak on the topic, Morality in American Foreign Policy: The Future of the International Order. The international order [...]

Robert Jan Van Pelt, Ph.D., Professor at the University of Waterloo in Toronto, will speak on the topic, From Submission in Resistance: Choices and Choiceless Choices in the German Camps.  [...]

Lee Scheier, journalist and playwright, will speak on the topic, The History of the Eugenics Movement in the United States. He will discuss the harrowing tale of Harvard Professor, Charles Davenport's [...]

Alan Race, the Reverend Canon Dr. Emeritus of Leicester, England, will speak on the topic, Theology of Religions: Exclusivism, Inclusivism, Pluralism.  In light of modern communications no-one can now ignore [...]

Dr. Stephen Asma, Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Columbia College Chicago, will speak on the topic, Intimacy in the Digital Age: Love and Friendship in the Age of [...]

Dr. Scott Paeth, Professor in the Department of Religious Studies, at DePaul University, will speak on the topic of Captain Kirk, the Bible, and Hell.  We all know what the [...]

This Sunday we will have special holiday music played by pianist Andrew Blendermann and a surprise or two.  Ami Campbell, Wilmette resident and author, will speak on the topic Love [...]

Dr. Kelly Michelson, M.D., Director of the Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, will speak on the topic, Ethics and the Coronavirus Crisis.  [...]

Geoffrey Stone, Ph.D., Edward H. Levi Distinguished Service Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School, will speak on the topic, Roe v. Wade: Past, Present and Future.  [...]

Paul McComas, media scholar, will speak on the topic, Courage and Cowardice on Camera: The Hero’s Journey in Film.  The Hero's Journey (per Joseph Campbell), i.e. the Monomyth (per Dr. [...]

Daniel Breyer, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Philosophy at Illinois State University in Normal, will speak on the topic, The Dark Side of Human Nature: Being Peaceful in a Troubled World. [...]

Dr. Bob Magrisso, M.D., primary care physician, will speak on the topic, Introduction to the Meditation Exercises of Cafh, a Path of Spiritual Unfolding.  There are many exercises of meditation.  [...]

Jacqueline Saper, writer, commentator, public speaker, and translator, will speak on the topic of her memoir, From Miniskirt to Hijab: A Girl in Revolutionary Iran.  Jacqueline Saper was born and [...]

David Shyovitz, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History at Northwestern University, will speak on the topic, “Till Death Do Us Part?” Family Life and the Afterlife in Jewish and Christian Thought.  [...]

David Rapp, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University, will speak on the topic, Mind the Misinformation: Reasons We Fall Victim to Fake New. We are regularly confronted with statements that [...]

Kendra Mirasol, former LSUS member and current CEO of the Seattle nonprofit VitalTalk, will speak on the topic, Empowering Clinicians to Hold Competent, Compassionate, Values-Based Conversations with Seriously Ill Patients. [...]

Howard Katz, Humanist Celebrant, President of the Center for Freethought Equality and Board Member of the American Humanist Society, will speak on the topic, One Man’s Journey from Judaism to [...]

Rev. John Kartje, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Biblical Studies and Homilectics at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, will speak on the topic, [...]

Michael Hogue, Ph.D., Professor of Theology, Ethics and Philosophy of Religion at Meadville Lombard Theological School, will speak on the topic, Democracy for an Uncertain World: A Theological Perspective.  Dr. [...]

Jeanne Bishop, who will speak on the topic of her new book, Grace from the Rubble: Two Fathers’ Road to Reconciliation after the Oklahoma City Bombing, is a public defender, [...]

Geoffrey Stone, Ph.D., Edward H. Levi Distinguished Service Prof. of Law, Univ. of Chicago Law School Roe v. Wade: Past, Present and Future

Peg Cartier, LSUS Board Chair and Long-Time LSUS Member, Vietnam: Learning about Its People Through Volunteering

Scott Paeth, Ph.D., Professor in Religious Studies, DePaul University, Captain Kirk, the Bible, and Hell

Ramaa Krishnan, Owner, Full Bloomed Lotus in Wilmette, A Spiritual Approach to Conflict with Others

Andreana Turano, Supervisor, 2nd Municipal District, Cook County States Attorney Office, Volunteer with Lawyers in the Classroom Lawyers in the Classroom: Teaching Young Students about the U.S. Constitution

Howard Katz, Past President of Humanist Society, Board Member of American Humanist Association, Humanist Celebrant, One Man’s Journey from Judaism to the Philosophy of Humanism

Dr. Nicholas Pearce. Clinical Associate Professor of Management and Organizations at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, will speak on the topic, The Purpose Path: A Guide to Pursuing [...]

Maria Ines Zamudio, reporter for WBEZ Public Radio, will speak on the topic, Humanitarian Crisis on the Border: Changing Policy for Asylum Seekers.  The Trump administration has changed the way [...]

Dr. Michael Hogue, Professor of Theology Ethics and Philosophy of Religion at Meadville Lombard Theological School, will speak on the topic, Democracy for an Uncertain World: A Theological Perspective.  This [...]

Dr. Mark Hammergren, Astronomer at the Adler Planetarium, will speak on the topic The Flying Saucer Phenomenon: Its History and Sociology.  Since 1947, many thousands of people have reported seeing [...]

Dr. Sean Kirkland, Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at DePaul University, will speak on the topic, Aristotle and the Ancient Origins of Our Contemporary Worldview.  Given the dominance [...]

Jay Olshansky, Ph.D., is a Professor of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Research Associate at the Center on Aging at the University of Chicago.  He [...]

Noah Blan, Ph.D., Visiting Assistant Professor of History at Lake Forest College, will speak on the topic, Humans and the Environment in Medieval Europe: Lessons for Today.  How did medieval [...]

On Sunday, February 9 we will be hosting our annual soup kitchen at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church in Evanston from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM. To donate food and/or volunteer [...]

Mike Zanillo, State Coordinator-Illinois- of the Citizen’s Climate Lobby, will speak on the topic, Carbon Pricing: A Necessary Step to Address Climate Change.  Climate Change has been called “NOT the [...]

Bob Magrisso, M.D., will give a discourse on the topic, Night Sky Theology: Mysticism and Science.  His talk will be a personal approach to the integration of the scientific worldview [...]

Dr. David Breeden, Senior Minister at First Unitarian Church of Minneapolis, will speak on the topic Kant Can’t Fix It All: Freethought and Universalized Ethics.  Theists often accuse those who [...]

Paul Sweetow, LCSW and Winnetka Counselor to Children and Teens, will speak on the topic, The Socratic Parent: How to Navigate Raising Your Child by Asking the Right Questions.  What [...]

Wendy Yanow, Ed.D. Trustee at Oakton Community College, will speak on the topic Adult Education as a Tool for Social Justice.  Adult education for social justice is a lifelong journey [...]

The Chicago Zoological Society’s Animal Welfare Biologist, Dr. Jessica Whitham, will speak on the topic The Art and Science of Zoo Animal Welfare.  Dr. Whitham is committed to improving the [...]

Please join us for our festive and inspiring Holiday and Music Program, on Sunday, December 8 from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.  This celebration features the voices of the New Trier Swing [...]

How did Russia interfere with the US elections exactly? Learn more with Steven J. Harper.

Fern Finkel, Board of Trustee member of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, will speak on the topic, Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom: Enriching Women’s Souls, Shattering Stereotypes.  The mission of the [...]

Water is the source of life, yet more humans on this planet do not have access to clean water than those who do. Hear Mark Hauser speak on the topic, "Habitat Restoration, Macro Invertebrates, and Improvement of Toxic Water Chemicals."

What's so different about the United States and everyone else anyway? When it comes to health... actually a lot.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the Antique Modernism Show at the Community House, we will meet at Mallinckrodt Center, 1041 Ridge Rd., Wilmette, use south entrance. Rebecca Bunn, MA, LCPC, therapist [...]

Dr. Adam Waytz, Associate Professor at the Kellogg School of Management and Organizations at Northwestern University, will speak on the topic, Power and Ethics.   He will discuss how power can [...]

Children are unconsciously selflessness. How do we inspire them to be more mindful of that? Hear co-founders of The Kindness Connection speak on the topic, "Teaching Children to be Lifelong Volunteers."

Learn how the brain solve simple to complex problems as Mark Beeman speaks on, "The Eureka Moment and Creative Problem Solving in the Brain."

How does a Classical period philosopher still make an impact in societal function today? Find out as we hear Richard Kraut speak on, "Plato and the Allegory of the Cave: Its Relevance to Today."

Children need love. How can we give it to a stranger? Hear Elizabeth Sammann speak on the topic, "Help a Child: Understanding the Needs of Foster Children and At-Risk Youth."

How does someone with a Ph.D. in Astrophysics transition to a life of spiritual pursuit? John Kartje, Ph.D., speaks on the topic, "From Physics to the Divine: One Priest’s Journey."

Judith N. Levi, Ph.D., gives Part 2 of her two-part series: "The Identity Paradox: How Our Multiple Identities Both Divide and Unite Us."

Judith N. Levi, Ph.D., gives Part 1 of her two-part series: "Our Marvelously Multiple Identities."

Our final service of the 2018-2019 year will feature Hazel Friedman on the piano, Ada Kahn on the flute and our children of Religious Explorations.  Hazel will play selections by [...]

Scott Paeth, Ph.D., Professor, Religious Studies, Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies, DePaul University Dr. Scott Paeth, Professor in Religious Studies at DePaul University, will speak on the topic, Of Gods [...]

Mark Hammergren, Ph.D., Astronomer, Adler Planetarium Dr. Mark Hammergren, Astronomer and Science Communicator at the Adler Planetarium, will speak on the topic, Asteroids, Comets and Meteorites: Their Effects on Life [...]

John Gallo, CEO and Executive Director of LAF (Legal Assistance Foundation), will speak on the topic, Fighting for People Who Are Impoverished or Otherwise Vulnerable.  LAF is the largest provider [...]

Dr. Karen Alter, Professor in the Department of Political Science at Northwestern University, will speak on the Do Ethical Considerations Matter in International Relations?  When teaching students about ethics and [...]

Dr. Barry Scott Wimpfheimer, Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Northwestern University, will speak on the topic, The Talmud: Its Tremendous Impact beyond the Confines of the [...]

Ms. Shilpa Alva, Founder/CEO, Surge for Water Ms. Shilpa Alva, Founder and Executive Director of the company Surge for Water, will speak on the topic, Surge for Water: Providing Safe [...]

Dr. Anna Jones, Professor and Chair of the Department of History at Lake Forest College, will speak on the topic, Medieval Christian Views of Jews. This talk will cover three [...]

Dr. Susan McCracken, Clinical Psychologist and Lay Military Minister at Great Lakes Recruit Training Center, will speak on the topic, Spirituality: A Developmental Perspective. In recent years, the focus in [...]

Jeanne Nolan, Owner and CEO of the local enterprise The Organic Gardener, will speak on the topic of the title of her book, From the Ground Up: A Food Grower’s [...]

Dr. Laurel Harbridge-Yong, Associate Professor in the Dept. of Political Science at Northwestern University, will speak on the topic, The Polarization of Politics in America: Empirical Patterns and Moral Challenges. [...]

Dr. Nina Kraus, Professor of Neurobiology, Otolaryngology in the Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northwestern University, will speak on the topic, Head Banging – How Music and Concussions [...]

Dr. David Williams, Professor in the Department of Political Science at DePaul University will speak on the topic, Spinoza: Jew, Heretic, and Visionary.  Benedict de Spinoza is among the most controversial [...]

For Black History Month, Dr. Gail Lukasik, local author, will speak on the topic of her book, White Like Her: My Family’s Story of Race and Racial Passing. In the [...]