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 the Role of State Policymakers?  Rep. Gong-Gershowitz's presentation will provide a brief introduction to current immigration law and recent changes in Illinois state law.  This [...]

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, Maya Angelou, Hillary Rodham Clinton, rural-Wisconsin author Ben Logan) and the not-so-famous illustrate the commonalities inherent in culturally diverse people and peoples.  Alongside his performance [...]

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 businessmen, Charles and David Koch, began an organized 45 year plan to turn America toward their conservative way of thinking.  Based on the book Dark [...]

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?  The key to opening that door is your grandchildren. Pam and Leslie will give glimpses into their grandparent toolbox, filled with 52 ways to enhance [...]

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 after surviving the Holocaust in the forests of Eastern Europe, limped through the rest of his life by lying, cheating, abusing his family and never [...]

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 results, this discourse will take a look at the changing demographics in the electorate and how each party is benefitting from, and losing out, due [...]

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 on the news when the newest, greatest discoveries hit the press?  What do we do with all this evidence of bones that do not resemble [...]

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 year, hundreds of journalists are assaulted, imprisoned, or killed.  These attacks on the news media in the U.S. and throughout the world have undermined confidence [...]

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 of the “discoverers” of oxygen, Joseph Priestley, was also a co-founder of Unitarianism in England and a strong supporter of the vitally important Philadelphia churches. [...]

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 “as good as it gets” --“it” being not just The Twilight Zone, but TV itself.  Series creator Rod Serling's deft script; powerful ensemble acting (led [...]

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 child in war-torn Mogadishu, Somalia, Abdi learned English by watching action movies.  When U.S. Marines landed to take on the warlords, he cheered their arrival.  [...]

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. Mona will tell us about how she, accompanied by a team of researchers, parents, friends, and community leaders, proved that Flint, Michigan’s children were [...]

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 aware of the Milky Way, but it is comparatively recent that we have come to understand the Milky Way is our parent galaxy.  A vast [...]

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 Throughout Arizona.  Ms. Evans-Schroeder will talk about her experiences in deportation defense, and securing noncitizen’s release from immigration detention.  As an experienced asylum attorney, she [...]

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 Same? American Foreign Policy over the Next Four Years.  Change is coming!  A new administration in Washington seems set to break decisively with cruel and [...]

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, some days may feel almost normal, while others still bring us to our knees.  Drawing upon the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke and her own [...]

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 that the United States has led since 1945 owes its success to the strong support it has enjoyed both at home and abroad.  Yet, nowadays, [...]

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.  Since the end of the Second World War, the question of resistance against Nazi oppression has generally been raised in relationship to the issue of [...]

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 almost successful quest to create a master race in the U.S. in the early 20th century by having all people in the U.S. of low [...]

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 the fact that most societies are fast becoming plural societies.  How we live with and interpret our differences has become a very pressing concern socially [...]

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 Remote Contact.  Around 2005, people reported that the average number of their strong friendships had dropped from three to two.  In a more recent study, [...]

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 Bible says about Hell, or at least we think we do, just as every Star Trek fan thinks they know about Captain Kirk’s exploits. But [...]

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 Let Go: Radical Generosity for the Real World.  Generosity is proven to make people happier.  Why, then, don’t more people practice it?  Ms. Campbell will [...]

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.  The coronavirus pandemic has forced everyone to adapt and modify our actions.  It has also led us all to reflect on how we act as [...]

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.  Roe v. Wade may well have been the most controversial Supreme Court decision of the last half-century. With the Supreme Court now at the center [...]

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. Carl Jung), lies at the heart of the storytelling of every time period, culture, continent, race, and narrative medium. It also occurs, if we accept [...]

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.  Most of us think of ourselves as good people—reserving the concept of the “dark side” only for science fiction or psychopaths.  But that’s not really [...]

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.  In this talk, Dr. Magrisso will present an introduction to some exercises that are central to the spiritual practices of Cafh, practices used to stimulate [...]

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 raised in Iran as the bicultural daughter of an Iranian father and a British mother.  Her comfortable childhood and adolescence ended in 1978, as the [...]

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.  From ancient times to the present, theologians, artists, and storytellers have contemplated the rewards awaiting the righteous in the afterlife (and the torments awaiting the [...]

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 are inaccurate, sometimes obviously so. Unfortunately, people can be influenced by and rely upon inaccurate information, engaging in less critical evaluation than might be hoped. [...]

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.  COVID19 has heightened public awareness about challenges doctors face communicating with seriously ill patients. Clinicians are being thrown into some of the toughest discussions of [...]

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 the Philosophy of Humanism.  Mr. Katz’s discussion will include the path he took away from a Jewish belief system to one based on science and [...]

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, Genesis in the Bible and Science.  Father John was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 2002.  He has served in parish and [...]

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. Hogue, who joined the Meadville Lombard faculty in September 2005, teaches and writes at the intersections of theology, religious ethics, and philosophy of religion. He [...]

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, human rights advocate, writer and speaker.  In what was to become the deadliest attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor, the Oklahoma City bombing was [...]

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 Your Life’s Work.  Many of the world's most successful companies―Apple, Disney, Google―are not simply profit-driven, but purpose-driven.  They let the reason for which they were [...]

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 asylum seekers process their claims. More than 56,000 asylum seekers have been sent back to Mexico since the Trump administration issued the Migrant Protection Protocols, [...]

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 talk will examine the theological roots and contexts of the present crises of American democracy, and discuss ways to renew democracy through alternative theological and [...]

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 strange objects in the sky, or even what they describe as extraterrestrial beings. Despite all these reports and more than a decade of study by [...]

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 of modern science today, it might seem that our contemporary “worldview” is far from the teleological natural philosophy of Aristotle (c. 384-322 BCE). And yet, [...]

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 will speak on the topic, Are We on the Verge of Slowing Aging?  He coined the term "The Longevity Dividend" in an article in 2006, [...]

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 Europeans think about the environment, and how might they help us view 21st century concerns in a new way?  The scales and technologies that shape [...]

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 for a shift, contact Anne Walker.

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 BIGGEST challenge of OUR time, but, the BIGGEST challenge of ALL time.”  The topic can be confusing to many and often there is uncertainty of [...]

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 and spiritual life.  It is based on Magrisso’s experience as one committed to science and to spiritual unfolding.   He will use numinous personal experiences to [...]

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 operate from a naturalistic understanding of reality of having no foundation or grounding for ethical principles.  Freethinkers know this is far from true, but we [...]

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 one parenting strategy is the best?  Paul believes it is to parent socratically.  In his new book, The Socratic Parent (available on Amazon), Paul teaches [...]

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 that began for Dr. Yanow in her first professional job as a secretary in a law firm shortly after graduating from college with a degree [...]

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 welfare of animals at Brookfield Zoo and beyond. CZS’ Animal Welfare Research Team has an obligation to identify novel methods for continuously improving the quality [...]

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 Choir and guest performances by pianist Ross Updegraff, violinist Ingrid Updegraff, and cellist Simon Updegraff.  Mr. Updegraff has a Doctor of Music degree in performance [...]

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 Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom (SOSS) is to build trust, respect, and relationships between American Muslim and Jewish women.  Through these relationships, the women commit to [...]

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 and meditation teacher, will speak on the topic, The Spiritual Practice of Mindfulness as a Way of Cultivating Compassion for One’s Self and Others.  This [...]

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 both encourage and discourage ethical behavior.   He will also make the case that people in positions of power benefit from behaving ethically.  This phenomenon is [...]

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 Scriabin, Muczynski, Gershwin and one other composer.  Ada will play a piece from J.S. Bach.  The children will tell us what they learned this year. [...]

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 and Guns.  The problem of gun violence looms large in the United States today.  Arguments between advocates of stronger gun control and those who believe [...]

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 on Earth.  The geological and biological history of Earth is intimately and inextricably intertwined with asteroids and their icy cousins the comets, from the very [...]

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 of free, high-quality civil legal services in the Midwest.  This talk will center around LAF's fight for people living in poverty through litigation and advocacy, [...]

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 international affairs, Dr. Alter argues that most people want see themselves as ethical.  Indeed we consider a person who cares nothing at all for ethics [...]

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 Jewish Faith.  The Talmud, the compilation of historic rabbis "discussing" or "debating" what the Torah means, has been a central canonical text of Judaism for [...]

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 Water and Sanitation to Poverty Stricken Areas One Drop at a Time. Ms. Alva will share her deeply personal journey that led to the founding [...]

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 key moments in the history of Jewish-Christian relations. First, it will discuss the earliest centuries of Christianity, as Christian authors debated what their faith's proper [...]

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 the health care field has shifted from a bio-psycho-social conceptualization of health and illness to a bio-psycho-social-spiritual perspective on health and wellness. Psychologists and other [...]

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 Education in Life, Love, and the Movement That’s Changing the Nation. When Jeanne Nolan, a teenager in search of a less materialistic, more authentic existence, [...]

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. In recent decades, our elected officials have grown further apart, and this ideological gap is further exacerbated by contentious partisan competition that provides few incentives [...]

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 Impact Brain Health. How do our experiences, such as learning how to play music and playing sports, affect our brain? Although we are surrounded by [...]

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 and important thinkers in Western philosophy. Rejecting orthodox conceptions of God and the Bible, he was excommunicated as a heretic and exiled from his native [...]

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 historical context of the Jim Crow South, Gail explores her mother’s decision to pass, how she hid her secret even from her own husband, and [...]