As I write this, during the last days of June, the hours are ticking down until I’m officially Board President on July 1st. Thank you for the faith you’ve shown in me by voting me into the position. It feels like a bigger job now that we will be a “lay-led” congregation, at least for … Continue reading July 2022: From the President
This July concludes four years of a wonderful ministry with UUCP. I want you all to know how much I enjoyed my time with you, and I hope the work we did together will continue to serve you into the future. While I came as a consulting transitional minister for you, we never could have … Continue reading July 2022: From the Minister
In July and August, the Social Justice Team will be collecting paper towels and toilet paper for youth transitioning out of homelessness. We are also looking for new or gently used standing shelves to help organize items for the youth. To donate, drop paper products in the basket that will be located in the UUCP … Continue reading Paper Towels & Toilet Paper Collection
Just in time for Pride Month, our congregation met for the Annual Meeting and voted on the long-awaited Welcoming Congregation Designation. After eight months of discussions and educational events led by the Welcoming Congregation Committee, the motion to authorize an application to UUA was approved in a resounding majority vote. The application is currently underway, … Continue reading LGBTQIA+ Welcoming Congregation Update
Celebrating Blessings Our theme this month is “Celebrating Blessings.” In this lesson, we reflect on what a blessing is. Is it as simple as what you say after a sneeze? There are blessings at the dinner table, counting your blessings, and “you are a blessing.” Many see life’s gifts as blessings from God. Our faith … Continue reading June 2022: CRE
We have come to the end of another church year. It was a year in which we suffered many losses and continued to deal with COVID. In general, a lot of adversity, anxiety and urgency. I’ve been thinking about Albert Einstein’s words, “Adversity introduces a man to himself,” in relation to how we responded. We were … Continue reading June 2022: From the President
More than 50 UUCP members and friends joined with 675+ other local congregants at Wahoos Stadium on Monday to ask our community leaders to support worthwhile, measurable initiatives in the areas of housing and criminal justice. UUCP had 51 members and friends present for the event, second only to one other congregation with 81 folks … Continue reading UUCP at JUST Pensacola 2022 Nehemiah Action
It’s been 2 years since we have had a Nehemiah Action Assembly in person. This is it, people! Finally, we can bring out 1,200 or more people to impress our stakeholders (and the city officials who’ll be there) that we mean business. We will ask our public officials to make policies and take actions that … Continue reading JUST Pensacola Nehemiah Action May 2
Soul Matters Lessons Ah, Spring. April showers bring May flowers. This month we will focus on beauty. And not just surface beauty. We will take a deep dive into the many ways we encounter beauty in our every day lives. We will be celebrating beauty in others and our world. We will explore ways we … Continue reading May 2022: CRE
Nurturing Beauty is our theme for May. I find this a wide-open exercise, with the potential to deepen meaning in our lives. First, though, we must understand beauty as more than something pretty to look at. Beauty is something that captures our senses and opens us to a new awareness. This new month opens as … Continue reading May 2022: From the Minister
