Come celebrate diversity in our annual Bread Sharing Ceremony, or Bread Communion. You are invited to bring bread that is significant to your ethnic, religious, cultural or family heritage, and share with us the story of the bread. Through story, song, personal sharing and sampling one another’s bread, we have the opportunity to learn a … Continue reading Celebrating Diversity, Sharing Bread
On this Sunday we will recognize Transgender Day of Remembrance (#TDOR), an annual observance honoring the memory of those whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. The day was founded in 1999 and has slowly evolved into an international day of action, observed every November 20th. Listen to the Service
We have come to that time of the year when several holy days are devoted to honoring the memory of those who have passed on. All Saints Day, All Souls Day, Halloween, Samhain, and Dia de los Muertos, to name a few. It appears there is a human universal need to honor and remember those … Continue reading Remembering Well
The theme for October is Belonging. The question to ponder is What does it mean to be a people of Belonging? On Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Belonging comes third, after basic physiological needs, and needs for safety. Often when a person finds Unitarian Universalism, the feeling expressed is, I have found my spiritual home, or … Continue reading A People of Belonging
Categories that neatly define who people are and what they think, makes it easier for us to navigate socially. We are more comfortable when we believe we know what to expect. Unitarian Universalists often sort themselves by their various theologies, or spiritual inclinations. Is the tendency to label a help, or a hindrance, in the … Continue reading Sorting it Out
Those of us who choose to join Unitarian Universalist Congregations covenant to affirm and promote seven principles. The first is the inherent worth and dignity of every person. A similar belief was at the heart of the development of Labor Unions. The leaders believed everyone deserved to be treated with respect. On this Labor Day … Continue reading Valuing Inherent Worth and Dignity
As the summer season comes to a close we gather as a church community with renewed commitment to what we value most. Whether we travel or stay close to home, summer usually offers a change of pace, inviting time for renewal and reflection. Perhaps you took a dip in a pool, played in the waves, … Continue reading Annual In-gathering And Sharing Service for All Ages
Unitarian Universalists often speak of wholeness as a journey. We seek to become our best selves, living from our deepest values. Rarely does anyone become everything they wish. And yet, we continue to try and to hold ourselves to certain standards. In Lifespan Religious Education we speak of this as Faith Development. This Sunday we … Continue reading Seeking Wholeness
Our June theme of Beauty brings to mind words like reverence and awe. Remembering one of my dear professors at Meadville Lombard Theological School, I added reason to the trinity. In his book, Reason and Reverence: Religious Humanism for the 21st Century, Rev. William Murry writes, “Since the beginning of recorded history, part of the religious … Continue reading Reason, Reverence and Awe
A moving part of the Sunday service at UUCP is the inclusion of We Remember, a time to recognize those whose lives were lost the previous week, in service to our country. While Memorial Day is often linked to the beginning of summer vacation, or a weekend for bargains, the sacrifice our citizens make for the … Continue reading We Remember
