O-bon is an annual summer event in Japan that connects ancient beliefs and Buddhist traditions to remember and honor the spirits of deceased ancestors. This service will talk about the cultural background and different aspects of O-bon commemorations, which include the BonFest event in Pensacola on August 22. Presenter Teruko Von Bargen is a native … Continue reading O-bon in Japanese Culture
UUCP Member Mark Swaney will present certain examples of Jesus’s humanity, using accounts from the New Testament. He will share why he wanted to reprise stories of Jesus that everyone knows, which are what is left of his childhood beliefs about Christianity.
Dr. Samarpan Ananda, presenter. Devotion is love in motion, the sacred current that transforms our lives into a living prayer. When we walk the path of our purpose with sincerity, humility, and service, even the simplest actions become offerings, and our life itself becomes the message. Through story, reflection, and music, this sermon will explore … Continue reading The Path of Devotion
“How Much Do We Really Know about Jesus?” Not much, according to the best-selling scholar Elaine Pagels. Her new book, Miracles and Wonders, nonetheless treats Christianity seriously on a deeper level than fundamentalists and literal-minded atheists do. It’s a surprising and fascinating book.
Presenter: Joe Vinson, UUCP Member. Politicians are more than happy to use the Bible as a proof text for discrimination, hatred, and violence in ways that are truly baffling. If America were truly a “Judeo-Christian nation,” what would that look like? What can the 8th century prophets teach us about reframing divine authority for social … Continue reading “Do justice”: the Prophetic Critique and reclaiming religious identity as an active force for good
Led by Joe Vinson. Bring family, friends, and guests for a special service of carols and readings for all ages. concluding with a traditional candle lighting ritual. A Special Offering will be taken to replenish our UUCP Members Assistance fund which is used throughout the year to benefit our church families in time of need. If … Continue reading Christmas Eve Service
What do you think are the commonalities between Halloween, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day? Is it just for Christians? What do you think might be the cultural and spiritual significance? Do other cultures celebrate and revere the dead? Let us explore together some of these questions, and let us think about our own thoughts … Continue reading Halloween, All Saints, and All Souls
What if one of the most important women in the Gospels was quietly edited out—and what if that edit changed the course of Christian history? In this talk, based on the work of Elizabeth Schrader and Diana Butler Bass, Zach Helton explores new scholarship on Mary Magdalene, revealing how her erasure shaped the church we … Continue reading The Tower and the Rock: Reclaiming Mary Magdalene and Rewriting the Stories That Built Patriarchy
Our presenter is Rev. Dr. Frances Jeanne Smathers, founder and director of The Order of Hildegard. The western religious landscape has been heavily influenced by concepts and ideologies rooted in shame. How can we develop shame resilience and live into community life with a more embodied and connected ethic? Frances (she/they) is an interfaith community … Continue reading Shame Resilience as a Path to Collective Wholeness
Presenter: Gay Yow, Friend of UUCP and Former Spokesperson for Greenpeace. Join in learning more about Gaia, Mother Earth. Gay Yow will present the “Magic of Mother Earth: Grounding and her amazing science of water.” Join in honoring Gaia after the Service out in the front garden with a ritual of a grounding meditation and Blessing … Continue reading Gaia’s Lament
