What does it mean to be a faith community during these extraordinary times. Who are we? How do we define ourselves? What's the work we need to do now?
Each year we honour those in our lives who have died, recently or long ago. You are invited to bring a picture or memento of someone you have loved and lost as we reflect on what it means to live and die well.
In the midst of the turmoil of our times, this week I reflect on hope... something that at times seems ever more elusive. Is it something we should have always? Does hope make our lives better? Where do you source your hope? Has it changed over the course of your life? I welcome you in all of your hopefulness, hopelessness, and everything in between as we worship/seek meaning together.
One of the tenets of our Unitarian Universalist faith is an emphasis on covenants instead of creeds. Ours is a faith of relationship and promise instead of doctrine and belief. While often used in the context of religion, covenants as freely made promises that guide our behavior can extend beyond the bounds of church life.
Most forms of faith have an either spoken/conscious or unspoken/unconscious vertical dimension. Faith that focuses downward can express positive or negative attitudes: compassion or punishment, for instance. Likewise, faith that focuses upward may lead to an obsession with 'heaven' or a passionate determination to expand the heart. Let's look at this vertical dimension of Unitarian Universalism.
Many people are familiar with the first part of the serenity prayer: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." It was a favourite of my grandmother's - she had it printed on the mug she used each morning. In this service we'll look at the prayer from many angles, including what it might offer us in these times.
Participants are asked to share a story, song or poem as it relates to their understanding of Gratitude.
Julien LeBourdais will discuss the benefits and satisfaction he has received over the years volunteering for a variety of charitable organizations. Using his own experiences as examples, he will demonstrate the importance of finding the right “fit” for any volunteer. He will show how it can be an uplifting experience to combine volunteering for UUCD with volunteering in the outside community.
The complete sermon can be read below: We hear regularly now of “the new normal.” Just what is “normal”? How do we respond to “normal,” new or otherwise? What is our role in the midst of the current global challenges in living our values and working for the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible? Come and enjoy our first in-person service in months - bring your own chair/blanket, coffee/snacks, and dress warmly in case of chilly weather as we enjoy seeing one another face to face once again. The complete sermon can be read below:
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