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As Unitarian Universalists, we value diversity and inclusion; openness to people and to perspectives is one of our core values. In this service we'll explore the ways in which we live this well and the ways we falter, taking an honest look at the diversity in our midst and the invitations for transformation that are knocking at our door.
There is no word, historically, for "religion" in Arabic, Mandarin or the many languages of either India or the Indigenous Americas. It is solely a European word. These origins have created a bias in what we think "religion" is, which impacts our attitudes and even our law systems in regards to religion. Today, we will experiment with taking those lenses off and looking at how some diverse religions can be understood when we see them more clearly.
In celebration of Easter, we'll explore truth - what do we believe to be true, how do we decide what is true as individuals and in community, and how does our understanding of truth evolve over time? The story "The Emperor's New Clothes" will be our time for all ages and will be a starting point for exploring truth alongside the Christian Easter story.
This might seem simple - why do we gather? For spiritual growth, for friendship, for transformation, for community, for fun, to be part of building a better world. But it is also more than that. Why and how we gather is an especially important question when we think about growing our congregation - who else might find meaning here? What does belonging look like? How does our congregational culture influence who finds a home with us and how? The complete sermon can be read below: 
It takes courage to live into the aspirations of our faith instead of professing them. This is what it means to show up as our whole selves and in doing so, we help make this world a better place for all. Together, let us explore what it means to be authentic and to live from this place of integrity.
While there are significant common themes among activists calling for justice for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, this is also incredibly complex and nuanced work and not everyone agrees or approaches it the same way. This Sunday we'll explore anti-racism work from different perspectives and viewpoints that invite us to deepen our understanding of how to live anti-racism as a spiritual practice. The complete sermon can be read below:
On Sunday March 7th, international touring musician and lay UU Preacher Joe Jencks, will lead a service exploring the idea of culture as a form of diplomacy. In 2010 Jencks was selected by the US State Department as a "Cultural Ambassador" and toured the Caribbean giving concerts, workshops, lectures, and interviews. Through spoken word and song, Jencks will share some of his experiences and consider the lessons learned as they apply not just to foreign relations, but to how we relate to each other here and now.
Tara recounts her spiritual awakening through tree planting in Canada's central interior, a common coming-of-age rite for many young people. She describes discovering her worth and dignity through a wonderful and dirty spiritual awakening, the growth and development of those spiritual principles through engaging in labour and environment activism, and her ultimate discovery of the interdependent web of existence in a time of looming ecological crisis and late-modern capitalism.
Truly multigenerational communities like ours are rarer and rarer these days. Today we'll explore the gifts and challenges of building strong multigenerational communities, how we can strengthen relationships in our own community, and the ways in which we all benefit from time with people of different ages and stages of life. The complete sermon can be read below:
This Valentine’s Day, let’s celebrate the many kinds of love and connection in our lives. We invite you to read a poem, tell a short personal story, give a reading, or sing a song in the spirit of love, friendship and connection. We also invite you to indulge in chocolate while attending this service online!
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We look forward to meeting you!
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Mailing Address:
UUCD c/o 88 Chester Crescent, Port Perry, ON L9L 1K8 |
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