Gathering for Sunday services in person and online, 10:15 am.
With fewer people vaccinating their children and the incidence of once-rare diseases on the rise, our community is struggling to respect two ethical imperatives: the responsibilities that individuals have to the community, and those the community has to individuals. How should we weigh decisions that will curtail some people’s freedoms? Music: Kerensa Fu, flute
We all carry around a set of beliefs about ourselves, particularly things we “can’t do or be”; like paint, sing, dance, be smart, be beautiful, be athletic. Many of these beliefs are formed at one period of our life, often early child- hood, and may not apply to who we are now. We’ll explore our limits, and talk about how to test them and, perhaps, remove the ones that don’t fit any more. Be prepared for a pep talk! Music: Eric Leong, violin
What gives our lives meaning? As scriptures have been toppled from their heights of infallibility, and the doctrine of special creation has given way to natural selection, the old answers have stopped working. But the need for meaning has not diminished. So what does meaning mean for questioning, doubting people like us? Music: Nicholas Dold, pianist
The theologically-liberal have been charged with being unable to talk frankly about evil, a criticism that has some merit. However, today we’ll show the world that UUs can do evil as well as anyone. Special music: Veronika Agranov-Dafoe, piano
Shakespeare’s Juliet famously discounted the importance of labels, saying “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” However, as her story unfolds she learns the social power behind all names. What meaning comes with the name Unitarian Universalist? Why is there no hyphen, and could it be that “Unitarian” is an adjective? Come explore the truth within names this Sunday. Special music: Aaron Lington, saxophone
Small things can make a big difference. We’ll reflect on the ways someone has changed your whole day and maybe even your life by something that probably seemed quite small to them. And of course, we’ll open to ways that we can be that small and dramatic change for others. Music: Lewis Santer and Valerie Rose Price
As religious denominations in the United States, both Unitarianism and Universalism are more than 200 years old. How did we get from then to now? What were the defining moments and movements in our denomination? Rev. Lucy will share her top five (or maybe more) defining moments in UU history. Music: Veronika Agranov Dafoe
On December 10, dozens of clergy from many faiths risked arrest by approaching the border between California, U.S.A. and Baja California, Mexico. Hundreds more accompanied and supported them, I among them. It was a profound experience, as was the unplanned protest a few of us joined in Tijuana the next day, conveying so much about the meaning of connection across and despite the barriers we create. We formally welcome new members in today’s service. Music: Veronika Agranov Dafoe
Members of the Senior High Youth Group will present their thoughts about the relationship between the arts, especially music, and spirituality. Their thoughts about arts and spirituality will be presented through spoken word, poems, and music. Music: Gwen Halterman, harp
For our fifth annual Chalice Sunday, we talk about where the chalice comes from in our past, and how we keep the flame burning for the future. Then we will watch our individual small lights become one great blazing altar.
Music: Mary Gospe, vocalist/guitar