Sometimes being human can seem like hard work. Life can be confusing. But there have always been stories that illuminate our place and role as humans in the greater web of existence. These collective stories change over time, and we each have our personal stories that give meaning to our own lives. Recognizing and living these personal stories, and understanding their connection to the larger collective of stories, can indeed be sacred work!
The 100th anniversary of the signing of the agreement that ended the Great War invites a time of remembering as well as honoring those who have served in the military.
The theme of memory for this month invites us into both sides of the coin. We consider both what our memories bring us and what it means to forget them.
We gather for this annual celebration in which we remember those beloved people who have died. You are invited to bring along a small token or picture to share with others in celebration and sadness.
Brené Brown suggests to us that we don’t so much need safe spaces as we need brave spaces. What does that mean for us in our search for sanctuary?
The song “Birdhouse in Your Soul” by They Might Be Giants leads off our reflection on sanctuary for the month. We’ll explore the meaning of finding a sanctuary within our own hearts and souls.
Mysticism has deep roots across religious traditions and at its best teaches us how to live in ways that help us focus on deep truths. The sermon will include messages from an 8th century Sufi mystic, Rabia, 12th century Christian mystic Hildegard of Bingen, and contemporary western Buddhist, Pema Chodron.
Margo Rinehart has recently earned her Masters in Divinity from Seattle University. She has attended the Kitsap UU Fellowship for over twenty years and recently completed a one-year UU Ministerial Internship at Westside UU Congregation in West Seattle. Finding current messages of compassion, integrity, and clarity in older texts is a passion of Margo’s. She tells us “as Unitarian Universalists, we are all called to be our best selves, a never ending process of discovery, discernment, and action.” Come and hear how the wisdom of mystics can help you on this path.
You can live your life without a vision. It’s a life, but there isn’t any cayenne pepper in that soup. And, there is the question, is the world a better place because you are here? A life lived with a vision wakes you up early and yanks you out of bed. It helps you live out your deepest aspirations, it imprints your values into your daily actions and serves as your moral compass. That’s what we will be talking about in this sermon.
Our Religious Explorations for Children and Youth begin today, and we’ll reflect upon how we imagine the future and how we act now to create a future in which they’ll thrive.
Returning to suggestions made by Bryan Stevenson, we’ll consider what it means to maintain hope in our lives. How do we keep the vision of a better world alive?
