We are living in very challenging times, with fear, distrust and anger at levels rarely seen before. Is there a way to lower the intensity of these emotions, at least in ourselves? Our pulpit guest thinks St. Francis of Assisi might have an answer.
“Free” derives from the Old English word “to love” and is akin to friend. It’s primary meaning is dear, and implied kinship, belonging. On Martin Luther King weekend, the implications echo onward.
Our pulpit guest is a Chaplain with Providence Hospital in Medford, a man with a deep, warm heart who has companioned with more than 3000 people who have died with his supportive presence nearby.
We have woven losses, thoughts, and feelings received from folks among us to create this sharing service – aiming to transmute pain, confusion and loss into shared grief, and sketch a path for healing together.
On this Boxing Day, let’s jingle our holiday bells with stories, songs, art, and the spirit of the season. Dorothy and Gary will host the festivities. We are planning a photo collage of our UU community past and present, and we hope you’ll contribute pictures from your own holidays, or from past UU holiday events. We want all of your smiling faces!
Many of us want most of all for the pandemic to end, but with relatively low vaccination rates globally and increased likelihood of mutations, that will not come soon. Yet, perhaps the Christmas stories, both the myth of Santa Claus and the sacred story of the birth of a special child, can gift us all with hope and greater peace and joy.
Our guest speaker relates, “While the things we believe can guide us in living our lives in ways that contribute to our happiness, fulfillment and devotion to those beliefs, it is essential that our beliefs correspond to objective truth.Human gender diversity is an objective truth of nature that is being rejected, denied and oppressed because subjective beliefs are being imposed on our families, children and communities.” We will discuss the ways in which these things are endangering those we love.
Pulpit guest and seminarian Li Kynvi, invites us to reflect on our relationship with our singing voices, on the ways we can intentionally engage with sons that cradle us where we are, and songs that invite us to move toward them; and on how singing can be a spiritual practice. We’ll touch on the ways music has been commodified and some of the unfortunate ripples of that. And of course, we’ll sing!
“In my journey to finding my roots in the spiritual traditions of my native ancestors and becoming an initiated medicine man in that tradition, I am coming to see how the focus on beauty of Nature and Earth, and the celebration of the goodness in humanity is suffusing my life with gratitude. For me, this is the true Thanksgiving.”
Our Board will share in this service designed to kick-off our annual pledge drive. They will share a few parables about small steps that have led to big successes, and compare those with some of our accomplishments over the last 18 months. We are indeed a “Can Do Congregation” and your continuing support with Time, Talent and Treasure will ensure that UUGP continues to serve this community in accord with our Mission Statement.
