When we think of the unhoused community, images of tent cities, cardboard signs, struggle, addiction, and isolation often come to mind—a community marked by tremendous needs. Yet, Elias Poore, SOUUP Intern Minister and formerly unhoused community organizer with over eight years of experience working with unhoused communities, challenges us to see beyond these stereotypes. Drawing on their lived experience and work alongside these communities, Eli reflects on the invisibility and vulnerability of houselessness while offering a hopeful vision, highlighting the profound lessons these communities can offer all of us about perseverance, interdependence, inherent worth, and the transformative power of relationships.

Holiday celebrations—whether Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa—share a common thread: the theme of light returning in the midst of deep darkness. These traditions remind us of the enduring hope that even in the bleakest of times, light finds a way to shine through. In this service, we will explore these celebrations and their connection to the theme of “Light as Liberation”—a light that does more than illuminate; it liberates. This light carries the promise of freedom, belonging, and renewal for all people. It is the spark that breaks chains, guides us toward justice, and ignites the flame of collective transformation. Together, we will reflect on how this light calls us to action, to create a world where all can experience the warmth of liberation and the power of a brighter tomorrow.

This time of year, traditionally we welcome family and friends, gather around meals, and share with one another for Thanksgiving. Gratitude is an important spiritual practice. Yet for many, particularly Indigenous peoples, this is also a day of grieving the legacy of settler colonialism, or brings with it feelings of loneliness and grief from navigating personal loss. How can we best honor the complexity of this day, making space both for giving thanks and for those for whom this day represents cultural loss and colonialism, or who are navigating personal loss, grief and struggle? Intern Minister Eli Poore offers an invitation to explore these complexities in community, centered in love.

Honoring the Worth, Dignity, and Holiness of Trans Lives Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) serves as a deeply meaningful event, honoring the lives of transgender, nonbinary, gender non-conforming, and two-spirit individuals who have been victims of antitrans violence. Originating in 1999, TDOR was initiated by Gwendolyn Ann Smith in response to the murder of Rita Hester in 1998. Since then, the vigil has expanded to not only remember those lost but to also raise awareness of the ongoing challenges faced by the trans community, especially in light of growing legislative attacks and rising violence. Hosted by Intern Minister Eli Poore and featuring special guests including local trans activists, we create a space for healing, remembrance, and hope. By gathering in solidarity, we honor the lives lost while affirming the worth, dignity and holiness of trans lives and the collective resilience, creativity, and gifts of the trans community. 

No matter the outcome of the November election, the question remains: where do we go from here? Our faith is rooted in the tradition of “prophetic witness,” a legacy inspired by the Hebrew Prophets and others throughout history who have spoken “truth to power.” This tradition challenges us to work together to create a more just world. Theologian Walter Brueggemann introduces the idea of the “prophetic imagination,” a vision, deeply rooted in love, for what our communities and the world could become. We gather to dream, both as individuals and as a community, about what this world could be and to discern the faithful steps we can take to make that vision a reality. Join Intern Minister Eli Poore for a SOUUP shared service as we explore these questions and share our joy, hope, grief, curiosity, and all the feelings that this moment in history brings

Every action or inaction, every encounter and connection, sends ripples out into the larger community, as we explored last month. The term “Beloved Community”, coined by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., imagines a space where all are beloved and embraced, where no one is left out or left behind, especially those impacted by structural violence. Just this year, the constitutionality of a local ordinance targeting houseless people in Grants Pass went to the Supreme Court and changed the landscape of how people experiencing visible poverty across the nation are impacted in a devastating way. This week we go deeper into the ways our actions, decisions, and encounters can be grounded in mutuality, reciprocity, and loving-kindness in order to work toward creating Beloved Community, and also examine the perils we face as interconnected individuals and communities when we labor under the illusion of separateness.

Our tradition, along with many others, has long been centered on “capital-L” Love. How do our stories as individuals, as communities, and our historical journey as Unitarian Universalists intersect and reflect this commitment, and how can we lean deeper into relationship with ourselves, each other, and our individual and collective values in order to build more caring, relational, and connected communities and a more just and equitable world?