In today’s service, we will explore gratitude and wonder through our own experiences. Instead of a sermon, there will be time for personal reflection, for storytelling, and for creating something to give away. If you’re joining from home today, you might want to gather some supplies. You could have a journal, art supplies, and/or a greeting card.
The death of Pope Francis last month and the selection of Pope Leo got me to thinking about The Catholic Church and some powerful women I have encountered in that very patriarchal faith tradition. Those Popes and those women have offered to me messages of love and liberation that can reverberate far beyond the Sistine Chapel, perhaps even into our progressive Unitarian Universalist Congregations.
We deepen our knowledge and awareness of Juneteenth and the legacy of racism/slavery in our state with the showing of the PBS documentary, “Road to Sunrise”. The film tells the story of Taylor Stewart’s journey from learning about Oregon’s history of lynching to his committment to Rememberance, Repair and Redemption. Our members Sylvia Marr and Constance Palaia as well as Grants Pass activist Gabi Johnsen are featured in the documentary. Join us as we share reflections about our history as a sundown town.
Hope as resistance is a powerful message, reminding us that holding onto hope is not passive it’s a radical act of defiance against despair. Professional Speaker and UU Seminarian, LaVonne Limpus, will present “Hope as an Act of Rebellion” at the Unitarian Universalists of Grants Pass 10:30 Sunday Service, June 1, 2025. Unitarian Universalists embrace justice, love, and the inherent dignity of every person and often see hope as an active force, and commitment to building a better world rather than merely wishing for change. In her sermon, Limpus will explore how being hope-filled in a colonialized construct challenges systems of oppression.
Chaplain (Lieutenant) Toben R. Squires, USN, will join us this Memorial Day to share stories about his work. He will address concerns about the importance of remembering our veterans and challenges the future may bring. Chaplain Squires graduated from our UUA Seminary, Starr King School of the Ministry in 2020. In 2023 he was recognized by the US Navy as a Chaplain. We will be recognizing our relatives who are now or did serve in the military.
How we treat each other, how we engage politically, how we treat our planet, it’s all interconnected. Our Climate Justice Revival in September and our priorities from our new year service in December identify a number of challenging realities and opportunities for community care. This service will focus on climate justice and how this issue interweaves with so many others in our community.
It is well known that 2500 years ago, that after sitting under the Bodhi Tree, the Buddha attained enlightenment, came to realization of deep reality. This experience led to his extensive teachings on nonviolence and wellbeing. While western translations describe the Buddha “awakening” under the Tree, eastern traditions speak of his “waking to the Tree.” The Buddha’s insights occurred when he spiritually met and came into alignment with Nature. She will talk about how coming into alignment with Nature returns our species to harmony and peace with all beings and the Earth.
Two African American Activist Women both Unitarians, both born before the Civil War and living into the Twentieth Century and practically unknown today, made huge strides toward social justice and left us with big shoes to fill. We will review the contributions of Francis Ellen Watkins Harper and Fannie Barrier Williams and consider the lessons we can learn from them.
Project 2025 is nothing compared with Reality 2025… and it’s only April. We’ll reflect on how to set aside our flee/fight/freeze reactions, strive for genuine understanding of our situation and those who voted for it, and work towards healthy short-term and long-term responses.
Join us this Easter as we gather in the spirit of renewal, transformation, and hope. In the Unitarian Universalist tradition, we honor Easter not only as a Christian story of resurrection but also as a universal story of life’s enduring capacity for renewal.
This service will invite us to reflect on the ways resurrection shows up in our lives and community—not as a distant miracle, but as an ever present source of healing, justice, and love. We will explore how communities rise after hardship, how hope can emerge even in the face of despair, how healing can arrive amidst grief, and how each of us is continually invited into new beginnings.
We will also honor new members and celebrate Intern Minister Eli Poore’s last Sunday this church year at UUGP.
