Dorothy Swain

Looking Back and Looking Forward

At the turning of the year, many of us take stock of our lives: what we remember from days flown by, and what we want to find around the next corner. This participatory New Year’s Eve service will take us through a collaborative process of sharing our thoughts, dreams, and goals for UUGP. Where have we been, and where do we want to go, as we live the daily joys and challenges of our seven principles?  Onward to 2024!

Picturing Climate Justice

It can be easier to imagine the world’s end than to imagine life without fossil fuels. What might 2050 look like if our wildest dreams of climate justice are fulfilled? Join us in a collaborative rich picture visioning process based on a recent UUA webinar. We can imagine collapse – can we imagine renewal – what might we imagine together?

Feeding Your Inner Tortoise (in person)

In a world addicted to speed, slowness is a superpower. So say proponents of the Slow Movement, a cultural response to the mindset that faster is always better. Embracing slow food, slow cities, slow art, slow money, slow church, and much more, the Slow Movement has something to teach us about living well while treading lightly on the planet.

I am Large, I Contain Multitudes

Dorothy will share her thoughts on Walt Whitman, both the poet and the man. Whitman’s unique legacy of thought and language, combined with his democratic outlook and acts of service to others, holds special meaning for those of us trying to hold onto mystery, hope, generosity and inclusiveness in these modern times.
Today’s outreach gifts aid the Maslow Project.
Children’s RE Today

Blessed Thorn

Fulfilling the derivation of his name, Benedict Spinoza was a 17th century thorn in the side of the religious heritage he rejected, and blessed thereafter by those who cherish intellectual freedom. Dorothy will reflect on his legacy.
Outreach gifts will aid the Josephine County Library

The Evolution of Scientific Thought

Science is attacked by some for being dry, soulless and reductionistic. It is heralded by others as being the only method of uncovering objective truth. Still others see science as one of many stories we tell ourselves about the world, no better or worse than any other story. We’ll explore the evolution of scientific thought. Perhaps the journey will take us somewhere unexpected.