Twenty years after the groundbreaking Unitarian Universalist book “Worship That Works” first shaped  understanding of Unitarian Universalist liturgy, Seminarian, LaVonne Limpus, revisits its core principles with insights of  evolving community needs. She will reflect on how the book’s call for authenticity, intentionality, and spiritual depth still resonates, but now, how we can challenge our congregations to move beyond inherited forms and into co-created ritual that honors pluralism, ecological urgency, and embodied presence. Drawing from her chaplaincy work and professional speaking, she invites worship leaders to see liturgy not as performance, but as communal transformation, where silence, story, and symbol are tools for resilience in a time when UU Values are needed more than ever. 

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.