Worship Schedule:

Oct. 1:     “Turning and Returning ”                                                                Rev. Thomas Disrud

What does it mean to find wholeness in these times? The High Holy Days of the Jewish tradition offer an invitation: to turn our lives in a new direction and in doing so, to return to our center.

Oct. 8:     “Asking for Trouble”                                                           Leela Sinha, Assistant Minister

It is counterintuitive to seek sorrow, to court grief, to walk with fear...or is it?  Would we ever cradle life's pain on purpose?

Oct. 15:    “The Pursuit of Perfection”                                                           Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell

When is the pursuit of perfection about excellence, a laudatory goal, and when is it about less than healthful motives?  And who was it who said you had to be perfect, anyway?

Oct. 22:    “The Spirit of Guatemala”                                                             Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell

On this Sunday Marilyn Sewell, our Senior Minister, and three congregants who were part of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s human rights delegation from our church to Guatemala this summer will speak of the spiritual transformation they experienced by committing themselves to this sometimes difficult, but ultimately rewarding, journey.  (Note: as a follow-up, the group will present a “Guatemala evening” on Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. in Fuller Hall—see article on page 2.)

Oct. 29:    “The Falling in of Our Spirits into Communion”                                 Rev. Thomas Disrud

Those lovely words come from Puritan Richard Mather in 1644 and they speak of the task of religious community as we join together in covenant.

Letter From Marilyn Sewell

I have recently published a 28-page mono-graph entitled Unitarian Universalist Culture: The Present and the Promise, in which I suggest that the “shadow sides” of our strengths as a religious movement keep Unitarian Universalists from growing in numbers and from being a strong, clear voice in the public discourse. For this month’s column, I’d like to share an excerpt from that monograph:

Come Experience Guatemala

On Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 6:30 p.m., in Fuller Hall, human rights delegates to Guatemala from First Church will present a “Guatemala evening” so that other congregants and friends can experience for themselves some of the flavor of that trip.

From The Board

Rev. Peter Steinke, a nationally known author and consultant on church issues, recognizes the relational nature of church communities when he describes congregations as emotional systems. At the UU University that I recently attended, Rev. Steinke built on this insight by applying family systems theory to talk about how churches understand and respond to change. Change can be exhilarating—it allows us to further our mission, become more connected as a community, and deepen spiritually. Read more...

UUSC In Guatemala

UUSC Founders Honored—Marilyn Sewell Travels to D.C. to Attend Ceremony

Senator Jack Reed from Rhode Island recently called Unitarian Uni-versalist Service Committee (UUSC) President Charlie Clements to announce that the U.S. Senate had passed a resolution paying tribute to UUSC founders Waitstill and Martha Sharp on their recognition by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Israel. Read more...

From the Learning Community

The environment of place is one of the more important aspects of beginning a church year. Despite our aging building, we have taken great pride in greeting friends of old and new to our building with help from our excellent associates on the Religious Education Committee; helping families find new classrooms in our labyrinthine building; and ensuring young people’s safety by having the correct paperwork filled out with contact information. Read more...

Kindergarten Halloween Potluck

Sunday, Oct. 29, 4:30 p.m.

It is grand fun to dress up in costume and pretend you are someone or something else! Our kindergarteners and their families are invited to a Halloween Potluck and Costume Party. Everyone is encouraged to wear a costume … teachers, parents … everyone. We’ll have a grand parade. Bring your favorite dish to share.Read more...

Child Dedication, Oct. 15

Our families have the opportunity to dedicate their children—infants, toddler, or older—to the life of this community and to the spirit of Unitarian Universalism. Read more...

OWL Parent Orientation

As we enter into another cycle of presenting the curriculum entitled Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Grades 7–9, we invite parents, guardians and other concerned adults to learn more about what we will offer to your youth this year. Read more...

Parent Meetings

Parents of youth are invited to meet with their religious education teachers this month. Read more...

Parents of Teens Support

Parents looking for support, laughter and some tears meet monthly to discuss their adolescents in an intimate setting. Read more...

U.S. Senator Gordon Smith to Speak Here

Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m., Main Street Sanctuary.

Senator Smith will discuss the experience that led him to write Remembering Garrett, One Family’s Battle with a Child’s Depression.

 Read more...