Who are the difficult people in your life? Dealing with them is one of those darn opportunities for spiritual growth. About our speaker: Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube has been a parish minister for 35 years. He has served congregations in Washington State, North Carolina and, most recently, was Lead Minister of the First Unitarian Universalist … Continue reading Dealing with Difficult People
Among Unitarian Universalists, some words and ideas are the source of theological disagreement: for example, God, and prayer, and the holy. In this service we’ll see whether we can get beyond the disagreements and find a way to think about the holy that atheists, theists, humanists, and mystics can all find meaningful. Service Associate: Tyler Mitchell
The pandemic is slowly getting better, and as it recedes, we might begin to think about the stories that have come out of it. Psychologists at the Grief Recovery Institute talk about four aspects of endings that we should consider: appreciations, resentments, regrets, and learnings. In this service, created jointly by all five UU congregations … Continue reading Stories of the Pandemic
Description: I will discuss the struggles and triumphs women went through, like myself, especially during the last thirty years of the 1900s, in order to enter ministerial leadership as men had done since the beginnings of our movement. Today, there are more UU self-identified female ministers than men.
To create new realities with intention, we must first imagine them. Imagination lets us envision the problems we will face and the solutions we’ll enact on our way to a better world. Even when a goal is politically infeasible at the moment, imagination helps us keep the goal in mind and grasp opportunities when the … Continue reading Imagining New Futures
Description: December is often seen both as a time of hectic activity and as a time of stillness and anticipation. Through music, words, and silence, we will turn away from the hectic, and instead consider the many forms of stillness – and how it can bring calmness, a focused presence, and even energy.
Twenty years ago, when I started working with refugees, I believed in the saying “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day—teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime”. I’ve come to understand that the problem is not a need for fishing lessons, but an unequal distribution of fishing rods. By … Continue reading Half as Wise and Twice as Effective
When we call someone a survivor, are we complimenting them, giving them credit? Do you believe that prayer, good thoughts, rage, or meditation can change the outcome of an illness? What does a healing touch accomplish? I promise no answers. Pierre Vaughn and Debbie Wingard have been members of Summit since 2004. Pierre is from Nebraska, … Continue reading Resilience or Dumb Luck?
Janus was the Roman god associated with doorways, transitions, beginnings and endings… As Summit begins a time of planning and self-reflection in preparation for searching for a called minister, we’ll look at some of the ways we might prepare for transitions. …read more
An apocalypse forces change…It raises up fault lines in the soul…It illuminates areas where growth may be needed in our relationships with ourselves and others…It exposes us to entirely new demands and can thrust us into new, often unforeseen realities. How will you and I meet and manage such challenges? There is no audio for … Continue reading Apocalyptic Revelations
