Sept. 7: Mark Bernstein. Toward Unbecoming. The spiritual journey that we take as Unitarian Universalists can lead us to a better understanding of who we are. More importantly, it may help us to see with greater clarity who we are not.

            Children in the sanctuary for the first part of the service.

Sept. 14: Rev. Douglas McCusker. A New Planetary Consciousness. Our ancient ancestors saw the Earth as a living, conscious organism filled with spirits that sometimes worked together and at other times battled. But then humanity domesticated the spirits, and the planet became a dead carcass where we could extract whatever we chose, separating us from each other and from the Web of Life. If we are to find our way out, we must reunite with the Infinite Spirit of Life that never went away.

Sept. 21: Rev. Beth Marshall. WWMWD What Would Mark Watney Do? As much of our world has become more isolated, how many of us have found ourselves feeling a bit stranded, overwhelmed, or even held together with a bit of duct tape? This morning’s service is a story of how in the best of all possible worlds we cling to two truths: there are unexpected resources available for us to draw upon, and we are all part of one another’s mission.

            Potluck Lunch.      UUCH Book Table.

Sept. 28: Rev. Dr. Paul Britner Awe: The Foundation of Faith. All faith begins with an awareness, as UU theologian James Luther Adams put it, that we are subject to forces that we did not create and cannot control.

Oct. 5: Rev. Dr. Susan V. Rak. An Amazing Grace. These complex times ask much of us – patience, forbearance, courage, compassion and forgiveness. And a valuable resource to help us navigate these choppy waters sounds rather simple — an amazing grace.

            Children in the sanctuary for the first part of the service.

Oct. 12: Rev. Don Stevenson. The Absence of God. As world violence, human degradation, and inequality proliferates, our souls seethe with both anger and compassion. Rage and grief fall deeper into every muscle and bone of our bodies as these dark days keep appearing. Admittedly, many of faith ask human history’s prevailing question: “Where is God?”

Oct. 19: Rev. Dr. Paul Britner Primal Religions. As we approach Halloween, this message shows how our UU faith— and most others—borrowed and adapted from native and pagan traditions.

            Potluck Lunch. UUCH Book Table.

Oct. 26: Irene Glasse. Disenchantment, Re-enchantment. In the ancient world, holiness was found in nature. Sacred groves, waterfalls, stones, and more informed the landscape as well as everyday life. The conversion to Christianity forced holiness out of natural spaces and into churches and cathedrals. Now, as the full cost of the Anthropocene becomes clear, a new perspective is needed. Explore approaches for reframing how you think about the natural world, what holiness and sacrality mean, and how we can re-enchant ourselves in order to help heal the world.