Reflection by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
Sermon by Rev. Laura Randall
This Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday, we will hear from Rev. Laura Randall of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee. You might recall that our 2019 recipient of the Greater Good fund was the UUSC’s immigration justice program. Let’s hear how the face of justice work continues to change, while also staying the same.
Angels make many appearances in the Christmas story– what might they mean for us today, and what might they be telling us?
Story Part I – The Angel Gabriel Comes to Mary
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
Reflection: Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
Song: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (verse 1)
Story Part II – The Angels Appear to Shepherds
Gospel: Luke 2:8-20
Reflection: Ali Peters
Poem: You Have to Know Your Body as the Home of God by Rebecca Parker
Song: #237 The First Nowell (verses 1 & 2)
Story Part III – The Flight to Safety
Gospel: Matthew 2:13-14, 2:19-21
Reflection: Rev. Jim Coakley
Poem: The Work of Christmas by Howard Thurman
Song: #231 Angels We Have Heard on High (verses 1 & 3)
Reflections by Ali Peters, intern minister, and Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
The celebration of the winter solstice– the darkness and return of the light– is a time-honored tradition here at the Fellowship and it will continue this year. We’ll hear the sweet story of Frederick the mouse and celebrate the winter together.
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
“Each night a child is born is a holy night,” wrote UU Sophia Lyon Fahs. Join us as we enter the holiday season honoring the children among us with a special ceremony of dedication. We will also hear stories of holiness– in all the ways that word means ordinary hardship and frustration and beauty– in the families of our community.
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
Thanksgiving has passed and we have hopefully each given thanks for whatever is good in our lives. Now, as we turn to the winter holidays with all the expectations of shopping, giving, and receiving, we wonder how we might find joy in presence (not presents). We are in our worship season of Cultivating Sufficiency; join us for this interactive service featuring the adorable story, “The Gift of Nothing.
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
How is it that we come to know what we need? How does the world make this task harder for each of us– by convincing us we don’t need anything, or we need what we want, or by denying us the basic needs that make survival and thriving possible. Being clear about our needs, especially in times of hardship and as we enter times of excess (holidays, anyone?), can be life-giving and help us grow our resilience.
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
This Sunday follows a big national election where voters will have decided who their leaders will be, locally and on the state and federal level. We anticipate big feelings, no matter the outcome and whether or not we know the results by Sunday. The spirit of resilience, especially in anxious times, calls us to greater presence. On this Sunday we will focus on what it means to embrace each other by listening deeply.
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
Each week when we met in the sanctuary, our closing words ended with the phrase, “knowing that we wait to embrace you upon your return.” We’ve tweaked those words just a bit during this pandemic (“we embrace each other, even now, from a distance”), but we are still waiting for the moment when we’ll be able to embrace again. What does it mean to embrace from a distance? How can we hold each other, and hold space for each other, in a time of such heightened anxiety in our nation?
Reflection by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
As Halloween approaches, we remember those who came before us in life and have passed on to whatever happens after death. This will be an interactive service geared toward people of all ages. Many cultures have ways to honor their ancestors– what might our ancestors hope for us? How might our ancestors– be they family or spiritual ones– guide us on our journey?
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
This year we are “digging in” to an exploration of resilience—what it means to grow ourselves and our community to be sources of life, even when things get tough. Join us as we launch our annual theme, “Growing Resilience,” and continue to explore new ways of being together even as we need to be physically apart.
