Reflections by Leah Thibodeau and Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
Our annual celebration of Water Mingling is going to feel different this year. “Coming together” is hard when we’re apart, but the metaphor of the water-carrier who brings the water from the well, and the broken pot that leaks it into the world, is still as true in this pandemic reality as it was in years’ past.
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
Henry Bergh, the founder of the ASPCA and fellow Unitarian, was born 207 years ago this week! Come celebrate his legacy with our Animal Blessing service. After our short all-ages service, we’ll have a time of virtual blessing for your animals. Two local UU congregations: Fond du Lac and Stevens Point will also be joining us today!
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
Each week when it’s time to open the Wonder Box, we remind everyone that wondering is an important skill for being a Unitarian Universalist. We have questions, doubts, and things we don’t know, and those can be gifts rather than burdens. Come, wonder together! Questions can be submitted this morning and Rev. Christina will do her best to answer them “on the fly.”
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
As we exist in the present moment, with such volatile change all around, it feels bizarre to look at the past (when we could touch each other and be in crowds!) and we wonder what the future holds. Now is a time to take stock of what we carry with us– the things that serve us and that hold us back. Let’s do that together!
Reflection and Breath Practice by Cindy Darling
Reflection and Breath Practice by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
As we continue to focus on our theme of “Finding Our Way,” we are aware of the need to return to the spiritual and centering practice of our breath. Join us for an exploration of the power of breath, and the need for all people to breathe freely, as we find our way forward.
Bridging introduction by Kim Hartman, director of Religious Education
Reflection by Ben Thiel, read by Kim Hartman
Reflection by Lillie Chudacoff
Reading from Flower Communion 1969 by William Rice
Sermon by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
This Sunday is one of the most cherished UU celebrations of the year: Flower Ceremony! We won’t be able to physically share our flowers, but please bring a flower to share virtually, and have some water handy for a ritual we’ll be doing together. We’ll honor the growth, healing, and wholeness of this community over the past year, as well as celebrating our bridging youth who are crossing the metaphorical bridge into young adulthood.
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
Reading from from That Discomfort You’re Feeling is Grief by Scott Berinato
The worship staff at the Fellowship decided that this summer, in light of the current pandemic and safer at home orders, we will have a theme to guide us through the summer. This Sunday we’ll kick off the theme, “Finding a Way” by exploring what it means to find our way when the path seems so uncertain.
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
UU the Vote is a nationwide effort to encourage Unitarian Universalist congregations to engage in the democratic process in a nonpartisan way. Our Justice Action Ministry (JAM) faciliators have named UU the vote as one of our two focus areas for the coming year. As we continue our work of healing and wholeness, how might our 5th principle contribute to healing ourselves and the world?
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
Reflection by Keira Jett
As we focus on our theme of “Healing Communities and the World,” we consider what it means to create justice. Our Justice Action Ministry (JAM) facilitators chose two over-arching themes for all JAMs to work on in the coming year. One of them is dismantling white supremacy culture. Join us to learn more about why this is such an important focus, across all justice efforts, even (especially!) during a pandemic.
by Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy
We are continuing our season of “Healing Religiously” this Sunday with one of two sermons on Reclaiming Faith– These sermons are based on UU minister Daniel Kanter’s book Faith for the Unbeliever. Rev. Christina is preaching this service on two of the four parts of the book: Belief & Trust. Rev. Jim Coakley preached the other half on April 19.
