Taking Back Our Lives!
Sunday Services at 10 AM
Potluck Lunch Following the Service
“Friends on the Path Small Group” after lunch most Sundays
June 18 “Taking Back Our Lives” with Rev. M’ellen Kennedy.
The poet Mary Oliver asks “What is it You plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” This service is about reclaiming our lives in whatever ways we each might feel that our own autonomy, direction, integrity, purpose has been limited if not usurped by the unhealthy world in which we live. This could be in terms of our health, nutrition, media, diet, exercise, mediation, smart phone use, spiritual grounding, community building, or…? You’re invited to continue the conversation in a Friends on the Path Group discussion facilitated by Rev. M’ellen after our potluck lunch.
June 25 “Countering Islamophobia” with Rev. M’ellen Kennedy
This week marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting. This is a great opportunity for us to learn more about Islam and to counter the hostile image of Muslims being portrayed in the media. Rev. M’ellen is a Sufi minister (the mystical tradition of Islam) as well as a UU minister and for seven years has been part of the national grassroots efforts to stand with American Muslims and stand for democracy. Let’s take back our lives from fear and cultivate friendship and understanding with Muslims.
July 2 “Jesus and the Debate about Peace” with Rev. Richard Trudeau
This debate continues today. We’ll explore the “pax romana vs. kingdom of God.” Rev.” Trudeau’s approach to Jesus is a humanist one, and at the same time, respectful of more traditional religious views. Rev. Richard Trudeau Trudeau is a longtime Universalists, and author of “Universalism 1001.” He has been a very popular guest in the pulpit in recent summers. He was for 17 years the minister of the UU Church of Weymouth, Mass. and for 35 years a teacher of math and the history of astronomy at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass. His latest book is Bible Stories for Skeptics. He is married to Susan O’Connor, who is the interim general manager of BNN, Boston’s local-access cable-TV channel.
July 9 “Reflections on Grieving” with Steve Finner
July 16 “Civil Disobedience: Thoreau for Today” with Rev. M’ellen Kennedy
Henry David Thoreau is the author of an essay, Civil Disobedience, which has much to say to our current social and political environment. The 200th anniversary of Thoreau’s birth is July 12. We’ll continue a celebration of Thoreau by looking at the relevance of civil disobedience in our contemporary world. We hope You’ll join us as we explore taking back our lives from tyranny and injustice.
July 23 “To Live Deliberately: Celebrating Thoreau” with Rev. M’ellen Kennedy
July 12th marks the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Henry David Thoreau, author of that great work, “Walden or Life in the Woods.” “I went to the woods to live deliberately” is a quote from “Walden,” Thoreau is imploring us to wake up! Let’s draw inspiration form Thoreau and look together at to how we can have the courage to live with purpose and power. Friends on the Path Small Group discussion facilitated by Rev. M’ellen will follow the coffee hour. All welcome.
July 30 “Sacred Place, Sacred Spaces” with Rev. Liz Benjamin
One way we can nurture our hearts and souls, and turn the world around, is by finding, building, and caring for sacred spaces in our lives, both literally and figuratively. Let us help each other to find meaning in the vastness and mystery that surround us.
Biography: The Rev. Liz Benjamin served as the Minister of Religious Education at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa for 15 years. She nurtures her spirit through singing and dancing with children and adults, writing poetry and music, and absorbing Vermont’s beauty and caring culture.
August 6 “Surrender” with Rev. M’ellen Kennedy and Steve Finner
After Rev. M’ellen was preaching on Islam recently in another state, a young man approached her and said “You must be a friend of Dr. Bob”, meaning a member of the 12-step movement. In this service M’ellen and Steve will explore the foundational challenge of surrender for use modern westerners and the intriguing spiritual parallels between Islam and the 12 steps. Join us for what promises to be a fun collaboration.
August 13 with Rev. Joan Javier-Duval Topic to be Announced
Rev. Joan Javier-Duval has served as Minister of the Unitarian Church of Montpelier since August of 2015. Rev. Joan believes in the power of Unitarian Universalism to connect us deeply to one another and to the interdependent web of existence. She was born and raised in Chicago, IL, the daughter of immigrants from the Philippines. Rev. Joan lives with her husband and son in Montpelier. Together, they enjoy hiking the area’s beautiful trails, eating delicious local food, and finding adventures in day to day life.
August 20 with Rev. Deb Robinson
“The Crucial Work of Healing in a Time of Upheaval and Change”
August 27 “Summer Savorings” with Rev. M’ellen Kennedy
In this our final service of the season, we’ll reflect back on what we’ve gleaned in our time together about taking back our lives and restoring love, harmony, balance, health and justice.
