June 20
“Building Back Better…Treating Strangers with Greater Care” with Ginny Sassaman, M.S., C.I.P.P.
Ginny Sassaman left the D.C. fast track in 2001 with her husband Bob and moved to Vermont. In 2006, Ginny returned to school, earning a Master’s in Mediation and Applied Conflict Studies at Woodbury College in Vermont. Since then, she created the position of staff mediator for Home Share Now, co-founded Gross National Happiness USA and created The Happiness Paradigm Store and Experience in Maple Corner. Today she works as a mediation coach, artist, workshop facilitator and writer/advocate for happiness at Happinessparadigm.wordpress.com. She also logs many happy hours as a grandmother. Ginny is a member of the Montpelier, VT Unitarian Church.
June 27
“Two Selves – Which One Is Guiding You?” with Dian Parker
Dian Parker’s essays, short stories and articles have been published in numerous literary journals, magazines, and newspapers and have been nominated for several Pushcart Prizes. An avid gardener and oil painter, she has also traveled extensively, living in the Middle East, including Syria, before its heartbreaking devastation. Dian ran White River Gallery, curating twenty exhibits, before the pandemic forced her to close. She now lives in the hills of Vermont surrounded by forests and wildlife, learning through surrender, love and long hours of stillness that everything is interconnected. Welcome to our congregation, Dian!
July 4
Speaker and Topic TBD
July 11
“Seven Plus Seven” with the Rev. Liz Benjamin
The Rev. Liz Benjamin served as the Minister of Religious Education at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa for 15 years. She is an enthusiastic member of both the Washington UU Congregation and the Unitarian Church of Montpelier. She loves to sing, play the guitar, write music and kayak.
Rev. Benjamin will affirm the seven principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association…from the inherent worth and dignity of every person to respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part…and explore the seven human qualities which enrich our individual and interactive lives.”
July 18
“A New Normal” with Kate Plummer
Kate’s reflection will be related to finding a new pace and rhythm of life in the wake of our shared experience of the pandemic and her own personal experience of breast cancer.
Kate Plummer is a member of the Unitarian Church of Montpelier, and is grateful to have found her spiritual home in Unitarian Universalism. She completed a chaplaincy internship at UVM Medical Center in 2018-19, and has been seeking to renew her work as a nurse-midwife by integrating the principles of chaplaincy and Unitarian Universalism into her clinical practice. She last spoke at Washington UU in the summer of 2018, and is glad to be returning this year.
July 25
“May This Be The Last Time?” with Verdis L. Robinson, Ministerial Intern at UCM
Verdis currently serves as interim minister at the Unitarian Church in Montpelier. He is the Lenora Montgomery Scholar of Excellence at Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, where he is an Aspirant for the Unitarian Universalist Ministry and a candidate for the Masters of Divinity. Verdi’s holds a BM in Voice Performance from Boston University, a BS Cum Laude and an MA in History from SUNY University in Buffalo. We are excited to welcome Verdis to our congregation!
Verdis will explore the argument that there is an inspirational connection between early Christian martyrdom and the freedom fighters of the Civil Rights Movement. A question now lies before many: “For what cause could and would we lay down our lives in this time and in this place?” This service will offer a reflection on these sentiments and inspirations.
August 1
“Yes! Universalism ~An Antidote for Today’s Anxieties” with the Rev. Mellen Kennedy
Rev. Dr. Mellen Kennedy is a Unitarian Universalist minister and also a Sufi minister (Cheraga). For 11 years she served as consulting minister to the Washington UU Congregation and now serves as minister for the Springfield UU Meetinghouse in Vermont. Mellen is also chair of the board of The Inayatiyya: A Sufi Path of Spiritual Liberty. She is founder of Interfaith Bridge, an organization dedicated to cultivating friendship and understanding across faiths, particularly among Muslims and non-Muslims. She is also co-founder of the UU Small Group Ministry Network, and teaches the art of sacred storytelling and extemporaneous speaking. Mellen is a keynote speaker at the Universalist Convocation in Atlanta, GA on August 7, and this sermon will be a preview of her presentation at the Convo.
As we look around we see so much confusion, factionalism and contention. And yet the message of Universalism is one of unity and harmony. “God is Love: Love IS God.” In this sermon, we will turn to our Universalist heritage for solace, strength, insight and challenge for living into a positive, harmonious, sustainable, loving future! You are welcome to stay afterwards for a “Friends on the Path” style discussion, facilitated by Rev. Mellen.
August 8
“Religion: Missing in Climate Action?” with Harris Webster
Past member and long-time friend of Washington UU, Harris Webster, returns to our pulpit. Harris and his late wife Ellie were active members for many years. Harris taught secondary Social Studies for 40 years and believed universal religious truths should play an important part in society as well as in personal development and relationships. Welcome back, Harris!
August 15
“Living The Values We Profess” with Deb Robinson
Deb is well known as a past member of the Washington UU Congregation. She is a former Methodist minister who is currently a member of the Unitarian Church of Montpelier, where she has served in many roles, including as Chair of the Church Board. Before retiring, Deb served as the Finance Officer for the State Colleges of Vermont and now devotes much of her time to her family. We are delighted to welcome Deb back to the pulpit!
Deb will reflect on issues raised during the pandemic, in particular the racial reckoning that began with the death of George Floyd last year. She notes that our country has struggled with racism since its founding and that the rise of white supremacy during the past year has made this issue front and center for her. She was particularly rouched by the Black police officers who bravely defended the Capitol and saved our democracy on January 6th, 2021 while enduring racial epithets from the mob who tried to destroy that democracy.
August 22
“Acceptance as the Foundation of Positive Action” with Ginny Sassaman, M.S., C.I.P.P.
We welcome a return visit from Ginny Sassaman. As stated by Peter McWilliams, “Acceptance is not a state of passivity or inaction. We are not saying you can’t change the world, right wrongs, or replace evil with good. Acceptance is, in fact, the first step to successful action. If you don’t fully accept a situation precisely the way it is, you will have difficulty changing it.”
August 29
“Universalism’s Radical Start and Relevance Today” with Stephen L. Finner
Stephen Finner is a long-time member and choral director of the Washington Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Now living in Maryland, we welcome him back to the WUUC to discuss Universalism and the early religious radicals of the 19th century, pondering who were these people and what is the relevance of their message for our Universalist Church today.
