As we follow the news of upheaval that appears to be escalating daily, and as we interact with those whose lives will be affected by those events, how do we manage to hold what is breaking or broken?
Category: Sermons / Services
Sermons from guest speakers and congregational members.
Rev. Becky Suzik Courageous Love
Courageous Love, Following the Footsteps of MLK and Muhammad Ali
Inspired by the legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Muhammad Ali, we’ll explore how their dedication to peace, justice, and equality can offer us guidance through challenging times. Together, let us confront feelings of discouragement by committing to acts of kindness as a way to cultivate compassion in action.
Reverend Becky Suzik is an ordained Interfaith minister who frequents UU PEACE Fellowship’s
Rev. Patty Hanneman Healing our Religious Stories
Our yearning for wholeness carried many of us toward this spiritual community where we’ve found a home. But many have also felt betrayed by previous religious teachers or institutions that still leave their mark. This morning we explore the importance of letting go of religious stories that block our spiritual freedom.
John Pavlovitz What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do
No one wants things to fall apart, to see dreams die, to have the spit hit the fan, to get punched in the gut by bad news.
But we can’t plan for, predict, or protect ourselves from the times when grief visits and hopelessness comes and the way forward seems impossible to see.
Many of us are there now in the worst-case scenario. We don’t know what to do—so what should we do?
Judith Wood Celebration of Life October 5th 2024
Judith Wood passed away peacefully September 12 after battling multiple health issues. She was born in Campbell, Virginia, a daughter of Orville Wood and Mildred Nelson. She is survived by her husband of 22 years, David Ritter of Raleigh, NC. Preceded in death by her parents and sons Frank Wood and David Wood, Judith is survived by sisters Deborah Jones of Virginia, Connie Wood of Florida, and Gloria Clifford of Virginia, nieces and nephews, and cousin Paul Kepley of Greensboro, NC. She is also
Rev Colleen Clark Anchors and Touchstones
We all need spiritual anchors and touchstones to help us make it through difficult times, or even just a stressful day. What comforts and guides you? What holds you up? What helps ground you to yourself and to others?
John Pavlovitz Greener Grass and Astroturf
We human beings are prone to comparison sickness. We see ourselves in the harsh light of close proximity while viewing everyone else through the flattering light of distance. Since we know every detail of who we are and only selective parts of everyone else, we are bound to feel like we’re coming up short, to imagine we’re falling behind or not measuring up. And since we’re all doing that—maybe we’re all wrong. Maybe we’re better than we think.
John Pavlovitz The Epidemic of Hope
Rev Rebecca Suzik Love in this Moment
Steeped in the wisdom of multiple faiths including Judaism, Jainism, Christianity, Buddhism, and the African wisdom of Ubuntu. Together let us seek to find pathways towards inner peace, understanding and love.
Rev Rebecca Suzik Artificial Intelligence Doesn’t Care, YOU do!
Join UUPF and Rev. Becky Suzik and delve into the ever-becoming evolving relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. In an age where AI is rapidly transforming our world, it’s crucial to understand its impact on our daily lives and explore how we can harness its potential for the greater good.
John Pavlovitz The Pausing and the Pressing On
The Pausing and the Pressing On
“Should I stay or should I go now?” The Clash asked this question in 1981 and we’re still asking it today. As we move through each day we are surrounded by need, by pain, by things that break our hearts and call us to move. Though some things merit our urgency and should propel us into immediate action, we can’t be in perpetual motion. That is not sustainable. Sometimes the most pressing need we have is to stop and tend to our own bodies and souls. How do we care for people outside our windows while still honoring the person in the mirror?. When do we pause? When do we press on? Let’s figure it out together.Rev. Patty Hanneman What We Bring
The concept of pluralism celebrates that we are all sacred beings, diverse in culture, experience, and theology. This morning we’ll reflect on how ageism, with its pervasive stereotypes of each generation, hinders the potential found in our congregations.
Rev. Becky Suzik Word Weavers, World Dreamers
The words we use have a profound impact on shaping our reality: they not only reflect but also co-create the world around us, and influence our experience of it. Words can energize… words can deflate.
Join Interfaith Minister Becky Suzik at UU PEACE Fellowship to uncover how the words we use and the stories we tell ourselves shape perceptions, relationships, and collective experiences.
John Pavlovitz Caretakers of Beauty
Rev. Colleen Clark Hidden Sorrows: the Losses of Marginalized Grievers
Interfaith UU chaplain Rev. Colleen Clark explores the concept of “disenfranchised grief”- the kind of grief that is not openly acknowledged, socially validated or publicly mourned. These are hidden but significant sorrows, the losses of marginalized grievers.
Rev Becky Suzik Calming Joy Through Nature’s Diversity
Spring cleaning for your mind and spirit Rev. Becky Suzik considers the role nature plays in our daily lives. How might we find greater joy and meaning through the land we live upon and our personal awareness with nature, flora and fauna?
Reverend Rebecca Suzik The Art of the Sacred Yes and the Sacred No
In a world where deciding what to watch on Netflix often feels like choosing a life path, saying “Yes” to this service may lead you to reconsider the power you have through two simple sentences: Yes! No!
Interfaith and Interspiritual minister Becky Suzik will share stories, readings and insights into the sacred art of decision making, when—if done with intention—might help you live with greater meaning, purpose, and–dare we say—joy?!
Will you watch this… Yes or NO?
John Pavlovitz Love is a Four Letter Word
Love.
We use that word all the time:
We love our partners.
We love our kids.
We love the beach.
We love cheeseburgers.
We love
It’s easy to misuse love, to overuse it, to forget how powerful a word it is and just what it requires from us.
Let’s talk about love: about what it means, what it asks of us, and how we love hateful people.
Rev. Rebecca Suzik A Letter from Birmingham Jail Revisited
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” remains a timeless and influential document that continues to inspire us and our movement seeking justice, equality, and positive social transformation. Written in April of 1963, the 27-page letter’s relevancy today should be revisited and read anew in the ongoing strides for civil rights, human dignity, and a more just and inclusive society. Join Interfaith minister Reverend Becky Suzik this
Rev. Patty Hanneman Finding Love at the Center
Love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared Unitarian Universalist values. Yet often we forget to extend that love to ourselves. This morning we’ll reflect on what that might look like.