The spiritual theme of the month of February is Solitude. The great theologian Paul Tillich wrote, “Our language has wisely sensed the two sides of being alone. It has created the word “loneliness” to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word “solitude” to express the glory of being alone.” In our […]
Author Archives: usguu
1.26.14, What does beginning really mean?Rev. Kent Matthies
The Big Bang was the beginning of our universe. But what was the beginning of everything before that? We live at a time of mind-numbing scientific discoveries, like new unexplained forms of life at the bottom of the sea. How can we understand and appreciate these discoveries? Perhaps we can apply them to the living […]
1.19.14, Viva Mandela-Dr. King Sunday, Rev. Kent Matthies
On the Martin Luther King Sunday we commemorate on of the greatest leaders of the past century: Nelson Mandela! During and after the horrors of Apartheid Mandela taught South Africa how to begin again in love and justice. In doing so he taught the world that no matter how big or small our problems humans […]
1.12.14 Starting Again, Rev. Libby Smith
As the new year begins, we reflect together on the ways that we make new beginnings in our own lives. Do we make ‘resolutions” that allow us to become more fully ourselves, or that ask us to try to be someone else? The Rev. Libby Smith grew up in the Unitarian Society of York, PA (now […]
1.5.14 New Orleans Jazz Funeral, The Barbone Street Jazz Band
Come celebrate with the energy of this six-piece Dixieland jazz group. In the New Orleans tradition, we will have a wake for the Old Year, lay down our burdens and lift our possibilities for the New Year. The spirit will be alive with great music including “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” and “When the […]
12.29.13, Who am I, Where am I going? Daniel Gregoire
We are at a crossroads; on the cusp of a new year, which provides the perfect opportunity to ask a fundamental question. How we answer that question is a matter of life or death. Today we will see how our intention (that answer), or lack of intention showed up in 2013 and discern how we […]
12.22.13,Kwanzaa, Queen Nur, Rev. Kent Matthies, and Abayomi Awodesu
We will have a joyous time lighting candles, telling stories, and moving to the beats of African drumming. Queen Nur and Abayomi Awodesu, two superb storytellers will bring us on journeys not to be missed! We will celebrate the principles of Kwanzaa: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.
12.15.13 Reclaiming Your Birthright, Rev. Kent Matthies
One essential role for the religious community is to help us develop in our potential for compassion, service and empowerment. Innocence is the spiritual theme of the month. Perhaps, we can reclaim some of our childlike innocence and thus potential for doing good. But, HOW???
12.8.13 Messiah! Mark Daugherty and the USG Choir & Soloists
It’s time again for the annual Holiday music service. This year the choir will present the Christmas portion of George Frederik Handel’s masterpiece Messiah. Probably no other piece of classical music packs ’em in the way this piece does. Filled with virtuoso writing for the soloists and the choir, Messiah is a timeless holiday classic […]
12.1.13 Original Sin? – Rev. Kent Matthies
Innocence is the spiritual theme of the month. Yet we are coming off the Thanksgiving holiday, which has historic connections to Europeans driving and killing Native Americans off the land. Human babies seem to begin with something like a clean slate and pure goodness. However, most human communities have combinations of helping and hurting. There has […]