2.2.14, The Pain and the Glory, Rev. Kent Matthies

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 spiritual community we have a beautiful opportunity to share and learn with each other about the pain, the glory and everything in between.

 

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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 of our lives?

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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 have massive capacities for forgiveness, courage and goodness.

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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 the UU Congregation of York) where her mother is still an active member. After five years of
working in religious education and tending bar on the side, she earned a Masters of Divinity in 1992 and was ordained the same year. Since then she has served congregations in Rockport, MA, Warrington, PA, and Langhorne, PA.  She also spent five years as Chaplain at UU House, a small retirement and nursing home in Germantown.

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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 Saints Go Marchin’ In.” The spiritual theme of the month is Beginnings. How can we mindfully let go of the old and begin with the new?

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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 might add purpose to our vision in 2014. Let’s start as we wish to continue, join us as we celebrate setting our intention for the journey ahead.

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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.

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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???

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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 – and it’s been a long time since we’ve done it. Come and jump-start you holidays.

For it’s annual holiday music service, the USG Choir presents the Christmas portion of George Frederik Handel’s masterpiece Messiah.  Filled with virtuoso writing for the soloists and the choir, Messiah is a timeless holiday classic.

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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 never been a place where people didn’t do some bad to one another. What does it say about our nature and potential to nurture?

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