1.6.19, Possibilities of the New Year! New Orleans Jazz Funeral with Rev. Kent Matthies and the Barbone Street Jazz Band

Dance on down with the band and the entire community! This is a day of saying goodbye to the Old Year with a Dixie Land Jazz Band you won’t forget. This is also the day to embrace the possibilities for the New Year. Is avoiding rejection and staying stay keeping you from what’s possible? Can you lean into possibility more by remembering who taught you the most about living?

12.23.18, Oh, Blessed Light! Rev. Kent Matthies

Oh, Blessed Light! Rev. Kent Matthies

Winter Solstice marks turning from dark towards light.  The wheel of fire will roll through the parking lot tonight – not hitting any cars!  St. Lucia Day celebrates the emergence of light and hope amidst the fear of dark and despair.  The shining of this light comes out of the most difficult of circumstances. We proclaim the glorious truth of this incandescent, inextinguishable light, which shines from within, and around and upon all of us.

Jess Stanforth will share some traditions of St. Lucia’s Day in her family, and we will have a special processional of the children enacting some of these traditions.

12.16.18, Fact or Fiction: The Power of the Mystic, Rev. Dr. Om Prakash Gilmore

Before most western religions mystery religions existed.  They taught the secrets that pertained to how one might live and prosper in the world as well as myths and stories that passed on the deeper understandings of the mind, body, spirit, nature connection.  During this service we will explore the nature of Mystery religions and how they tie every faith tradition and philosophy together into a deeper understanding of the self and the universe.

Rev. Dr. Om Prakash Gilmore was ordained as a UU Minister at USG May of 1995. He has served several years in congregations and other UU Affinity groups.  He received a M. Div. in Creation Spirituality in 2001 and since then he has been working in order to combine social justice with health and wellness. At present he is a Spiritual Life Coach and Licensed Massage therapist as well as a talk show host at Blog Talk Radio and a Qigong teacher.

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12.9.18, Holiday Music service: Brother Heinrich’s Christmas, a musical fable by John Rutter

How do you write a new Christmas carol (well, new in the 14th or 15th century)? Sometimes assistance comes from where you might least expect it – like the donkey lying over in the corner of the stable. Maybe assistance comes from visions caused by consuming too many holiday beverages. You just never know where help may come from – it’s a mystery! It’s been quite a while since the choir has presented this charming holiday piece and this is one that will appeal to children of all ages.

With Ashley Izard, as the narrator, the USG Choir and Music Director, Mark Daugherty

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12.2.18, In the Dark, Rev. Kent Matthies

The shortest days and the longest nights. We are on our way to the season of light — but be careful not to hurry. Disappointments, melancholy and heartbreaks are integral to life’s fabric, and we can learn to embrace them. There can be a mystery and magic to walking in the dark.

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11.25.18, Oh, We Give Thanks , Tom Ott

For atheists, agnostics and theists, saying “thank you” for the blessings in your life is a great practice. We come together on the Sunday after the American Seder, Thanksgiving, to engage in the sacred act of saying “thanks.” Out of our gratitude comes a strong desire to be generous and give back to life.

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11.18.18, Building Beloved Community, Rev. Kent Matthies, DSD Ryan Hurd, and Gerry Whelan

Building Beloved Community” is part of the mission of USG.  Most of us know from personal experiences in our lives that this is easier said than done. On this Community Day, we will explore building beloved community in this intergenerational service.

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11.11.18, Seed Time and Harvest, Rev. Dr. David Parke

Rev. David Parke served as Minister at the Unitarian Society of Germantown from 1965 to 1971. David returned to our pulpit for the USG 150th Anniversary to great acclaim. Having recently celebrated his 90th birthday, David will reflect on what he has learned.

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