Parker Palmer reminds us that “we all have an inner teacher whose guidance is more reliable than anything we can get from a doctrine, ideology, collective belief system, institution, or leader.”  Yet so often we find it hard to listen to that inner teacher, to hear the wisdom inside, to become aware of the being … Continue reading Listening Within

Online Only Valerie Kaur writes: “ Wonder is where love begins.  The failure to wonder is the beginning of violence. [..] What if first contact in the Americas had been marked not by violence but by wonder?  [..]  Who we wonder about determines whose stories we hear and whose joy and pain we share.  Those … Continue reading Love Renewed by Wonder

Online Only As we re-gather, still online, still distanced physically, let us celebrate the flowing back together of the life of our community.  May we find renewal in honoring our long standing traditions including our water communion ritual while we open ourselves to the changes made necessary by the pandemic.  Join us for stories of … Continue reading Our Life Flows On – A Water Communion Service

Online Only As our Song of Welcome (“Gather the Spirit”) will have us sing: “Gather in hope, compassion and strength. Gather to celebrate once again.” Yes, we will celebrate the conclusion of a most irregular “regular” church year. We will sing the praises of this year’s volunteer award recipients. We will honor a range of … Continue reading Flower Communion Sunday: Gather to Celebrate Once Again

Online Only “Come, Sing a Song with Me” will be our “Song of Welcome” as we celebrate the power of music in softening and strengthening our hearts to the many new songs we are called to sing right now.  The choir will unveil renditions of their long-standing favorites “Order My Steps” and “Hallelujah” and present … Continue reading Music Sunday:  When I Have A Brand New Song to Sing

Online Only There are certain books, poems, pieces of music or art that have a timeless quality, a quality we like to lean on again and again for nourishment, courage, and care of the heart.  Pema Chödrön’s book “When Things Fall Apart” has played that role for many.  The service will highlight a number of … Continue reading When Things Fall Apart: The Power of Sacred Texts

Online Only When a crisis hits, we focus on the essentials, for ourselves and for our communities.  Yet what are those essentials?  Physical survival matters.  And, as Seven of Nine famously proclaims in the 1999 episode of Star Trek: Voyager: “Survival is insufficient.”  How do we spend our time, pandemic and all, to keep our … Continue reading Survival is Insufficient

Online Only Is your soul in need of saving?  Do you feel like flashing signals of distress from the hull of your home that threatens to drown (you)?  Are you ready for some Spontaneous Outbursts of Smiles or Silliness or Surrender?  Good, because that’s what I need right now, so that’s what you’ll get this … Continue reading SOS – Spontaneous Outbursts of Smiles/Silliness/Surrender