Join us for a ritual to release the past year and embrace the coming year with renewed energy. In the first part of the ceremony we will reflect upon the challenges, changes, lessons and joys during the past year, and experience a “letting go” of what was. The second part of the ceremony will focus on the Phoenix process of being reborn into a new life of opportunities, resolve and hope for the year to come. Children and teens are welcome to participate.
Worship Services: 2012
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Sun, 01/01/2012 - 10:30am
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Sun, 01/08/2012 - 10:30am
The aging process brings many gifts and many frustrations. When we are young, we often pay little attention to aging. As we enter mid-life and beyond, we are often forced to attend to changes in our bodies and our life circumstances. We will consider the benefits of aging and how to build our capacity to handle the inevitable losses.
Our families (parents/grandparents and kids) will participate in “Welcome the New Year” events during the service.
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Sun, 01/15/2012 - 10:30am
As we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. we will consider the power of his dream and vision. RVUUF member, Natalie Tyler, will share her powerful experiences with Martin Luther King, Jr. In her story and her lessons from this great person, we can learn how she has learned to integrate famous concepts of his like “We must face the forces of hate with the power of love” and “All people are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality.”
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Sun, 01/22/2012 - 10:30am
As we enter the Chinese “Year of the Dragon”, come learn to be empowered and confident to handle the challenging situations that you encounter. We all have “fire breathing” dragon within us and sometimes we get into “heated” conversations that feel too hot to handle. This service will include a demonstration of Compassionate Communication to show new ways to dance with dragons that enhance your connection and help you see the tender heart even within the fiercest beast. Let us explore how to express ourselves with strength and authenticity. Our children will do their Dragon Dance at the end of the service.
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Sun, 01/29/2012 - 10:30am
Very common and yet often misunderstood health conditions fall in the category of “mental disorders.” These are health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior associated with distress and/or impaired functioning. Deepening our understanding of total health allows us to bring more compassion to ourselves and others in our daily interactions and enables us to work for justice and equity in the arenas of health and well-being in our society.
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Sun, 02/05/2012 - 10:30am
The practice of compassion is named explicitly in our Unitarian Universalist principles and is implicit in all of our spiritual work. Compassion is at the center of most religious and spiritual practices. In this service, we will seek to understand compassion and find inspiration from varied traditions to make compassion real in our lives.
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Sun, 02/12/2012 - 10:30am
As we approach Valentine's Day, we'll consider love in its many forms. Our Fellowship is a place to experience and witness love. Part of our work as a religious community is to expand our capacity to love beyond our immediate family and friends. We learn to do that within our Fellowship and support each other in reaching ever further to embrace others with curiosity and compassion. This will be a multi-generational service.
Immediately after the service visit the "Make Your Own Valentine" tables in the front of the Great Hall where the RE Committee will provide all the materials (and some yummy treats) to make a special card for someone you love. You'll have fun and make that special Valentine happy, too!
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Sun, 02/19/2012 - 10:30am
Without knowing it, we Unitarian Universalists create and – if we're not mindful – perpetuate certain myths -- from “you can believe anything you want” to “we prize individualism.” In this service, guest minister Rev. Erika Hewitt counters some of these myths with (what UU leader Michael Durall calls) Helpful Heresies.
Our guest minister is the Rev. Erika Hewitt, who has just completed a ministry at the Live Oak Unitarian Universalist congregation in Southern California. She is an expert in Worship for All Ages and is author of the book, Story, Song and Spirit. She is on a trip through the Pacific Northwest, and we are lucky to have her with us this Sunday.
Special Offering: Dunn House
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Sun, 02/26/2012 - 10:30am
Reflecting on our historical roots, we will lift up the “parents” of Unitarianism and Universalism in the United States. William Ellery Channing defined Unitarianism in a famous sermon in the early 19th century as a group of liberal Congregationalists split from their more orthodox colleagues. Hosea Ballou clarified the Universalist theology in his writings and preaching. Both of them affirmed a benevolent, loving God in contrast to the prevailing perspectives of their day.
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Sun, 03/04/2012 - 10:30am
As economic concerns continue and political races bring strident warnings of our dire circumstances, it can be easy to succumb to a sense of despair and worry that there’s not “enough.” Let us consider the spiritual practice of gratitude which is simple but not easy. Even with no change in circumstances, we can generate a sense of abundance and appreciation.
Monthly Collection for the Ashland Emergency Food Bank
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Sun, 03/11/2012 - 10:30am
Great sages from many different spiritual traditions teach us that within our bodies, at the heart of our own ordinary lives, lies a radiant Secret: the presence of unlimited wisdom, joy, contentment, and grace. How can we cultivate a relationship with our own inner radiance? How can we tap into the meaning and power contained within this very body, this very life?
Our guest minister is the Reverend Karen Harris, who returns again this year. Since receiving her Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School in 2004, Karen has divided her time between living and traveling in India, Nepal, Tibet and Sri Lanka, lecturing in the Religious Studies Department at Humboldt State University, ministering to the Humboldt UU Fellowship, and teaching yoga philosophy classes in Humboldt County, California.
Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins -- set clocks ahead 1 hour
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Sun, 03/18/2012 - 10:30am
It matters that we support a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Our vision of being an open community practicing compassion, nurturing spirit, living justice and protecting the earth is a powerful one that is greatly needed in the Rogue Valley and the world in general. Together we create and sustain this community. Come consider why this commitment matters to you.
Social Justice 3rd Sunday offering will go to the UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee) to support activities promoting and defending the Human Right to Water and Sanitation.
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Sun, 03/25/2012 - 10:30am
While we think of generosity as a spiritual practice, we rarely consider the act of receiving as an equally important spiritual responsibility. We will consider the gifts that we offer when we are able to receive from another. We will also gratefully receive your pledge cards for the next congregational year of 2012-2013.
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Sun, 04/01/2012 - 10:30am
Passover is a central Jewish holiday which tells the story of the liberation of the ancient Hebrews from bondage in Egypt. Even as we celebrate this ancient story of liberation, we recognize that oppression and diminishing of human dignity continues today. Recent news highlights the racism and sexism in American culture today. How will we find liberation?
Special Collection for the Ashland Emergency Food Bank
After the service, we’ll celebrate the "Gay Nineties" among us! All who are already 90 or over and all who will become 90 this year will be recognized for their significant achievement in reaching the nonagenarian stage of life. We will serve cake during the coffee hour following the Sunday service. Please encourage anyone you know who is or will be 90 to be with us that day, and please be there, too!
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Sun, 04/08/2012 - 10:30am
Tami Marston, Choir Director
Jane Manning, PianistEaster is a central Christian holiday which tells the story of Jesus’ execution by the Roman occupying authorities, followed by his resurrection, which brought renewal to his despairing followers. In the midst of Spring, we celebrate this promise of Life renewing itself. We consider the hopefulness of Jesus’ teachings and life with the reassurance that justice and love win out over oppression.
An Easter egg hunt follows the service, along with a visit to the RVUUF organic garden.
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Sun, 04/15/2012 - 10:30am
We will gather in reverence and awe for the Holy Mystery of Life. Let us acknowledge mysteries of creation, of renewal, of birth, of death, of love that are larger than our rational understanding. Together we will tap into the sacred that is ever unknown to our minds and always appreciated by our hearts and spirits.
Third Sunday Special Collection Recipient: Maslow Project is a nationally-recognized outreach program and resource center that works with families, schools, and social service agencies to break down barriers to success faced by more than 1,400 homeless youth in the Rogue Valley.
Maslow Project utilizes an empowerment model reaching out to the children and families that often remain invisible in our community. The Project helps youth establish educational, employment, and personal development goals while providing wrap-around case-management services to assist youth in attaining those goals. In addition, it provides student support services at local schools, K - 12. This year Maslow has expanded services to include the Ashland school district.
Maslow Project’s concept of providing wrap-around services and comprehensive case management has proven to be extremely effective at stabilizing at-risk youth. In 2008, the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children & Youth (NAEHCY) bestowed Maslow Project with the honor of Outstanding School-Based Education Program Providing Services to Students in Homeless Situation.
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Sun, 04/22/2012 - 10:30am
In our diversity as Unitarian Universalists, we don’t have an “official" sense of God; however we often use the word “sacred.” Life-time Unitarian Roger Howe will explore what he’s discovered about the meaning of the sacred in the context of his non-theistic religious beliefs.
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Sun, 04/29/2012 - 10:30am
We will hear the awesome story of creation from the Great Flaring Forth (aka The Big Bang) to the emergence of life on our precious planet. Come celebrate the wondrous aspects of the creation story that scientists continue to discover. This will be a lively service for all ages, with images of wonder and the energy of children.
After the service, we will celebrate the generosity of our members during the 2012-13 Stewardship drive, with our Celebration Sunday lunch. We'll eat delicious food organized and prepared by our own talented Susan Meek. Join us in appreciation of the generous pledges that make possible another wonderful year of RVUUF!
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Sun, 05/06/2012 - 10:30am
As we gather for our annual flower communion, we will celebrate how varied flowers come together to form a whole bouquet just as we come together as unique individuals to form together the beloved community. We’ll consider the importance of community and how to resist the push towards individualism in our society.
Please bring a flower to contribute to the communal bouquet for our flower communion ritual.
Special Collection for the Ashland Emergency Food Bank
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Sun, 05/13/2012 - 10:30am
In appreciation of Mother’s Day, we will lift up the “feminine” side of power. Often the default perception of power in our culture is a more “masculine” power-over model. In the service we will celebrate the relational power-with model that is associated with collaboration, nurturing, and creativity.
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Sun, 05/20/2012 - 10:30am
The purpose of religious education and faith development within Unitarian Universalism is to encourage our children and teens to explore and develop their unique religious perspectives and to support them in discovering their particular gifts. Our hope is that all children feel secure, valued, loved, and accepted in our congregation. Join us to acknowledge our children, teachers, and volunteers in this lively service for all ages.
The 3rd Sunday offering will go to the UUA Church of the Larger Fellowship’s (CLF’s) Prison Ministry
The Nominating/Recruiting/Training (NRT) Team will host a Forum after the service. Everyone is welcome. Members of NRT, the Board, the Council of Ministries, Endowment Trustees, and other RVUUF leaders will be there to explain what they do and answer questions. This is your opportunity to meet your leaders and find out how you can get more out of your experience at RVUUF. A light lunch will be provided.
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Sun, 05/27/2012 - 10:30am
Our fifth principle is all about conscience, and the democratic process in our congregations and society at large. Our congregation seems to hold this principle dear but how is democracy doing in our society at large? Let us explore our world and figure out the ways to affirm and promote democracy in our world on this Memorial Day weekend.
A forum about the "Move to Amend" resolution follows the service.
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Sun, 06/03/2012 - 10:30am
A title & description for this service will be added -- soon after they've been provided...
Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (RVUUF) ("Unitarian Center")87 4th St. (at C St), Ashland, OR 97520
541-482-4755 http://rvuuf.org/ ©2007-2012. All rights reserved.