Northern Light May 2007

Worship Service Schedule
   May 6    Does It Count As a Prayer When I Don't Know the Words? A lay service offered by Steve Mallett.

    May 13    Reverend Mothers. A look at the Iowa Sisterhood, a group of nineteenth century women Unitarian ministers who brought a sense of mothering to the church, prompts a reflection on mothering as ministry.

    May 20    Music Sunday. Our annual intergenerational celebration of the life of music in our congregation.

    May 27    Memorials: Public and Private. A lay service by Dick Leavy.

    June 3    Rethinking Walden. Thoughts on the practice of retreat: a guide for summer.

Also in this issue
Page 2 Events & Activities. Find out what's happening in May!
Page 3 A Word From the Board. Read our President's message, News about Summer Institute, and the Treasurer's Report.
Page 4 A Call to Action! See how you can support your congregation and your world!

Part of preaching is taking risks. Nonetheless, I amused myself greatly last week when I caught myself wondering how my assertion that Unitarian Universalists actually share a theology of panentheism would go over. What if we are a people that actually likes to disagree?

But here’s another shocker for you: what if in spite of all our external diversity of practice, what if we also share a singular spirituality? I think I’m ready to argue this as well. I do believe that contemporary UU spirituality owes its shape largely to the Transcendentalists. They taught us to look for miracle in the everyday, and to see spirituality as an experience of mindfulness not dependent on tradition or place (although being outside somewhere beautiful was definitely the preference).

Emerson, Thoreau, Fuller—all the known and unknown saints of the movement—they also gave us surprisingly modern questions with which to frame our spiritual experience.

How can we wake up from the dullness of routine and responsibility to a greater appreciation of this one life? Are we spending that life in a way that reflects our belief of its precious nature, or do we somehow devalue life in careless spending? How can we grow?

I was very excited by the Adult Religious Education Committee’s suggestion that we hold an all day NUUC Spirituality Retreat using Transcendentalism as our theme, and I’ve been having a great time devising a plan for leading it. Check out the details in this newsletter. I hope you can join us.