Anger Management: 101

Carol Thomas Cissel, Deb Ferenze and Kathleen Leete, UUCSS Members

Though we all strive towards relationships filled with love, compassion, joy and forgiveness – sometimes anger gets in the way. It may develop from unresolved fear or sadness. Or, its roots may be deeply planted in frustration or resentment. Whatever the cause anger is a reality, and we dare not ignore this dimension of our lives. Join us as we share our ideas, attitudes and perspectives on the “monster under the bed”.

JUNE 12, 9:30 and 11:30 a.m

ANNUAL FLOWER COMMUNION  

Summer Services

From June 19 to September 4, UUCSS will have one Sunday service at 10:30 am.

June 19

TOUCHING NATURE; CELEBRATING SOLSTICE

Sandy Dwiggins, Stephanie Hall, Doneby Smith and Trisha Hanson are members of UUCSS who are deeply involved in earth –based spiritual practice. Join them and other members of UUCSS for a service that honors nature and spirituality at the time of Solstice.

June 26

SOLSTICE REFLECTIONS

What does the summer solstice have to say to us? On this Sunday after solstice, we are invited to seek our own “interior sun.” Turning our hearts toward this source of vitality, hope, and love within us, we can find life and growth and direction. Join Catharine Clarenbach, Wesley seminarian, as we celebrate the longest days of the year and find the lessons of the strong, summer sun.

July 3

THE LOGIC OF HUMAN DESTINY

Gus Vandermeeren, Member, Sugarloaf Congregation of Unitarian Universalists

Join us as we examine historical trends of civilization and explore what they tell us about ourselves and where we are going. We are on the cusp of a fundamental change in the nature of civilization. A change that could enable us not only to solve the planet-wide problems that we must address in order to survive, but to bring about the world of peace, prosperity and brotherhood that people have hoped for.

May's Ministry Theme is Transcendence

For the month of May, our theme is transcendence - as usual, a theme that has meaning on many levels to all of us, to liberal religion and to our movement, so full of famous transcendentalists (Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott and her family, and so forth) as our history is.  So there will be a lot of ways to explore this - and we'll have a varied approach as we move through the month. Don't miss it!

May 8

Transcendence Made Easy

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

And if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you....  Because, transcendence is a complicated concept, the root of a complicated modern theology, hard to explain, impossible to quantify, and an essential part of human experience, absolutely necessary to every one of us.  It is the root of hope, it is the root of change, it is the root of justice.  And to top it all off, in so far as it exists and is available to us - which is debatable - it's hard to access.  But it doesn't have to be as hard as it is - to experience, to lean into, to call into our lives.  This Sunday will look at practices and perspectives that call transcendence to us - or perhaps us to it.

May 15

Circle of Life

Rev. Ellen Jennings

May 22

A Whole New Meaning for “Partner”

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

Mostly when we hear the word partner, we think of a business partner or a life partner. How about a church partner, for a change of pace?  Around the world, Unitarian Universalist congregations exist in places we would never guess, or are springing up - again in places we would never guess.  The Partner Church Program is one way for us to connect across the globe with like-spirited people, people with whom we can form a committed partnership involving visits, pilgrimages, sharing resources, ministerial exchanges, and much more.  This Sunday we will learn something about the program and what it could offer us to partner up with a congregation for a trans-continental UU connection.

May 29

We are One

Paint Branch Chalice Dancers

This service will celebrate the joy and power of dance to uplift and enrich us in our worship service. The Paint Branch Chalice Dancers, a group which has been an integral part of services at our sister church Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist for over 15 years, is delighted to bring this beautiful and moving genre to UUCSS. Dance is deeply rooted in human activity.  Whether as solitary figures or in the company of others, in dance we find expression for our connection with community and our heritage. Join us as we celebrate in dance, music, and song the wonders of our lives and honor the lives of those who came before us.

June 5

Taking Stock

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

This has been a year, yet another year, in which a lot has happened for us, for our world.  This service will look at what we've done, the difference we've made, and where the fullness of this year has put us, as we end one church year and look forward to the next.

April's Ministry Theme is Transformation.

April 3

I've Got a New Name

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

Our church will be starting our second process of Appreciative Inquiry and Strategic Planning early next fall and it's time to start giving serious consideration to the next phase of our life as a congregation. Your senior minister will be sharing her own hopes and vision for who we are and where we need to go together, and as part of that, revisiting the suggestion of a new name that describes us better. "UUCSS" means a lot to those of us who are already here, but nothing at all to visitors and those outside our community. The geographic area our people come from is certainly much larger than Silver Spring. And the heart and soul of this church - our energy, our vision, our hopes, our particular identity - are nowhere to be found in our name. Mightn't it be time to look at a new name that is a better messenger of who we are as a congregation? Jim Scott, renowned UU musician and friend of our community, will join us with music on this theme.

April 10

Transformation with a Big or Little T?

Revs. Liz Lerner Maclay and John Crestwell

On this day we celebrate our church, who we are and who we are becoming, and the generosity of our members. Financial gifts to the church, time spent in programs and service to our beliefs, our values and each other, all these are critical to our experience of transformation. There's 'Little t" transformation, and 'Big T' transformation. Both are critical to any congregation's life, and both are happening in our own community. Don't miss this special service of music and reflection.

April 17

Building a Bridge to the Future

Bob Geiger  

We live at the intersection of peril and possibility. The daunting challenges confronting our civilization -- including population growth, climate change, and peak oil -- place our lives in a new context and can give them new meaning. If we can build a bridge to carry our civilization to the end of this century, we can help humanity reach a wondrous place. To succeed, we will need courage, inspiration, and a narrative of hope. Our congregation is engaged in a Green Sanctuary initiative, and this sermon is being produced by the UUCSS Green Sanctuary Committee.

April 24

Easter: A Speaking Life for All of Us

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

From national to personal levels, Easter is important for us all in looking at the right of a people, or a person, to define who we are and how our lives will speak for us, whatever our circumstances. Unitarian Universalists have always found our inspiration in Jesus' living and his message, rather than his death. Nonetheless, the Easter story is also important for us as because it puts the seal on a lesson about walking on in dark times. Come explore and celebrate the courage and support this pivotal narrative offers us all.

May 1

YRUU Teens

Come hear our YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists) teen group share their voices with the congregation. Talking about a theme they personally find meaningful and important, this service is planned and led exclusively by UUCSS's own wonderful teens.

Sunday Services for March

Worship Theme: Brokenness

Our theme-based worship continues in March with "Brokenness." Modern wisdom tells us our wholeness comes from our brokenness. There is the model of the wounded healer - someone who has known pain or suffering in their youth that gives them compassion and inclines them towards professions: therapist, social worker, minister, and others, which center around healing and helping people. There is our own sense of solitude or loneliness - that alone we are not complete - which is part of our yearning to give and receive love and to be in community. There is our awareness that we are not yet all we could be - that our lifetime is a long journey of growing and learning - and becoming fuller and more complete, more whole, as we live. There are the ways we are sometimes deeply hurt or broken by suffering we have endured, and the ways we both need to heal from that brokenness, but also bear along with the scars, wisdom and compassion to offer ourselves and others who carry similar hurts. Brokenness is perhaps a misnomer in that implies something is wrong, when in fact for many of us, brokenness is simply part of the fact that we are human, imperfect, living in an imperfect world. The point is not our 'brokenness', as individuals or as a community or a nation or a species or a planet - but what we do with it.

March 13th

Diving Deep & Surfacing

Rev. Ellen Jennings & Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

March 20th

Would We Be One

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

Sunday Services for February 

Worship Theme: Love

We had a very strong and positive response to the beginning of our 'theme based" worship on a monthly basis which was begun in January with the theme of Justice. A number of people expressed the feeling that having a series of sermons and services unfold around one theme made for a much deeper and richer experience of engaging with the theme - which was of course what we hoped for. We heard lots of positive responses and no negatives, but please if you haven't already let me know, feel free to shoot me an email or talk to me and let me know your take on how theme-based ministry is unfolding. February, appropriately, is themed on Love. All our Sunday services will address different aspects of love - very different aspects as we move from our Blessing of the Animals, to Coming of Age and more, concluding with an anniversary celebration of our 10 weddings in one day we did on the first day same-sex marriage became legally possible in Washington DC. That anniversary service will include contributions from many of the couples who married on that memorable day in early March, a year ago now. Make sure you join us for this month of love; it promises to be wide-ranging and deep - appropriate to love, after all!

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

2010

December 5

Hanukkah Sunday:  Zionism Then and Now

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

December 12

Siga Siga ("SeeGA, SeeGA")

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

This Greek phrase translates best as "Easy, easy" in the sense of "easy does it."  Greeks say it to you when they're helping you maneuver your car into a tight space, or telling you not to push yourself in the heat, or explaining why they're not more urgent about something.  Each year as the holidays approach, I think about what kind of mindfulness can help me be a little more mindful and easy, a little less frantic...  but I rarely hold onto that 'siga siga' attitude long, if I gain it at all.  This year, I'm thinking a lot about a new approach - about using the disciplines and practices of scuba diving in approaching the holiday season.  Our services this morning will review some SCUBA basics and offer some radical applications for them in this un-watery reality we share.

December 19, 10 a.m. to noon

Holiday Happening

A brand new recasting of the holiday intergenerational tradition, we will have ONE 'service' this morning, a series of experiences that will take us through our building as we celebrate the holidays of Solstice, Kwanzaa and learn about the contributions of our Unitarian Universalist heritage to Christmas.  Our happening will include songs, stories and opportunities to make something we can keep in honor of the holidays.  This special event will have elements for all ages and our children's choir will perform.

December 24

Christmas Eve Services at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay, Rev. Ellen Jennings and Michael Holmes

We will not be able to provide ASL sign language interpretation for these services.

7 p.m. Christmas Eve intergenerational service with pageant, carols, readings and candle lighting.

9:00 pm Christmas Eve darkness to light service with gospels, carols, readings and candle lighting. Come join us and bring your friends or family for one or both of these services as we celebrate the holiday with joyful words and music. Remember: please bring your best Christmas treats to share at the 'cookie reception' between services!

December 26

Renewing Your Life Script,
Note: There will be one service at 10:30 a.m.

Michael Relland

No ASL sign language interpretation will be available for this service.

As we come to the end of December, we enter a time of deep reflection.  All around we see signs that mark our lives: family, gifts, future resolutions and memories of the past.  As we approach the end of the year and the glory of increasing daylight, we might find ourselves asking, "How do we begin this life anew?"  Come join us as we share your life light.

January 2

Eli Briggs, co-chair UUCSS Worship Committee and Musical Guests

After the busy holidays, we will take time to nurture our souls with spectacular jazz music. We will offer thoughts about hopes for justice and starting anew, as we move into the New Year.

November 7

Psyche

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

For a long time the ancients thought that the human heart was the center of identity, feeling and thought. But science has revealed, of course, that is the brain that is our 'heart.' What do we know and what do we understand now about the relationship of freewill, spirituality, self-awareness and soul – from science.

November 14

Soul Food

Carol Cissel

Does your “soul” need feeding?  Do you have a regular Spiritual Practice?  Want to start one for yourself or your family?  Rushing, worrying and relentlessly moving forwards many of us travel through days and weeks without pausing for rest, renewal or personal reflection. This morning Carol Cissel will share her thoughts, and a few concrete ideas to help you find time and space away from the maddening crush of everyday life.  Come with an open mind, and leave ready to establish and embrace a Spiritual Practice that will nourish the heart and feed the soul.  Carol Cissel is a UUCSS member and a UU seminarian at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC.

November 21

What Are You Hungry For?

Rev. Ellen Jennings

At this time of year, images of food and eating are all around us-- canned food drives, leftover Halloween candy, soup kitchens, Thanksgiving dinner-- leaving us confused as to whether the true meaning of the season is donation or consumption.  But in either case, we may be left feeling empty.  In this service we'll explore our spiritual hunger and the intangibles for which we yearn.  We'll consider whether it's possible to feel deeply fed before we even sit down to a meal.  And we'll seek that place of spiritual abundance which both frees and inspires us to invite others to our table. 

November 28

Inspiration

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

What fires us, carries us forward, makes us capable of more than we knew? Among other things: inspiration. This service will look at some fresh sources of inspiration and also how we make room for inspiration, allowing the spark to burn, the droplet to run, the opening to grow, in our souls and in our lives.

December 5

Hanukkah for Adults

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

This winter holiday is often understood as being mostly for parents to give their children gifts, and to share a family ritual of candle lighting and songs. But in fact the holiday is packed with stories that reflect our own times and challenges, reflections on a very adult level indeed. This year, again, we will consider another aspect of what Hanukkah holds for adults, even as we celebrate it with the traditional lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah and holiday songs.

October 10

Tools for the Soul

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay, Rev. Southern, Music Director Michael Holmes and Visiting Choral Director David Smith

This will be a musical, expansive and joyous reflection on the tools we have to renew and rest our souls for the work of life and love. Visiting choral director David Smith will be joining us from his Tulsa, OK congregation and the pulpit will be shared between our own Rev. Maclay and the Rev. Vanessa Southern of Summit, NJ. This is sure to be a remarkable morning for multiculturalism, for joy, for song and for hope - make sure you're part of it and bring your friends!

October 17

Further Reflections on Diversity and Humanity

UUCSS Diversity Team with Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

Our congregation's diversity team is back with music, words and personal reflections about what multiracial, multicultural diversity can mean, and the experiences that underlie the important multicultural transformation that has begun at our church. The commitment we have made to being a congregation that is multicultural, multiracial and united firmly in our faith and our care for each other is both a challenge and an inspiration - come hear from some of the people focussing their efforts on this promise.

October 24

Frankenfish and You

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

Genetic engineering is back in the news, along with debates about its safety, its labeling, its desirability and its future. Humanity has found whole new ways to change the world, while other parts remain unchanged after millennia of struggle. This sermon will use the current debate about genetically engineered salmon to look at the related issues of ethics, human nature and the fate of our world.

October 31

America’s Heart: Thoughts on the Tea Party, Islam and More

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

As one raised in Boston, Mass., I have a long standing affection for the Tea Party - and even some sense of ownership, unreasonable as that may be. What is happening in our country, what has changed, what has not changed, and most importantly, what can we learn from everything that's happening about how to live our progressive faith and ideals as our country struggles to find its way?

November 7

Psyche

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

For a long time the ancients thought that the human heart was the center of identity, feeling and thought - a sentiment still popular around Valentine's Day. But science has revealed, of course, that is the brain that is our 'heart.' What do we know and what do we understand now about the relationship of freewill, spirituality, self-awareness and soul - from science.

September 12

Ingathering Water Communion

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay and Rev. Ellen Jennings, MRE

Bring your water, or virtual water, from where you spent your summer near and far. We'll have our traditional intergenerational ingathering with wonderful music and celebrate also the Jewish New Year. What with all the challenges water itself has been part of we can't really honor it in a service without reminding ourselves that the seas and fresh water sustains us and all life, and renewing our awareness of it as a precious and threatened resource. So this will be a full and rich service - come celebrate our reunion as a church and our new year, and bring a friend!

September 19

Sabbatical Fruits Service

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

This is our Sunday to celebrate minister and church reunited after the sabbatical period. Rev. Liz will share her reflections and experiences from this time. Readings and music of both hers and the church on the themes of marriage equality and nature - the two sabbatical themes - will be woven throughout the service. If you have something you wrote/made/create on these themes that you would be willing to have shared in the service, please send it immediately with a note to sabbatical@uucss.org.

September 26

Why UU?

UUCSS Worship Committee members

Please note that there will be one Service at 10:30 on this Sunday due to the all Church retreat being held this weekend.

Members of the UUCSS Worship Committee will present their stories of what attracted them to the Unitarian Universalist movement.

October 3

Sources of Hope

Nancy Bird Pellegrini

What sources of hope do you draw upon? What are some insights and inspiration related to those dark nights of the soul? Wesley Seminarian Nancy Bird Pellegrini will explore questions about hope discussing issues such as why bad things happen to good people, the concept from process theology that humans can propel creation toward the good, beliefs about human nature from our Unitarian roots, and ways to adjust your outlook on life.

August 8

Earth-Centered Spirituality: The Contemplative Mind

Stephanie Hall

CUUPS forms one of the largest umbrella groups for Earth-centered spirituality in the US. Like all other Unitarian Universalists, those that identify themselves as part of Pagan or Earth-centered spirituality are diverse. There are many different spiritual paths among Earth-centered people. Often these people have more than one religious affiliation: they are UU and they are members of one or more other spiritual groups. Beliefs often vary widely among individuals even within these groups. One common theme, however, is that Earth-centered spiritual practice is strongly experiential. This talk will focus on a central part of these experiential spiritualities: the ways that different states of the contemplative mind, from meditation to trance, are being explored by groups within this spiritual movement. Some history of attitudes towards contemplative states and what science is now teaching us about them will also be discussed as a way of coming to a better understanding of these spiritual practices that are simultaneously ancient and modern.

August 15

Transitions: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Carol Thomas Cissel

How do you handle life’s transitions? What happens when the pathway in front of you splits and offers a new direction?  Are you open to the wonder of fresh possibilities and revolutionary change? On August 15, UUCSS member Carol Cissel will riff on mid-life transitions, following your heart, asking for support and embracing the opportunity that change often brings.  Carol is a new seminarian at Wesley Theological Seminary.  She lives in Berwyn Heights , MD , has three adult children and one demanding (but loveable) cock-a-poo pup named Max.

August 22

Love and Hatred in Troubled Times

Richard Wiener

Mr. Wiener lived as a Jew under the Nazi regime from 1933 to 1939 and experienced persecution on a daily basis. He experienced the destruction of his home, the arrest of his father and the deportation of his grandparents.  After the fall of the Berlin Wall, he returned to his hometown and initiated reconciliation with his former Hitler Youth classmates. This October, he will become an honorary citizen of the town from which he had to flee as a child.

August 29

Becoming Earth Warriors

UUCSS Children and Youth

As Unitarian Universalists, we covenant to affirm and promote respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part, but what does that really mean? What can and should we do as UUs to protect and defend our planet? This summer’s RE program has explored these questions. In this service for all ages, led and planned by our children and youth, we will share what we have learned and contemplate together those questions we have not yet answered.

September 5

Overcoming Indifference: Making the Population Connection in a Crowded World.

John Seager

With the number of people on earth increasing by more than 80 million annually, overpopulation threatens the quality of life for people everywhere.  John Seager will talk about Population Connection, formerly known as Zero Population Growth, the national grassroots population organization that educates young people and advocates progressive action to stabilize world population at a level that can be sustained by Earth's resources. John Seager is president and CEO of Population Connection. Formerly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, he also served as Chief of Staff, for U.S. Representative Peter H. Kostmayer, a liberal Democrat who represented suburban Philadelphia in Congress for 14 years.  He holds a BA in Political Science from Trinity College in Hartford, CT.

August 1

The Sacramental Life

Experiences of grace and wonder are real gifts. But the world’s great religious traditions also recognize that we can foster an openness to these gifts through spiritual discipline, whether it’s the Christian Eucharist or the Buddhist mindfulness exercises. How can we make spiritual practices a vital part of our own spiritual journeys? John Monroe is a mid-life student at Wesley Theological Seminary and a member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax.

August 8

Earth-Centered Spirituality: The Contemplative Mind

Stephanie Hall

CUUPS forms one of the largest umbrella groups for Earth-centered spirituality in the US. Like all other Unitarian Universalists, those that identify themselves as part of Pagan or Earth-centered spirituality are diverse. There are many different spiritual paths among Earth-centered people. Often these people have more than one religious affiliation: they are UU and they are members of one or more other spiritual groups. Beliefs often vary widely among individuals even within these groups. One common theme, however, is that Earth-centered spiritual practice is strongly experiential. This talk will focus on a central part of these experiential spiritualities: the ways that different states of the contemplative mind, from meditation to trance, are being explored by groups within this spiritual movement. Some history of attitudes towards contemplative states and what science is now teaching us about them will also be discussed as a way of coming to a better understanding of these spiritual practices that are simultaneously ancient and modern.

August 15, 2010

Transitions: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Carol Thomas Cissel

How do you handle life's transitions? What happens when the pathway in front of you splits and offers a new direction? Are you open to the wonder of fresh possibilities and revolutionary change? On August 15, UUCSS member Carol Cissel will riff on mid-life transitions, following your heart, asking for support and embracing the opportunity that change often brings. Carol is a new seminarian at Wesley Theological Seminary. She lives in Berwyn Heights, MD, has three adult children and one demanding (but loveable) cock-a-poo pup named Max.

July 4

Fall of the Ancient Cosmoses

David Shaw

David Shaw reviews the ancient Hebrew cosmos and the Greek cosmos. He reviews the fall of the ancient cosmoses and concludes that the universe-cosmos is over. He then suggests a new candidate for cosmos.

July 11, 2010

Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God

Rob Keithan

Let's face it: Sin happens. Humans are flawed beings. But love happens too. Is sin inescapable? Is salvation possible? Rob Keithan is a social justice organizer, lifelong Unitarian Universalist, and candidate for UU ministry. He recently completed 11 years of service in the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations Washington Office, where he worked to change United States policy and culture on issues of concern to the Association, and to support effective, congregation-based action for justice. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Studies from American University and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Divinity degree at Wesley Theological Seminary. Rob and his wife Mandy, a former Director of Religious Education at UUCSS, are members of All Souls Church and live in northeast Washington, DC.

July 18, 2010

Diversity: The Fear Factor?

The Wednesday Night Inreach Group

We’re good UU’s. We’re progressive. We have a Diversity Team. But some of us are still afraid of what racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity would mean. What are we afraid of? Are we worrying needlessly? Any UUCSSers who’d like to have their thoughts on the fear of diversity included in our discussion are invited to consult the Jun 23rd posting to the UUCSS yahoo group on how to share them with us (in advance).

July 25, 2010

Who’ll be a Witness?

Madelyn Campbell

What does it mean to be a witness? The ninth commandment tells us not to bear false witness against our neighbor, but it leaves open how we are to hold ourselves as witnesses. Is it enough to remain silent, or must we stand up and speak out? What are we called upon to do as SB 1070 goes into effect in Arizona and states around the country consider similar laws? On July 25th we will explore how laws of intimidation call us to respond as a community of faith. Who'll be a witness? Madelyn Campbell is a seminarian at Wesley Theological Seminary and a member of the UU Church of Arlington. She lives in Arlington, VA with her husband, several of their ten children, two cats, and a dog.

June 6

TAKE JOY!

Rev. Diane Teichert

Each of us is perfectly imperfect. So, at times, we ought to just laugh at ourselves! Is life really a guesthouse, as Rumi says? Rev. Diane Teichert is originally from Long Island, NY, and has lived in Baltimore, Atlanta, and the Boston area since graduating from The College of Wooster in Ohio in 1974. For the 15 years prior to entering Harvard Divinity School in preparation for UU parish ministry, she was a labor and community organizer in those cities. Her passion for social justice has been a theme in her ministries in Weymouth, Canton, and Bedford, Massachusetts, and now as the settled minister of Paint Branch UU Church in Adelphi, MD.

June 13

Hope for the Flowers

Rev. Ellen Jennings

We'll celebrate our annual Flower Communion service by sharing an audio-visual version of the 1970s parable, Hope for the Flowers, along with fabulous music from both our House Band and Choir, intertwined with Norbert Capek's story of the very first flower communion, celebrated in what was then Czechoslovakia in June 1923.  This is a service for all ages, and we invite each person to bring a flower to share as part of the communion.

June 20

Honor Our Fathers

Erik Leaver

When originally proposed, Father's Day was seen as little more than a joke and an opportunity for commercial retailers. When the holiday was formalized in the 1970s it coincided with the rise of men's liberation movements, making it more acceptable for men to be open about their emotions and their roles in family life. Forty years later, how do we look at our fathers? What roles and influences do they bring to our lives? UUCSS member Erik Leaver will get out of bed early on Father's Day to ask these questions of us and celebrate being a father.

June 27

UUCSS Poetry Service

Katherine Howell

Local DC poet Katherine Howell will be leading our annual poetry service: a time for reading and sharing of the poetry of our voices and those of others. Please bring a poem of your own or of your favorite poet. Katherine is a lecturer in writing at George Washington University and an organizer for DC's bi-annual Split this Rock poetry festival of provocation and witness.

May 9

Can Science and Spirit Co-Exist?

In this edition of his annual sermon, Bob looks at how the latest research in neurobiology affects our concept of the spirit--the ghost in our biological machine. And if the idea of the spirit becomes obsolete, what happens to spirituality? Can you have one without the other? And what does any of this have to do with Mother's Day? Today's sermon topic comes to us courtesy of William Hartung, winner of the sermon in this year’s church auction.

May 16

With All Our Lives

Rev. Robert Hardies

Many of us long to give our whole lives in loving service to something larger than ourselves. But one of the keys to greater service is greater acceptance of all that we are.  Only when we receive all of life as a gift, can we give our whole lives as a gift. The Reverend Robert M. Hardies is a senior minister of All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, DC, an historic, diverse congregation in the heart of the nation's capital. In Washington, Rev. Hardies is also a leader in the Washington Interfaith Network, a coalition of 40 congregations building power to create social change in the city. He is a board member of Clinica del Pueblo, a non-profit health clinic serving DC's Latino community, and, from 2001 to 2003, he served on DC Mayor Anthony Williams' Interfaith Advisory Board. In 2009, Rev. Hardies co-founded and co-chaired DC Clergy United for Marriage Equality, a coalition of nearly 200 DC clergy of many races and faiths who supported gay marriage, and he was a leader in the struggle for marriage equality in the nation's capital.  

May 23

Circle of Life

Rev. Ellen Jennings

From saying farewell to loved ones, to welcoming new babies and new members, to challenging ourselves in the midst of our busy lives to stay true to our principles and values, to celebrating and releasing our young adults as they move on to the next stages of their lives..... our congregation is a circle of life and love and
loss and learning. In today's intergenerational service, we'll celebrate
this amazing dance around the circle!

May 30

A Service on Clara Barton

Rev. Lillie Mae Henley

Rev. Lillie Mae Henley from the Universalist National Memorial Church (UNMC), our “mother church,” will be preaching on “Clara Barton—the Real Clara Barton—Universalist Extraordinaire.” She will share with us her reading and research on the woman who chose to risk her life on the battlefields of the Civil War before women were really allowed to be on the battlefield. She, unlike Dorothea Dix, who was a real nurse, nursed the men with more than medicine. Rev. Henley is a 1998 graduate of Meadville Lombard Theological School and is in her fourth year at UNMC.

June 6

Take Joy!

Rev. Diane Teichert

Rev. Diane Teichert is originally from Long Island, NY and has lived in Baltimore, Atlanta, and the Boston area since graduating from The College of Wooster in Ohio in1974. For the fifteen years prior to entering Harvard Divinity School in preparation for UU parish ministry, she was a labor and community organizer in those cities. Her
passion for social justice has been a theme in her ministries in Weymouth, Canton, and Bedford (Massachusetts) and now as the settled minister of Paint Branch UU Church in Adelphi MD.

April 4

Hidden Treasure

Rev. Ellen Jennings

Join us for a celebratory and intergenerational Easter Service that focuses on hidden treasure and the awakening of that sometimes dormant part of ourselves which both inspires and sustains us. Parable, story and song will interweave with an appearance from one of nature’s ordinary miracles to create a service designed to wake us up and open our eyes, especially if we've been experiencing a winter of spiritual sleep!

Sunday, April 11

Together We Are Strong

Rev. Patrick O’Neill and Rev. Ellen Jennings

We are blessed when we have sacred spaces in our lives, "stopping places" where we can meet, discover, and understand one another in love.  For us, UUCSS is just such a place, and this Sunday we'll celebrate our church witih a sermon given by Rev. Patrick O'Neill, Rev. Liz's "favorite UU preacher!"  We'll also hear testimonials from several congregation members, who will inspire us to make generous contributions in support of the shared commitments and joyful aspirations of our wonderful community.

Sunday, April 18

21st Century Abundance: Doing With Less.

Rev. Lynn Strauss

How is the current economic crisis affecting your family? What   is a theology of abundance and how can we live without anxiety in the face   of cut-backs and job insecurity? Come and consider how "Enough can be a   Feast."

Sunday, April 25

YRUU Service

YRUU Youth

The YRUU Social Justice focus this year has been on Domestic Violence, and the youth will lead a service on this important topic and how it impacts our friends, families, and community.  Join us for this annual teen-led worship tradition; it's always a treat!

Sunday, May 2

Blessings of the Animals

Rev. Ellen Jennings

This service includes both two and four-legged creatures (as well as those with feathers, fins and scales!). Each year many of us look forward to this wonderful intergenerational tradition of blessing our animals, great and small. Pets on leashes or in carriers, tanks or cages are welcome in the Sanctuary. You may also bring a photo or a beloved stuffed animal for blessing. This year we'll have a memorial table for photos of departed pets as well.

March 7

Coming of Age Ceremony

2010 Coming of Age Class

Please join our UUCSS 9th graders as they celebrate and complete their year-long Coming of Age Journey. This year's Coming of Age theme has been Faith Into Action (what do I care about and what am I going to do about it?), and it has led the youth on their own "free and responsible search for meaning." In this ceremony, the youth will share their credos (personal statements of belief), special songs, readings, and unique perspective on their place in the UU (and wider) world. The adult congregation (and YRUU teens) will then welcome them into their new roles and responsibilities as emerging adults within the UUCSS community.

March 14

Love is Justice with Legs

Reverend John T. Crestwell

It’s not enough to wish for change. Sometimes we have to choose a side, take a stand and make a decision. Liberal religion requires that we be patient and open to others, but there are times when we must stand on the side of love and take action in the name of love. Rev. John T. Crestwell, Jr. is the Associate Minister of the UU Church of Annapolis, and Director of Outreach for the UU Legislative Ministry of Maryland.

March 21

African Traditions Intergenerational Service

Rev. Ellen Jennings and Nana Frimpong

Nana Frimpong (West African musician) will return to UUCSS for an uplifting Intergenerational Service that celebrates the conclusion of this year's RE theme for children and youth: We Are Unitarian Universalists Exploring... Other World Religions and Traditions. Nana will be joined by the UUCSS Children's Choir as he invites the entire congregation to participate in a variety of traditional West African songs and stories. Come prepared to stomp and sing!

March 28

A Republican, a Democrat and a Unitarian Universalist Walk into a Bar Together -- No Joke

Eric Kelderman

Unitarian Universalists pledge their commitment to all kinds of diversity. But does that commitment extend to the unavoidable reality, and frankly, necessity of political diversity? A member of UUCSS and Rev. Liz's Sabbatical Committee, Eric Kelderman spends his days as a staff reporter for The Chronicle of Higher Education and has covered state politics nationally for Stateline.org.

February 7, 2010

Not Black, Not White, But Green

David Miley, UUCSS Member

So much of our national and personal life is defined in terms of combat with the forces of right and left calling us to the barricades. It is important to use compact fluorescents and fight for important legislation, but good intent and well fought wars do not bring us to the spiritual respect for the web and do not transform our inner lives. This service is about the spiritual greening of ourselves and eventually of the world.

February 14, 2010

Standing on the Side of Love

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

It's Valentine's Day, and our country is locked in a struggle to define love and marriage. Our faith and our own congregation stand firmly on the side of marriage equality. In fact, this is a day that UU congregations across the country are dedicating to standing on the side of love in terms of marriage equality. What makes this a faith issue as well as a justice issue? Our sermon this morning will
examine the faith side of the right of all people, regardless of sexual orientation, to marry. Please note, this is a great Sunday to bring friends, family or neighbors interested in this issue or in UU'ism or just because, with a rousing topic and music to match.

February 21, 2010

Considering Creation

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

Even religious liberals often use the word 'creation' when speaking of the world and all that exists in it, not to mention our galaxy, other galaxies and the universe. Continuing debate about creationism, intelligent design, evolution and science have made all these terms loaded and laden. Our service this morning will look at where the word creation can lie within a liberal religious framework and some surprising religious relationships that might exist between ourselves and the intelligent design folks - if we can stand it!

February 28, 2010

(My) Life Thus Far

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

When I returned from my last sabbatical, I mentioned some lessons I'd picked up while away, including that young people are very young, and that growing older does have, thank god, some benefits. Continued reflection has offered further perspective, and while the next sabbatical may bring yet further understanding, it seems a good time to share peace that has been made, and appreciation found, for a life that has thus far, I realize been atypical, challenging, joyful, bitterly disappointing, and vastly fulfilling.

January 10, 2010

Perfect is not a UU Word

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

Perfect, and Perfection are words that frequently come up in religious texts and references, from many faiths and many parts of the world, including a number that are closely wound into the fabric of Unitarian Universalism. But when we look at some of those instances, we see that some of them don't fit our UU values. For instance, that kind of perfection is often adjudged according to exterior standards and hierarchies. So what then is our kind of perfection - in terms of our faith, what are we aiming for? What's our version of perfection?

Sunday, January 17, 2010

To Infinity and Beyond

Gus Vandermeeren

The Universe is immense. Anything of immense size, beauty, or complexity engenders a sense of awe and a spiritual sense of reverence. Take time in this service to experience the infinite, the awesome--it is important. Gus Vandermeeren is a member at Sugarloaf Congregation of Unitarian Universalists. He is a 51 year old father of two college girls. A lover of nature and people, he has an optimistic nature and feels that the best years of his life are now.

January 24, 2010

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

A month from this day will be Rev. Liz’s last Sunday in the pulpit before her sabbatical. She will start her sabbatical on March 1 and return to UUCSS on September 1. Our service this morning will examine the meanings: Historical, spiritual, and congregational, of a sabbatical, as well as considering what this sabbatical period can mean for our congregation.

Guest musical duo, Emma's Revolution, will perform during this service.

January 31, 2010

Considering Creation

Even religious liberals often use the word 'creation' when speaking of the world and all that exists in it, not to mention our galaxy, other galaxies and the universe. Continuing debate about creationism, intelligent design, evolution and science have made all these terms loaded and laden. Our service this morning will look at where the word creation can lie within a liberal religious framework and some surprising religious relationships that might exist between ourselves and the intelligent design folks - if we can stand it!

February 7, 2010

Guest preacher (David Miley)

2009

December 13, 2009

"Hanukkah for Adults, It Keeps Coming!"

Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay

Yes, you might think we'd exhausted Hanukkah after a many-year sermon series, but it's bigger than we can compass even in a decade of sermons - that's what thousands of years of history and interpretation can mean. (One can only imagine what our native UU traditions will offer millennia from now, but in the meantime,) Hanukkah always has a lot to offer when we give it our attention and time. Join us for this celebratory Sunday of ritual, traditional music and reflection.

December 20, 2009