Sunday, May 23, 2021 Live Zoom Kim Collins, Jen Johnson, Religious Education Coordinators
Rev. Claudia Jiménez, Minister of Faith Development
A multigenerational celebration of our ministry to children, youth and families at UUCA. Voices of all ages will share music, readings and reflections to celebrate the work we have done this COVID year. We will also honor this year’s graduates with our traditional bridging ceremony adapted for this year’s virtual reality. Join us!
By the time you read this, the Interim Search Committee will be in negotiations with our new interim minister. The work of an interim minister is different from the work of a called minister and therefore will be different than what we have been used to as Rev. Mark Ward has served us.
Yes, the interim minister will act as the Executive in our governance structure, and be responsible for (but not necessarily lead) all Sunday worship service, and act as lead for pastoral care, just as Rev. Mark has. But the activities below are actually the heart of their work at UUCA and are literally part of the agreement that our interim minister will enter into with our Board of Trustees. The interim minister will address:
Heritage: Review how UUCA has been shaped and formed by encouraging and hearing all the stories about the Congregation’s past as the foundation upon which the present rests, and embracing the rich variety that makes up the Congregation.
Leadership: Review the membership needs and its ways of organizing and developing new and effective leadership by providing opportunities to examine the types of leadership needed for new leaders to emerge, and for seasoned leaders to recommit or to refocus their gifts.
Mission: Guide us in redefining UUCA’s sense of purpose and direction by revisiting the faith community’s identity and core values; working to develop, update, and revitalize mission and vision statements; and reviewing strategic and tactical plans including stewardship and the financial health of the congregation.
Connections: Revitalize or develop the association, interfaith, and community relationships a congregation builds outside of itself.
Future: Develop congregational and pastoral profiles that position the congregation for its next ministry, including a healthy and honest assessment of focus points so that the congregation can turn its energy toward proactive decision-making for the future.
Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression and Multicultural Awareness: The Congregation and the Interim Minister are committed to understanding the ways systems of oppression within and beyond our Congregation are perpetuated and agree to collaborate on the development of a joint process of reflection and growth to ensure progress. This includes, but is not limited to, the ways in which the characteristics of dominant cultures live in our practices, systems, procedures, and our very lives.
This is an incredibly exciting and a little bit scary time filled with possibility and change. As far as I’m concerned, “possibility” is super-energizing while “change” has that shadow side of loss. Whenever a person or institution changes (and it is almost always intended to be a “good change”), something is lost. Here’s hoping we have the resilience and grace to leave room for the grieving as we invite everyone to head for new territories.
Join us for Vespers as we continue exploring the theme of Story. We will reflect on the Iroquis creation story of Skywoman and discuss how the stories we tell shape our understanding of the world and our place in it. Vespers Leader: Rev. Claudia
The 7 PM Program will be the final session in the Spiritual Practices series. The topic will be prayer. Do UUs pray? Joins us for what will be a rich conversation. Facilitator: Rev. Claudia
Next week will be our final Vespers. Join Vespers Leader John Bloomer in a final reflection on journeys and voyage sagas. Our program will be an exploration of Mujerista Theology, the final session in this year’s Theology Series. Facilitator: Rev. Claudia
Vespers and Programs will resume in September. Have a wonderful summer!!!
Sunday, May 16, 2021 Rev. Mariela Perez Simon, Guest Minister
Savoring and Serving is a framework to help us find a healing balance in life. Savoring and Serving as a way of healing ourselves and the planet; as a spiritual practice; as a social responsibility; as a way of honoring the life-force that moves through us and to give back generously to the whole web of life.
Brief bio: Rev. Mariela Pérez-Simons (she/her) is a Cuban-American UU minister who teaches about religious naturalism, soul, social change, and emotional intelligence. Rev. Mariela was born and grew up in Cuba under a dictatorship at a time when religion was forbidden, which instilled in her a commitment to the freedom of individuals to seek truth and meaning on their own terms and create change in the world. She and her family became political refugees in the United States in 1995. Rev. Mariela earned an MFA in Writing and Literature from Bennington College in VT and a Masters of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School where she received the Charles Billings Prize in Preaching (given to a graduating student for excellence in preaching) and The Faculty Prize for Religious Leadership (given to a graduating student whose tenure at Meadville embodies the values of liberal religious ministry.) Her website is www.revmariela.com
By the time you read this, the Interim Search Committee will be in negotiations with our new interim minister. The work of an interim minister is different from the work of a called minister and therefore will be different than what we have been used to as Rev. Mark Ward has served us.