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”A broader view of love.” In honor of Valentine’s Day we will consider the complexities of love in community. Jennifer Blue will lead a circle worship centering on what we love about Hopedale. Adult RE, 1:30pm to 3:30pm, on book “A Chosen Faith.”
February 5 -“Where Do We Come From? Where Are We Going?” Thomas Starr King is famous for observing “Universalists believe God is too good to damn them while Unitarians think they are too good to be damned.” With the merging of our two great faiths 50 years ago, we have grown even less concerned with questions of the hereafter and more focused on the here and now. Yet we cannot dismiss the need to find meaning in the mystery of our creation and the finality of our existence. Student Minister Bruce Beisner will lead the service. Adult RE, 1:30pm to 3:30pm, on book “A Chosen Faith.”
November 27 “Creating Messages of Gratitude” In what do you place your trust? What sustains you in difficult times? What are you most thankful for in life? This experiential service, created by our Student Minister and based on a spiritual exercise by the Rev. Lisa Ward, will offer you the chance to compose a message of gratitude to the source of your spiritual inspiration and share it with others in the Hopedale Community. Service leader: Judi Hetrick
November 6 “Herding Turtles.” In the midst of a lengthy meandering Board meeting Alan Miller, who was president of the congregation at the time, remarked, “Organizing Unitarian Universalists is like herding turtles.” This Sunday the Reverend Chris Buice, who was ordained by this congregation and who served us as student minister from 1995-98, will return to our pulpit to reflect on all he learned about the art of turtle herding during his time here in Oxford and from his work since that time with other congregations. Service Leader: Rev. Chris Buice.
On Sunday, October 16, Hopedale will join other Unitarian Universalist congregations across the country in celebrating “Association Sunday.” Please join us on October 16 and look for the special donation envelopes in your Order of Service.
October 2-”Judgment, Repentance, Atonement.” Judgment, repentance and atonement are not terms we Unitarian Universalists often say. In this week between the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we’ll examine how acknowledging our failings and offering forgiveness to ourselves and others can help us become more at peace with the world. A time of Congregational Sharing will follow the service. Service leader: Ann Fuehrer. Student Minister: Bruce Beisner.
“Learning to Lead or What I Learned at Summer Camp (UU Midwest Leadership School)” – Jennifer Blue and Genevieve O’Malley-Knight. Join Jennifer and Genevieve to learn about their experiences this summer at UU Midwest Leadership School at Beloit College, in lovely Beloit, Wisc. Genevieve was in her second year as a leader (after attending as a participant in 2009) and Jennifer was a first-time participant in this intense, week-long adventure.
Part of Hopedale’s weekly spoken affirmation is “to dwell together in peace.” Our new Peace Pole is a reminder that we seek peace not only among our congregation, but throughout the world. Thanks to everyone who gathered for Sept. 4’s circle worship “On Love’s Side,” and on 9/11 for Bruce Beisner’s service on “Peacemakers in a World of Violence,” which culminated in the pole’s dedication. Hopdales’s Peace Pole was dedicated on September 11, 2011, a day of Faith, Hope and Healing.
Our pole was purchased from the Dayton International Peace Museum. Dayton is where the peace accords were reached in 1995 ending the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina –– and explaining why one of the eight languages on out pole is Serbo-Croatian. The others are English, French, Arabic, Hebrew, Spanish, Russian and Myaamia. (Daryl Baldwin of Miami University supplied us with the Myaamia phrase for “Let’s Live in Peace.”)
“Being Peacemakers in a World of Violence.” Ten years ago this month, we were shocked and saddened by the horrific events in New York, Washington and in rural Pennsylvania. The attacks of 9/11 caused fear and anxiety to envelop our nation and began a chain of events which had consequences we still live with a decade later. On this somber anniversary we will honor those whose lives were lost and discuss how we are called as people of faith to respond to such acts of evil. Service Leader: Bruce Beisner, Student Minister. We will dedicate a peace pole on the church grounds as part of the service today.
September 4-“On Love’s Side: Preparing for 9/11/11.” On Love’s Side: Preparing for 9/11/11. We anticipate a difficult week for everyone in advance of the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. We come together this Sunday with song and reflection as we contemplate what it means right now to be standing on the side of love. The service includes music from a special chorale ensemble. If you’d like to join our special choral ensemble that will assist us on two pieces during the Sept. 4 service, please arrive at church by 9:45.
Service leaders are Wayne Copenhaver, Ann Fuerher and Judi Hetrick
Musician Wayne Copenhaver
