Explore our commitment to reproductive and sexual justice and the Unitarian Universalist’s “Our Whole Lives” lifespan program values of Self-Worth, Responsibility, Sexual Health, Justice and Inclusivity. A lifelong UU, Dr. Melanie Davis brings a deep understanding of and commitment to our religious movement, plus 17 years of lay speaker experience.
What does it mean to age gracefully? What choices do we make along the path of life to help us flourish as we reach our elder years? Members and guests of East Shore share their individual stories and perspectives on how their lives have shaped who and where they are today.
On September 11 we'll gather as a community to welcome our new Minister, Rev. María Cristina, and to express our gratitude for our spiritual home, East Shore. We'll also give thanks for having access to clean drinking water and for those bodies of water that refresh our bodies and souls. Join us in person or via zoom, as we bring together the waters we have collected (from the ocean, rivers, or our garden hose) to pour into a communal vessel, symbol of our Beloved Community.
How can we create a brave and safe space to bring our best selves, share stories, and build a relationship of mutual respect and trust? How do we build a strong foundation to continue growing and building the Beloved Community? As we begin our shared ministry journey together, we give thanks for this amazing opportunity and reflect on our mutual aspirations, hopes, and expectations.
A sermon based on the book by Valarie Kaur: "When you choose to see people as your cousin, as your other self, as the friend you have not met yet, you are being courageous and compassionate. When we are curious about the people in our lives, their thoughts, their pain and joys, their wants and needs, we get a glimpse into their humanity, into their hearts, as vast and complex as our own. That wonder, is the wellspring for love."
Join us in person or via Zoom for our annual Blessing of the Animals ceremony. You are invited to bring your pets so they can receive a blessing (please ensure they are on a leash or in a carrier). If your animal companions have crossed over the rainbow bridge, please bring their photo so we can honor their memory.
Our Unitarian Universalist faith calls us to fully understand the legacy of colonialism, just as it calls us to respect and learn from indigenous peoples and support their struggles for social justice and religious freedom. Join UUs across the United States in honoring Indigenous Peoples Day and celebrating indigenous resistance.
Welcoming a new minister is like turning a page in an impressive, weighty volume to a new, fresh chapter. We get to decide who we will be together in the years to come and what this new chapter will hold. Building on the congregation-wide retreat that will take place Saturday, October 15, this worship service, led by guest preacher Alex Kapitan, will be a time for deep reflection on what it takes to practice welcome together across lines of race, class, gender, sexuality, dis/ability, age, belief, and more. What transformation are we being called toward in this new chapter?
Swapnesh Dubey, an actor, director and activist in India, presented a service on Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights in 2020. He will return (via video) to present another aspect on the tremendously popular Indian holiday on October 23, and share his observations on how different regions of India celebrate the holiday, and its significance to their lives. Our chancel will be festively decorated in honor of the holiday, which begins October 24.
Join us on October 30 to honor the memory of our dearly departed. During the service, we will build a community altar. You are invited to bring pictures, flowers, and other mementos to honor your beloveds’ memory. “At the rising sun and at its going down; We remember them...For as long as we live, they too will live, for they are now a part of us as, We remember them.”
We draw inspiration from the Jewish New Year, Yom Kippur, a ritual of atonement that allows us to bring to mind and heart those whom we have wronged, and to ask for forgiveness. Yom Kippur is the moment in Jewish time when we dedicate our mind, body, and soul to reconciliation with our fellow human beings, ourselves, and God. As the New Year begins, we commit to self-reflection and inner change.
"Cambia, todo cambia, pero no cambia mi amor." What happens when congregations embrace change as an opportunity for transformation? Rev. Nancy Palmer Jones and Karin Lin are co-authors of this year's UU Common Read, Mistakes and Miracles: Congregations on the Road to Multiculturalism. They found that while the path to multicultural, anti-racist Beloved Community can be long and winding, it is also dotted with moments of joy and wonder. Nancy and Karin invite us to consider how we can open our hearts to possibility as we commit ourselves to creating a world that reflects the best of who we are.
Let us gather to express our gratitude for all the blessings received this year and to share the story of the first Thanksgiving from the perspective of the Mashpee Wampanoag people. Join us after for a potluck!
Change is in the air. It is a time to be mindful and intentional about our deepest desires and concerns for ourselves, our families, our communities, and our planet. It is also a time to gather strength and nourishment for the journeys ahead.
In many Latin American countries we celebrate Las Posadas, a pre-Christmas tradition recreating the arduous journey of Mary and Joseph fleeing from violence and seeking refuge. In the United States, many churches incorporate this tradition as an expression of solidarity with all immigrants and refugees. We are reminded that we are a living sanctuary and a welcoming congregation.