It is easy to feel gratitude when we are happy and life is going well. But how do we find gratitude when it feels like the world is not on our side, when we can’t make ends meet, when “triumph and failure intertwine”?

There is an old belief that this time of year is when the “veil” between the physical and spiritual worlds is at its thinnest – the time when the living and the dead are able to feel each other’s presence. This is part of what has given rise to traditions of Samhain, Halloween, All Souls Day, Dia de los Muertos, and more. Join us as we honor our departed ones with an All Souls ritual, and reflect on our connections to those who have gone before.

“Home” is a metaphor for so many important things – from safety, to comfort, to stability, to family. Yet feeling “at home” in our world is hard for so many of us when we face oppression, are not accepted for who we are, or literally do not have a safe or stable place to live. Join us as we reflect on how to find “home” within ourselves no matter where we are, and work for a world where all people can have a safe and affordable home.

“Can’t go over it, can’t go under it, we have to go through it” chants the refrain of the well-known children’s story, “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.” When we are facing difficult circumstances, how do we find our way to the other side?

The Unitarian Universalist Association frames Pluralism with the following definition and commitment:
“We celebrate that we are all sacred beings,
diverse in culture, experience, and theology.
We covenant to learn from one another
in our free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
We embrace our differences and commonalities
with Love, curiosity, and respect.”
What does Pluralism mean to you and how are you practicing it?

The work of “right relationship” with each other – repairing harm we have caused, healing and finding forgiveness for those who have harmed us – is messy at best, and can feel impossible sometimes, especially if a person dies or leaves our life when we haven’t found resolution. Alongside Jews in our community and around the world who observed Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, this past week, we come together this Sunday to reflect on our own work of right relationship.

In a time when we are beset by so much injustice, and so much loneliness, it is common to want to hole up or check out. And while we cannot change all of the circumstances of life, the choices we make – about how, and where, and with whom we give of ourselves – are what give our lives meaning. Join us as we reflect on belonging, purpose, and commitment!

Our ancestors in the work of justice and liberation paved the way for so much of what makes our lives meaningful and impactful today. As we celebrate the 200th anniversary of one of this congregation’s ancestors – abolitionist, activist, and one of the first women of African descent to become a published writer in this country, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper – what can we learn from the past to make justice real in our time? How can we work to become the ancestors our future needs?

It’s said that “pain is inevitable but suffering is optional.” Could that be true through the repurposing of our suffering for the liberation of self+kin?

Join us as we regather our community and recommit to nourishing our beautiful and hurting world with our annual multigenerational water ceremony. Bring some water from a special place with you to the Sanctuary, or have some with you at home!

Dancing, like singing, is a human birthright: It is a creative process we all have access to, and the magic we make together while dancing builds connection in a way that no other medium can. Join us ready to move on Sunday as we explore the transformative, spiritual, community-activating, joy-abounding powers of getting down.

In this service, we celebrate the gifts of our interconnectedness with the animal world. Bring your well-behaved or crated pets to the sanctuary or to your zoom camera to receive a blessing in this intergenerational service. Pictures of shy or departed pets, stuffed animals, or other symbolic animals are invited to receive a blessing too!