September 17. Love Beyond Like
Service led by: Rev. Hannah Capaldi
When we enter into community, what do we make of our obligation to love another, even when we don’t always like one another? In this service we’ll examine the deeper dimensions of congregational relationships which call us to love alike even if we don’t think alike.
September 10. Waters to the Sea
Service led by: Rev. Hannah Capaldi
Join us for our annual ingathering service where we ritualize a fresh start to a new year of being together. Bringing all the experiences and stories from our summers, we build a new well to draw from for our year to come.
September 3. It Had to Be You
Service led by: Andrew Coder
This service will focus on the unique challenges of parenting unique children, each with their own personhood. Honoring our children’s inherent worth and dignity requires we ride the ups and downs of parenting with grace and humility. Come hear from Andrew Coder about all he has learned since becoming a father.
August 27. Blessing of the Animals
Service led by: Rev. Hannah Capaldi
Come celebrate the ways in which animals bring our lives meaning and infuse our days with joy. Bring a furry friend to receive a blessing in this service based on the tradition of St. Francis.
August 20. Building a Khalsa
Service led by: Sabrina Minhas
As Unitarian Universalists, we are called to awaken love and justice in ourselves and the world. One way we can achieve this goal is by engaging in interfaith organizing. This service will explore what we can learn from Sikhism, and how the Sikh idea of Khalsa—an egalitarian community—can inform our own efforts to build a more diverse congregation.
August 13. Curious Questions
Service led by: Rev. Hannah Capaldi
In this annual service, Rev. Hannah will invite congregants to submit questions that she’ll answer on the fly in sermon portion of worship. Come hear off the cuff responses to wide ranging questions about justice, theology, life, death, and all that’s in-between.
August 6. For Your Consideration: The 8th Principle
Service led by: Tony Harrell
In recent years, congregations have been considering the adoption of 8th principle which commits us to dismantling white supremacy. It has become an increasingly important topic of discussion with members and congregants of color here at First U as well as their white allies. In this service Tony Harrell will invite us to think about how adoption of the 8th principle might fit with First U’s mission.
July 30. The Big Bang Theory and the Evolution of Healing
Service led by: Mary C. Kirk
(And how unravelling secrets of E=M c2 offers opportunities for personal healing). The shock of getting hit by a car in 11/19/2017 (on my way to a Sunday morning meditation in our Chapel), and the reactions of my family, generated shock waves of spiritual healing and growth that continue to reverberate today.
July 23. Angelic Troublemaking
Service led by: Erin Worrell
Bayard Rustin, a native of West Chester, was one of the earliest and strongest voices for non-violence in the Black Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 60s, but his legacy was long muted because of his open homosexuality. This service will explore what it means to heed Rustin’s call for people to become “angelic troublemakers” while ensuring that no one’s voice is ignored because of who they are.
July 16. How We Care vs. Whether We Care
Service led by: Kio Polson
This service invites us to examine whether our displays of solidarity with certain communities are actually aligned with the needs and desires of these same communities. Come hear Kio Polson’s sermon this Sunday to learn how our faith calls us to listen and learn before we can lead.
July 9. Building our Community with Friendship and Advice from Emerson
Service led by: Phyllis Belk
Strong friendships are crucial for our survival. For this Sunday’s service, Phyllis Belk invites you into an expansion on the concept of friendship as offered by the famous Unitarian Ralph Waldo Emerson. Weaving racial justice and decades of experience together, come hear what this pillar of our community has learned in her decades as a friend.
July 2. The Unity of Spirituality and Science
Service led by: Daniel Korn
In this sermon Dr. Daniel Korn aims to explore the profound interrelation between science and spirituality. Come hear how our collective spiritual wisdom and scientific knowledge work in tandem to inform our lives, shape our mission, and help provide us with a deep understanding of our world.
June 25. Summer Solstice Service
Service led by: Raymond Owens
Come join us for a celebration of the solstice. We will engage in call and response, earth focused ritual, candle lighting, and meditation while celebrating how far we’ve grown this year. In many pagan traditions midsummer marks the longest day of the year, a time to rest while looking back at the seeds we’ve planted and the harvest that’s coming.