Summer Worship Services 2026
Our Summer Worship services begin Sunday, June 28th and last through Labor Day, with services led by a slate of incredible lay leaders, as well as our ministers, throughout the summer. Join us in person in our air-conditioned Parish Room or on Zoom at 11am each Sunday!
Join Summer Services via Zoom here!
June 28: Meet the Moment: Reflections from General Assembly
Our UUA General Assembly calls us to ask the hard and holy questions: Where are we placing our energy? Who are we partnering with? And how do we make change that ripples outward — through our congregation, our communities, and our denomination? This Sunday, Rev. Christe will reflect on what we might carry home from GA to feed us and inspire us to engage in our collective resources that can meet the urgency of this moment — not someday, but now.
Worship Leader: Rev. Christe Lunsford
Rev. Christe Lunsford is a Unitarian Universalist minister whose theology is rooted in collective liberation, radical love, and the sacred work of becoming whole—together. They believe faith is most alive when it is embodied, honest, and practiced in community, especially in times of transition and change. Rev. Christe has served as an interim Minister for Faith Formation over the past 6 months and we have loved getting to know them! This will be their last service with us in this role.
July 5: “Like a Creature All Wounded With Love”
Margery Kempe was a medieval mystic who lived in England in the early 15th century. This service will explore her intimate, vulnerable, shocking and at times notably annoying autobiography, widely considered to be the first of its kind in the english language. Through Margery’s many pilgrimages, visions, and altercations with religious authorities, she becomes, if not a saint as she may have hoped, a beacon of authenticity, personal devotion, and self expression.
Worship Leader: Kayla Czaplicki
Kayla Czaplicki has been attending First Unitarian for the past 4 years and is very happy to be a member of the choir! She’s a speed walker, crafter, poet, and enjoyer of medieval history and mysticism, though by no means an expert. She teaches literacy in an after school program and enjoys looking for meaning and beauty in everything.
July 12: Beyond the Breakthrough
Stop me if you’ve seen this one on Facebook: an impoverished teenager discovers an engineering breakthrough that will change the world. In reality, most scientific breakthroughs are conducted by teams of highly trained experts, usually working for well-funded agencies or corporations with the resources needed to fund the R&D. Most discoveries are produced by for-profit companies. How can we balance hope for a better future with the realities of scientific research?
Worship Leader: Beth Moscato
July 19: We Are Each Other’s Business
Unitarian Universalism’s 7th principle invites us to respect the interdependent web of which we are a part. While we may long for more connection and mutual support in our lives, living interdependently can be hard in today’s society. What makes interdependence challenging? And how can we work towards more interdependent living within our communities?
*Title drawn from Gwendolyn Brooks’s 1970 poem Paul Robeson
Worship Leader: Kathleen Riley
Kathleen (she/they) is an educator, friend, godparent/auntie, and proud West Philly resident. She’s been part of First U since 2009, officially became a member in 2020, has served as a Worship Associate, and is currently on the Board of Trustees. She enjoys outdoor adventure, gardening, potlucks, spending time with kids, and taking walks with friends. Kathleen draws on her queer communities and cross-cultural friendships to inform her perspectives on the barriers and rewards of living more interdependently.
July 26: Abolition, Transformation, and Faith Formation
How can we even talk about abolishing prisons? First because prisons don’t work. This service will focus on the failures of the current prison system: it does not rehabilitate people in prison to prevent further crime or keep others in the community safe. Second, because we are true to our roots. Our UU ancestors called for abolition, and we are following in that tradition. Third, we also need to talk more about possible alternatives to prison.
Worship Leader: Carol Orme-Johnson
Carol Orme-Johnson is a member of the working group coordinating our congregation study-action on Abolition, Transformation, and Faith Formation. Her passion for replacement of our broken criminal-penal system has developed over many years from monthly visits to an incarcerated woman, participation in the First U Decarceration Team, and volunteering with the West Philly Participatory Defense Hub (supporting people going through the criminal legal system). She moved to Philadelphia 7 years ago to live with her daughter Dolly Ferver and her family, joined First U within a few months, and has never regretted either decision.
August 2: Till Death Do Us Part
Mark Twain once said “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time”. This service will explore the diverse beliefs Unitarian Universalists have on death and the afterlife while challenging us to live fully in the now. We will also hold space for those who we love who have passed away.
Worship Leader: Chuck Black
Chuck Black is an organizer and storyteller, and has been a member of First Unitarian since 2021 (minus a 9 month stint in DC at All Souls). He is the founding Storyteller Organizer of Philly Queer Storytellers, and has found his passion in bringing stories alive. Chuck is deeply interested in different beliefs around death, and has been called to lead this service as he honors his Gramma’s eighth anniversary of her passing.
August 9: Questions of Faith
Join Rev. Abbey for a spontaneous, unscripted service to answer your questions on matters of spirituality and social justice. If you’d like to submit a question, please send it by Wednesday, August 5, to communications@philauu.org with “Questions of Faith” in the subject line. There will be plenty of time to ask questions during the service as well.
Worship Leader: Rev. Abbey Tennis
A life-long Unitarian Universalist from the Boston area, Rev. Abbey Tennis has served our congregation as the Lead Minister for the past eight years.
August 16: Recentering our Light
At a time where it seems that evils and unimaginable traumas continuously afflict humanity, it can be easy to center our lives around these forces and lose track of ourselves. Fear can trap us into small rooms that may keep us safe, but ultimately prevent us from growing. As we gather together, what are ways that we as a community can recenter ourselves and the light we choose to shine?
Worship Leader: Luke Horton
Growing up as a pastor’s kid in the Methodist Church, Luke (he/him) fondly remembers helping his mother with her sermons. He’s excited to be involved with First UU in this way! Like many others in the congregation, Luke values community and coalition building as a means of activism and care. He is currently a graduate student in social work and education, which he uses as a means to connect others and platform voices that don’t often get listened to.
August 23: To be determined
To be determined by our new Minister for Faith Formation.
August 30: Blessing of the Animals
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!
Worship Leader: Rev. Abbey Tennis
A life-long Unitarian Universalist from the Boston area, Rev. Abbey Tennis has served our congregation as the Lead Minister for the past eight years.
September 6: Divine Play: Creativity for Everyone,
Every day
Kids learn about themselves and others through play until they reach a certain age, then they are told to abandon such childish pursuits. But in doing so, they cut themselves off from precious paths of growth, understanding, and empathy. Let’s rediscover those paths together and remember how to play!
Worship Leader: Kelley Skovron
Kelley is an award-winning novelist and actress, as well as an alumni of the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama’s prestigious acting program. She has lead programs and workshops on writing and the creative process across the country, and lectured at the Library of Congress on the life and works of Mary Shelley. She is also a trans single mother of two young men, and a recent Philly transplant. She joined First UU about a year ago, and is now co-lead of the Trans+NB group, runs the monthly Writers Salon, and is an active participant in the Pagan Potluck.
