Service Topics Archive for 2005-2006
June 2006
Sunday, June 4,
10:30 am
– “Remembering Kite Runners”- from the highly acclaimed
novel by an Afghani immigrant we get the image of a child who betrayed a friend
and lived to regret and rework the outcome. What part does unfinished business
have in our lives and what do we do about it, if anything? Dr. Waun will
present.
Sunday, June 11,
10:30am
– “The Greatest of These is Love” –this is Flower Communion Sunday
as well as Teacher Recognition day where we honor the contribution of time and
energy of our Sunday school teachers. Love
is the thread that ties us together in worship and service and makes of us a
bouquet of beauty and acceptance. Dr.
Waun will present.
Sunday, June 18,
10:30 am
– “Islam in
Turkey
"
- For 3000 years
Turkey
was the crossroad of civilization.
The modern
Turkish
Republic
inherited most of its culture and
religious understanding from the mighty
Ottoman Empire
, which ruled much of
Eastern Europe
, the
Middle East
and
North Africa
between the 13th and 20th centuries.
This presentation by Mustafa Kucukkal and his wife Tugba
Kucukkal will highlight the influences of Islam on Turkish culture.
Sunday, June 25,
10:30 am
– “Poetry--The Essence of Communion”
- An open-mike service moderated by Mehernosh Khan. Bring poems (yours
and others) about 1-2 minutes long, relating to our common joys and concerns,
love and tears.
May 2006
Sunday, May 7, 10:30
am – “Why I’m Not Perfect”-Some
of us try to be perfect, some go out of their way not to be, and others are
happy being somewhere in the middle. Dr.
Waun will share why she doesn’t want or need to be perfect and invites
others to adopt this perspective for more joyful living.
We will also celebrate the Child Dedication of Jeremy Safran this
morning, in addition to recognition of new members.
Sunday,
May 14,
10:30 am
– “Mother’s Work” -In recognition of Mother's Day, Dr. Maureen McHugh will present
an affirmation of the work mothers do, and some discouraging research which
suggests that as a society we do not value that work.
Sunday, May 21,
10:30 am
– “Pacha Mama” -Pacha Mama is
what the native Peruvians call the "Earth Mother." Join
Rosa Thomson
to explore the relationship that humans have to the Earth.
Please join us to also hear authentic Peruvian music performed by a Native
Peruvian folk trio.
Sunday, May 28,
10:30 am
– “Spirituality In
America
” – Mary Kukura-Straw will read, and we will discuss, a particularly
lively Mark Morford essay about spirituality and religion in
America
today.
April 2006
Sunday,
April 2,
10:30 am
– “That Was Easy!”- Dr.
Waun will do an interactive presentation on Appreciative Inquiry as a way of
reviewing and setting goals in our church community. We will also hear the
tender anthem “Alleluia Canon” –
to be sung in loving memory of Milan Mendik, using music presented to the choir
by Natalie DeFee Mendik.
Sunday,
April 9,
10:30 am
– “Global Warming: Two
Perspectives” – Join
Tom
Bailey and Jim Osborne as
they present two perspectives on the topic of global warming.
Sunday,
April 16,
10:30 am
– “Co-existing With Vultures”-Traditional
Easter is about hope and new life in the wake of anguish, death and despair.
Dr. Waun will tell about her February trip to
Uganda
, where today, instead of baby chicks and Easter basket goodie nests, vultures
are found literally nesting and circling everywhere, waiting for something to
die. But the people live and work
where hope is growing. It is a very
different and inspiriting kind of resurrection message we will hear this
morning.
Sunday,
April 23,
10:30 am
– “Hearing God"
- Following the story of the prophet Mohammad, Rev. David McFarland
examines what might it mean to listen so intently that you hear the voice of
God.
Sunday,
April 30,
10:30 am
– “Where
Two or More Shall Gather" -
Friendship is often subject to little more reflection than Hallmark status. Yet friendship can be the basis for
a lifelong relationship or a momentary passing that impacts for a lifetime.
Spiritual friendship may be experienced on a level beyond articulation, and physical friendship may be meaningless. How to define
friendship is yet another stopping point on our journey this morning. Join
Rev. Kate Walker for this program, and bring a friend!
March 2006
Sunday,
March 5,
10:30 am
– “Our
Endangered Values” Our
Endangered Values” -
Dr. Waun
will explore current global controversies such as Danish cartoons, liberty vs.
democracy and the Great Firewall of China in the context of Jimmy Carter’s
book, UU moral values and our Seven Principles.
Sunday, March
12,
10:30 am
– "Unsung Heroes" - who are some of the
people who form the backbone of our society but who get little or no
recognition? Leona Dunnett will identify some of these
"invisible" folks to tell their stories and to lift them into our
grateful awareness.
Sunday, March
19, 10:30 am – “History
of the Bible I--Led by Biblical Scholar Sue Lau, a
favorite speaker at ESUUC, we will look at the formation of the Old
Testament canon, and then examine the care with which Jewish scribes transmitted
the text in Hebrew, and the legends (and known facts) which accompany the
translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek. Moving into the New
Testament period, we find early Christian writings produced, gradually
collected, and eventually sorted into categories which separated those works
which were "scriptural" from what was not considered to be so.
Sunday, March
26,
10:30 am
– “History of the Bible
II--Sue Lau--The second in a two-part series about the history and
development of the Bible. Attention will now focus on the revolution
wrought by the printing press on the process of biblical translation and
transmission. Translation proved to be a risky--even
life-threatening--business, but slowly it became accepted, and the printing
press made possible the wide dissemination of the biblical text--complete with
bloopers!
February 2006
Sunday,
February 5, 10:30 am – “The Most
Radical Thing You Can Do” - Rev.
Waun and Mr. John Dale from the UUA Partnering office, who will be
coordinating our heritage tour this summer, will be with us to acquaint us with
our new partner church in Kopec, which we will visit when we are there.
Sunday,
February 12, 10:30 am – “Letting
Go”- a musical program featuring Judith
Avers who is a song/writer, performer, and an honest singer who relates to
her audience, their experiences and the world around her.
She has played coffee houses, theatres, festivals, pride events,
Unitarian services, house concerts, garage concerts — anywhere open-minded
music-loving folks gather. See related
article later in this newsletter about Judith Avers.
Sunday,
February 19,
10:30 am
– “Remembering
August
Wilson
" –
Last Month, Book
Club members read and discussed "Fences", one of August
Wilson
's plays.
Today, Book Club members will be reading parts of the play at
service. Marylyn Devlin will inform us of
Wilson
's unusual life story.
Sunday,
February 26,
10:30 am
– “What’s
Equality Got to Do With It? On Relationship Quality and Gender Inequality“
- In February our thoughts turn to love and relationships.
Maureen C. McHugh
, PhD, a social psychologist and gender specialist, will present psychological
and sociological research on the impact of gender and gender inequalities on the
quality of our intimate relationships.
January 2006
Sunday, January 1,
10:30 am- “This Was the Year That
Was” - Join us on this New Year’s morning, as we gather informally
(wear your PJs and bathrobe if you wish) for a group discussion on major world
events and formative experiences that we remember from 2005, led by Dr. Waun.
Sunday, January 8,
10:30 am-
“Happy Talk”- We all talk to ourselves and it makes a difference
what we say. Our thoughts shape our
experiences, and how we feel about our thoughts is what guides this process.
Dr. Waun will lead us on an extended meditation that demonstrates
the power of positive thought and affirmation as we begin a new year.
Sunday, January 15,
10:30 am-
“The Natural Approach to Health and Nutrition”
- An interactive discussion between the audience and Dr. Mehernosh Khan.
Think about the questions you might have on this subject. Index cards will
be provided at the service.
Sunday, January 22,
10:30 am- “Pancake Breakfast and
UU Sing-a-long” - Gerard
Katilius has generously agreed to organize the MEN'S pancake breakfast.
All UU men and boys are asked to attend and help out. Women and girls are
invited to attend as “guests”. Brian
Ogle has generously agreed to start a NEW ESUUC tradition at this breakfast.
He will conduct a UU sing-a-long for those of us who are musically challenged,
or not. Come hungry and come for the fun of it. Talk about your
"gender knot." All women must rest!!
Sunday, January 29,
10:30 am- “W. A. Mozart” - "Mozart
is my favorite because I think he best expresses the emotions of all humankind.
And ... listening to his music makes you smarter!" Pianist
Brian Ogle will play some of his most famous pieces for piano and talk a little
about the life of perhaps the most famous musician in history.
December 2005
Sunday,
December 4,
10:30am-
“Of Pandas, People and
Plausibility”- in the current debate about “intelligent design”,
how do we make sense of it as UUs? What is at stake?
What is the appropriate response by the courts? Dr. Waun will
reflect on this timely topic.
Sunday,
December 11, 10:30am- “The
Cross in the
Andes
” - Rosa
Thompson will tell us about
how this season was celebrated in
Peru
before and after the birth of Jesus
Christ.
Sunday,
December 18, 10:30am- “The
True Meaning of Christmas” -
Our play has been compared to
the American classic "A Chorus Line." Really it has.
Contemplate with us the true meaning of this season and practice singing
"Silent Night" quietly in your shower. All work and no
"play" make UUs dull. And we are NEVER dull.
Saturday,
December 24,
7:00pm-
“Christmas
Memories” - On this Christmas Eve we will share memories, sing
carols, bless children and light candles. You
are invited to bring your memory of a favorite Christmas to share.
Dr. Waun will facilitate.
Sunday,
December 25,
10:30am-
“Hear
Ye, Hear Ye!” - Composer/Pianist/Music
Director Dr. Brian W. Ogle will perform works by Scarlatti, Mozart,
and Ogle. Included will be a collection of pieces written by the
composer to be played during the UU service.
November 2005
Sunday, November 6,
10:30am-
“Are
You Awake?” If you have had a chance to learn a bit about Buddhism,
you will know that awakening is a key concept. What does it mean to be awake?
How do we find our truth? How do we maneuver when others sometimes want to be in
charge of our truth—or vice versa? Dr. Waun’s reflections are meant
to help us in our own awakening. We
will also have a Child Dedication on this day.
Sunday,
November 13, 10:30am- “Global
Warming” - The UUA General
Assembly voted in 2004 to make global warming the Study/Action Issue for the
next two years. Join Michael
Mendik, Jerry Lilly, and George Ratliff in a program covering this
topic.
Sunday, November 20,
10:30am- “Cross-Cultural
Understanding of Islam”--Riffat
Chughtai will
explain how the philosophy of Islam has changed over the years geographically,
and how it has come to a crossroads within the Muslim World. Riffat came
to the U. S. from Pakistan in 1981 and is President of Phyzbiz Inc, a Healthcare
Information Technology Company. She also teaches Islamic Studies at the
Sunday School of the Muslim Community Center in Monroeville.
Sunday, November 27,
10:30am- “Inter-Generational
Service Project” – Join the ESUUC
RE students and Youth Group in making hats, scarves, and mittens for our
neighbors who may need some help warming up this winter.
Completed items will be donated to Westmoreland County Children's
and Youth Services.
Please bring portable sewing machines, if you have any, as well as rotary
cutters and mats.
October 2005
Sunday, October 2,
10:30am- “Sleeping
With the Enemy”
- This is International Gandhi Day when we think about making peace with
our enemies.
Germany
and later
Russia
were once our enemies, but now we are all friends.
Dr. Waun has just stayed with
families in both of these countries and will reflect upon the peace journey of
European countries.
Sunday, October 9,
10:30am-
“
Partner
Churches
in
Romania
”
- Lois Davis, a laywoman from the Akron UU Church in
Ohio
, shares her recent experience visiting their partner church in
Transylvania
. We will be paying close attention
because our church is also looking to find a partner congregation in
Transylvania
. What are the nuts and bolts of partnership? What new opportunities will
open up because of this relationship? Come and see.
Sunday,
October 16, 10:30am- “Working
for Gender Equity” - In
conjunction with the start of the Adult RE curriculum on “Unraveling the
Gender Knot”, Gerard Katilius and Maureen McHugh will explore
how and why we should work for gender equity.
How can transformed gender relations benefit each of us?
Sunday,
October 23,
10:30am-
“Following the White Blazes”
- As an avid hiker Lee
Ann Wester, Director of Religious Education at the
Meadville
, PA U-U Church, has traveled many
trails. These hikes are usually marked with painted blazes
located on trees along the trail. They help keep us on track and
point us in the right direction. Join us this Sunday to find out what
these blazes represent in our lives. What are these blazes? How do
we find them? And how do we follow them?
Sunday, October 30, 10:30am-
Remembrance ~ Halloween / Samhain / Dia de la Muetre / All Souls Eve.
The common thread is the remembrance of the loved ones who passed before us.
Please bring pictures, mementos, stories or whatever you want from loved ones
past as we will share with each other. Please feel free to bring a drum or
musical instrument to share in the celebration of the earthly lives and
spiritual essence of our loved ones and ancestors. Lead by Mary Kukura-Straw and
Leona Dunnett.
September 2005
Sunday, September 4,
10:30am-
“Annual Church Picnic” – Bring
a potluck dish to share; enjoy your friends! From
10:30 AM
until
11:30 AM
, we invite interested members to present expressions of their talents and/or
interests. This could be anything
from a song or a story to a painting or craft.
Sunday, September
11, 10:30am- “Service of Hope”
Start-up Sunday - On this
anniversary of
9/11/01
we will reflect a bit on the positive aspects of life.
We will also observe Water Communion – Presented by Dr.
Renee Waun
. This is the first official service
of our new program year – bring water from your summer experiences!
The choir, Chancel Quartet, and Funshine Folk puppets will participate.
Sunday, September
18,
10:30am-
“Meet
the ESUUC Yp" - Join
Leona Dunnett
and the RE youth as they put together their own special program. It's sure to
be complete with religious issues and some really terrific talent from our
up and coming UUs.
Sunday, September
25, 10:30am- “Her Royal Highnesses: Esther" - Our
friend and biblical scholar Dr.
Sue Lau will be with us
again to mine scriptural stories for nuggets of interest and even humor.
Part 2: Esther: This biblical woman is credited with saving her
people (the Jews) from wholesale annihilation at the hands of a foreign
monarch—to whom she was married! And it all began
with lots of feasting and a beauty pageant.
August 2005
Sunday, August 7,
10:30am-
“The Alphabet Versus The Goddess” - In this bestselling book,
Leonard Shlain proposes that the invention of writing, particularly alphabetic
writing, rewired the brains of the people who learned how to communicate using
this culture-changing tool. Great benefits to society followed. However, a
precipitous decline in feminine values manifested by women's status, goddess
veneration, nature, and representative art occurred in tandem. For example, the
European witchhunts followed closely on the heels of the printing press. The
return of the image in the modern age through the medium of photography, film,
television, and the internet have brought about a sharp rise in the values
denigrated during the 5000 year reign of patriarchy and literacy. Member Gerard
Katilius will show a lecture by Dr. Shlain on this book, and facilitate a
discussion afterwards.
Sunday, August 14,
10:30am- “Animal Blessing”-
If you've ever wished you could bring your pet along to services on Sunday,
now's your chance. This intergenerational service honors our 7th Principle:
respect for the inter-dependent web of all existence. You may bring an
animal companion, a family pet, or a picture of a wild animal or beloved pet
(past or present), to introduce your animals, or just come with an open mind and
the desire to recognize the importance of animals in our lives. Dr.
Renee Waun
officiates.
Sunday, August 21, 10:30am- “Guided
Imagery”- How would you like to experience relaxation and a positive mind
set? Summer is already a time to
relax; now you can relax on Sunday morning!
In keeping with our informal summer programs, Father Athanasius
Cherry will lead Guided Imagery. People
of all ages (intergenerational) can wear something comfortable, bring a mat,
blanket or pillow if you choose and lie down in comfort.
Plan to be refreshed and enjoy the power of your mind to work in your
best interest. Both Mehernosh Khan
and Nancy Fitzgerald have tried and recommend Guided Imagery with Fr. Athanasius
from their participation with the Health and Wellness Association.
July 2005
Sunday, July 3,
10:30am-
“Intimately, Ultimately
Connected”- Dr. Waun will
introduce a month-long series of programs presented by a variety of people on
the theme “Connections”. The
seventh UU Principle states, “We affirm and promote respect the interdependent
web of all existence of which we are a part.”
This is an opportunity to explore just how far and how wide that sense of
connection really goes.
Sunday, July 10,
10:30am- “Andean Cosmology / Woman as Connector” Join Rosa
Gamarra-Thompson for this topic. Rosa Thompson is a healer and life coach who has a remarkable
ability to connect to the hearts and minds of people. This is a
program promising to be both mystical and spiritually uplifting.
Sunday, July 17,
10:30am-
“Witches, Druids, Occultists, Shamans and Other Obscure Practitioners.”
That stuff is all Hollywood, right? Not by any stretch of the imagination.
Learn why, and how pagan religions and practices are alive and growing in
America
. Michael Pasipanki, Wiccan Priest, will be touching on various
aspects of paganism including some of the different pagan religions, practices,
and why the pagan pathways to deity are particularly special. Pagan
religions are as old as humanity and as broad in scope as the minds of the
people who practice(d) them. They are also evolving. We all have pagan
ancestors somewhere back down the line. Find out about the differences
between modern pagan practices and the ways of the old. We will explore
polytheism, the occult, pagan pantheons and several other aspects from the
enormous world of pagan religions.
Sunday, July 24,
10:30am- “Connections of Scientific Inventions” Join George
Ratliff for this topic.
Sunday, July 31,
10:30am- “Unitarianism in the
Khasi Hills,
India
”
Did you know that there are over 9,000 Unitarians in North East India?
Khasi Unitarianism was founded in 1897 by Hajom Kissor Singh, a native of
the region who was schooled by Welsh Calvinist missionaries, was converted to
Christianity, and later, through his own thoughts, culture and readings of the
sermons of William Ellery Channing, came to develop an indigenous Unitarianism. Jennifer
Halperin and Ebe Emmons-Apt, American Unitarian Universalists, had
the pleasure of visiting the Khasi Hills and meeting lots of Unitarians there in
January, 2005, and will present images and reflections from their experience.
