Author Archives: magicvalleyuu

September 15: “Simple Twist of Fate”

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Presenter: Mary Beth Bolin (BUUF Intern Minister)MaryBethBolin

This Sunday, Mary Beth Bolin, our new intern minister, will tell us about some of the twists of fate in her life that brought her to the Magic Valley. She will explore the theme for the month: “Expectation.”

How do we live when we expect a dismal fate? How do we live when we expect all the beauty, love, and grace in the world to come towards us, flow through us, and bless the world? When and how does the divine show up in our lives and shatter all our expectations?

Mary Beth is very excited to share her first Sunday with the Magic Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship as our new intern minister. She looks forward to sharing a bit of her life’s journey with us and learning from all of yours.

Unitarian-Universalism honors the differing paths we each travel. Our congregations are places where we celebrate, support, and challenge one another as we continue on our spiritual journeys. As Unitarian-Universalists, we covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are working on becoming handicapped-accessible but are not fully there yet. To avoid steps into the sanctuary please enter through the rear entrance to access a sloping hallway to the sanctuary. Please park in the rear of the building or on the street, in front or the side of the building. Child care is available during the adult portion of the service.

September 8: “Where Do We Go From Here?”

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Presenter: Anne Martin

As the climate changes and global warming accelerates, and the calls for immediate and dramatic action become more strident, Anne Martin poses the question, “Where do we go from here?” In her sermon on Sunday she explores the consequences of ignoring the problem and doing nothing and presents a vision for the future in which we mobilize our resources like we did during WWII and create a new world where all mankind and all living beings thrive and prosper.

Unitarian-Universalism honors the differing paths we each travel. Our congregations are places where we celebrate, support, and challenge one another as we continue on our spiritual journeys. As Unitarian-Universalists, we covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are working on becoming handicapped-accessible but are not fully there yet. To avoid steps into the sanctuary please enter through the rear entrance to access a sloping hallway to the sanctuary. Please park in the rear of the building or on the street, in front or the side of the building. Child care is available during the adult portion of the service.

September 1: Water Communion

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Presenter: Karen Fothergill

The Water Communion, also sometimes called Water Ceremony, was first used at a Unitarian-Universalist (UU) worship service in the 1980s. Many UU congregations now hold a “Water Communion” once a year, often at the beginning of the new church year (September).

Members, including friends and visitors, bring to the service a small amount of water from a place special to them. During the service people one by one pour their water together into a large bowl. As the water is added, the person who brought it tells why this water is special.

Participants may also bring a small sample of water which can be symbolic from the actual location to add to the bowl. The combined water is symbolic of our shared faith coming from many different sources.

The Water Ceremony is an excellent opportunity for Unitarian-Universalist congregations to express their commitment to our Sixth Principle: We covenant to affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all.

Unitarian-Universalism honors the differing paths we each travel. Our congregations are places where we celebrate, support, and challenge one another as we continue on our spiritual journeys. As Unitarian-Universalists, we covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are working on becoming handicapped-accessible but are not fully there yet. To avoid steps into the sanctuary please enter through the rear entrance to access a sloping hallway to the sanctuary. Please park in the rear of the building or on the street, in front or the side of the building. Child care is available during the adult portion of the service.

August 25: “Empathy as a Superpower”

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Presented by: Rev. Jenny Peek

JennyP_180pHow is empathy developed? What are its challenges and benefits? In a time when ideologies are polarizing neighbors and family members leaning into the discomfort with curiosity and loving concern seems counter-intuitive. What if empathy (and let’s add some love and compassion for good measure) were our greatest superpower? Join us Sunday as our visiting minister, Rev. Jenny Peek, shares her reflection on empathy in the least possible places.

Unitarian-Universalism honors the differing paths we each travel. Our congregations are places where we celebrate, support, and challenge one another as we continue on our spiritual journeys. As Unitarian-Universalists, we covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are working on becoming handicapped-accessible but are not fully there yet. To avoid steps into the sanctuary please enter through the rear entrance to access a sloping hallway to the sanctuary. Please park in the rear of the building or on the street, in front or the side of the building. Child care is available during the adult portion of the service.

August 18, 2019: “Will I Stand Up?”

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Presenter: Don Morishita

Among the seven principles Unitarian Universalism teaches, four are related to social activism, which is an important part of what Unitarian Universalists stand for.
Those four principles are to affirm and promote: 1) the inherent worth and dignity of every person; 2) justice, equity and compassion in human relations; 3) the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and 4) respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

These principles are not exclusive to Unitarian Universalism and are practiced by many non-secular and secular organizations. In today’s political climate, racism and white nationalism is a charge that has surfaced with our country’s leadership. Racial and ethnic minorities who have been the target of tweets, statements, and comments feel the burn from these published words. Sadly, there are people who support these hateful words. Most Americans however, are embarrassed and ashamed by these words. When these hateful actions are seen firsthand, how many of us will stand up for what is right?

Unitarian-Universalism honors the differing paths we each travel. Our congregations are places where we celebrate, support, and challenge one another as we continue on our spiritual journeys. As Unitarian-Universalists, we covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are working on becoming handicapped-accessible but are not fully there yet. To avoid steps into the sanctuary please enter through the rear entrance to access a sloping hallway to the sanctuary. Please park in the rear of the building or on the street, in front or the side of the building. Child care is available during the adult portion of the service.

August 4: “Go and Do Likewise”

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Presenter: Mary McGinnis

Our speaker this Sunday is Mary McGinnis, a Christian member of our Magic Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship. Mary’s topic, “Go and Do Likewise,” explores where faith and the sciences intersect to answer the question: “Am I my brother’s [humankind’s] keeper?”

Mary’s message draws from the story of The Good Samaritan in the Bible, and themes of “intersectionality” and “ecotheology” from the UUA book, Justice on Earth, to ensure and promote our precious first Principle “The inherent worth and dignity of every person” on Earth.

Unitarian-Universalism honors the differing paths we each travel. Our congregations are places where we celebrate, support, and challenge one another as we continue on our spiritual journeys. As Unitarian-Universalists, we covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are working on becoming handicapped-accessible but are not fully there yet. To avoid steps into the sanctuary please enter through the rear entrance to access a sloping hallway to the sanctuary. Please park in the rear of the building or on the street, in front or the side of the building. Child care is available during the adult portion of the service.

July 28: “Embracing each one of our journeys”

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Presenter: Don Morishita

Throughout our lives most of us take many journeys, including our own spiritual journey. For some, the spiritual journey may be very straightforward, but for many, the spiritual journey may be like a road with many curves, crossroads and dead ends.

Our spiritual journeys may lead to mainstream Christian, Muslim, or Jewish faiths. For others it leads to other religions and yet for others, it is without the presence or desire of a higher power in their lives. Whatever direction each of us takes, it is important to embrace each of our journeys that take us on our own spiritual path.

Unitarian-Universalism honors the differing paths we each travel. Our congregations are places where we celebrate, support, and challenge one another as we continue on our spiritual journeys. As Unitarian-Universalists, we covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are working on becoming handicapped-accessible but are not fully there yet. To avoid steps into the sanctuary please enter through the rear entrance to access a sloping hallway to the sanctuary. Please park in the rear of the building or on the street, in front or the side of the building. Child care is available during the adult portion of the service.

July 21: “Driving as a Spiritual Practice”

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Presenter: Karen Fothergill

Join us this Sunday to learn from Karen Fothergill. Ms. Fothergill will provide insights on how a mundane task such as driving a car can become a spiritual practice.

Unitarian-Universalism honors the differing paths we each travel. Our congregations are places where we celebrate, support, and challenge one another as we continue on our spiritual journeys. As Unitarian-Universalists, we covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are working on becoming handicapped-accessible but are not fully there yet. To avoid steps into the sanctuary please enter through the rear entrance to access a sloping hallway to the sanctuary. Please park in the rear of the building or on the street, in front or the side of the building. Child care is available during the adult portion of the service.

July 7: Never PC (“politically correct”)

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Presenter: Rev. Jenny Peek

Pastor-Jenny_cCaring about the impact of our words is not synonymous with being “PC (Politically Correct)”. What’s the difference and why does it matter?

Join us for a thoughtful reflection on this topic with Rev. Jenny Peek, visiting Unitarian-Universalist minister from Pocatello.

Unitarian-Universalism honors the differing paths we each travel. Our congregations are places where we celebrate, support, and challenge one another as we continue on our spiritual journeys.

As Unitarian-Universalists, we covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are working on becoming handicapped-accessible but are not fully there yet. To avoid steps into the sanctuary please enter through the rear entrance to access a sloping hallway to the sanctuary. Please park in the rear of the building or on the street, in front or the side of the building. Child care is available during the adult portion of the service.

June 30: “The Way of Peace by Peace Pilgrim”

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Presenter: Anne Martin

Anne Martin will explore how “Peace Pilgrim” née Mildred Lisette Norman, an American non-denominational spiritual teacher, mystic, pacifist, vegetarian activist and peace activist, shared the lessons she learned on her remarkable journeys for peace. Peace Pilgrim discovered her life’s calling would be to work for peace: peace among nations, peace among groups, peace among individuals and very Importantly, peace within ourselves.

Peace Pilgrim felt very strongly that if enough people attained inner peace, we would learn to work together for the benefit of all and war and the suffering it brings would become impossible. Her message was simple and profound. “Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.” She carried that message from 1953 until her death in 1981 at the age of 73 to thousands of people in every state of the US, every Province in Canada and even into some places in Mexico. She journeyed on foot for over 25,000 miles wearing only the clothes on her back. Her only possessions were a few things she carried in her pockets.

Join with us Sunday to learn more about the contributions made to our society by Mildred Norman, aka “Peace Pilgrim.”

Unitarian-Universalism honors the differing paths we each travel. Our congregations are places where we celebrate, support, and challenge one another as we continue on our spiritual journeys.
As Unitarian-Universalists, we covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another.

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are working on becoming handicapped-accessible but are not fully there yet. To avoid steps into the sanctuary please enter through the rear entrance to access a sloping hallway to the sanctuary. Please park in the rear of the building or on the street, in front or the side of the building. Child care is available during the adult portion of the service.