Author Archives: magicvalleyuu

November 25: “Who would meet us at the table?” Rev. Jenny Peek

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Join us this Sunday as Rev. Jenny Peek, visiting Unitarian Universalist minister from Pocatello, shares a post-Thanksgiving message of breaking bread together.

How do we decide when and where to share a meal, and who do we invite? Let’s expand that invitation, in love and with fierce commitment to building a better world, one neighborhood at a time.

Please remember our non-perishable food collection for the Idaho Food Pantry continues all this month.

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.

Unitarian-Universalists 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 handicapped accessible. Please park in the rear of the building. Child care is available.

November 18: “Stone Soup”

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Host/Presenter : Don Morishita 

Members of the Magic Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will present a reading and performance of the story “Stone Soup”.

This is an intergenerational service suitable for all ages. Attendees are asked to bring a can of food to donate to the Idaho Food Bank. In addition, a special donation will be taken to aid the Idaho Food Bank. Following the service there will be a soup potluck.

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

Unitarian-Universalists 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 handicapped accessible. Please park in the rear of the building. Child care is available.

November 11, “All My Memories of Love”

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Presented by: Rev. Elizabeth Greene

Memory is a little like a ship’s log. It lists all that has been done and experienced; from it, we can make decisions about what need not be repeated and what principles lie under the good that we may hope to repeat in some form. November holds both Veteran’s Day and Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Rev. Greene will reflect on how we look back, and on how looking with love transforms both our memories and our current lives. If you are able, please bring a memento to place on our “Memory Altar” as part of this special service. The item can be a photo, toy, dish, drawing, writing, whatever—just something that evokes an important memory for you. Please don’t forget!

Following the service will be a potluck meal. Thank you in advance for bringing a food item to share; however, if you are unable to do so, no problem. We thank you for bringing yourself!

This Sunday will be our Second Sunday Donation to a local charity. This Sunday’s collection (unless you designate pledge on your check or envelope) will go to Hospice Visions in Twin Falls.

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.

Unitarian-Universalists 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 handicapped accessible. Please park in the rear of the building. Child care is available.

November 4: Meditations of Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

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Presented by: Mark McGinnis  (BUUF)

The Meditations of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, translated into English by Francis Hutcheson and James Moor, has been read by many people since it was first published in 1794. It has been found to be useful in trying to live a good life in difficult circumstances.

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For Mark McGinnis, member of the Boise Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, the difficult circumstances take two forms: first, the persistent physical pain he experiences; second, the emotional pain of living in what is perceived as an unjust, and cruel social system.

First, we need to determine what is a “good life” from a Stoic’s point of view. It is not a life without pain, without difficulty, without illness, without disappointment, without sadness, without death. Every life has those challenges and more. Marcus’ teachings give ways to be with those parts of our existence and have a good life. At its essence the good Stoic life is to live in accordance with nature.

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.

Unitarian-Universalists 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 handicapped accessible. Please park in the rear of the building. Child care is available.

October 21: Rev. Elizabeth L. Greene “Sanctuary of the Heart” (Potluck Follows)

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Presented by Rev. Elizabeth GreeneEGreene

The word “sanctuary” so often means a physical place, often a holy place. It can mean the primary space in a church or synagogue or temple, and it can mean the protection such a space provides for people seeking safety. Rev. Greene will explore those meanings, and also what it means to have a holy, protected space within ourselves.

Please note: There will be a potluck meal following the service.  Everybody is welcome, including visitors!  (This includes those who are unable to prepare a dish to share.)

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.

Unitarian-Universalists 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 handicapped accessible. Please park in the rear of the building. Child care is available.

October 14: The Eighth Principle- What Does it Mean?

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Presenter: Don Morishita

Unitarian-Universalist beliefs are diverse and inclusive. We have no shared creed, but do have a shared covenant of Seven Principles that support our free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Our liberal traditions have led us to embrace diverse teachings from Eastern and Western religions and philosophies. More recently, a movement has begun to explore the need for an eighth principle.

Although our first principle is to respect the inherent worth and dignity of every human. However, the eighth principle came from a feeling among our members that we need something to renew our commitment to fighting racism, to hold ourselves accountable, and to fulfill the potential of our existing principles. Join us to explore the topic of racism in today’s world and what we can do about it.

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.

Unitarian-Universalists 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 handicapped accessible. Please park in the rear of the building. Child care is available.

October 7: “How the Hell got into Religion”

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This sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 8, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson. In this lively presentation (video) Bishop Pearson gives some insight and background to how some figurative references to a valley in Jerusalem (“Gehenna,” meaning “Valley of Hinom”) found in rabbinic literature, as well as Christian and Islamic scripture, evolved over 2000 years of Christian thought to become the very different concept of “Hell” eagerly embraced and promoted by evangelicals today.

Please join us! Newcomers of all religious paths (or none at all) are always welcome.

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.

Unitarian-Universalists 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.

We are handicapped accessible. Please park in the rear of the building. Child care is available.

September 30: “A Vision For Community” Rev. Elizabeth L. Greene – Potluck Meal to Follow

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What does it mean to have a vision, an intentional imagination of how you want something to be? What does it mean to be a community, particularly a spiritual or religious community? When we envision and practice community, we receive great benefits—and we may also find some challenges.EGreene

Rev. Greene will reflect on how our vision informs our actual practices, and how our spiritual values may be enriched by both vision and the practice of community.

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.

Potluck Meal to follow service!

Please join us for food and fellowship during a potluck meal following this service. All are welcome. Please bring your favorite dish – if you are unable, that’s okay too.

Unitarian Universalists 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 handicapped accessible. Please park in the rear of the building. Child care is available.

 

September 16: The Wisdom in Going Too Far

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Presenter: Christina Charbonneau

When you try to keep your life in perfect balance there are bound to be missteps. There is wisdom in kindly and gently allowing those missteps to positively inform your future self while at the same time avoiding a shame spiral. Please join us this Sunday to learn how missteps can become positive tools to improve our future well being.

Our sermon will be given by Christina Charbonneau, who has been a member of the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Ogden, Utah for nearly 25 years. Ms. Charbonneau is a teacher at a Special Needs Preschool in Ogden, Utah.

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.

Unitarian Universalists 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 handicapped accessible. Please park in the rear of the building. Child care is available.

Join us! We meet at 10:30 AM each Sunday at the Vendor Blender and Event Center, 588 Addison Avenue West in Twin Falls.

September 9: Finding enlightenment in Fiction

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Presenter: Rick Dykes

Can one gain enlightenment and even spiritual growth from reading works of fiction? Over Rick Dykes’ long life, he has received great pleasure from the works of such authors as Ernest Hemingway, Harper Lee, J.R.R. Tolkien, and John Steinbeck.

Rick believes we can find that same kind of personal enrichment and spiritual growth in more modern fictional works.  Indeed, it is the great gift of astute authors to transport us inside the characters and their life situations. The result is inspiration, and perhaps even moral or spiritual change. This is the idea Rick wants to explore with those who attend our MVUU Fellowship on Sunday.

As Unitarian Universalists, we have a proud tradition of responding to the imperatives of love and justice to work with those of us who are marginalized and oppressed in society and the world.

Unitarian Universalists 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 handicapped accessible. Please park in the rear of the building. Child care is available.