It is human nature to tell stories, whether we are sharing our experiences that way or envisioning fictional narratives that tell us something important about human nature. Our perceptions of reality are reflected in the tales we tell each other. And, more importantly, those same stories demonstrate our fundamental beliefs. This Sunday, MVUUF member Jonathan Thompson will talk about the importance of storytelling as an art that belongs to everyone.

Perri Gardner will be the Worship Associate

A discussion about how to make progress. Don Morishita will moderate.

Melody Lenkner will be the Worship Associate

With Independence Day coming up, we celebrate this holiday for the freedom, rights and safety of living the United States. Join us for this interactive service to share with us your thoughts, readings, poems, essays or songs of what America means to you.

Presented by Don Morishita

We Americans rank dead last in religious literacy. When and how did this happen? What can we do about it now?

This Sunday, our visiting minister, Rev. Jenny Peek, shares her thoughts on bringing some religion into the classroom, or otherwise augmenting early and primary education with religious studies. What could possibly go wrong?!

One of the boldest Unitarian Universalist Principles is our 6th Principle — “The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.” This Sunday join political science professor and MVUUF member Perri Gardner for an exploration of this bold goal. Together we will consider the challenges to a true “world community” and learn about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHRM 1948) which strives to create “peace, liberty, and justice for all.” Finally, we will take action to protect human rights by exploring Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign.

Understanding other religions is helpful in opening our minds and hearts to communities of people who may be different from our own religion. Islam is one of the Abrahamic religions and the second largest religion in the world. Yet, it is not widely understood in the United States, with many misconceptions of their beliefs. Join us to learn more about Islam and what it means to be Islam in the United States and in Idaho.

Don Morishita will be the Worship Associate

Giving back to our church community is just one thing we do keep our Fellowship healthy and vibrant. Don Morishita will lead a service to reflect on what is important to our Fellowship, and then time to clean the inside and outside of the church, and then time to celebrate with a potluck gathering.

There will be no regular Zoom service.

From the earliest ‘anti-trinitarian’ opinions and universal salvation on to desegregation of Unitarian Universalist congregations and support of Freedom to Marry, where our ancestors raised reverent doubt, pushed the envelope and sometimes were martyred, so go our contemporaries today.

This Sunday, Rev. Jenny Peek, our visiting minister from Pocatello will join us in person. Rev. Jenny’s reflection is timely, offered ahead of General Assembly, where our delegates will vote on the proposed Article 2 revision.

Being creative is just one way to expand your spirituality. As Martha Alderson, author of “Boundless Creativity” states, “Creativity offers you opportunities to step away from your everyday reality and develop your inner spiritual life.” Create something out of nothing but your imagination, and you gain a new sense of yourself. Creativity awakens in us the power of now and brings value and meaning to every aspect of our lives. Join Betsy Morishita and Pam Blankenheim for an interactive discussion and service on being creative.

Don Morishita is the Worship Associate

Flower Service Communion

The Flower Ceremony, sometimes referred to as Flower Communion or Flower Festival, is an annual ritual that celebrates beauty, human uniqueness, diversity, and community. Originally created in 1923 by Norbert Capek of Czechoslovakia, the Flower Ceremony was introduced to the United States by Rev. Maya Capek, Norbert’s widow.

All are welcome to this ceremony, where everyone is asked to bring a flower to share if they are able. After a blessing of the flowers that have been placed in a shared vase, each person will take home a different flower than the one they brought to honor the diversity found in our faith community.

Presented by Don Morishita.

Jen Okelberry is the Worship Associate