This Sunday we will be presenting an interactive retelling of the story of “Stone Soup.” This story is a classic folktale in which an entire town comes together and shares what they have to produce a scrumptious soup for all to share. This story teaches us the importance of sharing and that everyone has something to give. This will be an intergeneration service for kids of all ages. Following the service there will be soup for those who are interested.

Join us for this week’s online video presentation. Rev. Dr Arvid Straube of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego, CA will discuss the traditional and historical stories of the Pilgrims and Indians . In this sermon  Rev. Straube asks ” What is the American idea?” Rev. Straube states he has a passion for Unitarian Universalism and knows that it can save people – from shallowness, loneliness and meaninglessness. “Our communities heal people. I have seen it happen hundreds of times. There is no greater privilege, for minister or lay person, than to be involved in seeking wholeness for ourselves and using our gifts to bring that wholeness to others.”

Rev. Straube’s bachelor’s degree is from Ball State University, his Master’s of Divinity from the University of Chicago, and his Dr. of Ministry from Meadville Lombard in Chicago. He has been married to Sonya Prestridge since 1991.

All are welcome to join us this Sunday to learn the “real” story of the Pilgrims and the Indians. The Magic Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship meets every Sunday beginning at 10:30 AM at the Twin Falls Senior Center, 530 Shoshone Street West in Twin Falls. Newcomers are always welcome. Childcare is available. We are handicapped accessible. Please park in front of the building. For information, please contact Ken Whiting at 734-9161.

Beth Hewes will discuss the document Neale Donald Walsch has written that summarizes the last 20 years of messages received by him from God. He has gotten these messages down to a 1000 word document in a 25-item list.  According to Mr. Walsch’s website, ” Neale Donald Walsch is a modern day spiritual messenger whose words continue to touch the world in profound ways. With an early interest in religion and a deeply felt connection to spirituality, Neale spent the majority of his life thriving professionally, yet searching for spiritual meaning before beginning his now famous conversation with God. His “With God” series of books has been translated into 27 languages, touching millions of lives and inspiring important changes in their day-to-day lives.”

The Magic Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship meets every Sunday beginning at 10:30 AM at the Twin Falls Senior Center, 530 Shoshone Street West in Twin Falls. Newcomers are always welcome. Childcare is available. We are handicapped accessible. PLEASE PARK IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING For information, please contact Ken Whiting at 734-9161.

The words Family Values bring to mind warm and fuzzy images of Mom, Dad and 3 kids cozily nestled on an overstuffed sofa watching a wholesome family show on TV, eating popcorn with the fire blazing in the fireplace in the background.  Other images come to mind:  that same family kneeling in church to worship or frolicking on the beach or even better that large multi-generational gathering at the 4th of July barbeque. Reality or fantasy?  Join Anne Martin on an introspective journey to discover the truths of the contemporary family and how these truths play out in our individual lives and the lessons we learn to create a more inclusive and compassionate world.

The Magic Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship meets every Sunday beginning at 10:30 AM at the Twin Falls Senior Center, 530 Shoshone Street West in Twin Falls. Newcomers are always welcome. Childcare is available. We are handicapped accessible. For information, please contact Ken Whiting at 734-9161.

This Sunday, we will explore the meanings of Halloween as connected to All Saints Day and the Day of the Dead. Please come prepared to remember some of those dear people (or pets) in your life who have passed on and be ready to take part in a small ritual on their behalf.

The Magic Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship meets every Sunday beginning at 10:30 AM at the Twin Falls Senior Center, 530 Shoshone Street West in Twin Falls. Newcomers are always welcome. Child care is available. We are handicapped accessible. For information, please contact Ken Whiting at 734-9161.

Zen Buddhism is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism. Zen emphasizes enlightenment and personal expression of direct insight. In the Zen tradition there is less emphasis on sutras or doctrine. In the western world people often talk about Zen moments. But what is a Zen moment? A Zen moment is a moment of great awareness or enlightenment. It is a moment where you begin to understand what is truly most important and deserving of ones attention in life. Zen moments occur during times when we place lots of effort into completing a task and in the end have nothing tangible to show for it. This Sunday’s service host Ryan Terry will present a few Zen moments from his life and also ask members of the congregation to share some of their personal Zen Moments with the group.

The Magic Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship meets every Sunday beginning at 10:30 AM at the Twin Falls Senior Center, 530 Shoshone Street West in Twin Falls. Newcomers are always welcome. Childcare is available. We are handicapped accessible. For information, please contact Ken Whiting at 734-9161.

This Sunday, we will watch an online service titled “Why Not Pray?” by Rev. Barbara Prose that was delivered February 3, 2013 at the All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa Oklahoma. Rev. Prose received her Masters of Divinity from Bangor (Maine) Theological Seminary in 2009 and completed a unit in Clinical Pastoral Education at Maine Medical Center in Portland. Barbara sits on the Board of Volunteers for Peace, an international work camp and volunteer service organization. Her involvement began during her years at Brown University, from which she received a B.A. in Russian Studies. She served as director of the Alternatives to Violence Project in Maine, working with inmates in the Maine State Prison and the Cumberland County Jail, and helped develop a Restorative Justice program in the Boothbay region. Rev. Prose was hired as Assistant Minister, supervising the Pastoral Care Program at All Souls (Tulsa, Oklahoma) in the spring of 2011.

Please join us for a lively discussion on this topic. The Magic Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship meets every Sunday beginning at 10:30 AM at the Twin Falls Senior Center, 530 Shoshone Street West in Twin Falls. Newcomers are always welcome. Child care is available. We are handicapped accessible. For information, please contact Ken Whiting at 734-9161.

Join us Sunday, September 15th, for a service of poetry! Life is full of enlightening experiences and powerful emotions. Through the art of poetry we can connect with the world around us and come to a greater understanding of one another. Please bring a favorite poem to share. It can be something old or new, famous or not, something you wrote or just really enjoy and think others will too. There may be a few children present, so remember to keep the content family friendly. Please be prepared to tell us why you selected your poem and why you like it. Thank you: we hope to see you!

The Magic Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship meets every Sunday beginning at 10:30 AM at the Twin Falls Senior Center, 530 Shoshone Street West in Twin Falls. Newcomers are always welcome. Childcare is available.  For information, please contact Ken Whiting at 734-9161.

This Sunday, we will have guests from the Episcopal Church of the Ascension as our discussion leaders. The topic will be the history of Christianity, its creeds, sacraments and symbols. We encourage those attending to bring a question or two about Christianity to contribute to this discussion. Please note that no question will be considered absurd. An example of a question some might have is: “Does Christianity discriminate against God’s creations? Such as, if one is not a Christian (accepts Jesus Christ as his or her personal savior) are those of other faiths (Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists, Shintos, etc) doomed to Hell and damnation. What about those born before Christ? Are they doomed? What about animals? And perhaps even plants? In order to receive salvation and a happy after life (death) is the only requirement required that one accept Jesus Christ as his or her personal savior? After the speaker(s) completes her (their) talk, we will allow a few minutes for a brief question and answer period to address questions we may have pertaining to Christian thought. Please join us for a lively discussion on this topic.

* The answers provided by our discussion leader(s) reflect thoughts and opinions of the these members of Episcopal Church and do not necessarily reflect thoughts of all the various Christian denominations.

Jack Hartley will provide music with his guitar. All are invited to join us for lunch after the service.

The Magic Valley Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship meets every Sunday beginning at 10:30 AM at the Twin Falls Senior Center, 530 Shoshone Street West in Twin Falls. Newcomers are always welcome. Child care is available. We are handicapped accessible. For information, please contact Ken Whiting at 734-9161.

This Sunday will be our annual Water Ceremony. This service is an excellent opportunity to welcome members, friends and newcomers into our new church year. Please bring a small container of water from places that you have been this summer (or even from your own home) and come prepared to share with us some stories about your travels, adventures either home or away from home.

The Water Communion, also called Water Ceremony, was first used at a Unitarian-Universalist 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 and friends bring to the service a small amount of water from a place that is special to them (even from their homes). During the appointed time in 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. The combined water is a symbol of our shared faith coming from many different sources and paths.