The Magic Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is pleased to announce that Reverend Elizabeth Greene of the Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will speak on Sunday May 27th at 10:30 AM at the Twin Falls Senior Center, located at 530 Shoshone Street West.  Rev. Greene’s topic is The Places that Scare You from the book of the same title by Pema Chödrön.

Reverend Elizabeth Greene is in her 24th year of serving the Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. A former educator, she graduated from the Unitarian Universalist Seminary Starr King School for the Ministry. Elizabeth is the Pacific Northwest District Trustee to the Unitarian Universalist Association and is active in the Interfaith Alliance. Elizabeth performs as a choral singer, writes thoughtful columns for the Idaho Statesman, and is a frequent speaker at community events.

Worship Leader: Elizabeth Greene
Worship Associate: Karen Kothergill

Sunday, May 27, 2012
Twin Falls Senior Center, Twin Falls, Idaho
Beginning at 10:30 AM

The nature of living is reflected in the nature of gardening.  Through gardening we learn that life is a process and that small efforts yield remarkable results over time.  Gardening shows us that we are all part of an interconnected web of life and that life is resilient.  Time in the garden can also teach us to let go of attachment and accept the cycles of change.  We discover that hard work, done well, feels good and that one of the most important aspects of gardening is taking the time to savor and appreciate the beauty that is all around us.

“I sit in my garden, gazing upon a beauty that cannot gaze upon itself.  And I find sufficient purpose for my day.”  Robert Brault

Worship Leader: Julie Merrick
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Twin Falls Senior Center
Twin Falls, Idaho
Beginning at 10:30 AM

Speaker: Rev. Suzanne Marsh

Although mothering is generally associated with women, the dictionary definition includes: “bringing up a child with care and affection” and “look after kindly and protectively, sometimes excessively”, but many definitions do not include any gender reference at all.

We, as a society, may yet be able to move away from the confining image of motherhood to a more expansive vision of mothering which includes fathers, grandparents, friends, teachers and all who love children. This Sunday, Mother’s Day, let’s gather to remember and celebrate all who have “mothered us”, as well as our experiences of “mothering others”.

In addition, we will have our annual “Flower Communion.” Please bring some flowers to share.

Worship Leader: Rev. Suzanne Marsh
Worship Associate: Ryan Terry

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Twin Falls Senior Center,
Twin Falls, Idaho
Beginning at 10:30 AM

This Sunday, Ray Cross will discuss how Unitarian-Universalists differ from Christians.

Our program this Sunday will explore what it means to be a Unitarian-Universalist. We Unitarian-Universalists in the Magic Valley are a small group of liberal thinkers living in a conservative Christian community. We will explore what makes Unitarian-Universalists spiritually different from our neighbors. A number of spiritual topics will be discussed and as Unitarian-Universalists usually do we probably will not agree on everything that is said. We will discuss the Bible, God/god, the afterlife, sin, Jesus, salvation and other spiritual concepts. We will discuss the differences between Unitarian-Universalist positions on these topics and Christian concepts.

Please join us in our discussion and please come ready to THINK.

Worship Leader: Ray Cross
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Twin Falls Senior Center, Twin Falls, Idaho
Beginning at 10:30 AM

This Sunday, Ryan Terry will discuss Free Will vs. Determination.

The question of free will is one which has been hotly debated for millennia. Some people believe that humans have the capacity for free will – the ability to choose their actions without being forced to follow a certain course by either by the influence of others or by natural laws. For many theists, free will is regarded as a special gift from God. The notion of human free will is also an important premise for a lot of what happens in human society.

Free will is necessary for the notion of personal responsibility. If people do not have free will, then it is difficult to argue that they are personally and morally responsible for their actions – and if that is the case, how can they be punished for their misdeeds? In fact, how can they be praised for the good things they do, if those actions were not also freely chosen?

Does a person really have free will or does a person’s environment, experiences and so forth mask a person’s real ability to have free will?

Sunday, April 29, 2012
Twin Falls Senior Center, Twin Falls, Idaho
Beginning at 10:30 AM

Although many of us are uncomfortable with the word, there are times when it seems to apply. Our Unitarian forebearers worked relatively hard to avoid facing the reality, nature, and depth of human evil, but when humanity behaves inhumanely, sometimes there can be no other word suitable to describe them. On this Sunday before Holocaust Remembrance Day we will consider evil, where it comes from and what we might be able to do in the face of it. We will also remember and honor those all over the world who have suffered and died at the hands of others. In the face of evil, sometimes all we can do is remember those who were lost.

Worship Leader: Rev. Suzanne Marsh
Worship Associate: Karen Fothergill

“This I Believe” essays originated in 1951 on a radio program hosted by Edward R. Murrow.

Americans from all walks of life shared essays of their core beliefs that guide their daily lives. For four years National Public Radio aired numerous essays written by famous and everyday people and although this program has ended, the idea lives on.

Join us this Sunday April 15th for a ‘This I Believe’ service. Come hear ‘This I Believe’ essays of some of our own UU members and enjoy the discussion afterwards of the core beliefs that guide our daily lives.

Worship Leader: Don Morishita

Sunday, April 15, 2012
Twin Falls Senior Center, Twin Falls, Idaho
Beginning at 10:30 AM

On Easter Sunday, in the churches all around us, our Christian brothers and sisters are celebrating the resurrection of their Savior, an event that they believe happened over 2000 years ago. What are we Unitarian Universalists to do, we who take great pride in our right to believe or not believe, we who are skeptics, doubters or unabashed non-believers? The early Christians, who were the source of many of the religious traditions of Easter, borrowed liberally from the Pagan religions that were all around them.  Many religions that were practiced long before Christianity had at their center a revered figure of a dead and resurrected god(dess).  There must be some reason that people, century after century, return again to this story of resurrection. On this Easter we will strive together to move past the “words”, with all of their baggage, and discover what lessons and secrets the empty tomb and the risen Jesus might hold for us as Unitarian Universalists.

Worship Leader: Rev. Suzanne Marsh
Worship Associate: Kyi Kyi Whiting

Your gifts, whatever you discover them to be, can be used to bless or curse the world.

The mind’s power, the strength of the hands, the reaches of the heart, the gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing, waiting – any of these can serve to feed the hungry, bind up wounds, welcome the stranger, praise what is sacred, do the work of justice, or offer love.

You must answer this question: what will you do with your gifts?

Worship Leader: Karen Fothergill

Sunday, April 1, 2012
Twin Falls Senior Center, Twin Falls, Idaho
Beginning at 10:30 AM

Consider the difference between supporting life and sacrificing for it.
Sacrifice feels like a burden, like an obligation, like something we look forward to being rid of.  Support feels more like an opportunity, a blessing, a gift that enhances our life.
Many religions teach that we must suffer and sacrifice for our giving to be meaningful. Join us for a discussion on the idea that life does not feel burdened in giving to us but rather dances with joy for the experience. When our primary focus is on loving the world and being one with it, we too can dance with joy in the giving of all we are to all that is.

Worship Leader: Julie Merrick
Worship Associate: Karen Fothergill
Twin Falls Senior Center, Twin Falls, Idaho
Beginning at 10:30 AM