Visiting speaker, Jack Peirce will lead a conversation about the nature of faith and religious inquiry. Inspired by the controversial writings of French philosopher and Jesuit theologian, Teilhard de Chardin, Jack will start the conversation using a list of words and sayings to help us explore the positive role of heresy and doubt, or agnosticism, in religious thought. We will explore such words as resilience, belief, adaptive unconscious, uncertainty and problem-solving — where verbal definitions come readily, albeit variably — and wonder, awe and reverence, where definitions are harder to come by, but which converge on religious experience. Speaker, Jack Peirce. Lay leader, John Peirce. Accompanist, Laurel Holmes. Read More »

We are all, sometimes for better or worse, our mother’s child. Peter Pierson will lead our Mother’s Day service when we take the time to remember just how much our mothers have given us. On this Mother’s Day Sunday, we will examine those moments when we do or say or see something, and we are suddenly aware of those pieces of our mothers that are deep within us. Bring a photo and share a personal story or anecdote — whether serious, humorous, or both – about one of those moments that has revealed to you just how influential your mother has been on who you have become. Everyone is welcome to participate. Speaker, UUFF members and friends. Lay leader, Peter Pierson. Accompanist, Laurel Holmes.

SOMETHING TO SHARE: May 10 is Mother’s Day, and we are calling our service, “We Are Our Mothers’ Children.” Everyone is invited to bring a photo or a memento that you have of your mother. During the service, you will be invited to share a story or anecdote about something your mother has given you – whether it’s a family heirloom, a desired (or undesired) character trait, or a lesson you learned from her.

This Sunday: A pilgrimage is a long journey or search of religious or spiritual significance. Two UUFF members share their stories about recent inward or external journeys of spiritual significance to them. Marilyn Richardson will tell us about spiritual retreats she has taken with Thich Nhat Hanh in Plum Village, France, Ram Dass in Portland, Oregon, and Wayne Dyer at Machu Pichu, Peru. Dave Welch will talk about his personal journey with Kundalini yoga and the teachings of Yogi Bhajan, including three separate, intense weeks of instruction in the Aquarian Teacher Training program that culminated in his being certified as a Kundalini Yoga Instructor on April 19th, 2009. This is a follow up to our November service, Pilgrimages Part I: Back to Our Roots, when Julia Stewart and Marilyn Russell talked about their journey to Unitarian villages in Transylvania, Romania. Speakers, Marilyn Richardson and Dave Welch. Lay leader, Lisa Sporleder. Accompanist, Marsha Sousa.

UUFF is a self-supporting congregation that governs itself on democratic principles, seeking consensus on major issues. Our Annual Meeting, held each year in late April or early May is the one day we come together to elect board members, hear about our financial health, approve a budget for the coming year, and address any issues of governance or congregational life that have been raised by the board or by individual members. All are invited to attend and all who have been members since February 26, 2009, are
eligible to vote on any motions. The plate collection will again benefit the youth who are traveling to General Assembly in Salt Lake City. A lunch will be provided by the fellowship, and the youth are preparing this meal for us all. Lay leader, Phil Osborn. Accompanist, Marsha Sousa.

Imagine for a moment a religious community that has a fundamental, bottom-line commitment to living in harmony with the Earth.  What would it look like?  How can we embody our seventh principle – respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part – in our daily practice at home, school, work, in our UUFF lives and in our broader community?  We will be joining the growing movement of more than 85 UU congregations across the country who are certified by UUA as a Green Sanctuary. Anna Plager will lead a discussion of what’s involved in becoming a Green Sanctuary.
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This Sunday: It is a simple miracle in itself, yet nothing miraculous, to awake to each moment, anew, where the world is full of possibility. Join us Sunday, April 12 to celebrate Easter, Spring and a whole new season of possibility and renewal. Easter hats optional. Speaker, Peter Pierson. Lay leaders, Shaun Lott and Frida Shroyer. Accompanist, Marsha Sousa.

Reared in the spirit of ecumenical open-mindedness and deep spiritual curiosity, members of UUFF’s Youth Group have embarked on an exploration of Pastafarianism, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. This Sunday they’ll share what they’ve learned about the beliefs, spiritual practices and metaphysical implications of this surprisingly consequential new religion, which has entered the debate on evolution vs. intelligent design and been featured on The Colbert Report and Science Friday, among other media outlets. Speakers and lay leaders, UUFF Youth Group. Accompanist, Susan Grace.
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Public assistance clientele are not always the people you expect them to be. Many times they are your friends and neighbors whose delicate financial balance has been upset by life events. Mike Thibodeau, Northern Region Manager for Division of Public Assistance will come and brief us on the reality of the people that come to his office for assistance. Speaker, Mike Thibodeau. Lay leader, Julia Stewart. Accompanist, Laurel Holmes.

This Sunday: The Universalist side of our Unitarian Universalist heritage – the side most of us know less about – has near its beginning a distinguished and fascinating figure: Judith Sargent Murray. Judith was not only an articulate defender of Universalist ideas, she was also the first published American feminist author with a 1790 essay “On the Equality of the Sexes.” Her path-breaking work was long overlooked, but is now getting fresh attention from feminists, historians, and religious scholars. Part of this renewed attention is due to the discovery in 1984 that Judith had, through most of her life, copied her outgoing correspondence into blank books. The Rev. Gordon Gibson, who discovered those 20 books containing thousands of letters, is our speaker for this service. Guest minister, Rev. Gordon Gibson. Lay leader, Larry Fogleson. Accompanist, Marsha Sousa.