Services

Expecting Mystery

Ultimately, we know much less about what will happen in the world and in our lives than we think we do. Cultivating an appreciation for mystery might help us get past disappointment and judgment and arrive at a sense of expectancy instead. How might a sense of mystery help us gain wisdom and much-needed perspective?

Walking Together: Connecting Past, Present, and Future

We UUs do not have a creed; rather, we agree to “walk together,” a phrase as old as the oldest New England churches. The metaphor emphasizes our freedom but also delivers a much more subtle message about discipline and self-restraint. Let us walk together this Sunday after Thanksgiving. I suspect we all need the exercise.

Trans Rights = Human Rights

At a time when the U.S. administration is trying to take away civil rights from people who are transgender and erase their identities, our commitment to being radically welcoming and to working for equal rights for all has never been more important. What can we do to support our transgender friends and siblings?  

#StayOutraged, #StaySane(ish)

In the aftermath of the mid-term elections, what are we to do, both to sustain the energy needed to bring about positive change and to take care of ourselves so that we can be effective in the long run? We’ll explore ways to take care of ourselves while taking care of business.  

Diwali

Sunnyhill member Chetan Chothani will lead a celebration of Diwali, the Hindu “festival of lights” which takes place each fall. This holiday celebrates the victory of light over darkness and hope over despair. Please bring a journal or a book important to you and we will inscribe it with an auspicious message, during the service, … Continued

All Souls: How and Why We Remember

Each year around this time, we have a special service to remember loved ones and others who have died—especially in the past year. Why are such remembrances important, and how do we honor those who have died without becoming mired in grief?  

What Matters Most?

Stewardship Kickoff. One of the biggest challenges we face in this era of constant distraction is how to stay focused on the things that matter most in our lives. What can we do to make sure we are attending to those things that are of ultimate importance?  

Sanctuary: Just and Holy

Sanctuary can be a consecrated space set aside for worship and reverence; it can also be a place of refuge for those who face oppression and injustice. How do we, as a religious community, create space that is both holy and just?    

Sheltering God in the World

A sanctuary is a sacred place—one often used as a safe space for people or animals or plants. What if instead of a place, we ourselves embodied the charge of sanctuary and imagined a practice of sheltering the holy in the world by the way we engage with it?

Toxic Masculinity

The events of the past week or two—including allegations regarding Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the sentencing of Bill Cosby for sexual assault—have once again raised the issue of the harm that is caused by unchecked toxic masculinity in our culture. How did we get to this point and what can we do about … Continued