Unitarian Universalist Church West

UU faith communities are typically populated by persons with two different sets of expectations. Because they are at rather different places on their spiritual journey, meeting the respective needs of these two types can be a challenge. Self-awareness is a good place to start.

Socrates famously said, “The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.”  This month, our ministry theme is “We Are a People of Exploration,” which conjures images of things like Lewis and Clark’s expedition across the continent in the early 1800s.  But being a people of exploration” is not only about the world beyond us – and especially it is not necessarily about  imperialism or manifest destiny!  Today we explore the calling with each of us to follow the paths of our inner life – the call to “go deeper.”

In the art of drawing, the contour line appears as edges where two objects meet. Like an archetypal crossroads, a controur line is a symbol of encounter, boundaries, and the necessity of choice. We examine spiritual lessons from life along the continuum of contrast and harmony, with real life examples of art heals. Where the edges meet is a place of beauty and power, as well as inescapable moments of dilemma on the path of integrity.

Linda is a long time fan of all the Star Trek series and as a former philosophy teacher, especially loves the way Star Trek uses characters who are not fully human, or not at all human, to make us think about what it means to be who we are, and who we want to become. (You need not be a Trekker, however, to follow the sermon!)

So often, we want to make a great leap forward, instead of reflecting and being in the moment. Paul Norton discusses Thich Nhat Hanh's principle of froglessness.

It’s something we hear from at least one or two of our 7th and 8th graders at every “Coming of Age” presentation:  “We Unitarian Universalists can believe whatever we want to.”  This usually drives me crazy, because it makes our faith sound like a grab-bag jumble of people’s whims and fancies, which is most definitely not who we are!  But if you listen just a little closer to what our wonderful young people are saying there’s definitely key wisdom here. What if we really could believe whatever we want? 

NOTE: The audio from this recorded sermon has a very low volume level, please turn up your speakers or headphones to assist in hearing it better. Thank you.

While the text of the sermon is not available here is a list of the books that the speaker provided.

Unitarian Frank Lloyd Wright once said “I believe in God, but I spell it nature.” Whether we believe in God or not, a fair number of Unitarian Universalists hold the natural world to be sacred. This service will consider some theologies that find the divine in nature, with a focus on religious naturalism.

Within the Islamic faith, the strength of one's belief and devotion determines one's relationship to God.  The methods and quality of worship gives each individual his/her unique doorway to God.  "And if my servant calls upon me, I am indeed near, I respond to the call of the one who calls, whenever they call unto Me; let them then listen to MY call, and believe in Me, so that they may be guided." Quran