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March 2nd Frances Mercer

Trust-Everyday Sacred and Begging Bowls

Inspired by Sue Bender’s book, Everyday Sacred: A Woman’s Journey Home, Frances will guide us through an exploration of “trust” as an essential beginning for and the sustaining essence of a human journey towards understanding and experiencing our everyday as sacred.

March 9 Rev. David Weissbard

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil . . .
    I was told many years ago that a minister can repeat a sermon after seven years.  The theory behind that is that congregations do not remember anything a minister says for that long.  I have another theory, which is that “There is nothing new under the sun. If it was worth talking about seven years ago, it is still an issue.” [You can quote me.]   
   The title above was the subject of the 5th sermon I delivered from this pulpit. [2007]  Actually, while there are things in it that are out of date, there is, sadly, much about it that is just as relevant today.  We’ll see if you agree when I offer an updated version on March 7th.

March 16th Rev.  Caroline Bright  (in-person guest UU minister) The Worship Committee is very pleased that Rev. Bright accepted our invitation. Karen Hall learned about her from a friend whose daughter has been close friends with   Rev. Bright since they met at St. Lawrence University.  

March 23rd  Frances Mercer

How can we use what we learn from Brene Brown’s “Anatomy of Trust"?  

Brene Brown is Ted-Talks-and-Netflix-Documentary famous. She is also a researcher, author, and consultant. One of the features of her website is SuperSoul Sessions. The one we will be viewing is entitled “The Anatomy of Trust”.  Based on research and analysis, she discusses the elements that are necessary to create and sustain individual, group and community relationships characterized by trust—BRAVING (boundaries, reliability, accountability, vault, integrity, nonjudgment, generosity). To learn not only from the presentation but also from each other we will break into small groups to share and process our reactions to and take aways from “Anatomy of Trust”.

March 30th  Frances Mercer

How might reflection and sharing in small groups enrich the Sunday morning experience at All Souls?

  Sunday is the day we gather for an hour-long Sunday celebration in the sanctuary followed by another half to full hour of potluck eating and conversation.  Sometimes on Sundays we also meet for congregational conversations or committee meetings.
Sundays we interact with each other face to face. Sunday is a good day to be together for most of us.  A day of pause, a day of reconnecting, a day of reflection and renewal, a day to appreciate our search for meaning.  But for me, and maybe for others, I still feel something is missing.  I still yearn for more ways to build supportive people connections within my spiritual community. One of those ways could be small groups for reflection and sharing or small group ministry.  I will share my thoughts and research on the various ways this might be done at All Souls.