Aman Fatima, Guest Speaker

Nancy Philip, Worship Associate

What is it like being a teenage Pakistani Muslim in America? Hear from exchange student, Aman Fatima, as she shares her Muslim faith and the differences between life in Karachi and Poulsbo, Washington.

Aman Fatima is a 15-year-old exchange student from Karachi, Pakistan. She attends West Sound Academy in Poulsbo.

Guest Minister - Rev. Kate Lore

Worship Associate - Jenny Weaver

Life doesn't always pause when our hearts are heavy, our minds are fractured, or our spirits feel like they're unraveling. This truth is both raw and universal. And yet, we endure. That's the miracle of being human--we endure. Somewhere in the depths of our pain, we find reserves of strength we didn't know we possessed.

Rev. Kate Lore is a Unitarian Universalist minister dedicated to social justice and community ministry. She advocates for marginalized communities, focusing on racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and immigration while speaking and writing on spirituality and activism.

Guest Minister - Rev. Barbara Gilday

Worship Associate - Johanna Munson

Visiting an elderly uncle in Toronto recently, I was shocked to discover that he was actively dying and none of his 5 children or other family members was present. I realized that in our culture, we have very little information or encouragement to be present in this difficult but transformational and often deeply spiritual time. I will share stories from my work as a chaplain and my personal life, that may assist you to be that person when it is called for.

Rev. Barbara Gilday came to professional ministry in mid-life, but her life has been full of inquiry, diversity, social justice, connecting and sharing with others: Teaching in Ghana, Hosting Japanese Exchange Programs, developing peer tutoring programs, hosting a Ukrainian refugee, to name a few. Currently, she is exploring, in new and deeper ways, how we continue to find joy in and give value to life as our capacities change. Barbara is the grateful member of a loving, blended family, and mom to a young rescue dog, Marley, who keeps her physically active. 

Madeline Ostrander, Guest Speaker

Gregory Cook, Worship Associate

Reflecting on the power of community and the potential for small actions to have larger impacts and ripple effects, and about mindfulness and the importance of paying attention to details.

Madeline Ostrander is a science journalist and writer whose work has appeared in NewYorker.com, The Nation, Sierra magazine, PBS's NOVA Next, Slate, and numerous other outlets. Her reporting on climate change and environmental justice has taken her to locations such as the Alaskan Arctic and the Australian outback. She is the former senior editor of YES! magazine and holds a master's degree in environmental science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Guest Speaker - Kathryn LaFond

Worship Associate - Johanna Munson

In the Celtic world this is a time called Imbolc, known to bring the gift of insight and inspiration. A time to bring our curiosity, our questioner forward, to act as midwives for what brings justice and truth to a world badly in need. How might we discern between how we live currently and what the world is asking of us? And, how can we keep our own hearth-fires alive in the midst of a changing world?

Kathryn Lafond, is an Intuitive Energy Healer/Health coach, Author, and Wise Woman Herbalist, trained in ancient wisdom traditions, is a life-long seeker who brings spiritual guidance from innumerable mentors. She is devoted to helping us remember the sacred in everyday life.

Tyler Weaver, Member and Guest Speaker

Mike Cox, Worship Associate

We are living in a time of great division within our country. Tyler and Mike will discuss why we believe finding common ground is important for the health of our families, communities and country. We will be breaking up into small groups to explore what we can do as individuals and as a congregation to address these divisions and then sharing those ideas. We believe there is common ground to be found, and it is essential to develop strategies to address our differences.

Rev. Jennifer Alvair, Guest Minister

Nancy Philip, Worship Associate

How can we cultivate spiritual strength and resilience during times of global crises? How might we learn to build trust across differences in today’s polarized nation? Come join us as we explore these interdisciplinary questions through the lens of peacebuilding and ecological renewal.

Rev. Bruce Bode, Guest Minister

Gregory Cook, Worship Associate

This service near the beginning of the new year will, Janus-like, look both ways. Following a sermon message engaging Denise Levertov’s poem “Once Only” as its text, it will include a “Composting Communion,” then, in community, greet the New Year!

Guest Minister - Rev. Kate Lore

Worship Associate - Nancy Philip

Together, Rev. Kate Lore and Nancy Philip will contemplate the darkest night of the year, the return of the light and the magic of the season."

Rev. Emily Melcher, Guest Minister

Johanna Munson, Worship Associate

In this season of ding-a-ling-a-ling, what would it mean for us to find ourselves in what poet Billy Collins calls “the generous pocket of silence”? How might we be truly present in this season of anticipation?