Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of McMinnville Oregon (UUFM)

This is the second installment of a two part talk, the first part having been delivered on February 3, 2019 (Listen to Part One: Exploring the 23rd Psalm) . Although written over 1000 years ago, this popular psalm offers wisdom and guidance for the challenges of life we face today. Reverend Hartman will share further thoughts and present insights into this familiar passage from a different and hopefully, interesting perspective.

Reverend Carol Hartman, a born and life-long Unitarian, grew up in New Hampshire and Vermont. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire and Yale University Divinity School. Her long career includes managing and directing several non-profit organizations, publishing a newspaper, driving a tractor trailer, ministering to vets at a VA hospital and 16 years as a Hospice Chaplain in Florida and here in the Northwest. Retired from full-time chaplaincy, she works part-time officiating at funerals and weddings and guest preaching. She is the mother of 4 and the grandmother to 11. The youngest are identical 2 ½ year old girls who spend 3 days a week with her.

Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But actually, a lot of times we are harsher to ourselves than to others. Perhaps we can turn it around and learn to apply the the love and mercy we feel for others (sometimes) to ourselves.

The Reverend Mark Gallagher served for twenty-one years as pastor of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Vancouver (Washington), having previously served several other west coast congregations briefly. He still lives in Vancouver and has a private practice ministry of preaching, teaching, and leading workshops. He has spoken at UUFM several times over the years. He will be serving for Rev. Rick Davis in Salem while Rick is on Sabbatical.

Our culture teaches us from an early age that crying is an unacceptable behavior. It's a sign of immaturity in general and for men in particular, it's a sign of weakness.  “Grow up and be a man,” is what young boys hear. But crying is also cathartic, it can bring about recovery for the soul. Sorrow and sadness are part of the rhythm of life, both joy and sorrow.  And to give ourselves and others permission to express that sorrow, helps us to connect with each other and build authentic community.

Rev. Rick Davis has served as minister of the UU Congregation in Salem for the past 26 years and has often spoken here at UUFM and always looks forward to being with us.  

Looking at this familiar psalm from a UU perspective, it offers insights and reassurance we all need when facing challenging situations. It is often thought of as an end of life reading, but it has more than that to offer. Reverend Hartman will share her thoughts and present this familiar passage from a different and hopefully, interesting perspective.

Reverend Carol Hartman, a born and life-long Unitarian, grew up in New Hampshire and Vermont. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire and Yale University Divinity School. Her long career includes managing and directing several non-profit organizations, publishing a newspaper, ministering to vets at a VA hospital and 16 years as a Hospice Chaplain in Florida and in the Northwest. Retired from full-time chaplaincy, she works part-time officiating at funerals and weddings and guest preaching.

On Sunday, January 20, Kaki Marshall an enlightening, informative, and somewhat disheartening presentation on white privilege and the legal invention of whiteness from colonial times to the present day. For most of us in attendance, the information she was presenting was entirely new and therefore she included an extensive packet of reference materials, laws, et cetera.  A link to additional reference can be found on the UUFM Webite

Speaker Bio

Kaki Marshall obtained her Associates Degree in Behavioral Science, Certification as an Alcohol and Drug Specialist, and HIV Pre and Post Test Counselor. Working with these populations she learned how to analyze power dynamics and systems in institutions that reproduce disparate results for folks identifying outside of white heteronormativity. Kaki obtained a Bachelors in Psychology, Portland State and a Masters in Public Policy at P.S.U. Since then she has been working in government to dismantle systems of oppression and create public policy for an equitable and just society. Most recently Kaki has worked for the City of Portland in the Office of Equity and Inclusion helping civic leaders address systemic issues related to institutional, and systemic racism.

The new year is a time to take stock of the past year that just passed and look forward to what is coming in the future. This service will include a burning bowl for the old year, and some ritual and reflection around bringing in the new.

Rev. Katie Larsell is a community minister at the Eastrose UU Fellowship in Gresham. She specializes in memorial services, and positive, science-based spirituality.

Our lives often feel distressingly small.  Religious experience is largely about feeling part of something larger, indeed, infinite.

The Reverend Mark Gallagher grew up in Chicago. He attended the Starr King School for Ministry in Berkeley, California.  As minister, he has served Unitarian Universalist congregations in California, Nevada, and Washington, including twenty-one years at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Vancouver  in Vancouver, Washington. He retired from the Vancouver church in 2015, but still lives in Vancouver with his wife, Jennifer, and carries on a free-lance ministry of teaching and preaching.

Last March my wife Jane and I heard the Oregon Symphony perform Verdi’s Requiem for Manzoni. Several years ago while sharing some of my life story with ministerial colleagues I realized that each period of time had pieces of music important to me. This will be a sermon on listening to and respecting the music in our lives.

David Maynard is Minister Emeritus of Eastrose UU Fellowship in Gresham, Oregon. He and Jane remain active in that congregation. David is also a retired therapist who specialized in helping couples and individuals affected by compulsive behaviors or addictions. They live with their dog, chickens, and gardens in Portland.

Inspired my Michele Obama’s advice – “When they go low, we go high” – we will together explore our reactions and responses to the behavior of what Hillary Clinton called “the deplorables.” How do we remain spiritual when we are at extreme odds with another person? Their thoughts, words and behaviors? If it’s true that “we are all one,” how can we rise above the current tides?  Rev. Kathleen will share her thoughts and ideas, sprinkled with stories to illustrate the points. Together we will craft a plan of action that is respectful of all concerned.

Speaker Bio 

Rev. Kathleen McKern Verigin is a licensed and ordained New Thought minister with deep roots in Unity and Science of Mind. She is founder and director of Anam Cara Connections. Anam Cara in Irish means soul friend. Through this ministry she offers Celtic ceremonies and classes, a mentoring program for women, and sacred site tours of Ireland and Scotland.  By degree, Kathleen is an educator and communicator. Through life experience she is an EMMY Award-winning television writer/producer, author, publicist, inspirational speaker, spiritual counselor and mentor, and wife, step-mom and cat lover.