A number of UUs, including our church treasurer, have suggested that we need to resurrect the threat of hell. Let’s ponder carefully the advantages and disadvantages of such a move. There are no bad ideas in brainstorming!

Each of our lives is shaped by metaphorical boxes of various sizes and shapes, those we create for ourselves, those created by others for us, and those in which we put people we know and meet. These boxes are necessary to make sense of the world, but we must take care with how we use them, as well. In this service, we will consider all of our boxes and our relationships to them.

By today’s service the election will be over, and there will be both joy and sorrow in our land. We don’t yet know who will have the joy and who will have the sorrow. But our lives continue and our church is a place of hope, no matter who wins or loses. Today, we have the pleasure to welcome new members and reflect on the emerging role of our liberal religion in the community and in our world.

Is our democratic form of government healthy? Do we feel our process is fair, open, and honest? Do we feel confident that our government is working diligently to do the people’s business? In our UU principles, we say we believe that democracy is the best way to organize human affairs. Is that our experience? Francis Moore Lappe says she has “the cure” for democracy. On Sunday I’ll tell you her prescription.

Today, we celebrate the traditional holiday of Dias de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. We will honor our loved ones with traditional Dia de los Muertos customs, including an ofrenda. During the service, you will be invited to place a picture or another object on the ofrenda to remember your special loved one. We will hear traditional Mariachi music and enjoy special Dia de los Muertos treats. It is always sad to lose those we love, but this special holiday mixes the sadness with playfulness and celebration.

Have you ever wondered why in our country conservative religion is allied with the interests of wealthy capitalists? It turns out there are some historical and theological reasons why this is so. Come and find out how these strange bedfellows met and then became more than friends.

At the recent congregational meeting, the members of our church voted to support our involvement in Don’t Shoot, the City of Peoria’s efforts to end gun violence in the city. What does this mean for us? What effect can I, or our congregation, have on such an issue? In this service, we will explore how our Universalist faith in love connects us to Don’t Shoot Peoria, gun violence, and the work of justice.

October 8 is Columbus Day, a holiday that has very different meanings to different people. In addition to reflecting on some of those diverse messages, let us see if we can discover the America of today. What kind of land is this? What kind of people live here? Are they friendly? Where is this huge, creative nation headed in the next few years?

Do we need to save the world or is it perfect just the way it is? Religious and secular teachers have gone both ways. Is it possible to do both? After church today, we have a congregational meeting to approve Social Impact projects for this church year. Lunch and child care will be provided. Come and help us decide how we can be good citizens in our challenging world.

As I begin my work with this congregation this year, it is evident that one church year is a short period of time. It begs the question of what we shall do with the brief, blessed moments that we have.