UUCCI

Star Trek and other stories that explore space have opened new frontiers into our imagination and wonder about life and the great unknown. How might Star Trek illuminate the great unfolding and journey we are on today as we foster shared sacred space not out beyond the sun, but deep within our own interfaith campus where we move and make our living? Rev. Nic will invite us to travel to new planes of existence to consider how sharing space may prove a new frontier once unimaginable to be a trek worthy of taking.

Heroes and superheroes have captured the imagination of people and cultures for generations, even millennia. How does the notion of heroes shape our imaginations and sense of responsibility as Unitarian Universalists. Rev. Nic will talk about the potential superhero trap and how we can avoid it as we continue to celebrate love and work for justice in the world today.

Octavia Butler is considered the mother of afrofuturism, a genre of science fiction developed by, about, and for primarily African Americans in the United States. In her essential two part Earthseed Chronicles, Butler introduces the reader to a young girl who envisions a new religion, a new community, and a new future. Rev. Nic will reflect on the power and impact afrofuturism has played on our ability to imagine new worlds where all can not merely survive, but thrive!

Join Rev. Nic Cable and Adrienne Summerlot for this all ages service. Together we will lean into the lessons we learn from Star Wars. How do we center ourselves in the force of love, welcome resistance as a spiritual practice, and find the support we need to live into our values as Unitarian Universalists with alliances?

Throughout April, we are discussing the importance of looking at our religious journeys in light of where we are today and where we home to go tomorrow. Whether one idetifies as "Unitarian Universalist" or not, the reality is we are each in a continuous state of reformation of what we believe, how we live, and with whom we choose to spend our time with on this earth. As we weave our religious futures as UUs, Rev. Nic will end this series with an articulation of the importance of lifelong learning, growing, and sharing about who we are, what we love, and how we live together in this life.

While the vast majority of Unitarian Universalists may not identify as Christian today, most were once involved one way or another with the Christian tradition. UUism likewise as a religion has historical roots in the liberal edge of the Christian reformation. With the personal and religious changes that have unfolded, how do UUs relate today to the Christian tradition? On Easter Sunday, Rev. Nic will reflect on the lasting meaning, worth, and connection to this holiday and the broader tradition of Christianity today.

In Judaism, the holiday of Passover commemorates the liberation of the Hebrew community from slavery in Egypt. In the face of modern struggle, this ancient, timeless story can offer insight for our continued movement through the storms of life. Rev. Nic will explore its lasting message for each of us in our extremely polarized and conflicted world today.

Rev. Laura Bethany Buchleiter is a spiritual director, speaker, writer, advocate, and consultant. She has over 30 years of experience in various Christian ministry settings. She speaks on topics ranging from gender identity and sexual orientation to self-care and wellness. In all her work Laura Beth draws heavily on her own experiences with PTSD, gender dysphoria, suicidal ideation, and the challenges that come with those when working in faith communities. Laura Beth currently makes her home base in Indianapolis, Indiana, while traveling the country wherever she is needed as an interim pastor. She has lived all over the USA, including Puerto Rico. In addition to writing, speaking, and working with local faith communities, she keeps herself busy as an artist, musician, parent, and grandparent.

The vision of UUCCI is "To be a beacon for diverse religious thought and courageous action." With the continued development of the interfaith campus and the growth of programs and opportunities for engagement with our interfaith partners, we are beginning a new opportunity for shared learning. Beacon Dialogues are one-on-one public conversations between two people from different backgrounds and religious identities. For the first Beacon Dialogue, the Rev. Nic Cable will welcome Brittany Phillips for a conversation around Paganism and Unitarian Universalism.

In our lives, we sometimes experience Winters that seem as though they may never end, especially in Indiana. To celebrate the beginning of Spring, we will explore hope as a spiritual practice, and consider how we can embrace being sowers of seeds, eternal optimists, or just plain stubborn in the face of adversity. Please join us in welcoming our guest speaker Brittany Phillips as she shares her perspective as a UU and Pagan on the importance of being a steward of hope for ourselves and for others.