UUCCI

Many of our busy daily lives have us pulled in every direction, bathed in electric light, and interrupted by constant notifications. The autumn equinox is one of only two times per year that there is a brief moment of equilibrium that envelops the whole globe. We invite you to join us for a time to gently pause and find yourself in the present. Together, we will use this changing of seasons and light to reflect on the balance we seek in our lives, our hearts, and our world.

As a religious tradition that is focused on this world more than the "next," we are committed to the consequential outcomes of our actions and inactions in this life. Our care and concern goes beyond how we each live with integrity or as a congregation; we hope to see our UU values embodied in all levels of our democracy. What would it mean to UU the Vote this fall? What role and impact can we play as individuals and as a community in the weeks ahead? Rev. Nic will explore these and other practical questions of living with integrity in a time of great consequence.

Our annual Water Communion service is a special moment where as a congregation we officially kick-off a new congregational year together. Every time we begin again in love is a beautiful testament to our history, mission, and vision as a congregation. BUt something about this year feels a little different. Today, we will explore the watershed moment before our congregation, country, and world as we look ahead to another year in community.

On this Labor Day weekend, we will recall some of the physical and spiritual equations that can help us be "a community of hope and courage, where we celebrate love and work for justice." Not a math, physics, or book smarts sort of person, fear not! These equations are already ingrained in our hearts and in our UU history to guide us into the challenges and opportunities before us.

As we look forward to the annual Pride Festival in the Columbus area, we will take a moment to listen and learn from our LGBTQ+ community through their stories. We celebrate the many ways our love is expressed, shared, and amplified with others. “Coming Out” is a profound experience for many. We are challenged to examine our roles as allies, and trusted adults and friends. We know with love at the center, we can commit to making UUCCI and the larger community a safer space.

In recent decades, understanding has increased surrounding the diversity of sexual orientations in society, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, heterosexual, etc. For many segments of society, however, topics related to gender expression and identity are less familiar. Because of this lack of understanding, two possible pathways forward are curiosity and fear, wherein the former leads to love and the latter to discrimination and violence. While a global anti-gender movement grows,we must ask ourselves, "who's afraid of gender?" and our answer should lead us to move faithfully toward curiosity and love.

You can find the written service on Substack!

What would it feel like to be a part of a community where you can feel fully heard, embraced, and loved for who you are? Our values call us to not only hear one another, but to listen deeply to our diverse life experiences. One type of diversity not often discussed is how disability shapes all of our lives, whether explicitly, implicitly, presently, or will assuredly in the future. Through the lens of disability justice, we will explore why, "yes, you do need a microphone."

You can find the written service on Substack!

"As humans and a society, we often look at the world from what is at or above our horizon awareness. But life is most fulfilling when we dive beneath the water's surface where we can experience the beauty and depth of existence. If we don't take the plunge, we will think the mono-cultural and political state is all there is. Yet, we know deep in our bones how icebergs float and when we remember, we will better realize and embrace the multicultural sacredness of life."

You can find the written service on Substack!

Join us for an all ages service where we can reflect on the sweetness of the strawberry moon and welcome the carefree spirit of summer!

The UUCCI Choir presents a song cycle honoring Rev. Norbert Capek, creator of the Flower Communion custom and founder of the Unitarian faith in Czechoslovakia, who was martyred for his faith in 1942.