UUSLO

We are used to hearing this chant of protest-- as a demand for justice. Pursuit of justice is a core UU Principle, and yet we've also heard since childhood that "no one said life is fair." When such injustice hits closer to home-like say, a diagnosis of cancer, how do we find peace when there seems to be no justice? UCLA oncology chaplain, Michael Eselun, will explore this territory.

The ways in which we speak can inspire a range of responses. How do we become aware--and intentional--about how we speak in a climate that has wildly inconsistent standards about communication that is proper, respectful, and effective.

We will sing together, honor our awesome RE teachers and assistants, celebrate our community in preparation for the Annual Meeting, and look out toward the future...enter, rejoice, and come in!

Sometimes it is hard not to view religion as a negative influence on individuals and communities, with the histories and present-day realities of religious strife and violence and intolerance. Our Universalist heritage calls us to seek the underlying commonalities in teachings of justice and compassion, and to appreciate the harmonies of many different religious and ethical voices.

Is membership in this congregation, in itself, a spiritual practice? If so, what does it entail?

Practice justice (from our Mission). Practice patience, compassion, and empathy (from our Covenant). We are a practicing people

"Earth my body, water my blood, air my breath and fire my spirit." This chant reminds us that we are people of the earth, and that our fire of commitment comes through the connections we have to nature. Come explore Hildegard of Bingen’s “Viriditas”. Each of us is a vessel, a chalice. Come nurture the flame within that expresses itself through us as a lived commitment to the UU Seventh Principle.

"To what purpose, April, do you return again?" asked poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. "Beauty is not enough." And, indeed, it is not enough when one faces depression or despair. How can we respond, within our own lives and to others?

Humility has always been considered a spiritual virtue, yet one cannot find it mentioned anywhere in our principles or mission or covenant. What does humility mean? What gifts might it bring to our culture at large?

We live in a society that is obsessed about the prices of everything, but has a harder time calculating what things actually cost. What is the price of generosity? What is the cost of not being generous?