Welcome to 2022, our “Year of Living Covenantally”!
Soul Matters theme: Living with Intention
Unless otherwise noted, services are led by the Rev. Andrew Clive Millard and take place at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays per the UUFP’s phased plan for resuming in-person programming. You can connect via Zoom at https://uuma.zoom.us/j/920676087 or you can dial-in to 646-876-9923 (Meeting ID: 920 676 087).
January 2nd: “Year After Year We Celebrate New Starts”
As the year turns, let's take a look at New Year customs and celebrations through time. What should this most arbitrary of holidays mean for us on our own spiritual journeys?
Jim Sanderson is a long-time Unitarian Universalist who has recently completed four years as the Fellowship’s President. He has served as chair of the Sunday Services Committee, as Vice President and as a Fellowship Circle facilitator. Before joining the UUFP, Jim was Minister of the Jenkins UU Fellowship in Petersburg and served as chair of the Religious Education Committee at First UU in Richmond.
January 9th: “Unlocking the Power of Covenant”
Covenant is the central practice of Unitarian Universalism, for it is how we live our interdependence within our congregations. Covenant is never imposed from outside, but emerges organically as mutual promises in response to the honest expression of hopes and fears. Covenant is not only the container for religious community; it is the vehicle by which we deepen our relationships through mutual trust and vulnerability.
January 16th: “Eco-Theology”
Ecological theology, or eco-theology, focuses on the relationships between spirituality/religion and the natural world, particularly regarding environmental concerns such as climate change. Given that human worldviews determine our actions that degrade, restore or preserve nature, eco-theology explores the interaction between ecological values such as sustainability and humanity’s impact on the environment.
Rev. Robert Drake is a long-time Unitarian Universalist and preacher living in Washington state. An interfaith hospice and palliative care chaplain, Robert is Medical Outreach Manager for Compassion & Choices, the largest and oldest non-profit dedicated to equitable access to end-of-life care, and has spoken internationally on end-of-life issues. Formerly at the Graduate Theological Union and the Chaplaincy Institute, Robert educates doctors, hospices and health systems on the processes, laws and policies of medical aid in dying.
January 23rd: “Reproductive Justice Sunday”
In observance of the forty-ninth anniversary of Roe v. Wade and in recognition of the on-going struggle for reproductive health, rights and justice, we join with Side with Love and Unitarian Universalist communities across the country for a Sunday of solidarity, support and reflection.
This year’s Thirty Days of Love will include a week focused on Reproductive, Gender and LGBTQIA+ Justice! Mark your calendars now for January 17th–23rd when Side With Love will offer opportunities for political education, collective action and spiritual support for all ages.
January 30th: “Nice, Right or Good?”
The late Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods covers multiple themes in its blend of familiar fairy tales. One such theme is morality, including the differences between being nice, being right and being good. “You’re not good, you’re not bad, you’re just nice. I’m not good, I’m not nice, I’m just right,” sings the Witch, who is willing to do what the other characters are not. So are we Unitarian Universalists nice, right or good?