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Long before anyone built a projector, there was a fire, and a circle of faces around it, and someone who could not stop talking. That is the oldest technology we own. Somewhere far back in our story, a human being discovered that if you tell a tale well enough, the people listening will recognize themselves in it, and something true will pass between you that no one could have said straight out. We have been doing it ever since. Cave walls, psalms, folk tales, stained glass, campfire ghost stories, and now a screen in a dark room with a bucket of popcorn in your lap. This October we are calling our series Popcorn Theology, and I want to explore the meaning behind both halves of that name.
Popcorn, because this is going to be fun. We are taking four films most of you already love, or will love by the end of the month, and treating them the way our ancestors treated their sacred stories: as texts worth reading closely, arguing over, and carrying home. The Muppet Movie on October 4, with our first annual Pet Blessing after the service. Cloud Atlas on October 11. The Greatest Showman on October 18. The Witch on October 25, the Sunday before Halloween. A light lunch follows every service, so plan to stay and talk.
Theology, because I mean it. I know that word carries weight for many of you, and some of that weight is bruising. When I say theology, I am not pointing at a god far above the clouds. I am pointing at the depth that runs through every one of us: the miracle of consciousness looking out through your eyes right now, the mosaic of the divine scattered across every person in our chairs on a Sunday morning. The old stories were earlier attempts at the same recognition we are still making. A film is a newer attempt. The question is the same: what does this story know about being human, and what would it cost us to live as if we believed it?
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SUNDAY
OCTOBER 4
11:00 AM
POPCORN THEOLOGY:
RADICALIZED BY THE RAINBOW CONNECTION
LIVE IN THE SANCTUARY OR LIVESTREAM ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
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A frog leaves his swamp with a banjo and a dream, and by the end of the road he has a bear, a pig, a dog, whatever Gonzo is, and a family he never set out to find. Andie Arthur opens the series with the theology of The Muppet Movie and the radical claim hiding under its songs: a dream "gets better the more people you share it with." That is a doctrine of community. It refuses the lone hero. It is the reason a congregation exists at all. Come find out how a felt frog became a prophet of belonging.
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12:00 PM
FIRST ANNUAL PET BLESSING
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Bring the animal who runs your household. On Sunday, October 4, the feast day of Francis of Assisi, who preached to the birds and called the wolf his brother, UU Miami holds its first annual Pet Blessing right after the morning service. Dogs, cats, rabbits, lizards, birds, a goldfish in a bowl: every creature is welcome, on a leash or in a carrier, along with the people they have trained. If your companion cannot make the trip, or crossed over this year, bring a photo, and we will bless them by name. Water bowls provided. Treats encouraged. Come as you are, and bring who loves you.
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AFTER THE SERVICE
Join us after the service as we host our First Sunday of the Month potluck! This is a wonderful opportunity for togetherness and connections. Please bring a dish to share as part of the meal. Vegetarian and vegan options are welcomed. We are also a nut-free campus.
Need an idea of what to bring? Please reach out to hospitality@uumiami.org, for some guidance
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12:45 PM
SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY MEETING
EMERSON ROOM
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All are welcome to join our Social Justice Community meeting. Come share your voice and your ideas! UUMiami’s Social Justice Community is currently working on immigration concerns, voices for reproductive rights, the tragedy in Israel, Palestine and Gaza, and Climate Justice. Through our Share the Plate initiative, we support the Women's Emergency Network, Pridelines, PACT, and Chainless Change. By supporting local organizations, our hope is to uplift and educate our congregation while also taking action for all of Miami.
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7:00 PM
THE DOES
A VERBATIM DOCUDRAMA
UU MIAMI SANCTUARY
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Switching focus from the lies told by powerful men and onto the truth told by the girls they abused, The Does is comprised entirely of transcripts and depositions from various Epstein investigations and trials, during which the women shared stories we need to hear. The Does seeks to end the victim-blaming and instead show the bribery, brainwashing and threats that ensnared the girls, many of whom chose to remain anonymous and use the alias Jane Doe.
Created by Sheri Wilner-Deering • Directed by Jessica Bashline Performed by Therese Adelina, Melissa Almaguer, Vanessa Elise, Noa Harris and Kate Pawlowski. PERFORMANCE + PANEL DISCUSSION • Special guests to be announced. Admission is free; reservations are required. RSPV today. Follow @TheDoesProject for event and special-guest updates, or email thedoesproject@gmail.com.
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SUNDAYS IN OCTOBER
POPCORN THEOLOGY
HUMANIST THEOLOGY AT 24 FRAMES PER SECOND
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| Every people has told its truths in the dark, and this October UU Miami treats four films as our sacred texts. The Muppet Movie on October 4, with our first annual Pet Blessing after the service. Cloud Atlas on October 11. The Greatest Showman on October 18. The Witch on October 25, the Sunday before Halloween. Each Sunday at 11 a.m. we ask the same question of a different story: what does it know about being human, and what would it cost us to live as if we believed it? A light lunch follows every service. To get the most out of the month, pick up the Watch Guide, a short booklet with a page for each Sunday: what the service will explore, where to stream that week's film, one line worth remembering, and five questions for the ride home. Read the questions before you press play, watch the film at home with your family or friends in the week before, and when the credits roll, take turns answering. Two of the films are made for children and two are rated R, and each page says which. Then bring one of your answers with you on Sunday. | | |
WEDNESDAY
OCTOBER 7
11:00 AM
CONSCIOUS AGING
EMERSON ROOM
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The Conscious Aging Community is a very caring supportive community, where we feel safe to share about how we really are, about our feelings and our thoughts, and our present ongoing experiences. We are presently reading and sharing about the book A Year to Live by Stephen Levine, which is inspiring us to live as consciously as possible, to investigate and deal with our fear of death and, and among many other things, to find our essential wisdom and joy. We meet in the Emerson Room, the first Wednesday of each month from 11:00 am to 12:15 pm. Feel free to bring a snack or lunch. This meeting takes place in the Emerson Room.
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WEDNESDAY
OCTOBER 7
7:30 PM
MID-WEEK MEDITATION
EMERSON ROOM
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There are moments when the noise of the world settles into our bodies without us realizing it. An hour of stillness can become a quiet act of return, a way of remembering yourself beneath the pressure, beneath the pace. UU Miami invites you to join us for an evening of meditation every wednesday from 7:30 to 8:30 PM in the Emerson Room. This is a simple, welcoming space to pause, breathe, and gently come back into alignment with yourself.
Whether you have an established practice or are stepping into meditation for the first time, you are invited just as you are. No expectations, no performance. Just presence, shared in community. This meditation is led by Judith Echeverria. In a world that constantly asks us to move faster, choosing to be still can be its own kind of courage.
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FRIDAY
OCTOBER 9
6:00 PM
HERO ACADEMY
EMERSON ROOM
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| Hero Academy is a leadership academy where teens and young adults earn merit badges across four divisions, level up through ranks, and unlock real-world experiences with their crew, from movie nights and the Youth Fair to Florida Supercon. Built for: geeks, gamers, fandom kids, neurodivergent youth, cosplayers, artists, writers, LGBTQ+ and questioning youth, and anyone who hasn't found their fit in standard programs. Hero Academy meets every other Friday, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM in the Emerson Room at UU Miami. This is where your journey begins! | | |
SATURDAY
OCTOBER 17
1:30 PM
NEW EDEN JUBILEE MARKET
UU MIAMI
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Last month, our congregation helped serve more than 260 families with fresh groceries, wellness resources, and a warm welcome. That is what faith in action looks like, and it keeps growing. New Eden Jubilee Market returns Saturday, October 17, starting at 1:30 pm, right here at UU Miami. We are pleased to share that this month's market is sponsored by our friends at Christ Congregational United Church of Christ, whose generosity sets every table.
Come for the groceries and the community. RSVP at pridelines.events/eden. Volunteer with us; setup begins at noon, and you can sign up at pridelines.events/edenvolunteer. Share the invitation with someone who could use it. And if fresh groceries would help your own household, this table is set for you too. No judgment. No cost.
Bring a bag, bring a friend, and see you on the 17th.
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SATURDAY
OCTOBER 17
7:00 PM
LAVENDER LOUNGE
UU MIAMI
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This month, Lavender Lounge gets a little spooky. Not ghosts, not ghouls: the truly frightening thing is a midterm election on November 3 that too many of our neighbors sit out. So we're turning the fright into a party. Expect live performances, drag queens, and a short message from our friends at SAVE on how to make sure your voice is counted this November. Hosting the night in all their fabulous slitheriness is King Vyper, who promises to coil, charm, and keep the show moving.
Lavender Lounge fills our space with neighbors who may be walking through our doors for the very first time. Come be the welcome. Saturday, October 17, 7:00 to 11:00 PM. Dinner and drinks are free for everyone who registers, so please RSVP and bring your family and friends. Costumes are welcome if the spirit moves you. RSVP at uuc.events/lavender
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THURSDAY
NOVEMBER 19
EARLY GIVING STARTS ON NOVEMBER 14
SAVE THE DATE FOR
GIVE MIAMI DAY
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Thursday November 19 is GIVE MIAMI DAY! On Give Miami Day, hosted by The Miami Foundation, we bring our UU Shared Value of generosity to life by supporting our beautiful congregation and other vital Miami nonprofits. Together, we cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope. More exciting details coming soon!
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As our congregation grows, so does the number of hearts with something to share on Sunday mornings, and that is a gift. To honor every joy and concern well while keeping our services within the hour, the Worship Committee has adopted a new practice together, beginning this Sunday.
Joys and Concerns will now be shared from the pulpit. You can offer yours in either of two ways. Email Rev. Marrero at harold@uumiami.org with what you would like read aloud, or fill out one of the cards available in the sanctuary, where Maria Bishop will be coming around before the service to collect them from anyone who wishes to share. Your words will then be lifted up from the pulpit as part of worship.
And beginning in September, we are bringing back our Spiritual Reality, pre-service gatherings, a time to share your joys and concerns in a collective space. Congregants are welcome to gather in the Emerson Room before worship for connection and conversation, or, once the weather cools, to walk our Labyrinth in quiet meditation.”
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We have a wonderful Labyrinth on the back of our property that all members and friends of UU Miami are welcome to walk.
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JOIN UU MIAMI'S
WHATSAPP COMMUNITY CHAT
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Click on the link below to join our UU Miami's WhatsApp Community Chat. By joining you will also be added to our announcements group, getting updates in real-time with the latest news. Please read our private social media covenant here.
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Click on the link below write us a review of the positive experiences you've had at UU Miami. This helps us get noticed more, which helps new seekers find us!
| | UU World, the magazine of the Unitarian Universalist Association, celebrates liberal religion and the people it inspires. Meet extraordinary individuals, see how Unitarian Universalist communities put their values into action, and explore the ideas and traditions that ground them. | | |
SIDE WITH LOVE
WEEKLY UPDATES
| | Each week, the Side With Love Action Center, provides a brief analysis of critical issues in this political moment, share immediate actions you can take, and provide helpful resources to deepen knowledge and practice of our collective work to side with love. | | YOUR GIFT HELPS UU MIAMI MAKE A GREATER IMPACT! | | |
TO GIVE FINANCIAL GIFTS TO UU MIAMI:
• Online with a credit/debit card at givebutter.com/uumiamidonate
• Text “UUMIAMI” to 53-555
• Cash or Check (payable to Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami) in the Sunday Service Offering
• Mailing your gifts to 7701 SW 76th Avenue, Miami FL 33143
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UU Miami is committed to promoting a culture of inclusivity & anti-discrimination as noted in our bylaws: “The Congregation declares & affirms its special responsibility to promote the full participation of persons of any race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, ability, affectional or sexual orientation, age, language, citizenship status, economic status, or national origin in all of its activities, without requiring adherence to any particular interpretation of religion or to any particular religious belief or creed. As a Welcoming Congregation, we dedicate ourselves to intentional practices of Right Relationship- in language and in action- that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion for all.”
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