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Unitarian Universalism"

Worship Service

Numerous religions have creation stories that address not only the creation of Earth but also the founding of the faith tradition. For instance, Islam has the story of the Prophet Muhammed being directed by God to write the Qur'an, and the Mormon Church has the story of Joseph Smith meeting the Angel Moroni and receiving golden plates that contained the Book of Mormon. Even Christianity has the story of the founding of this faith in the Gospels, which entail the crucifixion of Jesus, and the Acts of the Apostles, which describes the early Jesus movement. What, however, is the creation story of Unitarian Universalism? In this service, Chaplain Karyn Bergmann Marsh will explore Unitarian Universalism’s founding stories.

Karyn Bergmann Marsh, M.Div., serves as a chaplain resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD, and is an Affiliate Minister at Towson Unitarian Universalist Church (TUUC). Prior to her residency, Ms. Marsh served as a ministerial intern at All Souls Unitarian Church of Tulsa. She graduated from Starr King School for the Ministry in May 2020 and was granted a preliminary fellowship by the Unitarian Universalist Association in April 2021. Prior to answering the call of ministry, Ms. Marsh was an active lay leader of TUUC.

So we can begin the worship service promptly at 10 am, please arrive at the sanctuary (if attending in person) or sign into Zoom (click here) by no later than 9:50 am. Thanks!

Please submit "Joys and Concerns" in advance by emailing them to the UUCR office (click here) by 9 pm Saturday, share them in the Zoom chat, or for those at the service, they may be jotted down on notecards which are available on the table between the lounge and RE doors.

Sunday, November 28 Online ONLY

Joint Worship Service with UUFE

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There's a new wooden box, with this display, on the "Joys and Concerns" table in the foyer. "The Sharing Box" is a place to share all things related to UUCR and we'd really appreciate your input! There are several ways to submit your input — fill out a message at the box, bring something prewritten, send it by USPS, or email it to the UUCR office. Please note in your message that it is for "The Sharing Box" and all submissions will be deposited into the box. You can remain anonymous if you prefer.

Thanks, Lynn

As MQ, Diane, and I were first meeting to determine the LDC’s mission and goals for our committee, MQ said something that has stuck with me — a foundation of our mission must be that we accept that any person’s “no” is sacred. It took a little mental processing on my part to understand what that meant, but I’ve come to realize that there is a multitude of reasons anyone can say “no” to a request to serve on a committee, take a leadership role, or help out with a task at church. And that we as a committee must hold that prerogative as a sacred and respected right.

As I’ve been making calls to members and friends about leadership and committee roles these last few months, I must say that I’m delighted when I hear “yes,” because I know that this person is willing to take on a task or make a commitment that will meet a need UUCR has right now. Truthfully, I’m also a bit relieved to fill a spot! Considering the LDC’s mission more deeply, we hope that with each new role taken on, that person’s connection to others in the church will be strengthened and their spiritual connection to UUCR will deepen as well. However, at the same time, I’ve heard some “no’s,” and as I listen I remember, “Your no is as sacred as yes,” and I know that the “no” does not diminish in any way that person’s cherished presence in our beloved community.

For your information, The Washington Post of November 9, 2020, had an interesting article (link here) on coping with love and loss by Zibby Owens entitled — "After losing two loved ones to covid-19, I turned to books. Here are 15 titles that helped me cope." Included in the list is Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself by our First Lady Jill Biden. Another book Vida feels is worth examining (not on the list) is by UUCR member Marilee Taussig entitled — Old Enough: Making the Years Between 50 and 75 the Best Chapter of Your Life.

Gayle Folger, Nancy Holland, and Vida Morley

Deeply moving and laugh-out-loud funny, Mission: JOY is a documentary with unprecedented access to the unlikely friendship of two international icons who transcend religion: His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu. In their final joint mission, these self-described mischievous brothers give a master class in how to create joy in a world that was never easy for them. They offer neuroscience-backed wisdom to help each of us live with more joy, despite circumstances.

Inspired by the New York Times bestseller The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, the film showcases the exchange between these two Nobel Peace Prize winners that led to that book.

Consisting largely of never-before-seen footage shot over five days at the Dalai Lama’s residence in Dharamsala, the film invites viewers to join these luminaries behind the scenes as they recount stories from their lives, each having lived through periods of incredible difficulty and strife. With genuine affection, mutual respect and a healthy dose of teasing, these unlikely friends impart lessons gleaned from lived experience, ancient traditions, and the latest cutting-edge science regarding how to live with joy in the face of all of life’s challenges from the extraordinary to the mundane. Mission: Joy is an antidote for the times.

click here.

🔽 For information about the Mission Joy Project 🔽

*6 - Carl Gallegos

13 - Rev. Sue Browning

18 - Jan Brandon

20 - Tim Ford

21 - Sara Warner

24 - Diane Shields

We want to help celebrate your birthday! If we didn't include your birthday, please contact the UUCR office by email (click here).