Sunday, July 20 — 10 am

In-Person ONLY

"Small Group Ministry — Chalice Circles"

M.Q. Riding and Michael Morris, Discussion Leaders

This service will be an introduction to Chalice Circles, which are small discussion groups. We will talk about the recommended structure and protocol of Chalice Circles and seek feedback about discussion topics. If there is interest, Michael Morris and M.Q. Riding will be co-facilitating a Chalice Circle this coming September.

JUL 27 | "Spreading Joy," M.Q. Riding, Discussion Leader — In-person ONLY

With so many factors in life completely out of our control, how can we make a difference? By spreading joy. What if you aren’t happy yourself? Are there ways to find joy within and around you? In this Sunday service we’ll consider the options of how to build joy in your life and share it with others.

AUG 03 | "Book Discussion: The Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk," Deb Reid, Discussion Leader — In-person ONLY

AUG 10 | "What Does UU Worship Mean to You?," Rev. Kathryn Adams, Discussion Leader — In-person ONLY

AUG 17 | "End of Life Decisions," Catherine Brooks & Connie Schroth, Discussion Leaders — In-person ONLY

AUG 24 | "2600 Years of Buddhism," Dr. J.P. Agrawal, Discussion Leader — In-person ONLY

AUG 31 | DISCUSSION LEADER NEEDED

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• This Week's Worship Service
• Upcoming Worship Services
• This Issue's Contents
• Helpful Links, Office Hours, Upcoming Events Calendar
• July's Potluck — July 18
• Book Pre-read for Summer Discussion on August 3
• Book List from July 13 Summer Discussion
• Book List from July 6 Summer Discussion
• OWL Facilitator Training — Registration Ends Friday, July 18
• Birthdays

The UUCR July Potluck will be held at Vida Morley and Bob Fox’s place on Friday, July 18 beginning at 6 PM. Please bring a dish to share.

ALL are welcome but parking is at a premium. Park where there is space (perhaps one of us will be there to assist.)

Bring your “Pot of Goodies” and prepare to do UUCR POTLUCK with good food and conversation.

If you need directions, you can contact Vida or the UUCR office's email CLICK HERE.

August 3^rd Summer Discussion Session with Deb Reid—discussion of the book The Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk. “An epic novel set in 21^st-century California about love and war, body and spirit, freedom and slavery, and the future of human life itself.”

This is a fictional novel that so clearly represents where we are today as a human race… as we struggle in a world that is a mix of hope, compassion, and love but also oppression, violence, and greed. I read this book 20 years ago, and it still impacts me today. It helped to inform how I want to approach living in this world and how to heal all the areas where we harm ourselves, each other, and the earth. Should lead to some interesting conversations about the power of combined action, possibilities, and where reality intersects with hope.

There have been three copies circulating amongst the congregation since May 1. If you haven't read it yet, there is a sign-up sheet for borrowing on the whiteboard.

On July 13, a small but stalwart band gathered to discuss what was the first book meant for adults that they read that had a lasting impact on them. Some participants elected to share their choices:



Michael Morris: Cosmos by Carl Sagan

David Hart: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Diane Shields: Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Connie Schroth: Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner and the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy by Sigrid Undset

Penny McCrea: Our Bodies, Ourselves by the Boston Women's Health Book Collective

Harry Hart: Could not recall the title, but fondly remembers a science book in his school’s very small library opening his eyes to new horizons.

John Ramsey: Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain and The Sot-Weed Factor by John Barth

Catherine Brooks: The Abilene Paradox by Jerry Harvey

Lynn Geisert: The Nature of Prejudice by Gordon Allport

Thank you to all for coming and sharing in this very interesting discussion.

We had a wide variety of books shared by the attendees at Sunday's service. Maybe you will find a few that will appeal to you from the list below: 

North Woods by Daniel Mason (Eileen Kessler)

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Joan Caivano)

Who is Government? by Michael Lewis (Elisabeth Tully)

Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy (Nancy Holland)

Great Short Works by Edgar Allan Poe (Gayle Folder)

Teaching the Trees: Lessons from the Forest by Jean Maloof (Lynn Geisert)

The Christian Standard Notetaking Bible (Neenah Newell)

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri (Neenah Newell)

Agent in Place by Helen MacInnes (MQ Riding)

All We Can Save by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katherine Wilkinson (Kim Agee)

Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall (Kim Agee)

On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (David Biehler)

Letters from a Father to His Daughter by Jawaharlal Nehru (Kevin Brien)

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Paula Hubbard)

James by Percival Everett (Nancy Holland)

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune (Deb Reid)

Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green (Jane Hardy)

Table for Two by Amor Towles (Amy Warner)  

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer (Vida Morley)

Are you looking to expand your capacity to facilitate Junior/Senior High Our Whole Lives? The next OWL Facilitator Training for Junior/Senior High Ages will be offered at All Souls Church, Unitarian, DC on August 8-10, 2025, IN PERSON. This is a COVID-conscious cleaner air event with trainers CB Beal and Eric Morrow. Registration closes Friday, so claim your spot now!

Cost: $500.

Register by Friday, July 18: https://www.uua.org/central-east/events/region/owl-facilitator-training-7-9-10-12-aug-2025-washington-dc

JULY

03 | David Biehler

16 | Gayle Folger

17 | Annie Lavin

We want to help celebrate your birthday!

If we didn't include your birthday, please contact the UUCR office by email