Sunday, May 11 — 10 am

"To Hail a New Creation"

We gather together in worship this Sunday—bringing with us all the joys and sorrows of our hearts, of our communities, and of the world—to reflect on and to honor the complex work of mothering. As a people of faith, what mothering work does our shared set of Unitarian Universalist values compel us toward? As a people of covenant, what nurturing gifts might we offer to each other and to the world, such as it is, in celebration of this Mother's Day? With great care, and as collective co-laborers with the Divine, we can actually birth the longed-for Beloved Community into existence... Imagine that!

• Adrian Graham, Aspirant to Unitarian Universalist Ministry,

Guest Speaker

• Annie Lavin, Worship Leader
• Michael Casey, Musician
• Joy Mayfield, Greeter
• Lynn Geisert, Coffee Host

Please CLICK HERE to join us via ZOOM.

This week's music:

• "Wake Now My Senses" # 298; verses 1, 3, 4 (grey hymnal)
• "My Life Flows on in Endless Song" # 108 (grey hymnal)

MAY 18 | "Oneness Ever Unfolding" — In-person & Zoom

The Sikh tradition offers “Ik Onkar," a phrase at the heart of the Sikh faith—which means "oneness ever unfolding." Valarie Kaur guides us through this beautiful faith tradition, inviting learning and an exploration of oneness in her recent book, Sage Warrior. May the deepest understanding of oneness, that all are part of the one, invite trust into this moment and those to come.

• Rev. Kathryn Adams, Minister
• Jan Sprinkel, Worship Leader
• Michael Casey, Musician

MAY 25| In-person & Zoom

• Heather Petit, Guest Speaker
• Nancy Holland/Joan Caivano, Worship Leaders
• Michael Casey, Musician

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• This Week's Worship Service
• Upcoming Worship Services
• This Issue's Contents
• Helpful Links, Office Hours, Upcoming Events Calendar
• Minister's Column
• Key References from 5/4/25 Service
• Notice of Ministerial Review
• Potluck at Paula Hubbard's Home — May 16
• Annual Meeting & Luncheon — May 18
• From Your Social Justice Committee
• Summer Session Book Discussion Pre-Read
• UUA General Assembly in Baltimore — June 18 - 22
• Global Healing Circle
• Birthdays

Beloveds, I loved the spontaneous breakout of singing "Imagine" together that ended our service. It felt like a truly magical moment. The vision of a global peace, all humanity recognized and seen, valued while living in and for this life, moves the soul.



The breadth of this vision reminds me of the following poster from the interfaith marketplace of the golden rule across religions. May we imagine and live into a world, a whole world, that lives the golden rule.

Peace,

Rev. Kathryn

McGonigal, Jane. Imaginable : How to See the Future Coming and Feel Ready for Anything--Even Things That Seem Impossible Today. First edition. New York: Spiegel and Grau, 2022.

Hayes, Chris. The Sirens' Call How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource. Penguin House: 2025.

https://www.history.com/articles/military-industrial-complex 

https://intelligence.weforum.org/topics/a1GTG000000lQv72AE/key-issues/a1GTG000000lZC12AM 

Rev. Kathryn Adams has been our half-time minister this year, building connections with the congregation, exploring our history, developing individual relationships, and becoming a voice in our Chestertown community. UUCR’s Committee on Ministry (COM) will be reaching out to the congregation to obtain feedback as part of our Ministerial Review process. Ministerial Review forms will be distributed again following this week's Sunday service, and they were also emailed on Monday. We invite you to share your thoughts and return the forms.

The UUCR May Potluck will be held at Paula Hubbard's home on May 16^th beginning at 6 PM. Please bring a dish to share.

If you need directions, they are posted on the whiteboard at the church, or you can contact Paula or the UUCR office's email CLICK HERE.

The May Social Justice Committee work will be focused on LGBTQIA+ topics and opportunities. We have a Family Diversity Project Exhibition to share with you as well as more specific activities to help us prepare for PRIDE month in June. Begin sharing and reading our common read book

Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families

Interviews by Peggy Gillespie

Photographs by Robin Rayne, Gigi Kaeser, Jill Meyers, and others.

Five copies to share will be available at church beginning Sunday, May 4. Please pass it on to another UUCR member when you have finished.

August 3^rd Summer 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 are three copies to be shared amongst those who are interested, and a sign-up sheet for borrowing will be on the whiteboard.

We invite you to join us for the 2025 UUA General Assembly in Baltimore and/or online from June 18-22—a chance to connect, reflect, and build a future that meets this moment with purpose and courage. This year’s theme, “Meet the Moment,” calls us to engage with the evolving challenges of our world, exploring fresh ways to deepen our faith and respond boldly to our mission. Across five days of powerful worship, insightful workshops, and community-building experiences, we’ll find inspiration together, reconnect with friends and colleagues, and return to our congregations renewed. Join us in person or online to be part of this transformative experience, where every voice matters and our shared vision grows stronger. GA Registration is still open for both online and in-person attendees.

You can find the program schedule, information about worship leaders and the Ware Lecture and workshop information at the GA website.

Every Sunday • 7:00–8:00 PM EST

Remote • Worldwide • All Energy Modalities Welcome

• All Types of Open-hearted Prayers Welcome

We are calling in Reiki practitioners, energy workers, Prayer Warriors and intuitive healers to join together in a coordinated weekly healing effort. As pain, conflict, and fear rise in the world, so must our response—rooted in compassion, not control. This is a call to amplify peace. To send love, healing, and clarity to global and local situations, leaders, and the people affected by suffering. Together, we can soften the edges of fear and remind humanity of its potential to choose connection over violence.

No matter where you are in the world or what energy or prayer modality you use, you’re invited. Set your intention. Light a candle. Visualize the world in harmony.

Tune in with others from 7–8 PM EST each Sunday via Facebook Live via Deb Reid's account. Friend Deb Reid on Facebook, and you will be able to join. Let’s reweave the field. Together, in light.

#GlobalHealing #ReikiForPeace #EnergyHealersUnite #SundayHealing #SpiritualActivism

MAY

09 | Lynn Dolinger

10 | M.Q. Riding

18 | Nancy Holland

27 | Harry Hart

28 | Betty Kerr

29 | Sydney Brookes

We want to help celebrate your birthday!

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