Upcoming Sunday Services
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GHUUC AND THE CURRENT SITUATION
Our Sunday Services are In Person services when possible. These services will be a HYBRID service, so that people who feel uncomfortable or are unable to meet in person can still participate in the service. Other meetings, such as committee meetings, Gratitude Time and Adult RE are virtual unless otherwise stated. As we gather in person, Masks are optional in the building and we ask that you respect physical distance. If you are sick, even if it is not COVID, please Zoom in instead of in person. Sunday Services Schedule 11:00 a.m. Sunday mornings online via the Zoom app and at GHUUC. If you do participate via Zoom, the session opens up at 10:30 a.m., so please sign on prior to 11:00 a.m. For 2025 our theme will be "Taking Action" July 20 - "Community" - We will be talking about community, how we define it, and why it is so important in these times. Please join us this Sunday! If you are interested in joining us by Zoom for our Sunday Services, please contact us at: [email protected] for log on information and to sign up for our weekly e-newsletter, the Voice. See below for a list of past Sunday Service topics. May peace and good health be with you. |
Events
A Variety of Opportunities for
Engagement in Community
Engagement in Community
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Game Night
On the 3rd Wednesday of every month we get together at 7:00 pm to play board games. (Check the calendar) If you like to play games, let us know! Adult Religious Education We have started an Adult Religious Education workshop via a Zoom meeting at 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Thursday evenings. Please join us. These sessions take place at the Sunday Service link. If you are interested in more information, please email us at [email protected] Board of Trustees The Board meetings for the rest of the year will be held remotely. Thank you for your understanding during this anxious time. The Board usually meets the 4th Sunday of each month after the Sunday Service 12:30 p.m. at GHUUC. Everyone is welcome. Social and Environmental Justice Committee The Social and Environmental Justice Committee meets once a month. We meet after the Sunday Service 12:30 p.m. at GHUUC. Everyone is welcome. We do lots of projects so please join us! For more information, please email us at [email protected] Gratitude and Meditation Take time to be at peace on Sundays at 7 pm. If you plan to attend, we ask that you be on time. We will begin promptly at 7:00 and we will be unable to let you into the meeting once we begin. (Since this is a quiet time and a time for contemplation and meditation.) We will take time for Gratitude, to be thankful for all that we have in our life and then we will do a short meditation. We will meet via Zoom. This meeting will run between 20 - 30 minutes. For more information, please email us at [email protected] Thank you! |
Past Sunday Services
"The Holy in My Everyday Life"
“Our Flaming Chalice”
“April Fool - Laughter is the Best Medicine”
“Forgiveness”
"Thanking vs Asking"
"Juneteenth"
"Pride"
"Independence and Freedom"
"Creativity"
"Chakra Meditation"
"The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved the Most: The True Story of Mary of Magdala"
"Contentment"
"Disability Pride"
"Virtue #2: Patience"
"Whoever You Are, We Welcome You, Whoever We Are"
"Dia de los Muertos"
"The Danger of a Single Story"
"UUs Living Faithfully"
"Thanksgiving - Sharing the Pilgrim's Journey"
"Ode to Joy"
"Talismans, Amulets and Evacuations"
"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
"Happy New Year!"
"Fire Communion"
"Radio God: Talking to the Universe"
"Seeds for the New Year"
"Chasing Your Vibe-Flow: The Good Life"
"Soup Service/New Member Ceremony"
"Bucket List"
“Side With Love”
"About the War in Gaza"
"Humanism"
"Stone Soup"
"Sermon Garden"
"World Religions' Celebrations of Spring"
"Autism Awareness vs Autism Acceptance"
"Sexual Assault Awareness Month"
"Stuff that Works"
"Trillium Walk at Wolf Creek Narrows"
"Where There is No Demand, Do I Cease to Exist?"
May 19, 2024 - "Flower Communion and Maypole" – Our Flower Communion is an important highlight of the UU year. Join us and bring a flower to place on the altar. Take home another flower to commemorate the day. We will also discuss the spring holidays and have a maypole to enjoy.
May 26 - "20th Anniversary Party and Congregational Meeting" - This service will be mostly an in-person service, but it will also be available on Zoom. We encourage everyone to join in person. There will be a brief centering service, followed by the congregational meeting, and then a potluck party to celebrate our 20th Anniversary. Please bring a dish to share.
June 2, 2024 - "Article II Update" – In the Unitarian Universalist Association bylaws, Article II currently sets out the purpose and principles of the UUA, of which Ginger Hill UUC is a part. As we head into a momentous UUA General Assembly 2024 where we will vote on revisions to Article II, join us to learn about our living tradition and how our faith is currently unfolding.
June 9, 2024 - "Ritual" - What is ritual and why is it important?
June 16, 2024 - "Celebrating Pride Month" - June is when “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month” is celebrated each year. In this service, we will look at the history and importance of Pride celebrations. We will also discuss the importance of the event and LGBTQ issues to the Unitarian Universalist faith. Join us this Sunday!
June 23, 2024 - "UUA General Assembly 2024 Worship Service: Weaving our Lives” Ginger Hill UUC is a part of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Once a year, the UUA holds a General Assembly in which thousands of UUs attend. The Sunday morning worship service is made available to all.
June 30, 2024 - "Our Spiritual Connection to Animals" - Our Spiritual Connection to Animals – how do we connect with and relate to non-human animals and what are our responsibilities to them? This message will ask some questions and open up the conversation to provide our own individual answers.
July 7, 2024 – “A Yoga Practice for Releasing Life-Force Energy” – Does your prana get stuck? We’ll practice guided meditation and gentle, chair-supported yoga to identify and release these areas. Please wear clothes that allow you to move.
July 14, 2024 – "Summer Celebrations" – We'll be taking a field trip to the home of a couple of our members who live near Lake Arthur. The service will be held there and it will be available on Zoom. In the service, we'll explore how people celebrate summer and what we each appreciate about this time of year.
July 21, 2024 - "A Discussion Service: The Letter A” - We will be reading aloud quotes and sharing our thoughts on some social justice words: activism, allyship, accountability, accomplices. This should be a great conversation around how diverse UU's like us think about these concepts.
July 28, 2024 - "Our Polar Worlds" - In this service we will view beautiful images and consider the uniqueness and importance of the Arctic and Antarctic regions to our planet's well-being. The service connects to our "respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part."
August 4, 2024 – “Celebrating UU Commissioned Lay Ministry" - In this service, we will learn more about this program that provides an opportunity for committed Unitarian Universalist leaders to deepen their faith while serving their congregations in significant ways. And we will recognize Caron Carnahan, our congregation’s Commissioned Lay Ministry leader who does so much for Ginger Hill UUC and who will be recommissioned at the service. We will have a potluck snack after the service while we celebrate Caron’s recommissioning.
August 11, 2024 – “Field Trip to the Palace of Gold" – This Sunday, we are taking a field trip to the Palace of Gold in Moundsville, West Virginia and we won’t be in our building. We also won't be on Zoom this week. Our plan is to meet members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at the site. More information about the site is available here: https://www.palaceofgold.com/
August 18, 2024 - "Deafness and Sign Language in 40 Minutes or Less!" – This presentation will focus on several inter-related topics dealing with deafness. The manual alphabet will be demonstrated and sign language will be discussed. Audience participation consisting of fingerspelling and description of signs will also occur.
September 1, 2024 - “Balancing the Light and Dark Within Our Lives” - Led by Rev. Susan Odessky, minister at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Poconos. In this service, Susan will discuss the ways in which we balance times of light and darkness within our own lives and invite us to share ways in which we find that balance. Rev. Susan, a retired attorney who served as an Assistant District Attorney in New York City and an Assistant Attorney General for New York State, has been a member of the UU Fellowship of the Poconos in Stroudsburg, PA since 2007. From 2020 through 2024, Susan served as their Commissioned Lay Minister. In June 2024, Susan graduated from One Spirit Interfaith/Interspiritual Seminary in New York City and was ordained as an Interfaith/Interspiritual Minister. Susan currently serves her congregation as their minister. She also serves on the Commissioned Lay Ministry Council. She spends her free time volunteering at the local hospice house and for Meals on Wheels.
September 8, 2024 - “Ingathering: Entering Our 21st Year as Beloved Community” - Join us as we enter into our 21st year as a faith community! We’ll celebrate with a traditional water communion ritual. Please bring water from an actual location or that is representative of a place or experience you had. In addition, please bring a small token that represents a special place or activity you experienced this summer, and we’ll create a small altar. We’ll finish with a potluck lunch. Please bring a dish to share!
September 15, 2024 - "Why UU Vote? UU Vote UU Values" - The who, what, and why on ‘UU The Vote,’ and an update on the upcoming Climate Justice Revival. The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) describes ‘UU the Vote’ as a nonpartisan civic engagement initiative focused on advancing democracy and organizing for justice and accountability. UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt said, “UU the Vote is about meeting the moment. It’s about refusing to turn away. It is our work to witness pain, grief, and possibility with clarity and to offer our people an invitation to become builders of a liberatory future, what we preach and teach about in this faith.” The UUA says that In 2024, the campaign plans to recruit over 10,000 volunteers from 500 Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations to reach out to 3 million voters across the country. The ‘UU Climate Justice Revival’ is another national UUA initiative, along with other UU organizations, that will take place during the weekend of September 28th and 29th.
September 22, 2024 - "The Datta Retreat Center" - We will be taking a field trip to the Jesus Datta Retreat Center in West Sunbury. Starting at 11:00 AM, we will learn about the center, what activities take place there, and more. At 11:30, we will observe a puja, which is a Hindu word for a ritual or a worship ceremony. The JDRC website describes the center as follows: “…Jesus Datta Retreat Center…in West Sunbury has evolved into a peaceful refuge, perfect for meditation in natural surroundings…this unique spiritual Center was inspired in 1986 by the teachings of His Holiness Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji…Sri Swamiji has described JDRC in this way: ‘The center is not a religion. It is neither Hindu, Christian nor Buddhist. It’s a Nature center, a healing center……a Natural healing center.’” This will be an in-person service at the JRDC and won’t be available on Zoom. The JRDC is located at 147 Moniteau Rd, West Sunbury, PA 16061.
September 29, 2024 - "Climate Revival Service and Congregational Meeting" - The ‘UU Climate Justice Revival’ is a national UUA initiative, along with other UU organizations, that will take place during the weekend of September 28th and 29th. Find out more here and by attending this Sunday Service. We will also have a Congregational meeting. This is a great chance to learn more about Ginger Hill UUC!
October 6, 2024 - "Travel"
October 13, 2024 - "LGBTQIA+ History Month" - October is LGBT History Month — an annual observance of the histories, cultures, and contributions of LGBTQIA2S+ communities. And queer history is our history. Join us this Sunday for a brief history of LGBTQ History Month, a few UU queer pioneers, and how the UUA Business Resolution Affirming Transgender, Nonbinary, Intersex and Gender Diverse People is a Fundamental Expression of UU Religious Values, passed during this year’s General Assembly, can help us continue our civil rights activism into the future.
October 20, 2024 - "’Fall Leaves’ and a Field Trip to McConnells Mill” - We will have the short Sunday Service at the park’s picnic area and then go for a hike down by the Mill. The Sunday Service at McConnells Mill will be a shortened centering service and "Fall Leaves" story time starting promptly at 11:00 AM, followed by a "Saunter" down to the Mill. Meet at shelter at Kildoo Picnic Area on McConnells Mill Road. (Kildoo Picnic Area is on McConnell's Mill Rd at the top of the hill.) Steve will be there early with Donuts and Coffee and Morning Meditations, light stretches, and breathing beginning at 9:30 AM. Come on out even if you do not plan on walking – the park is beautiful this time of year. We may add a more challenging hike for those interested in the afternoon.
October 27, 2024 - "Samhain" – The Unitarian Universalist Association, of which Ginger Hill UUC is a part, has a number of listings about Samhain on its website (uua.org). Here is a short introductory description: Samhain, meaning "summer's end," is a celebration of the end of the harvest and the start of the coldest half of the year. Learn more this Sunday at 11 AM. After the Sunday Service we will have a Potluck Halloween Party!! Costumes are encouraged. There will be crafts to do! We will also have a small fundraiser of Fall inspired coffees, mocktails and there will be UU Chalice stickers for sale. (All fundraising items are optional). So get dressed up, think of a Halloween inspired dish to share and come to the church for our first Party since the pandemic. It should be lots of fun!
November 3, 2024 - "Patriotism"
November 10, 2024 - "Liminal Time" – This is a time in between. In earth-based beliefs, the time between Samhain and Winter Solstice is a liminal time. A time for gathering your energy, doing some introspection and preparing for the return of the light. We will be talking about this.
November 17, 2024 – “Sharing" – The service will be based on the book Share: The Cookbook that Celebrates Our Common Humanity, which supports Women for Women International (WfWI).
November 24, 2024 - "Thanksgiving" - At this Sunday Service, we will talk about gratitude for and our connectedness to others and we will share a Thanksgiving meal. We are providing the turkey, so please bring your favorite side dish and join us!
December 1, 2024 - "Advent"
December 8, 2024 – “Promoting Peace” – The second Sunday of Advent is a time to reflect on peace. We, as part of the Unitarian Universalists of Greater Pittsburgh, just gathered at an annual assembly on Peacemaking and heard engaging speaker Dr. David von Schlichten speak about how we can engage in peacemaking, using the acronym of P.E.A.C.E. This service will be a screening of von Schlichten’s keynote speech. Peace in advent is part of preparing our hearts for Christ’s second coming. For UUs, it is about preparing our communities to welcome all into the faith.
December 15, 2024 – “Full Moon Ritual Service” – This Sunday is Full Moon, so we will be sharing our monthly Full Moon Ritual Service with the whole congregation during our Sunday Service instead of in the evening as usual.
Sunday, December 22, 2024 - "Winter Solstice" - There will be a cookie potluck for coffee time after the service. Please bring some cookies to share.
Tuesday, December 24, 2024 – “Christmas Eve Service” - This service starts at 7 pm and will be VIRTUAL only. Please tune in using our Sunday Service Zoom link.
December 29, 2024 - "Isolation Because of Technology"
January 5, 2025 - "Fire Communion" - Early in January, many Unitarian Universalist congregations host a Sunday Service to bid farewell to the old year. The Unitarian Universalist Association website (https://www.uua.org/) provides the words of Rev. Elizabeth Harding: "The fire communion separates the end of the year from the beginning, helping us to put in perspective the joys and sorrows, the changes and transitions, the ups and downs of the year. It's a halfway point in our church year, but a celebration of the outside calendar’s year’s end and year’s beginning."
January 12, 2025 - "Soup Service" - We will be sharing stories about how soup has been a part of our lives. Please think of a story to share. This is also a Potluck. Please bring your favorite soup to share! We will also be collecting non-perishable food items, gift cards or money to donate to the Feed My Sheep Food Cupboard in Slippery Rock.
January 19, 2025 - "Martin Luther King Jr. Day" - On the Sunday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we will listen to the words of Rev. King and explore the intersection of his teachings with Unitarian Universalist values.
January 26, 2025 - "Congregational Meeting" - We will have a short, centering service and then a Congregational Meeting.
February 2, 2025 - Groundhog Day - "Yes, Virginia, we can believe the groundhog will get it right this year." Staying connected to your inner child's imagination.
February 9, 2025 - "Super Bowl Sunday"
February 23, 2025 - “Crawling Toward Hope” - The Reverend Meg Barnhouse’s song, “All Will Be Well” is a favorite of our Congregation, and we sing some version of it nearly every Sunday. It typically follows our time of expressing our joys and concerns, being a sort of balm to our pains and a joyous uplifting of the possibility of hope. But, in truth, can everything truly be well?
March 2, 2025 - "(Other) Animals and Us” - In this service we will explore the many ways that we connect with animals in our lives and discuss some moral and ethical perspectives around these interactions. No judgments, no moral high ground in this service, but a chance to reflect on our choices and how other animals are part of the "interconnected web of all existence of which we are a part."
March 9, 2025 - "Moving Mountains One Stone at a Time" - This service will look at the story from UU World Magazine (uuworld.org) by Elizabeth Nguyen, June 2019. As Unitarian Universalists, our journey is to transform the big and the small, to transform ourselves, and to transform the world.
March 16, 2025 - "Rites of Passage"
March 23, 2025 - "Remembering Jimmy Carter"
March 30, 2025 - "Humility” - Humbly Unitarian Universalist. It all comes down to Love.
April 6, 2025 - "Unitarian Universalism During Difficult Times" - Following the news over the last several months or more can be very challenging. At this Sunday Service, those of us in attendance will be invited to share how we're coping and how we're responding. We'll also look to the Unitarian Universalist faith for ways to move forward.
April 13, 2025 - "Awareness in Plain Sight" - Awareness in plain sight: The most obvious, important part of realities are often the ones that are the hardest to see and talk about. In this service, we will discuss the freedom of choice and what to think about, and utilizing non-conceptional awareness, especially in human relationships.
April 20, 2025 - “Joy Comes With The Morning” - In Psalms 30:5, the Psalmist wrote that God’s “anger is but for a moment; His favor for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (NRSV) When we think about the New Covenant of God with humanity through Jesus’s sacrifice, we as Unitarian Universalists are reminded that we, too, live in covenant with the whole of creation. Join us as we consider five of God’s covenants with His people and the Covenants we have made through our Living Tradition.
April 27, 2025 - "Earth Day" - We will talk about some ways to help the planet!
May 4, 2025 - "Service and Our Unitarian Universalist Faith" - Unitarian Universalists place love at the center of our shared values. Service - along with kindness and compassion - is one of the ways we express our love. This Sunday, we will explore how we provide service and how these actions are a part of our faith.
May 11, 2025 - "Mother’s Day" - We will take a look at the history of Mother’s Day, remembrances of the day, and difficulties or concerns that may arise.
May 18, 2025 – “Trillium Walk” – For our Sunday Service experience this week, we will be in the woods at Wolf Creek Narrows. We will meet at the parking lot at Wolf Creek Narrows at 11 am. There will be a short, centering service, and then we will walk, hike, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
May 25, 2025 – “Centering Service and Congregational Meeting” – We will start with a centering service followed by a congregational meeting.
June 1, 2025 – “Pittsburgh Pride Field Trip” – For our Sunday Service experience this week, we will be in downtown Pittsburgh attending the Pittsburgh Pride Parade and Festival. We will be joining other Unitarian Universalists from the region who will march in the parade and host a booth at the festival.
June 8, 2025 – “Flower Communion” – Every year, many Unitarian Universalist congregations hold a Sunday Service called Flower Communion. This is an annual practice celebrating beauty, human uniqueness, diversity, and building community.
June 22, 2025 - "UUA General Assembly 2025 Worship Service: “Revolution Begins with a Dream” - Ginger Hill UUC is a part of the Unitarian Universalist Association (learn more at https://www.uua.org/). Once a year, the UUA holds a General Assembly in which thousands of UUs attend. This year the UUA GA takes place in Baltimore. At 11:00 a.m., our congregation will watch the Sunday Service from the General Assembly on Zoom. Here is how the UUA describes the annual General Assembly Sunday Service: "Embrace the electrifying spirit of the year's largest UU gathering, where we come together in unity for an awe-inspiring Sunday worship celebration like no other! It's a vibrant, communal worship experience that promises to uplift your soul and ignite your passion. Don't miss out on this extraordinary gathering of hearts and minds!"
June 29, 2025 - "Beauty and Joy”
July 6, 2025 – “Your Comfort Zone” – The service will focus on your comfort zone and how it helps and supports you, and how moving beyond your comfort zone helps you grow.
July 13, 2025 - "Pranayama: The Path to the Breath" - Join us for a time of peaceful breathing and chanting. Loose, comfortable clothes are encouraged for the maximum experience.