Sunday Services Archive - 2020-2023 • UU Congregation of the South Jersey Shore

Sunday Services Archive – 2020-2023

2020 through 2023

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2023

Sunday, December 3, 2023
Noah and the Ark
Dr. Marcia Fiedler

The not-so-hidden secrets. Why not just tell the story like it is written?

Bio: Dr. Marcia Fiedler is Coordinator of Jewish Studies at Stockton University.

Sunday, December 10, 2023
Covenant and Kintsugi
Rev. Sana Saeed

Join Rev. Sana to explore why covenantal relationships are important using the Japanese art of kintsugi as a metaphor.

Bio: Rev. Sana Saeed is the Congregational Life Staff for the Central East Region of the UUA. Previously, she was an Intern Minister for UU Ministers Association (UUMA) and was the President of Diverse Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM). She’s a graduate of Harvard Divinity School. She lives with her partner and beloved puppy Rumi in Ardmore, PA.

Sunday, December 17, 2023
In This Very Moment
Pauline Nijander

We live in a world that causes us to think about the future constantly and the past continues to haunt us. In response to the hecticness that is our lives, we are often told the old saying that we need to “stop and smell the roses.” But how many of us actually make the time to do so? Join us on this Sunday as we explore what being present in the moment would look like for us and the busy lives that we lead.

Bio: Pauline E. Nijander is in her final year as a Master of Divinity student at the Drew University Theological School in Madison, NJ where she is studying for the Unitarian Universalist ministry, and where she was awarded the Dorr Diefendorf Award for excellence in homiletics in the 2021-2022 academic year. Pauline has been a member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton since 2013 where she has served in various leadership roles, and is now one of their two Seminarians. As a proud transwoman and lesbian, Pauline has spoken often to different community and student groups about her perspective and life in hopes of educating people through honest and engaging conversation about trans* life and issues. For this work, she was awarded the 2017 Triad House LGBTQ+ Champion Award from LifeTies. Along with her wife, Michelle, and their sweet pitbull, Ingrid, Pauline resides in Ewing, NJ.

Sunday, December 24, 2023
CHRISTMAS EVE MUSICAL CELEBRATION!
Gina Roche

Come to UUCSJS’s afternoon ALL MUSIC CHRISTMAS EVE MUSICAL CELEBRATION! Featuring the UUCSJS choir, Music Director Gina Roche, and some very special surprise musical guests. Come get your holiday spirit on with us! Hold the date! Exact time for the service will be announced.

Bio: Gina ROCHÉ (vocalist/guitarist/songwriter/uke player/vocal coach/tap dancer and most recently music director for UUCSJS and loving it!) Gina studied voice with opera singer and teacher Frank Capelli in Philadelphia. Gina is known for her exciting live performances and imbues a Brazilian twist into her unique blend of pop, jazz, blues and original compositions. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she has toured with her band, The Gina Roché Group in Grand Cayman, Aruba, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Philly, the West Coast, UK and Japan and has also performed on Good Morning America and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. An original member of the all-female Latin group “Ellas,” Gina sings in 4 languages; English, Portuguese, Spanish and French….ok she knows a few songs in French! *smile* The most beloved part of Gina’s bio is that she married her best friend John Rosenberg 21 years ago. Together they are raising two daughters and continually learning how to “go with the flow.”

December 31, 2023
No Service Today

November Theme: GENEROSITY

Sunday, November 5, 2023
Being Jesus
Theresa McReynolds

Jesus Christ has influenced the world more than any other person in human history. Though his feet trod the green hills of Galilee two millennia ago, to this day, countless devotees recount his teachings, pray to him, heal by his power, emulate his life, build churches to his glory, sacrifice for him, and kill in his name. Others revile, deny, and mock him. If ever a person has rocked the world and redirected the course of life on Earth, it is the lone Nazarene.

Bio: Rev. Dr. Theresa McReynolds, D.C., has spent the last 50 years of her life in the healing profession as a chiropractor, energy healer, wellness coach, crystal healer, spiritual counselor, ritual facilitator, and motivational speaker. She has dedicated her life to uplifting others. After many years of study, she was ordained a New Thought Christian minister in California at the Home of Truth Spiritual Center. She then went on to study with several teachers in the Goddess Tradition and was initiated as a High Priestess. Theresa has spent most of her life as an activist. She was one of the founding mothers of the Atlantic County Women’s Center, now named Avansar, as well as the Rape Crisis Center. She was inducted into the Atlantic County Women’s Hall of Fame in 2018 for social service and volunteerism. She is a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, gardener, farmer, a lover of this mother earth, and a forever student of the mysteries.

Sunday, November 12, 2023
Reverend Clarence Skinner: The Out-of-the-Box Skinner
Rev Charlie Dieterich

A century ago “Behaviorism” proposed all actions come from reinforced behaviors. What is religion then? Our subject is Universalist Minister Clarence Skinner’s understanding of the purpose of faith.

Bio: a first career as a television system designer, Charlie Dieterich changed directions, attended Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley California, and then interned for two years in New Orleans. He was ordained by UUCSJS on September 30, 2012, serving the congregation for three years. He then moved to Norfolk, VA and Erie, PA, then retired home to Kingston in central NJ. Although no longer a parish minister, Charlie remains active in the UU Trauma Response Ministry, uutrm.org.

Sunday, November 19, 2023
Stone Soup
Jessica Dunn Safonof

When it feels as though we’re living in a time of scarcity, how can we act from a place of generosity? We will hear the story “Stone Soup” and learn how a stranger taught an entire village the mighty power of sharing and giving. Generosity is one of the most important qualities we can possess and one that helps our communities function and grow. We will look at opportunities to notice grace and practice random acts of kindness and generosity in our everyday lives. And… we will make soup!

Attendees of this service are asked to bring a vegetarian soup ingredient – carrots, celery, potatoes, beans, rice, pasta, tomatoes, herbs, spices, etc. Ingredients can be fresh, frozen, or canned but they must be precut into bite sized pieces.

What happens when we all give just a little bit? Hopefully a delicious soup we can all eat together in fellowship!

Bio: Jessica Dunn-Safonof has been a member of UUCSJS for over ten years and has served our congregation in many ways, including as an RE volunteer, RE Committee Chair, and as Secretary of the Board. She worked as a mental health case manager in children’s residential treatment facilities before leaving that field to homeschool her children. She has been the Director of Religious Education at UUCSJS since 2018.

Sunday, November 26, 2023
Ukraine: A Cause Worth Fighting For
John J. Zarych

John Zarych will discuss his experience supporting Ukraine and provide insight into the world’s response to Russia’s criminal aggression.

Bio: John J. Zarych is a criminal defense attorney whose main office is located in Northfield, NJ. He is a cum laude graduate of University of Maryland School of Law, where he served as an editor of the Maryland Law Review. He honorably served in the US Army Reserve for six years, where he received the Outstanding Trainee Leader award for service as the Trainee Commander of a basic training company of 160 soldiers during wartime. He is a member of the Mainland Branch of the NAACP and has volunteered to represent and advise members targeted for arrest while peacefully protesting racial discrimination. He has volunteered on the Ukraine/Poland border assisting some of the millions of Ukrainian refugees, primarily women and children, escaping the Russian onslaught in the spring of 2022, and has done humanitarian work throughout eastern Ukraine. He personally provided humanitarian support to the Ukrainian Army at the Bakhmut battleground. He formed Ukraine Humanitarian Inc., a nonprofit 501c3 charitable corporation, which receives donations to support humanitarian work in Ukraine. He volunteered on the personal security detail for John McCain and his family during the 2000 and 2008 presidential campaigns. He maintained personal contact with Senator McCain until his death.

October Theme: HERITAGE

Sunday, October 1, 2023
From Munkács to Millville: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Elizabeth Roth
Irvin Moreno Rodriguez

This presentation will be on the new memoir published by the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center, From Munkács to Millville: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Elizabeth Roth. The book focuses on Holocaust survivor Elizabeth Roth’s story of survival and resilience during and after World War II.

Bio: Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez is Assistant Director of the Sara & Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center. He graduated Stockton University’s Honors Program with a BA in Criminal Justice and a Minor in Holocaust & Genocide Studies. After working in the Criminal Justice field, he returned to Stockton for a position in the Holocaust Resource Center. While employed in the Center, in 2022, he earned a Master of Arts in Holocaust & Genocide Studies. Irvin Moreno Rodriguez was appointed by Governor Murphy to be a member of the NJ Commission on Holocaust Education. He is the youngest individual to be appointed to the NJ Commission on Holocaust Education since its inception.

Sunday, October 8, 2023
Look Out! It’s a Moral Panic!
Michael Cluff

From Mods versus Rockers to Political Correctness to Critical Race Theory, our society leapfrogs from one moral panic to another. How can we identify the difference between a manufactured moral panic and a legitimate concern?

Bio: Michael Cluff has worn many hats in this congregation, including serving on the sound crew, playing guitar, teaching RE and more. He’s also president of the South Jersey Humanists.

Sunday, October 15, 2023
Gray Panthers and Raging Grannies
Rev Bob Murphy

Organizing for Health Equity is an Action of Immediate Witness that was endorsed by the 2023 General Assembly. The statement developed because of the Gray Panthers, the Raging Grannies, and other folks who are past the age of sixty-five. Rev. Robert (Bob) Murphy is a minister emeritus in Florida who will explain the new world of senior citizen radicalism and what it means for the Unitarian Universalists.

Bio: Rev. Robert (Bob) Murphy is a Unitarian Universalist minister emeritus in Florida. Bob describes himself as being “a circuit rider in the American South.” During the 1990s, Bob was the minister who helped to develop the Green Sanctuary program. In 2011, he was the first person to receive a national Sierra Club award because of religious work. In recent years, Bob’s attention has focused on aging during an era of pandemics and climate change. Bob graduated from Harvard Divinity School in 1995. He studied public health at Boston University.

Sunday, October 22, 2023
Creating Joy, Relieving Stress, and Letting Go
Gina Roché

Join our music director Gina Roche and friends for an interesting take on how to enjoy life and mitigate stress through the creative process.

Bio: Gina ROCHÉ (vocalist/guitarist/songwriter/uke player/vocal coach/tap dancer and most recently music director for UUCSJS and loving it!) studied voice with opera singer and teacher Frank Capelli in Philadelphia. Gina is known for her exciting live performances and imbues a Brazilian twist into her unique blend of pop, jazz, blues and original compositions. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she has toured with her band, The Gina Roché Group in Grand Cayman, Aruba, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Philly, the West Coast, UK and Japan and has also performed on Good Morning America and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. An original member of the all-female Latin group “Ellas,” Gina sings in 4 languages; English, Portuguese, Spanish and French….ok she knows a few songs in French! *smile* The most beloved part of Gina’s bio is that she married her best friend John Rosenberg 21 years ago. Together they are raising two daughters and continually learning how to “go with the flow.”

Sunday, October 29, 2023
The Martyred Heretic
Rev Dr Richard Speck

Have you ever heard of Michael Servetus? He was a theologian who dared to think and write books in the face of the Spanish Inquisition and Calvinist Geneva of the Protestant Reformation. He was hated by both for his radical words about God and Jesus. He was one of the first Unitarian and Universalist proponents and helped lay the foundation for our modern faith. Come and learn about our rich history of following the free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

Bio: The Reverend Doctor Richard Speck is the retired District Executive for the Joseph Priestley District (JPD) of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. He was named Minister Emeritus in 2019. Previously, he served nine years as minister to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach, FL, before coming to the JPD in 2000 as Acting District Executive. In his last two years in Florida he also served as the music director for the church. He graduated from Meadville/Lombard Theological School with a Doctorate in Ministry in 1990. He was hired as the regular District Executive in 2001. He served fourteen years as DE before retiring from full time ministry in 2014. Richard continues to be active in social justice programs like the Black Lives Matters and The Coalition to Dismantle the New Jim Crow in Delaware. He is married to Janet Tillman and resides in Wilmington, DE. He enjoys making music, flying his own airplane, and creating stained glass art. Janet and Richard have two cats.

September Theme: WELCOME

Sunday, September 3, 2023
Who Turned Up the Heat? A Worker’s Analysis
Kit Marlowe

Protecting workers from heat stress was part of Kit Marlowe’s profession. He worked hard at that part because heat causes many worker deaths. On Labor Sunday, Kit will share practical and political steps that control excess heat in your life. He will share advice about keeping family members, workers, cars, houses, neighborhoods, and the world cool. Where individual efforts cannot control the risk, Kit will share his perceptions about what society should do, and who blocks those protective steps.

Bio: Kit Marlowe is a chemist and engineer who has been have been involved in Peace and Justice issues for more than fifty years. He is a member of both the Teamsters Union and the American Federation of Government Employees. He is also the secretary of the Unitarian Universalists for Just Economic Community.

Sunday, September 10, 2023
Water Communion Ceremony
Minister Dana Moore

Join us for our annual Water Ceremnony.

Bio: When not nurturing her two beautiful children, Dana Moore is committed to being a social justice warrior through her ministry work with youth and young adults. Dana is a member of the UU Congregation at Montclair and Professional Religious Educator at Beacon UU Congregation in Summit. In her daily work, Dana journeys with visionary leaders and business owners helping them to overcome leadership challenges, building strong teams and systems for success. As a second-year seminary student at Starr King School for the Ministry, one of only two UU theological schools across the globe, Dana is the recipient of the John Buehrens and St. Lawrence Scholarships. She delights in studying feminine leadership and world religion. After serving as the 2022 Summer Camp Director and Coordinator for their Annual UU Women’s Retreat, Dana has been invited into the role of Program Lead at Murray Grove. Dana is thrilled to develop and support robust programming that aligns with UU values and Murray Grove’s mission of Radical Hospitality. You can contact Dana at Programs@MurrayGrove.org.

Sunday, September 17, 2023
The Great Turning, and Allies In Caring’s Role in Creating Life-Sustaining Communities
Ivette Guillermo McGahee

If you look for it, you can find evidence that our civilization is being reinvented all around us. Previously accepted approaches to healthcare, business, education, agriculture, transport, communication, psychology, economics, and so many other areas are being questioned and transformed. This is the second strand of the Great Turning, and it involves a rethinking of the way we do things, as well as a creative redesign of the structures and systems that make up our society.

Members of Allies In Caring will share the different ways this non-profit organization providing behavioral health services is participating in these emerging strands of a life-sustaining culture in South Jersey.

Bio: Ivette is the founder and CEO of Allies In Caring, a New Jersey nonprofit offering behavioral health services for under-resourced individuals living in poverty, immigrants and individuals with disabilities. Additionally, Ivette serves as a consultant in the design team for the NJ Public Health Institute, The Elevating Equity in NJ program, and currently, the “Jenga Council”, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s advisory council that promotes health equity in NJ. Ivette’s experience as a Mexican-born child of deaf parents (CODA) and sister of two deaf siblings, has provided profound understanding of the potential for growth that lies within the hardships that are a part of the human experience.

Sunday, September 24, 2023
Loss, Grief, and Healing
Cynthia Grzywinski

Many if not most of us have experienced deep feelings of grief and pain when a loved one has died. Oftentimes these include not only sadness, but darker emotions such as anger, regret, loneliness, disconnection, and fear that we may never feel joy, or be wholly alive again. In our Western culture, the topic of death is often taboo. Many hold an almost macho attitude toward those who are perceived as grieving too much, for too long, or not long enough. But is there ever a right way to grieve? By exploring the wisdom of religious traditions, psychological and philosophical insights, folklore and personal experience, and finding our shared interconnectedness, we may discover our own path through grief, leading us into the light of healing, and the joy of living.

Bio: Cynthia, a UUCSJS member, has been affiliated with this community since 2005 and has and still serves on a number of committees. She is a retired FAA Engineering Research Psychologist, with a Master’s degree in Aviation Science – Human Factors. A lover of music, Cynthia is a member of the UUCSJS choir who from time to time you’ll see at the piano or playing flute. As a lay speaker, she has contributed several sermons. A devotee and practitioner of Buddhism and the teachings of Thich Nhat Hahn, she also belongs to the UUCSJS Buddhist Sangha. Cynthia currently resides in Galloway Township with her rescue dog, Jazzy.

Sunday, August 6, 2023
Why Our Gatherings Matter
roddy bell-shelton biggs

As Unitarian Universalists, we gather each week. Some get dressed and come in person, while others join from home. But why do we gather? Could it be that we do so for change and need one another to create change? With change ever on the horizon, who are called to be Unitarian Universalists, and why does it matter?

Bio: roddy bell-shelton biggs (lowercase preferred) is a Queer, BIPOC, Nonbinary (they/them pronouns) seminarian and aspiring Public Theologian. As of Fall 2022, roddy is serving as a two-year part-time intern minister for the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fredericksburg, VA, while they continue and seek to complete their seminary education at Meadville Lombard Theological School. Owning both the Christian faith and the African spiritualities of their ancestors, roddy is grounded in Unitarian Universalist faith communities by choice. roddy is called to lead radical love, care, and sanctuary movements, simultaneously disrupting patriarchy and all systems of oppression plaguing our world. They genuinely believe that we must “Do everything in love” – 1 Corinthians 16:14 as we “Do justice, love mercy and tread humbly” – Micah 6:8: When roddy is not working or studying, they love being out in nature, traveling, eating good vegan/ vegetarian food, and all things theater.

Sunday, August 13, 2023
Dragonflies and Damselflies, There’s More to Them Than Most People See
Mike Hannisian and Nancy Watson

Nancy and Mike are avid wildlife enthusiasts and photographers. They met at the 2007 Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival in Harlingen, TX. Since then, they have expanded their interests to include butterflies, and for the past decade, dragonflies. Both share their records with multiple citizen science projects. In 2019, Mike was appointed to serve as the New Jersey Editor for the Dragonfly Society of the Americas’ Regional Diversity project.

Sunday, August 20, 2023
The Case Against Gratitude
Mark Bernstein

Poets, novelists, and self-help gurus tell us to count our blessings…to be grateful for what we have. But sometimes, gratitude doesn’t work, especially when life is hard, or things aren’t going our way. If we can’t draw on gratitude when we’re not feeling grateful, what other options do we have?

Bio: Mark Bernstein is a former staff member with the Central East Region of the UUA and currently serves as Adjunct Staff for the Region. He has been a grateful member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County in Media, Pennsylvania for nearly 30 years.

Sunday, August 27, 2023
The Trade-off of a Free Faith
Rev. Kim Wilson

One of the foundational elements of Unitarian Universalism is our commitment to the individual freedom of belief. Being a UU gives each of us the opportunity to participate in developing a faith that is personally meaningful. Yet it is not always an easy path. In making the choice to embrace this freedom, what are we sacrificing or giving up? And what responsibilities are we taking on?

Bio: A life-long Unitarian Universalist, Rev. Kim received her Master of Divinity degree from Moravian Theological Seminary and was ordained in 2001. Rev. Kim currently serves the UUs of Central Delaware in Dover. When she’s not engaged in ministry, Rev. Kim enjoys gardening, nature, yoga and spending time with family.

Sunday, July 2, 2023
The Experiences of Sergeant Leon Bass During World War II in Nazi-Occupied Europe
Irvin Moreno Rodriguez

The presentation will focus on the life story of Dr. Leon Bass. Dr. Leon Bass joined the U.S. Army during World War II and was a liberator of the Buchenwald concentration camp. As an 18 year old African American soldier, he encountered the brutal realities of racism in the United States Armed Forces. Decades later, Dr. Bass used his experiences to teach high school students about the consequences of racism.

Sunday, July 9, 2023
The Gift of Our Longings
Ivette Guillermo-McGahee

Our longings make us feel needy and vulnerable. Surprisingly, though, they contain seeds of transformation and can be an entry door to the sacred.

During this service you’ll be invited to get in touch with the vulnerability of your yearnings, cravings, desires, and perhaps your grief. For what purpose? To discover in the restlessness of your heart, what matters most, what you love, and what brings you joy. Let your longings draw you forth so that you may live in soul-rooted belonging and service to the world.

Bio: Ivette Guillermo-McGahee is the founder and CEO of Allies In Caring, a New Jersey nonprofit offering behavioral health services for under-resourced individuals living in poverty, immigrants and individuals with disabilities. Additionally, Ivette serves as a consultant in the design team for the NJ Public Health Institute, The Elevating Equity in NJ program, and currently, the “Jenga Council,” a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s advisory council that promotes health equity in NJ. Ivette’s experience as a Mexican-born child of deaf parents (CODA) and sister of two deaf siblings, has provided profound understanding of the potential for growth that lies within the hardships that are a part of the human experience.

Sunday, July 16, 2023
Critical Race Theory
Dr. Linda Nelson

Critical Race Theory is both a concept and a distinct political and intellectual concept and pursuit. As the former, we can find its roots and impetus in the works of legal scholar Derrick Bell, as well as those of feminist cultural critics Kimberle Crenshaw and Patricia Hill Collins. However, one might begin with scholars, such as W.E.B. DuBois, who wrote about the intersections of art and propaganda at the turn of the 20th century. The theoretical underpinnings of critical race theory are drawn broadly from scholarship across disciplines that focuses on the importance of our understanding the complexity of population heterogeneity and what that suggests for educational policies, political mandates and other authorizations. CRT was initially regarded as an outgrowth of the issues and initiatives associated with radical feminism and critical legal studies. As noted by Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic, critical race theory has its foundation in the works of philosophers and theorists that share a radical disposition toward difference in human populations.

Bio: Dr. Linda Williamson Nelson, Professor Emerita of Anthropology and Africana Studies at Stockton University of NJ, retired in 2014 after 35 years of service. She holds a BA in literature from Long Island U., a master’s degree in literature from NYU, and a PhD in linguistic anthropology from Rutgers. She was recruited to Richard Stockton’s Writing Program. Her research on African American Dialectal codeswitching in narrative discourse has contributed to a unique body of research concerned with the interaction of language form, content, and identities in long segments of talk, both oral and literary. She has shared her research at numerous conferences across the US, France, and Jamaica, West Indies. She co-authored the book, Telling our Lives, Conversations on Solidarity and Difference, with Frida Furman and Elizabeth Kelly, which resulted in many readings, across the country, including two plenaries. Her current project, based on fieldwork in Jamaica, W.I. considers narrative constructions of agency in the lives of Jamaican women.

Sunday, July 23, 2023
Poetry and Spirituality
Elinor Mattern

“Words that enlighten the soul are more precious than jewels.” ~ Hazrat Inayat Khan

In this interactive dialogue with poet Elinor Mattern, we will discuss ways in which the ineffable “jewels” of poems and prayers, prayers and poems, can awaken the the soul and the heart, and bring comfort, solace, peace, joy, connection, faith, and hope.

Bio: Elinor Mattern is a poet, artist, and educator who has spent much of her life seeking out the spiritual threads in the realm of art. Her twin joys of poetry and the spiritual path come together in her own writing and in her teaching and speaking. She currently teaches many aspects of writing and poetry on a freelance basis, after retiring from teaching English at Atlantic Cape Community College. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and her poems and non-fiction have appeared in numerous journals and newspapers, including the The Boston Globe, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Paterson Literary Review, and Tiferet, A Journal of Spiritual Poetry.

Sunday, July 30, 2023
Letting Go and Finding the Peace Within
Laura Kushner

Releasing negative emotions that hold you back will bring you inner peace.

Bio: Laura Kushner is a recent graduate of Drew Theological School where she earned her Masters of Divinity, with a focus on Social Justice Advocacy. She is a long time member of UU Montclair. Before seminary she wore many hats in her congregational life and found the work quite fulfilling. For the better part of the past 30 years she has taught at the same nursery school, which is also the school she attended as a child.
Although she has some more work to do before applying for ordination, Laura is looking forward to having more time to spend in her garden and doing more physical activities. At the beginning of September she will participate in her first triathlon in 11 years.

June Theme: DELIGHT

Sunday, June 4, 2023
Always Use Your Best China…
Rev Charlie Dieterich

This is not a tale of magical bowls and enchanted chalices. This is a story about awareness, and subways. Come join the party.

Bio: After a first career as a television system designer, Charlie Dieterich changed directions, attended Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley California, and then interned for two years in New Orleans. He was ordained by UUCSJS on September 30, 2012, serving the congregation for three years. He then moved to Norfolk, VA and Erie, PA, then retired home to Kingston in central NJ. Although no longer a parish minister, Charlie remains active in the UU Trauma Response Ministry, uutrm.org.

Sunday, June 11, 2023
Unsung Story
Rev. Carol Haag

We tend to celebrate a person who speaks long and loudly, who makes waves, who causes visible change. However, often it is another who has plowed the ground and prepared the way for the well-known person to become famous. Together we’ll explore the story of a man named Thomas and see if there is anything we can learn from him.

Bio: Carol retired after 13 years as the religious educator (DRE and MRE) with The Unitarian Church (now Beacon) in Summit, NJ. Since then, she has served on the Murray Grove board, as member, President, and currently chairs its Development Committee. She is a strong advocate for Universalism as the central, vital force in our Unitarian Universalist movement. She believes that Universalism embodies the critical message of inclusion for our time.

Sunday, June 18, 2023
Love is Love No Matter What
Interweave

Interweave will give insights into the LGBTQIA world. Part educational, informative and also entertaining. Here it from the people who have interacted with all the letters (the letters will be defined and explained) which adds diversity to all our lives. The music will be great!

Bio: Interweave is an organization dedicated to ending oppression based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Sunday, June 25, 2023
A Poetry Fete
Organized by Deb Dagavarian

Join members of UUCSJS as we come together and share poetry that provides us with meaning in our lives. Poems and readings will be both original and previously published.

May Theme: CREATIVITY

Sunday, May 7, 2023
Creativity and Connection
All-Ages Service

“The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need those who can dream of things that never were.” (John Keats) Bring your doubts, your worries, and your insecurities to this all-ages makerspace service. Creativity can be difficult when done alone and the world’s problems look so big. The secret to creative self-expression? Staying connected to each other! So join us for a service of problem-solving, creativity, and community building.

Bio: Jessica Dunn-Safonof has been a member of UUCSJS for 10 years and has served our congregation in many ways, including as an RE volunteer, RE Committee Chair, and as Secretary of the Board. She worked as a mental health case manager in children’s residential treatment facilities before leaving that field to homeschool her children. She has been the Director of Religious Education at UUCSJS since 2018.

Sunday, May 14, 2023
The Dangers of a Static Faith
Pauline Nijander

One thing that remains constant in our world is change. What happens when we, or our faith traditions, don’t change with an ever changing world? What are the dangers that a static faith can pose to those inside and outside of a faith tradition?

Bio: Pauline E. Nijander just began her fifth year as a Master of Divinity student at the Drew University Theological School in Madison, NJ where she is studying for the Unitarian Universalist ministry, and where she was recently awarded the Dorr Diefendorf Award for excellence in homiletics. Pauline has been a member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton since 2013, where she has served in various leadership roles, including being the ministerial intern in the 2019-2020 academic year, and now, as the Seminarian. As a proud transwoman and lesbian, Pauline has spoken often to different community and student groups about her perspective and life in hopes of educating people through honest and engaging conversation about trans* life and issues. For this work, she was awarded the 2017 Triad House LGBTQ+ Champion Award from LifeTies. Along with her wife, Michelle, and their sweet pitbull, Ingrid, Pauline resides in Ewing, NJ.

Sunday, May 21, 2023
The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals
Andy Cowgill and John Sherfey

In 2015, all nations agreed on a goal statement for sustainable development. By 2030, the goals the world would have achieved include ending poverty and hunger, gender equality, affordable and clean energy, climate action, and more. Unfortunately, our federal government, across multiple administrations, has done little to publicize the goals, and even less to implement the recommended targets. To take a single example: our commitment was to END poverty in the U.S. by 2030, but the gap between rich and poor has reached an unprecedented level! Eastern Service Workers Association’s organizing efforts — in which many UUCSJS members play an important part — are uniting people across south Jersey to build a groundswell of involvement and action demanding full implementation of the goals. Learn additional steps you can take to fight for our collective future. If we don’t do it, who will?

Bio: Andy Cowgill grew up in Minnesota. After gaining a variety of experiences in community service, political organizing and activism in Ecuador, San Jose (CA), Boston and elsewhere, he became a full-time volunteer organizer in 1999. For the last 13 years, Andy has been the Operations Manager of Eastern Service Workers Association (ESWA) in Pleasantville.

John Sherfey grew up in Williamstown in a family with deep roots in the South Jersey agricultural industry. John graduated from Stockton University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. John began organizing full-time in 2021, after working as a chemist and running a small business. He now serves as ESWA’s Administrative Assistant and Educational Coordinator.

Sunday, May 28, 2023
Wholly Music Service
Gina Roche

Featuring our music director Gina Roche and her wonderful band. Get ready for an all music service, complete with a few singalongs, new compositions and well loved favorites. This “wholly music service” will lift you up, leave you feeling connected, wholly contented and inspired.

April Theme: RESISTANCE

Sunday, April 2, 2023
The Path of Resistance: An All Ages Pickup Service
Jess Dunn-Safonof

As we discover what it means to be on the path of resistance this month, we will explore the ideas of joining together, speaking truth to power, and the radical idea of self care as an act of resistance. In this all ages pickup service, you get to craft the service. What songs will we sing? What readings will we hear? What stories will we learn from together? The decisions are in your hands as you work with your group to put together all the worship elements.

Bio: Jessica Dunn-Safonof has been a member of UUCSJS for 10 years and has served our congregation in many ways, including as an RE volunteer, RE Committee Chair, and as Secretary of the Board. She worked as a mental health case manager in children’s residential treatment and mental health care facilities before leaving that field to homeschool her children. She has been the Director of Religious Education at UUCSJS since 2018.

Sunday, April 9, 2023
Art as Prayer/Poetry as Meditation
Elinor Mattern

Poet Elinor Mattern will invite those gathered into an experience with poems that touch on the spiritual realm, looking at the fine, or non-existent line, between poems and prayers, experiencing moments when poems cross over into mystery. “Journey far enough into the terrain of language, it seems, and the heart will begin to speak.” – Jane Hirshfield

Bio: Elinor Mattern is a poet, artist, and educator, whose twin joys of poetry and the spiritual path come together in her own writing and in her teaching and speaking. She currently teaches many aspects of writing and poetry on a freelance basis, after retiring from teaching English at Atlantic Cape Community College. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and her poems and non-fiction have appeared in numerous journals and newspapers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer, The Boston Globe, Paterson Literary Review, and Tiferet, A Journal of Spiritual Poetry.

Sunday, April 16, 2023
Love and Universalism
Dana N. Moore

This homily celebrates the diversity of our spiritual lives as “Organic Multi-Religiosity,” acknowledges our heritage of Universalism and calls us to consider our commitment to inclusivity as an act of welcome and love. Corresponds with Principles 1, 2, 3, 6, and 8.

Bio: When not nurturing her two beautiful children, Dana Moore is committed to being a social justice warrior through her ministry work with youth and young adults. Dana is a member of the UU Congregation at Montclair and Professional Religious Educator at Beacon UU Congregation in Summit. In her daily work, Dana journeys with visionary leaders and business owners helping them to overcome leadership challenges, building strong teams and systems for success. As a second-year seminary student at Starr King School for the Ministry, one of only two UU theological schools across the globe, Dana is the recipient of the John Buehrens and St. Lawrence Scholarships. She delights in studying feminine leadership and world religion. After serving as the 2022 Summer Camp Director and Coordinator for their Annual UU Women’s Retreat, Dana has been invited into the role of Program Lead at Murray Grove. Dana is thrilled to develop and support robust programming that aligns with UU values and Murray Grove’s mission of Radical Hospitality. You can contact Dana at Programs@MurrayGrove.org.

Sunday, April 23, 2023
A Renewable Universalism for the 21st Century
Rev Dr Richard Speck

The Soul Matters theme for April is resistance. Our Universalist forebearers resisted the tragic conflicts of their days with ways of serving humanity in a loving way. Given our world today, what can we learn and apply in our lives the lessons from the past. We’ll have a little history as well as a call to new efforts to make the world more fair.

Bio: The Reverend Doctor Richard Speck is the retired District Executive for the Joseph Priestley District (JPD) of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. He was named Minister Emeritus in 2019. Previously, he served nine years as minister to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach, FL, before coming to the JPD in 2000 as Acting District Executive. In his last two years in Florida he also served as the music director for the church. He graduated from Meadville/Lombard Theological School with a Doctorate in Ministry in 1990. He was hired as the regular District Executive in 2001. He served fourteen years as DE before retiring from full time ministry in 2014.
Richard continues to be active in social justice programs like the Black Lives Matters and The Coalition to Dismantle the New Jim Crow in Delaware. He is married to Janet Tillman and resides in Wilmington, DE. He enjoys making music, flying his own airplane, and creating stained glass art. Janet and Richard have two cats.

Sunday, April 30, 2023
A Pandemic of the Spirit
Rev Cynthia Cain

It’s been nearly seven years since I was last at UUCSJS! Trump hadn’t yet been elected and covid was four years away. So much has happened: wars, mass shootings, climate disasters. How do you keep the spirit of love and hope alive? How do you practice compassion for the world, for one another, and for yourself? I look forward to sharing time and a few reflections with you.

Bio: Rev. Cain attended Pacific School of Religion and ministered in California, Virginia, and Lexington KY before completing a two year interim at UUCSJS. From 2019-2021 she was a developmental minister with Greater Nashville UU Congregation where she often bragged about UUCSJS. A native of Burlington County, she also has an MFA in Fiction and is finally publishing some of her stories!

March Theme: VULNERABILITY

Sunday, March 5, 2023
Building Our New Way
Paul Utts

As with many religious denominations, the pandemic has affected our community. As the pandemic ends, we see our community starting to grow again. As we adjust to our new reality, what have we learned that will help us going forward? How can we each contribute our time, talent, and treasure to insure that a strong center for religious learning, social justice, and community support continue to not just survive, but thrive? How can a strong community here help support each of us as individuals? Charter member Paul Utts will discuss how an investment in this community has paid dividends for him and his family, and how we can share this blessing while enriching our own lives.

Sunday, March 12, 2023
What Does it Mean to be a Living Tradition?
Jess and Marty

Unlike creedal religions, our faith is a living tradition; it changes and grows over time. We covenant to support and assist one another in our ministries and to hold each other accountable for doing the work of living our shared values. But how do we define and describe those shared values? The seven principles? The six sources? Or maybe something totally new? Join us as we explore our UU values and learn about the work of the UUA Article II Study Commission and the possible upcoming changes to the stated values and covenant of Unitarian Universalism.

Bio: Jessica Dunn-Safonof has been a member of UUCSJS for 10 years and has served our congregation in many ways, including as an RE volunteer, RE Committee Chair, and as Secretary of the Board. She worked as a mental health case manager in children’s residential treatment and mental health care facilities before leaving that field to homeschool her children. She has been the Director of Religious Education at UUCSJS since 2018.

Martin Quish was born and raised in Hartford CT, attended Central Connecticut State University, and worked in the financial/insurance industry. He wore many hats in his 42 year career with AFCO Credit Corp, a wholly owned subsidiary of Truist Bank. Marty started out in Marketing in the late 70s and early 80s, switched to operations, where he oversaw a standalone office and managed over 50 employees in the 90s. Then he spent almost twenty years in the sales office on Wall Street in NYC. He retired in 2020 from the company as a Vice President/Senior Business Development Officer. He lives in Galloway with his husband, Tony, and their 18-month-old Kerry Blue Terrier, Sadie.

Sunday, March 19, 2023
The Earth is Coming Alive Again!
Theresa McReynolds

The Earth is coming alive again. The Spring Equinox is a festival of awakening, and rebirth. The dark months are now over & we are moving into the warmth of the light. Now is a time of celebrating the freshness of life and of taking the time to raise our energy to regenerate abundance and manifest our dreams.

Bio: Rev. Dr. Theresa McReynolds, D.C. has spent the last 50 years of her life in the healing profession as a chiropractor, energy healer, wellness coach, crystal Healer, spiritual counselor, ritual facilitator and motivational speaker. She has dedicated her life to uplifting others. After many years of study, she was ordained a New Thought Christian minister in California at the Home of Truth Spiritual Center. She then went on to study with several teachers in the Goddess tradition and was ordained a High Priestess. Theresa has spent most of her life as an activist, she was one of the founding mothers of the Atlantic County Women’s Center, now known as AVANSAR, and the Rape Crisis Center. She is a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, gardener, farmer, a lover of this motherearth and a forever student of the mysteries.

Sunday, March 26, 2023
Vulnerability and Defensiveness
Michael Cluff

Last time, we discussed how “failure is always an option,” and how accepting our mistakes allows us to be fully human. This time, we explore the importance of vulnerability and how defensiveness prevents us from growing.

Bio: Michael Cluff has worn many hats in this congregation, including serving on the sound crew, playing guitar, teaching RE and more. He is also president of the South Jersey Humanists.

February Theme: LOVE

Sunday, February 5, 2023
The Act of Self Care
Laura Kushner

How do we truly care for ourselves, a personal journey. We are in the beginning part of the new year; how can a little grace help create healthier expectations for ourselves.

Bio: Laura Kushner currently attends Drew Theological School. She will be graduating in May earning her Masters of Divinity, with a focus on Social Justice Advocacy. This is her second year as intern minister at UU Faith Action NJ, which has been a rich and fulfilling experience. She is a long time member of UU Montclair where before seminary she wore many hats in her congregational life. Laura is also a nursery school teacher. For the better part of the past 29 years she has worked at the same school that she attended as a child.

Sunday, February 12, 2023
Rehumanizing the Other
Pauline Nijander

It can seem pretty difficult to build Community in a world where society tends to dehumanize the “other.” Is this particular pattern of dehumanization new, or has it been around for a while? Join us this Sunday as we explore the rehumanization of those who are different from us.

Bio: Pauline E. Nijander just began her fifth year as a Master of Divinity student at the Drew University Theological School in Madison, NJ where she is studying for the Unitarian Universalist ministry, and where she was recently awarded the Dorr Diefendorf Award for excellence in homiletics. Pauline has been a member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton since 2013, where she has served in various leadership roles, including being the ministerial intern in the 2019-2020 academic year, and now, as the Seminarian. As a proud transwoman and lesbian, Pauline has spoken often to different community and student groups about her perspective and life in hopes of educating people through honest and engaging conversation about trans* life and issues. For this work, she was awarded the 2017 Triad House LGBTQ+ Champion Award from LifeTies. Along with her wife, Michelle, and their sweet pitbull, Ingrid, Pauline resides in Ewing, NJ.

Sunday, February 19, 2023
How to L.O.V.E.
Alison Maxfield

Alison Maxfield, LCSW is presenting, “How to L.O.V.E.,” a sermon on how to enrich your loving relationship with yourself and others. L.O.V.E. stands for Laughter, Openness, Veritas (Truth), and Enlightenment, which will be joyfully explored through multimedia. Please bring a picture of yourself to share. Why? ‘Cause if you don’t love your selfie, who can you love? xoxo

Sunday, February 26, 2023
Abraham and Sarah
Dr. Marcia Fiedler

Join Marcia Fiedler, Coordinator of Jewish Studies at Stockton University as we discuss the very first episode of “The Real Housewives” starring the patriarch Abram, his first wife Sarai, and his second wife Hagar, also known the first biblical baby momma. How could a relationship that was so right, go so wrong?

Bio: Dr. Marcia Fiedler is Coordinator of Jewish Studies at Stockton University.

January Theme: FINDING OUR CENTER

Sunday, January 1, 2023
CLOSED FOR HOLIDAYS

Sunday, January 8, 2023
Breakfast Church: Potatoes, Eggs, & Coffee Beans
All Ages Service

In life, things happen around us and things happen to us. Finding your center during these experiences means understanding your choices about how you react and what you make of it. Will you learn, adapt, and choose to make the best of each experience?
Join us for this all ages service when we will gather together around one of the oldest and most important places of human connection – the table. Breakfast Church will include eating together as a central element, alongside music, stories, and learning how to find your center.

Bio: Jessica Dunn-Safonof has been a member of UUCSJS for 10 years and has served our congregation in many ways, including as an RE volunteer, RE Committee Chair, and as Secretary of the Board. She worked as a mental health case manager and behavior analyst in children’s residential treatment and mental health care facilities before leaving that field to homeschool her children. She has been the Director of Religious Education at UUCSJS since 2018.

Sunday, January 15, 2023
Practicing your Presence: East Coast Meditation
Teddy Costa

East Coast Meditation is all about the practice of being present in our own individual lives. The various forms and understanding of meditation are derived from Yoga, Buddhism, Kabbalah, and other spiritual traditions. The idea of utilizing an assortment of practices is to best find what is right for you, the individual practitioner, in working within the present moment. Some practices will resonate with one individual, such as a mindfulness exercise, while other persons may resonate with physical and/or emotional insight practices. You find what best serves you, and leave the rest for another day, if ever.
It is a great privilege, honor, and joy to be in the position of sharing these methods for being present for the purpose of living meaningful, integrated lives – all while being the hard working, peace loving individuals that we all have the power to be in this lifetime.

Bio: Ted Costa has been involved with mind-body-spirit integration work since 2017. He’s a Nondual Healer by way of training in a 500 hour nondual Kabbalistic healing school, and a meditation teacher by way of training in a 200 hour yoga teacher training program. Ted is still involved with ongoing healer education and yogic studies, and now teaches dozens of individuals throughout the week in personal meditation classes and other outlets. Where he practices his own personal presence can be found within his family with his wife, dog, and baby boy on the way, his co-owned coffee company “Keep It Real Coffee Company,” and also within his personal meditation circles. You can find him online at East Coast Meditation.com and on instagram with the same name.

Sunday, January 22, 2023
Let it Be a Dance
Rev Charlie Dieterich

A wise analyst once noted that there are only three fundamental stories: Someone went on a journey, a stranger came to town, and Godzilla vs. MegaShark. How is “Finding our center” like “Finding our story?” Retired Minister Rev. Charlie Dieterich has some ideas.

Sunday, January 29, 2023
Living the Twelve Steps
Tracey Catino

Growing up, Tracey Catino was surrounded by alcoholics and other kinds of addicts. She spent over twenty-five years in Al-Anon, recovering from the effects of addiction in her family members. Tracey will share her experience, strength and hope through the lens of the 12 steps of recovery.

Bio: Tracey Catino has been a member of UUCSJS for over 13 years. She grew up in Philadelphia in a working class Irish Catholic neighborhood in the 1970’s where there was a church on every other corner and a bar across the street. She went to college in Lancaster, PA, where she became a single mother of her son, Nick. Tracey moved to south Jersey to be close to family while she raised her son. Tracey has been a high school English teacher for over twenty years and a principal for five years. She currently lives in Linwood with her husband, Bill, and daughter, Kassidy.

2022

December Theme: WONDER

Sunday, December 4, 2022
Finding the Holy Within
Guest speaker Pauline E. Nijander

The Hindu faith tradition believes that the holy resides within each of us and in every living being. How can we use this knowledge in how we interact with those around us? With those we don’t agree with? With the living world around us? Join us for this Sunday as we explore the Holy Within.
THIS WEEK’S SERVICE WILL ALSO FEATURE GUEST VOCALIST EXTRAORDINAIRE SHARON SABLE!!!!

About Pauline: Pauline E. Nijander just began her fifth year as a Master of Divinity student at the Drew University Theological School in Madison, NJ where she is studying for the Unitarian Universalist ministry, and where she was recently awarded the Dorr Diefendorf Award for excellence in homiletics. Pauline has been a member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton since 2013, where she has served in various leadership roles, including being the ministerial intern in the 2019-2020 academic year, and now, as the Seminarian. As a proud transwoman and lesbian, Pauline has spoken often to different community and student groups about her perspective and life in hopes of educating people through honest and engaging conversation about trans life and issues. For this work, she was awarded the 2017 Triad House LGBTQ+ Champion Award from LifeTies. Along with her wife, Michelle, and their sweet pitbull, Ingrid, Pauline resides in Ewing, NJ.

Sunday, December 11, 2022
God Practice: Choosing The Path of Evolving Process
Alan Oliver

Do you believe in God or are you an Atheist? This talk will invite you to consider an alternative, an evolving and an open path of god practice. Whether you do this alone and/or with a group, the pathway is continuous and can lead (at times) to a oneness with the universe.

About Alan: Alan is a world traveler from Philadelphia who has finally come to rest in New Jersey. Besides the Northeast, he has lived in the Virgin Islands, Alaska, San Francisco, Kenya, The Philippines and Thailand and has visited many other countries along the way. He has worked as a Teacher, 4-H Extension Professional, a Health and Wellness Director, a Community Developer and a Buddhist Academic Consultant in Thailand. His current god practice has been shaped by Lutheran dogma, Unitarian/Universalism and Buddhism. His path leads to a more intimate relationship with the universe and he shares some of those insights with you today.

Sunday, December 18, 2022
One Person Can Make a Difference: Righteous Among the Nations – Rescuers During the Holocaust
Guest speakers Gail Rosenthal and Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez

When learning the history of WWII, often the stories of rescue and resistance are not included. Non-Jewish rescuers and others who resisted in Nazi-occupied Europe changed the history of the Holocaust. Yes, one person can make a difference!

About Gail: Gail Hirsch Rosenthal is the Director of the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton University. She began her teaching career in Philadelphia and when she moved “down the shore,” she continued teaching part-time at ACC. After meeting Dr. Vera King Farris, she was asked to join the faculty/staff at Stockton College in 1984. Since 1990, Gail has been full-time at Stockton teaching in Holocaust and Genocide Studies and also supervising the Holocaust Resource Center.

About Irvin: Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez is Assistant Director of the Sara & Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center. He graduated Atlantic City High School in 2011. Irvin then enrolled in Stockton University entering Stockton’s Honors Program and in 2015, he earned a BA degree in Criminal Justice and a Minor in Holocaust & Genocide Studies. Irvin worked several years in the Criminal Justice field and gravitated back to Stockton University when an employment opportunity was advertised for a position in the Holocaust Resource Center. While employed in the Center, in 2022 Irvin earned a Master of Arts in Holocaust & Genocide Studies and congratulations to Irvin. Irvin Moreno Rodriguez was appointed by Governor Murphy to be a member of the NJ Commission on Holocaust Education. He is the youngest individual to be appointed to the NJ Commission on Holocaust Education since its inception.

Saturday, December 24, 2022 – 4:30pm
Christmas Eve at UUCSJS
Led by Jess Dunn-Safonof, Gina Roche, and Deb Dagavarian

This service will be light and fun and uplifting! We will have music, lots of singing, and several readings by different people. Come experience the warmth and love of Christmas with your Unitarian Universalist friends! Gina Roche, Jessica Dunn-Safonof, and Deb Dagavarian are preparing this service for families of all types! Come alone or bring the gang!

November Theme: CHANGE

Sunday, November 6, 2022
One Grain of Rice
Laura Kushner

A look at how important our resiliency is to our convictions and how even the smallest acts can add up to big changes.

Sunday, November 13, 2022
The Salem Witch Trials: The Dangerous Power of Conspiracy Theories Then and Now
Cynthia Grzywinski

Between 1692 and 1693 the tiny village of Salem, MA bore witness to a tragic and shameful chapter in American history – The Salem Witch Trials. An event leading to the conviction and execution of 19 innocent people, mostly women, accused of witchcraft, a crime punishable by death. What role did conspiracy theories, easily spread falsehoods, play in the mass hysteria that led to the travesty at Salem in 1692? Can these theories be blamed for fanning the flames of countless other acts of mass societal injustice, such as the McCarthy hearings from the mid-20th century (The “Red” Scare) or the January 6, 2021, Insurrection (The Big Lie)? It’s been over 300 years since the witch trials. Have we learned anything?

Sunday, November 20, 2022
Having Hope and Thanksgiving
Rev Dr. Richard Speck

Johannes A. Gaertner said, “To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.” As we approach the holiday of giving thanks, what are we thankful for? Given the state of the world, where do we find hope that is grounded in reality? How do we live gratitude? We will explore these themes this Sunday.

Sunday, November 27, 2022
Recipe for Love and Life
Gina Roche

Gina is excited to invite the congregation to our November 27th “Share a beloved recipe, share your heart” service. A service where we will be Recipe Sharing and cooking up some joy, good music and thankfulness at the UU! Gina is inviting all congregation members to please share a beloved or favorite “recipe” for the upcoming Nov 27 service, even if it’s only because it’s your favorite dish to eat! It can be sweet or savory or both. Gina’s family of origin is of Spanish/Cuban and Irish heritage. Growing up in a family of seven there were many traditional Cuban dishes gracing the table. Her abuelita, aka Nana, made the absolute BEST food. It was always a celebration when Nana came to town with her arroz con pollo, picadillo and morro. Every St Patty’s day there was homemade Irish soda bread, ham and cabbage, and we made the sweet “Irish potatoes” (from our Philadelphia side!).

October Theme: COURAGE

Sunday, October 2, 2022
I Know I Can: An All Ages Pop Up Service
Jess Dunn-Safonof, Director of Religious Education

In this all ages pop up service, you get to craft the service. What songs will we sing? What readings will we hear? What stories will we learn from together? The decisions are in your hands as you work with your group to put together all the worship elements. As we journey down the path of courage together, we will explore what it takes to change the world. We will be inspired by prophetic people who helped bend the arc of the universe toward justice. And we just might find out that we perform dozens of ordinary acts of bravery everyday, in simple ordinary ways.

Sunday, October 9, 2022
Do UUs Need a Creed? (Or Do We Already Have One?)
Guest minister Rev David Hunter

If a friend (a non-UU friend) asks you what do you UUs believe, and you recite to them the seven principles (you do have them memorized, don’t you?), are they satisfied, or do they ask about our beliefs with respect to more traditional theological topics? Are they satisfied (are you satisfied?) to say we UUs can believe whatever we want?

Sunday, October 16, 2022
Genuine Spirituality
Lay speaker Stephen McGahee

What does it mean to be authentically spiritual in our day and age? What are the “fruits of the spirit”? How do you know you are progressing on your path? How do we know whether genuine spirituality is the source of our social justice work rather than partisanship, ideology, or tribalism? These teachings help us find meaning in our suffering, transcendence amidst our difficulties, and support during our grief.

Sunday, October 23, 2022
The Power of Awe
Guest minister Rev Kim D. Wilson

Awe imbues us with a different sense of ourselves — one that is smaller, more humble and part of a greater wholeness. It can also be a powerful source of healing. We explore the connections between experiences of awe and altruism, a feeling of attunement with humanity and other positive effects on our mental and spiritual well-being.

Sunday, October 30, 2022
Honoring Halloween: Exploring Earth Based Traditions and Psychological Rituals to Heal the Pain of Loss
Lay speaker Alison Maxfield

This Sermon will explore the Pagan Concept of Halloween, Native American spirituality, and rituals from Psychology to honor and heal grief. Rituals can transmute grief back into love and appreciation, while surrendering to the grieving process. Please bring a picture of a loved on to put on the communal table. After the sermon, feel free to connect to others through the pictures of love.

September Theme: BELONGING

Sunday, September 4, 2022
Unions and Unitarians – Solidarity Forever
Lay speaker Kit Marlowe

How is organized labor the foundation upon which other social justice campaigns rest? Kit will explore the following:
* Relevance of labor organization for college–educated workers
* Effect of gig work on worker rights
* Current obstacles to fairness in the workplace
* How UU congregations can and should support organizing efforts

Sunday, September 11, 2022
Water Communion Service
Rev. Carol Haag

The congregation regathers after summer activities that may have slowed or changed our pace. We regather in the spirit of the fall equinox, seeking balance in our lives. We regather to share the most universal and essential element of the earth: water. You are invited to think about the place of water in your life and to bring a sample to share in a community bowl.

About Carol: Rev. Carol S. Haag retired after 13 years as the religious educator (DRE and MRE) with The Unitarian Church (now Beacon) in Summit, NJ. Since then, she has served on the Murray Grove board, as member, President, and currently chairs its Development Committee. She is a strong advocate for Universalism as the central, vital force in our Unitarian Universalist movement. She believes that Universalism embodies the critical message of inclusion for our time.

Sunday, September 18, 2022
No Future Without Forgiveness
Guest speaker Dr. Mindy Fullilove

The United States is in a state of division that has reached unexpected levels of social hostility. This has paralyzed the workings of our democratic institutions at many levels. How might we go forward? This talk looks to Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s book, No Future Without Forgiveness, for advice.

About Mindy: Mindy Thompson Fullilove, MD, LFAPA, Hon AIA, is a social psychiatrist and professor of urban policy and health at The New School. Since 1986, she has conducted research on AIDS and other epidemics of poor communities, with a special interest in the relationship between the collapse of communities and decline in health. She has published eight books, including the highly-regarded Urban Restoration Trilogy, Root Shock: How Tearing Up City Neighborhoods Hurts America and What We Can Do About It, Urban Alchemy: Restoring Joy in America’s Sorted-Out Cities, and Main Street: How a City’s Heart Connects Us All. She is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist and serves as president of the congregation in Orange, the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Essex County.

Sunday, September 25, 2022
Fall Equinox: Coming Together to Honor the Harvest
Lay speaker Theresa McReynolds

The time of harvest, of thanksgiving and joy, of leave-taking and sorrow. Day and night are equal, in perfect balance. And we give thought to the balance and flow within our own lives as we practice gratitude for the bright spots of the year, clearing the way for a new beginning.

Sunday, August 7, 2022
Sunday with the Arts
Music Director Gina Roche

Come and treat yourself to this delight for the senses! Music, art, and much more!

Sunday, August 14, 2022
We Are All Wounded Healers
Rev. Kim D. Wilson

We don’t get to live life without experiencing any pain — it’s a part of the human condition. Henri Nouen, author of a little book called Wounded Healers, suggests that by finding and addressing the suffering in our own hearts, we become better able to help others to heal their hurts. In this way, we can all become wounded healers.

About Kim: A lifelong UU, Rev. Kim was ordained in 2001, and she served the UU congregation in Madison, CT for 6 years. She recently retired after serving the UU Fellowship of the Poconos in Stroudsburg for the past decade. Rev. Kim recently bought a house in Emmaus, PA and has been spending her time updating the interior and planting and tending its gardens. Rev. Kim also enjoys yoga, hiking, traveling in her camper and spending time with family.

Sunday, August 21, 2022
Baseball: An American Religion
Lay speaker Deb Dagavarian

Baseball and religion have many similarities, including rituals, superstitions, moral inspiration, and reverence for the sacred. Join us to hear this somewhat lighthearted look at our national pastime.

Sunday, August 28, 2022
You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks
Guest speaker Laura Kushner

Laura’s call to ministry; a story of accepting changes and finding out you may not be who you thought you were.

About Laura: Laura Kushner is a long time member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair. She is currently attending Drew Theological School, where she is working towards her Masters of Divinity and is the Ministerial Intern for UU Faith Action New Jersey. Aside from her work within Unitarian Universalism she has taught pre-school for the past 30 years.

Sunday, July 3, 2022
Larry Kramer, AIDS, and the Pandemic
Lay speaker Tony Zitelli

A look at how the AIDS epidemic prepared us for the pandemic.

Sunday, July 10, 2022
Working with Anxiety
Lay speaker Nathan Morell

Nate Morell will present, “Working with Anxiety” an interactive talk aimed at supporting you as you navigate the experience of anxiety that arises in your internal and external worlds.

Sunday, July 17, 2022
You Can Make a Difference
Guest speakers Andy Cowgill and John Sherfey

Even before the pandemic, 48% of Atlantic County households and 61% of Cumberland County households could not afford to pay for basic living expenses. Eastern Service Workers Association (ESWA) is a free and voluntary, unincorporated membership association comprised of service, temporary, seasonal and other low-paid workers, joining together with students, teachers, professionals, clergy and other concerned residents on a volunteer basis to fight for a permanent solution to the problems involving low-income workers in South Jersey.

About Andy and John: Andy Cowgill grew up in Minnesota. After gaining a variety of experiences in community service, political organizing and activism in Ecuador, San Jose (CA), Boston and elsewhere, he became a full-time volunteer organizer in 1999. For the last 13 years, Andy has been the Operations Manager of Eastern Service Workers Association (ESWA) in Pleasantville. John Sherfey grew up in Williamstown in a family with deep roots in the South Jersey agricultural industry. John graduated from Stockton University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. John began organizing full-time in 2021, after working as a chemist and running a small business. He now serves as ESWA’s Administrative Assistant and Educational Coordinator.

Sunday, July 24, 2022
Grace Notes
Featuring Grace Notes Singers

Grace Notes Singers will share their song repertoire and invite us to sing along. The group will explain what they do as part of the Grace HealthCare Systems hospice program. The service will also include meditative readings and some silent time together. The Grace Notes Singers include our own Barbara Miller, Cynthia Grzywinski, Melissa Hutchison, as well as other local singers.

Sunday, July 31, 2022
The Blade Faces the Plate
Lay speaker Heather Swenson-Brilla

Some people can read a formal table setting and understand what the meal will be (ooh, a fish knife!) and most people know where the fork and knife “go” but the history of eating together contains deeper meanings of how we care for and build community with the people around us when we share food. Join Heather Swenson Swenson Brilla to find out how a social constructionist and occasional nihilist explains why red wine belongs in a red wine glass and how a proper table setting can activate your parasympathetic nervous system?

June Theme: CELEBRATING BLESSINGS

Sunday, June 5, 2022
Celebrating Blessings! What is a Blessing?
Jess Safonof
All Ages Service

What is a blessing? Is it as simple as what you say after a sneeze? There are blessings at the dinner table, counting your blessings, and sayings like “you are a blessing.” What do you think blessing means? Join us as we begin a month of “celebrating blessings” with an interactive, all ages service.

Sunday, June 12, 2022
Self-Compassion: Taking a “Good” Look at Yourself
Lay speaker Cynthia Grzywinski

Oftentimes our self-directed inner voice can be harsh and judgmental. How often do you find yourself thinking self-disparaging thoughts, such as: “I’m an idiot”, “I don’t measure up”, “I’m always getting (fill in the blank) wrong”. These types of negative self-criticisms rarely help, and often serve to reinforce low self-esteem, which in turn may lead to depression, anxiety, anger, et al. Let’s stop beating ourselves up and explore mindful ways to treat ourselves with the loving kindness and compassion we would extend to a friend, family member, or someone in need. Compassion begins with you.

Sunday, June 19, 2022
Summer Solstice: The Longest Day of the Year
Lay speaker Theresa McReynolds

We come together once again to turn the wheel, to celebrate the longest day of the year. We are part of nature’s cycle. We have planted the seeds of our own changes and to grow, we must accept even the passing of the sun.

Sunday, June 26, 2022
General Assembly Watch Party

2022 General Assembly broadcast from Portland, Oregon.
Join us as we watch a portion of this year’s General Assembly.

May Theme: BEAUTY

Sunday, May 1, 2022
Beltane: A Time for May Flowers
Theresa McReynolds

Where sweet desire meets wild delight. The time between the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice. A Wedding of the Sun God Bel and the Mother Earth. Let’s come together to Turn the Wheel.

Sunday, May 8, 2022
Flower Communion
Guest minister Rev. Dr. Marie DeYoung

May 8 is Mother’s Day. Rev. Dr. Marie deYoung will reflect on the original purpose of Mother’s Day, as founded by Unitarian Julia Ward Howe. How do we make sense of Julia Ward Howe’s call to peacemaking in these complicated times? She will also reflect on the importance of taking time to participate in community reconciliation gatherings and rituals. Unitarian Norbert Capek gifted us with the unique Flower Communion. Marie’s sermon will culminate with the community’s participation in this Flower Communion ritual. Please bring your favorite flowers to share with the community on this day.

Sunday, May 15, 2022
Immigration, Refugees, and Migrants in South Jersey
Guest speaker Jose Sanchez

Since the mid 2000’s, migrants and refugees have been settling in our area. Jose A. Sanchez will cover Catholic Charities’ Reception and Placement program; the difference between the Afghans and Cubans and Haitians regarding work, public benefits, and more, as they settle in south Jersey. Also, what we can do as a congregation to help these people when they arrive.

Sunday, May 22, 2022
Images of Eve: Patriarchal vs Biblical
Guest speaker Dr. Marcia Fiedler

What they want us to “hear” (Midrash – Rabbinical/Religious/Patriarchal Commentary); what they want us to “see” (various English translations – what is added, what is missing); what they want us to “think” as a result of what we hear and read. Listen to the literal translations from the original Hebrew Biblical Text. Come to your own conclusion.

Sunday, May 29, 2022
Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?
Lay speaker Paul Utts

These three questions from a popular UU hymn asks the questions that are the basis of almost all faith communities and, for that matter, much of scientific inquiry. But as our faith community enters a new phase, these are questions we need to ask ourselves. Paul will talk about where we came from and explore the questions of who we are as a community and where do we go from here. With our annual meeting only two weeks away, it’s time to take a good look at ourselves.

April Theme: AWAKENING

Sunday, April 3, 2022
Awaken, Rejoice, and Come In!
Rev. DC Fortune

April is a time for awakening! Spring is finally underway and cannot be denied. Stewardship season is in full swing, and it is time for us to look forward and consider what the days ahead have to offer us.

Sunday, April 10, 2022
Palm Sunday: Contemplating endings and beginnings
Rev. DC Fortune

Palm Sunday is a time of wrapping things up and preparing for a new season and awakening. Stewardship season is drawing to a close, and the time of ministerial transition approaches. What do we say in times like these? We are in a period of looking forward and looking back.

Sunday, April 17, 2022
The Easter Miracle: Awakening in the Tomb
Rev. DC Fortune

The Bible tells us Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead and continued his ministry in ancient Judea. What might it have been like to awaken in that dark tomb? So much had happened. What more could be asked of him? Looking forward to a new day can be daunting, but full of promise.

Sunday, April 24, 2022
Failure is Always an Option
Lay speaker Michael Cluff

Not all awakenings are caused by blissful epiphanies. Sometimes they come at inconvenient — or embarrassing — times. This week, Michael will talk about some of the things he’s learned from the mistakes he’s made.

March Theme: RENEWING FAITH

Sunday, March 6, 2022
A Renewing Faith
Rev. DC Fortune

One of the basic tenets of Unitarian Universalism is that truth is not finite, but continues to be revealed. This is the basis for our fourth principle, which encourages us to engage in a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Let us explore some of the things that we have learned and imagine what might lie ahead as our faith continually renews itself.

Sunday, March 13, 2022
Can a Dress Save the World?
Jess Dunn Safonof

Can a piece of clothing fight climate change, grow sustainable farming practices, raise living conditions in developing nations, fight the stigmas of the women’s fashion industry, and build world wide community? Join us to find out.

Sunday, March 20, 2022
Renewing Faith, Renewing Commitment
Rev. DC Fortune

It is time for our annual pledge drive, in a year that is quite different from recent years. We are in a position to renew ourselves through a renewed commitment to our congregation and our faith. Join us as we kick of the stewardship drive for a new future.

Sunday, March 27, 2022
TBA
Rev. DC Fortune and Jess Dunn Safonof

ALL AGES WORSHIP!

February Theme: WIDENING THE CIRCLE

Sunday, February 6, 2022
From Fear to Faith – PDF – YouTube recording
Guest speaker Charles Loflin

Fear, like all human emotions, serves an important purpose. Healthy fear alerts us to danger and prepares us to deal with it. Unhealthy fear, on the other hand, can paralyze and prevent us from fully living into our values. What are the strategies that can help shift us from fear to faith?

Sunday, February 13, 2022
Embracing all that is colorful – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. DC Fortune

Unitarian Universalist leaders spent three years studying how white supremacist culture runs through all parts of our denomination, from the national level down to the smallest committees in our congregations. What does it look like to be truly welcoming? How do we go beyond welcome to inclusion?

Sunday, February 20, 2022
How Big is Your Comfort Zone?
Rev. DC Fortune

Our “comfort zones” are the areas of experience and thinking that are comfortable to us. New ideas and new experiences can enlarge our comfort zones, but that stretching is often uncomfortable and disorienting. Join us as we examine how we can widen the circle of our comfort zones.

Sunday, February 27, 2022
A Morning With the Arts
Music Director Gina Roche

Join us for a New Year service filled with music, poetry, and song. Music Director Gina Roche coordinates this service with an all-star cast of contributors!

January Theme: LIVING WITH INTENTION

Sunday, January 2, 2022
Worship cancelled due to coronavirus exposure

Sunday, January 9, 2022
Living With Intention – YouTube recording
Rev Dawn Fortune and Jessica Dunn-Safonof

What will 2022 hold for us? As individuals and as a community, what would we like to set for an intention for the coming year? What might we like to leave behind from 2021? Join us for this all-ages ritual of renewal.

Sunday, January 16, 2022
Earthly Intentions – YouTube recording
Guest speaker Jethro Heiko

The annual ritual of turning sap from maple trees into rich, sweet, maple syrup goes back centuries. Through a special grant program at Stockton University, today’s guest speaker, Jethro Heiko, is able to bring that connection with nature to the public in very real ways. Join us to learn about how sustainable practices, done with intention, deepen our connections with each other and the earth.

Sunday, January 23, 2022
What tracks will we leave on this world? – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Living with intention calls us to a practice of mindfulness. What impact do each of my actions have on the world in which I live?

Sunday, January 30, 2022
What are your intentions? – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. DC Fortune

We are each granted one life with which we are to learn, experience, and accomplish all that we might. What will you do with that life you have been given? Will you create community? Will you explore the stars? Will you make a million dollars? What are your intentions?

————————————–

2021

December Theme: OPENING TO JOY

Sunday, December 5, 2021
Opening to the Joy of Miracles – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

The holiday of Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of how a one-night’s supply of oil lasted for eight nights. It is a time of feasting and joy and celebration, with special food, lots of joyful gatherings, and gifts. Join us as we explore and appreciate this tradition that is thousands of years old.

Sunday, December 12, 2021
Joy in Abundance – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

The Christian season of Advent is but one of the holiday observances celebrated in these darkest weeks of the year. Advent is a time of joyful anticipation; Hanukkah is a celebration of the miracle of light; Kwanzaa celebrates African culture maintained throughout the diaspora. What experience of joy might we embrace this year?

Sunday, December 19, 2021
In the Deep Midwinter – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

As the planet turns once more toward the sun, let us open our hearts to all the joy the world has to offer! The solstice is a perfect time to balance and pivot toward newness and the returning light.

Friday, December 24, 2021, 7 p.m.
A Night of Music and Joy
Rev. Dawn Fortune

An evening service of music and readings with Music Director Gina Roche and a host of luminaries provide a welcome celebration of the Christmas holiday after two years of chaos and isolation. Join us to celebrate the joy of the Christmas story and the beauty of music in the nighttime.

Sunday, December 26, 2021
NO SERVICE TODAY

In order to provide a week off for our staff at the close of this second plague year, there will be no worship service today.
Enjoy your quiet time.

November Theme: HOLDING HISTORY

Sunday, November 7, 2021
Falling Back and Looking Back: What does UU History have to teach us? – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

It has been said that there is nothing new in the world. This year, as we set our clocks back an hour, let’s examine together what our shared Unitarian and Universalist histories have to offer to our modern lives, and consider what parts we want to keep and what parts we are willing to let go.

Sunday, November 14, 2021
Lessons in Idealism from UU History: James Luther Adams and Dorothy Day – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

James Luther Adams and Dorothy Day — each struggled in their own way with the idealism of a liberal faith in a world filled with imperfection and occasionally, outright evil. What does it mean to be liberal in the time of rising fascism? How do we understand our faith in the human capacity for good when humans seem so bent on doing evil? Their considerations and musings are as potent today as they were nearly 100 years ago. Join us as we explore a history that is not nearly as distant as we might think.

Sunday, November 21, 2021
Honoring the History of Thanksgiving – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune and Jess Dunn-Safonof

ALL AGES SERVICE!

The American mythology around the Thanksgiving holiday offers a narrative that we now know as wildly inaccurate. We all live on land that was once populated by Native Americans. In this interactive, All-Ages service, we will share some of the histories and traditions of the native peoples of our area, and work together to create a meal that nourishes our hearts as well as our spirits.

Sunday, November 28, 2021
Waxing Floors in Heels – YouTube recording
Presented by Margaret Circle

Margaret Circle will take us back to the late sixties as young women discover what the women’s movement means to them.

October Theme: CULTIVATING RELATIONSHIP

Sunday, October 3, 2021
A Recipe for Relationship – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Relationships would be so much simpler with clear instructions. Instead, we take humans with various needs and fears, priorities and values, passions and talents; then we mix them all in a neighborhood, or workplace, or classroom, and hope they’ll get along. But there are no universally understood instructions for how to do that. Join the service prepared to experiment with relationship-building exercises that will hopefully deepen our connections with each other.

Sunday, October 10, 2021
Building Relationships Through Trust and Vulnerability – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

In order to be in relationship with one another, there must be some degree of trust. Trust allows us to share parts of ourselves that are tender, knowing that we will be safe. In Unitarian Universalism, we share a core set of principles that guide how we interact with each other. We’ll explore how those values support us as we develop and grow relationships. Join us to grow together!

Sunday, October 17, 2021
Blessing of the Animals – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Our relationships with companion animals can bring us deep joy and many lessons about loyalty, trust, and love. Bring your favorite animal(s) with you this Sunday to have them blessed during the service. All animals must be leashed or in a cage that prevents their escape. Photographs of animals will also be blessed if your pet prefers to stay home.

Sunday, October 24, 2021
Cultivating Relationships by Cultivating the Land – YouTube recording
Lay speakers Meredith Massey & Jason Simmons

Where and when are you your most essential self? What makes you feel most connected to the Earth and to others? Join Meredith Massey and Jason Simmons of Thin Place Farm as they explore the relationships formed when we choose to cultivate our connection to the land.

Sunday, October 31, 2021
All Hallow’s Eve – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

‘Tis all hallow’s eve, a time for dress up and pretend, a time to safely imagine scary things having to do with death and what may or may not come afterwards. Bring a photograph or memento of a loved one you have lost in the past two years so that we may bid them farewell from this realm while the veil between the living and dead is at its thinnest. There will be a Halloween Party for the children during worship.

September Theme: EMBRACING POSSIBILITY

Sunday, September 5, 2021
Musical Transitions – YouTube recording
Led by Barbara Miller and Gina Roche

La la la! Mi mi mi! Let’s get our voices warmed up for as we introduce our new Music Director Gina Roche to some of our favorite hymns.

Sunday, September 12, 2021
Return and Celebrate! – Facebook Live
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Each year in September, when Unitarian Universalist congregations return to community for worship, we celebrate by each bringing water (real or metaphorical) from a source that is important to us, and we mingle that water in a common pool. That water is then saved to be used in ritual celebrations throughout the church year. This year will be particularly poignant, as we have not gathered for communal worship since early 2020. Bring a small container of water from home to add to our common bowl.

Sunday, September 19, 2021
Making Progress and Moving Forward – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

The fall equinox falls on September 20, and marks the halfway point between the longest days of summer and the longest nights of winter. It is a good time to consider where we are in our spiritual travels, and what we’d like to explore next. Join us as we explore and embrace the possibilities before us!

Sunday, September 26, 2021
The Call You Cannot Refuse – YouTube recording
Rev. Carol Haag

Rev. Haag is an ordained minister and retired religious educator who currently serves as Chair of the Development Committee at Murray Grove. Her sermon will touch on the history of John Murray’s arrival in North America and the still commanding ideas of Universalism in our lives today.

Sunday, August 1, 2021
When Reason is Impossible and Hope is Hard to Find: A Personal Encounter With Depression – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

When brain chemistry goes awry, it affects more than just our thinking: it affects behavior and basic physiology, and it can be nearly impossible to see in ourselves. After a six week leave to recover from depression, Rev. Dawn Fortune has some insights into depression, chemistry, and recovery. Join us for an examination of how depression affects us all.

Sunday, August 8, 2021
Book of Questions – YouTube recording
Led by Melissa Hutchison

Join us for a zoom version of our traditional “Book of Questions” discussion service.

Sunday, August 15, 2021
The New Challenges of Being Human – PDF – Facebook Live recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

At UU Center – OUTDOORS!

After 18 months of various levels of shutdown, isolation, and pandemic-fueled social anxiety, many of us find it challenging to return to familiar places and behaviors. What does it mean to gather again? How will we redefine the concept of community? Let us explore together some of the hopes and fears we share of returning to something we might eventually call “normal.”

Sunday, August 22, 2021
Poetry Jam – YouTube recording
Coordinated by Deb Dagavarian

Hear some new and old poems shared by our members and friends.

Sunday, August 29, 2021
Voices of Women of Color – YouTube recording
Led by Debbi Dagavarian

Stories from 19th and 20th century women of color, in their own words. Presented by Margaret Circle.

Queen Lili’uokalani – read by Kim Trotto
Mamie Till – read by Betsy Searight
Daisy Bates – read by Barb Morell
Wilma Mankiller – read by Deb Dagavarian
Malala Yousafzai – read by Judy Pereira

Sunday, July 4, 2021
NO SERVICE today!

Sunday, July 11, 2021
The Inherent Worth and Dignity of EVERY Person? Really? – YouTube recording
Guest speaker Pat LaManna

Turns out, it’s easier to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of some people than others. Pat explores what it means to affirm every person’s inherent worth and dignity. No exceptions. You may be surprised to learn that she found a bunch of songs to share with you that express that sentiment better than mere words can.

Sunday, July 18, 2021
The Seven Principles: More Action, Fewer Words
RE Director Jess Dunn Safonof

ALL AGES SERVICE

The Seven Principles – those things we as UU’s covenant to affirm and promote. Have you noticed they are a bit wordy? A bit difficult to act on? In Children’s Religious Education we have a simple “children’s” wording that makes it easier to understand and act out our values in everyday life. Join us as we learn more about the important principles of our faith and how we can live out those values.

Sunday, July 25, 2021
Grace Notes – YouTube recording
Coordinated by Barbara Miller

MUSIC SERVICE – OUTDOORS!

The Grace Notes Singers include our own Barbara Miller, Cynthia Grzywinski, Melissa Hutchison, as well as other local singers.

This service will be outdoors. Please bring lawn chairs and your own water.

June Theme: PLAY

Sunday, June 6, 2021
On This Journey Together – PDF – YouTube recording
Guest speaker Birch Spick

No matter who we are, making sense of our lives and seeking out direction is a profound commonality we share as human beings. It is a journey that many people make in each other’s company, often in religious or spiritual communities. But for a variety of reasons, many LGBTQ people struggle to feel welcome in joining and staying in these communities. Join us as we consider what it means to be LGBTQ and spiritual, religious, or seeking deeper meaning in our lives.

Sunday, June 13, 2021
From Legos to Logos: Playing With the Building Blocks of Religion – YouTube recording
Guest minister Rev. Amy Petrie Shaw

Unitarian Universalism doesn’t come with a holy book or creed. Today we’re going to talk about building religion and having it your way.

Sunday, June 20, 2021
Hell is a Human Invention – PDF – YouTube recording
Lay speaker Barbara Miller

Where did the concept of “fire and brimstone” in the afterlife come from? Is there any way that Hell could seen as a positive thing? Take a deep dive into Hell with us.

Sunday, June 27, 2021
General Assembly Watch Party

Join us as we watch a portion of this year’s General Assembly, which is all-virtual.

May Theme: STORY

Sunday, May 2, 2021
Listening to Today’s Prophets – YouTube recording
Lay speaker Theresa McReynolds

Rev. Dr. Theresa McReynolds considers herself a spiritual seeker. She has spent most of her life studying many different religious texts as well as several different spiritual traditions. She believes that the prophets of today can be found in the arts — the writers and painters and movie makers. She has been spending this time of COVID studying and listening to these wise teachers and is looking forward to sharing with you some of what she has learned.

Sunday, May 9, 2021
Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys – YouTube recording
Guest minister Rev. Amy Petrie Shaw

Mothers help to shape the lives of their children. For good and bad, it’s a role that never ends. We recognize today all those who share the responsibility for shaping another human life.

Sunday, May 16, 2021
8th Principle? Why? – YouTube recording
Guest minister Rev. Amy Petrie Shaw

“We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.” What does that mean, and why would we as UU congregations want to affirm it? Come and find out more!

Sunday, May 23, 2021
Pentecost and an Ethic of Risk – YouTube recording
Guest minister Rev Amy Petrie Shaw

As Unitarian Universalists we are not often crowned with holy fire and sent out into the world. Or maybe we are.

Join Rev. Amy Shaw in a service which examines the fire that sends us into the world, and the ethic which fuels it.

Sunday, May 30, 2021
From Civil Rights to Racial Justice: Baseball’s Chance to Move the Country Ahead – PDF – YouTube recording
Lay speaker Deb Dagavarian

What was it like for a talented black ballplayer who wanted to play with and against the best white players in the game—in 1940? Deb Dagavarian will take you on a quick trip from the 19th century, through the Negro Leagues, to when the great Jack Robinson integrated major league baseball.

April Theme: BECOMING

Sunday, April 4, 2021
Dry Bones and Caterpillar Soup – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Easter is the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth after his murder. With hopes high of an eventual end to the COVID-19 pandemic, how do we experience death and resurrection in the year 2021?

Sunday, April 11, 2021
Poetry Share – YouTube recording
Lay speaker Deb Dagavarian

Join us in our popular (semi-)annual celebration of poetry. These include favorites and original pieces contributed by our members and friends.

Sunday, April 18, 2021
Music: Magic, Prophecy and Revolution (Barbara Miller Music Tribute) – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Jersey Shore’s Music Director Barbara Miller has officially retired after more than two decades of dedicated service. Join in this special service of celebration and remembrance of her humble leadership since the very first days of the congregation.

Sunday, April 25, 2021
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: The Neverending Dance of Becoming – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Our past, present, and future all play a role in our lifelong journey of growth and becoming. The parts of this journey that are the most challenging, even painful, are often the places where the most intense growth happens. That growth happens best when we are able to open our hearts to the things that frighten or upset us, and we are able to lean into the vulnerability that Brené Brown describes as “Daring Greatly.” Join us to explore that vulnerability and embrace the growth that it makes possible.

March Theme: COMMITMENT

Sunday, March 7, 2021
Are You Committed? – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Join us this Sunday for our Stewardship kickoff as we begin our month of asking “What does it mean to be a people of commitment?”

Sunday, March 14, 2021
Moving Money in the Direction of Our Commitments – YouTube recording
Lay speaker Ivette Guillermo

Money is like water. It can be a conduit for commitment, a currency of love. Money moving in the direction of our highest commitments nourishes our world and ourselves. What you appreciate appreciates. When you make a difference with what you have, it expands. Collaboration creates prosperity. True abundance flows from enough; never from more. Money carries our intention. If we use it with integrity, then it carries integrity forward. Know the flow — take responsibility for the way your money moves in the world. Let your soul inform your money and your money express your soul. Access your assets — not only money but also your own character and capabilities, your relationships and other nonmoney resources.

Sunday, March 21, 2021
Spring: Nature’s Commitment – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

The spring equinox marks the changing of the seasons, the time between the depths of winter and the height of summer. Nature offers us so many ways to celebrate and observe the turning of the wheel of time. With this new season, what might we commit to?

Sunday, March 28, 2021
Commitment Matters When Things are Difficult – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Palm Sunday in the Christian calendar is when Jesus of Nazareth is said to have entered Jerusalem, knowing of his impending arrest and death. Committed to his role in the legend, as laid forth by the prophets before him, he went forward anyway, knowing what he faced. We are not asked to sacrifice at such a level, but commitment does require some willingness to give of ourselves. How much can we give? How brave might we be in the face of big challenges?

February Theme: BELOVED COMMUNITY

Sunday, February 7, 2021
Creative Co-creation of Community or How ‘Come on Eileen’ and a Guy in a Unicorn Suit Changed My Life – YouTube recording
Lay speaker Heather Swenson Brilla

Who would you be if no one knew who you were, and what community would that person create? Using the 10 Principles of Burning Man and my experiences of Regional Burns, we will explore social constructions all around us and the co-creation of a community for the new year.

Sunday, February 14, 2021
Sex, Love, and Shame on St. Valentine’s Day 2021 – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Sexual shame has been promulgated by thousands of years of church teaching. But our sexuality is a gift from the divine. How can we change our thinking on this?

Sunday, February 21, 2021
PreRecorded Service from Side With Love
Video
Order of Service (Google doc)

~~The 8th Principle~~
~~Rev. Dawn Fortune~~
“We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.” Join us to explore what it means to devote an entire denomination to the eradication of institutional racism within and without our movement.

Sunday, February 28, 2021
Beloved Community: Beyond Warm and Fuzzy – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

We sometimes think of beloved community as a utopian ideal where diverse people live together in harmony, but that is a myth. Beloved community calls us to embrace discomfort, to learn and grow in ways that stretch us beyond what we think we can bear, and to become stronger as a result of our efforts, both as individuals, and as the beloved community to which we aspire.

January Theme: IMAGINATION

Sunday, January 3, 2021
My Dream for Our Congregation – YouTube recording
UUCSJS Board Members

The members UUCSJS Board of Trustees lead this service, kicking off 2021 by imagining the congregation’s future as they would dream it to be.

Sunday, January 10, 2021

America’s Divide: Where Do WE Stand? – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Many Americans watched in horror this week as an insurrectionary mob pushed through barricades, smashed doors and windows, and ransacked the United States Capitol. “How could this happen here?” they asked. “This is not who we are.”

The harsh truth is that this IS the United States. This IS who we are, as a nation. Our nation is in a convulsion that comes at times of great social and political change. Whether that change is for good or for bad, any organized society experiences this kind of upheaval with big cultural change.

Join us as we examine our own role in our national situation and consider what we want our role to be as we go forward.

Sunday, January 17, 2021
Promises and Dreams – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

We sit at the cusp of a new presidential administration and imagine what 2021 might offer us individually, as a congregation, and as a larger community. Our nation was founded on promises and dreams. If we were to start over today, what might those promises and dreams include? Individual freedom? Community accountability? Personal liberty? Collective responsibility? The struggle to find balance between freedom and responsibility is eternal. Let’s imagine what it might look like if we created a new world today with the wisdom gained from nearly 250 years of democracy.

Sunday, January 24, 2021
Imagine This – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

The Dedham Decision: Unitarian/Trinitarian infighting is responsible for the separation of church and state in the United States. A uniquely American dispute created a whole new section of the tax code, and had effects that we still wrestle with today. Join us for a bit of American history on a historical week in America!

Sunday, January 31, 2021
The Religion of Sports – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Is football a religious experience? Baseball? Basketball? What is religion, anyway? Let’s imagine some of the ways we can experience spiritual community beyond Sunday mornings (or Sunday afternoons!).

2020

December Theme: STILLNESS

Sunday, December 6, 2020
Stillness as a double-edged thing – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

The tumult of the election season has passed and our attention now turns to the stillness of the shortening days and darkening nights. Times of deep stillness and contemplation are opportunities for renewal, but also for isolation. In these days of pandemic and anxiety, extended periods of stillness can leave us feeling alone and frightened. Join us as we explore how stillness works (or does not) during these shortened days and lengthened nights.

Sunday, December 13, 2020
In the Quiet, We Wait – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

In the stillness of December, Christians wait for the birth of the messiah, Jews celebrate the festival of lights in Hanukkah, and Pagans await the annual turning of the wheel and the gradual return of the sun. Waiting in the quiet can be as much of a spiritual experience as the event we are waiting for. Join us as we consider what it means to be present to this time of stillness and anticipation.

Sunday, December 20, 2020
The Stillness of Midwinter – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

The holiness of midwinter is upon us. It is the fourth and final Sunday of Advent and the eve of the Winter Solstice. As the cold weather settles in, the reality of longer days gives us hope in this time of cold and quiet darkness. Join us for a contemplative consideration of the stillness found in this season so normally filled with bustle and busyness.

Thursday, December 24, 2020
No Christmas Eve Service

Sunday, December 27, 2020
No Service Today

November Theme: HEALING

Sunday, November 1, 2020
Ancestors and a Spiritual Plan B – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

All Saints Day is a day of remembrance, when we think about those who have died in the past year. In ancient traditions, this was the time of the year when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest, and people believed that they could communicate with their departed loved ones and say a final farewell to conclude their grieving process. Two days before the US presidential election, we are inspired to seek the wisdom and counsel of our ancestors long departed from this world. What do they have to tell us about survival? Resiliency? What do they have to offer to help us create a spiritual plan for whatever the outcome of Tuesday’s election might be? Join us as we reflect and make a plan for healing in uncertain times.

Sunday, November 8, 2020
Now What? – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

The voting is over and the ballots are being processed. The only thing that is for certain is how polarized and divided our nation is. So what do we do now? How do we return to some sense of community? Can we? Is it safe? Healing happens in its own time, and cannot be rushed or forced. But can we invite healing in? What might that look like? Is there work we must do first? Join us as we consider our new reality and how we might heal from the hurt we have experienced.

Sunday, November 15, 2020
Breathe In, Breathe Out – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

The words “Breathe In, Breathe Out,” are among life’s most simple and basic instructions, but it is remarkable how often we need to be reminded to do it. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Yes, the news of the world is troubling. Unlike the healing that happens after physical trauma, like a broken leg, or a bad cold, spiritual healing can begin before the trauma has ended. Viktor Frankl survived his time in Auschwitz in part by paying attention to his own spirit and serving others. Nelson Mandela emerged from his cell a whole man, not a broken soul. What is it that we can do to begin our own spiritual healing during these days? What does spiritual healing look like for us? Join us as we consider the ways to engage our spirits in the necessary work of healing.

Sunday, November 22, 2020
Book Lovers Group

Books can be entertaining, they can be meaningful, and they can be inspiring. They can also be boring and perfunctory. In this service, we discuss books that have meant something special to us.

Sunday, November 29, 2020
Forgive Me – PDF – YouTube recording
Lay speaker Paul Utts

It seems inconceivable that as reprehensible as our current President’s behavior is and has been, that 72 million people in our country would continue to vote for him. 10 million more than 2016. What are they thinking? A minister once told me when looking for congregational approval that they wanted better than 90% support, “because its difficult to get things done when 10% of the congregation is rowing against you.” Yet here we are with almost 50% of voters, many of them hard working, moral people, pulling in the other direction. If we want to see true social justice, we need most of that half of the country with us. Paul will discuss his experience with some of those voters and ask if maybe our faith’s “blaming and shaming” is causing more harm then good. He thinks he will probably anger some of you and so asks… Forgive me.

October Theme: DEEP LISTENING

Sunday, October 4, 2020
Saint Francis of Assisi and Deep Listening (Blessing of the Animals!) – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Saint Francis of Assisi was said to have the ability to speak to animals, or at the very least, call them to him. He is often pictured with a songbird perched on his hand. As the patron saint of animals, the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi is a time when many congregations will bless the animals held dear by their members. In the time of the pandemic, we will not have a sanctuary filled with animals, but will instead have a photo gallery of animals available for celebration and blessing.

Saint Francis listened to the way animals communicated, and we will consider the ways we can listen deeply to beings and things we might not otherwise hear. Join us!

Sunday, October 11, 2020
Hearing Vulnerability and Fear – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Deep listening asks us to be open to hearing more than just what our ears can sense. Deep listening asks us to listen to the feelings and reasons buried within what we can perceive with our physical senses. It has been said that fear often looks like anger. In times of deep personal and national anxiety, we are challenged to listen through the noise to find the vulnerable source of fear that fuels that anger. In this election season, what must we do to connect in this way? Join us as we explore.

Sunday, October 18, 2020
Seeking silence in a time of noise – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

In the 1800s, Theodore Parker spoke of the things that were transient and permanent in Christianity. In these weeks before the election’s conclusion, it can seem as though our world is a swirling chaos of noise and confusion. Can we listen deeply, through that noise, to find the silence that is permanent and everlasting? Join us as we explore some of the paths to silence we can travel in these days of noise and confusion.

Sunday, October 25, 2020
Compassion – YouTube recording
Lay speaker Theresa McReynolds

Compassion has many faces. The Dalai Lama once said “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” My talk will be about unwrapping empathy, compassion, and love and applying them to these unprecedented times.

September Theme: RENEWAL

Sunday, September 6, 2020
Labor Day and the 40-Hour Week – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Born in the sweatshops of the Industrial Revolution, Labor Unions in the United States fought for – and achieved – laws and policies that banned child labor, regulated working conditions and fair wages for unionized workers. The notion that workers might require time off for more than sleep was a bit of a novel concept, and eventually the results of the shortened work week bore fruit in efficiency and production. Renewal is as vital to us today as it was to the workers in 19th century textile mills. Join us as we contemplate how our days and weeks are split up into “work, recreation, and rest.”

Sunday, September 13, 2020
Here We Are Gathered (Water Ceremony/Ingathering) – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Each year, congregations around the US participate in the annual ritual of Ingathering by combining bottles and vials of water brought from home or far away, to be blessed and used in our rituals throughout the year. Unable to pour water together in person, we will participate in this ritual of ingathering in our virtual realm, reminding us of the connections that bind us to one another, in good times and bad. Join us to renew our covenant with each other for the coming year.

Sunday, September 20, 2020
Equinox: Finding New Ways To Celebrate Ancient Things – PDF – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

The Fall Equinox marks the midpoint between high summer and deepest winter. It, with its spring mate, are the ultimate liminal times of our year – when we are evenly between those seasonal extremes. It is a point of balance, a place to pause, take stock, and consider what we seek in the descent into the dark months of winter. How do we want to honor this time, and how do we use it to renew our spirits?

Sunday, September 27, 2020 – YouTube recording
You Gotta Put Down the Duckie
Lay speaker Jack Miller

“Put down the duckie.” There may be times when putting something down is a better choice than letting something go. How are these two ideas different?

Sunday, August 2, 2020
Bending Ourselves Toward Justice – YouTube recording
Lay speaker Michael Cluff

We’ve heard that “the arc of the universe is long and bends toward justice.” As we UUs know all too well, sometimes the universe needs to bend a little harder. Michael will talk about the ways we might get in our own way in this struggle, and proposes how we can become more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Sunday, August 9, 2020
You Have To Ride The Wave – YouTube recording
Guest minister Rev. KC Slack

“…you had to constantly try to understand what was going on and how to survive in this space…and how not to…go under. You’re on your own, and then, politics is in your life. You have to ride the wave.” – Arundhati Roy

Sunday, August 16, 2020
Make of Yourself a Light – YouTube recording
Guest minister Rev. Paul Langston-Daley

Mary Oliver writes that the Buddha’s last instruction was to “Make of yourselves a light.” What does it mean to be a light for others, to be a bodhisattva, to return again and again to the central values of love and compassion?

Sunday, August 23, 2020
There Is No Away: An Ethic of Solidarity Amid Disposability – YouTube recording
Guest minister Rev. Theresa Ines Soto

What responsibility do Unitarian Universalists have in days steeped in call-out culture, threats of disposability, and isolation. Join us to explore how the thinking, feeling and doing fit together on this subject.

Sunday, August 30, 2020
The Allure of the Politics of Us vs. Them – YouTube recording
Lay speaker Cynthia Grzywinski

Over the last several years, a disturbing seismic shift has taken place in countries throughout the world, including our own. Government systems of formerly democratic nations such as Hungary, the Philippines, and Turkey, are now lead by autocratic-minded “strongmen” and their supporters. Each system, characterized by the stripping away of basic democratic rights that we as Unitarian Universalists hold as inalienable such as free speech, freedom of the press, peaceful protest, and racial equality, all use similar tactics to gain control and influence a large portion of the population. Mainly to keep these systems and the men who lead them empowered. These tactics have been used to great effect by tyrants throughout history – and may be boiled down to the polarizing effects of one overriding concept: the politics of Us vs. Them. But how does this tactic work? What’s the allure of the politics of Us vs. Them and why are so many willing to give up democratic freedoms in the process? And, is there anything we can do about it? Please join me in exploring these questions and more.

July Theme: HARMONY

Sunday, July 5, 2020
Predictions, Prophecies, and Promises – YouTube recording
Guest minister Rev. Ranwa Hammamy

Today’s social and political atmosphere has generated significant fear, despair, and chaos. The course of our lives may feel uncertain and even out of our control. Drawing inspiration from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, we will explore the power of predictions, prophecies, and promises in these times, and how to deepen our resilience as Unitarian Universalists manifesting justice and love.

Sunday, July 12, 2020
I Sent You A Helicopter: the power to act – YouTube recording
Guest minister Rev. Leela Sinha
(Pronouns are ze/zim/zir)

So often, we wait to be saved. Or we wait for someone else to tell us what to do. What if we already have the power to act?

Sunday, July 19, 2020
Just a Closer Walk With Thee… or, Why UUs Don’t Do Gospel Well – YouTube recording
Guest minister Rev. Kim Hampton

There are theological and cultural reasons why gospel music is complex for most UU congregations. Let’s explore why.

Sunday, July 26, 2020
What Kind Of World Do We Want? – YouTube recording
Guest minister Rev. Edith A. Love

We keep hearing about people longing to “go back to normal,” but maybe normal wasn’t a healthy place for the world to be. Let’s explore what’s possible.

Sunday, June 7, 2020
Remember Me – YouTube recording
Guest speaker Amy G.S.A. Brooks

This sermon serves as a reminder to show compassion to a people we are often quick to forget.

Sunday, June 14, 2020
UU Second Principle: Justice, Equity, and Compassion in Human Relations – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Our denomination commits itself to upholding and promoting justice, equity,and compassion in human relations, but how do we do that in real life? And how do we do it now during a pandemic? Join us as we explore this rich concept.

Sunday, June 21, 2020
Who We Are – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Unitarian Universalism is a multi-faceted movement. Today, we celebrate Father’s Day, the Summer Solstice, and hold our Annual Congregational Meeting, in which we self-govern through the tradition of direct democratic process. And we are aware that our world is hurting, and many of us are hurting as well. How do we hold room in our hearts for all of these pieces? Must we prioritize or can we embrace it all? Join us to explore.

Sunday, June 28, 2020
General Assembly Worship Watch Party

Today is the day our annual convention wraps up. Sunday morning worship of GA is traditionally live-streamed from the convention center, and this year there will still be a live-stream, but from an entirely online program. Instead of holding our regular worship service, we invite everyone, members and friends and visitors alike, to join in watching the live stream of GA worship. The link will be posted on the uucsjs website and on all our social media platforms.

Sunday, May 3, 2020
Preemptive Radical Inclusion – YouTube recording
Guest speaker CB Beal

CB will share reflections on the idea of Preemptive Radical Inclusion (PRI) as an entryway to increase justice and equity among ourselves and in the world, a way to embody beloved community in this time of physical isolation and social connection.

Sunday, May 10, 2020
RE Service
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Every age of childhood is a threshold of one sort or another. Children are perpetually changing and growing, moving from one age and stage into the next. Join us for a special worship service designed and delivered by the children in our Religious Education Program.

Sunday, May 17, 2020
Escaping the Trap – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

As we enter the third month of home confinement due to the coronavirus pandemic, many of us are feeling trapped. we are trapped in our homes, trapped in our own medical fragility, trapped economically, emotionally, and even spiritually. Join us as we examine the feeling of being trapped, and consider ways to escape.

Sunday, May 24, 2020
Military Service: A Mixture of Many Things – YouTube recording
Lay speaker Sheila Stoner

Why would anyone, especially one with Quaker-like feelings, ever join the military? Oh, and trans to boot. 100 years of family service, including both my children.

Sunday, May 31, 2020
What is Pride Without the Parade? – YouTube recording
Rev. Dawn Fortune

It has been 51 years since the Stonewall uprising in New York City that is celebrated as the beginning of what is now the LGBTQ rights movement. Since that first summer of police riots, the anniversary has been commemorated not with riots but with joyful parades that celebrated queer culture. Because of the Coronavirus, there will be no pride parades this year. How do we mark this important anniversary without balloons, glitter and rainbow flags? Join us as we consider what it means to celebrate without a party.

Sunday, April 5, 2020 – YouTube recording
Liberation in a Time of Bondage
Rev. Dawn Fortune

As we approach the high holy seasons of both Passover and Easter, we find ourselves bound at home and threatened by a plague that spreads across the land. It is a good time to consider the messages of liberation told by the ancient Hebrews and the early followers of Jesus of Nazareth as they faced their own dark and frightening times. Join us as we explore what it means to be free people within the confines of a hostile and threatening world.

Sunday, April 12, 2020 – YouTube recording
Liberated From Death
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Easter is the time when Christians celebrate Jesus’ resurrection after his crucifixion. Passover commemorates the time when the ancient Hebrews were spared from the Angel of Death by splashing lamb’s blood over their doors. Death is sitting uncomfortably close these days. Let us ponder how we may be liberated from its grasp.

Sunday, April 19, 2020 – YouTube recording
Liberation and Freedom
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Liberation and freedom are two different things. One is a status and the other an achievement, or an event. Lets examine the concepts of liberation and freedom within the context of our world today.

Sunday, April 26, 2020 – YouTube recording (captioned)
The Bodhisattva Path to Liberation from Suffering
Lay speaker Ivette Guillermo-McGahee

The Bodhisattva path offers tools that help us respond creatively to world crises rather than feeling overwhelmed or paralyzed by distress. As when we do grief work, facing our distress doesn’t make it disappear. Instead, when we do face it, we are able to place our distress within a larger landscape that gives it a different meaning. Rather than feeling afraid of our pain for the world, we learn that the world itself has a role to play in our liberation; its very pressures, pains, and risks can wake us up — release us from the bonds of ego and guide us home to our vast, true nature.

Sunday, March 1, 2020
Wisdom, Wisdom Everywhere!
Rev. Dawn Fortune and Jessica Dunn Safonof

INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICE

In this all-ages, interactive workshop worship, we will explore the Six Sources from which Unitarian Universalism draws its wisdom. Those sources include: The direct experience of transcending mystery and wonder, the words and deeds pf prophetic people, wisdom from the world’s religions, Jewish and Christian teachings, Humanist teachings, and the spiritual teachings of Earth-centered religious traditions.

Sunday, March 8, 2020
All, Here and Now
Guest minister Rev. Eric Dobson

As Director of Community Engagement for Fair Share Housing Center, Rev. Eric Dobson’s mission is to end discriminatory or exclusionary housing patterns which have deprived the poor, particularly those presently living in inner cities, of the opportunity to reside in an environment which offers safe, decent, and sanitary housing near employment and educational opportunities.

Sunday, March 15, 2020 – VIA ZOOM
Stewards of Many Things
Rev. Dawn Fortune

As UUs, we are called to be good stewards of the planet and the interdependent web of which we are a part. We are also called to be stewards of truth, and reason, and freedom. As members of this religious community, we are called to support and nurture it as a beacon of those values in our area. Join us as we talk about the many ways we are able to do this.

Sunday, March 22, 2020 – VIA ZOOM
Examining Wisdom
Rev. Dawn Fortune

We know lots of things, but where does that knowledge come from? Who told us the narrative that we know to be true? Let’s explore some of the things we know and how we know them, and consider what deeper truths might have been omitted from the larger story.

Sunday, March 29, 2020 – YouTube recording
Relevance in Our Age
Rev. Dawn Fortune

With the turmoil occurring each day in our world, how is it that a liberal religious community remains relevant? When it seems that that the world is on fire, what is our role in taming the conflagration? Join us as we explore how one congregation seeks to remain relevant in the 21st century.

February 2, 2020
The Physics and Spirituality of Resilience
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Resilience is defined by physicists as the ability of matter to absorb outside energy or pressure and return to its original state. Personal and spiritual resilience can be quite different. Join us as we explore our resilient spirits in a challenging world.

February 9, 2020
Together We Promise
Guest speaker Patricia Infante

Covenant is a spiritual discipline which asks us to take part in an ongoing, intentional commitment. The work of creating a covenant is just a first step; living into it, sustaining it, restoring and renewing it when it is broken takes commitment and a willingness to be vulnerable. Patricia Infante from the Central East Region of the UUA will invite us into a time of reflection about the covenants we hold with one another and why they matter. After worship, we’ll gather to consider our existing covenant and engage in a process of recommitting to the work of building a strong, covenantal community here at UUCSJS.

February 16, 2020
Your Purpose is Bigger Than You Realize
Guest speaker John Gray

Using the life of Moses as an example of faith and resilience, we can never allow our past mistakes and failures to derail our God given purpose.

February 23, 2020
Intentional Resilience
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Matter tends to be either resilient (rubber) or not (concrete). Matter can be adapted to increase its resilience to make it stronger and more durable. Is that something we can do to ourselves? Beyond going to the gym and building muscles, what is it we can to do our spirits to make ourselves resilient? Join us as we explore.

January 5, 2020
Integrity: Beyond Wholeness
Rev. Dawn Fortune

ALL AGES SERVICE
We kick off 2020 with an interactive, all-ages workshop worship, where we will explore what it means to be people of integrity with exercises that stimulate our minds, bodies, and hearts. Join us!

January 12, 2020
Two Truths and a Lie
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Integrity means telling the truth. Or does it? When might telling a lie be the better choice? Life is complex, and integrity, our inner moral compass, calls us to consider carefully before we speak. Join us for this challenging exploration!

January 19, 2020
“If I’m Honest…”
Guest speaker Christin Green

One of the principles Unitarian Universalists are known for is our “free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” We are seekers and questioners and skeptics and pioneers! Yet, we often default to “someone else more qualified” to lead the charge. How do we, as people of faith, keep ourselves honest about our role as leaders in social justice work? Join guest preacher, Christin Green, to explore January’s theme of Integrity.

January 26, 2020
What Would You Do?
Rev. Dawn Fortune

Integrity is said to be what we do when nobody is watching us. Life presents us daily with situations where we must make moral choices – sometimes we choose what is right, sometimes we choose what is more comfortable. What does our Unitarian Universalist faith call us to do in complex situations?

Location and Contact

UU Congregation of the South Jersey Shore

PO Box 853, Pomona NJ 08240 | 609.965.9400 | admin@uucsjs.org Sunday Services: 10:30 am

Sunday Services Archive – 2020-2023