Sermon Archive
Everyday Transcendence
“Transcendence” may evoke the image of other-worldliness and deep religiosity – moving closer in relationship to the divine – but it is accessible to any of us, at virtually any time. This morning we explore how the human desire to escape the day-to-day, sometimes mundane, nature of our lives can be reconciled with the freedom to ascend beyond ourselves. Service led by retired UU Minister Rev, Millie Rochester
Wy’east Annual Interdependence Day Picnic
On the first Sunday of July, Wy’east holds an annual Interdependence Day Potluck/Picnic. Rather than meeting at the Hollywood Senior Center, join us for games, singing, food and fellowship at the Picnic Area at Creston Park (SE 43rd & Rhone -- just south of Powell Blvd). Festivities will begin at our usual 10:30 gathering time with games and songs with a potluck picnic lunch to follow at 11:30.
Bring a potluck dish to share plus your own plates and utensils. Coffee and Lemonade will be provided. Guests are welcome.
Creston Park is located just south of Powell and the parking lot can be accessed from SE 42rd Avenue (at Rhone Street). There is ample parking and the picnic area is in close proximity to the parking area.
The Roads Taken: Honoring the Faith Journeys of Others & Self
Our Unitarian Universalist principles support the seeking of religious truth based on personal experiences, and on respecting others’ searches, wherever they may take them. But do we really live up to our principles? Or do we tend to characterize certain fundamentalist or orthodox searches as misguided and naïve? And can we truly embrace religious tolerance without sacrificing a commitment to justice in the world? We’ll look at these questions with the aim of finding a bridge between personal faith and social interdependence.
Service led by Jeanette Leardi, a Portland-based writer, editor, and community educator and a Unitarian Universalist for 25 years. Jeanette has led many well-received services at U.U. churches in Portland (including two at Wy'east at its former location) and Vancouver as well as in North and South Carolina. You can learn more about her on her website, www.jeanetteleardi.com.
In the Shadow of Each Other, We Live
Tired of being directed by others’ perceptions of the “homeless” in our community, Mark Danley, mediator and Certified Introvert, spent over a year meeting and befriending our houseless neighbors. Join with Mark to share perspectives — not to judge or to solve the houseless crisis— but to build community through dialogue and understanding. (Disclaimer: Mark Danley’s primary qualifications are his curiosity and his disdain for fake news.)
Special Collection Sunday: Potluck in the Park
Wy'east Pride Sunday Potluck Discussion
Father’s Day Sunday is the traditional day for Portland’s Pride Parade. 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising that helped to launch the modern Gay Rights movement. Join us for for a potluck brunch and facilitated table conversations where we reflect together on the past 50 years of LGBTQIA+ activism. Where we are now, personally, as a congregation, and as a UU faith, with actively affirming our belief in the inherent worth and dignity of all people?
For those wishing to participate in the Portland Pride March, note that space is limited this year to pre-registered marchers. We are encouraged to look on and cheer the marchers. Another wonderful option is the Portland Trans Pride March on Saturday 6/15.
Service facilitated by Wy'east Members.
Further Up and Further In!
“…They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” You may remember these lines from Chariots of Fire, that great movie about runners in the 1924 Olympic games. They describe the kind of religious experience that renews our sense of physical (as well as spiritual) vigor. Do they describe your own religious experience as well? I hope so! Service led by Rev. Craig Moro.
(Note this will be Rev. Moro's last service before his summer break. He will return the first Sunday in September.)
What Religion is Good for Children?
That’s a question worth asking. Was your childhood religion good for you? What can we see about religion from a child’s point of view more clearly than we might see otherwise? Service led by Rev. Craig Moro.
What it means to be human ...
In the vein of "This I Believe," Wy'east member Hadrian Micciche will share his thoughts on what it means to be human ...
Flower Communion
Come join our annual service celebrating this historic Unitarian ritual of spring. Bring a flower from your garden, a nearby field, or the local market, and see what a beautiful bouquet we can make. Service led by Wy’east members.
Little Old Things
If you knew an exercise that would let you live forever if you practiced every day, would you do it faithfully and never miss? Today I'll share some insights from a 110 year-old woman about how she managed to live so long. Sermon by Rev. Craig Moro.