Sermon Archive

Your most precious resource is your attention. How you direct your attention determines the quality of your life and how you contribute to others. In these times, we have an opportunity to contribute to a global shift in the way we do things and the consciousness we bring to it. The helpfulness of contribution you make depends on the heart and mind with which you engage.

LaShelle Lowe-Charde (wiseheartpdx.org) invites us to talk about how learning to direct your attention helps you to bring a particular quality of heartmind. Specifically let’s touch on the teaching of the four immeasurables: Sympathetic Joy (mudita), Loving-kindness (metta), Compassion (karuna), and Equanimity (upekkha).

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In this time of "Great Unraveling", as author T. Thorn Coyle calls it, when our burdens feel too great to overcome, how can we come together as a faith community? How can we affirm our UU values and our shared humanity?  Kari Gottfried was raised in the UU Fellowship of Corvallis, Oregon, and is now a rising sophomore at Wellesley College outside of Boston. She is currently an undergraduate summer intern at the First UU Congregation of Ann Arbor.

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During this time of global pandemic, our lives have changed dramatically. We are experiencing collective trauma and grief over the loss of loved ones and suffering around the world. What are you holding on to for inspiration and hope? Are there things you need to let go of to welcome positive change?

Rev. Amy Freedman is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist who has served congregations in Newport, RI, Martha’s Vineyard, and Boston, MA. Amy currently serves as the Minister of Religious Education of First Parish in Concord, MA. Amy is Mark Alter’s cousin and looks forward to joining us.

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Join our annual Interdependence Day celebration! This interactive service, including games, music, time for all ages, and a volunteer recognition is led by the Membership Committee.

Join our Virtual Service Sunday at 10:30

Click Here to link to the Zoom Service

Meeting ID: 275 194 110

Phone In: (669) 900-6833

Join us this Sunday to connect deeply but briefly with one another before we join the Sunday Worship of the annual Unitarian Universalist General Assembly to connect virtually with UU’s from across the country.  Service led by Wy'east Members & Friends and the UUA General Assembly.

Join our Virtual Service Sunday at 10:30

Click Here to link to the Zoom Service

Meeting ID: 275 194 110

Phone In: (669) 900-6833 (audio only)

What’s been called “ancestor worship” is really a way of thinking that asks us to consider our individual lives in the context of past, present, and future generations.  How does it change the way we live when we try to give a bit of our best to each of these, every day?  This is the last sermon in our four-part series on Confucian thought and spirituality.

By Rev. Moro

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Black Lives Matter.  We hear these words and are listening, but how are we called to take action?  We will hear this Sunday from Cameron Whitten, co-founder of the Black Resilience Fund, an emergency fund dedicated to healing and resilience by providing immediate resources to Black Portlanders.  

The message of the Black Resilience Fund is:  “We need healing.  We need justice.  And that requires action.”  How are you taking action?

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Join us for a morning of kung fu practice. Wait—please don’t worry about finding the right loose black pants to wear! In the Confucian tradition, kung fu means “moral efforts,” although I do promise you martial arts fans that Bruce Lee will also pay us a visit today! We’ll consider who’s civilized and who’s a barbarian, and also hear about the only time that Confucius is known to have hit another person.

By Rev. Moro

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In this participatory service, we will explore some of the ways we can connect deeply with one another in this virtual worship space.

In this time of physical distancing, we are seeking new ways to build and maintain deep connection with one another.  This service is based on the small group ministry concept of Chalice Circles.  We will begin with an introduction to a topic, this circle will be about grief, followed by a time of meditation.  We will then break into smaller circles of 8-10 people each with a volunteer leader who will facilitate sharing on the topic.  We will come back together again for a combined joys and sorrows to conclude the service.

Because this is a participatory service, we will not be posting a recording in order to preserve the confidentiality of those who shared deeply.

Join our Virtual Service Sunday at 10:30
Click Here to link to the Zoom Service
Meeting ID: 275 194 110
Phone In: (669) 900-6833

Two misguided US Supreme Court legal principles threaten our democracy. How do we fight back? Guest speaker, David Delk, is founder of Move to Amend PDX, which seeks to amend the US Constitution to end the twin legal concepts of money is speech and corporations are people. This is part of our annual Social Justice Speaker Series on the theme of Voting: A Year of Democracy.

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