Sunday Morning Worship
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:30 a.m. at UUFA.
Submit a Joy, Sorrow or Milestone here. (Please note: Items submitted after 8 a.m. Sunday may be shared the following week.)
For the link to join virtually on Sunday or access the archives, reach out to members@uuathensga.org or contact the administrator at admin@uuathensga.org.
The UUFA monthly theme for July is Relationship. The Fellowship offers many opportunities and invitations to explore and practice the theme. We will be exploring the theme throughout the month in worship and Religious Exploration.
August 2: “Lest We Forget” with Rev. Dr. Pippin Whitaker
What joy, what moment of pride, what good trouble, what good times did you share in this Fellowship over the past year? In this worship service, all groups, teams, and committees are invited to share a bright moment of the past year, Rev. Pippin will share about study leave, and all will reflect on the path we pave in goodness.
August 9: “From This We Live” with Rev. Dr. Pippin Whitaker
French philosopher and mystic Simone Weil said, “Friendship is not to be sought, not to be dreamed, not to be desired; it is to be exercised.” What is this form of relationship, and how shall we “exercise” it? Today is the annual backpack blessing and ice cream social. All are invited to bring a backpack/bag for blessing and to partake in the ice cream social afterwards.
August 16: “The Covenant of Water” with Rev. Dr. Pippin Whitaker
Our lives, like all life on this planet, depend upon water. What sort of promises does water keep that all life can be so held in endless relationship to water? Let us drink deep the wisdom of water and the celebration of our annual water communion. All are invited to bring a small amount of water to contribute; water will also be provided.
August 23: “Covenanting with Our Earthkin”, with the Earth Ministry Team
What is your relationship with the interdependent web of all existence? All are invited to join UUFA’s Green Sanctuary in reflecting on actions to mitigate our impact, integrating ethics through practices, finding solace in the natural world, and seeking justice by building resilience with our community.
August 30: “Harnessing the Sacred Amid Conflict” with Rev. Dr. Pippin Whitaker
This Fellowship’s mission invites us into tension and conflict by calling us to build inclusion, embody spirit, serve justice, and grow (liberating) love. However, many of us prefer to avoid any hint of conflict. What faith are we practicing when we avoid conflict, and how can we harness the sacred potential waiting there? In this worship service, we welcome the new Covenantal Conflict Panel.
Reflection Ideas and Questions
Are you seeking more ways to explore the theme of relationship?
Consider reflecting on these quotes:
Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant? – Henry David Thoreau
Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion. – bell hooks
Unconditional love is not so much about how we receive and endure each other, as it is about the deep vow to never, under any condition, stop bringing the flawed truth of who we are to each other. – Mark Nepo
What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for each other? – George Eliot
All real living is meeting. – Martin Buber
Some questions you may use as a prompt for conversation or for a journal entry follow:
- What relationships tug at your heart?
- How far are you willing to let empathy take you?
- What are the ten most important relationships in your life? If you were going to show this list to someone else, who could you share it with?
- What relationship in your life needs restoration or healing?
- What new relationship needs to form?
