We too often think of freedom as liberated from constraints or obligations. But the words freedom and friend share a common linguistic ancestor, an old word that meant free or beloved. Freedom originally meant being among friends—being in particular kinds of relationships. What relationships help us get free? Worship Leaders: Rev. Darcy Baxter and Zana … Continue reading How to Get Free
Our bodies are instruments of resilience, experience, and connection. They are also inherently sensitive and exposed. All it takes is a fall, a swerve of a car, or sudden chest pain to pierce illusions of independence and strength. As Board President, Lynn B’s grad school professor put it, “most of us are only temporarily able … Continue reading In the Skin We Share
Beauty is not incidental– beauty nourishes us so that we continue doing our parts to grow the beloved community, in the face of all that disheartens us. Come celebrate the glorious beauty we are surrounded by at this time of year (if your allergies allow!) Please wear your boots or sneakers and a coat, as … Continue reading Beauty is Not Incidental
Join Todd Whiteley for a discussion of the insights, resilience, and understanding that can be discovered using established writing tools to fictionalize your story of the search for truth and meaning. Worship Team: Matte Black and Melynda Rodriguez. Guest Speaker: Todd Whiteley. Tech Maestro: Adlai Frederickson.
“It is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism,” writes philosopher Fredric Jameson (or Slavoj Zizek!). While often disregarded as escapism, fantasy is essential to making it through all we need to make it through in our lives. How does the popularity of Heated Rivalry, a show about the … Continue reading Necessary Fantasy
When disaster strikes, how and where do we find sustenance? Worship Leaders: Rev. Darcy Baxter and Tricia Garcia. Tech Maestro: Zack Gianotti
There are some inexplicable times and places that seem to drive people to share what’s on their minds, today we will make one of those spaces. In this service, we will reflect for a few minutes, and then you will be invited to share your hardship, your triumph, your joy, and your sorrow. Worship Team: … Continue reading Sharing Our Stories in Obscure Places
In 1908, Jack Johnson became the first Black heavyweight boxing champion of the world. His victory did not just shatter a barrier in sports– it fundamentally challenged the assumption of Black subservience of the era. On his deathbed, it has been reported that he uttered these words “I risked everything for my pleasure.” What is … Continue reading Risking Everything for Pleasure
While so much of our dominant culture treats time as linear, uniform, and forward-moving, many of us experience time as far more complex and, well, weird. A certain place or smell will ‘bring us back’ to decades ago. We see patterns in people, families, and communities that repeat over the years or generations. What is … Continue reading The Weirdness of Time
We humans always need opportunities to begin again. What do you need to remember, what do you need to release, and what do you need to resolve to move forward? Sharon Arpoika will lead the congregation’s annual “burning off” ritual. Worship Leaders: Sharon Arpoika, Robbie Edge, and Melynda Rodriguez. Tech Maestro: John Lehman.
