Past Services and Recordings
June 26, 2022
- The Spirit of This Place
- Rev. Patty Hanneman
- Music: Ed Norman, John Moore, Kate Lewis
Our culture has largely succumbed to the individualistic set of responses to the gift of life, easily forgetting questions of the common good. Progressive religion, at its best, seeks to bind us to the whole, to one another through our covenants with one another, and to multi-generational thriving. What does it mean to gather together, to be a “congregation” and to approach religious community as a way of learning to balance giving and receiving?
June 19, 2022
- In the Shelter of One Another
- Rev. Patty Hanneman
- Music: Kate Lewis - piano, Joan Tilghman - cantor
Given the realities of oppression, injustice, and the failures of human beings, what can protect life from harm and repair or restore lives and communities? Progressive religion, at its best, seeks to provide shelter for diverse people in need of healing, transformation, or sustenance during difficult times. How do we contribute to the struggle for “deliverance from evil?” Our worship associate, Michael Field, will provide a Father’s Day reflection.
About the 2022 Summer Worship Series
This summer will include a series of sermons, loosely based on the book, A House for Hope: the Promise of Progressive Religion for the Twenty-first Century, by John A. Buehrens and Rebecca Ann Parker.
The book uses the metaphor of a house to describe the various pieces of congregational life that give our hopes and dreams shape and meaning. Each Sunday will focus on a different dimension of the house, each of which corresponds to one of the classic issues of progressive theology and congregational life.
June 12, 2022
- Tending the Garden
- Rev. Patty Hanneman
- Music: Judith Lyon-Mitchell, Kate Lewis
We begin with the earth that supports our house of hope – the home that gives us birth and is our final resting place. Progressive theology affirms that our “salvation” belongs in this world, not the next. How does this affect the way we regard the earth itself and the hope for a life that is just, abundant, and sustainable for all?
Summer Worship Services
This summer will include a series of sermons, loosely based on the book, A House for Hope: the Promise of Progressive Religion for the Twenty-first Century, by John A. Buehrens and Rebecca Ann Parker.
The book uses the metaphor of a house to describe the various pieces of congregational life that give our hopes and dreams shape and meaning. Each Sunday will focus on a different dimension of the house, each of which corresponds to one of the classic issues of progressive theology and congregational life.
June 5, 2022
- The Tipping Point
- Rev. Lisa Garcia-Sampson
May 29, 2022
- Carry Something Beautiful
- Rev. Patty Hanneman
The philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote, “In difficult times, carry something beautiful in your heart. These are indeed difficult times for many, and times of change for this congregation. They require courage, commitment, hope, and self-love. All of these are sustained by beauty. How do we define beauty, and what will we carry with us into our future?
May 22, 2022
- To Bless the Space Between Us
Noticing a blessing helps us awaken to life's abundant gifts and possibilities, so in a way naming blessings is a way of practicing gratitude. My colleague Rob Eller Issac says that for Unitarian Universalists, blessing is an expression of our partnership with the holy. This Sunday, in Rev. Cayer's last sermon for ERUUF, we'll explore some of the ways we've been in partnership with each other, life, and the holy, and we'll name and give thanks for the abundant gifts discovered along the way. Rev. Deborah Cayer leads this morning's service with Rev. Patty Hanneman and a guest appearance by Rev. Jacqueline Brett. Kate Lewis and Rev. Stacy Grove will provide the music. Pam DiLavore is our cantor.
May 15, 2022
- 2500 Hours of Love for Racial Equity and Inclusion
In 2021 ERUUF's Board of Trustees created the project, "2500 Hours of Love for Racial Equity and Inclusion" to honor Rev. Deborah Cayer's 25 years in UU ministry. The goal was to get members to pledge at least 2500 hours of learning, skill-building, and volunteer service with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-led organizations. Join us this morning for a joyous celebration of all that we've learned, and the ways we've served. Ann Verdine-Jones and Beth Harvat, project co-chairs, co-lead the service with Rev. Cayer. Member reflections by Lisa Jones, Clint McSherry, and Mary Mehrer. Ed Norman and Friends bring American roots music, and an ERS ensemble reprises "2500 Hours of Love." A reception with tasty treats follows the service.
May 8, 2022
- Reproductive Justice
- Rev. Deborah Cayer
- Music: Sally Franz - flute; Kate Lewis - piano; Joan Tilghman - cantor
Fifty years ago the US Supreme Court ruled that women had the right to choose what happened within their bodies and now a majority of voters agree with that decision. And yet this past week we've learned that a handful of US Supreme Court judges plan to reverse that ruling, thereby formally taking away civil rights from at least half of the nation's citizens. What grounding does Unitarian Universalism offer us as we wrestle with these complicated, sometimes difficult personal and political issues?
May 1, 2022
- Drawing Our Circle Wide
- Rev. Jacqueline Brett
- Music: Richard Clark-cello, Paul Baerman-oboe, Kate Lewis-piano; Eno River Singers, and Pam DiLavore, cantor
This Sunday we celebrate and affirm the 57 new members who joined ERUUF since March 2020. A full 54 joined virtually, with most having never been to ERUUF prior to the pandemic. Join us as we draw our circle of belonging wider with a joyous welcome. And, we'll also conduct a bridging ceremony to affirm beloved high school seniors Kathryn Adams and Alex Hartman who will graduate this year. Worship participants include Alice Alexander, Kathryn Adams, Jay Giles, Nicholas Yates, Nicole Yates, and Betsy Sprouse.
April 24, 2022
- Earth Day: Living into the Future We Can Choose
- Rev. Jacqueline Brett, Earth Justice Action Group Worship Associates: Betsy Bickel, Lila Rosa, and Cheryl Turney
- Music: Jewelsong and Kate Lewis, Piano
On this Earth Day Sunday we acknowledge the current crisis state of our planet, and the opportunities we have to choose a more hopeful future. Directly after the service all are invited by the Earth Justice Action Group to the Fellowship Hall for a plant-based lunch in celebration of ERUUF's recent UUA Green Sanctuary accreditation.
April 17, 2022
- Easter
- Rev. Jacqueline Brett with Reverends Deborah Cayer, Daniel Trollinger and Stacy Grove
- Music: Eno River Singers, Jocelyn Neal - cantor, Kate Lewis - piano
April 10, 2022
- This Old World
- Rev. Deborah Cayer
There's a hymn from the Southern Harmony hymn book that's in our UU hymnal too, even though we don't sing it very often. The "cheerful" first line goes, "This old world is full of sorrow, full of sickness, weak and sore..." What do you do when you encounter suffering? This Sunday before Easter, we'll contemplate the world's sorrow, and our own, and consider ways to respond. Music by ERUUF's River Folk; Pam DiLavore, cantor; Kate Lewis, piano.