The SUUF Podcast

Paths to Understanding

March 24, 2024

Terry Kyllo

The Rev. Terry Kyllo is the executive director of Paths to Understanding: Bridging Bias and Building Unity. Terry works to counter Islamophobia, Antisemitism, white Christian supremacy, and other forms of dehumanization. He believes we can recognize and honor one another’s humanity. He is a Washington native and the author of three books. Terry’s leadership has been recognized by Faith Action Network, The Muslim Association of Puget Sound and Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

The Time of Awareness

March 17, 2024

Jay Bowen

Jay is a poet, steel sculptor, glass blower, fine-gold jeweler, and fine-art oil painter. Jay was born and raised in the Skagit Valley in a traditional Upper Skagit family. He attended Western Washington University, the Institute of American Indian Arts, and Rhode Island School of design. For those of you who have strolled along the Riverwalk, you have seen the steel sculpture he created of a totem pole that graces the river. Jay refers to himself as an artist in the expressionist tradition.

Lessons Learned

March 10, 2024

Rev. Vincent Lachina

With 18 years of frequent visits to Skagit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship behind me, there are many lessons both large and small that I have learned over the years. March 10th will be my final speaking engagement at SUUF and will serve as a perfect time to share what the fellowship and people have taught a non-Unitarian. This will be a time of both good-bye and thank you. My hope is that in the 18 years perhaps the wonderful people at SUUF might even have learned something from me as well. We will see at the service.

A TimeOut: The Good the Bad and the Renewal

March 3, 2024

Rev. Barbara Gilday

Have you ever felt a little stuck in a rut? By age, stage, job, family, or in other ways, we sometimes get into the same old, same old that robs us and everyone connected with us from being the loving, creative, delightful, talented people that we really are. A month on Bowen Island, NW of Vancouver BC, dog sitting, fostered a restart for me. I’ll share some of my adventures, surprises and reflections. Come prepared to create your own renewal!

CCS Farmworker Center

February 25, 2024

Jose Ortiz

The CCS Farmworker Center provides a welcoming place for Skagit Valley Indigenous/Latinx families to connect with educational and community resources and receive support to become effective advocates for their community’s needs. The Farmworker Center also provides a venue for cultural expression, enabling the entire community to benefit through the creation and exhibition of artistic works and celebrations. Farmworker Center staff speak English, Spanish and Mixteco. This is a 4th Sunday Social Justice service.

My Family Story

February 18, 2024

Kay Knott

History, historical trauma, and healing of the Skagit People.

Expanding Our Imaginations

February 4, 2024

Aisha Hauser

Aisha K. Hauser, MSW, has been a religious educator since 2003. She has served three congregations and was the director of Children and Family Programs at the Unitarian Universalist Association. Currently the Director of Lifelong Learning at East Shore Unitarian Church in Bellevue, Washington, Aisha received the 2018 Angus H. MacLean Award for Excellence in Religious Education. She is a co-creator with Christina Rivera and Kenny Wiley of Teach-In materials to support UU congregations in understanding and fighting against white supremacy. Aisha is a contributor to the groundbreaking 2017 book, Centering: Navigating Race, Authenticity and Power in Ministry and co-wrote, with Gail Forsyth-Vail, the accompanying study guide.

Calling All Holy Troublemakers

January 28, 2024

Heather Vickery

As many of you know, our trans and gender expansive beloveds are under attack and being criminalized in many U.S. states right now. This is so serious that they fit the criteria to be designated as internally displaced people (IDPs) by the United Nations. This isn’t the first time fascism has reared its ugly head, and we at UUs know how to respond. UUSC has been dedicated to aiding people being targeted by fascism since our founding in 1940. Our faith calls us to make holy trouble for the powers that would deny anyone’s full humanity and divinity. Join us, holy troublemakers, now is the time!

‘Digging’ the Garden of Beloved Community

January 21, 2024

Revs. Hoover & Edington

Beloved Community! Can we dig in and create it? The two of us have been imagining Beloved Community using garden imagery, and invite you to do the same. Some of the questions that have been plowing through our brains include: What plants are essential in a garden of Beloved Community? What kind of plant am I in such a garden? Should there be space for a Rock Garden? Who tends the garden? Is it possible to treat weeds and invasives lovingly? Let your imagination dig into this topic and imagery. Everyone has something to contribute to Beloved Community. We’ll include time for community sharing. Let’s “dig it” together!

The 4 Big Questions of Life

January 14, 2024

Rev. Barbara Gilday

January is a time we often do a restart in our lives and it’s MLK day tomorrow, and there are wars going on around the world and conflicts in our communities. But we have the opportunity to be the light catchers, the doers and reflectors of good deeds to create beauty, compassion, justice, kindness and courage in our own little parts of the world. We’ll look at 4 questions to help us do that – with a little nudge from Robert Fulghum – UU minister, philosopher, humorist and author.