The SUUF Podcast

What Are You Afraid Of

September 10, 2023

Rev. Vincent Lachina

Fear. It's a feeling or emotion that is often present in the life of every individual. What exactly is fear and how do you cope with it? These are questions that can cause us to pause and ponder. Though we most often view fear from a negative perspective, there are times when fear can actually work to keep us safe. When fear is not isolated to individuals, it can also be something that organizations or churches, like SUUF, must deal with. Thinking about SUUF, answer the question: What are you afraid of?

50 Children

July 16, 2023

Paul Shapiro

Paul Shapiro is the director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies. This Sunday he'll be speaking at SUUF to discuss the story behind the HBO film 50 Children, which is an astonishing rescue story from the Holocaust. For a richer experience, please view the film prior to the service. We will be showing the film at SUUF on the July 8 Movie Night (doors open at 7, movie starts at 7:30). You can also view it on HBO Max (subscription required) and it is available for purchase or rent on Amazon Prime Video. Here is a link to the trailer and additional information.

Creating Beloved Community

July 9, 2023

Cory Sevin

Now is the time to lean into deepening our understanding of racism and what we can do in our everyday lives and help create Beloved Community. The backlash we are seeing in the US to progress on racism is proof that we are moving towards a tipping point. As UU’s our hearts break at the suffering and oppression we see and hear about every day. What do we do with our desires to connect and heal that matter, what we can do, are not so clear? Come to a safe space, no shaming, no blaming, and talk about racism. In community we can do so much.

What/Where is Home?

June 18, 2023

Rev. Barbara Gilday

It’s different things for different people: Refugees, lonely people, climate escapees, the homeless on our streets. Let’s consider some challenges, and some solutions.

Coming Out to a Packed House

June 11, 2023

Joseph Bednarik

June is PRIDE month, with pink triangles and rainbow flags showing visible support for the LGBTQ+ community. This morning we share the multi-layered story of one young person's coming out within a packed UU sanctuary.

Nature’s Gift to Us & Our Gift to Nature

May 21, 2023

Rev. Bruce Bode

“Flower Communion Sunday” – This Sunday’s service – “In the springing of the year” (Robert Frost) – will center around a flower communion ritual. This is a ritual introduced 100 years ago – June 4, 1923 – by the Rev. Norbert Capek to the Unitarian congregation he served in Prague of the then-Czechoslovak Republic. Some years later, the simple service that Capek created found its way to Unitarian congregations in the United States, where many Unitarian Universalist currently observe some version of it.

Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This

May 14, 2023

Rev. Vincent Lachina

Whether our memories of our mothers are incredibly wonderful or a mixture of challenging and surviving, each of us has learned life lessons from them. Mothers are perhaps one of the most influential sources of change for their children. In retrospect, Mother's day seems a very appropriate time to think about the lessons each of us have learned from our own mother, a grandmother, or even someone else's mother. Here are 6 reflections of what I believe my own mother taught me that have determined who I am and how I live my life.

Suffering

May 7, 2023

Jonathan Prescott

We hear the word ’suffering’ but what does it really mean? Please join Jonathan Prescott as he explores six ways you may be suffering and six ways to restore your peace and joy.

The Sacred Book of Nature

April 30, 2023

Imam Jamal Rahman

Teachings from the sacred manuscript of Nature. Jamal will glean spiritual insights from Nature; Sufi masters explain that nature is the holiest of sacred  books.

Postcards from Your Spiritual Journey

April 9, 2023

Speaker: Joseph Bednarik

Recently a person nearing 90 said eight words that are teeming with reflection and adventure: "I want to write down my spiritual journey." This Easter Sunday we reflect on our unique spiritual journeys and imagine what it would be like to write postcards to loved ones, trying to describe what we're experiencing along The Way.