A MONTH OF SERVICES

Summer Schedule: In-Person & Online Sundays @ 10 am

June 4

The Amen Break

Rev. Kelly Asprooth-Jackson

Rituals form when we take an action which could be purely practical or mechanical—lighting a candle, ringing a bell, eating a piece of bread—and place it in a context that gives it new or special meaning. The process of audio sampling, which has been so crucial to the popular music in the last 40 years, does much the same thing, just with sound. Join us for a playful and adventurous worship service about forging new meaning through novel combinations, and changing history without ever intending to. Linda Warren will play solo harp music by harpist and composer Laura Zaerr, a friend of Linda’s since they took harp lessons together when they were children.

June 11

Blessing Of The Animals

Rev. Kelly Crocker & Rev. Kelly Asprooth-Jackson

Animals bless our lives with their playfulness and affection and through their trusting presence. They are our teachers and our companions, whether in our homes or in the natural world. We gather to celebrate the many blessings that these creatures bring to us. Dogs, cats, hamsters, snakes, lizards, and all well-behaved pets are invited to join us, with their humans, for our service of blessing and remembrance. This service will be shorter than usual, and we invite you to think about bringing your animal loved one with you for a blessing. If your loved one has passed on, please send their photo to Rev. Kelly C to share time of memory. Stuffed animals are welcome to join us for a blessing, as well. Anybody Choir will sing an American Folk Hymn, “Sun Don’t Set in the Morning,” and Linda Warren will play arrangements of familiar hymns for piano.

June 18 Rituals Of Liberation

Rev. Kelly Asprooth-Jackson

The great teacher and writer bell hooks said, “The moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others.” But love is not so simple as just a feeling, an idea, or an abstraction. Love is thing to be put into practice; actions we choose to take, again and again and again. On Juneteenth weekend, come share in a service about the loving work of collective freedom as a spiritual practice. In recognition of Juneteenth, Linda Warren will play piano solos by Black composers.

JUNE 25 EVER WILLING: BECOMING THE PEOPLE OUR WORLD NEEDS

General Assembly Worship Service

The pandemic has wrought change and created uncertainty for institutions, like our Unitarian Universalist congregations, and our wider world. Who and what are we becoming, individually and collectively? We explore these themes as we gather in community to celebrate the best of who we are. Service will be held in Atrium Auditorium as usual, where we will project the virtual service live from General Assembly, the annual UU national get-together. Speakers will include Stella Anderson, Janice Marie Johnson, Rev. Danielle DiBona, Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd, and sermon by Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti, Senior Minister of the UU Congregation of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Expect a longer service than usual, with a timing of approximately 90 minutes.