Rev. Julie Lombard, Minister

June arrives reminding us that all too soon summer will again be upon us. Graduations are under way, and many things are coming to an end. Some go away for the summer, while snowbirds are finally back. It is good to be together. We have a few more blessed weeks before lay-led summer services begin. We will be worshipping every Sunday! Throughout June we will consider the many things for which we are grateful, and we will use this precious and sacred time to call attention to the ways we have shone brightly. Please join us for worship as we formally welcome our newest of members: Toby & Ben Gary, Susan Haas, Theodore Roselund, Linda Brindle, Joan Breen, & more TBD.

The Singing Group is back to offer songs of energy and peace.

Rev. Jeanne Nieuwejaar

This service will be an unabashed commemoration of our military personnel, past and present, acknowledging the unique spiritual toll that military training and experience can take.

Jeanne Nieuwejaar has been active in liberal religion throughout her life – as a lay worker, religious educator and minister. She served as interim minister at Northshore Church in 2007-2008.

Judy Putnam will provide poignant piano music to accompany our speaker’s exploration of the toll military service takes on the souls of those serving our country.

Stacey Sherman and the Religious Exploration Gang

Today’s service will be a celebration of this year’s Religious Education Program. Our youth were very busy this year as they learned what it means to be Chalice Children and good neighbors visiting our neighboring faiths. We will share with you some of the amazing experiences we had along the way. We will take some time to thank and honor our teachers and bridge our oldest youth, Annie Lombard.

Youth, possibly aided by Singing Group, will plan music for this celebration of youthful learning and wisdom.

Rev. Julie Lombard, Minister

Allan B. Chinen said, “Elder tales present a map of the tasks individuals must negotiate in the second half of life— warning of the difficulties and dangers, and previewing the promise and potential…Elder tales address the concerns of mature adults struggling with the psychological tasks of later life.” These fairy tales can show what lies ahead. While heroism dominated the fairy tales of our youth, transcendence illuminates the fairy tales of our elder lives. Chinen thinks transcendence is not a single, monolithic theme in these tales. It takes many forms, fitted to culture, faith, and personality of the individual. It’s a path, and one to which elder tales call us, in language most suited to our understanding – a transcendent journey toward Self, Society, and the Holy. Join us for worship to hear tales your mother may have told you.

Bonnie Anderson will return on this Mother’s Day to share her skill and sensitivity at the piano.

Rev. Julie Lombard, Minister

Many people dream of escaping modern life, but few will ever act on it. Christopher Knight is a determined person in search of a good life. The shy and intelligent young man left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the woods. He would not have a conversation with another human until nearly three decades later, when he was arrested for stealing food. Come, hear a remarkable story of transcendence as I tell you the extraordinary tale of the last true hermit; and we discover what we might learn from his living in the woods and his return to our world.

Singing Group will provide thoughtful, rousing music on themes of solitude and importance of human connection.

The Annual Meeting will be held after the service.

The Green Sanctuary Team and Religious Exploration

Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Above, Below: all these combine to form the beautiful planet we live on. How can we best love and appreciate our Home? How can we best preserve it as a nurturing Home for us?

Rev. Julie Lombard

This Easter multigenerational service will continue the lessons learned from Dr. Brené Brown’s 2017 book titled “Braving the Wilderness,” which explores the quest for true belonging. Today, we’ll explore Inextricable Connection. Our lives are full of examples of these sacred experiences. Easter is a day when we celebrate both the pain and joy that coexist in life, and how both transform us. We will look at what Émile Durkheim calls collective effervescence, the magic that can be found in religious ceremonies with communal emotion. Come and be transformed by being a part of something larger than ourselves.

The Singing Group will provide beautiful and thoughtful music for Easter morning.