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Sunday, December 15, 10 a.m., “Being a Religious Humanist in December,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Have you seen the big, often brightly-lit signs that pop up around this time of year that say, often in huge or cursive letters: B E L I E V E ! Over the years, I’ve had a variety of reactions to these signs. At this point I’ve been doing this ministry, life, and Unitarian Universalist thing long enough to have some thoughts and also to have learned some ways of just settling down and enjoying the season. Join me!

Sunday, December 8, 10 a.m., “The Season of Invitation,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: In these tumultuous times, we might more mindfully consider each outreach and invitation we extend. Who are you inviting into your home, into your life, this season? What ideas, spiritual teachings, and wisdom are you inviting into your soul-life? In this time of winter, of turning inward into furnace-warmed and fire-lit gatherings, we will investigate the idea of invitation. Who are we each inviting into our lives, and who are we inviting ourselves to be in the world? Our Fall New Member Ceremony will occur during the service today.

Sunday, December 1, 10 a.m., “The Land of Awes,” UUSD member, Don Peterson: As we enter the season of awe, we will explore what it means to be “in awe.” When does it happen? What does the emotion feel like? What impact can it make in our lives? To be in awe is to be in a state of wonder. We are surrounded by opportunities to experience this profound emotion.

Thursday, November 28, 2024: On Thanksgiving Day, UUSD members and friends met for a Friendsgiving intergenerational celebration. The turkey provided by UUSD Cares and potluck dishes were delicious. Thanks to UUSD Cares for all of their work in making this event a success.

Sunday, November 24, 10 a.m., “Begin Again in Thanks,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We will ground ourselves once more in gratitude on this day—gratitude for our lives, for this earth, for our interconnectedness, for all that nourishes us. Please bring a harvest item—a fruit or vegetable (such as a potato, apple, or squash) for our communal altar of abundance and thanks. You will have the opportunity to place whatever you bring on the altar before the service begins.

Celebrate 25 Years with UUSD’s Anniversary Cookbook! The UUSD 25th Anniversary Cookbook: “UUSD Recipes and Memories” is now available for purchase after Sunday services for $25. This special collection features a variety of mouthwatering recipes, nostalgic photos from UUSD events centered around food, and fascinating tidbits about UUSD and Unitarian Universalism. A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who contributed recipes and to the dedicated authors, Renée and Lori Rocheleau, for bringing this cherished keepsake to life. Don’t miss your chance to own a piece of UUSD history—get your copy today!

Sunday, November 17, 10 a.m., “The Burdens We Carry,” UUSD member, Marj Shannon: There are burdens we carry—sometimes willingly, sometimes gracefully, sometimes… well, not so much. We also bear our burdens in different ways, sometimes imbuing them with meaning, sometimes struggling simply to remain upright. We’ll take a look at a few people who, even as they carried their burdens, found inspiration and beauty amidst the toil. Perhaps we’ll learn something…

Sunday, November 10, 10 a.m., “Too Soon to Tell,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: No matter the outcomes of this month’s elections, our human lives are just a blip along the arc of history. How do we reconcile that fact with how deeply election results can matter to us and can truly impact our and our loved ones’ lives?

Wednesday, November 6, 2024, “A Calming Place”: A heartfelt thank you to Rev. Heather Rion Starr and Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries, for co-creating a reflective space for calm, connection, and quiet contemplation. The gathering included the lighting of candles, uplifting music, the reading of poetry, and the sharing of thoughts and concerns, offering a peaceful opportunity for collective reflection.

Sunday, October 27, 2024, 10 a.m., “Remember Me: All Souls Day,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We keep our beloved ones alive by remembering them through shared stories, memories, photographs, and values. Sometimes, we carry forward a cause, mission, or concern that especially mattered to our forebears. During this, UUSD’s 25th Anniversary Year, as well as a significant national election year, we will especially remember past UUSD members no longer living. We also remember the activists and organizers in our country’s history who contributed to our contemporary experience of being able to live “out, loud, and proud.” Bring some small items, mementos, and/or photographs to add to our co-created altars.

Friday, October 25, 2024, Spooky Supper: UUSD members, friends, and families came together for a festive Spooky Supper. The potluck offerings and Halloween treats were a delightful highlight of this spooktacular event!

Sunday, October 20, 2024, 10 a.m., “The Transformative Power of Music,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Through music, we practice being a collective, unified body. We learn how to be and to proclaim ourselves with one voice, one community, one united melody. Join us for this special service today! Emma’s Revolution, the award-winning activist duo of Pat Humphries and Sandy O, provided music for the service.

After the service a Singing Workshop was held by Pat and Sandy O. They provided helpful tips for anyone who likes to sing, no matter what their abilities. The workshop was sponsored by the 25th Anniversary Committee.

Sunday, October 13, 2024, 10 a.m., “The Good – Bad Old Days,” Rev. John Wright (revjohn3449@gmail.com): As the saying goes, “Nostalgia just ain’t what it used to be.” In this sermon Rev. Wright examines the rose-colored glasses through which we so often view the past. We will try to put that into perspective, and think about why it might be important to our ever-changing faith tradition.

Rev. John Wright recently retired after having served our UU Fellowship in Salisbury, MD since 2009. A 2007 graduate of Starr King School for the Ministry, John was born and raised in Baltimore, lived in seven different states, moved more times than he can count, and now lives in Delmar, Md.

Following the service, tickets were sold for Emma’s Revolution, SCraft Fair sign-ups were held, and there was an all-congregational presentation of the February 2024 Committee on Congregational Life (CCL) Survey Results.

Sunday, October 6, 2024, 10 a.m., “Blessing of the Animals,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Join us for the first-in-a-while UUSD Blessing of the Animals service. The service will start out in the sanctuary and end a little earlier than usual. Those of you who live close by and who would like to, can return home and bring your pet to UUSD’s beautiful backyard for a blessing. Already submitted photos of beloved pets, past and present, will be shown at the very beginning and end of the service.

In person Blessing of the Animals after the service:

Sunday, September 29, 10 a.m., “Reimagine Together” – Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Have you heard about the UU Climate Justice Revival going on at many UU congregations and organizations this weekend? The title for this visionary program is: Reimagine Together: From an Extractive Age to a New Era! The service included a ritual for action in which the hands of members were blessed with water for climate justice work.

September 23 & 24, UUSD Roofing Project: Coastal Roofing workers replaced the water damaged decking above the foyer and three additional spots of water damaged decking – one over the admin office and two on the rear (pond) side of the foyer. New shingles were installed on the foyer and admin area from the kitchen back to match those of the gathering area section which had previously been replaced due to leaks. Thanks to the Property Management Committee for monitoring, maintaining, and caring for our building!

Sunday, September 22, 10 a.m., “Is There Something Somewhere?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: How do you make sense of that which you do not fully understand? Do you believe in a Something beyond all knowing? Today we will lift up different ways of naming—and knowing, experiencing, sensing, or simply wondering about—the divine in our lives.

September 21, Our dedicated volunteer landscape team and power washers rolled up their sleeves for the Property Management Volunteer Work Day. A heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers for their hard work in keeping UUSD’s grounds and building looking beautiful! Your efforts truly make a difference.

September 20, A big thank you to UUSD Cares for hosting a fantastic “Fall into the New Year” potluck! Over 60 attendees enjoyed delicious food and wonderful company. Don’t forget to save the date for our next event: the Spooky Supper Potluck on Friday, October 25, at 5:30 p.m. We can’t wait to see you there!

Sunday, September 15, 10 a.m., “Once upon a time, there was a drop of water… named Higgins,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr, Prof. Heather Hamilton, and Julie Keefer with the UUSD Choir: Join us for this joyful forward-looking service when we regroup and regather after summer activities. We will celebrate our annual Unitarian Universalist Water Ceremony and embark together on our congregational year ahead. You are invited to bring a small container of water to pour into our common bowls for the Water Ceremony. This can be water you may have collected over the summer or water to symbolize places where your spirit has been nourished over the summer months.

September 13, UUSD partnered with VegFest to host a screening of the film “Eating for Tomorrow.” Attendees generously contributed non-perishable food items for The Teach a Person to Fish Society. During the event, VegFest Board members—including President Tara Shelton, Vice President Rich Ferrandino, Treasurer Mary Peck, Secretary Lin Dixon, and Directors Joann Szczepkowski and Dorothy Greet—read selected passages from UUSD’s Resolution of Conscience, emphasizing our commitment to sustainable and compassionate food practices.

September 12, Emergency Preparedness Seminar: We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Ruth Lamothe and Mike Burns, Co-Chairs of the Safer Congregation Committee, for organizing this invaluable Emergency Preparedness Seminar The event featured insightful presentations from Robert Murray, Director of the Sussex County Department of Public Safety; Timothy Cooper, Deputy Director of Emergency Management; Steve Deery, Operations Manager of Emergency Communications; and Chris Hilliard, Health/Safety Coordinator for Emergency Medical Services. Attendees also benefited from live demonstrations of life-saving procedures, enhancing our community’s preparedness and safety. Thank you for your dedication to keeping our congregation safe!

Sunday, September 8, 10 a.m., “Pagpapalaya: Learning from Asian Liberation Theology,” Erol Delos Santos: The mainstream definition of liberation theology is a Christian one that focuses on how society thinks about economic, social, and political oppression, set against the backdrop of the Americas. Asian liberation theologies explore these same ideas of freedom from different contexts, revealing an expansive, multi-cultural approach to securing liberation for all people. Join Erol Delos Santos this Sunday as we explore the many facets of Asian Liberation Theologies.

Erol Delos Santos is a Masters of Divinity seminary student at Union Theological Seminary and an Aspirant with the UUA. He is a member in good standing at The Fourth Universalist Society in the City of New York and serves as membership coordinator at The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Westchester.

: Roy Parks & Julie Keefer open the service with the Gathering Music, “Asian Dream Song.”

: Erol Delos Santos gives the Prayer/Meditation.

: Walter E. Smith, District Administrator for Homeless Education, spoke on behalf of the September Share the Plate recipient, the Indian River School District Homeless Program.

: Jean Charles presents the Opening Words.

: Lori and Loren light the chalice.

: Erol Delos Santos gives the Reflection.

: The Vocal Team sings “Namaste” as the Offertory.

: The children & youth gather at the front of the sanctuary for the backpack blessing.

: Prof. Heather and Rev Heather lead the Blessing of the Backpacks.

: The members of the congregation throw their love, generosity, courage, security, and safety to the children and their bags and backpacks.

: Each child is given a choice of a keychain.

: The UUSD keychains say, “Open minds, loving hearts, and helping hands” and our website. One side is our logo.

: The other side is our stained glass window. Others had rainbows that said, You are amazing.”

Sunday, September 1, 10 a.m., “Express Yourself T-shirt and Cap Sunday,” UUSD Lay Leaders Rick Welk and Don Peterson: Join us for UUSD’s third annual T-shirt Sunday. UUs love to express their feelings, their passions, their commitments, and especially their opinions. What better way to do that than with a bumper sticker for the body! So, dig through those closets and drawers. Find a T-shirt or cap that says something meaningful about you, and wear it to this Sunday Service. Join Rick, Don, and some of your fellow UUSDers as they tell the stories behind their own T-shirts. What does yours tell us about you?

: Good Morning and Welcome to T-Shirt Sunday!

: Don Peterson, Lay Leader, gives the Opening Words.

: Rand Lytton lights the Chalice.

: Rick Welk, Lay Leader, tells his T-Shirt story and a boyhood adventure at Turkey Point on the Elk River.

: Don Peterson lights the candles for Joys and Sorrows.

: Don Peterson gives a Reflection about “I love Maine (and Me).”

: Vocal Team: Paul Barnette, and Lorin Rocheleau sing “This is Me” with Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries, and Ron Parks on guitar.

: The congregation applauds the Vocal Team.

: Lorin Rocheleau speaks about BSL, Breed Specific Legislation, and her dog.

: Lorin shows a photo of her dog, Reese.

: David DeWitt speaks about racism when he was a child and teenager, and Johnny Clegg, a South African activist who was an inspiration to him.

: Karin Westermann speaks about her rural upbring, its simplicty and peace, and how visiting Monhegan Island reminded her of that.

: Tom Delany speaks about Gift of Life Donor Dash program and the need for organs and tissue donors.

: The congregation and vocal team sings “This Little Light of Mine.”

: Our speakers.

Members of the congregation let their shirts do the talking.

Sunday, August 25, 10 a.m., “Dis-grace-full,” Rev. Dr. Ron Parks, UUSD Member and Minister ordained by the United Methodist Church: Seldom has there been a time when the differences that separate us are more apparent and profound. Is there a singular thought, word, or deed that can lift the light of hope in the midst of our tribal chaos? Yes! And it truly is amazing. Come, and let’s consider how it, and you, can change everything for the better.

: Susan Geokler extinguishes the Chalice.

: Susan Geokler, Worship Associate, gives the Reading.

: Rev. Dr. Ron Parks gives the Reflection.

: Grace stands for Gifts Received And Creatively Employed.

: Ron Parks accompanies the Vocal Team sinding “Amazing Grace.”

: Lori and Loren Rocheleau light the Chalice.

: Ron Parks also accompanied the Vocal team on the guitar.

: The Vocal Team includes Brenda Bouton, Gail Hecky, Margaret Keefe. and Dianne Conine, accompanied by Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries, on the piano.

After the Service, sixteen people wrote and addressed 180 post cards asking people to go and vote. Another 18 have requested packets of up to 30 cards to write on their own. Way to go, UUSD!

Sunday, August 18, 10 a.m., “Destination Unknown,” UUSD Lay Leader Rick Welk: We cannot just type, “Heaven,” into Google Maps or Waze. It is said that the only way to get there is to lead a good life, do good deeds, and spread love. But is that the only way to get there? And who decides who gets in? Also, is Heaven our only option for an afterlife? Join member Rick Welk and take a deeper look at what’s on the other side of life. It turns out that there are many options. Maybe it is time that we recalculate our direction.

: Prof. Heather A. Hamilton, CFE Director, plays the piano for the service.

: Isaac Carney lights the chalice.

: Jean Charles, Worship Associate, presents the Welcome and Announcements.

: The Vocal Team sings “Tears in Heaven.”

: Rick Welk gives the Reflection.

Saturday, August 17, Property Management Volunteer Event:

Thursday, August 15, Getting ready for Volunteer Saturday:

Sunday, August 11, 10 a.m., “A Blessing for Exhausted Pigeons,” Guest Speaker Leika Lewis: For millennia, mystics from many traditions have navigated seasons of uncertainty with the help of contemplative practice. This service will explore the “practical” ways we collectively and individually create spaces of calm to navigate times of turbulence.

Leika Lewis (they/she) is a UU poet, chaplain, and Humanist theologian. Leika received their MDiv from Chicago Theological Seminary in April 2024. A native of the Washington D.C. area, Leika has spent the past 20 years working with churches, non-profits, and large organizations to transform conflict and build inclusive culture. Leika now lives in Milford, DE with their family.

: The Vocal Team sings “Voice Still and Small” as Centering Music. Still and Small” su

: Mike Bonti lights the chalice.

: Michele Warch, speaks about the Share the Plate recipient for August, the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice.

: Jean Charles, Worship Associate, lights the candles for Joys and Sorrows.

: Closeup: Jean Charles, Worship Associate, lights the candles for Joys and Sorrows.

: Jean Charles give the Reading.

: Leika Lewis, presents the Reflection.

: Leika asks the children if they would like to help in passing out little ducks to the congregation.

: Congregation members share thoughts about “What makes. you shine?.

: Passing out the ducks to the congregation

: Passing out the ducks to the congregation

: The congregation joins in the Song of Reflection.

: Leika gives the Benediction.

Sunday, August 4, 10 a.m., “So What Are Your Questions?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What are the questions you ask when you’re getting to know someone? How about the questions you hope you are never asked? Are there questions you long to ask, but don’t know how? In Unitarian Universalism, your Big Questions are welcome here. Let’s have a go, shall we?

: Finn Sutton sings “Just Around the River Bend.”

: The congregation and vocal team sings the Gathering Song.

: Deanna Duby, Worship Associate, gives the Reading.

: The Vocal Team, Finn Sutton, and Julie Keefer

: Rev. Heather gives the Refletion.

Sunday, July 28, 10 a.m., “Onto the Path,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: This service will engage us in every way we can arrange with the background, practice, and many ways to participate in learning from a labyrinth. This may include labyrinth walking, labyrinth drawing, or labyrinth observing and appreciating. Among the options available, there will be an indoor canvas labyrinth to walk after the service. Socks are required, so please bring your own. (No shoes and no bare feet are permitted on this borrowed canvas labyrinth.) Join us in this special labyrinth-oriented day! All are welcome, no prior experience with labyrinths is necessary.

: The flowers today were donated by the UUSD Landscaping Committee.

: Don Peterson, Worship Associate, presents the Welcome and Announcements

: Rev. Heather introduces the labyrinth.

: The labyrinth from the UU Fellowship of Newark.

: Congregants walking the labyrinth.

: Congregants walking the labyrinth.

: Congregants walking the labyrinth.

: Congregants walking the labyrinth.

Sunday, July 21, 10 a.m., “Missing the Boat,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What is happening in your life right now that is… something you wished for, but may not be quite as you expected? Is that disappointment you’re feeling, or grace, or something else? Join us in reflecting upon where we have arrived on this day.

: The Gathering Song by the choir and Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries, at the piano

: Rev. Heather gives Opening Words.

: Pam Everrett lights the Chalice.

: Rev. Heather presents Joys and Sorrows.

: Deanna Duby, Worship Associate, lights the candles for joys and sorrows.

: Deanna gives the Reading at the podium.

: Our congregation during the offering

: Rev. Heather presents the Reflection.

: Rev. Heather gives the Benediction.

: It good to see this gentleman back!

Sunday, July 14, 10 a.m., “Love in a Time of Climate Crisis,” Guest Speaker Lydia Wylie-Kellermann: We are living in an era of climate collapse. We feel it in small ways, such as when the snow falls less, or the cherry blossoms bloom too early. And also, in large ways, such as when our streets flood, and entire towns burn to the ground. Yet, we step into the waters of our own particular, wild, and wonderful ecosystem. Falling in love with our watershed moves us into the sacred work of creation and resistance.

Lydia Wylie-Kellermann is a writer, editor, activist, and mother. She is the Director of Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center, and is the author of “This Sweet Earth: Walking with our Children in a Time of Climate Collapse.” She lives with her partner and two boys in Bangor, Pennsylvania.

Sunday, July 7, 10 a.m., “I’m Going to Live Forever or Die Trying,” Rev. Sue Greer, UUSD Friend and Ordained Spiritual Life Minister: As we reflect on ways we can live a full, awake, and joyful life, we will hear suggestions on how to begin accepting and finding comfort with our own inevitable death. The guidance and wisdom from Buddhist teachers, Thich Nhat Hanh and Pema Chödrön, provide us with great insights on the joy of living and looking at our fears. We will hear stories from Pema’s gem of a book, How We Live Is How We Die.

Sunday, June 30, 10 a.m., “Shall We Give God a Second Chance,” Rev. Dave Hunter with Worship Associate Jean Charles coordinating: Many Unitarian Universalists have ambivalent feelings about God. The God who watches over humanity and intervenes in our affairs from time to time seems implausible, but are there other images of God that are worth consideration? Is “God” still a useful word for you? How would you describe God… the God you believe in, or don’t?

Tuesday, June 20, 6 p.m. Celebrate Summer Solstice: We held a lovely ceremony with a drum circle to mark the beginning of Summer and the longest day of the year.

“A Year-End Celebration,” UUSD 25th Anniversary Gratitude Picnic: Following the Sunday service on June 16, we held our Annual UUSD Picnic.

Sunday, June 16, 10 a.m., “All the Things Sunday,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: In June we celebrate Father’s Day, Juneteenth, LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Summer Solstice, and UUSD’s 25th Anniversary Year. Join us in finding a reason to be thankful for all of it and celebrating All The Things, in community, with great gratitude. Following today’s service is our Annual Gratitude Picnic, hosted this year by UUSD Cares and the 25th Anniversary Committee.

Sunday, June 9, 10 a.m., “Music Sunday! Our Melodies Behind Glass: A Musical Window to the Soul,” Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries: Experience the essence of music’s ability to connect with the soul, like how a glass window both reveals and protects. This year’s Music Sunday sets a serene and introspective tone for a day filled with music and contemplation.

Making the day even more special, we will be dedicating the window created and built by our very own Rev. Dr. Ron Parks. Bringing to fruition the hopes and dreams of the late Gabriel Zepecki, Ron has hand-crafted the new stained-glass window, which captures the very spirit of UUSD. Join us as the choir brings the design of the stained-glass window to life through music.

Our All-Congregational Annual Meeting follows the service today. All are welcome to attend. Only Members may vote.

Sunday, May 26, 10 a.m., “Yearning for Peace,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: On this Memorial Day weekend, we wrestle once again with the importance of actively witnessing to ongoing conflicts throughout our world, and honoring all the human beings involved. How can we keep our energy active in the pursuit of peace, while also opening our hearts to hear the stories of those veterans and many others impacted by pervasive violence and seemingly never-ending war?

Sunday, May 19, 10 a.m., “Our Whole Lives,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Joined by UUSD Member, Susan Haase, Rev. Heather will share with us the background, promise, and the possibilities of the Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality education curriculum. We hope and plan to offer this program to our 7th to 9th grade UUSD youth, along with interested youth from the larger community in 2024-25. We want everyone to know more about it! We welcome and appreciate your support. We will also celebrate our newest members through our New Member Ceremony today.

Sunday, May 12, 10 a.m., “For All That Is,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: On this Mother’s Day, we will ponder and practice together how we might all be less driven by worry. Worry is a necessary, understandable, human emotion, and also… there is more to notice and to celebrate than just what our worrying hones in on. The Clara Barton awards were presented. Linda Willimer spoke on behalf of I Support the Girls, our Share the Plate recipient for May. Directory photos were taken. The Featured Committee was the Committee on Congregational Life.

Sunday, May 5, 10 a.m., “Unity in Diversity: Navigating our Religious Pluralism,” Rev. Paula Maiorano: Pluralism rooted in love is proposed as a core UU value. So what is this kind of pluralism? Is it different from our already affirmed value of “religious pluralism” for which we are grateful? Is pluralism the same as diversity? Why does it require more than tolerance to practice? What are its benefits for an individual, our church, and our society? These are the questions which Rev. Paula Maiorano will explore in her worship reflection.

Saturday, May 4, 2024, Beach Cleanup • Our beach is Cape Henlopen State Park (CHSP) Herring Point South (Whiskey Beach). It was a chilly day. We even saw a horseshoe crab.

Sunday, April 28, 10 a.m., “What Doesn’t Kill Us…Makes Us,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: How do we reflect upon and incorporate into our lives some of our most difficult experiences? What sense, if any, do we make out of the trauma we have lived through?

Sunday, April 21, 10 a.m., “The World is on Fire, and We Still Fall in Love” – Rev. Cathy Rion Starr
Singer and director of the Texas UU Justice Ministry, the Rev. Erin Walter, wrote a song: “The World’s on Fire (and We Still Fall in Love).” This song captures the essence of these times. How do we live in a world that is on fire, literally and politically, while still falling in love with beauty and humanity? Together, let us explore this question that is at the heart of Rev. Cathy’s call to ministry.

Rev. Cathy Rion Starr (they/them) is UUSD’s Affiliated Community Minister and Rev. Heather’s spouse. Rev. Cathy’s full-time ministry job is with the Unitarian Universalist Association as Leadership Development Specialist for Side with Love.

Saturday, April 20 – Property Management Deck Repair

Thanks to Cheri Garnet, Transitional Facilities Point Person, and Property Management volunteers: Gary Schmidt, Kent Sprunger, Ken Loewy, Mike Bonti, and Louis Rathbone for their great work!

Friday, April 19 – “Organizing Faith Communities: Deeper Relationships Matter” – Rev. Cathy Rion Starr
As a Leadership Development Specialist with the UUA, Rev. Cathy is passionate about relationship-building as a foundation for our spiritual work. Rev. Cathy is also UUSD’s Affiliated Community Minister; this workshop is part of their work with UUSD.

The workshop looked at the importance of relationships, recruitment, and leadership development as key and often-neglected pieces of our congregational work. How might we focus more on building our relationships and leaders? People-focused organizing opens doors to more effective, spiritually rich, and demographically diverse participation. Together we talked about why a focus on people matters, learned a framework for assessing who’s in our crew, and practiced one-on-ones as a tactic for effective and spiritually grounded recruitment and leadership development.

Sunday, April 14, 10 a.m., “In the Garden” – Rev. Heather Rion Starr
Whether or not gardening is your “jam,” reflecting on it as a common human pursuit and even as a spiritual practice is a… growth(!) opportunity for all of us. The guest speaker for Share the Plate on April 14 was Anna Fagan, Deputy Director of Delaware Center for the Inland Bays. Their mission is to preserve, protect, and restore Delaware’s Inland Bays and their watershed through science-based research.

There was an all-congregational Fire Drill at the end of this service.

Sunday, April 7, 10 a.m., “Awakening the Spirit Within” – Julie Keefer, UUSD Director of Music Ministries: Struggling to find inspiration in your daily life? Feeling stuck in a rut or lacking motivation to pursue your dreams? Look no further than the sources of inspiration that surround you every day. From the beauty of nature to the kindness of strangers, there are countless opportunities to find inspiration in the world around us. Join us as we uncover the secrets to finding inspiration in our everyday lives.

Sunday, March 31, 10 a.m., “Into the Wilderness, Into the World” – Rev. Heather Rion Starr: How might we better live out that which we have found to be true and essential for us? How can we act upon our faith both in the complicated larger world and in the specific local context in which we have found ourselves? Join us this Easter Sunday. There will be a children’s Easter Egg Hunt following the service.

Sunday, March 24, 10 a.m., “Protest or Parade” – Rev. Tara Humphries: Rev. Tara reflected on the story of Palm Sunday and looked closely at the ways in which we, as Unitarian Universalists, can understand and make meaning out of Jesus’ radical acts of resistance in the week leading up to Easter. With a brave and thoughtful reinterpretation of an old story, we heard anew the clarity of our call to the work of faith-based justice.

Rev. Tara Humphries (they/them) is a UU minister serving at Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church in Portland, Maine. After completing their ministry training at Andover Newton Seminary and Yale Divinity School and serving for three years in a small UU/UCC church just outside Boston, Tara has settled back in southern Maine (about 450 nautical miles North of Lewes) where they grew up and still call home. They identify as a Christian UU, and find depth and joy in exploring the Christian story through the lens of UU theological interpretation and values.

Sunday, March 17, 10 a.m., “The Politics of Abundance ” – Rev. Sandhya Rani Jha: Their reflection focused on what we, in a society of so much abundance, must do to work for justice.

Rev. Sandhya provides anti-oppression, cultural humility, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion consulting and coaching for companies, higher education institutions, non-profits, and faith organizations. From 2016-2023 they were an instructor with the Emerging Leaders Program at the Leadership Institute at Allen Temple as well as teaching at several seminaries between 2014 and 2023. A passionate reader and writer, Sandhya is the author of “Room at the Table,” the history of people of color in the Disciples of Christ, and “Pre-Post-Racial America: Spiritual Stories from the Front Lines,” on the subject of race and spirituality in America.

Sunday, February 4, 10 a.m., “Turning Towards Spring,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Celtic myths and Christian folktales blend through the celebration of Imbolc and St. Brigid. Halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, we feel the newness of spring, the lengthening of the days, the promise of greater warmth, and growth emerging yet again. Join us for this honoring of the season’s turning.

: Featured Table—The Pledge Team

Sunday, January 28, 10 a.m., “Jean Charles Service Sunday,” Jean Charles, The Pioneers, and Lay Leaders: What made 14 congregants from UUSD take a leap of faith to purchase a property and hold it until the church decided to purchase the land from them to build its current building? It’s an amazing journey, not only for the “Pioneers,” but for UUSD. This is what service is all about! The Jean Charles Service Sunday was created several years ago by the Board of Trustees to honor Jean’s exemplary leadership and service to the congregation. The Board felt Jean’s unwavering dedication to service was a model for the congregation and deserved to be recognized in a special way. As a result, the Jean Charles Service Sunday was created to recognize each year the importance of leadership and service to UUSD.

Sunday, January 21, 10 a.m., “Celebrate the 25^th Anniversary of Charter Sunday,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr and Special Guests: Join us in celebrating UUSD’s 25th Anniversary of Charter Sunday! In January 1999, 55 people signed the first pages of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Southern Delaware’s Membership Book. What led them to take that action on that day? What charge from those days do we carry forward now? Join us in remembering, celebrating, and continuing to live out the dream of a progressive, multigenerational Unitarian Universalist community in southern Delaware. All are welcome!

There was a special reception following the service.

Sunday, January 14, 10 a.m., “Sitting In, Standing Up, and… Driving?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What do you know about Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Victor Hugo Green? Join us on this Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend as we reflect upon the stories and actions of these three, less-widely-known, African American activists, each pivotal in their own ways and contexts.

Sunday, January 7, 10 a.m., “Religion Is… a Tool?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: It can take conscious reflection and effort to move through the sometimes-instinctive avoidance of all-things “religious” and, instead, intentionally explore humankind’s many ways of meaning-making over time. How do you engage in “the free and responsible search for truth and meaning,” while also practicing genuine respect for others’ journeys, views, and experiences? And how do you want your faith and/or beliefs, however you define them, to impact your life as you move into this new year?

Welcome Heather Hamilton

Featured Committee Table: Leadership Development

Sunday, December 31, 10 a.m., “A Service of Remembrance,” Lay Leaders Mac and Susan Goekler and Others: We took time to celebrate the lives of people who affected our lives directly or indirectly and remembered those who died this past year. During this service we acknowledged their contributions, which help make us who we are today. We celebrated through words, images, and music. This was a celebration of life. Those that are remembered are with us.

December 24, 4:30 p.m., “Presents or Presence,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr, Julie Keefer… and You! Our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight service also included stories and songs of the season. Caroling began at 4:15 p.m. outside.

Caroling

Christmas Eve Services

Sunday, December 17, 10 a.m., “A Tiny Miracle,” Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries, UUSD Choir, and Children: The UUSD choir, children, and others shared “A Tiny Miracle.” It is a family holiday musical about faith and finding your purpose. Come and meet Little Tree, who feels unloved and unwanted. When she asks, “What’s wrong with me?” the Wise Oak reassures her, “It takes time to see what kind of miracle you were meant to be.” We look forward to seeing you at Wally’s Christmas Tree Farm!

Sunday, December 10, 10 a.m., “The Only Object in Life: To Grow,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Lifelong learning is a core part of our Unitarian Universalist faith. How do we reacquaint ourselves with meaning-making, all year ‘round? How are you still learning and growing, no matter your age or stage in life?

Sunday, December 03, 10 a.m., “We Are…One?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: How do any of us stay unified on anything when there is so much on which we disagree? During today’s service, we will join in our fall New Member Ceremony.