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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, March 10: “Changing Time” – Time and how we orient ourselves to it can seem very precise but also be very…relative. Did you know that in 2023, Advent started as late as it ever does, and in 2024, Easter is as early as it ever is, and Passover is as late as it ever is? How do you orient yourself in time? In what ways and contexts do you notice time speeding up and slowing down? What are we even talking about when we say, “It takes time.”?

Saturday, March 9: UUSD certainly shows up! Thanks to everyone who gave their time for “Rise Against Hunger” food packaging event. Those present packaged 70,000 meals. UUSD was by far the most visible group there with an estimated 50 UUSDers participating either in the morning or afternoon sessions.

Sunday, March 3, 10 a.m., “Celebrating What Is.” UUSD’s FY25 Pledge Drive Kickoff Sunday. Congregational continuity, consistency, growth and change all take vision, time, persistence, and especially: Your support. Drawing upon stories of visionary activists from the deep roots of the past, we look ahead to our goals and challenges for the coming year and celebrate the many ways that we can lift each other up.

Sunday, February 10, UUSD Cares Valentines Giving Parade: The SUVs were packed with donations for the Shepherd’s Office in Georgetown and the Community Resource Center in Rehoboth Beach. Thank you to the UUSD congregation for their generous donations to support our communities.

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.

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.

New Member Ceremony and Celebration

Sunday, November 12, 10 a.m., “There Will Be a Table,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: As we look ahead to family and communal gatherings in the days and weeks ahead, there will, inevitably, be food involved. How do you preserve the joys and memories of family gatherings around meals without feeling like you have to replicate (and consume) precisely those recipes forever? What cherished recipes have you made new? You are invited to bring a recipe to add to a congregational collection.

Sunday, November 5, 10 a.m., “Think On Me: All Souls Day,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We keep our beloveds alive by remembering them… by sharing stories, memories, photographs, values, and perhaps also some of the rituals, mantras, and personality quirks we’ve inherited. Bring some small items and/or photographs to add to our co-created altars.

Sunday, October 29, 10 a.m., “What We Fear…Could Become Dear,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Did you ever watch The Addams Family? Have you heard about the current show, Wednesday? There’s a cross-generational cultural opportunity that you might not be aware of, and we’re going to have some fun and maybe even find some meaning in it all, today.

Friday, October 27, The Spooky Supper: This was a wonderful opportunity to meet and socialize  with our UUSD community. It was a SPOOKTACULAR event.

Sunday, October 15, 10 a.m., “Get Messy!” Lenore Bajare-Dukes: Join us for an invitation to get up close and personal with complexity, with insights drawn from the field of conflict transformation, with experiences out in our wide UU world…and from life with a four-year-old. We welcome guest worship, our new(ish) Primary Contact with the Unitarian Universalist Association. Lenore will share practical and spiritual lessons for practicing peace where it’s most challenging. And, in doing so, she will share how we can create more vibrant, just, and connected congregations and communities.

Lenore also led a post-service practice of some of the principles. 

Sunday, October 1, 10 a.m., “Celebrating Banned Books,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We call ourselves a faith of “open minds.” Being open-minded is a spiritual practice, an ongoing effort, and requires discernment, reflection, conversation, and intention. Meanwhile, in 2022, the American Library Association tracked 1,269 attempts to ban books and other resources in libraries and schools, the highest number in 20 years. So… what are you reading these days?

Following the service at 11:30 a.m., the UUSD Adult Faith Exploration Committee will host an open discussion related to this topic: My Favorite Banned Books.

September, 2023, Training in CPR and AED Completed: UUSD’s Safer Congregation Committee (SCC), in partnership with the American Heart Association and Beebe Healthcare’s Community Outreach Team, conducted free training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and  automated external defibrillator (AED) at UUSD in September 2023. Training in response and intervention techniques like CPR and use of AED equipment is lifesaving. Quick intervention saves lives, so having members of the congregation trained in CPR and AED equipment makes us stronger. For more information about the Safer Congregation Committee, contact Ruth Lamothe, SCC Chair, at r.lamothe@uussd.org

Sunday, September 24, 10 a.m., “To Be Welcoming,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We talk about being a welcoming community, but what might that actually involve? How can we better initiate and tend to healthy relationships with one another?

Sunday, September 17, 10 a.m., “Through the Fog,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We are not all nourished in the same ways. What replenishes you? What fills your spirit with hope, with energy, with a sense of possibilities yet to come? Come be rejuvenated in community. Bring a small vial or container of water—perhaps from someplace special to you, literally or symbolically—for our annual Water Ceremony.

Sunday, September 10, 10 a.m., “Salt Line, A Brackish Theology,” Guest Speaker Rev. Keith Goheen: Religious bodies, like rivers, flow and change as they move toward their goals. This morning, we will reflect on the UUA’s spiritual movement from its wellsprings to this time of great change, as we look to its future fulfillment as a religious body.

Visioning  Workshops: As UUSD approaches its 25th anniversary, the congregation is beginning the process of visioning its future. Thank you to all who completed the Visioning Survey and to those who participated in the Searching for the Future – Visioning Workshop with facilitator Mark Ewert on Saturday, July 29th.

Sunday, September 10, 11:30 a.m., George Porter, a long-time Sussex County resident and past owner of our UUSD property, was at UUSD to regale us about our land, its history, and bounties. We will then took a walk around the property. Botanists have been visiting this and the Truitt property on the pond because of its botanic riches.

2023

Sunday, July 9, 10 a.m., “Independence Day,” Rev. Om Prakash (Rev. John Gilmore): We just celebrated Independence Day here in the United States. There was also a blockbuster movie by the same name. In it we watched Will Smith and others battle against Extraterrestrials who came to all the capitals in the world and tried to take over. Eventually, the President, who had been a fighter pilot, led several fighter jets against the hostile aliens and defeated them. The world came together as one group and made peace. This was an amazing story. Today, since COVID, I wonder if that would have ever happened, or would ever happen. During this reflection we will explore our hopes and dreams for a united future while recognizing the work that we need to do within ourselves to resist the powers that are constantly seeking to separate and isolate us.

Sunday, June 11, 10 a.m., “Music Sunday: Peace and Love from Around the World,” Julie Keefer and the UUSD Choir: Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries, will lead the UUSD Choir. Together, they will share songs of peace and love from all over the world. Join us for a blessed time of music, the universal language of every nation!

Sunday, June 4, 10 a.m., “Beauty Calls Us Together,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr and Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries: Today we will join in the annual tradition of the Flower Ceremony. This year we will draw upon a song cycle created by Kathryn Canan, Rev. Suzelle Lynch, and Ruben Piirainen, composed in 2023 to honor the 100-year anniversary of the Flower Ceremony. The Flower Ceremony originated in 1923 by the Rev. Dr. Norbert Čapek, of the Congregation of Liberal Religious Fellowship in Prague, Czechoslovakia. This tradition continues to this day to give us a communal way to celebrate beauty, human uniqueness, diversity, and community.

Sunday, May 21, 10 a.m., “The Work of the World,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr:  Community is not a solo project. Today, we will do our best to celebrate those who work together to sustain our communities. Transition, change, and leadership turnover are also constant cyclical parts of communal life. Join us in acknowledging all this and more. Member will speak about what they bring to UUSD and what UUSD means to them. Rev. Cathy Rion Starr will be installed as UUSD’s Affiliated Community Minister. After the service, everyone will add their essential piece to the UUSD puzzle.

Sunday, May 14, 10 a.m., “Know the Wells,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: “We drink from wells we did not dig,” it is written in the Hebrew Scriptures in the Old Testament. On this Mother’s Day, we will reflect upon the impact of three inspirational, incredibly-persevering, and under-recognized mothers. Drawing upon Anna Malaika Tubbs’ book, The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation, we will consider the ways we and our country are all shaped by those who came before us.

On this spring day, we will also celebrate new members through our bi-annual New Member Ceremony.

Sunday, May 7, 10 a.m., “What We Create,” UUSD Lay Leader Marj Shannon: We have an abundance of creative people among us: Artists, musicians, designers, performers, crafters, and more. But those people are not always creating what we think they are. And those of us who would call ourselves mere admirers or supporters of the arts are more creative than we might think. Join us as we explore some of those nuances.

Sunday, April 9, 10 a.m., “I’m Still Standing,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr:  The tendency to reject religious language from our past can eliminate words and concepts that are actually still quite meaningful and resonant in our larger culture. For example: Salvation. What can it mean to a 21st century Unitarian Universalist  to be “saved”? Come join us this Easter Sunday to find out! All are welcome who are committed to respecting others of diverse beliefs, and there’ll be an Easter Egg Hunt to follow the service.

Sunday, April 2, 10 a.m., “The Right Way to Right Speech,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Drawing upon a Jewish folktale retold by Simms Taback, we will, all ages together, enact a memorable experience of Motke, the Fish Peddler. Along the way we will celebrate the joys and humanness of being a congregation of more than four generations, sharing in co-creating this community and this multigenerational service today.

Sunday, March 19, 10 a.m., “Blooming into Your Spring,” Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries: Winter is hard for so many. It consists of short days and long, cold, dark nights. By the end of February, many people are feeling vulnerable to the barrenness of winter. Our own lives, too, have our seasons, and our own winter, but Spring will be here soon. On this first Sunday of Spring, we will consider our own season of Spring and all the beauty that it offers to ourselves, our community, and the world.  What new and fresh ways will you Bloom into Your Spring?

Saturday, March 18: FUNdraising – UUSD Cares St. Patrick’s Day Giving Parade. It has been a long time since we’ve helped fill the shelves of the Community Resource Center and Shepherd’s office. UUSD Cares held a St. Patrick’s Giving Parade on Saturday, March 18, 1-3:00 p.m. in the UUSD parking lot. We also had a few treats and green glass hearts to hand out along the parade route. We are seeking donations of Food Items, Cleaning Products, Personal Care Product, Clothing, and  Baby Care. Help support this needed collection and let us wish you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Sunday, February 26, 10 a.m., “Secret Thoughts Made Visible,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Fifty percent of gun deaths in Delaware are caused by suicide. While this is obviously a difficult topic to talk about, we must make the effort. Join us for this heartfelt, proactive sharing about the effects of suicide in our lives, families, and communities, and how we can do more to address it directly.

2022

Saturday, December 24, 4:30 p.m., “Bring the Sparkle,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr:  Join us on Christmas Eve to share in song, story, candlelight, and reflect upon and celebrate the great teachers and sources of guidance and wisdom in our lives. Caroling will commence outside, in front of the Sanctuary, at around 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 11, 10 a.m., “A Light That Soothes, But Doesn’t Dazzle,” Guest Minister Om Prakash (also known as Rev. Dr. John Gilmore): We enter into the season of lights. The northern hemisphere gets darker and colder. Leaves fall from the trees. Evergreen branches get weighed down with snow as insect and animal, and even human beings, burrow themselves in warm places to survive the freezing winter. Still, there is a light in the hearth and the heart of the human family that shines the way and provides warmth for the weary traveler and a sigh for the ever burdens of life. In our world today, a wintry world, we need to raise the fire of love and compassion. Let us raise our individual lights to create a flame that will set the world ablaze in the light of love and compassion.

Sunday, December 4, 10 a.m., “Mindful Joy,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Our human nature is to find the greatest comfort with those we’ve gotten to know well. How do we also keep widening our circle and extending ourselves during this