Past Services and Sermons

Rev. Paula Maiorano was jointly ordained in 1996 by both our UU fellowship in Chester River and her member congregation, First Unitarian Church in Wilmington, Delaware. In 2021 Rev. Maiorano retired to rejoin her spouse, Giovanni, in active membership at First Unitarian of Wilmington, after twenty-five years of parish, interim, and community ministry. She has received awards for racial justice work from YWCA and Pacem in Terris. Their sons, Andrew and Gianni, grew up at First Unitarian, and now their granddaughters are too.

April 2024

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.

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.
There will be an all-congregational Fire Drill near 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.

Julie Keefer (she/her) is our Director of Music Ministries. She has a Master of Divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary. She is passionate about church leadership and is currently seeking ordination in the United Church of Christ. Julie is also Choral Director at Milford High School in Milford, DE.

March 2024

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: This Sunday we’ll reflect on the story of Palm Sunday and look closely at the ways in which we, as Unitarian Universalists, can understand and make meaning out of Jesus’ radical acts of resistance in this week leading up to Easter. With a brave and thoughtful reinterpretation of an old story, perhaps we will hear 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 will focus on what we, in a society of so much abundance, must do to work for justice.

Rev. Sandhya, sandhya.r.jha@gmail.com, 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.

Sandhya’s book, “Transforming Communities: How People Like You are Healing Their Neighborhoods,” focuses on concrete ways that regular people are creating change community-by-community in an era where positive change can feel impossible. Sandhya’s 2020 book, “Liberating Love,” is a 365-day devotional of love notes from God, connecting us to the people who inhabit the 66 books of the Bible and connecting us to God and each other at a time when it is so easy to feel isolated. “Rebels, Despots, and Saints,” a book about ancestors (and activism), came out January 2023. Ordained at National City Christian Church in 2005 as a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) minister, Sandhya is proud to have received both a Master of Divinity and Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago.

Sunday, March 10, 10 a.m., “Changing Times, ” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: 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.” Be sure to spring your clocks forward an hour for today’s service!

Sunday, March 3, 2024, 10:00 a.m., “Celebrating What Is,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: 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 will look ahead to our goals and challenges for the coming year and celebrate the many ways that we can lift each other up. This is UUSD’s FY25 Pledge Drive Kickoff Sunday. Please join us in energizing ourselves and one another for all that lies ahead!

February 2024

Sunday, February 25, 10 a.m., “What’s a Crocus?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: How does our mental health impact the rest of our lives, our families, and our communities? We will hear some stories of public figures who struggled with depression. We will consider the facts about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and ponder how we might all address more directly a reality that affects more than 280 million people worldwide.

Sunday, February 18, 10 a.m., “Defending Democracy in Delaware,” Mike Brickner, Executive Director, ACLU of Delaware: The right to vote is foundational for all other rights. So, how does Delaware stack up against other states to ensure that every eligible voter can cast a ballot freely and fairly? What are some of the best practices in expanding access while maintaining accuracy and security? We will discuss the current state of democracy reforms in Delaware and what local advocates can do to expand access to the ballot.

Sunday, February 11, 10 a.m., “Will You Still Love Tomorrow?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: How do you explain love? Can you define it? And how does the energy of love guide your life choices and responses? We’ll reflect on these big questions today!

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.

January 2024

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.
The Jean Charles Service Sunday is a reminder that everyone can find ways to serve their congregation and community. By contributing our talents in whatever way we can, we carry our mission forward and strengthen our loving community for generations to come. UUSD Current Volunteer Opportunities will be distributed to help members and friends find service opportunities to nourish their spirits by matching their interests with UUSD needs.

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 will be 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?

(First Sunday discussion to follow the service.)

The monthly Share-the-Plate Sunday will be today, rather than the 2nd Sunday of the month, due to the availability of the Share-the-Plate guest speaker, Mike Hall. See the eNews for details!

December 2023

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

Sunday, December 24, 4:30 p.m., “Presents or Presence, ” Rev. Heather Rion Starr, Julie Keefer… and You! Join us in our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight service of stories and songs of the season. Caroling will begin at 4:15 p.m. outside if weather permits, so dress warmly and join us in getting in the spirit! All are welcome.

December 21, 2023, 6 to 7:30 p.m., “Winter Solstice Celebration with Drum Circle,” Rev. Sue Greer, UUSD Friend and Ordained Spiritual Life Minister, with Tony Codella and Monthly Drummers: Come! Call back the light! Winter Solstice is the marking of the earth’s pause before turning once again from darkness towards the light. On this, the longest night of the year, we will invite new beginnings into our lives and pause to listen to the renewal of our life’s direction. In our celebration we will drum, so bring a drum if you have one or share the drums we have to offer. In the ceremony we will join our light together by lighting a circle of candles, growing our light as one. Weather permitting, we will have a fire outside. (Check for an announcement closer to the date.) Finally, we will walk or dance the circle of the year in a sun dance. Bring a candle, drum, or rattle if you have one, warm clothes, and a chair to take outside. Join us to celebrate your dreams and wishes for the cycle of renewal.

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 will be sharing “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.

November 2023

Sunday, November 26, 10 a.m., “Keeping the Heart(h),” Guest Speaker Leika Lewis-Cornwell: For millennia, the hearth has been a gathering place for family, community, and hungry travelers. As we head into the winter season, what does the ancient tradition of hearth fires mean for us as people of commitment and interconnection? This interactive service will honor the ways the fiery heart of the community lives on in our very modern world.

Leika Lewis (they/them) is a UU seminarian, poet, and Humanist theologian in their last year of study at Chicago Theological Seminary. They currently serve as the President of the UU Humanist Association. A native of the DC 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.

Sunday, November 19, 10 a.m., “In Search of…’Home,’” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: All are welcome to this service during which we will honor Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20) and also engage the topics of Faith & Housing Justice as they impact southern Delaware specifically. What are current and imminent housing and development-related issues in this area? How can we respond to these issues in a way that draws upon Unitarian Universalism? This service is a part of the state-wide Faith & Housing Justice Weekend, Nov 17-19. Find out more at: https://www.housingalliancede.org/.

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. Following the service, there will be a brief Blessing of our Memorial Garden. Be sure to turn your clocks back an hour on Saturday night, November 4.

OCTOBER 2023

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. Join us.

Sunday, October 22, 10 a.m., “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Aging (but Mostly Good),” UUSD members Jean Charles, Deanna Duby, and some others will share their perspectives on aging. What gets you up in the morning? What makes aging a little gentler, easier, and more manageable? These are questions for everyone to think about.

879143735Sunday, 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. As part of our Delaware Peace Week celebrations, we welcome guest worship speaker Lenore Bajare-Dukes, 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.

You are invited to stay after for a post-service practice of some of the principles we’ll be exploring in worship.

Lenore Bajare-Dukes (she/her), Congregational Life Field Staff with the Central East Region of the Unitarian Universalist Association, is a story worker, peacebuilding practitioner, and lifelong UU. Lenore joined the UUA in March after serving as a lifespan UU religious educator, with a prior background in the peacebuilding field. She has previously co-taught graduate courses on truth-telling, conciliation, and racial justice; served as a collaborating producer with the award-winning radio documentary project “Two Years: Diaries of a Divided Nation”; and developed conflict transformation programs with non-governmental organizations in post-revolutionary Tunisia and US communities. She holds a master’s degree in Conflict Transformation from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University. Lenore brings her spiritual practice of Playback Theatre, life stories “played back” through ritual and artistry, into her work building the beloved community within and beyond Unitarian Universalism.

Sunday, October 8, 10 a.m., “The Questions a Place Asks of Us,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr and Others: Join us on this Indigenous People’s Day weekend in pondering the ways that truly getting to know and love a particular place may stretch and challenge us.

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

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.

Sunday, September 3, 10 a.m., “Back to School,” Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries: Whether you are heading into your first year of middle school or celebrating your 65th class reunion, this time of year marks a new beginning for so many. Director of Music Ministries, Julie Keefer, will take us back to our school days and remind us of the life supplies that will help us succeed in another year of life.

To celebrate the start of a new school year, Julie invites you to bring school supplies such as pencils, erasers, highlighters, colored pencils, notecards, loose leaf paper, and such. These supplies will be taken to Milford High School and Middle School to be distributed to teachers to give to students who are in need.

Julie recently received her Master of Divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary and is currently seeking ordination in the United Church of Christ.

AUGUST 2023

Sunday August 27, 10 a.m., “Expanding Horizons: The Journey of Moral Imagination,” Rev. Paula Maiorano: Expanding our moral imagination is particularly important in today’s complex and interconnected world if we are to meet the challenges the future holds. From fairytales onward, stories change us and propel us imaginatively in ways that more formal ethical rules do not. What are the stories, both cosmic and personal, that help us expand our horizons?

Rev Paula Maiorano is a retired UU community and interim minister, whose service included interim ministry with UUSD.

Sunday, August 20, 10 a.m., “On Failure,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Don’t we all have something we feel like we have failed at, at some point along the way? A marriage, a job, a fitness routine, a relationship, or some vision of ourselves we didn’t live up to? We will sit with those ponderings today and consider the ways reviewing and redefining our failures can be liberating.

Sunday, August 13, 10 a.m., “Being in a Body,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Our life experience, our experience of the world, is through a body. Are our bodies simply hurdles to overcome? Could our bodies be sources of wisdom for us?

Click here for the Order of Service for 8-13-2023. You may download and print it.

Sunday, August 6, 10 a.m., “Express Yourself T-Shirt and Cap Sunday,” UUSD Lay Leaders, Rick Welk and Don Peterson: Welcome to UUSD’s second annual T-Shirt Sunday. UUs love to express their feelings, their passions, their commitments, and especially their opinions. And 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 a 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?

Click here for the Order of Service for 8-6-2023. You may download and print it.

JULY 2023

Sunday, July 30, 10 a.m., “For All That Is Our Life,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: It is so important to pause, now and then, and investigate what is driving us forward. Is it all a sense of obligation? Is there joy in it? What fills your spirit with zest and helps you get going at the start of each day? What helps you to replenish your well of energy? What gives you hope and ideas for the future?

Sunday July 23, 10 a.m., “Choosing Change,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Summer is a time of movement, that is, movement of all kinds. What is shifting in your life? What does it look like to embrace change head-on?

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, July 2, 10 a.m., “Breach of Contract,” Rev. Dr. Ron Parks, UUSD Member and Minister ordained by the United Methodist Church: While we’re often unaware of it, and almost always take it for granted, there is a complex interplay of personal freedom and social responsibility that binds us together in community. While July 4th celebrates our nation’s independence, each day brings new opportunities to declare our interdependence with those with whom we share the journey. No one can do everything. Everyone can do something. Let’s do it together.

JUNE 2023

Sunday, June 25, 2023, 10:00 a.m. No service at UUSD. Watch the Online 2023 General Assembly Service, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT. Rev. Manish K. Mishra-Marzetti, “Ever Willing: Becoming the People Our World Needs.” The link for the 11:00 a.m. General Assembly 2023 service is https://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2023/sunday-worship.

Sunday, June 25, 6 p.m., “Summer Solstice Ceremony and Celebration,” Lay Leader Sue Greer: Come! Celebrate the fullness of Summer in all its abundance, joy, and warmth. We will gather to drum, have a fire ceremony, dance, and offer a clearing blessing of our drums. We will be outside, weather permitting. Bring chairs, drums, and rattles if you have them. (We have some to share). Bring your blessings and prayers for our Earth in thanks for all that is generously given to us so we might live in balance.

Sunday, June 18, 10 a.m., entirely online via Zoom, Rev. Heather Rion Starr: “Special Days and…(surprise!) Rest Days” As many of you know, we were planning a service for this day acknowledging the many holidays and commemorations that occur in June. We will still be doing a bit of that while also recognizing that sometimes…life throws us curveballs. Join us online via Zoom this Sunday. Note: There is no recording available for this service.

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. Please bring a flower or a small bouquet to add to our collective table.

Sunday, May 28, 10 a.m., “War and Pieces,” UUSD Lay Leaders Rick Welk and Jean Charles: In honor of Memorial Day, join members Rick Welk and Jean Charles and consider why there is a need for war memorials and how long they have been necessary. We honor our soldiers and the sacrifice they make for their country. But we have been doing so for many years. Is our future filled with a continued need? Let us look deeper into the reasons for the losses and the countless lives that are affected by a history of human suffering. We strive to live in peace. May we find it together.

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.

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.

APRIL 2023

Sunday, April 30, 10 a.m., “Celebrating Trans Identity,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We are in a time of increasing (again) attacks across the country on transgender people of all ages, races, and backgrounds. Today we will reflect upon and celebrate transgender identity and ways that more of us can be stronger allies for our beloveds in the continual struggle for dignity and respect for all people.

Sunday, April 23, 10 a.m., “Appreciating our Interdependent Web of Existence,” John Sykes and the UUSD Earth Cares Team of Maggie McLaughlin and Margaret Keefe: What if climate change meant not doom, but abundance? In this reflection taken from author Rebecca Solnit, we will consider giving up things we are well rid of, from deadly emissions to nagging feelings of doom and complicity in destruction.

Sunday, April 16, 10 a.m., “Road Conditions and Traffic Patterns,” Guest Speaker Rev. Kimberley Debus: The journey, whatever it may be, and whomever we may be journeying with, isn’t always easy. How we experience it depends on how we handle changing conditions, detours, and rough terrain. We’ll explore what that means for our spiritual journeys as well as those we make collectively in our congregations.

Rev. Kimberley Debus is a community minister based in Takoma Park, Maryland. Her ministry inspires artful and art-filled faith. She consults with congregations and religious professionals throughout the denomination. She is joyfully affiliated with the Unitarian Church of Lincoln, Nebraska, and has previously served at the Church of the Larger Fellowship as well as congregations on Long Island and Key West.

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.

March 2023

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.

March 2023

Sunday, March 26, 10 a.m., “Deeds Survive the Doer,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr and… Dorothea Dix! Guest speaker, accomplished actor, operatic singer and historian, Pat Jordan, of the American Historical Theatre, will participate in this service by providing a first-person presentation as humanitarian reformer and Unitarian, Dorothea Dix. Join us for this special service celebrating Unitarianism’s longtime commitment to care for all people, and Universalism’s core value of universal love.

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?

Sunday, March 12, 10 a.m., “Ode to Sleep,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: On this day when we all “lose an hour,” Rev. Heather will delve into the trending current literature on sleep, “sleep hygiene,” parenting, grandparenting, and the correlating loss of sleep. She will review the practice of studying dreams and other things that…keep her up at night. (Don’t forget to spring your clocks forward on Saturday night.) Rise and shine with us!

Sunday, March 5, 10 a.m., “What They Dreamed Be Ours to Do…?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Twenty-five years ago now, there were more than four dozen Unitarian Universalists in southern Delaware working towards a common dream. What would they have thought upon being told of a 2020 global pandemic? What about our congregational priorities today of livestreaming, Zooming, and Google Meeting? How do our visions and goals need to evolve and adapt in order to keep on realizing the bigger, more timeless dream?

February 2023

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.

Sunday, February 19, 10 a.m., “We Begin Again in Love,” Guest Minister Rev. John Wright, (UU Minister in Salisbury MD): How much time do any of us have, and what will we do with it? At the end of our days, will there be grudges, regrets, old hurts, and angers that we’ve held on to? Or can we find a way to remind ourselves to let go of those things? In this service, based in part on a Church of the Larger Fellowship interview with Rev. Rob Eller-Isaacs, Rev. John Wright will think about forgiveness and, as Eller-Isaacs has so beautifully put it, how we can “begin again in love.”

Sunday, February 12, 10 a.m., “Sharing More of…Us,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We rely on those right around us. Yet, how well do we really know one another, and how well have we let others know us?

Sunday, February 5, 10 a.m., “Getting Along with…Others,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: During Unitarian Universalism’s annual “Thirty Days of Love” (from MLK Day through Valentine’s Day), we have an opportunity to consider more of the ways we can improve the quality of our relationships. None of us can get our way all the time. How can we practice seeing tension as opportunity?

January 2023

Sunday, January 29, 10 a.m., “Jean Charles Service Sunday,” Paul Barnette and the Board of Trustees: Paul Barnette, Board President, will explain why he looks at service to the congregation as a spiritual practice. The Jean Charles Service Sunday was created several years ago by the Board of Trustees to honor Jean’s exemplary 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 22, 10 a.m., “Walk the Maze with this Faith,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Today’s service is inspired by the 2019 Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide, edited by UUA President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, who is now in the final six months of her five-year UUA Presidency. As we move towards a new UUA President, consider new proposed language for our UUA Bylaws (which include Unitarian Universalism’s Purposes and Principles), what is “transient,” and what is “permanent” about this ever-evolving UU faith? Following today’s service, there will be a workshop open to all, led by Susan and Mac Goekler of UUSD’s Denominational Affairs Committee, presenting the latest proposed bylaw changes at the denominational level. They will discuss how you can be involved in the ongoing development of the bylaws.

Sunday, January 15, 10 a.m., “I Come Not to Praise King,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Challenged by the prophetic words of Rev. Bill Jones, we will stretch ourselves to think beyond honoring the legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., this morning and this weekend, and consider what it really means to live into calls for civil rights in today’s 21 st century world.

Sunday, January 8, 10 a.m., “Why Bother?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Drawing upon Elizabeth Andrew’s lovely book, Writing the Sacred Journey: The Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir, we’ll consider “why bother?” Why bother remembering, sharing, telling, and perhaps even getting our own life stories down on paper? How is telling the story of something that happened, perhaps decades ago, a spiritual practice? (And, really, is it?)

Sunday, January 1, 10 a.m., “A Service of Remembrance,” Lay Leaders: Mac and Susan Goekler, Peter Schott, Micah Jung, and Marta Dominguez: We take time at the beginning of a new year to celebrate the lives of people who affected our lives directly or indirectly and to remember those who died this past year. During this service we acknowledge their contributions, which help make us who we are today. We will celebrate through words, images, and music. This is a celebration of life. Those that are remembered are with us. Incense will be burned in the front of the sanctuary during the meditation time. If this will be a problem for you, pleased feel free to sit in the back or go to the gathering area during the meditation.

December 2022

Sunday, December 25, 10 a.m. and at your leisure, “A New Day,” a prerecorded service led by the Rev. Dr. Laura Solomon of the UU Church of Reading (Massachusetts) and the Rev. Heather Janules of the Winchester (Massachusetts) Unitarian Society. The Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware, an inclusive religious community, will share a pre-recorded service on Sunday, December 25, 10 a.m. and at your leisure. Celebrate December 25th—Christmas morning and the last day of Hanukkah—with something for everyone: The kindling of many lights, a Time for All Ages, hymns, carols, and two short reflections exploring what Christmas and Hanukkah offer us as we approach the new day. The link is here:

Saturday, December 24, 4:30 p.m., “Bring the Sparkle,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: The Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware, an inclusive religious community, will hold an online and in person service on Saturday, December 24, 4:30 p.m. 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. The service will be in-person and livestreamed. For the livestreamed service, go to uussd.org/livestream

Thursday, December 22, 6 to 7:30 p.m., “Winter Solstice: A Time of Pause and Reflection,” Rev. Sue Greer, UUSD Friend and Ordained Spiritual Life Minister: The Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware, an inclusive religious community, will hold an in person Winter Solstice on Thursday, December 22, 6 p.m. Winter Solstice is a time of the year when the earth pauses on its axis beforeturning back to the light of the sun, marking it the longest night of the year. Let’s join in the earth’s “Pause” to deepen our own inner reflection and review through the darkness and celebrate the return of light. Bring a drum or rattle if you have one. (Instruments available). The ceremony will be indoors, but we may have an outdoor fire, weather permitting, so bring appropriate clothes for the outdoors. For more information, go to uussd.org.

Sunday, December 18, 10 a.m., “Be a Blessing,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: The Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware, an inclusive religious community, will hold an in-person service on Sunday, December 18, 10 a.m.. Inspired by the book, Oskar and the Eight Blessings, we will celebrate and remember during this service that each and all of us hold within us the possibility of bringing blessing. Each of us can bring some magic to others, and each of us can offer something meaningful to our world. We can all be a blessing.

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.

Om Prakash (Rev. Dr. John Gilmore) is a Massage Therapist, a Reiki Master Teacher, a Tai-chi and Quigong instructor, a Workshop Leader, and a Certified Life Coach specializing in Reinventing Work and Spirituality. He has written several books and articles on Practical Spirituality and how we can use our belief systems in creative out-of-the-box ways to not only enhance our lives, but to build communities that will enhance the lives of others. Rev. Dr. John Gilmore (Om Prakash) was a Unitarian Universalist Minister for more than fifteen years starting as a Parish Minister and Extension Minister and moving toward Community Ministry. He is now a retired UU Minister working to promote Health, Wellness, and Healing on the levels of mind, body, and spirit.

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 season of invitation? We will hold our fall New Member Ceremony during the service today.”

November 2022

Sunday, November 27, 10 a.m., “Reflection, Dancing the People’s Prayers,” Nakakakena Boe Smith Harris: Indigenous people have endured many challenges since first contact took place. They have survived by continuing to honor the Creator, and their traditions of ceremonies, stories, music, and dance. In 1883 when the U.S. government banned our ceremonies, dances, and allowing our medicine people to heal their own people, the indigenous people continued to pass on our traditions for they knew our survival and strength as a people relied on them doing so. In our traditional dances, each dance style and dancer tell a story. Each dance style is done to the beat of our sacred drum, and the songs the singers sing out. Each dance step upon Mother Earth is a prayer. It is an honor to be a dancer, and in this time when we gather together, I would like to share the jingle dance, also known as a prayer dance and healing dance. It is a dance that dances the prayers of the people.

Boe is an enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. She is of both Chippewa and Dakota ancestry. Boe is a Northern Traditional and Jingle dress dancer and plays the Native American traditional flute. She has shared her music, dance, and cultural awareness to many schools, groups, and events. Boe has danced at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and traveled to Europe with Armed Forces Entertainment. She has dedicated her life to education and increasing public awareness of and appreciation for the indigenous people of this land and their culture. “As a granddaughter of strong indigenous women, my heart and spirit know no other journey than to follow the traditions that flowed within the souls, spirits, and lives of those women who walked before me. Those women were called by their mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, and the Creator to prepare the path for the generations to come. Through their blood, heartache, tears, pain, and determination, they honored their call. With pride, respect, honor, and privilege, I walk this same path.”

Sunday, November 20, 10 a.m., “What Caring Deeply Can Lead To,” Mark Ewert and Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Nothing we can do, achieve, build, or acquire is done in isolation from one another. What is possible when we presume that, alongside each other, we already have more than enough of what we truly need?

Mark Ewert is a stewardship consultant, a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®), and a professional leadership and philanthropy coach (PCC) certified with the International Coaching Federation. His experience includes founding a nonprofit, working as a fundraiser, and leading a national organization. (https://stewardshipforus.com/author/markewert/)

Sunday, November 13, 10 a.m., “Good Change,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Can there be such a thing as change for the better? Is it ever possible for change to happen quickly? We will sit with these questions and the whole concept of change (this month’s Soul Matters theme) during our service this morning.

Sunday, November 6, 10:00 a.m., “Draw the Line,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: News of our country’s dissolving democracy is coming in from many directions. As a concerned people, committed to not completely tuning out the world and worries around us, what is there for us to do? Remember to set your clocks back an hour on Saturday night!

October 2022

Sunday, October 30, 10:00 a.m., “Remembering Well,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: At this liminal time in our northern hemisphere, this season of Samhain, All Souls Day, and similar rituals throughout human history, we, too, will honor our ancestors. You are invited to bring a photograph, talisman, memento, or special object, or e-mail us a digital photograph and caption, for sharing with one another during this service.

Sunday, October 23, 10:00 a.m., “Preemptive Radical Inclusion,” CB Beal: CB will share reflections on the framework of Preemptive Radical Inclusion (PRI). PRI can be understood as an entryway to increase equity and justice among ourselves and in the world and as a way to embody beloved community. When we increase our knowledge, decrease preconceptions, and always act from the assumption that everyone is always and already in the room, we are positioned to successfully manage conflict and pave a way forward. CB will lead a workshop to follow this service (workshop from 12:30-3:30 p.m.). Please see the details for that workshop in this newsletter, the eNews, or other updates.

Workshop, Sunday, October 23, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.,” Preemptive Radical Inclusion: Everyone Is Always Already in the Room.” CB Beal will facilitate a three-hour workshop exploring Preemptive Radical Inclusion as framework for exploring covenantal community life, engaging conflict, and increasing inclusion in meaningful ways, beginning with ourselves. This in-person introductory workshop is an engaging and hands-on opportunity to share together, bear witness, laugh, learn, and grow. Please register for this workshop by October 16 at https://rsvp.church/r/TZVfBJDV.

Preemptive Radical Inclusion (PRI) involves an adaptive set of perspectives and practices that people use to manage conflict in healthy ways. People use PRI to increase equity and justice in their lives and organizations. We will practice some of these PRI principles together. In order for this in-person experience to be preemptively inclusive of those still vulnerable to COVID-19 and other airborne illnesses, N95 quality masks will be worn by all.

Sunday, October 16, 10:00 a.m., “What Peace May Come,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: If we are giving the world our attention, we witness to so much pain and heartbreak. There are the sudden tragedies that jar us all, and then there is also the anguish that occurs over accumulated years. By incorporating the Soul Matters theme of Courage and ideas of framing and reframing the narratives we live with, we will contemplate together how we can invite a more active peace into our lives, relationships, and communities.

Sunday, October 9, 10:00 a.m., “Bear Witness, Save Lives,” CB Beal: As we build Beloved Community, it is vital that we are able to share our stories and trust that people will be still and bear witness to us, acknowledge us, and accept what we share. We must be present with one another with an empathy that honors our different life experiences. CB will share about the spiritual practice of bearing witness, and trusting others to bear witness to us, with a particular focus on gender.

Because of copyright restrictions, we will be unable to live stream a small portion of the service after Joys and Sorrows. Please use the link (https://youtu.be/XLFEvHWD_NE?t=58) to view privately. We suggest using a device other than the one from which you are watching the live streamed service This will allow you to view it ahead of time as well as avoid interrupting your live stream.

CB Beal (they/them) is a popular storyteller, preacher, speaker, and facilitator in congregations and schools. CB’s special focus is Preemptive Radical Inclusion, and they also teach and consult about safer communities and congregations. CB also speaks on how to support gender creative, transgender, and non-binary children and youth in schools and youth-serving organizations. CB is an Our Whole Lives trainer and trainer of trainers and teaches Awesomely Awkward sexuality and consent education to elementary and middle schoolers around Massachusetts. Previously they were the Director of Religious Education at the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence for 16 years after holding several different educational and training positions in other fields. CB received a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York in 1991 and is the Unitarian Universalist Association’s 2019 Angus H. MacLean Award for Excellence in Religious Education. CB is a white, queer, non-binary, mostly able-bodied fat person.

For a taste of what CB is like speaking in person, you can view their acceptance of the Angus H. MacLean Award here: https://tinyurl.com/uyr4o4k. It begins at about the 6-minute mark.

Sunday, October 2, 10:00 a.m., “The Miracle is You,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr, Julie Keefer, and Dar Sellers: Inspired by the Rev. Molly Housh Gordon (UU Minister in Columbia, Missouri), we will be presenting (and involving you in!) a multigenerational service lifting up the lessons of the hit Disney animated film, Encanto. In Rev. Molly’s words: “This generation doesn’t need a hero. It needs community. The miracle isn’t magic. The miracle is you—all of you together—joining hands and hearts.”

September 2022

Thursday, September 22 (Rain date is Sunday, September 26), 6:00 p.m., Fall Equinox Celebration. UUSD Lay Leaders Sue Greer and Tony Codella: The Drum Circle will offer a Fall Equinox Celebration at UUSD that will let you find balance within yourselves. Light and Darkness, and night and day are in harmony on this first day of Fall. We will gather to celebrate our gratitude to our home the earth, and its bounty. We will drum and have a clearing fire ceremony. Please bring a chair, drum if you have one (drums and instruments will be offered for use), and a donation of non-perishable food or a cash donation to support others with our generosity. Contact DrummingCircle@uussd.org if you have any questions. All are welcome.

Sunday, September 25, 10:00 a.m., “On Surrender,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: The very notion of surrender is intertwined with awe, with the deep experience of something overwhelming, overcoming, something greater than oneself. It is this weekend that marks the beginning of the High Holy Days in Judaism, also known as the Ten Days of Awe. These are ten days of reflection and self-analysis and the assignment to assess one’s relationships and do the best one can to acknowledge and heal any interpersonal brokenness. It is also a time to search one’s soul and see what new commitments one should make.

Sunday, September 18, 10:00 a.m., “In the Water,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What are the messages to be found in the water that sustains and surrounds us? The water is powerful—and limited. Much of the time the water in our lives is silent—and yet it can also clamor for our attention. How do we receive and respond to the energy of the water? For those of you who will be joining us in-person, you may bring a small container or vial of water to pour into our common bowl if you wish. Those of you online will be encouraged to engage in your own water ceremony at home, along with us in the Sanctuary.

Sunday, September 11, 10:00 a.m., “Choose Your Own Adventure,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What if everything we do with intention, with our full attention, is a form of prayer? As we move into the fall, how do you choose to proceed in your actions if you think of each thing you do as a sacred and holy choice?

Sunday, September 4, 10:00 a.m., “Perfectly Imperfect,” Julie Keefer, UUSD Director of Music Ministries: Brené Brown, PhD, MSW, said, “True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.” For us to do that, we must be able to embrace our imperfections so that we can allow ourselves to live as our true authentic selves. Julie Keefer, UUSD’s Director of Music Ministries, will share how embracing our imperfections helps us to truly belong rather than just “fitting in.” Julie is currently obtaining a Master of Divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary.

August 2022

Sunday, August 28, 10:00 a.m., “What It Is We’re Doing Here,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Something or someone (or both) brought each of us here to this faith community. And every Sunday there are visitors and newcomers also seeking…something. How do we approach the ideas of growth while hanging on to the essence of this caring congregation?

Sunday, August 21, 10:00 a.m., “Express Yourself: T-Shirt Sunday,” Lay leaders Don Peterson and Rick Welk: Welcome to UUSD’s first T-Shirt Sunday! UUs love to express their feelings, their passions, their commitments and especially their opinions. And 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 that’s meaningful to you and wear it to Sunday Service. Join Rick Welk, Don Peterson, and some of your fellow UUSDers as they tell the stories behind their own T-shirts. What does yours tell us about you?

Sunday, August 14, 10:00 a.m., “What’s the Difference?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: In the New Member Ceremonies we shared in together last year, we said that we strive to “regard difference as a part of the richness that a diverse community must contain to learn and grow.” Who says so? Isn’t it just easier if we agree or align with those with whom we share the same perspective?

Sunday, August 7, 10:00 a.m., “Stand for Love Without Losing your Heart,” Lay Leader and Speaker, Rev. Sue Greer, Ordained Minister of the Gaia and Tibetan Traditions: We are living in a time of war, a war on human rights, democracy, and basic human kindness. How are you surviving the growing hatred and suffering we see every day? Can you keep standing up for love? Is your heart weighed down, shut down, or overwhelmed by the daily news of suffering? We can only take so much without closing our hearts and losing ourselves. We are people who live by the principles of justice and care for others. We can’t turn away! We are needed! It’s essential we continue to “stand up.” What can we do when our hearts become overwhelmed and weary? An answer: Compassion. We invite compassion to be our protection and our strength. Compassion first for ourselves, second for the victim, and third for the aggressor. This is a radical stance. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, offers this wise and relevant quote: “Compassion is the Radicalism of our times.”

July 2022

Sunday, July 31, 10:00 a.m. “Museum Quality Reproduction (MQR),” Rev. Dr. Ron Parks, UUSD member and Minister ordained by the United Methodist Church: Tucked away in an unpretentious corner of the Queens Museum is a modest collection of works from the hand and studio of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Tiffany’s name is synonymous with unparalleled stained-glass artistry, a true American original. My pilgrimage to the exhibit several months ago coincided with the completion of an MQR of his 22″ dragonfly lamp design, a project I had worked on over the last eleven years. Tiffany’s lamp is the real deal. Mine is a copy, faithful to the original in every way, but a copy, nonetheless. Each of us aspires to replicate and embody the artistry, wisdom, and/or passion of those who capture our imagination and lift our vision of what we can become. But is that all we are? Come and see the light – and the lamp too!

Ron Parks is a retired ordained elder of the United Methodist Church and an adjunct college professor who holds a PhD in Ethics. He and his wife Ellen live in Rehoboth Beach.

Sunday, July 24, 10:00 a.m., “Covenant, Democracy, and Other Endangered Species,” Guest Minister Rev. John Wright (UU Minister in Salisbury, MD): According to former Unitarian Universalist Association Moderator Ginny Courter, “If there is a candidate for the Great American Religion, it is us (Unitarian Universalism).” Indeed, the history of our nation and our faith are inextricably intertwined, for good or ill. But democracy and faith are both tenacious and fragile. Both must be carefully tended if they are to thrive. Each has their strengths and their limits. In this service, Rev. John Wright will spend some time thinking about how our faith both nurtures and challenges our ideas about democracy.

Rev. John Wright (he, him) has served as part-time Minister to the UU Fellowship at Salisbury since 2010. John is a 2007 graduate of Starr King School for the Ministry in northern California. Prior to entering seminary, he was the Member Services Supervisor for SECU, Maryland’s largest Credit Union. John and his wife, fabric artist Kit, have been married for over 50 years. (She is the first UU being considered for canonization by the Catholic Church for putting up with him for that long!)

Sunday, July 17, 10:00 a.m., “Listening to Others, Listening to Ourselves,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: It’s likely that there is some driving involved in your summer itinerary. As you are on the move, in whatever form, what are you listening to, or for? What is humming just underneath your breath? What is the song in your head? Whose voice, what conversation is taking place within you as you toodle around?

Sunday, July 10, 10:00 a.m., “Personal Reflections on a Civil Rights Tour,” Don Peterson and UUSD Lay Leaders – Speakers: Eight UUSD members and friends were fortunate to travel together in April for a Civil Rights Tour. They visited Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, and Birmingham, touring such important sites as the Legacy Museum and Memorial for Peace and Justice, the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church and the 16th Street Baptist Church, the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the Civil Rights Institute, and so much more. The group will share their experiences and personal reflections about the trip and its meaning in today’s troubled times.

Sunday, July 3, 10:00 a.m., “A God Most Social,” Guest Minister Rev. Keith Goheen (Beebe Hospital Chaplain):

A hospital chaplain reflects on the process of living life religiously.

The Rev. Keith Goheen (he/him) has been serving as the lead chaplain at Beebe Healthcare for 17 years. Ordained in 1999 by the First Universalist Church of Orange in Massachusetts, Keith is also in Ministerial Fellowship with the UUA, and is a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains. He was the organizing minister for UUSD and lives in Midway with his spouse, Margaret. They are members of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek. Keith is a Christian mystic and theologian who relishes the challenges of providing spiritual care in the hospital, interspersed with Thoreau-like times of solitude amid the trees and on the beaches of southern Delaware. He is currently enjoying Brene Brown’s book, “Atlas of the Heart,” and savors the occasional, well-crafted Porter.

June 2022

Sunday, June 26, 12:30 p.m. EDT, the UU Association’s General Assembly Sunday! Join us virtually at 12:30 p.m. EDT for the Unitarian Universalist Association’s General Assembly Sunday Service. This is the largest annual gathering of UUs joining in worship. The link is https://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2022. There will not be an in-person service at UUSD on June 26.

Tuesday, June 21, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Summer Solstice Service, UUSD Lay Leaders Rev. Sue Greer and Tony Codella: Tuesday, June 21 will be the longest day of the year and a time to celebrate our earth and our connection to one another through drumming and ceremony. The Drum Circle will offer a Summer Solstice Celebration with a Drumming and Fire Ceremony. Come put into the fire your concerns, sorrows, and desires for change. We will let go of our burdens into the circle of community and lift each other with our drumming. Please bring a chair, drum if you have one (drums and instruments will be offered for use), and a donation of non-perishable food or a cash donation. All are welcome. Contact DrumCircle@uussd.org if you have any questions.

Sunday, June 19, 10:00 a.m., “Large Enough Thanks,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Gratitude is a spiritual practice. As I wrap up my first year with you-all, I invite us to join, together, in celebrating all that we have to be grateful for. It is also Father’s Day, Juneteenth, the Summer Solstice, GLBTQIA+ Pride Month, and there will be a celebratory Gratitude Picnic to follow the service today!

Sunday Worship from UUSD on Vimeo.

Sunday, June 12, 10:00 a.m., “The UUSD Choir, LIVE!” Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries and the UUSD Choir: Since September of 2020, you have heard several of our members sing together as a virtual choir. Any one of our choir members will tell you, although you may have enjoyed hearing them sing, it was not the same as singing in-person, together. So, for Music Sunday, the UUSD choir would like to present to you many of the songs we did as a virtual choir, but this time LIVE! And in person!

Sunday, June 5, 10:00 a.m., “Flower Communion Sunday,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: The Flower Communion service was created by Rev. Norbert Capek (1870-1942), who founded the Unitarian Church in Czechoslovakia. He introduced the Flower Communion to the congregation there on June 4, 1923. For this service, each person is asked to bring a flower or small bouquet of your choice and place it in a vase during the service. For those of you who will be participating online, please send a photo of yourself, holding up a flower, to our AV Team at avteamuusd@gmail.com no later than June 3. Just as no two flowers are alike, so no two people are alike, yet each has a contribution to make. Join us in celebrating Flower Communion!

May 2022

Sunday, May 29, 10:00 a.m., “Remembrance and Mourning,” Rev. Chris Antal, Guest Minister-Speaker: Moving beyond selective remembering, towards an honest moral reckoning with the cost of our wars, is work that is ours to do in order to live into our UUA “Creating Peace” Statement of Conscience.

Sunday, May 22, 10:00 a.m., “Each Day, One More,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Each additional person in a family, a conversation, a meeting, or a congregation changes and expands the group’s dynamics and the possibilities. Every one of us brings something unique into the room (be it an actual room or a Zoom Room). What does this mean for how we orient to one another? On this spring day, we will celebrate new members through our bi-annual New Member Ceremony.

Sunday, May 15, 10:00 a.m., “While Still There Is Light,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Before this congregational year careens to a close, I want to be sure to touch base with you all about…the inevitable. We are all mortal. Life itself is a terminal condition. None of us know precisely how much time we have left. How do we embrace that universal truth and allow it to energize, not dishearten us?

For the May 15, Sunday service, the Thoughtful Endings Planning Document that is referenced by Rev. Heather is available here:

• Thoughtful Endings Planning Document, Word Document download
• Thoughtful Endings Planning Document, PDF.

UUSD’s First Outdoor Service, Oct. 18, 2020

In Rev. Paula’s words, “Wow! We did it!” On a cool, crisp, sunny fall day, UUSD held its first socially distanced, outdoor, and virtual Sunday service to celebrate the 5^th anniversary of the dedication of our new building. This service offered a vision for the future of UUSD as it celebrated the journey from dreamers under a beach umbrella to its present site held sacred by the community of members and friends. Relive, or view for the first time, the excitement of the day, the warmth of the members and friends, and the beautiful singing of “This Sacred House,” written by Dianne Conine for the dedication in 2015.

October 25—Listening for What’s Not Been Said, Rev. Paula Maiorano: Sometimes what is not said is as important as what has been shared. This service offers a reflection on ways of deepening our ability to expand our own spiritual and emotional awareness through learning how to listen for what’s not been said.