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What are the blessings you’ve experienced over the past year? Let’s celebrate them together! All are invited to share aloud during the service, or if you prefer, you can post your blessings to Rev. Sarah’s Facebook page or email them to sarah@revsarahrichards.com by Wednesday, June 22. (Services are in person and on Zoom.)
Our annual Flower Communion service will focus on those CUF people and experiences that have sustained us over the past year. We’ll create a bouquet of blessings for all of those folks and moments. Recognizing our losses and our new members, together we will celebrate the blessings of our congregation. Whether you’re participating online or in person, please bring a flower for our bouquet. We’ll have extras if you forget.
CUF member John Hochheimer recounts his life-changing experience at the 2009 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne, Australia, and invites all CUF folks to consider attending the 2023 PotWR in Chicago, “A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom & Human Rights.” What are the possibilities for CUF and Carbondale from the international, interfaith connections we can make? Fr. Bob Flannery will also be on hand to share stories and field questions about the Parliament. (Services are in person and on Zoom.)
Traditionally, a “matin” is a service of song and prayer. It has also been used to refer to the morning song of birds. Our version of a matin is a service of music, reflection, and blessings. Join us for music from Curt Wilson and meditations on celebrating blessings from Rev. Sarah. (Services are in person and on Zoom.)
Our congregation is very fortunate to have many artists among us; you might be one, too! For this lay-led service, CUF artists will show and/or tell us about their process of nurturing beauty, and artwork will be on display in the Commons for viewing after the service. If you’d like to participate, contact Rhonda Kosmicki at rlpk63@hotmail.com. (Services are in-person and on Zoom.)
What is the wisdom you have to share about nurturing beauty? Rev. Sarah will weave a reflection from CUF folks’ answers to questions like “What is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen or experienced? How did it leave its mark on you?” “When did you first feel beautiful?” “Have you ever been healed by beauty?” Post your thoughts on Rev. Sarah’s Facebook page or email them to sarah@revsarahrichards.com by Wednesday, May 18. (Services are in-person and on Zoom.)
Rev. Sarah reflects on the above-titled chapter in the late Irish philosopher, theologian, and poet John O’Donohue’s book, Beauty: the Invisible Embrace. Touching on themes of woundedness, vulnerability, and acceptance, O’Donohue’s insights can help guide our own inner explorations. (Services are in-person and on Zoom.)
Mother’s Day can bring up many different thoughts and feelings for each person. Through stories, readings, and reflections, CUF folks will explore the theme of mothers, motherhood, and mothering from a variety of perspectives, experiences, and identities. (Services are in-person and on Zoom.)
Traditionally, a “matin” is a service of song and prayer. It has also been used to refer to the morning song of birds. Our version of a matin is a service of music, reflection, and blessings. Join us for music with some of our fabulous CUF musicians and a meditation on nurturing beauty from Rev. Sarah. (Services are in-person and on Zoom.)
Having a mental illness or a loved one with a mental illness is something that most, perhaps all, of us will experience in our lifetimes. Sharing about these experiences can help to decrease the stigma of mental illness. Members share their personal experiences with mental illness: how they and their families were affected by it and ways they were helped in their struggles with it. (Services are in-person and on Zoom.)
