by Rev. Mary Gear In many Unitarian Universalist congregations, summer services are a bit different. It is a time for ministers and staff to have time away, so there are more guest speakers and lay-led services. Sometimes congregations with two services go to one service. Services may be more relaxed and experimental. In the past […]
Minister
The Same and Different: Looking Ahead to the 2022-2023 Church Year
by Rev. Mary Gear & Rev. Sara Lewis It’s a Spring practice in church life to begin planning for the next congregational year, and that’s what the OUUC staff has been doing. Even as we bring the current year to a close and look to a more relaxed schedule for the Summer, we’re looking ahead. […]
Summer As a Bridge
I have been thinking a lot this month about our spiritual theme of “bridge” and what it means as part of OUUC’s mission to “welcome and wonder, embrace and empower, bridge and become.” As I wrote at the beginning of the month, bridges are about tension. Yes, they connect, which is often lovely, and they […]
The UUA, General Assembly, Gadfly, and More
by Rev. Mary Gear There’s some tension in the Unitarian Universalist Association right now and this is becoming more so as we approach next week’s General Assembly, the annual gathering of UU’s from around the world. In addition to the usual excellent worship, workshops, social action, and social gatherings, there are contested races for UUA […]
Bridges Are About Stress
by Rev. Mary Gear Part of my growing up in Michigan involved regular trips up north to the Mackinac Bridge. It is a 5-mile-long suspension bridge that connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. You can see a photo of the “Mighty Mac” below or through the bridge-cam here. For those who live near […]
