As the season of gratitude arrives, how do we open our hearts to thankfulness when life feels uncertain or hard? This Sunday we’ll explore the practice of gratitude not as denial of struggle, but as a pathway to resilience and joy. Together we’ll share our annual Harvest Bread Celebration, breaking bread in community and giving thanks for the blessings that sustain us even in difficult times.
Many Unitarian Universalists feel a discomfort around the figure of Jesus, because his teachings have been distorted by dogma, politics, and fundamentalism. But what if we look beyond doctrine and politics to rediscover the heart of his message? Who was Jesus, really, and what did he stand for? And might his wisdom still speak to us as UUs today? Join us as we explore Jesus as mystic, rebel, wisdom-teacher, and activist.
How do we continue to get up each morning and face all the horrors the world offers, without being paralyzed by fear or despair? How do we hold onto our humanity, our joy, our love and peace amidst it all? How do we keep finding the light among all the darkness surrounding us? Join us for this deep dive into what it means to be human at this time.
It has been over 180 years since the Ventura Chumash community has built a tomol in Ventura. They are currently finishing their first tomol in over 180 years… “We are due!” writes Alan Salazar, Chumash elder, who will share this story with us for Indigenous People’s Day.
The poet, John O’Donohue, wrote: “May this house shelter your life. When you come home here.” This Ingathering Sunday we come home to Chalice and gather around a living fountain, reminding us of the source that nourishes and sustains our lives. Home is not only where we live, but where we are seen, loved, renewed and inspired. Today we come home to one another, for the new congregational year, celebrating this community and connections that sustain us.
Today we reflect on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and consider how we might respond. How can we stay grounded in our UU values while honoring the complexity, grief, and courage this moment demands? Join us as we open our hearts to a difficult conversation and explore thoughtful paths forward.
Living a life that matters is no small thing. Today we are inspired by Michael Josephson’s poem: “What Will Matter” to explore what truly matters in our lives, how we find purpose and meaning. Join us for this deep, soulful enquiry.
Words like God, holy, sin, or church can feel loaded or alienating to many UUs, but do they still have something to offer us? Join us as we gently unpack and reinterpret religious language, exploring how, in translation, it might benefit our shared spiritual journey.
As ICE raids increase and immigrant families in our local community live in growing fear, we are called by conscience, by compassion, and by our Unitarian Universalist values to respond. This service invites us to reflect on what it means to love our neighbors, to resist injustice, and to show up with courage in this moment of moral urgency.
Often during hard times music is a balm to our heart, mind and soul. Today, our gathering is filled with music from our wonderful Chalice musicians to help us through these days. Join us for a music-filled Sunday.
