Author Archives: Hopedale

Service This Sunday, May 20

“Escape Plan.”   Do we have any control over our actions? Our guest speaker, Dave Walsh, uses Biblical and Buddhist writings, as well as personal stories, to explore how people escape from their ruts. Dave is currently a student at Earlham School of Religion studying for a Master of Divinity.  Please join us for a potluck … Continued

Bruce Beisner’s Final Service – Sunday, May 6th

“Shoulda’ Been Me” Student Minister Bruce Beisner It has been an honor and a joy to have served this year as your minister. As we prepare to say farewell and move on to new adventures, I’ve been thinking a lot about letting go and holding on. A certain feeling of “shoulda, woulda, couldas” always seems to accompany … Continued

Service This Sunday, April 29

“Our Contributions to the UU Ministry for Earth.”  Spring flowers are out, birds are back, prepared to nest again, and Hopedale UUs should celebrate outcomes of our Green Sanctuary work.  We will reflect on new dimensions of our Sunday morning services, our flower, memorial, and vegetable gardens, our ongoing interfaith collaborations on climate risks, our … Continued

Service This Sunday, April 22

Earth Day:  “Our Blue Boat Home.”  Jacob Trapp wrote, “To worship is to stand in awe under a heaven of stars, before a flower, a leaf in sunlight or a grain of sand.” Getting in touch with the sacred often happens when we are able to witness the enormity and grandeur of the living world … Continued

Service This Sunday, April 15

“The Interdependence of All Things” is, of course a UU principle, and also a core belief of many Native American traditions. Fred A. Shaw (Neeake), a storyteller from the Shawnee culture and a retired United Methodist minister, will join us for a unique preparation for Earth Day. Service Leader:  Liz Woedl. This will be an … Continued

Service This Sunday, April 8

“Being Born Again.”  Easter is a time of re-birth and renewal. As we witness the natural world around us bloom with new life and new beauty, we will reflect on our own need for transformation and spiritual revitalization. How do we find strength and inspiration in those moments when we need to begin again? We … Continued

Service This Sunday, April 1

“Prayerfully Pro-Choice” with guest speaker Joan Kahn-Schneider.  Few issues seem to affect voters more than reproductive rights.  More than a few will cast their ballot on this single issue.  At the same time I have heard few thoughtful discussions on the subject.  Rather, a woman’s right to choose has disintegrated to political sound bites.  Choice … Continued

Sunday Service, March 25, 2012

“Welcoming a Stranger.”  Please join us as we welcome back to Hopedale Kaeden Kass, Education Chair for Spectrum (Miami’s undergraduate GLBTQ student organization).  Kaeden is bringing several other panel members for a Q & A discussion that continues our March theme of “welcoming the stranger”. Service leader Cindie Ulreich.

Sunday Service, March 18, 2012

“Born This Way.”  “I’m beautiful in my way, ‘cause God makes no mistakes, I’m on the right track, baby, I was born this way. Don’t hide yourself in regret, just love yourself and you’re set, I’m on the right track baby, I was born this way.” Student Minister Bruce Beisner will explore the theology behind … Continued

Sunday Service March 11, 2012

“The Book by its Cover.” Physical attributes provide multiple clues within our highly social human network about what we might expect from any individual. Some of these are controllable (dress, for instance) and others are not. Let us think together about ways in which we judge others and are ourselves judged by the complexity of … Continued