UUFA Links
UUFA Website
Weekly Updates
COVID-19 Numbers
Scheduled Events
Past Services
Past Services
January 2022 Theme: Living with Intention
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 <-- SMSC Meeting 10-11:30
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30 31
Jan 2 "Thousands of Answers" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick [54+ Connections]
11am Facilitators: Ralph Gandy
Octavia Butler advised a student, "there's no single answer
that will solve all of our future problems. There's no magic
bullet. Instead there are thousands of answers-at least. You
can be one of them if you choose to be." As we begin a new
year, what might we choose to be?
Jan 9 "Our Best Intentions" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick [57+ Connections]
11am Facilitators: Jan Cook
Charles Duhigg writes, "Once you understand that habits can
change, you have the freedom - and the responsibility - to
remake them. Once you understand that habits can be rebuilt,
the power becomes easier to grasp, and the only option left is
to get to work." A new year carries the invitation to live
into our UU values with our best intentions. What might this
have to do with remaking habits?
Jan 16 "Rev. Mark Morrison-Reed" Speakers: Amy Slagell [60+ Connections]
11am Facilitators: Ralph Gandy
Jan 23 "Becoming the Rainbow Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick [58+ Connections]
11am (pre-recorded and live)" Board Welcome: Sam Ose
Facilitators: James Parrin, Sarah Carlson
The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum offers mythical insights and
illumination on how we embody the journey to come of age in a
changing and challenging world. Each character personifies
aspects of the developmental journey we each make as seekers:
developing our minds and hearts with courage and speaking
truth to power. We're off to see the wizard of ourselves in
this service of fantasy, fun, and spiritual growth!
Jan 30 "Without Hesitation" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick [61+ Connections]
11am Board Welcome: Sarah Carlson
Facilitators: Sarah Carlson, Ralph Gandy
In her poem Intentions and Trust, Amy Loyd suggests that by
letting go of barriers that diminish our joy might open a more
genuine path to authenticity and trust. How might we change if
we believed in the best intentions of ourselves and others?
February 2022 Theme: Widening the Circle
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 <-- SMSC Meeting 10-11:30
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28
Feb 6 "Widening Our Faith" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick [57+ Connections]
11am Board Welcome: Christopher Chase
Facilitators: Jan Cook
The Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism represent how
we might be and how we should act with each other and the
larger world. Often, we have fallen short. How does the
mandate of the 8th Principle call us to be intentional in our
actions and how we understand, interpret, and share our UU
theological "container" which holds multiple religious
belongings and theological understandings?
Feb 13 "Side With Love Sunday" Speakers: UUA Recorded Service [43+ Connections]
11am Board Welcome: Keary Saul
Facilitators: SMSC (Dan Haug - Tech)
Feb 20 "Living Our Values" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick [61+ Connections]
11am Board Welcome: Sarah Carlson
Facilitators: Sarah Carlson
The UUA Commission on Institutional Change observes: "Our
internal work as people of faith is to be more inclusive,
equitable, and diverse while our external work is to be
accountable to those most affected by injustice." How might we
hear and follow the voices of those most at risk?
Feb 27 "Beyond Denial" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick
11am Board Welcome: Nichole Olsen
Facilitators: Amy Slagell
Ibram X. Kendi writes that "Fundamentally racism - its
heartbeat – has always been denial. And the sound of that
heartbeat has always been 'I'm not racist.'" His hope is to
eradicate the term “not racist” from the American vocabulary.
This would force us to recognize that we are either racist or
anti-racist in every thought, action, and deed. How might this
widen our understanding and experience of accountability to
ourselves, our ideas, our UU principles, and our country?
March 2022 Theme: Renewing Faith
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 <-- SMSC Meeting 10-11:30
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 <-- Spring Forward Mar 13
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 <-- Spring Equinox Mar 20, 10:33am CDT
27 28 29 30 31
Mar 6 Speakers: Guest minister: A.J. Galazen [57+ Connections]
11am Board Welcome: Sam Ose
Facilitators: Rev. Kent McKusick
Mar 13 "Filling the Cup Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick [40+ Connections]
11am in Front of Us" Board Welcome: David Brenner
Facilitators: Ralph Gandy
In her book Grace (Eventually), Anne Lamott weaves a tale of
skiing, questioning faith, and finding her way through
troubled times. Skiing was an “on ramp” to my spiritual life
over 60 years ago. How might lessons learned long ago inform
the way we move in the world today with renewed faith?
Mar 20 "Faith: it's not Speakers: Dan Haug [38+ Connections]
11am just for believers!" Board Welcome:
Facilitators: Sarah Carlson
The meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg claims that the
opposite of faith is not doubt, but despair. If this is true,
then regardless of whether one believes in a higher power, it
is possible to cultivate an attitude of trust in one another
and in the universe that will make it easier to bridge
divides, sort truth from misinformation, and begin to repair
our broken society.
Mar 27 "I Am Broken, Too:" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick [38+ Connections]
11am Board Welcome: Sarah Carlson
Facilitators: Sarah Carlson
In her book After the Good News, Nancy McDonald Ladd calls us
to renew our faith through greater authenticity and
truth-telling rather than blind optimism. She writes: "If
liberal religion is to step into a future of engaged,
anti-oppressive work, we will be called to serve not only
because others are broken or the system is broken, but
because, as Bryan Stevenson says, 'I am broken too.'"
April 2022 Theme: Awakening
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 <-- Ramadan Apr 2 - May 1
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 <-- SMSC Meeting 10-11:30
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 <-- Easter, Apr 17, Earth Day, Apr 22
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Apr 3 "Awakening to Beauty" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick [40+ Connections]
11am Board Welcome: Sam Ose
Facilitators: Dan Haug
Generosity Moment: Sam Wormley
The poet Frederick Turner writes "Beauty... is the highest
integrative level of understanding and the most comprehensive
capacity for effective action. It enables us to go with,
rather than against..." How can we awaken to beauty as a way
to embark on a journey of discovery, action, and hope?
Apr 10 "Wakening to Radical Dharma" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators: Sarah Carlson, Ralph Gandy
In her book Radical Dharma, the Rev. Angel Kyodo Williams
challenges us to understand that social liberation requires
personal liberation. Radical Dharma sets out to apply Buddhist
ideals and principles to the plight of African-Americas who
persistently seek liberation from marginalization and other
prisons imposed on them by bigoted advocates of sexism,
homophobia, and transphobia. From this perspective, what does
liberation look like, and where does it live?
Apr 17 "You Are the Resurrection " Speakers: Amy Slagell
11am [Easter] Board Welcome:
Facilitators: Amy Slagell, Ralph Gandy
Apr 24 "UCC Interfaith Earth Day" Speakers: Many Congregations (Ames)
10:30am [Virtual Only] Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
May 2022 Theme: Nurturing Beauty
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
May 1 "Nurturing Laughter" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators: kitty Fisher
May 1st is World Laughter Day! Laughter... affects our bodies,
our minds, our emotions, and our spirits in a healing,
connecting, and health promoting way. Laughter is a spiritual
practice. Cultivating a sense of humor in response to life is
something we can choose to do.
May 8 Speakers: SMSC service
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators: Ralph Gandy, Amy Slagell
May 15 "Nurturing Radical Self Love" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators: Dan Haug
Generosity:
In The Body is Not an Apology, Sonya Renee Taylor encourages
us to love every facet of our body. Radical self-love has the
capacity to dismantle systems of oppression when we interrupt
the systems that perpetuate body shame and oppression against
all bodies.
May 22 "RE Sunday" Speakers: (Kent will work with Janelle)
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
May 29 "Starting Over or Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick
10am Continuing the Journey?" Board Welcome:
Facilitators: Jan Cook
Generosity:
What might happen if a celebrated black historian decides to
go to art school at the age of 64? The story of Nell Painter
is a story of how women and artists are seen and judged by
their age, looks, and race. What does it mean when someone
says, "You will never be an artist"? Who defines what an
artist is and all that goes with such an identity, and how are
these ideas tied to our shared conceptions of beauty, value,
and difference?
June 2022 Theme: Nurturing Beauty
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 <-- SMSC Meeting 10-11:30
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 <-- Summer Solstice Jun 21 4:14 am CDT
26 27 28 29 30 <-- GA Jun 22-26
Jun 5 "Woven in a Single Garment Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick
11am of Destiny" Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Generosity:
Jun 12 "Something Amazing" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators: Sarah Carlsen
Generosity:
Jun 19 "State of the UUFA" Speakers: Sue Koehrsen (Gen Team)
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators: Kitty Fisher, Dan Haug
Jun 26 "Another Amazing Service" Speakers: Rev. Kent McKusick
11am [Kent's Last Service] Board Welcome:
Facilitators: Kay Puttock
July 2022 Theme:
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
All July Services are Virtual Only
Jul 3 Speakers: Matthew Farris
10am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Jul 10 Speakers:
10am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Jul 17 Speakers:
10am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Generosity:
Jul 24 Speakers:
10am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Generosity:
Jul 31 Speakers:
10am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Generosity:
August 2022 Theme:
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31
Aug 7 Speakers:
10am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Aug 14 Speakers:
10am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Aug 21 Speakers:
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Generosity:
Aug 28 Speakers:
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Generosity:
September 2022 Theme: Belonging
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 <-- fall equinox Sep 22 8:04 pm CDT
25 26 27 28 29 30
Sep 4 Speakers:
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Sep 11 Speakers:
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Sep 18 Speakers:
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Generosity:
Sep 25 Speakers:
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Generosity:
October 2022 Theme: Courage
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30 31
Oct 2 Speakers:
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Oct 9 Speakers:
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Oct 16 Speakers:
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Oct 23 Speakers:
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators:
Oct 30 Speakers:
11am Board Welcome:
Facilitators: Generosity:
November 2022 Theme: Change
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30
December 2022 Theme: Wonder
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 <-- winter solstice Dec 21 3:48 pm CST
25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Hanukkah Dec 18-26
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
September: Belonging
October: Courage
November: Change
December: Wonder
January: Finding Our Center
February: Love
March: Vulnerability
April: Resistance
May: Creativity
June: Delight
Ref: UUA Resources
Ref: Soul Matters Themes
Ref: UU Music Online
Ref: Index Of Hymn Titles In Singing The Living Tradition
Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_the_Living_Tradition
Ref: Hymns in Singing the Living Tradition
This is a particularly powerful sentence from our Generosity
Team: "Our budget assigns money to categories like staff,
building maintenance, and supplies, but actually it's for
inspiration and friendships and teaching children and
provocative worship and for changing the world".
Ref: https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html?year=2000&n=5815
406107-033051