Open discussion group based on UU Values, Clarification of Thought: Wednesdays, 7-8:30 PM Details on the online calendar and at the News & Events tab above.

Thanksgiving Food Drive, now through Friday, November 8: Help provide holiday meals for our neighbors who seek help from the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry. Details at the News & Events tab above.

Cup of Kindness Cafe: Fridays, October 4 & 18, 7-10 PM All are welcome for FREE coffee, snacks, and great conversation. Details on the online calendar and at the News & Events tab above.

Cooking for Sustainability: Sundays, October 27 & November 10, 1-2:30 PM Registration required by the Friday evening before each session. Explore delicious, simple meal preparation from farm to table, with sustainability in mind! Details on the online calendar and at the News & Events tab above.

Religious Exploration experiences for all ages, K-adult, offered on Sundays, October 6 & 20 at 10 AM. Details of Chalice Circles are on the online calendar and at the News & Events tab above.

Reservations due by 12 noon on Wednesday, October 9 for Wednesday, October 23 luncheon honoring eight agencies, from the past year of Share the Plate giving, for their commitment to a better community. Details on the online calendar.

Learn about upcoming events on the online calendar.

Speak as if God is listening. Listen as if God is speaking. Speak as if Spirit is speaking through you. Listen as if Spirit is listening through you. — Alexandra Bell, on Quaker Practice

Things that go bump in my head

October is a wonderful month for the transition between the balmy summer and the clarifying cool of fall. We put away the toys and tools of summer, in order to not only enjoy the charms of fall, but to prepare for the winter. We begin to slow down our rapid pace and even become more reflective. I seem to reflect on the metaphors of fall—The “dying” of Nature all around us, even the “celebration” of Halloween—as a way we contemplate our “mortality.”

In the past month or so, I have had to do a lot more reflective thinking about what “death” means to me. I have “lost” a couple of colleagues/friends. I have become deeply aware of the “loss” endured by members and friends of our faith community.

It occurs to me that due to our strong Humanist leanings, many of us keep our deepest feelings buried inside of us. In the coming year, it is my intention to have some open and private conversations about this “taboo” subject.

But…I need your interest and help.  Please, reach out to me (in confidence, of course) so that we can definitely develop the guidelines for this healing conversation. Death, Loss, & Grief are all part of Life. Let us lean into each other to make it part of our spiritual journey and growth.

I Remain,
At Your Service, 
Rev. Ron