UU Fellowship of Lima Sunday Services

2015-2016 Sunday Services Schedule

Title	Speaker	Description
Celebrating Renewal	Congregation	Our Annual In-Gathering Water Service. Performed by the congregants, this program emphasizes the continuity of life. It commemorates past services and persons while welcoming the coming year. Each person, informally and voluntarily, pours a little water into a communal bowl while describing his/her summer activities, feelings, or thoughts.
The Great Mystery	Rev. Tim Barger	In our faith of seekers, what might be our search? Are there ends to religious exploration? Or, as in the Iris DeMent song, do we just let the mystery be? Theme: Transitions
Growing Old Isn't For Sissies	Rev. Ray Michel	A homily for us all. In many ways it certainly isn't easy going through the aging problem especially for seniors. In a humorous manner Rev. Michel will be making the best of the many problems senior citizens must deal with while growing older. The message will be helpful in aiding older folks to better understand and deal with many problems encountered by senior citizens while growing older.
Dualing Disciplines: Gothic Literature and Unitarian Universalism	Holly Norton	The study of Gothic literature requires examining the dualistic nature of human experience; for example, weakness vs. strength, entrapment vs. freedom, and the subconscious vs. the conscious. Some may see this as incompatible with Unitarian Universalism and prefer a vision of oneness for human experience and spirituality. However, in today's talk, Dr. Norton will argue that exploring the kind of dualism that can be found in Gothic literature can help UUs (and followers of any other religion) appreciate not only the inherent worth and dignity of every person but also the inherent complexity of humanity. Service Leader: Chuck Wolfe -->
Shamanism: The Mysterious Art of Soul	Sherry Cottle Graham	Sherry haswritten two historical fiction novels, Blood Brothers: The Forgotten Children of the Mound Buildersand Blood Brothers: The Night of the Wolf. She is currently working on her third book,Blood Brothers: The Bear Walker. Sherryis active in Friends of Serpent Mounds and is friends with many international historical researchers. She travels to various events, visits the sacred sites, lectures, and is friends with many Native Americans who share their legends and culture with her. Sheuses this information to weave into her stories as she strives to revive this mysterious gap in America?s history.
A Humanist Approach to the Supernatural	Rev. Tim Barger	One aspect of humanism is reliance on the natural, on science and reason. How do we deal with what some call the supernatural?
Spirits from the Campfire: Indigenous Religions & Beliefs	Judy Decker	Presentation will introduce some of the religious beliefs of the Dogon and Bamana of Mali - through a selection of their art work. Next will be a story from the Northwest Coast Native Americans - from the Salmon Clan. The talk will conclude with a brief presentation of the Creation Story of the Iroquois and the Shawnee story of Grandmother Sky (life after death). Music and readings during the service will be Native American.
Changing Seasons Outreach Program	Maha Zehery	Changing Seasons is a non-profit agency which provides an outreach and drop-in center, a safe haven and help program for persons with mental health issues or persons addicted or recovered or homeless. Our purpose is to foster recovery by providing individual awareness and contact while building skills and daily adjustment.
Contemplative Tea Ceremony	Joshua Elstro, Program Leader	Special tea will be provided. Everyone will experience new and ancient tea traditions.
You're Welcome	Rev. Tim Barger	We give thanks, but we also need the grace and manners to acknowledge what is done for us. Theme: Thanks
Being Thankful	Group participation	Enter the spirit of giving thanks through a celebration of life and a meal of life. All are welcome, bring a plate to share.
Respecting Humanity: The Write for Rights Campaign	Carla Thompson	Carla Thompson will speak about this powerful Amnesty International event for writing letters and sending emails to help convince government officials to release people imprisoned for expressing their opinions, stop the use of torture, commute death sentences, and end other human rights abuse.
Deities are Born	Chuck Wolfe, MS	Many religions of the world share stories of how their gods and goddess were conceived and born. Drawing from Native American, Christian, Greek, Roman and Egyptian lore we will explore those stories and discuss their similar themes, differences and how those stories shaped their religious practice and thought and how they continue to influence our own religious spiritual practice and outlook.
Dylan Thomas Christmas	John Bell
Looking into the Past, Present & Future to Welcome the New Year	Group Sharing	As a group, we will listen to songs and readings about the past, present, and future as well as share our own thoughts to welcome the New Year.
CUP Churches United Pantry	Mary Stepleton	Mary Stepleton, President of the Board of Churches United Pantry (CUP) will talk about how CUP, a food pantry, serves the food needs of the local population.
Islam	Earl Lhamon
Awakening Heroism.	Rev. Tim Barger	We'll look at superheroes, the Force, and using Unitarian Universalism as a heroic guide.
Intentional Communities	Chuck Wolfe	The presentation will cover how new beginnings through intentional communities have a ffected people directly and society at large through the ages. We will discuss three intentional communities; The Essences a disaffected religious Jewish sect who broke away from the main Judaic establishment around the time of Jesus Christ. The Harmonist who created the New Harmony Community who created a skill based and learning community in 1840's Indiana. Finally the 21st Century intentional community of Twin Oaks a community based on B.F. Skinner's book Walden Two.located in Virginia. Also we will examine how we can create on own intentional living space to begin our personal new beginnings.
Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor	Judy Gilbert	The concept that we are a nation of immigrants is entwined in the mythology of the United States. Yet we have a contradictory attitude toward immigration. We will explore our history - who came here?, when?, why?, how many? - and also our legislation that flip-flops between being welcoming or restrictive to immigration. Today, immigration reform is one of the major and most controversial issues in the country. How did we become so divided over an issue so ingrained in the fabric of our nation?
The Bible & Assyrian Kings	Cris Elstro
The King We Don't Know	Rev. Richard Venus	In honor of Black History Month, Reverend Richard Venus will discuss how, In Dr. Martin Luther King?s own time, he would say repeatedly, ?I am nevertheless greatly saddened . . . that the inquirers have not really known me, my commitment, or my calling.? Prior to Dr. King?s death, 72 percent of whites and 55 percent of blacks disapproved of his opposition to the Vietnam War and his efforts to eradicate poverty in America. Much of the black leadership attacked or shunned him. Valentine's Brunch following service. Bring a dish to share.
Standing on the Side of Love	Rev. Tim Barger
Love Songs	Paul Reiser	A presentation about jazz love songs featuring the music of six African American male and female vocalists.
Clara Barton & Florence Nightingale- Unitarian Universalist Women of Action!	Judy Decker and Anne Edwards	The Lima Unitarian Universalist Fellowship celebrates Womens' History Month, and the LIma UU Fellowship's month of Unitarian Universalist History with a glance back at two women who acted out their convictions....so timely, so relevant!
My Spiritual Journey as a Sufi	Dr. Tarig Rizvi	Dr. Tariq Rizvi will speak on his spiritual journey as Sufi Muslim, and about growing up in India and celebrating Indian and Muslim holidays.
An Expanded Humanism: The 'Conversion' of John Dietrich	Rev. Tim Barger	A sermon based on Rev. Barger's original research into one of the founding fathers of religious humanism and his late-in-life examination of theism. Dietrich was the longtime minister of First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis.
Children's Program	Jacob King and Carla Thompson
The Bible as an 'Antique Volume Written by Faded Men': Emily Dickinson's Ambivalence Toward Religion	Dr. Holly Norton	Although it is not clear that she ever proclaimed herself a Unitarian, Emily Dickinson's poems show an exploration of religion that is very much in line with the Unitarian-Universalist spirit of questioning. In this presentation in honor of National Poetry Month, we will explore Dickinson's ambivalence toward religion as shown in her poems.
How the First Folio Saved Shakespeare	Dr. David Adams	At Shakespeare's death, April 23, 1616, half of his plays were unpublished. Thanks to friends John Heminges and Henry Condell, who published the First Folio (1623), we have the missing plays including The Tempest, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, and The Taming of the Shrew.
Tender	Rev. Tim Barger
Tree Service	Congregation lead by Carla Thompson	An adaptation of the ancient Jewish festival Tu Bishvat. We look at the natural world with wonder and celebrate the abundance of earth's resources. We read aloud descriptive text interspersed with songs and savor a variety of fruits, grains, nuts, honey and wine. We reaffirm our responsibility to be caretakers of this creation and to commit to meaningful policies that affect environmental integrity.
Crossroads in the Community	Emily Wrencher	Emily Wrencher is Executive Director of the Crossroads Crisis Center
Abraham of Three Faces, Where Are You?	Chuck Wolfe	The presentation will cover the three faces of Abraham the father of the three great world religions--Islam, Judaism and Christianity. We will explore the biblical story of Abraham and how it became the source story for the three great religions. Those interpretations shaped the community of the great religions and sowed the seeds of conflict among them.
Fellowship and Community	Rev. Tim Barger	In Fellowship and Community, we'll look at aspects of congregation and the larger location. As a fellowship, we support one another in our religious lives, but we also want an open circle to welcome others within, and to join with other circles in the Lima community and beyond. Annual meeting will follow the service.
LACCA Building Community	Jackie Fox	LACCA is one of the largest human service agencies in Allen County and serves the diverse community of Lima and Allen County. LACCA provides services for Day Care, Housing assistance, and Educational Programs. Their mission is to build community, assist people in need, provide support and educational services. Executive Director Jackie Fox will describe how these sevices address the goal of building a better and stronger community
UU Flower Commun	Service leader: Holly Norton	Each person brings a single flower and places it in a large vase with all the others, symbolizing the individuals in the church community. The collection expresses the unity, attractiveness, and shared responsibility that enables group action and fellowship. At the end of the service, each person takes home a flower not his/her own, symbolizing acceptance of the individuality that underlies our group energy and interests. The annual meeting with a brown bag lunch will follow the service.

There are not regular Sunday Services over the summer. An occasional special service may be scheduled. Regular Sunday Services will resume in September. Watch this space in mid August for next year's scheduled

Click here for last year's services. 2014-2015

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Congregation at Sunday Service

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Recent & Upcoming Sunday Services

Our new year opens with the Ingathering Water Service

The Great Serpent Mound is a prehistoric effigy mound in southern Ohio datind to about 300 BCE

Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of Lima, Ohio

Sunday Services

2015-2016 Sunday Services Schedule

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Recent & Upcoming Sunday Services