Spirit Study
Living a life of meaning and spiritual depth takes more than reading books about religion and spirituality. It requires intention, reflection, and a commitment to praxis. Praxis is the process of practicing what one is learning.
Spirit Study is usually a 10-month invitation to learning, practice, and reflection; this year our study series will run for 7 months, due to Rev. Sharon’s sabbatical that ended in November 2022. Our 2022-23 study topic is UU Values and Covenant, reflecting on the proposed changes to the Unitarian Universalist Association’s (UUA’s) Article 2 (pdf). Our study year this year runs from November 2022 through June 2023.
This sermon series is available for viewing on Chalice’s YouTube channel.
Love
June 11 – “Are We Really Supposed to Love Our Enemies?” This is the final service in our 7-part series “UU Values and Covenant.”
Transformation
April 16 – “How Unitarian Universalism Changed My Life” Several of our Chalice congregants will share their reflections on the transforming power of our faith tradition. This is the sixth service in our 7-part series “UU Values and Covenant.”
Equity
March 26 – “Made Invisible” Today we mark International Transgender Day of Visibility, which occurs annually on March 31. The day is dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide. This is the fifth service in our 7-part series “UU Values and Covenant.”
Interdependence
February 12 – “How to Make Friends” Making friends is so hard to do that people often use social media to ask for advice on how to do it, venting to each other about the pain of loneliness. Even within a church community like Chalice, it can take time to make connections beyond Sunday morning. This morning we’ll share our tips and tricks for making friends. This is the fourth service in our 7-part series “UU Values and Covenant.”
Justice
January 15 – “Living into the 8th Principle” In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we consider the challenges of moving more deeply into antiracism work. This is the third service in our 7-part series “UU Values and Covenant.”
Pluralism
December 18 – “Winter Solstice” Let’s celebrate the shortest day of the year! This is the second service in our 7-part series “UU Values and Covenant.” This is the fourth Sunday of Advent.
Generosity
November 20 – “Chalice Soup and Founders Day” Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on and to share our communal abundance, with special appreciation for our founding members. Please bring vegetarian soup ingredients for our communal soup. This is the first service in our 7-part series “UU Values and Covenant,” exploring proposed revisions to the bylaws of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Previous Spirit Study topics:
- 2021-22. Listening to Black Preachers sermon series. Read more here.
- 2020-21. Healing Trauma, informed by the book My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem.
- 2019-20. Resiliency, informed by the book The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
- 2018-19. UU Theologies, informed by the book A House for Hope: The Promise of Progressive Religion for the Twenty-First Century by John Buehrens and Rebecca Parker
- 2017-18. Active Hope, informed by the book Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re In Without Going Crazy by Chris Johnstone and Joanna Macy
- 2016-17. Compassionate Living, informed by the book Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong
- 2015-16. Gifts of Imperfection, informed by The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brené Brown