News and Announcements

Sermon by Rev. Samuel Schaal, Transition Minister: “To Preach the Truth: A Sermon About Sermons” - The capital secret of ministry, said Emerson, is to “convert life into truth.” The sermon, which is the center of our worship experience, proclaims the word - not one specific truth claim to define truth for all time, but of universal truths which are found in our own experience and in our wells of wisdom. How can the free pulpit and the free pew lead us to deeper truth?

The First Unitarian Church Choir sings this morning.

Adult Education, 9 a.m.
- Transcendentalists (Clark Room)

Green Sanctuary Committee Meeting, 9 a.m. (Classroom C8)

Sandwich-making for the Homeless, 9:15 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

Religious Education classes for children, 10 a.m.

OWL Classes, 10 a.m. (Classroom C8)

Youth Sunday Rehearsal, 11 a.m. (Sanctuary)

Hope Children’s Choir, 11:15 a.m. (Choir Room)

Adult Education, 11:30 a.m.
- Bible Study (Classroom C1)

Holy Conversations, 11:30 a.m. (Hope Chapel)

Memorial Service, 3:00 p.m. (Sanctuary)

Tags: Adult Education, Children, Green Sanctuary, Ministry, Music, Religious Education, Sandwich-making, Sermons, Social Responsibility, Sunday morning, Worship by admin

Sermon by Rev. Samuel Schaal, Transition Minister: “Standing on the Side of Love” - On this Valentine’s Day, we speak of love. Love is more than a pleasant feeling. Love is a verb and an ethic, a way of being in the world. How might each of us be an expression of love? How might our congregation be an institution of living love?

The First Unitarian Church Choir sings this morning.

Special Collection Sunday to benefit the YWCA Transitional Housing Program.

Adult Education, 9 a.m.
- Transcendentalists (Clark Room)

Sandwich-making for the homeless, 9:15 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

Religious Education classes for children, 10 a.m.

OWL Classes, 10 a.m. (Classroom C8)

Hope Children’s Choir, 11:15 a.m. (Choir Room)

Holy Conversations, 11:30 a.m. (Hope Chapel)

Adult Education, 11:30 a.m.
- Bible Study (Classroom C1)

Tags: Adult Education, Children, Fellowship, Music, Religious Education, Sandwich-making, Sermons, Social Responsibility, Sunday morning, Worship by admin

Sermon by Rev. Samuel Schaal, Transition Minister: “The Coming Church” - On January 26, 1835, the First Congregational Society of St. Louis, the oldest of our two precedent congregations, was formally organized. Our 175th anniversary begins a year of celebrating our heritage. As we look backward, we also look forward to the Coming Church.

The First Unitarian Church Choir sings this morning.

Special Collection Sunday to benefit Voices for Children, which works to ensure safe and stable homes for children.

Adult Education, 9 a.m.
- Transcendentalists (Clark Room)
- Bible Study (Classroom C1)

Religious Education classes for children, 10 a.m.

Green Sanctuary Committee meeting, 9 a.m. (Classroom C8)

Sandwich-making for the homeless, 9:15 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

OWL Classes, 10 a.m. (Classroom C8)

Second Chance Auction, 11 a.m.

Hope Children’s Choir, 11:15 a.m. (Choir Room)

175th Anniversary Celebration, 12 p.m. (Sanctuary)

Tags: Adult Education, Auction, Children, Green Sanctuary, Religious Education, Sandwich-making, Sermons, Social Responsibility, Sunday morning, Worship by admin

Sermon by Rev. Samuel Schaal, Transition Minister: “Faithful Doubt” - Maybe doubt is not an enemy of faith, but a key to help us go deeper and discover more nourishing springs. Can agnosticism be a spiritual practice?

Adult Education, 9 a.m.
- Transcendentalists (Clark Room)
- Bible Study (Classroom C1)

Religious Education classes for children, 10 a.m.

Sandwich-making for the homeless, 9:15 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

Hope Children’s Choir, 11:15 a.m. (Choir Room)

Spring Teacher Mini Orientation, 11:15 a.m. (Clark Room)

Care and Concern Committee, 11:15 a.m. (Classroom C1)

Covenant Group, 12:15 p.m. (Classroom C8)

Tags: Adult Education, Children, Ministry, Music, Religious Education, Sandwich-making, Sermons, Social Responsibility, Sunday morning, Worship by admin

Sermon by Lynn Y. Hunt, Credentialed Religious Educator: “Look on the Bright Side of Life” - Years ago, I noticed a church bulletin board sign that read “American ends in ‘I Can’.” Positive thinking has long been a part of our national consciousness and influence in American religious traditions. Come explore the implications of positivity in our institutions and individual lives.

Adult Education, 9 a.m.
- Bible Study (Classroom C1)

Religious Education classes for children are not being held this morning.

Sandwich-making for the homeless, 9:15 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

Green Sanctuary Committee, 9 a.m. (Classroom C8)

Tags: Adult Education, Children, Green Sanctuary, Religious Education, Sandwich-making, Sermons, Speakers, Sunday morning, Worship by admin

Sermon by Rev. Samuel Schaal, Transition Minister: “Our Pilgrim Church” - In our annual Thanksgiving service, we celebrate both our history as part of this nation’s Puritan-Pilgrim experience and our place as contemporary pilgrims of the spirit. We’ll enjoy Cornbread Communion as part of the service.

Guest at Your Table boxes will be distributed: Guest at Your Table supports the work of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, an independent human rights organization. Every time you have a meal or snack, make a monetary contribution to the box to share the blessing and bounty of your meal and home with others around the world. The boxes will be collected and one donation made to the UUSC in the name of our church.

Adult Education, 9 a.m.
- Transcendentalist Movement (Clark Room)
- Bible Study (Classroom C1)
- Transylvanian Unitarianism (Classroom C8)

Religious Education for children, 10 a.m. (Education wing)

Green Sanctuary committee meeting, 9:00 a.m.

Sandwich-making for the homeless, 9:15 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

Hope Children’s Choir Rehearsal, 11:15 a.m. (Choir Room)

Care and Concern Committee meeting, 11:15 a.m. (Clark Room)

Winter Solstice meeting, 11:15 a.m. (Classroom C1)

Tags: Adult Education, Children, Green Sanctuary, Music, Religious Education, Sandwich-making, Sermons, Sunday morning, UUSC, Unitarian Universalists, Worship by admin

Rev. Samuel Schaal’s sermon: “The True Confessions of a Struggling Minister” — Our congregation has elected a ministerial search committee. Now is a good time to open the conversation on the ministerial life: Why do people seek ministry as a vocation? Why is preaching so scary? What is the relationship of the pulpit and the pew? What will most ministers not tell their congregations? (Hint: I’ll tell you!)

Adult Education, 9 a.m.
– Transcendentalist Movement (Clark Room)
– Bible Study (Classroom C1)

Social Responsibility, 9:15 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)
Sandwich-Making for the Homeless

Knitting Ministry Group, 11:15 a.m. (Classroom C1)

Hope Children’s Choir Rehearsal, 11:15 a.m. (Choir Room)

Tags: Adult Education, Knitting Ministry, Sandwich-making, Social Responsibility, Sunday morning, Worship by admin

August 10 and August 24: Beginning at 10 a.m. on these Sundays, we make 200 bag lunches and deliver them to the Gateway Homeless Services shelter. We also need help, financial and physical, purchasing ingredients and delivering finished lunches. To volunteer, just come down to the kitchen or contact Lia or Stan at sandwich-making@firstuustlouis.org.

Tags: Sandwich-making, Social Responsibility by admin

July 13 and July 27: Beginning at 10 a.m. on these Sundays, we make 200 bag lunches and deliver them to the Gateway Homeless Services shelter. We also need help, financial and physical, purchasing ingredients and delivering finished lunches. To volunteer, just come down to the kitchen or contact Lia or Stan at sandwich-making@firstuustlouis.org.

Tags: Sandwich-making, Social Responsibility by admin