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: “Taking a Breath” - Too often we run around helter-skelter, trying to do too much at once, and we forget to allow breathing room in our lives. At the beginning of this Lenten season, we consider how our lives might breathe a bit better. And how, paradoxically, doing so gives us greater power.

Personnel Committee, 8:30 a.m. (Classroom C1)

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

Youth Group Parents Meeting, 9:30 a.m. (Classroom C7)

Religious Education classes for children, 10 a.m.

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

Fair Trade Coffee sales, 11 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

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

Utah Red Rock Presentation, 11:15 a.m. (Clark Room)

RE Committee Meeting, 11:15 a.m.

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

Covenant Group, 11:30 a.m. (Classroom C8)

Worship Committee, 12:00 p.m. (Hosmer Room)

Free Speakers, 7 p.m. (Clark Room)

Tags: Adult Education, Children, Fair Trade coffee, Fellowship, Music, Religious Education, 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: “Threshold” - For each of us, there sometimes comes a time when we stand on the cusp of a threshold experience where we either have to jump into the unknown or make a decision of great importance. The in-between times of our lives can be times of great power and richness.

The First Unitarian Choir sings this morning.

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

Religious Education classes for children, 10 a.m.

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

Fair Trade Coffee sales, 11 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

Governance Task Force Meeting, 11 a.m. (Hosmer Room)

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

Spring Equinox Planning, 11:15 a.m. (Clark Room)

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

Knitting Ministry, 11:30 a.m. (Classroom C8)

Free Speakers, 7 p.m. (Clark Room)

Tags: Adult Education, Children, Fair Trade coffee, Fellowship, Knitting Ministry, Music, Religious Education, Sermons, Social Responsibility, Sunday morning, Worship by admin

Sermon by Rev. Samuel Schaal, Transition Minister: “Praise and Protest” - We widely celebrate the work of Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr., but what about the work of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.? What is the spiritual contribution of the African-American civil rights movement to American culture? What could we learn from this legacy?

The First Unitarian Church Choir sings this morning.

Please bring your Guest At Your Table box to turn in this morning.

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

Religious Education classes for children, 10 a.m.

Fair Trade Coffee Sales, 11 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

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

RE Committee Meeting, 11:15 a.m. (Classroom C1)

Covenant Group, 11:30 a.m. (Classroom C8)

Worship Commiteee, 12 p.m. (Hosmer Room)

Free Speakers, 7 p.m. (Clark Room)

Tags: Adult Education, Children, Fair Trade coffee, Music, Religious Education, 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 Rev. Samuel Schaal, Transition Minister, for Jazz Sunday: “Our Improvisional Lives” - Jazz is the sound of surprise - often requiring a play-as-you-go skill. Like our lives. We will explore improvisation as a spiritual tool in navigating the challenges of life. We welcome jazz musicians Rick Haydon and Friends.

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

Religious Education classes for children, 10 a.m. (Children’s Chapel Sunday)

Fair Trade Coffee Sales, 11 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

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

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

Free Speakers, 7 p.m. (Clark Room)

Tags: Adult Education, Children, Fair Trade coffee, Knitting Ministry, Ministry, Music, Religious Education, Sermons, 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

Sermon by Rev. Kalen Fristad, Guest Minister: “Universalism: Past, Present, and Powerful” – Sometimes the more neglected of our merged traditions, Universalism’s rich history gives us much modern wisdom. What is the significance of the Universalist teaching for these days?

The Rev. Kanel Fristad is an ordained United Methodist minister now embarked on an independent national ministry proclaiming the hopeful message of Universalism.

This morning’s Special Collection will benefit Gateway Homeless Services.

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

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

Committee Fair, 11 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

Fair Trade Coffee sales, 11 a.m. (Fellowship Hall)

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

OWL Parent Orientation, 11:30 a.m. (Clark Room)

Covenant Group, 11:30 a.m. (Classroom C8)

Free Speakers, 7 p.m. (Clark Room)

Tags: Adult Education, Children, Fair Trade coffee, Music, Program Council, Religious Education, Sermons, Social Responsibility, Sunday morning, Worship by admin

Thanks to your generosity, the recently renamed Children’s Choir, now known as Hope Choir, has raised enough money in a series of fundraising activities to purchase choir robes. Hope Choir plans to debut the new robes this fall.

All children age 6 and up are invited to join us as we launch our second year–no experience necessary! For more information about the choir and its upcoming fall schedule, please contact Betsy at hope.choir@firstuustlouis.org.

Tags: Children, Music by admin