03/31/2022 by Shannon Day

Our Separate Fires Will Kindle One Flame – featuring the Worship Team and Rainier Reunion

Click here to join the livestream of this worship service at 10:30 am on Sunday, April 10th. Inspired by the hymn, “Gather the Spirit,” the Worship Team and Rainier Reunion will present Westside’s return to hybrid worship, with some members and friends assembling in the Sanctuary and others joining connecting remotely by live stream.  At this time of congregational transition, we’ll celebrate our love of gathering and reconnecting through words and song, and will honor the beginning of the Passover. This service will be our return to hybrid worship.  We will gather both in the sanctuary and online via the

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03/21/2022 by Shannon Day

Once Again at the Threshold – Rev. Rachel Hayes with Lisa Reitzes

Click here to join the livestream of this worship service at 10:30 am on Sunday, March 27th at 10:30 am. As we prepare to return to our Sanctuary on April 3, our community finds itself once again on the threshold of transition, needing to revision the immediate and long arc of our future as a congregation. Our visiting speaker, the Rev. Rachael Hayes, will use the model of the octopus to encourage us to find wholehearted ways to stay engaged, and to find connection by moving from the center out. Order of Service Prelude Call to Community: Courage, My Friend,

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03/02/2022 by Shannon Day

Turning to One Another – Elizabeth Dickinson with Lisa Reitzes

Click here to join the livestream of this worship service at 10:30 am on Sunday, March 13. Westside UU Congregation has just joined the statewide, interfaith Faith Action Network (FAN)! What does that mean for you, and for FAN? What can we learn about building community from one another? Elizabeth Dickinson is the Partnership Coordinator with the Faith Action Network. She is passionately committed to justice advocacy and community-building as central dimensions of our sacred being and calling. Contact info is at Elizabeth Dickinson, Partnership Coordinator at FAN Order of Service Prelude Ringing of the Bell Call to Community: Courage,

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02/28/2022 by Shannon Day

Courage, My Love – Mia Shaughnessy & Rainier Reunion

Click here to join the livestream of this worship service at 10:30 am on Sunday, March 6. Order of Service Prelude Ringing of the Bell Call to Community: Courage, My Friend Welcome and Invitation Opening Words Chalice Lighting & Congregational Affirmation: Hymn: 1015 I Know I Can Time for All Ages – Charlie’s Best Work Yet, by Ris iRAWniQ Anderson read by Mia Offering: Sound Generations Gift of Music: Fiddle Tune Joys and Sorrows Spiritual Practice Personal Reflection Anthem: Learn to Fly – Mary Grigolia Sermon Sending Hymn: Lead with Love – Melanie DeMore Closing Words and Releasing the Flame

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02/22/2022 by Shannon Day

Why UUs Love Institutions – Dan McKanan

Unitarian Universalists sometimes think of ourselves as rebels and individualists, but in fact we LOVE institutions! Throughout our history, we have responded to institutional crises in the larger society by creating new institutions that are aligned with our values. We are called to do the same today. As twentieth century institutions collapse in the face of populism and the pandemic, we can use our love of institutions to bless the world. Click here to join the livestream of this worship service at 10:30am on Sunday, February 27. Order of Service Ringing of the Bell Call to Community: Everything Hurt is

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02/08/2022 by Shannon Day

The Seven Deadly Words – Rev. Christopher Wulff with Chris Darnell

Click here to join the livestream of this worship service at 10:30 am on Sunday, February 20th.   Order of Service Prelude Ringing of the Bell Call to Community: Everything Hurt is Healed Again (words and music by Starhawk (from Kore’s Chant), arr. Kathleen Tracy Welcome and Invitation Opening Words, Chalice Lighting & Congregational Affirmation: Hymn: Morning Has Come Time for All Ages – Change Sings Offering: Unitarian Universalist Trauma Response Ministry Gift of Music: I Know This Rose Will Open Joys and Sorrows: Personal Reflection Sermon Sending Hymn: A Change is Coming Announcements, Closing Words and Releasing the Flame

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02/07/2022 by Shannon Day

Don’t Fence Me In – Rev. Christopher Wulff with Larry Brennan

Click here to join the livestream of this worship service at 10:30 am on Sunday, February 13th. When the Andrews Sisters sang, Don’t Fence Me In, they gave voice to the desire to be unconstrained, to be free to be ourselves. But that freedom to be ourselves requires that we also love others as themselves, and that can be so hard when we’re changing, transforming people all the time. How do our relationships, romantic and otherwise, ask of us to make space for our changing selves and the changes in others? How do we hold our commitments with love and

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02/02/2022 by Shannon Day

Moving, Not Standing – Rev. Christopher Wulff

A little more than a century ago, Lewis Fisher, dean of the Ryder Divinity School in Chicago, a Universalist seminary, wrote “Universalists are often asked to tell where they stand. But the only true answer to give to this question is that we do not stand at all, we move.” In this month when we’re exploring transformation and change, at personal, relational, congregational and social levels, we begin with the question, “How do we change?” We’ll explore this with the help of Michael Pollan, adrienne maree brown, and a very hungry caterpillar. Worship Associate Mia Shaughnessy will lead us in

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01/24/2022 by Shannon Day

What Do Y’all Believe, Anyway? – Rev. Christopher Wulff

Click here to join the livestream of this worship service on Sunday, January 30 at 10:30 am. For most of us it’s a good piece of work to reflect on that answer for ourselves from time to time. And it’s probably easier for most of us to answer that question as individuals than it is to answer for our community, our tradition. Within this congregation we have folks who come from all kinds of experiences, and all kinds of understandings, and all kinds of theologies. This diversity is one of the great gifts of Unitarian Universalism, but it can certainly

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