The title of this service is from Buddhist traditions that warn us not to mistake the journey for the goal. Do we get entangled by the message rather than the end result we aspire to create?
Continue readingWe create community by sharing of ourselves and listening to others. Join us for a special service where Westside members share with us what they believe. This week we will be exploring how prayer, meditation, creation, expression, and self-care are related. Tony Ricardi shares a poem written by Tara Hardy in his reflection. To learn more about Tara’s work here.
Continue readingIf we allow the wild world to be destroyed, we will lose our ability to be fully human. We will lose the place in which the wholeness of our humanity can be realized. The spiritual practice of communing with nature awakens both a deep love for the natural world and awareness of the profound need we have for the natural world. This will naturally inspire us to advocate for protection of the wild world.
Continue readingWe don’t talk much about the Universalist half of UUism, and so we miss one of Universalism’s critical messages. So what do we think about Sin and Salvation in the 21st century of liberal religion?
Continue readingDirector of Music at First Unitarian Portland, DeReau Farrar will lead a service of music and meditation on the meaning and relevance of Dr. King’s legacy.
Continue readingThese are tumultuous times. How can we use a famous prayer as a mindfulness tool to soften the edges of life?
Continue readingThis morning we consider alternative history. What if Bishop Arius had won at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, and unitarian rather than trinitarian theology had become the norm in early Christianity? How would Unitarianism have fared?
Continue readingIn the middle of the holiday season, how can we imagine service as one of the themes of Advent? Service can mean many things: support, reaching out, donating to causes, working at a soup kitchen. Service can also mean a willingness to go without for the sake of others.
Continue readingWhat happens when our institutional or personal faith becomes fragile and uncertain? Can faith be rediscovered this time of year during the Advent season?
Continue readingA little guilt can go a long way, especially after a holiday feast like Thanksgiving. A lot of guilt can overwhelm us as the holidays approach. How do we put boundaries around the guilt we are expected to carry for all kinds of reasons?
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