Past Services and Sermons

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July 2026

Sunday, July 19, 10 a.m., “Waking Up in Africa,” Rev. Dr. Ron Parks, UUSD Member and Minister ordained by the United Methodist Church: When I took a sabbatical from ministry in 2010, I was anxious to “push the envelope” and step outside my comfort zone. After spending a month in Zimbabwe, however, I came home with my envelope shredded and my comfortable existence profoundly disturbed. My experience was unique and personal, yet the insights that emerge are timeless, essential, and universal. May they challenge you as they continue to challenge me.

Sunday, July 12, 10 a.m., “The Call of the Wild,” Rev. Leika Lewis: There exists within each of us an untamed place, a place where our hearts beat freely and loudly, and we have the space to be our most expansive selves. In this service, Rev. Leika Lewis will consider the dual challenge of Unitarian Universalists: To embrace our own wild spaces and to give our faith not just permission, but encouragement, to become its most expansive self. Who will we become together?

Sunday, July 5, 10 a.m., “Who Tells Our Story?” Rev. Dayna Edwards: Memories are stories we tell about ourselves and each other. As our nation celebrates independence, let’s explore our collective memory. We’ll examine whose stories get told, and how we can hold complicated memories of our nation, together. 

Rev. Dayna Edwards is called to a ministry of love, creativity, and justice. Currently, she serves as the Minister of Faith Formation at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Bethesda, Maryland.

She is the recipient of the Roberta Nelson Scholarship for Excellence in Religious Education and the Barbara Marshman and Ann B. Fields Scholarship. She holds an M.Div from Meadville Lombard Theological Seminary, a M.A. in Education and Human Development from The George Washington University, and completed her undergraduate degree at American University. 

Rev. Dayna has been in the community organizing world since she attended her first protest with her parents in a stroller at the age of three. After growing up in the labor movement, she decided to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline by teaching under-resourced at-risk youth in the Washington, DC area. In collaboration with Hip Hop artist, Asheru (who wrote the theme to the Boondocks cartoon), she wrote HELP, a Hip Hop Educational Literacy Program. More recently, she has worked with the cultural movement arts and Maryland coordinating committee of the Poor People’s Campaign and the Kairos Center. In 2024 she served as a street chaplain to students at the GWU Free Palestine encampment. Additionally, she does behind-the-scenes work supporting undocumented neighbors in the Washington, DC area and is volunteering with Casa de Paz to write letters to people who have been detained due to their documentation status.

June 2026

Sunday, June 28, 10 a.m., “Revolution Began with a Dream,” On June 28, UUSD will join with UUs everywhere who are gathered for the annual General Assembly (GA) of the Unitarian Universalist Association of congregations. One of the highlights of each GA is the Sunday worship service. In 2026, GA will be entirely virtual with Sunday worship beginning at 11:30, which is too late for UUSD’s regular worship time. So, at UUSD we share the energy and inspiration of the 2025 GA worship service in Baltimore. Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk, who teaches Unitarian Universalist History at Meadville Lombard Theological School and is a historian of American religious history, presented the message “Revolution Began with a Dream.” Experience the wonderful music of the GA choir and the inspiring words of several leading UU ministers.

Our CONGREGATIONAL PICNIC will be held in the backyard after Sunday Service (weather permitting). Hamburgers/veggie burgers and drinks provided. Bring a side dish, bring the kids for play in the yard, spend the afternoon by the pond with UUSD friends. June 28, 2026: Unfortunately, the picnic is cancelled due to inclement weather.

Sunday, June 21, 10 a.m., “Calling In the Light,” Rev. Sue Greer, UUSD Member and Ordained Spiritual Life Minister:  Come! Celebrate and renew during the midsummer night. Here, the solstice offers us a time to celebrate the light and our relationship to life itself. It is a time to ignite our passion and our conviction as keepers of the Earth, keepers of one another, and keepers of the light. Courage, strength, and dedication rise within us as we come together to honor this ancient ceremony. We will dedicate ourselves to life, to all living beings under One Sun here on our One Mother Earth. Let us join together hand to hand, heart to heart, to feel the embrace of our abundant earth and celebrate light! This is the light we will carry even into the darkest places, holding it for all.

Sunday we will create an “offering” table, an altar of love and abundance. Please bring flowers, fruit, corn ( in any form), stones, shells, wood, or any of the gifts of the summer. We will also have a time of release of burdens into the light and dedicate our courage and strength to hold on to our light for ourselves and for others. It is a time to dedicate ourselves to carrying the light, being the light, and holding the light! 

We need one another especially now to restore and strengthen our commitment to life. Come join us.

Friday, June 19, 6:00 p.m., “Summer Solstice Celebration and Ceremony at Savannah Beach, Lewes,” Rev. Sue Greer, UUSD Member and Ordained Spiritual Life Minister: We will have a bonfire, drumming, and calling in the light. We will join together in holding one another in the light and generosity of the day. Please bring a chair, things you want to let go of into the fire, a drum if you have one (there will be drums to share), your openness and love of our mother earth. Join us and celebrate the longest day of the year!

Sunday, June 14, 10 a.m., “Life’s Like Sand,” UUSD Director of Music, Julie A. Keefer and the UUSD Choir: Life is constantly changing—sometimes playful, sometimes uncertain, and sometimes pulling us in unexpected directions. The music that the UUSD Choir will share explores the lessons found in life’s shifting seasons and how to navigate them with wisdom, resilience, and purpose. 

Our All-Congregational Annual Meeting follows the service today. All are welcome to attend. Only Members may vote. For details, see the Annual Meeting page on the UUSD website.

Sunday, June 7, 10 a.m., “UUSD Flower Communion: Beauty in the Rubble,” Rev. Cathy Rion Starr: Beauty appears in the most unlikely of places and after even the most devastating disasters. Come celebrate nature’s beauty and community resilience at our annual Flower Communion service. Flower Communion is a Unitarian Universalist tradition begun over a hundred years ago in which we exchange flowers to celebrate spring and reflect on the resilience of nature’s beauty. Please bring a flower or a few to share!

An Information Meeting follows the service today. Bring your questions and listen to answers from the Board of Trustees. You can also hear presentations from candidates for the Leadership Development Committee and the Board of Trustees in preparation for voting at next week’s Annual Meeting.

May 2026

Sunday, May 31, 10 a.m., “Imagining Libertatia: Paradise, Pirates, and the Work of Mutual Liberation,” Rev. Caitlin Cotter Coillberg: What can we learn from pirates of the 1700s about democracy and coming together across differences to challenge inequity and the forces of capitalism and empire? Join Rev. Caitlin Cotter Coillberg, Acting Minister of Religious Education for All Souls Church Unitarian in Washington D.C., for a service about Early Modern Piracy. Her message draws on the writings of Michel Foucault and from Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker and Rita Nakashima Brock’s theological work, “Saving Paradise.” 

Sunday, May 24, 10 a.m., “Memorial Day: How We Remember,” Retired US Army Major General Tammy Smith: This service will call us to reflect on the white marble headstones that mark the gravesites of US service members in military cemeteries.

Tammy served in the military for 35 years, retiring from the Pentagon. At the conclusion of her career she was responsible for Army Quality of Life programs and Military Family policy. She created avenues to expand home childcare capacity, transitioned the Department of Defense disabled veteran Warrior Games into a public/private endeavor, and reorganized the Army Resiliency agency to improve suicide prevention programs. She served the nation living overseas in Panama, Afghanistan and the Republic of Korea in addition to many stateside assignments.

She has received numerous recognitions including an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Lincoln University in Jefferson, Missouri. Her military awards include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Senior Parachutist Badge and parachute rigger wings. The President of the Republic of Korea awarded her an Order of National Security Cheonsu Medal, the highest honor they bestow upon generals. She is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan).

Tammy is a member of the Comcast Corporation Corporate Advisory Council and recently a Toyota Motors North America (TMNA) Respect for People Advisory Board member. She volunteers her time on the Board of Directors for the VetVoice Foundation and as an advisor to Out in National Security. She is also a co-founder of the CAMP Rehoboth Veterans, a program creating opportunities for LGBTQ veteran interactions and community service in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Sunday, May 17, 10 a.m., “Hate Has No Home Here,” This Sunday our youth will share a powerful and timely message: Hate Has No Home Here. Drawing from their experiences in the Crossing Paths program, which began last fall and continued through this spring, our youth explored many different faith traditions and learned about understanding, respect, and the beauty of diversity.

Through their words and reflections, they will invite us all to consider how compassion, curiosity, and connection can help build a more welcoming world.

Many of our youth will take part in the service through readings, music, instrumental performances, singing, and more. We hope you will join us for this meaningful and inspiring morning as we celebrate the voices and leadership of our young people at UUSD.

Sunday, May 10, 10 a.m., “Using Your Superpowers,” Allyson Rice: Yes, we all have very real superpowers. So how, exactly, do we use them as we navigate through the challenges we’re experiencing in the world every day? And what the heck does this have to do with Mother’s Day?

Allyson Rice is a producer and part-owner of Atomic Focus Entertainment; the author and narrator of the novel, “The Key to Circus-Mom Highway;” and was a former actress on stage and television for many years. Between the acting years and producing years, she led personal and spiritual growth retreats around the country for a decade with her company, The Total Human. She first came to Unitarianism in NYC in the 90’s through her ex-husband after the birth of their son. She first came to UUSD when her book ban film, “Banned Together,” was screened here, and she did a Q&A after the film. That’s when Rev. Heather asked her to speak at a UUSD service.

Sunday, May 3, 10 a.m., “Service As a Calling,” UUSD Members: UUSD is a vibrant, caring, and relevant community in large part because so many people give their time and energy in countless ways. Much of this work happens quietly and behind the scenes, yet it remains essential to the life of our congregation. During last year’s Jean Charles Service Sunday—designated by the UUSD Board to honor Jean’s deep commitment to our community—the Leadership Development Committee invited church leaders to reflect on why they answered the call to lead. In today’s service, the Committee has chosen four individuals whose contributions are often unseen but deeply felt, and invited them to share what inspires them to offer their time and talents in service to UUSD.

April 2026

Sunday, April 26, 10 a.m., “New Life, Young Energy, New Members, and a Time of Rest—Oh My!” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Today we will hold the first Child Dedication Ceremony at UUSD in many years. We’ll also celebrate our Spring New Member Ceremony, and send our Minister off on her second, and longest 3-month, chunk of her 2025-27 sabbatical so that she can come back to us in August restored and reinspired! Join us for all of this and more!

Sunday, April 19, 10 a.m., “Climate-Resilient Communities: How Do We Prepare?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Climate change on this, our shared planet and in our local communities, is both inevitable and unpredictable. Perhaps you are already witnessing the impact of climate change on a hyper-local level. How do we engage in the ongoing work of building more resilient, caring, and interconnected communities for these times?

Sunday, April 12, 10 a.m., “Called to Welcome, A Journey into the Immigration Space,” Joanne McAfee, local organizer and activist: How can our proximity to each other lead to better understanding and advocacy?

Joanne McAfee is a Delaware native who believes deeply in the dignity of all people. She is a two-time border witness, a dedicated advocate for human rights and immigration reform, and a grateful wife and mother of two grown sons. She has worked in the immigration law field for the past four years, but her advocacy began in 2018 during the height of family separation at the U.S./Mexico border. Since then, she has committed herself to building bridges across cultural, linguistic, and ideological divides, while helping others better understand the complexities and human realities of the U.S. immigration system.

Sunday, April 5, 10 a.m., “Easter: It’s…Complicated,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr and Julie Keefer, UUSD Director of Music Ministries: What are broader views of the traditional Christian Easter story? How and why might we redefine religious language on our own terms? What possibilities for spiritual growth might these reflections and efforts open up for us? An Easter Egg Hunt for children and youth will follow the service.

March 2026

Sunday, March 29, 10 a.m., “Still I Rise,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: How do we inspire one another to keep on keeping on, while also appreciating one another’s unique backgrounds and voices? How might we draw upon community, conviction, and art to creatively counter oppression and sing out for good?

Sunday, March 22, 10 a.m., “The Women of NOW… and We, the People of Today,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What wisdom do we still have to learn and build upon from the women who founded the National Organization for Women in 1966 (60 years ago this summer)? Join us for this Women’s History Month service of reflection and community, building energy for these times we are in now! 

Sunday, March 15, 2026, “Can Unitarian Universalists Really Believe Anything They Want?,” Rev. John Wright – We’ve all heard it: “Unitarian Universalists can believe anything they want.” And while our theologies are broad and inclusive, is the statement accurate? Can humans believe anything simply because they WANT to? In this service, Rev. John explored these questions and more.

A 2007 graduate of Starr King School for the Ministry, John was born and raised in Baltimore, MD, lived in seven different states, moved more times than he can count, and now lives in Delmar, MD. Born Roman Catholic, he became a Baha’i at 19, and Unitarian Universalist at 35. He and his wife, Kit, have been married for 55 years, have two adult children, and two grandchildren. Since he was not accepted into Clown College or Nursing School, he spent 20 years in financial institutions before going to seminary. Kit is an internationally-known stole artist, whose works have graced many of the most prominent ministers of our denomination.

On this third Sunday of pledge month, the congregation gained information on the progress of the “Shine Our Light Pledge Drive” and had an opportunity to make a pledge after the service. The Board of Trustees held a post service chat with a focus on Project LOVE (Leading Our Vision of Expansion).

Sunday, March 8, 10 a.m., “Give to Gain: Lessons from Black Girl Joy in the Midst of It All,” Rev. Crystal Saiyge: International Women’s Day falls on March 8, 2026 this year. Their theme this year is “Give to Gain.” When we give, we gain.

Give To Gain emphasizes the power of reciprocity and support. When people, organizations, and communities give generously, opportunities and support for women increase. Giving is not a subtraction, it’s intentional multiplication. When women thrive, we all rise.Whether through donations, knowledge, resources, infrastructure, visibility, advocacy, education, training, mentoring, or time, contributing to women’s advancement helps create a more supportive and interconnected world.

Rev. Crystal Saiyge is a queer Black woman, sex-positive interfaith minister, wife, and mom of four. Her virtual chapel, #Churchofthebando, is a liberated space for global spirituality, thoughtful inspiration, grief counseling, and sex-positive education. Rev. Crystal is the Executive Director of Sister Souurce, Inc., the first and only organization serving Black UU women, girls, and femmes which empowers their presence, amplifies their voices, and creates connections.

Sunday, March 1, 10 a.m., “Let Us Shine Our Light,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Join us in celebrating this tenacious, caring community as we kick off our Annual Pledge Drive for the coming fiscal year. How can all of our individual sparks combine to grow the collective shining light of this community? What have we learned, and what might be possible?

February 2026

Sunday, February 22, 10 a.m., “Snowballs in Hell,” Rev. Leika Lewis: This service will explore the legacy of Black ancestors, examples of resistance, the ways we support each other in practicing resistance today, and how we create space for growth in the midst of challenging times.

Sunday, February 15, 10 a.m., “Contemporary Black Voices, Part 3: Choosing Our Stories,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Drawing upon the wisdom and insight of Ta-Nehisi Coates, we will reflect on what stories we lift up, whose stories we amplify, and the power of myth-making and truth-telling in our families, our country, and our world. How do we keep our hearts soft and open to the human experiences that need to heard, felt, shared, and acknowledged?

Sunday, February 8, 10 a.m., “Contemporary Black Voices, Part 2: Creating What Is Needed Now,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Drawing upon Cole Arthur Riley’s book, Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human, we will wrestle together with what it means to find meaning and create ritual that is honest, creative, contemporary, and genuinely welcoming of all those who commit to having mutual respect for others of different beliefs and backgrounds. What are sacred texts for the times and the people we are and want to be, now?

Sunday, February 1, 10 a.m., “Contemporary Black Voices, Part 1: Engaging in the Practice,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: How do we be our best and most actively caring selves while making our way through all the interactions of our many communities and this often callous-seeming world? Drawing upon the writings of adrienne maree brown and Prentis Hemphill, we will consider how we might more honestly deepen our relationships with one another.Rev. Cathy Rion Starr also shared about their powerful recent experience in Minneapolis.

Note: This service was held on Zoom instead of in person due to inclement weather. A part of the service was showing the video, What Is Imbolc by Jan Blencowe, with written permission from the author.

January 2026

Sunday, January 25, 2026, 10 a.m., “Caravan of No Despair,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: At this time of year, we may experience longing, grief, loss, tenderness, contemplation, wisdom from the mystical traditions, or transformations. All of these are palpable feelings and themes for many of us. Somewhere in the midst of this wintertime and these feelings, we find our ways forward. Inspired by Mirabai Starr’s memoir, we will consider these themes together.

Note: This service was held on Zoom instead of in person due to inclement weather. A part of the service was showing the video and including the book, Breathing Is My Super Power with written permission from the author, Alicia Ortego.

Sunday, January 18, 2026, 10 a.m., “I Must Resist,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: On this weekend of celebrations honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we will ponder the life and legacy of Bayard Rustin. He was a principal organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. What is there still to glean, consider, learn, and be inspired by from Bayard Rustin’s life and stories?

Sunday, January 11, 2026, 10 a.m., “Yearning,” Jean Charles, Worship Committee Co-Chair and UUSD member: If you ask me what I want out of life, I can answer you fairly easily. If you ask me what I hope for, I can answer that too. But yearning feels deeper than either of those. Yearning feels more tender, more vulnerable. Yearning arises from the innermost chambers of the heart. What do you yearn for?

Sunday, January 4, 10 a.m., “Looking for the Light,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: On this Epiphany Sunday, we will remember versions of the Three Kings/Wise Men’s story. We will hear reflections on getting lost and finding our ways, and we will each be gifted with a fresh, new star for 2026. Join us!

December 2025

Sunday, December 28, 10 a.m., “Annual Remembrance Service,” Lay Leaders Mac and Susan Goekler, and others: We take time at this time of year to celebrate the lives of people who affected our lives directly or indirectly and to remember those who died this past year. During this service we acknowledge their contributions, which help make us who we are today. We will celebrate through words, images, and music. This is a celebration of life. Those that are remembered are with us.

Wednesday, December 24, 4:30 p.m., “Every Small and Tender Thing,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Join us for our Annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. We will celebrate this time of the longest nights by singing carols (starting at 4:15 p.m. outside!), sharing some good poetry, enjoying one another’s good company, and supporting Members and Friends of this congregation and our larger community through contributions to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund. All are welcome on this sparkly and festive evening.

Sunday, December 21, 10 a.m., “Winter Solstice Service,” Rev. Sue Greer, UUSD Member and Ordained Spiritual Life Minister: Our celebration of the Winter Solstice is the marking of the longest night of the year, when the sun pauses in the sky before turning back to the growing days of light. It is a cycle of renewal, reflection, and a time of honoring the darkness of the winter season and the return of light. Solstice is a time of dancing and singing, time to reflect into the depth of the darkness and awaken renewed with the promise of a growing light. The marking of the solstice is a time of community… a time for storytelling, feasting, lighting of candles, and hanging wreaths of evergreen and holly. These are familiar traditions of our ancestors that continue today. But why? What are their meanings to us today? Let’s explore the wisdom our ancestors knew in celebrating the deep relationship we have with the cycles of our living earth. I invite you to take this day to deeply pause and renew yourself in the promise of light.

Friday evening, December 19, 6 to 7:30 p.m., “Winter Solstice Celebration,” Rev. Sue Greer, UUSD Member and Ordained Spiritual Life Minister: Come! Call back the light! Winter Solstice is the marking of the earth’s pause before turning once again from darkness towards the light. On this, the longest night of the year, we will invite new beginnings into our lives and pause to listen to the renewal of our life’s direction. We will begin our ceremony indoors. Weather permitting, we may have an outdoor fire to celebrate the coming of the light. As part of the ceremony, we will release our worries and concerns into the fire, either indoors or out. In our celebration we will drum, so bring a drum if you have one or share the drums we have to offer. Come renew your Fire and Light!

Sunday, December 14, 10 a.m., “Our Imaginal: Children of the Same God,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What might looking more carefully at our Unitarian history have to offer us about living in challenging, multi-religious, and increasingly secular times? Join us in learning from Dr. Susan Ritchie’s work chronicling the historical relationship among Unitarianism, Judaism, and Islam.

Sunday, December 7, 10 a.m., “A Tempered Radical,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What does it mean to be a “tempered radical?” Today we’ll reflect on this and six other insights of inclusivity as we strive as a community to keep our hearts, minds, and arms open to all earnest, compassionate seekers. We will also celebrate our newest UUSD Members today through our Fall New Member Ceremony!

November 2025

Sunday, November 30, 10 a.m., “Diversity and Equity in Delaware Schools,” Guest Speaker Gloria Ho (Don Peterson, Service Associate): A great public school system provides a safe, affirming environment where every student can grow and learn. Schools are not only places of learning, but where students develop empathy, critical thinking, inclusion, and a sense of justice. Today, those very principles are being undermined. Efforts to ban books, censor curricula, erase marginalized histories, and silence educator voices threaten the integrity of our schools—and ultimately, the health of our democracy. We see the consequences every day in our hallways and classrooms. Public schools are where democratic citizens are made and defending them is essential to our nation’s future. Through educator advocacy and community resistance, we can reclaim public education as a space for truth, belonging, and justice.

Gloria Ho is a 27-year public-school educator, union leader, and the 2024 National School Social Worker of the Year. She currently serves as the NEA Director for the Delaware State Education Association, representing 14,000 educators at the national level and ensuring classroom voices shape education policy in Washington, D.C. She is an editorial board member and contributing writer for Black Voices Magazine with the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice.

Sunday, November 23, 10 a.m., “This Love Looks Fierce,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What are we, white people, doing to be active allies to Indigenous people in our local and regional communities? Moving far beyond the multiple origin stories and non-linear evolution of the federal Thanksgiving holiday, what might it mean to walk with Indigenous peoples in this era? In our current lives and this contemporary moment, how are we taking action beyond simply words?

Sunday, November 16, 10 a.m., “Thanksgiving 2025: Gratitude, Grieving, and the Stories We Tell,” Rev. Caitlin Cotter Coillberg (Susan Goekler, Service Associate): What stories do we tell about the holiday of Thanksgiving, and why does it matter? Join Rev. Caitlin Cotter Coillberg, Minister of Religious Education for All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Washington D.C., for this service honoring the complex history of this holiday. This service features a puppet skit and a (optional participation) bread ritual.

Rev. Caitlin Cotter Coillberg (she/her), is a third generation Unitarian Universalist who first felt the call to ministry as a youth leader for her home congregation in Knoxville, TN. She has served as a religious professional in Berkeley, Davis, and Santa Barbara, CA, Minneapolis, MN, Charleston, WV, Silver Spring, MD, and now Washington, D.C.

Sunday, November 9, 10 a.m., “An American Wonder: Predecessors of Our Places, Part 2,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Since early-2021, when I realized my family and I would be moving to the Delmarva Peninsula, I have been eager to know more about the life and struggles of Harriet Tubman—one of the most famous Americans in U.S. history—whose life story was so rooted on this Peninsula. How do we grapple with and imagine Harriet Tubman, the real person? As one of the foremost predecessors of this region, how do we invite Tubman into our lives as both historical heroine and genuine source of inspiration for our times?

Sunday, November 2, 10 a.m., “All It Has To Lend: Predecessors of Our Places, Part 1,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What do you know about the people who have preceded us in this beautiful place we now call home? When we visit the places we most treasure, do we think about prior generations and communities who also cherished these places? As we move from the All Souls Day season further into the fall, let us ponder the predecessors of our precious places.

Saturday, November 1, 2 – 4 p.m., “Dia de los Muertos,” service led by UUSD Member Norma Eckard

October 2025

Sunday, October 26, 10 a.m., “The Work of Remembering,” Rev. Alexa Fraser (Sue O’Brien, Service Associate): This service is recommended only for adults because we will talk about the three known lynchings in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Reverend Alexa Fraser is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, a certified interim minister, a trained mediator, and a concerned citizen of Maryland living in Montgomery County. She is on the Steering Committee of the Montgomery County Lynching Memorial Project (MoCoLMP). This group, working with the Equal Justice Initiative since 2019, commemorates the victims of lynching in the county.

Sunday, October 19, 10 a.m., “Choosing Connection: Spiritual Practices for Generous, Wild Resistance,” Lenore Bajare-Dukes (Marj Shannon, Service Associate): In times of rising fascism, practices that cultivate generosity, spiritual resilience, and interdependence matter all the more. In a culture that rewards individualism and isolation, intergenerational communities of deep human connection remain stubbornly countercultural. What unexpected forms of strength, courage, and resistance emerge when we let our values lead us? We’ll reflect on and even have the chance to try out some simple practices for sustaining community and kindling hope.

Lenore Bajare-Dukes (she/her), who serves as Congregational Life Field Staff with the Central East Region of the Unitarian Universalist Association, is a story worker, conflict transformation practitioner, and lifelong UU. Lenore previously served as a lifespan UU religious educator, and holds a master’s degree in Conflict Transformation from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University. Lenore loves bringing the gifts of faith formation and her spiritual practice of Playback Theatre – life stories “played back” through ritual and artistry – into the deep work of building beloved community within and beyond Unitarian Universalism.

Sunday, October 12, 10 a.m., “Living Our Dream Forward,” Rev. Paula Maiorano (Jean Charles, Service Associate): As we gather to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the dedication of the Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware’s building and sanctuary, we are given a unique opportunity to reflect on the journey we’ve shared, the space we’ve created together, and the spiritual values that continue to guide us. Living the dream into the future, the work of cultivating compassion continues. It is a practice—a garden that must be tended daily. In her reflection, Rev Maiorano considers how we ensure our sanctuary remains a fertile ground for empathy, inclusion, and service.

Reverend Paula Maiorano was UUSD’s interim minister for two years (2015-2017), and then again for one year (2020-2021). Rev Maiorano came out of retirement and currently serves the Unitarian Universalists of Newark, DE. Before retirement, and in addition to interims, she was a community minister, first as a chaplain, and then in the field of prison reentry and criminal justice reform. Rev Maiorano lives in Wilmington, DE with her spouse, Giovanni, and has two sons and two granddaughters. Before ministry, Rev Maiorano was a partner with Giovanni in the travel business they founded, and they all still love to travel.

Sunday, October 5, 10 a.m., “The Gospel According to Animals,” Julie Keefer, UUSD Director of Music Ministries and Rick Welk, UUSD Lay Leader: Tails wag, paws pounce, and birds sing… but did you know they also have lessons for us? Join us as we celebrate the joy, patience, and wisdom our animal companions share, and discover the gospel they preach without words.
You are invited to bring a photo (or copies of a photo) of the animals who have touched your life, both past and present, as we celebrate all creatures, great and small.

After the service, people are welcome to go home and bring their pets back to UUSD to receive a blessing and get a special photo taken with their fur-baby.

September 2025

Sunday, September 28, 10 a.m., “The Signals We Give,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: How do we practice pausing in our many relationships and reflecting on what our part in a difficult dynamic might be? How do we work to not escalate conflict, but bring about greater and deeper connection, even when it’s challenging? Please sign up by September 22 to join us for an afternoon workshop at UUSD: Tools for Courageous Conversations.

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Workshop: Tools for Courageous Conversations – Sunday, September 28th from 12:00 until 4:00 p.m. at UUSD. Sponsored by the Committee on Congregational Life.

Sunday, September 21, 10 a.m., “So Glad We Did It,” Rev. Paula Maiorano: As the Jewish New Year celebration, Rosh Hashanah, approaches, let us celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the first Sunday service in UUSD’S new sanctuary and location on Rte 9. Rev Paula Maiorano, who officiated that service, will share analogies with the building of New York’s Brooklyn Bridge. It wasn’t easy, but we’re so glad we did it!

Reminder: Sign up here to attend Tools for Courageous Conversations scheduled for September 28 from 12 to 4 p.m. at UUSD. This workshop is sponsored by the Committee on Congregational Life. Please note that you MUST give your lunch selections and childcare information by Monday, September 22, 2025.

Sunday, September 14, 10 a.m., “The Pull of Water,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Drawing upon Wallace Nichols’ beautiful book, Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do, we will celebrate our annual Water Ceremony and Ingathering service. Be sure to gather some water from wherever your spirit has been nourished, this summer. Bring that with you to our Annual Water Ceremony. If you forget, know that we’ll have pitchers of water for you to pour from. Notice how being by the water, in whatever form, makes you feel!

Sunday, September 7, 10 a.m., “A Beacon of Light, in Community,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What is it about gathering outside with others in the summertime… that moves us? As we say goodbye to summer and transition into the new school year, we will bless our children, youth, and teachers, and reflect on the transformational power of summer and community.

Important: Everyone is invited, especially children and youth, to bring their backpacks and bags for the coming school year to UUSD to be joyfully blessed (and filled with encouragement)!

August 2025

Sunday, August 31, 10 a.m., “Seasons in the Sun,” Marj Shannon, UUSD Member: As we move toward the “Happy New Year!” of a new school (and church) year, we’ll pause to reflect on the seasons of our lives. Some good; some maybe not so much; some joyous; some less so. Winter…spring…summer…fall—we’ll visit them all.

Sunday, August 24, 10 a.m., “Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock, Ti…,” Rev. Dr. Ron Parks, UUSD Member and Minister ordained by the United Methodist Church: On November 15 of next year, the Harbor of Refuge lighthouse off the coast of Cape Henlopen (the white one, not the red one) will mark 100 years of service to mariners. Its presence and service, however, are threatened by the same reality that confronts each of us: Change. How can we shine brightly, if only for a moment, and yet trust that our light and life will illuminate the way home for those around us?

Sunday, August 17, 10 a.m., “A Vision of Our Climate,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr and Rev. Cathy Rion Starr: Rising 8th graders, Robin and Aurelia, with support from Rev. Cathy Rion Starr, will present their “A Vision of Our Climate” service prepared for the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Climate Justice Revival program. Come experience these Youth Leaders and hear their contemporary take on growing up in an era of climate change, tragedy, and hope.

Due to the nature of this service and its Youth leadership, there is no video recording available today.

Sunday, August 10, 10 a.m., “Money and… Meaning?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: It’s not about the money… except when sometimes, it really is. How do we get more comfortable talking about all the ways that finances do impact our lives? How do we engage with and discuss the monetary aspect of how so much of our society functions? What does money have to do with our values?

Sunday, August 3, 10 a.m., “UUSD’s FOURTH Annual T-shirt Sunday,” UUSD Lay Leaders Rick Welk and Renee Rocheleau: Join us as we celebrate UUSD’s fourth annual T-shirt Sunday. UUs love to express their feelings, their passions, their commitments, and especially their opinions. What better way to do that than with a “bumper sticker” for the body! So, dig through those closets and drawers. Find a T-shirt (or a cap), well-worn, or brand new, that represents something meaningful to you, or about you. Whether it be personal or a cause you believe in, wear it to this Sunday Service. Join Rick, Renee, and a few fellow UUSDers, as they tell the stories behind their own T-shirts. What does yours tell us about you?

July 2025

Sunday, July 27, 10 a.m., “More and More and then More of It,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: How do we decide where to put our energy at any given moment? What drives (or calls) us forward? What is, as poet James Crews calls it, the “evidence of our aliveness”? And is any of it (are any of us) ever enough?

Sunday, July 20, 10 a.m., “Finding Our Ways,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Our second Annual Labyrinth service! Today, we will engage with the background, practice, and many ways to learn from labyrinths, whether by labyrinth walking, labyrinth drawing, or labyrinth observing and appreciating. Among the options available, there will be an indoor canvas labyrinth to walk after the short service. Socks are required, so please bring your own. (No shoes and no bare feet are permitted on this borrowed canvas labyrinth.) Join us for this special Labyrinth-oriented day! All are welcome; no prior experience with labyrinths is necessary.

Sunday, July 13, 10 a.m., “Our Welcoming Congregation,” Jean Charles, UUSD Member and Worship Committee Co-Chair: Being recognized as a Welcoming Congregation allows UUSD to open our church as a safe space to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons, to take positions on oppression in our larger communities, and to accomplish outreach. UUSD continues to be an active Welcoming Congregation in the true sense of its meaning, but what does that mean 20 years later? Only when we are truly open to the wealth of diversity in our world will the inherent worth and dignity of every person be affirmed with a large voice.

Sunday, July 6, 10 a.m., “Interdependence Day… Embracing True Freedom,” Julie Keefer, UUSD Director of Music Ministries: While July 4th celebrates independence, what if the deeper spiritual calling is not to stand alone, but to live in mutual connection? On this Sunday after Independence Day, we’ll explore what it means to celebrate Interdependence Day, a vision rooted in love, justice, and the shared web of life.

Julie Keefer has a Master’s of Divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary.

June 2025

Sunday, June 29, 10 a.m., “Words from the Silent Generation,” Jean Charles, UUSD Member: If you were a 1945 Baby, you are known as The Silent Generation, also known as the Traditionalist Generation. Do you have any idea how many UUSDers are in that category? This Sunday you will meet us and celebrate as we share our thoughts on becoming an amazing 80 years young! Hallelujah!

Sunday, June 22, 10 a.m., “Our Essential Nature as a Source of Light, Strength, and Sustainability,” Rev. Sue Greer, UUSD Member and Ordained Spiritual Life Minister: Summer brings fullness. Summer gives us light. It is the time of light and a time for growth. Summer awakens us. In these our longest days, I invite you to explore with me what is your source of light and strength, both inner and outer.

What is your soul’s voice? What do you rely on in these times of chaos and destruction? What is your core foundation? Your essential spirit? Is it open awareness? Love? Unity with the natural world? How do we access our inner strength and unwavering belief in LIFE itself? Do our ancestors give us a source of strength to endure these difficult times? I invite you to find inspiration for your essential nature, your unwavering core.

Friday, June 20, 6 p.m., “Summer Solstice Ceremony and Celebration,” Rev. Sue Greer, UUSD Member and Ordained Spiritual Life Minister: Come! Celebrate the fullness of Summer in all its abundance, joy, and warmth. We will gather to drum, have a fire ceremony, dance, and offer a clearing blessing of our drums. We will be outside, weather permitting. Bring chairs, drums, and rattles if you have them. (We have some to share). Bring your blessings and prayers for our Earth in thanks for all that is generously given to us so we might live in balance.

If you have time, please come at 5:00 to help prepare. Thank you!

Sunday, June 15, 10 a.m., “Connection Sunday,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr, UUSD Member Don Peterson, and You: One of the great joys of faith community is the chance to connect with and know one another in meaningful ways beyond any familial, school, or work connection. We are a community of all ages, backgrounds, cultures, abilities, concerns, and interests. So today, for the second half of the service, we will mix it up with different activity tables and stations you can choose from. Try something new and get to know someone new right alongside you!

Join us for the Annual Kickoff-to-Summer Cookout after the service today!

Sunday, June 8, 10 a.m., “The Journeys of Life: Music for the Roads We Travel,” Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries: Each of us travels a unique path in life, and our individual journeys shape who we are. This year’s Music Sunday invites you to reflect, rejoice, and be inspired as the UUSD Choir shares songs that explore the many types of journeys we experience: Inner, Spiritual, Emotional, Imaginative, and Physical.

Come and be moved by a morning of powerful music, heartfelt connection, and communal celebration. Don’t miss this special service!

Our All-Congregational Annual Meeting follows the service today. All are welcome to attend. Only Members may vote.

Sunday, June 1, 10 a.m., “Out, Loud, and Proud,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Join Rev. Heather and a very Special Guest in celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride. We appreciate the support and involvement of our straight ally and advocate communities. In this service, we will try our best to put into words (and song!) why all of us living our lives authentically, honestly, joyfully and gratefully is so important.

May 2025

Sunday, May 25, 10 a.m., “The Ordination of Leika Lewis,” In Unitarian Universalist congregational polity (how we are organized, as a denomination and set of faith communities), only congregations can ordain people into the ministry. Having completed all the requirements of our denominational Ministerial Fellowship Committee to enter into preliminary fellowship, Unitarian Universalist Leika Lewis is now ready to be ordained, and UUSD has the honor of performing this once-in-a-lifetime Act of Ordination for and with Leika! Come witness and be a part of this very special day with us!

Sunday, May 18, 10 a.m., “A Celebration of Unique Beauty, Transition, and Community: Volunteer Appreciation Sunday and Flower Ceremony,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Just on a single day, in a single week, there are so many individuals involved in co-creating a thriving community. Join us in celebrating the 102nd year of the Flower Ceremony (which originated in Prague in 1923) and all the ways we are each a part of a greater whole when we bring our full selves forward into the mix.

Bring a flower or small bouquet to contribute to the common table.

Sunday, May 11, 10 a.m., “Stretching Her Time,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Do you know the origins of Mother’s Day? As with many holidays, there are multiple origin stories. One among them for Mother’s Day is that of Unitarian writer, mother, heiress, wife, abolitionist, peace activist, and lecturer, Julia Ward Howe. We will seek wisdom in Julia’s remarkable life story today.

Sunday, May 4, 10 a.m., “Jean Charles Service Sunday,” Leadership Development Committee and Beloved Leaders: Paul Barnette, Joanne Saltzberg, Ruth Lamothe, and Ron Parks will talk (or perhaps sing?) about how being in a leadership position within UUSD has helped each of them grow spiritually or is an expression of their faith.

The Jean Charles Service Sunday was created several years ago by the Board of Trustees to honor Jean’s exemplary leadership and service to the congregation. The Board felt Jean’s unwavering dedication to service was a model for the congregation and deserved to be recognized in a special way. As a result, the Jean Charles Service Sunday was created to recognize each year the importance of leadership and service to UUSD.

The Jean Charles Service Sunday is a reminder that everyone can find ways to serve their congregation and community. By contributing our talents in whatever way we can, we carry our mission forward and strengthen our loving community for generations to come.

April 2025

Sunday, April 27, 10 a.m., “A Call for Compassion: Second Chances in the First State,” Guest Speaker Dr. Tanya Whittle: Learn about the challenges facing those who re-enter society after incarceration. What actions can people take when confronting issues with the criminal legal system? Dr. Whittle will discuss the problems with mass incarceration, systemic reform, and the challenges of meeting probation terms.

Tanya Whittle, Ph.D., is a sociolegal scholar and criminal justice reform advocate who focuses on deviance and control, punishment and corrections, social institutions and street-level bureaucrats, inequality, social psychology, perceptions of justice, and criminal justice policy. In addition to being the Director of Policy at the Delaware Center for Justice, Dr. Whittle facilitates Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program courses within Delaware correctional facilities on behalf of the University of Delaware’s Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice.

Sunday, April 20, 10 a.m., “A Stranger with Your Hair,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: In this year’s annual Unitarian Universalist pondering of Easter Sunday, we will reflect on The Resurrection as a metaphorical experience of Grief. When someone is so imprinted on our hearts that we see them everywhere, even after they are gone, could that be Grief? When an experience was so powerful that we cannot stop talking about it and bringing it forward into our present, could that be Grief? When he/she/they are always with us now, could that be Grief?

There will be an Easter Egg Hunt following the service. Please speak with Children’s Faith Exploration Director, Heather Hamilton, for details!

Sunday, April 13, 10 a.m., “For a Glimmer of Hope,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Does everyone pray in the end? What is it about the intimate, direct, honesty of prayer? What is the surrender inherent in our understanding of prayer, that some of us embrace, some of us can’t quite let go of, and some of us prefer to avoid? Have we lost something if we’ve forgone a practice of prayer?

If weather permits, we will be holding an Evacuation Drill near the end of this service.

Sunday, April 6, 10 a.m., “Our Days in the Sun,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We fear losing our memories. We witness to and care for our loved ones as they struggle with dementia and related memory loss. These days, from moment-to-moment, so many of us are so easily distracted. And how do we hang on to and remember more compassionate times in our country, and not allow ourselves to become accustomed to an ever-more caustic era as The New Normal? How (and why) do we maintain Memory?

March 2025

Sunday, March 30, 10 a.m., “The Blessings of Trust,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We cannot function as if everything could fall apart tomorrow (though sometimes it sure feels like it could). Therefore, we choose to take some action, and then another, and then another. At every point along the way, we are putting our trust in…what? Who? Let’s ponder this together.

Sunday, March 23, 10 a.m., “Building Beloved Community No Matter What,” Rev. Sandhya Rani Jha (they/them): As many of us wrestle with what to do in this time of crisis, our movement and theological ancestors have some wisdom about creating community in hard times.

Raised in an interracial and multi-faith family and witness to the sometimes subtle (and sometimes obvious) ways that racism and xenophobia show up in our society, it is not surprising that Sandhya’s career has been marked by work to affect public policy change, religious liberty and an alternative voice to the religious right and around the issues of housing for all, as well as their work to build what Dr. Martin Luther King called a Beloved Community.

Sandhya provides anti-oppression, cultural humility, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion consulting and coaching for companies, higher education institutions, non-profits, and faith organizations. A passionate reader and writer, Sandhya is the author of “Room at the Table,” and “Pre-Post-Racial America: Spiritual Stories from the Front Lines” (listed as one of the top five books on race and religion in 2015 by Publishers Weekly). Sandhya’s book, “Rebels, Despots, and Saints,” about ancestors (and activism), came out January 2023.

NOTE: The video for the service today lacks sound for the first 15 minutes. To hear the service, please advance the recording to the 15 minute mark. Thank you.

Sunday, March 16, 10 a.m., “Ground and Gather,” Rev. Cathy Rion Starr (c.rionstarr@uussd.org): These are two things we know how to do: Ground in our faith and gather in community. And yet, when tension rises and chaos reigns, it is easy to forget the things we know. So once again we gather together as a collective reminder that another world is possible, even when it feels very far away.

Sunday, March 9, 10 a.m., “Who Knows… Where the Time Goes,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Some hours of our lives stand out from the rest… or slow down. Our experience of time is fraught with grief and memory, hope and mystery. Time leaps forward to form “timeless” moments and gaps or stretches of nothing much. Join us for this reflection on time, memory, and how we measure our days.

Daylight Savings Time begins today. Be sure to spring your clocks forward an hour on Saturday night.

Sunday, March 2, 10 a.m., “Writing Our Next Chapter, Together!” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We co-create this community anew each week, each month, each year, by sharing our skills, interests, time, talent, and treasure. Those of us here now carry forward and craft something that we truly hope and expect will long outlast our individual lives. What will be your part in our ever-evolving story? What will your chapter be in The Story of this time? Join us for this FY26 Pledge Drive Kick-off Sunday!

February 2025

Sunday, February 23, 10 a.m., “Coming to the Table,” Guest Speaker Jane Carrigan: Coming to the Table is a nationwide organization working to create a just and truthful society that acknowledges and seeks to heal from the racial wounds of the past, from slavery and the many forms of racism it spawned. In recognition of Black History month, Jane Carrigan, co-founder of the Annapolis chapter of Coming to the Table and a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis, will speak to us about her work with this organization.

There will be a post-service opportunity for further conversation with Jane Carrigan about the Coming to the Table program.

Jane Carrigan is a ten-year congregant of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis. She has served as its president and currently serves as Lay Leader, welcoming people to the beauty of worship on Sundays at UUCA.

Jane is a long-time member of Coming to the Table, having served on its national board and created several new local groups. Her commitment to creating a safe space for all to have conversations about race and their relationship to it is a lifelong passion.

Jane is a retired Federal employee, having worked at the National Institutes of Health for thirty years as an attorney. She now lives, retired, on a farm south of Annapolis, Maryland with three cats and her beloved husband, Dale.

Sunday, February 16, 10 a.m., “A Window into the Wondrous: For the Birds,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Wonder of wonders, there is wisdom right around us, when we have the opportunity to pause and soak it in. Join us today for a celebration of wisdom from the birds!

Sunday, February 9, 10 a.m., “Connecting Every Day,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr and Special Guests: Today we will hear more about the Independent Living for Young Adults (ILYA) program and how we can be a part of strengthening the net for young adults aging out of foster care. In tandem, we will be thinking about how we can all take a more active part in strengthening a caring net for all of us. (This is the second of a 2-part service series on Loneliness.)

There will be a post-service discussion led by Trenee Parker, Director of the Division of Family Services (DFS) in Delaware and ILYA leadership committee founder and retired court judge, Barbara Crowell, from First UU Wilmington, DE. Please attend!

Sunday, February 2, 10 a.m., “Remaking Our World Now,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: There are a thousand threads and pressures pulling at our hearts and minds, yet when we take a moment to reflect, we know we must…what? In February, in the midst of an ongoing loneliness epidemic, in the onslaught of this new administration, what are we being called to do, to tend, to remember? (This is the first of a 2-part service series on Loneliness.)

January 2025

Sunday, January 26, 10 a.m., “Samantha?!” Guest Speaker Leika Lewis (llcornw@gmail.com): This week, we have embarked together on the chancy path that stretches into the next four years. This Sunday’s service will explore knowing, unknowing, and being grownups who (still) don’t have all the answers but have learned to laugh on the journey.

Sunday, January 19, 10 a.m., “The Dream Is Not The End Goal,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: The refrain of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom is as familiar as the ABCs. The Dream energizes us and propels us forward to this day. But how do we work towards that lofty vision in day-to-day ways here in Sussex County?

Sunday, January 12, 10 a.m., “To Keep or Not To Keep (It),” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: For many of us, physical stuff seems to accumulate in our lives and demands periodic culling. But why is it so hard to get rid of stuff? And how do we balance out the paradox of having too much when some people don’t have nearly enough? Is one person’s trash always another person’s treasure? Let’s sort through this stuff, as best we can, today.

Sunday, January 5, 10 a.m., “Movin’ Forward!” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: It’s an old trope, but true nonetheless: Time Marches On. Throughout 2024, UUSD joyfully celebrated the 25th Anniversary Year of this congregation’s January 1999 founding. Today, we conclude this year-long celebration. We have the opportunity to appreciate all the 25th Anniversary Display Panels assembled in the Sanctuary, and we embark together on the new year and new endeavors ahead. Join us as we “Keep On Movin’ Forward!”

December 2024

Sunday, December 29, 10 a.m., “A Service of Remembrance,” Lay Leaders Mac and Susan Goekler, Peter Schott, Lori Rocheleau, and Micah Junger: We take time at this time of year to celebrate the lives of people who affected our lives directly or indirectly and to remember those who died this past year. During this service we acknowledge their contributions, which help make us who we are today. We will celebrate through words, images, and music. This is a celebration of life. Those that are remembered are with us.

Tuesday, December 24, 4:30 p.m., “Lean Into the Mystery,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Join us for our Annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. We will celebrate this time of the longest nights by singing carols, lifting up some good stories, enjoying one another’s good company, and supporting Members and Friends of this congregation and our larger community through contributions to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund. All are welcome on this sparkly and festive evening.

Sunday, December 22, 10 a.m., “Jesus the Protester,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Inspired by Jewish Studies scholar, Amy-Jill Levine, among others, we’ll contemplate what wisdom the historical Jesus has to offer us for these times and in our current context. Alternatively, this service could be titled: “What Would Jesus Say About This Mess We’re In?”

Friday, December 20, 6 to 7:30 p.m., “Winter Solstice Celebration,” Rev. Sue Greer, UUSD Member and Ordained Spiritual Life Minister: Come! Call back the light! Winter Solstice is the marking of the earth’s pause before turning once again from darkness towards the light. On this, the longest night of the year, we will invite new beginnings into our lives and pause to listen to the renewal of our life’s direction. We will begin our ceremony indoors. Weather permitting, we may have an outdoor fire to celebrate the coming of the light. As part of the ceremony, we will release our worries and concerns into the fire, either indoors or out. In our celebration we will drum, so bring a drum if you have one or share the drums we have to offer. Come renew your Fire and Light!

Sunday, December 15, 10 a.m., “Being a Religious Humanist in December,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Have you seen the big, often brightly-lit signs that pop up around this time of year that say, often in huge or cursive letters: B E L I E V E ! Over the years, I’ve had a variety of reactions to these signs. At this point I’ve been doing this ministry, life, and Unitarian Universalist thing long enough to have some thoughts and also to have learned some ways of just settling down and enjoying the season. Join me!

Sunday, December 8, 10 a.m., “The Season of Invitation,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: In these tumultuous times, we might more mindfully consider each outreach and invitation we extend. Who are you inviting into your home, into your life, this season? What ideas, spiritual teachings, and wisdom are you inviting into your soul-life? In this time of winter, of turning inward into furnace-warmed and fire-lit gatherings, we will investigate the idea of invitation. Who are we each inviting into our lives, and who are we inviting ourselves to be in the world? Our Fall New Member Ceremony will occur during the service today. Join us in celebrating our newest Members!

Sunday, December 1, 10 a.m., “The Land of Awes,” UUSD member, Don Peterson: As we enter the season of awe, we will explore what it means to be “in awe.” When does it happen? What does the emotion feel like? What impact can it make in our lives? To be in awe is to be in a state of wonder. We are surrounded by opportunities to experience this profound emotion.

November 2024

Sunday, November 24, 10 a.m., “Begin Again in Thanks,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We will ground ourselves once more in gratitude on this day—gratitude for our lives, for this earth, for our interconnectedness, for all that nourishes us. Please bring a harvest item—a fruit or vegetable (such as a potato, apple, or squash) for our communal altar of abundance and thanks. You will have the opportunity to place whatever you bring on the altar before the service begins.

Sunday, November 17, 10 a.m., “The Burdens We Carry,” UUSD member, Marj Shannon: There are burdens we carry—sometimes willingly, sometimes gracefully, sometimes… well, not so much. We also bear our burdens in different ways, sometimes imbuing them with meaning, sometimes struggling simply to remain upright. We’ll take a look at a few people who, even as they carried their burdens, found inspiration and beauty amidst the toil. Perhaps we’ll learn something…

Sunday, November 10, 10 a.m., “Too Soon to Tell,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: No matter the outcomes of this month’s elections, our human lives are just a blip along the arc of history. How do we reconcile that fact with how deeply election results can matter to us and can truly impact our and our loved ones’ lives?

Wednesday, November 6, 5 – 8 p.m., “A Calming Place,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr and Director of Music Ministries, Julie Keefer: From 5 to 6 p.m. you have the option to visit the sanctuary and light a candle, read a poem, or engage in quiet contemplation. At 6 p.m. we will open up a more structured time for singing and sharing together. Join us in co-creating a time of calm and connection amidst all the election noise.

Sunday, November 3, 10 a.m., “The Right to a Voice,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Four million United States citizens are unable to vote in this week’s pivotal national election…because of felony disenfranchisement laws. Between our country’s epidemic of mass incarceration and increasing attacks on voting rights, this is a growing, complex, and significant problem. What is for us to know, think about, and do? Be sure to set your clocks back an hour on Saturday night and enjoy that extra hour of sleep!

October 2024

Sunday, October 27, 10 a.m., “Remember Me: All Souls Day,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: We keep our beloved ones alive by remembering them through shared stories, memories, photographs, and values. Sometimes, we carry forward a cause, mission, or concern that especially mattered to our forebears. During this, UUSD’s 25th Anniversary Year, as well as a significant national election year, we will especially remember past UUSD members no longer living. We also remember the activists and organizers in our country’s history who contributed to our contemporary experience of being able to live “out, loud, and proud.” Bring some small items, mementos, and/or photographs to add to our co-created altars.

Sunday, October 20, 10 a.m., “The Transformative Power of Music,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Through music, we practice being a collective, unified body. We learn how to be and to proclaim ourselves with one voice, one community, one united melody. Join us for this special service today!

We are so sorry to say that, due to technological difficulties, there was no sound recorded at the 10/20/24 Sunday service. We are working towards addressing this issue as soon as possible for future services. In the meantime, you are invited to check out https://www.emmasrevolution.com/ to hear the music of Emma’s Revolution!

Sunday, October 13, 10 a.m., “The Good – Bad Old Days,” Rev. John Wright (revjohn3449@gmail.com): As the saying goes, “Nostalgia just ain’t what it used to be.” In this sermon Rev. Wright examines the rose-colored glasses through which we so often view the past. We will try to put that into perspective, and think about why it might be important to our ever-changing faith tradition.

Following this service, there will be an all-congregational presentation of the February 2024 Committee on Congregational Life (CCL) Survey Results.

Rev. John Wright recently retired after having served our UU Fellowship in Salisbury, MD since 2009. A 2007 graduate of Starr King School for the Ministry, John was born and raised in Baltimore, lived in seven different states, moved more times than he can count, and now lives in Delmar, Md.

Born Roman Catholic, he became a Baha’i at 19, and UU at 35. He and his wife Kit have been married for 53 years, have 2 adult children, and one grandchild. Since he was not accepted into Ringling Brothers’s Clown College or Nursing School, he spent 20 years in financial institutions before going to seminary. Kit is an internationally known stole artist, whose works have graced many of the most prominent ministers of our denomination.

Sunday, October 6, 10 a.m., “Blessing of the Animals,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Join us for the first-in-a-while UUSD Blessing of the Animals service. The service will start out in the sanctuary and end a little earlier than usual. Those of you who live close by and who would like to, can return home and bring your pet to UUSD’s beautiful backyard for a blessing. Already submitted photos of beloved pets, past and present, will be shown at the very beginning and end of the service.

September 2024

Sunday, September 29, 10 a.m., “Reimagine Together,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Have you heard about the UU Climate Justice Revival going on at many UU congregations and organizations this weekend? The title for this visionary program is: Reimagine Together: From an Extractive Age to a New Era! How do we honor the inherent worthiness and dignity of all and the interconnected web of existence while dismantling racism and systemic oppression? How do we continuously improve the ways we relate to each other and embody change in our congregations? These are some of the questions many of our sibling congregations are wrestling with today, and we will engage alongside them while also inspiring one another to imagine a more nourishing future for all.

Sunday, September 22, 10 a.m., “Is There Something Somewhere?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: How do you make sense of that which you do not fully understand? Do you believe in a Something beyond all knowing? Today we will lift up different ways of naming—and knowing, experiencing, sensing, or simply wondering about—the divine in our lives.

Sunday, September 15, 10 a.m., “Once upon a time, there was a drop of water… named Higgins,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr, Prof. Heather Hamilton, and Julie Keefer with the UUSD Choir: Join us for this joyful forward-looking service when we regroup and regather after summer activities. We will celebrate our annual Unitarian Universalist Water Ceremony and embark together on our congregational year ahead. You are invited to bring a small container of water to pour into our common bowls for the Water Ceremony. This can be water you may have collected over the summer or water to symbolize places where your spirit has been nourished over the summer months.

Sunday, September 8, 10 a.m., “Pagpapalaya: Learning from Asian Liberation Theology,” Erol Delos Santos: The mainstream definition of liberation theology is a Christian one that focuses on how society thinks about economic, social, and political oppression, set against the backdrop of the Americas. Asian liberation theologies explore these same ideas of freedom from different contexts, revealing an expansive, multi-cultural approach to securing liberation for all people. Join Erol Delos Santos this Sunday as we explore the many facets of Asian Liberation Theologies.

Erol Delos Santos is a Masters of Divinity seminary student at Union Theological Seminary and an Aspirant with the UUA. He is a member in good standing at The Fourth Universalist Society in the City of New York and serves as membership coordinator at The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Westchester.

Sunday, September 1, 10 a.m., “Express Yourself T-shirt and Cap Sunday,” UUSD Lay Leaders Rick Welk and Don Peterson: Join us for UUSD’s third annual T-shirt Sunday. UUs love to express their feelings, their passions, their commitments, and especially their opinions. What better way to do that than with a bumper sticker for the body! So, dig through those closets and drawers. Find a T-shirt or cap that says something meaningful about you, and wear it to this Sunday Service. Join Rick, Don, and some of your fellow UUSDers as they tell the stories behind their own T-shirts. What does yours tell us about you?

August 2024

Sunday, August 25, 10 a.m., “Dis-grace-full,” Rev. Dr. Ron Parks, UUSD Member and Minister ordained by the United Methodist Church: Seldom has there been a time when the differences that separate us are more apparent and profound. Is there a singular thought, word, or deed that can lift the light of hope in the midst of our tribal chaos? Yes! And it truly is amazing. Come, and let’s consider how it, and you, can change everything for the better.

Sunday, August 18, 10 a.m., “Destination Unknown,” UUSD Lay Leader Rick Welk: We cannot just type, “Heaven,” into Google Maps or Waze. It is said that the only way to get there is to lead a good life, do good deeds, and spread love. But is that the only way to get there? And who decides who gets in? Also, is Heaven our only option for an afterlife? Join member Rick Welk and take a deeper look at what’s on the other side of life. It turns out that there are many options. Maybe it is time that we recalculate our direction.

Sunday, August 11, 10 a.m., “A Blessing for Exhausted Pigeons,” Guest Speaker Leika Lewis: For millennia, mystics from many traditions have navigated seasons of uncertainty with the help of contemplative practice. This service will explore the “practical” ways we collectively and individually create spaces of calm to navigate times of turbulence.

Leika Lewis (they/she) is a UU poet, chaplain, and Humanist theologian. Leika received their MDiv from Chicago Theological Seminary in April 2024. A native of the Washington D.C. area, Leika has spent the past 20 years working with churches, non-profits, and large organizations to transform conflict and build inclusive culture. Leika now lives in Milford, DE with their family.

Sunday, August 4, 10 a.m., “So What Are Your Questions?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What are the questions you ask when you’re getting to know someone? How about the questions you hope you are never asked? Are there questions you long to ask, but don’t know how? In Unitarian Universalism, your Big Questions are welcome here. Let’s have a go, shall we?

July 2024

Sunday, July 28, 10 a.m., “Onto the Path,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: This service will engage us in every way we can arrange with the background, practice, and many ways to participate in learning from a labyrinth. This may include labyrinth walking, labyrinth drawing, or labyrinth observing and appreciating. Among the options available, there will be an indoor canvas labyrinth to walk after the service. Socks are required, so please bring your own. (No shoes and no bare feet are permitted on this borrowed canvas labyrinth.) Join us in this special labyrinth-oriented day! All are welcome, no prior experience with labyrinths is necessary.

Sunday, July 21, 10 a.m., “Missing the Boat,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: What is happening in your life right now that is… something you wished for, but may not be quite as you expected? Is that disappointment you’re feeling, or grace, or something else? Join us in reflecting upon where we have arrived on this day.

Sunday, July 14, 10 a.m., “Love in a Time of Climate Crisis,” Guest Speaker Lydia Wylie-Kellermann: We are living in an era of climate collapse. We feel it in small ways, such as when the snow falls less, or the cherry blossoms bloom too early. And also, in large ways, such as when our streets flood, and entire towns burn to the ground. Yet, we step into the waters of our own particular, wild, and wonderful ecosystem. Falling in love with our watershed moves us into the sacred work of creation and resistance.

Lydia Wylie-Kellermann is a writer, editor, activist, and mother. She is the Director of Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center, and is the author of “This Sweet Earth: Walking with our Children in a Time of Climate Collapse.” She lives with her partner and two boys in Bangor, Pennsylvania.

Sunday, July 7, 10 a.m., “I’m Going to Live Forever or Die Trying,” Rev. Sue Greer, UUSD Friend and Ordained Spiritual Life Minister: As we reflect on ways we can live a full, awake, and joyful life, we will hear suggestions on how to begin accepting and finding comfort with our own inevitable death. The guidance and wisdom from Buddhist teachers, Thich Nhat Hanh and Pema Chödrön, provide us with great insights on the joy of living and looking at our fears. We will hear stories from Pema’s gem of a book, How We Live Is How We Die.

June 2024

Sunday, June 30, 10 a.m., “Shall We Give God a Second Chance,” Rev. Dave Hunter with Worship Associate Jean Charles coordinating: Many Unitarian Universalists have ambivalent feelings about God. The God who watches over humanity and intervenes in our affairs from time to time seems implausible, but are there other images of God that are worth consideration? Is “God” still a useful word for you? How would you describe God… the God you believe in, or don’t?

Note: It’s also Queer Youth of Faith Day!

Rev. Dave Hunter is a graduate of Princeton, the Harvard Law School, and Wesley Theological Seminary. davidhunter2405@comcast.net. In his 33 years as a civil rights lawyer, he concentrated on the preservation and expansion of democracy. After 25 years in the Voting Section of the Justice Department, he retired in 2000 to become a full time student for the ministry. Ordained in 2003, he served congregations in Maryland, New Jersey, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania along with his wife, Rev. Kerry Mueller. Dave and Kerry live at White Horse Village, a retirement community in suburban Philadelphia, where Dave serves on the Spiritual Life Committee.

Sunday, June 23, 10 a.m., “Weaving Our Lives,” UUA General Assembly: Susan Goekler and Julie Keefer will host our in-person experience of the Unitarian Universalist Association’s General Assembly 2024 Sunday Service. To view the service afterwards, you can access the UUA archives here: https://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2024/sunday-worship

Sunday, June 16, 10 a.m., “All the Things Sunday,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: In June we celebrate Father’s Day, Juneteenth, LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Summer Solstice, and UUSD’s 25th Anniversary Year. Join us in finding a reason to be thankful for all of it and celebrating All The Things, in community, with great gratitude. Following today’s service is our Annual Gratitude Picnic, hosted this year by UUSD Cares and the 25th Anniversary Committee. All are Welcome! Join us!

Sunday, June 9, 10 a.m., “Music Sunday! Our Melodies Behind Glass: A Musical Window to the Soul,” Julie Keefer, Director of Music Ministries: Experience the essence of music’s ability to connect with the soul, like how a glass window both reveals and protects. This year’s Music Sunday sets a serene and introspective tone for a day filled with music and contemplation.

Making the day even more special, we will be dedicating the window created and built by our very own Rev. Dr. Ron Parks. Bringing to fruition the hopes and dreams of the late Gabriel Zepecki, Ron has hand-crafted the new stained-glass window, which captures the very spirit of UUSD. Join us as the choir brings the design of the stained-glass window to life through music.

Our All-Congregational Annual Meeting follows the service today. All are welcome to attend. Only Members may vote.

Sunday, June 2, 10 a.m., “What Makes the Field?” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: On a single day, in a single week, there are so many individuals involved in co-creating a thriving community. Join us in celebrating the 101st year of the Flower Ceremony and all the ways we are each a part of a greater whole when we bring our full selves forward into the mix. (The Flower Ceremony originated in Prague, Czech Republic, in 1923.) Bring a flower or small bouquet to contribute to the common table. 950510188

Take a listen to this song, Bring a Flower, that we’ll be singing together, so that you might have its tune and message in your head already when you come on Sunday morning!

May 2024

Sunday, May 26, 10 a.m., “Yearning for Peace,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: On this Memorial Day weekend, we wrestle once again with the importance of actively witnessing to ongoing conflicts throughout our world, and honoring all the human beings involved. How can we keep our energy active in the pursuit of peace, while also opening our hearts to hear the stories of those veterans and many others impacted by pervasive violence and seemingly never-ending war?

Sunday, May 19, 10 a.m., “Our Whole Lives,” Rev. Heather Rion Starr: Joined by Children’s Faith Exploration Director, Prof. Heather Hamilton, and UUSD Member, Susan Haase, Rev. Heather will share with us the background, promise, and the possibilities of the Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality education curriculum. We hope and plan to offer this program to our 7th to 9th grade UUSD youth, along with interested youth from the larger community in 2024-25. We want everyone to know more about it! We welcome and appreciate your support. We will also celebrate our newest members through our New Member Ceremony today.