UUABQ Voice

July 12, 2026: “Understanding Our Families, Understanding Ourselves” The Rev. Sue Redfern-Campbell

How do we remember our growing up years, in our families of origin? And how do we experience those families now? Do we find blessing in our memories, and in current family experience? Or do we wish things were different? In her many years of ordained ministry, Rev. Sue has found the Family Systems Theory of Murray Bowen to be a powerful lens through which to view our families. She’ll share with us some key aspects of the theory, giving examples from her own life. This service will also include a ceremony to honor outgoing Board members and welcome new ones.Rev. Sue has been a UU minister since 1985. She has divinity degrees from Harvard and Episcopal Divinity School, and has served congregations in both settled and transitional capacities. She moved to Albuquerque in 2012 to marry her late beloved, Chuck Campbell, a member of First Unitarian for almost 40 years. She still lives in the house they shared.
Music: Lydia Clark

July 5, 2026: “Load-Bearing Structures” The Rev. Dr. Jane Davis

Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber speaks of a “load‑bearing structure”—the steady, grounding force that holds us when life feels unstable. For her, that structure is God and the salvation she found in Jesus: “For me, Unitarian Universalist principles and values have long served as one of those stabilizing structures. Over time, I’ve come to understand that such support can take many forms, so long as they help us remain upright through trauma and change. The Karpman framework of the Drama Triangle and the Empowerment Triangle has become one of those supports in my own ministry. I have seen how often groups, including congregations, become caught in the cycle of victim, persecutor, and rescuer, and how transformative it can be to shift into the roles of creator, challenger, and coach. This framework can be grounding, helping us to remain compassionate, clear, and centered during trauma‑impacted work.”
Rev. Dr. Jane Davis grew up in a Southern Baptist family and first discovered Unitarian Universalism more than forty years ago. After a 25‑plus‑year career as an engineer in the nuclear power industry, she answered the call to ministry in 2015 and enrolled at Meadville Lombard Theological School. She completed her ministerial internship at First U in 2020, and was ordained by this congregation in 2021. She went on to serve as a community minister in a Program Manager position with the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Project ECHO. She was granted Full Fellowship in February 2026, and completed her Doctor of Ministry in May 2026.
Music: Lydia Clark

June 21, 2026: “Unitarian Universalism and the Crises of Life | Part 2 of 3: Finding Meaning & Purpose” Rev. Emily Wright-Magoon

Unitarian Universalism has sometimes been accused of failing to provide sufficient comfort & guidance during the crises of life. This sermon series will refute that view, providing both theists and atheists with a (not the!) Unitarian Universalist approach to these common human struggles. We will draw from the ways “process theology” aligns with UU principles of relationship, interconnectedness, love, and ongoing revelation/evolution. This week we’ll consider the questions “Why are we here?” & “How then shall we live?”
Music: Lydia Clark

June 14, 2026: “Flower Communion” The Rev. Stacey Mitchell

Flower Communion is a specific tradition rooted in our UU faith during WWII. Rev. Stacey will share the values deep within our faith that contributed to Flower Communion—honoring the beauty in every person. Bring a Flower to exchange with others (if you can’t or forget, there will be flowers at the service for all). The RE team will be offering a “Bridging Ceremony” to honor graduating kids this year.
Music: Robin Korevaar, Max Reilly, and Vance Bass

June 7: 2026: “Unitarian Universalism and the Crises of Life | Part 1 of 3: Pain” The Rev. Emily Wright-Magoon

Unitarian Universalism has sometimes been accused of failing to provide sufficient comfort & guidance during the crises of life. This sermon series will refute that view, providing both theists and atheists with a (not the!) Unitarian Universalist approach to these common human struggles. We will draw from the ways “process theology” aligns with UU principles of relationship, interconnectedness, love, and ongoing revelation/evolution. This week we will touch on concepts of pain, suffering, evil, and freedom.
Music: Lydia Clark.

May 31, 2026: “Collective Liberation” The Rev. Stacey Mitchell

Music: Lydia Clark

May 24, 2026: “Our Mural: A Symbol of Symbols” The Rev. Christine Robinson, Minister Emerita

The mural of spiritual symbols which forms the backdrop of our worship has formed and informed this congregation for 62 years. Christine will tell us about some of its history, its many meanings, and how it can remind us of who we are as Unitarian Universalists. The Puppets will also have some opinions to share.
Music: Tom Godfrey, jazz guitarist.
Christine was the minister of First Unitarian from 1988-2017. She still helps out around the place when asked, but mostly enjoys participating as a member of the congregation.

May 17, 2026: “Where Everything is Music” Susan Peck

Susan Peck celebrates her retirement after 10 years as Director of Music at First Unitarian, in a musical service featuring Chalice Choir, Cantabilis, Spare Parts, and plenty of congregational singing.

May 10, 2026: “The Great Mother and Me” Bryan Hackett

A few years back, Bryan began directing his prayers to the Great Mother, having spent most of his life in Patriarchal religion with prayers directed to ‘Our Father’. Bryan keeps an eye out for synchronicities (in a pagan sense) and will share a story or two. His best practice is to just go out for a few hours of silence to hear what the trees are saying!
Music: Susan Peck and Jess Martin, with a Sol Singers sound bath in the foyer before worship.
Bryan Hackett is First Unitarian’s Director of Finance & Operations, first joining the staff as our Accountant in November 2022. A lifelong New Mexico native with over 30 years in ministry, Bryan has journeyed into Unitarian Universalism over the last 10 years or so.

May 3, 2026: “Heartwork: Honoring Your Gifts to Ignite Healing” Tanaya Winder

Heartwork invites us to live our values by planting seeds of compassion and radical love—nurturing ancestral strength for future generations. Understand how storytelling can be medicine and remember that serving others is sacred work grounded in our commitment to be healing beings.
Music: Lydia Clark
Tanaya Winder is an author, singer/songwriter, poet, motivational speaker and educator who comes from an intertribal lineage of Southern Ute, Pyramid Lake Paiute, Diné and Duckwater Shoshone Nations where she is an enrolled citizen. She blends storytelling, singing, and spoken word to teach about different expressions of love (self love, intimate love, social love, community love, and universal love). https://tanayawinder.com