UUABQ Voice

December 12 “Lighten Up! The Spiritual Practice of Cultivating and Expressing Joy” The Rev. Katie Culbert.

Do you dance like no one is watching? Have you laughed so loud that it can be heard across the room? These are ways we express and cultivate joy. How do we create a life of blissfulness, a life that prioritizes happiness? How do we surrender to the expression of jubilation? The Rev. Katie Culbert has worked as a Director of Religious Exploration and is a Chaplain, most recently employed at Tampa General Hospital. Katie lives in Tampa with her two teenage boys, Desi and Casey.

December 5 “Joy” The Rev. Angela Herrera

What is the relationship between pleasure and joy? Between joy and justice? We’ll delve into these questions and how to increase joy in our lives in this introduction to December’s theological theme.

November 28 “Mostly Grateful” The Rev. Angela Herrera

A sermon about practicing gratitude, even if we can’t do it perfectly. Updated for today, Angela originally preached this sermon in 2013.

November 21 “Settler Colonization” The Rev. Bob LaVallee

Settler colonialism is the ongoing process of non-Native settlers occupying Native land, demanding their world views, morals, and economies be followed, and attempting to erase, assimilate, and replace the original inhabitants. How do we understand our roles as UUs in settler colonialism?

November 14 “The History We Are Making” The Rev. Angela Herrera

Regardless of what came before, your history—your story— is still unfolding. By bringing our full selves to the present we have the power to shape a story we can tell later with gratitude, peace, a sense of wholeness and pride.

November 7 “Regret & Redemption: Living With Our Histories” The Rev. Bob LaVallee

Judgment is a function of experience, but gosh, getting experience can be painful. To live is to make mistakes and even inadvertently cause other people pain. As we get older, how do we make peace with our pasts? In the spirit of Samhain and All Souls Day, today’s service includes a special candle lighting and prayer honoring the deceased. Zoom attenders: have an extra candle handy. In person: candles will be available in the sanctuary.

October 31 “Scaredy Cats” The Rev. Angela Herrera

A Halloween-y sermon about our relationship with fear. Family-friendly costumes are welcome at church today, and all are invited to join a costume parade through the courtyard after the 11:00 am service.

October 24 “Affirming Life, Affirming Choice” The Rev. Bob LaVallee

Barriers to abortion on the state and federal levels have increased in the decades since Roe v. Wade, a trend that is escalating rather than slowing. As we watch with horror the events in Texas and elsewhere, it’s important to know that there are theological and spiritual grounds to support reproductive choice.

October 17 “The Spirit World” The Rev. Angela Herrera

The end of October/ early November is a time when many believe the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest, and spirits walk among us. Do you believe in this kind of thing?

October 10 “At the Risk of Being Myself” Matt Pargeter-Villarreal, Ministerial Intern

As we celebrate LGBTQIA+ History month in October and continue committing ourselves to Side With Love, join Matt for a reflection on what it means for those of us in the LGBTQIA+ community to make the decision to come out and be ourselves—often in the midst of insurmountable odds—and how we can love, support, and celebrate all of those in the LGBTQIA+ community who are important members of our church family.