UU Community Church of Washington County's Podcast

Come and hear four church members—Gary Conaway, Julia Surtshin, Kathryn Warrior, and Kathy Foldes—express how meaningful covenant groups have been to them.   

Rev. Ben will do an introduction to what Unitarian Universalism is all about.  

Every day, when we decide how to present ourselves to the world, we create a story of who we are.  How we dress shows who we want to be.  The world of cosplay, where participants dress up as and embody fictional characters, holds lessons for us in how we can use clothing to explore different ways of being.  We are all playing roles: which roles are yours?  

How are we accustomed to thinking about our mortality? Can we adjust our thinking to help us make more of the lives and times we have?  

Do you ever wonder how people can be in the same world (or the same room!) and experience entirely different realities? Where do our different lenses come from? We will explore how our brain’s plasticity benefits us, but also how it can lead to dysfunctional interactions when the stories we tell ourselves about the world don’t match.

Rev. Ben Robins, Christine Hinderer, Jane Hogue, and Mary Jacobs Every year at General Assembly, Unitarian Universalists from across the country (and beyond) grapple with the big questions, such as:  What makes life meaningful?  What are we grounded in?  What are we aiming for?  This year is especially poignant, as we consider updating the Unitarian Universalist Association's foundational sta...

Lee Baldwin will speak to the way UU Principles led him to migrate from a formal, commandment driven faith to Unitarian Universalism—a place where imperfect humans can learn and grow and contribute without feeling guilt at the imperfections they are striving to overcome.

“Work a little harder, study more, push, push, push."  Stopping to listen to our own stories rather than the ambitions others have for us can enrich our lives.  Who are we in this moment and who do we wish to become?  Join us as we consider where our stories come from and how we can own our own stories.  

Celebrate Pride with the choir! Dress in your best pride-wear and be prepared to sing along and hear some tales of Pride from our congregation.

Some people just seem to rub us raw, maybe for an obvious reason or no discernible cause.  What's the best way to handle those to whom we have instinctive resistance?  Do we grit our teeth and try to survive or is engagement advisable?  Difficult folks, sometimes known as sandpaper people, can be revealed as meaningful spiritual teachers in disguise.  

A group of friends can be made up of very different personalities, and a congregation is like that too. We'll explore 6 styles of spirituality (6 ways of doing church) and perhaps see a reflection of ourselves.  

Every so often it is helpful to come back to basics.  We will consider Buddhist guidance for coming back to our breath and focusing on impermanence and gratitude.  We will reflect on the value of community as we cope with our struggles and celebrate our moments of profound joy.   

Words come at us relentlessly, but the words we choose to hold close to our hearts determine our well being. Those closely held words color our view of every moment. Truly, the way we view it is the way we pursue it.   

In Chinese philosophy, Wuxing is the study of the five elements - earth, water, fire, metal and wood. Wuxing can help you to change a relationship that is becoming unbalanced, perhaps too fiery or too rigid. Which of the elements need to grow within you?  

In the Christian Easter tradition, Christ is reborn in a way that the disciples don't recognize. What do you do when change gets ahead of you? What is the role of elders in a living tradition?  

What does it mean to know and love a place? Can we make a home for ourselves while still feeling like a guest somewhere? Our speaker will reflect on her experience coming to the Pacific Northwest and her experiences navigating life as a guest in this community.  

A hero of many UUs, Jan Hus, was burnt at the stake for welcoming differences that the church disallowed.  In this service we explore where we celebrate difference and where we unabashedly call for unity.  

The Holi festival celebrates the victory of good over evil – but which force would actually win the cosmic battle?  Love?  Justice

Rev. Ben will do a Question Box sermon.  What questions do you have about life, death, or anything else?  The Time for All Ages will also be a Question Box.  

March 8 is International Women's Day.  It's a good time to honor the lives and accomplishments of women - and to examine what being a "woman" means.  The words used by different cultures to describe women tell us a lot about how female identity is valued (or not).  These words also tell us how specific duties and responsibilities are linked to gender - but they don't have...

We have explored empathy as a building block for connection.  On our Interim journey together, we’ve learned and grown through heart-to-heart conversations and listening circles.  How can active practice of empathy extend our connections, strengthen our relationships, expand our horizons, and deepen our understanding?  

We love each other. Sometimes it's easy, and sometimes it takes some navigating. In this service, we explore the dance of love. What happens when we're not dancing the same dance? This is the first of a three-part sermon series on how we treat each other.  

This is the second of a three-part series on how we treat each other. This part is on the promises we make. When we are intentional about how we treat each, what shall we intend? What will set us up for relationships of depth, connection and resilience?  

This is the third of a three-part series on how we treat each other. Last week we looked at how we promise to treat each other. This week we look at what to do when someone falls short (or someone else thinks they fell short). When there is a disconnect, how do we reconnect?  

As we launch our stewardship campaign, we explore what church is for. What is it that garners your deepest commitment? What taps into the most meaningful life you could live? What is worthy of your time, your effort, your care? What keeps you coming back, and keeps us moving forward, together?