Adult Religious Education — 9:30 AM
K’lyn Matthews, “Why Church?”
As a child, your family may or may not have specifically observed a Sabbath. Nonetheless, Sundays for many of us (and Saturdays for others) seemed clearly different than the rest of the week. The day was slower, quieter, calmer. For some, it was also sacred, with a cadence and rhythm all its own. It spoke to our having core values and living them out in relationship with a larger community.
• What are some of your core values today?
• In what way does being in relationship with NVUU/church support you in living out these values?
• How could you make that relationship even better or stronger?
“Here we have gathered, gathered side by side;
Circle of kinship, come and step inside!
May all who seek here find a kindly word;
May all who speak here feel they have been heard.
Sing now together this, our hearts’ own song.”
Hymn 630 in Singing the Living Tradition
Main Service — 11:00 AM
Guest minister Rev. Dr. Tom Owen-Towle, “I OWE GOD A DEATH!”
Our American culture remains death-defying, and our UU movement failed, a decade ago, to embrace mortality during our re-visioning process of our Purposes and Principles. We have work to do. If we earthlings wish to live more robustly and caringly, day by day, we must consent to die. As naturalist Wallace Stegner put it: “I owe God a death!”
Guest Minister: The Rev. Dr. Tom Owen-Towle was ordained in 1967 and is still preaching, hither and yon, from his home-base in San Diego. He is the author of two dozen books on social justice, personal relationships, and spiritual growth. Tom is slowly re-engaging his community commitments: volunteering at the homeless center, singing in nursing homes, and mentoring young people. Today’s sermon will be based upon his latest book, Making Peace with Our Own Death, just published and available via amazon.com or the UUA Bookstore. Owen-Towle is honored to be preaching at NVUU!
Social Hour — ten minutes after completion of the main
