How We Rise [16:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Join us as we explore the little deaths we all die from time to time, the resurrections still possible, and why Easter matters to UUs.

Presented by: Rev. John Cullinan

 Growing Together [19:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Stewardship Sunday. A frozen turkey, a Czech Unitarian, and your pledge. What’s the connection? This Sunday, we explore what it means to make sacrifices for what we believe in.

Presented by: Rev. John Cullinan

 That Troublesome "L" Word [16:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“Liberal.” It is perhaps one of the most reviled and polarizing words in this country today. For some, it’s a dirty word, for others, a badge of honor. Sadly, amidst the fray, we have lost the true depth of meaning of the word. What does it mean to be religiously liberal? Politically liberal? Aren’t they one and the same? Can I be one and not the other? Let’s take a long, hard look at a troublesome little word.

Presented by: Rev. John Cullinan

There have been a couple of moments in the past few months where I’ve pulled into the parking lot here at the church fully expecting to be the only one around, only to find a lot full of cars. “Oh, no,” I think to myself, “What meeting have I completely forgotten about?!”

Really, I have no reason to be worried. Instead of stumbling on a forgotten meeting (I should know better, I keep a pretty tight calendar), I usually find myself walking into a book discussion group or a youth event. I sometimes forget how much goes on around here during the week.

There’s been a lot of talk in the last few years, both in the media and in some popular books, about the importance of the “third place” — places of social environment that are neither the home (the “first place”) or work (the “second place”). Ray Oldenburg, in his book The Great, Good Place, calls these third places anchors of community life that foster broader and more creative interaction among people, and are important for helping people establish a sense of place in the world.

Many businesses have gone out of their way, of late, to intentionally establish themselves as “third places” — Starbucks, with its comfortable chairs and wireless internet, is perhaps the most notable. However, when I see the level of activity that goes on here during the week, I realize that we’ve created a thriving “third place” here. I’ve heard from more than one member recently that, at least here in Los Alamos, churches are the main outlet for meeting new people and making friends and deep connections. We seem to be no exception to that rule. Since arriving here, I’ve experienced a community that extends well beyond these walls, and well past Sundays. And our coffee is cheaper than Starbucks.

As we go through the discernment process as to whether or not we should add a second service to our schedule, the one worry that I keep hearing from people is that a second service might lead to a loss of community. It’s a legitimate concern, to be sure. If you’re like me and you view Sunday as the center of the church week, there’s certainly a concern that a split in service times will equal a split in the church family. However, my brief time here has shown me that this is a congregation that knows how to build a community beyond Sunday.

Recently, I sat down with a small group of members and friends to ask how they connect with the community, here. The number one answer was, of course, Sunday services, especially coffee hour (has there ever been a study done on the relationship between caffeine and social bonding?). The next answer was Knife and Fork, which has been talked about as a point of pride here at the church since my arrival, and rightly so (kudos to Elaine Morris). Beyond that, people name the choir, teaching RE, the philosophy group, ladies’ lunches, book discussions, and even their committee work. It’s probably also worth noting that the new Covenant Circles program filled up to the max before the first meeting was ever held. In short, this community knows how to build and maintain community connection throughout the whole week, and is always ready to build and embrace new avenues of connection. This church is, and probably always will be, the original “third place.”

Speaking of community, March 23rd (Easter Sunday) brings about an opportunity to welcome its newest members. The membership committee and I will preside over a signing ceremony during the service for those friends and visitors who have decided they are ready to make the commitment to membership in our congregation. Several longtime friends and visitors are currently taking the “New UU” classes which will wrap up this month, and will be given the opportunity to be welcomed as new members by the whole community. If you’ve been thinking that the time may be right for you and you’d like to be included in the new member ceremony, please contact either myself or KokHeong McNaughton by March 7th.

Some practical notes. Thank you to all our members and friends who took time out to attend one of the “Building Our Future” town hall meetings last month. I appreciate all of your time and care and ideas as we move through this process.

Please remember the annual all-congregation dinner at the Hilltop House on the 15th of this month.

As usual, open coffee with the minister continues at Daylight Donuts from 9-10:30 in the morning on Fridays.

Finally, I’ll be out of the office from the 3rd through the 6th this month as I make my first pilgrimage to the UU mecca of Boston and attend the annual first-year ministers’ seminar.

Rev. John Cullinan