The Cost of Iraq: Who Pays the Price? [19:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Rev. Cullinan will examine the costs of war and their effect on our society’s values from a liberally religious perspective. The service will draw from the work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was assassinated 40 years ago this year.

Presented by: Rev. John Cullinan

 We Light This Chalice... [18:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Intergenerational Service. John and Joyce present an exploration for all ages. Where did the flaming chalice come from? And what does it mean? This is part of our continuing series “Exploring Our UU Identity.”

Presented by: Rev. John Cullinan and Joyce Zaugg, DRE

 Radical Hospitality [18:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We human beings are naturally suspicious and insular, especially when we encounter those who we deem “different” or “other.” Our mission calls on us to build a kinder world. The way in which we welcome in the stranger says a lot about how seriously we take up that call. This morning, we’ll explore how hospitality may just be our most important spiritual practice.

Presented by: Rev. John Cullinan

One of the great joys of this job is being able to collaborate with others on meaningful worship services. Our recent poetry service is one example. We had a wonderful volunteer response, the participants enjoyed themselves, and there’s already interest from many in repeating the format sometime next year.

Our monthly intergenerational services are another example of collaborative worship. Joyce Zaugg and I have been working hard all year to develop a series of services that are truly for all ages, and we’ve enjoyed the planning and presentation process, and learning from our successes and mistakes. This month’s service (“We Light This Chalice . . .”) promises to be our best yet (the closest we’ve come to the model we’ve been hoping for), and we hope everyone will join us.

Another way of creating collaboration in worship is by getting members involved in the planning and presentation of worship each Sunday. We already do this to some extent with our monthly lay-led services. However, this is a fairly limited option. I’d like to open the opportunity for more of you to take part in the presentation of worship each week.

To that end, I’m pleased to announce the formation of the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos’s “Worship Associates” team. Beginning this September, Worship Associates will assist the minister in the planning and presentation of Sunday services, leading the congregation in certain elements of the liturgy (i.e., Candles of Community, Responsive Readings), in some cases even writing their own words to these elements. A team of eight to twelve associates work with the minister and the Worship/Music committee throughout the year to assess and maintain the quality of the services, to guide guest and lay speakers through our service elements, and to provide a familiar face and a sense of continuity on the Sundays when I’m out of the pulpit.

Associates should have a strong sense of religious identity and sense of commitment to the congregation. As well, associates should have little or no fear of speaking in front of a large group. If you’ve ever watched what’s going on on Sunday and thought, “I’d like to try that,” this may be your opportunity. A job description and application are inserted in this month’s Voice. A group training will be held in May, date and time TBA. If you’re interested, please turn the application in to the church office by May 2nd. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to come and talk to me.

Continuing on the subject of Sunday Services, our Second Service Discernment Team has been hard at work after our town-hall meetings gathering together your hopes and concerns surrounding a possible second service, and drafting a model of a possible plan for next year. Our next step is to gather still more feedback from you. On April 13th, the team will hand out a survey at the beginning of the service to our members and friends, with the intent of gathering some more specific information regarding our possible model of dual service and religious education sessions. The surveys will be collected at the end of the service.

If you have further ideas, hopes, and/or concerns surrounding this topic, or if you just want your voice to be heard, I encourage you to attend that morning and give us your feedback. If you are unable to attend, but still wish to fill out a survey, we”ll have some available in the office.

One of my public ministry goals here in Los Alamos has been to have a regular piece in the Friday edition of the Monitor — a liberal religious counterpart to the weekly “Bible Answers” column. The trouble with this plan is that I’ve never done anything like this before, and I have no idea where to begin. And so, I’m looking to all of you to help get me “unstuck.” If you’ve got a question you’d like to see answered in public, or some other topic that can be briefly addressed in the space of a column, please send me an e-mail here at the office. I’d appreciate any help I can get.

I hope you’ll all be able to attend my installation service scheduled for Saturday the 26th at 4:30 p.m. This is as much if not more of a celebration for you as it is for me, and I look forward to solidifying my relationship with you (and to the party after!). Please come, and help all of our visiting guests feel welcome.

As usual, Friday morning coffee with Rev. John continues each week at the Daylight Donuts from 9-10:30 a.m. Please join me.

Rev. John Cullinan