Jan 31, 2022 | Vespers & Wednesday Program
Join Rev. Claudia for 6:30 Vespers as we launch this month’s theme: Widening the Circle
7 PM Program – Listening Circle: come prepared to share your feedback on the draft report shared by the Racial Justice Advisory Council. If reading time is limited, focus on Sections 2 & 3. Facilitators: Ed Prestamon, Eleanor Lane
February Calendar
2
Vespers Leader: Rev. Claudia
Program: Listening Circles, Eleanor Lane and Melissa Murphy
9
Vespers Leader: Kelly Wedell
Program: Listening Circles, Ed Prestemon and Eleanor Lane
16
Vespers Leader: Rev. Cathy
Program: Spiritual Practices – Zentangle, Colleen Finegan*
23
Vespers Leader: Sharon LeDuc
Program: Widening the Circle Theme Talk, Rev. Claudia
*Supplies needed for Zentangles
1) Something to draw with: #2 pencil or Zentangle kit pencil
2) Something to draw on: Zentangle tiles available at Amazon or 4X4 pieces of white paper
3) Black Micron Pen .05. (the .05 is very important- nothing larger)
Or very thin black sharpie type marker
4) Something to shade with: #2 pencil and Q-Tip NOTE: There are Zentangle kits available on Amazon. Some art stores sell them.
Jan 30, 2022 | Sermons
Sunday, January 30, 2022, 11am YouTube
Rev. Dr. Neal R. Jones, Guest Minister
It takes intention, effort, and practice to be miserable. I’ll give you some proven strategies for perfecting this skill.
Rev. Dr. Neal R. Jones is a psychologist at the Pisgah Institute in Asheville. Born and raised in North Carolina, he earned his B.A. from Wake Forest University, his M.Div. from Southeastern Seminary, and his Psy.D. from Baylor University. He has served as the minister of five congregations in North and South Carolina, Texas, and Pennsylvania, most recently at Main Line Unitarian Church near Philly and at the UU Congregation of Columbia, South Carolina. He also serves as the chair of the national Board of Trustees of Americans United for Separation of Church & State. Rev. Dr. Jones teaches and practices a spirituality of personal wholeness, relational respect, and social justice.
Jan 28, 2022 | Scoop
New carpeting! New flooring in the kitchen and rest rooms! You will be amazed!
Jan 27, 2022 | Weekly Message
This week I attended “SACReD Faith Communities: Reclaiming Reproductive Dignity and Autonomy,” an energizing Zoom gathering of ministers and lay people. More than 30 faith traditions (Unitarian Universalist congregations were well represented!) gathered to discuss reproductive justice and freedom as we face the reality that Roe v. Wade will likely be overturned. Twenty-six states are prepared to limit abortion access when it happens.
Discussing abortion is a provocative, uncomfortable, and sacred conversation. It is a sacred responsibility to have the ability to bring forth life and nurture that child into adulthood. Because faith communities and religious beliefs shape congregants’ understanding of sexuality, faith communities have a role to play in advocating for reproductive justice and body autonomy. It is part of the commitment to building the Beloved Community where all have dignity, freedom and the potential to thrive.
Our denomination recognizes the sacredness of sexuality. It acknowledges its importance to our thriving as human beings by promoting comprehensive sexuality education. The Our Whole Lives (OWL) program equips participants throughout the lifespan and in developmentally appropriate ways to understand sexuality and to engage in healthy, responsible decision-making. OWL is grounded in the values of self-worth, sexual health, responsibility, justice, and inclusivity. One of the reasons I converted to Unitarian Universalism, yes converted, meaning I embraced it as my religion and one of my identities, is because of my involvement in OWL as a facilitator for 8 years. I did not grow up in a sex-positive environment and belonging to a religion that promotes healthy sexuality, welcoming the whole self, helped me to heal and embrace the totality of who I am. I see no conflict between celebrating the right of a person who can get pregnant to choose if and when to give birth and celebrating the joy and sacred responsibility of childbirth. Our commitment to humanity as humanists, deists, Christians – indeed, all denominations – must include a commitment to providing for the coming generations while leaving choice in the hands of the future caregivers of those generations. Provisions for postnatal services, child care, affordable housing, a living wage, comprehensive and equal educational opportunities and other basic human needs – these merit passionate support alongside the issue of abortion rights. It is a “yes, and” situation! Justice work is multi-dimensional.
An extension of embracing the values of justice and inclusivity is recognizing that people who can get pregnant have a right to make choices about their pregnancies without decisions being made for them by the government. Choosing to become a parent and carry a pregnancy to term is a private decision. Although subjected to restrictions, Roe v. Wade supports autonomy for people who can get pregnant in the face of patriarchy, religious dogma, and political manipulation. Limiting their autonomy denies them the right to make decisions for themselves.
As I said earlier, abortion is a provocative, uncomfortable and sacred conversation. The purpose of this blog is to acknowledge that some of us are concerned about the increasing likelihood that people who can get pregnant will not have safe, accessible options to full-term pregnancies regardless of the circumstances. If you share this concern and would like to explore ways we can speak up for reproductive justice, please reach out to me.
Rev. Claudia Jiménez, Minister of Faith Development
faithdev@uuasheville.org
Jan 20, 2022 | Featured
Everyone of all ages is welcome to join us for a hot cocoa and a cozy fire in our new fire pit. We’ll have a hot cocoa bar so you can customize your cup and spend some time around the fire with your fellow UU Asheville folks!
This is also a Soup-er Event! Pick up your pre-order at Sandburg Hall 12:30-1:30pm
Choose from a variety of delicious homemade soups and pre-order using the link below (order early for the best selection). Each quart of soup comes with 2 generous pieces of garlic bread AND the joy of supporting the youth of our congregation! Pay for and pick up your order at UU Asheville between 12:30 to 1:30pm. Take home to enjoy! **Orders close on Friday, January 28 at 5pm, to allow time for the chefs to prepare. Click here to order.
