Join us for Vespers led by Anna Martin exploring this month’s theme Cultivating Relationship.
Our 7PM program will be “Liberation Conversations.” Join Eleanor Lane and Jensen Gelfond to discuss what is happening with the Racial Justice Advisory Council and discuss your thoughts on the anti-racism work that is happening or could happen at UUCAvl. We are calling our conversations “Liberation Conversations” to uplift what we are for and move beyond focusing only on what we are against.
Wednesday Vespers & Program themes:
1st Wed. Theme Talk or Special Program Discussion about the monthly Soul Matters theme.
2nd Wed. Liberation Conversations: Pursuing our Congregational Goals to practice Anti-racism. These conversations will provide updates on the work of the Racial Justice Advisory Council and an opportunity to ask questions and discuss why the work of liberation at UUAvl matters.
3rd Wed. Spiritual Practices: Centering Love Centering Love – Love is a core value of our UU faith. On the 3rd Wednesdays this fall at 7 p.m., we will center our spiritual practice of love-in-action with self, others, and the world. As Cornel West says, “Justice is what love looks like in public.”
4th Wed. Theology We will begin with an introduction to theology: What is it? Do UUs do Theology? Participants will select theological themes for future sessions. Examples: Hope, Death, Forgiveness and Reconciliation, Evil, Covenant.
Join us for Vespers Oct 6, 6:30 to celebrate re-gathering after a summer hiatus. Our theme will be “Cultivating Relationship” inspired by the work of Priya Parker recently interviewed by Krista Tippett. Listen here https://onbeing.org.
After Vespers Rev. Claudia will lead a 7PM “Theme Talk: Cultivating Relationships” exploring healing and re-connecting during this COVID time. We will begin our time together reflecting on the words of bell hooks
“”Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.”
Wednesday Vespers & Program themes:
1st Wed. Theme Talk or Special Program Discussion about the monthly Soul Matters theme.
2nd Wed. Liberation Conversations: Pursuing our Congregational Goals to practice Anti-racism. These conversations will provide updates on the work of the Racial Justice Advisory Council and an opportunity to ask questions and discuss why the work of liberation at UUAvl matters.
3rd Wed. Spiritual Practices: Centering Love Centering Love – Love is a core value of our UU faith. On the 3rd Wednesdays this fall at 7 p.m., we will center our spiritual practice of love-in-action with self, others, and the world. As Cornel West says, “Justice is what love looks like in public.”
4th Wed. Theology We will begin with an introduction to theology: What is it? Do UUs do Theology? Participants will select theological themes for future sessions. Examples: Hope, Death, Forgiveness and Reconciliation, Evil, Covenant.
We’re almost back. Can’t wait! If you’re on our email list you’ll get the Zoom link on October 6. On this return to Wednesday Thing programming we will explore October’s Soul Matters theme, Cultivating Relationship. Here’s how our Wednesdays will be structured at least through December.
1st Wed (Oct 6) – Soul Matters Theme Conversation – October is Cultivating Relationship – see the full year’s themes below.
2nd Wed (Oct 13) – Liberation Conversations (Anti-racism defines us by what we are against; liberation defines us by what we are for. Let me know what you think of making a name change)
3rd Wed (Oct 20) – Spiritual Practices
4th Wed (Oct 27) – Theology: Exploring Core Theological Themes (During the first session, “Theology 101,” we will discuss which themes we will explore in future months. Beauty, Evil, God, Peace & Non-Violence, Suffering, Joy, Prayer, Forgiveness & Reconciliation, are just some examples. Our resource will be Theology Ablaze by UU minister, Rev. Tom Owen-Towle.
Contact Rev. Claudia if you have questions or would like to lead Vespers. An outline and support are provided for Vespers leaders.
The Soul Matters Themes for 2021-22:
Oct. – Cultivating Relationship
Nov. – Holding History
Dec. – Opening to Joy
Jan. – Living with Intention
Feb. – Widening the Circle
March – Renewing Faith
April – Awakening
May – Nurturing Beauty
June – Celebrating Blessings
Your Adult Faith Development Team (Jim Steffe, Kelly Wedell, Sherry Lundquist, John Bloomer, Linda Topp, Kim Collins and Rev. Claudia) will continue planning for the fall. Please reach out to Rev. Claudia faithdev@uuasheville.org if you have ideas for programs and/or are interested in leading Vespers. Resources and support for Vespers are provided each month. Notice we will resume programs in October. Our Soul Matters themes for next year:
Oct. – Cultivating Relationship
Nov. – Holding History
Dec. – Opening to Joy
Jan. – Living with Intention
Feb. – Widening the Circle
March – Renewing Faith
April – Awakening
May – Nurturing Beauty
June – Celebrating Blessings
Join us for Vespers led by John Bloomer as we reflect on voyages and adventures in our lives.
The 7PM program will be the last in our Theology Series. Rev. Claudia will facilitate an exploration of Mujerista (Moo-her-ista) Theology. Don’t know what that is? Join us and find out!
This will be our last Wednesday Thing Program for this liturgical year. We will resume Vespers and Program in September. If you are interested in leading a Vespers service in the fall or have suggestions for a program contact Rev. Claudia faithdev@uuasheville.org.
Join us for Vespers as we continue exploring the theme of Story. We will reflect on the Iroquis creation story of Skywoman and discuss how the stories we tell shape our understanding of the world and our place in it. Vespers Leader: Rev. Claudia
The 7 PM Program will be the final session in the Spiritual Practices series. The topic will be prayer. Do UUs pray? Joins us for what will be a rich conversation. Facilitator: Rev. Claudia
Next week will be our final Vespers. Join Vespers Leader John Bloomer in a final reflection on journeys and voyage sagas. Our program will be an exploration of Mujerista Theology, the final session in this year’s Theology Series. Facilitator: Rev. Claudia
Vespers and Programs will resume in September. Have a wonderful summer!!!
Join Vespers leader Kelly Wedell exploring this month’s theme: Story.
The 7PM program Anti Racism Conversations facilitated by Ed Prestemon will create space to discuss the Racial Justice Advisory Council’s invitation to review the glossary and participate in the Racial Justice Assessment tool survey. This is important work that we will do together. Join us!
May – Theme: Story
5 Vespers Leader: James Cassara Program: Theme Talk – Being Shaped and Created by Stories; Facilitator: Rev. Claudia
12 Vespers Leader: Kelly Wedell Program: Anti-Racism Conversation; Facilitator: Ed Prestamon
This Wed. at 6:30 Vespers leaders Eliza and Anna Martin invite you to continue exploring this month’s theme: Becoming.
7PM Program: Join Lead Minister Rev. Mark Ward in a discussion of Religious Naturalism,a view of religion that welcomes science and all that the natural world teaches while celebrating awe, wonder, compassion and care. To explore ahead of time, click on this link: https://religiousnaturalism.org/
May – Theme: Story
5 Vespers Leader: James Cassara Program: Theme Talk – Being Shaped and Created by Stories; Facilitator: Rev. Claudia
12 Vespers Leader: Kelly Wedell Program: Anti-Racism Conversation; Facilitator: Ed Prestamon
This Wednesday Vespers Leaders Eliza and Anna Martin invite you to continue exploring this month’s theme: Becoming.
Rev. Mark Ward will lead a session on Religious Naturalism, a spiritual perspective grounded in the natural world. It’s a view of religion that welcomes science and all that the natural world teaches while celebrating awe, wonder, compassion, and care. To explore ahead of time, click on this link.
This Wednesday “Becoming Wise: Story and Verse” at 6:30 PM. Vespers leader Mary Alm. During National Poetry Month, while we consider our monthly theme of Becoming, Mary Alm invites us to explore the concept of wisdom through an exercise of crowdsourcing a poem.
The 7PM program “Elderhood, Gratitude and Beyond” will explore aging as a spiritual practice. Co-facilitators: Jim Steffe and Rev. Claudia
April – Becoming
7 Vespers Leader: Rev. Mark Program: Earth Community Circle, Ed Prestamon, Wink Zachritz
14 Vespers Leader: Rev. Claudia Program: Anti-Racism Conversations; Carol Buffum
21 Vespers Leader: Mary Alm Program: Spiritual Practices – Aging III; Jim Steffe, Rev. Claudia
28 Vespers Leader: Anna Martin Program: Religious Naturalism, Rev. Ward
This Wed. at 6:30 PM Join Rev. Mark Ward in “Looking Over the Edge.” As we enter this month with the theme of Becoming, Lead Minister Mark Ward will lead a vespers service focused on becoming toward the end of life. What is the work for us in the closing stages of life?
Stay after Vespers service, 7:00-8:00 PM to discover what UUCA and the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum have in common, and learn more about the climate crisis from a presentation by Ed Prestemon and Wink Zachritz of the Earth Community Circle. There will be time for discussion and Q&A after the presentation.
April – Becoming
7 Vespers Leader: Rev. Mark Program: Earth Community Circle, Ed Prestamon, Wink Zachritz
6:30 Vespers will be led by Joyce Hooley Gingrich. March 24 will be the first Vespers after the First Day of Spring (The Spring Equinox, is on March 20 this year,) thus, we will be listening to selected readings from Aldo Leopold, and reflecting together on geese and on spring as a season for moving forward with commitment.
7:00 PM Program: We will be exploring Original Blessing Theology. Come help us identify some roots and commonalities with contemporary Unitarian Universalist understandings, and find out why Cardinal Ratzinger ordered an inquisition into Matthew Fox after he published his treatise, Original Blessing, A Primer in Creation Spirituality in 1983. Facilitator: Joyce Hooley Gingrich
Next Week: March 31 Vespers leader: Rev. Jeff Jones Program: Do Animals Have Rights? Facilitator: Rev. Jeff Jones
Join Vespers leader Kelly Wedell in exploring our collective commitment to our messy humanity using a different interpretation of the starfish story.
Our program will be “Aging as A Spiritual Practice: The Five Fears” facilitated by Jim Steffe.
March 3 Vespers Leader: James Cassara Program: Theme Talk – Rev. Claudia
10 Vespers Leader: Rev Mark Program: Anti-Racism Conversation: The Gardener’s Tale Facilitator: Kay Aler-Maida
17 Vespers Leader: Kelly W Program: Spiritual Practices – Aging II; Jim Steffe, Rev. Claudia
24 Vespers Leader: Joyce-Hooley Gingrich Program: Creation Theology, Joyce-Hooley Gingrich31 Vespers Leader: Jeff Jones Program: Do Animals have Rights? Jeff Jones
This Wednesday, join Vespers leader Rev. Mark Ward to reflect on the 56th Anniversary of Jim Reeb’s death which is March 11.
Program: This month we launch the “Anti-Racism Conversation” series. Every 2nd Wed. there will be a facilitated invitation to explore racism and white supremacy as part of the work UUCA is doing to become an anti-racist congregation. This month Kay Aler-Maida will lead with an exploration of the levels of racism using the allegory of a garden. The TED talk by Dr.Camara Jones will be the basis for the session. (begin at 6 min 55 sec)
10 Vespers Leader: Rev Mark Program: Anti-Racism Conversation: The Gardener’s Tale Facilitator: Kay Aler-Maida Please watch Dr. Camara Jones’ TED Talk, start at 6’55. Text here.
17 Vespers Leader: Kelly W Program: Spiritual Practices – Aging II; Jim Steffe, Rev. Claudia
Join Vespers leader Rev. Claudia to explore knitting and meaning-making. Service to include a video reflection shared by UUCA member Elizabeth Schell.
The 7PM Program will be led by Rev. Terry Davis. “UU Theology Series: Unitarianism — Boldly Claiming the Pejorative” When the Boston-based Rev. William Ellery Channing laid out an unorthodox Christian theology in a sermon in 1819, he did something unimaginable: he proudly called it “Unitarianism,” a label that his fellow liberal ministers had shunned. What did Channing preach? How was he able to create respectability for a distinctly different brand of Christianity? Join Rev. Terry Davis as we explore the events that led to Channing’s breakthrough sermon, and what it offered liberal religion then and offers our faith today.
Join us for Vespers this Wed. at 6:30. Vespers leader Kelly Wedell and Rev. Claudia invite us to continue exploring Beloved Community inspired by the work of Ruby Sales, civil rights leader and public theologian.
The 7PM program launches a 3 month series on Aging as a Spiritual Practice based on the work of Lewis Richmond. Facilitators: Jim Steffe, Rev. Claudia
FEBRUARY 3 Vespers Leader: Anna Martin Program: Theme Talk, Rev. Claudia
10 Vespers Leader: Mary Alm Program: Power at Work in Our Congregation, Anna Martin
17 Vespers Leader: Kelly Wedell &Rev. Claudia Program: Spiritual Practices – Aging I; Jim Steffe, Rev. Claudia
24 Vespers Leader: TBA Program: The Theology William Ellery Channing, Rev. Terry Davis
Vespers leader Mary Alm invites us to consider the Black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (found in our hymnal) as we continue exploring this month’s theme of Beloved Community.
The 7PM program will explore “Power at Work in Your Congregation” Facilitator: Anna Martin
FEBRUARY 3 Vespers Leader: Anna Martin Program: Theme Talk, Rev. Claudia
10 Vespers Leader: Mary Alm Program: Power at Work in Our Congregation, Anna Martin
When we talk about imagination, most of the time we seem to be imagining on a large scale. How do we imagine “church” will look after COVID? How do we imagine a non-racist world? But we can also imagine at the personal level. What if we imagined ALL the possibilities for our lives in the next 5 or 10 or 20 years, not just the logical, rational ones? Who could we be?
7PM Program: What is Theology? We describe ourselves as a non-creedal religious community or faith tradition. Join us as we begin a series that explores the theological anchors of UUism. Facilitator: Rev Claudia
Vespers 6:30pm: Joyce Hooley will lead us in considering some insights from Black American voices regarding this month’s theme, Imagination, as related to racial justice.
Program 7pm: “Discerning Race/Discerning Power” continues our anti-racism work using the UUA curriculum “Building the World We Dream About” Facilitator: Mary Alm
Join Vespers leader Rev. Claudia for a meditative holiday Vespers. Come prepared to share a favorite holiday memory during breakout groups.
7 PM Program: Everyday Life Spiritual Practices Featuring Living Compassionately – Jeff Jones will be sharing his everyday life spiritual practice of living compassionately. Participants in breakout rooms will be sharing what spiritual practices we each will carry forward and integrate into our everyday lives.
Vespers resumes January 6 welcoming the New Year and the monthly theme of imagination.
Our Wednesday Thing 2021 Programs will focus on:
1st Wednesdays, the Soul Matters Theme (or a congregant suggested topic)
2nd Wednesdays, Anti-racism work
3rd Wednesdays, Spiritual Practices
4th Wednesdays, UU Theology
During February through April, Jim Steffe and Rev. Claudia will offer a series on “Aging as a Spiritual Practice” based on the book by Lewis Richmond.
The ancient spiritual tool of the labyrinth can be a welcome invitation to go deeper within and find a hidden stillness. Join Rev. Claudia Jiménez and UUCA member Rev. Terry Davis as we take this journey together.
Print out a labyrinth or download a labyrinth app to use for this evening’s service:
Join us December 2 as Rev Mark leads a Vespers on the Dec theme of stillness.
In observation of Human Rights Day, Dec 10 our after Vespers program invites us to explore cross cultural engagement and privilege in activism work. Co facilitators Deb Holden and Rev Claudia will share case studies for discussion from the Unitarian Universalist Holdeen India Program established to be in solidarity with India’s struggle for social justice and human rights.
December – Theme: Stillness
2 Vespers Leader: Rev. Mark Program: Human Rights Day Discussion, Deb Holden, Rev Claudia
9 Vespers Leader: Rev. Terry Davis Program: Navigating the Landscapes of Power, Joy McConnell
Join Rev. Claudia for a meditative vespers Wed., Nov 25 6:30 PM using the story “Giving Thanks” based on words from the Peoples of the Six Nations. It has been a complicated, challenging year and we are invited to consider the everyday gifts around us despite the challenges we face. Below is prompt to share with a young person in your life and, that you can draw or journal about. Enjoy!
Draw something that makes you happy.
Draw something you couldn’t live without.
Draw someone who helps you.
Draw something that makes you smile.
Draw something you love to do.
Draw something you are thankful for.
Draw someone you love.
Draw something you think is fun.
Draw something that makes you feel good.
Draw something that makes you laugh.
December – Theme: Stillness
2 Vespers Leader: Rev. Mark Program: Human Rights Day Discussion, Deb Holden, Rev Claudia
9 Vespers Leader: Rev. Terry Davis Program: Navigating the Landscapes of Power, Joy McConnell
Join us this Wednesday for Vespers at 6:30 PM. Our theme:Truth and Reconciliation In keeping with this month’s theme of “Healing,” Joyce Hooley Gingrich invites us to explore role of acknowledging hard truths in the kind of “healing” that brings about reconciliation. Our ‘Time for All Ages’ will include a shadow play, titled Mother, Mother, I Feel Sick! Send for the Doctor Quick, Quick Quick! We will also be observing Transgender Day of Remembrance.”
The 7 PM Program will be Exploring Heart and Creativity practices.
PROGRAMS WEDNESDAY 7:00 PM:
2nd & 4th Wed.; Building the World We Dream About; Contact: Rev Claudia faithdev@uuasheville.org
3rd Wed.; Spiritual Practices: Exploration and Practice Challenge Contact: Nancy Bragg njbragg1@gmail.com November – Soul Matters Theme: Healing
4 Vespers Leader: Rev Mark Program: Theme Talk – Healing
11 Vespers Leader: Anna Martin Program: Problems and Promises of Unearned Privilege, Anna M
Join Vespers Leader Anna Martin at 6:30 PM this Wednesday for a meditative Vespers on this month’s theme of healing. Vespers will include the telling of the story “The Shattering of the Vessels” by Amy Petrie Shaw.
7 PM Program: Building the World We Dream About will explore the problems and promises of unearned privilege. Facilitator: Anna Martin
PROGRAMS WEDNESDAY 7:00 PM:
2nd & 4th Wed.; Building the World We Dream About; Contact: Rev Claudia faithdev@uuasheville.org
3rd Wed.; Spiritual Practices: Exploration and Practice Challenge Contact: Nancy Bragg njbragg1@gmail.com November – Soul Matters Theme: Healing
4 Vespers Leader: Rev Mark Program: Theme Talk – Healing
11 Vespers Leader: Anna Martin Program: Problems and Promises of Unearned Privilege, Anna M
