“Faith Matters” blog

Dear Graduates

Jun. 11, 2018. By Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. NOTE: The following is the sermon Rev. David Miller delivered at last week’s James Madison High School baccalaureate. I have to say that I am a little worried for you. And I think it’s possible that some of you are a little worried too. We […]

“If We Agree in Love …”

May 28, 2018. By Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. For those of us who work in congregations, this time of the year is the home stretch before a little time off. I guess it isn’t that much different from those who work in schools or other businesses that are on a similar calendar. Including […]

Truth From Meaning

May 21, 2018. By Director of Music & Arts and Worship Coordinator Laura Weiss. This blog is for adult eyes only. No kids allowed! Yes. I still believe in Santa. I remember standing in the kitchen as a little girl when my baby sister and I started discussing the coming holiday. I said something about […]

The Long Road to Military Chaplaincy

May 14, 2018. By Assistant Minister Rev. Sarah Caine. I’m no longer a civilian. Yesterday I was commissioned as a U.S. Army chaplain. Part of me thought this day would never come. I’ve spent 5 years re-submitting forms to the Army and amid that had a brief stint submitting forms to the Navy to see […]

Acknowledging the Boo-Boo

May 7, 2018. By Youth Ministry Coordinator Courtney Firth. My life has changed immeasurably since welcoming my son, Jack, into the world 4 months ago. It takes twice as long to leave the house as it used to. There always seems to be one tiny sock missing after laundry day and I have become very […]

The Reach of Our Light

Apr. 30, 2018. By Lay Minister for Membership & Outreach Shannon Williams. Like many neighbors doing their part to urge in spring, my son and I transplant seedlings. Our task is to thin the herd. We approach this work with an unspoken awareness of the terrible, lovely power we possess. We get to decide which […]

Our Pledges As Nourishment

Apr. 23, 2018. By Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. When you think about UUCF, I’m hoping what comes to mind first are things like love, community, spiritual nourishment, compassion, growth, family, justice and service. I’m also hoping when we think of UUCF we have a growing understanding of what it takes to keep this […]

On the Road to Beloved Community … Teaching RE Matters

Apr. 16, 2018. By Interim Director of Religious Exploration Diana Tycer. We are in the midst of our Annual Giving pledge campaign, and we all know that to achieve the beloved community our congregation desires, money does matter. But so does the commitment of time and talent that a thriving Religious Exploration program requires. And […]

Trust the Process

Apr. 9, 2018. By Intern Minister Pippin Whitaker. I am delighted to share with you that on Mar. 24, the Ministerial Fellowship Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Association welcomed me into preliminary fellowship as a UU minister (I still have to complete my internship and graduate from Meadville Lombard to finalize this). This means that […]

A Binding Thread on Your Spiritual Journey

Apr. 2, 2018. By UUCF member Stacey Casey. While sitting in the bright UUCF Sanctuary on recent Sunday mornings, I have loved hearing the personal faith stories from UUCF members. This experience has made me re-examine my own reasons for attending UUCF, and led me to start defining my own spiritual journey. Many of these […]

All In

Mar. 26, 2018. By Leadership Development Team Chair Craig Bennett. This year we’ve heard a different congregant share their story each Sunday – a brief expression of their experience at UUCF, maybe what brought them here, what kept them here, what motivates or inspires them. These members are, as Ian Hochberg said, “all in” with […]

Living Our Third Principle Through Worship

Mar. 19, 2018. By your UUCF worship leaders*. As we have traveled through the worship experience since last September, the Worship Team has considered the unprecedented and unique challenges facing our country, Unitarian Universalism and UUCF. We have experimented with modifications to worship with the hope of creating an experience that would be more inclusive, […]

Taking a Break From “Doing” to Focus on “Being”

Mar. 12, 2018. By Assistant Minister Rev. Sarah Caine. My first blog as Rev. Sarah Caine! It’s still sinking in that I have made it to this honorific. Thank you all for making it possible. The power to grant this title rests with the congregation, and you inspire and humble me with your votes of […]

Two “Gifted and Committed” UUCF Staff Members Stay on for the Next Year

Mar. 5, 2018. By Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. In discussion with the leadership of the congregation, a decision was reached to extend an offer to both Diana Tycer and Rev. Sarah Caine to stay on staff for at least one more year in their roles as interim director of religious exploration (DRE) and […]

“We Provide Hope For Each Other”

Feb. 26, 2018. By Worship Coordinator and Director of Music & Arts Laura Weiss. When I was younger, I couldn’t imagine playing a concert alone on a stage. Like most classical pianists, I was urged to fall neatly in line for conservatory tracks and concert hall preparation. What bothered me wasn’t the pressure of performance, […]

Our Good Old Young Adult Group

Feb. 19, 2018. By Intern Minister Pippin Whitaker. Since beginning my internship in September, I have been inspired by our Young Adult Fellowship group. With a little organizing on my part, this group for 18- to 35-year-olds gathers regularly and in healthy numbers. Despite busy schedules from school, parenting young children and new careers, the […]

On the Road to … Money Matters

Feb. 12, 2018. By Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller, Generosity Team Chair Dave Wiemer and Annual Giving Campaign Chair Meg Harrelson. At this year’s UUCF Board of Directors retreat, the board decided it was important to be as transparent as possible in discussing UUCF’s budget and resources with the congregation. The UUCF Generosity Team […]

Driving Innovation for UUCF and Outreach to Young Adults

Feb. 5, 2018. By UUCF Innovation Fund grant co-recipient Betsy Bicknell. In a generous bequest, the late Stan Richards provided seed financing for innovative projects that expand UUCF’s outreach to those not now engaged in our congregation and/or Unitarian Universalism. Wendy Astell and I responded to this challenge, and in March 2017, the UUCF Board […]

Sexuality Education Is for Our Whole Lives

Jan. 29, 2018. By Interim Director of Religious Exploration Diana Tycer. I remember the first time I heard about the Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality education program offered by UUCF. It was at the Fall Adult Retreat when I was mingling in the dining room after dinner, chatting with a longtime UUCF member. Upon learning […]

Reflecting on the Past to Choose Our Future

Jan. 22, 2018. By Intern Minister Pippin Whitaker. These past few weeks, as I delved into UUCF’s history of racial justice for a class project, I kept hearing a dramatic story retold. A member famously stood up in a worship service and asked why we had done nothing about racial justice in 20 years. This […]

Calling Attention to the Gulf Between Promise and Fulfillment

Jan. 15, 2018. By Assistant Minister Rev. Sarah Caine. When I took a class called Educating to Counter Oppressions at Starr King [School for the Ministry], I heard about an upcoming campaign made up of poor folks with a mission to teach and advocate for a more humane existence. The whole week of our intensive […]

‘A Legacy of Capability and Caring’

Jan. 8, 2018. By Rev. David A. Miller. Next week, Rich Sider, our director of administration, will retire to new things after 9 years with UUCF. Our gratitude for Rich’s administrative and general leadership through many years – transitions, joys and challenges – runs incredibly deep. His efforts have gone way beyond his job description […]

Putting Our Second Principle to Work

Jan. 1, 2018. by Kaye Cook, Chair, Racial Justice Steering Committee. One thing that initially attracted me to UUCF was the congregation’s commitment to social justice work. Upon learning that Unitarian Universalism has seven principles for guiding and governing congregations and that the Second Principle is to affirm and promote justice, equity and compassion in […]

Season of Light

Dec. 18, 2017. By Lay Minister for Membership and Outreach Shannon Williams. UUCF rang in seven new members at the exuberant ritual following the Joy Service earlier this month. This gives us one more reason to celebrate in a season already packed with celebration. It also gives me a chance to reflect on our congregation’s […]

How Do You Stay Hopeful?

Dec. 11, 2017. By Intern Minister Pippin Whitaker. Someone recently asked me how I stay hopeful about our society when it appears “things are tanking.” I believe we have the capacity to plant love, with every breath, even – and poignantly – amid heartache. I hope the love we plant will be enough to soften […]

Facing Individualism and Fear With Collectivism and Love

Dec. 4, 2017. By Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. While my first degree is in political science, I am no tax expert. And granted, there are smarter people in this world analyzing today’s political situations. But here is what I am observing about the tax bill passed by the Senate early Saturday morning: This […]

Connecting to Our Souls and Letting the River of Joy Come Forth

Nov. 27, 2017. By Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. Rumi says, “When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.” Overlooking the possible debate on the meaning of the word soul, just for the purposes of this blog, let’s say the soul is the deepest place of […]

A Life of Continuous, Small Improvements

November 20, 2017. by Assistant Minister Rev. Sarah Caine. While trying to fight off an illness that had me coughing, tired and without much use of my vocal cords, I found myself watching that comforting cooking show “The Great British Bake Off” (called “The Great British Baking Show” in the U.S.). Rewatching episodes that had […]

A faith that transforms in many different cultures

by Dick Van Duizend, UUCF Partner Church Circle. Imagine you are many time zones from home and way out of your comfort zone. You are in a poor farming village; most people only speak a language you do not know. You walk into an 800-year-old whitewashed stone church on a hill with a tall silver […]

Me Too. And Me. And Me.

by Rev. David A. Miller, Rev. Sarah Caine and Pippin Whitaker. More than 10 years ago, the Me Too campaign began with African American activist Tarana Burke. The recent wave of “Me too” posts on Facebook and Twitter were fueled by high-profile sexual harassment and assault cases starting with last year’s release of the “Access […]

Raising Young UUs Into Adult UUs

by Diana Tycer, Interim Director of Religious Exploration. Many people conceptualize their lives as a linear continuum, a collection of their experiences along an established timeline. I have long conceptualized my life as a three-dimensional spiral, continually returning to the same place only on another plane, having gained greater wisdom through my experiences. When I […]

‘Something clicked between my heart and mind’

Oct. 9, 2017. by Assistant Minister Rev. Sarah Caine. When I was a child trying to make sense of the destruction in and of the world, I was afraid and deeply sorrowful. This informed how I interacted with the world around me, cautiously but lovingly. With the personal growth I have experienced in my life […]

So Much Gratitude

by Director of Religious Exploration Linnea Nelson. Thank you for honoring me yesterday and over that last several weeks with your well wishes, beautiful notes and hugs. As the Director of Religious Exploration, I have been blessed with getting to know you through activities that brought great meaning to my life. Watching so many of […]

Let Us Go, Together!

by Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. I am so proud and honored to be a Unitarian Universalist. With very little exception, I believe that we so badly want to build a beloved community where humans are loved and seen for who they are and that compassion, respect and equality are primary values. It is […]

Welcoming September

by Lay Minister for Membership and Outreach Shannon Williams. “The Sun will rise and set regardless. What we choose to do with the light while it’s here is up to us.” – Alexandra Elle Barely a month has passed since the UUCF Board of Directors welcomed me into my new role as the Lay Minister […]

Two ways to build up our reservoirs

by Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. “Church is a place where you get to practice what it means to be human.” – Rev. James Luther Adams What helps each of us stay whole and holy in these extremely challenging times? After week upon week of incivility and a seemingly endless flow of assaults on […]

What will we do with the intern?

by Intern Minister Pippin Whitaker. Greetings new community! I am your new intern minister, and I will be with you half-time for the next 2 years, September through May. I am also a seminary student at Meadville Lombard Theological School, which is one of two Unitarian Universalist seminaries in the country. I live in Vienna […]

Announcement from DRE Linnea Nelson

My Dear UUCF Family, Today I need to share the news that I will soon be saying goodbye to you. Later this fall, my husband, Ted, and I are moving to Florida. My last day as Director of Religious Exploration will be Oct. 1. A career opportunity arose for Ted at a time when both our […]

Seeking Commitment, Love and Care From Each of Us

Aug. 21, 2017. by Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. It always seems like new congregational years, beginning with Ingathering in September, bring fresh starts and new possibilities. This year that is as true as ever. As I write this, it also feels like so much more. We are a country traveling through a tumultuous […]

Rich Sider announces retirement

Aug. 11, 2017. Dear UUCF congregants, I’m writing to you today to let you know that I have decided to retire in January 2018. After 9 years in this position, I’m looking forward to a change of pace. As I think about leaving, I am grateful to all of you for giving me the opportunity […]

Farewell to Rich Sider

What’s Next? from Paul Atelsek, President, UUCF Board of Directors, and Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. Earlier today, UUCF’s Director of Administration Rich Sider announced his retirement. Rich has been an incredibly important member of the staff team and has devoted endless time and energy to sustaining UUCF and helping it thrive. For 9 […]

Grounds project scheduled for last two weeks of August

One of the Reach Campaign projects we’ve been planning for some time is finally going to happen the last two weeks of August. As part of our improvement of the UUCF grounds, we will be installing a water catchment infiltration trench and retaining wall at the base of the hill below the traffic circle, which […]

Bearing Witness to UUCF’s Soulful and Transformative Work

by Rev. Julie Price. What a privilege to be back with you in ministry for 3 weeks! Thank you for welcoming me so warmly on Sunday. The last time I led worship with you was the summer of 2015, culminating a year as your intern and summer minister. I have been back at UUCF since […]

Bringing Home a Transformative General Assembly

by Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. This past week, Unitarian Universalists from all over the world came to a Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) General Assembly (GA) that seemed different. The anticipation of this GA, my 10th, was different from any I have ever experienced. What would it be like with three recently named co-presidents […]

I Will Carry You in My Heart Always

by Associate Minister Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig. Thank you so much for the warm and wonderful send-off you offered me on Sunday. How good it was to be together and share so many hugs and good wishes. And the presents you gave me are so beautiful – the stunning glass singing bowl and the scrapbook with […]

Inspired to Lead

by Leadership Development Team Chair Craig Bennett. Three years ago, former UUCF Associate Minister Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig brought together a group of lay leaders at UUCF to consider how we, as a faith community, could inspire, support and nurture lay leaders in our congregation. We began by considering what makes a good leader, what tools […]

Can You Help Make Joy Happen?

by Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. Well, here we are at summer. It seems like the year flew by. It was a challenging year as events pulled our attention in one direction and then another. And with every news story and every tweet, it started all over again. So, we are going to work […]

Saying Goodbye

by Intern Minister McKinley Sims. My partner has a hard time saying goodbye. I’ve often had to drag her out of parties or she would presumably never leave. She thrives on interaction and engagement, and I always say the only thing she’s afraid of is missing out on the party. She’s a great balance for […]

Demonstrating Our Long-Held Values of Equality, Compassion and Justice for All

by Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. “White Supremacist in Portland kills two men who tried to stop his racist rants” “LeBron James’ house spray-painted with a racial slur …” “White House invites literally anyone to refuse to cover birth control” “Noose found inside Smithsonian’s African-American History Museum” “World leaders reaffirm commitment to fighting climate […]

Update on Assistant Minister Search

by Board of Directors President Karen Wolf and Senior Minister Rev. David A. Miller. We wanted to give you an update on the next steps in the assistant minister search process. As we noted in an earlier communication, we have entered the search process fairly late, so we are trying to spread the word through […]

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