During the month of March, we hope you’ll join us as we explore expressions of gratitude.

March 4, 2012    The Way Gratitude Wears
Led by The Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate Dani Beale – Have you ever considered the way gratitude wears? I mean, the way you wear gratitude in your heart and mind and body and spirit. I also mean the way gratitude wears a way to generosity. This morning we will celebrate the manygifts bestowed by the practice of gratitude.

March 11, 2012    What It Takes to Speak Out
On March 11th, the Youth Group takes over. This service will be about how our Unitarian Universalist principles and background affect us on our journey into adulthood. The service features music by and stories from the youth.

March 18, 2012  This Particular Call
Led by The Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Worship Associate Bonnie Harper – Every year our association of congregations has a General Assembly in June. This year our gathering will not be business as usual. This year we will have a Justice General Assembly with a very particular call. Whether you think you might have any interest in attending or not, I hope you will join us to consider the call our association is being invited to respond to in Phoenix and all across our country. David Petras of the Phoenix Witness Project will be with us to receive our special collection which will be used to help fund scholarships to Justice GA. (Given the timing of the scholarship distribution, the second sermon I planned to deliver on gratitude will be postponed until April.)

March 25, 2012   From Tolerance to Humility
Led by The Rev. Tim Temerson and Worship Associate Kristina Spaude – As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm tolerance as an important religious value. But is it enough simply to tolerate difference and diversity or can we move to a deeper, more authentic place of acceptance and celebration? Today we will explore the beauty and the challenge of difference and consider the role of another religious value – humility – in helping us to move beyond tolerance.

The Rev. Tim Temerson is the minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron. He and I will be participating in the time honored tradition of a pulpit swap this morning. With this swap, he and I are looking forward to strengthening the ties between our congregations.