Lives of the Spirit

Lives of the Spirit pic

Rev. Colin's Sermon on September 10 - "Lives of the Spirit"
Text Here

Because part of the mission of our congregation is to increase opportunities for the transformative spiritual growth of members and seekers, this Fall we will explore the lives and teachings of some of the great religious leaders of the last century.

We are calling this exciting program Lives of the Spirit. Each month, you will have multiple opportunities to participate: a worship service will discuss the spiritual biography of the religious leader; covenant groups in English and Spanish will provide an opportunity to reflect on the significance of their lives; a book group will engage one of the leader’s seminal works; then a lecture or workshop will bring a specialist on the individual to engage and enlighten us.
 

April Programs

The Next American Revolution
Grace Lee Boggs

Detroit-based author, social activist, philosopher, and feminist.

Worship

Worship:


Sunday, April 28

The Next American Revolution

Group
Covenant Groups:
Tuesday, April 28, 6:30 PM
Sunday, April 30, 1:00 PM

Book
Minister's Book Group:
Tuesdays, April 9, 7:00 PM
                   April 23, 7:00 PM

Books to Read:

Grace Lee Boggs with Scott Kurashige, The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century

Workshop
Workshop
Saturday, April 27, 2024
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

"Simply Seed Experience"


Come learn how easy it can be to start your own urban garden. All skill levels are encouraged to attend!

The workshop for the month will be led by Carmen Jules of Blue Heron Farm

May Programs

Think of God All the Time
Swami Vivekananda

Indian Hindu monk who, in part through his close relationship with Unitarians and Universalists, played a key role in introducing Hindu theology and yoga to the United States.

Worship

Worship:


Sunday, May 19

Think of God All the Time

Group
Covenant Groups:
Sunday, May 19, 1:00 PM
Tuesday, May 21, 6:30 PM


Book
Minister's Book Group:
Tuesdays, May 7, 7:00 PM
                   May 21, 7:00 PM

Books to Read:

Swami Vivekananda, Selections from:, The Complete Book of Yoga: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga

Workshop
Workshop
The workshop highlighting Swami Vivekananda is still being designed. It is tentatively planned
for Saturday, May 4 at 6:00 pm and will likely feature Swapna Chaudhuri and a visiting Senior Monk from Washington, DC.


June Programs

Love and Deate
Forrest Church

Leading Unitarian Universalist minister, author, and theologian

Worship

Worship:


Sunday, June 9

Love and Death

Group
Covenant Groups:
Sunday, June 16, 1:00 PM
Tuesday, June 18, 6:30 PM


Book
Minister's Book Group:
Tuesdays, May 28, 7:00 PM
                   June 4, 7:00 PM

Books to Read:

Forrest Church, Love and Death

Workshop
Workshop
Saturday, June 29
1:00 PM
Rob Hardies will be leading this month's workshop. He is the Senior Minister at First Parish, Cambridge


Past Programs:
September

Introduction to Lives of the Spirit,

Awe and Meaningful Life:
Abraham Joshua Heschel

Rabbi and social justice activist

Worship

Worship:

Sunday, September 10
Introduction to Lives of the Spirit

Sunday, September 17
We will observe Rosh Hashanah with a special service done in coordination with Rabbi Scott Hausman-Weiss and Cantorial Soloist Hannah Madeline Goodman of Congregation Shma Koleniu.


Sunday, September 24

Divine Pathos: Abraham Joshua Heschel

The text to Rev. Colin's Sermon can be seen HERE.

Group
Covenant Groups:
Sunday, September 17, 1:00 PM
Tuesday, September 19, 6:30 PM

Grupos de alianza: (Spanish Covenant Group)
Thursday, September 21, 6:30 PM
Book
Minister's Book Group:
Tuesdays, September 12, 7:00 PM
                   September 26, 7:00 PM

Books to Read:

Abraham Joshua Heschel,
Man’s Quest for God;
Albert Raboteau, American Prophets
, xiii-25 (recommended).
Workshop
Workshop
Thursday, September 28, 2023
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

"Awe and a Meaningful life: Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel"

led by Rabbi Scott Hausman-Weiss and Craig Oettinger

October Programs

Borderlands:
Gloria Anzaldúa

Texas born queer scholar and spiritual activist.

Worship

Worship:

Sunday, October 15
"Borderlands: Gloria Anzaldúa"

The text to Rev. Colin's Sermon can be seen HERE.

Group
Covenant Groups:
Sunday, October 15, 1:00 PM
Tuesday, October 17, 6:30 PM

Grupos de alianza: (Spanish Covenant Group)
Thursday, October 19, 6:30 PM
Book
Minister's Book Group:
Tuesdays, October 10, 7:00 PM
                   October 24 7:00 PM

Book to Read:

Gloria Anzaldúa,
Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza
Workshop
Workshop
Thursday, October 12, 2023
6:30 PM

"Spiritual Activism in Our Times: the Borderlands and Gloria Anzaldúa."
 
led by Professor Brenda Sendejo

Professor Brenda Sendejo, Ph.D. currently serves as Associate Professor and Chair of Feminist Studies at Southwestern University, and affiliate faculty in Anthropology, Latin American and Border Studies, and Race and Ethnicity Studies.

Group
Covenant Groups:
Sunday, November 19, 1:00 PM
Tuesday, November 21, 6:30 PM

Grupos de alianza: (Spanish Covenant Group)
Thursday, November 23, 6:30 PM

November Programs

Works of Mercy:
Dorothy Day

Founder of the Catholic Worker Movement

Worship

Worship:

Sunday, November 12
"Works of Mercy: Dorothy Day"

The text to Rev. Scott's Sermon can be seen HERE.

Book
Minister's Book Group:
Tuesdays, November 14, 7:00 PM
                   November 28, 7:00 PM

Books to Read:

Dorothy Day,
The Long Loneliness;
Albert Raboteau, American Prophets
, 63-94 (recommended).
Workshop
Workshop
Saturday, November 11, 2023
1:00 PM

led by Dawn McCarty of Casa Juan Diego.

Professor Dawn McCarty, Ph.D. is the Director of the Bachelor of Social Work Program at the University of Houston-Downtown. She lives part-time in community as a Catholic Worker at Casa Juan Diego where she works directly with Houston's refugee, asylum seeking, and new immigrant communities.

December Programs

The Common Good:
Howard Thurman

Minster, theologian, and civil rights activist

Worship

Worship:

Sunday, December 3
"The Common Good: Howard Thurman"

The text to Rev. Colin's Sermon can be seen HERE.

Group
Covenant Groups:
Sunday, December 17, 1:00 PM
Tuesday, December 19, 6:30 PM

Grupos de alianza: (Spanish Covenant Group)
Thursday, December 21, 6:30 PM
Book
Minister's Book Group:
Tuesdays, December 5, 7:00 PM
                   December 12, 7:00 PM

Books to Read:

Howard Thurman,
Jesus and the Disinherited;
Albert Raboteau, American Prophets
, 95-118 (recommended).
Workshop
Workshop
Saturday, December 16, 2023
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

"Emancipatory Premises"

led by Omowale Luthuli-Allen.

Omowale Luthuli-Allen is a human rights activist and community activist, Along with a core group of student activists, he co-led the fight to bring democracy to the University of Houston, graduating from the University of Houston in 1970- B.A. Political Science.

January Programs

The Practice of Nonpractice:
Thich Nhat Han

Monk and spiritual activist who helped to introduce Zen Buddhism to the United States.

Worship

Worship:

Sunday, January 21
"The Practice of Nonpractice: Thich Nhat Han"

The text to Rev. Colin's Sermon can be seen HERE.

Book
Minister's Book Group:
Tuesdays, January 9, 7:00 PM
                  January 30, 7:00 PM

Book to Read:

Thich Nhat Han,
The Miracle of Mindfulness;
Group
Covenant Groups:

Tuesday, January 16, 6:30 PM
Sunday, January 21, 1:00 PM

Grupos de alianza: (Spanish Covenant Group)
Thursday, January 18, 6:30 PM
Workshop
Workshop
Saturday, January 20, 2024
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

"Engaged Buddhism"

led by Rebecca McIlwain

Rebecca McIlwain is the Community Outreach Coordinator at Texas Climate Jobs Project. A longtime community organizer, she spent ten years living as a Buddhist monk.

February Programs

Crying for America:
Fannie Lou Hamer

Voting and Women's rights activists, community organizer and leader in the civil rights movement

Worship

Worship:


Sunday, September 24

Crying for America: Fannie Lou Hamer

The text to Rev. Colin's Sermon can be found HERE

Group
Covenant Groups:
Sunday, February 25, 1:00 PM
Tuesday, February 27, 6:30 PM

Book
Minister's Book Group:
Tuesdays, February 13, 7:00 PM
                   February 27, 7:00 PM

Books to Read:

The Speeches of Fannie Lou Hamer: To Tell It like It Is

Albert Raboteau, American Prophets
, 163-194 (recommended).
Workshop
Workshop
Saturday, February 17, 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

The workshop for the month will be led by Glynda Carr of Higher Heights for America

March Programs

The River is Our Bond:
Mary Brave Bird

Sicangu Lakota writer and activist

Worship

Worship:


Sunday, March 10

The River is Our Blood: Mary Brave Bird

The text to Rev. Colin's Sermon can be found HERE.

Group
Covenant Groups:
Sunday, March 17, 1:00 PM
Tuesday, March 19, 6:30 PM

Book
Minister's Book Group:
Tuesdays, March 5, 7:00 PM
                   March 19, 7:00 PM

Books to Read:

Mary Brave Bird, Lakota Woman