News – March 11, 2022

Dear Members and friends, 

I hope you read my Wednesday email about the exciting events we have this weekend with the Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney. We’ll see you Saturday!

 

Dr. Gafney’s appearances are part of our focus on Women’s History Month. All this month, the readings I choose for Sunday services will be by women. Dr. Bossen’s book group is reading the feminist Unitarian Universalist theologian Sharon Welch. Later this month, our shared offering collection will be for the International Convocation of Unitarian Universalist Women.  

 

My sermon this past Sunday, “Reimagining Responsibility,” featured references to the work of feminist, ethicist, and psychologist Carol Gilligan. The readings I chose were written by Arundhati Roy and Sophia Lyon Fahs. I explored how we morally discern what our responsibilities are.

 

Our responsibilities to you, our members and friends, are something we, the ministers and staff, take very seriously. Which is why it may seem to some that we are dragging our feet in loosening our Covid protocols for in-person events. We feel responsible for your welfare while you are here in our church home. We would be devastated if we learned someone became ill because they came to church and our guidelines were too lax. We continue to err on the side of caution, despite many schools, businesses, and restaurants being more lenient than we are.

 

We are adding back the things we love, like congregational singing and coffee, slowly but surely. We hope you understand our sense of caution, and we appreciate your patience.

 

Rev. D. Scott Cooper
Assistant Minister of Congregational Life
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston
scott@firstuu.org



Where Are the Ministers?

This month, Dr. Bossen will be leading worship at the church retreat March 26th to 28th. In addition, he will be attending Planned Parenthood’s Annual Roe v. Wade Luncheon in Houston on March 4th and the stewardship training on March 5th.

From March 14th to 20th, Dr. Bossen will be in Boston, conducting research at Harvard for his book on contemporary Unitarian Universalist theologies (under contract with Brill for publication scheduled in early 2023).

On March 13th, Rev. Scott will be on the chancel with Dr. Bossen to help welcome Dr. Wil Gafney to our services. Rev. Scott will then be preaching the final two Sundays in March.