The UU Church-Rockford, IL

9/1/2019 "To Meet and Enrich Each Other"

To Meet and Enrich Each Other
September 1, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Rev. Linda Lawrence
Rev. Linda is a longtime member of this congregation who has returned as a "snowbird" after retiring from ministries in Arizona.  She will be introducing our September worship theme: Covenant.  What is a covenant, why are covenants important, and how are they related to Unitarian Universalist theology?

August 25, 2019 "Healing Harm through Bylaws. No, really."

Sunday, August 25 at 10 a.m.
Healing Harm through Bylaws. No, really.
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson
The second in a two-sermon series about my “extra-curricular” work as your minister.  My other major project has been re-writing the accountability procedures of the professional minister’s body.  This seems like technical work, but it’s actually profoundly spiritual work about how we heal harm, promote accountability, and serve justice.  I’ll share what I’ve been doing, the controversy it has engendered, and draw some lessons for our life together as a congregation as well as for society at large.  

5/5/19 "The Mystery of the Mind"

The Mystery of the Mind 
May 5, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson
The Human Mind remains one of the great mysteries of science and biology. The more we learn, the more questions we have. How does memory work? How does intuition and creativity happen?  How are our minds connected to each other?  We’re also learning a lot more about neuro-diversity, and turning away from the assumption that our minds all work the same way.  We’ll learn about that diversity, celebrate the many ways of “being brains,” and explore this fascinating question.   

4/28/19 "A Wonderous Love, a Saving Love"

A Wonderous Love, a Saving Love
April 28, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Rev. Karen Armina
Salvation is a term that may – or may not – be useful to Unitarian Universalists.  This morning we’ll talk about some traditional concepts of salvation, and consider the roles of wonder and love in what saves us.

4/7/19 "Salvation by Faith"

Salvation by Faith
April 7, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson
“Salvation” and “Faith” are complicated words for Unitarian Universalists. More than 200 years ago, we diverged from our protestant colleagues by arguing that we didn’t need to be saved, and that faith wasn’t sufficient anyway — it was deeds that mattered. But what would it mean to reclaim “salvation” and “faith” in new ways - and to think about how we might be “made whole through hope.”?   What does “wholeness through hope” mean, and what would it mean to cultivate the hope that sets us free? 

3/31/19 "The Truth About Trust"

The Truth About Trust
March 31, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Rev. Misha Sanders
Trust is easier lost than gained, easier broken than repaired. Who do we trust? Is it possible to trust after we've been betrayed? Why even bother? Let's take the risk of trusting each other just enough to explore the question a little bit this Sunday. 

3/24/19 "The Truth About Stories"

The Truth About Stories
March 24, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Intern Minister Christe Lunsford
Are all stories “fake news” or are stories carefully crafted as a way of survival?

How do the stories we tell shape our lives, our identities and our communities?  How do we speak the truth and acknowledge that there can be a multitude of truths all in one story?

What stories do we want others to know and tell about us when you’re gone?  Are we able to craft stories that capture the fullness and richness of life lived in the moment? We will explore these and other questions about the stories we tell on Sunday morning.
See you there! What story will you bring?

3/17/19 "The Truth About Stuff"

The Truth About Stuff
March 17, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson
Science! The Cosmos! Quarks! Climate? Vaccines? Neurology? Evolution! Faith? We’ll talk about the relationship between science, faith, and truth.

3/10/19 "The Truth About Doubt"

The Truth About Doubt
March 10, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson
Unitarian Universalists have long embraced doubt as necessary for the religious quest. We “quest” – which is to say, we question. But there’s a fine line between doubt and critique, and between wonder and cynicism. We’ll celebrate doubt, explore what it means, and how it can be helpful to us today.

3/3/19 "The Truth About Healing Racial Trauma"

The Truth About Healing Racial Trauma
March 3, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Pastor Danny Givens

Many have been steeped in the seemingly non-stop tweets, posts, articles, and media headlines of injustice in the world we live in today. The trauma endured, embodied, and experienced in justice work impacts our growth and faith formation as we commune to seek justice and facilitate healing in our world. How do we, in this time, access the healing we seek? 

Join us Sunday as Pastor Danny Givens speaks to how we create brave space and community through storytelling, deep listening, spiritual reflection, and healing-based practice.

We need this healing to do the justice work that we are called to.