This week, Rev. Ken opens with a quote about spirituality by Walt Whitman. Continuing in our Heirloom Connections series, we share Evan and Micah’s pen pal videos. They’re asked to describe their “Ows and their Wows.” This brings them to some heavy topics, with some big and broad ideas, but they also look at the smaller things too – particularly superheroes. Ken also ponders astronaut Michael Collins, who had some spiritually enlightened things to say about being the furthest person ever away fr...
May 16, 2021
This week, Rev. Ken opens with a quote about spirituality by Walt Whitman. Continuing in our Heirloom Connections series, we share Evan and Micah’s pen pal videos. They’re asked to describe their “Ows and their Wows.” This brings them to some heavy topics, with some big and broad ideas, but they also look at the smaller things too – particularly superheroes. Ken also ponders astronaut Michael Collins, who had some spiritually enlightened things to say about being the furthest person ever away fr...
May 16, 2021•24 min
Rev. Lee opens our new Message series by recounting "The Josh Battle." She remarks how right it feels that “Little Josh” was allowed to win. This is the way it’s supposed to be when we say we want better for our kids. She also shares a recent "Maslow Got it Wrong" article. She highlights the difference between the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs and the “teepee” of the Blackfoot Indian Tribe. Rev. Lee speaks a bit about our current message series by remarking on the importance of tradition and connect...
May 02, 2021
Rev. Lee opens our new Message series by recounting "The Josh Battle." She remarks how right it feels that “Little Josh” was allowed to win. This is the way it’s supposed to be when we say we want better for our kids. She also shares a recent "Maslow Got it Wrong" article. She highlights the difference between the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs and the “teepee” of the Blackfoot Indian Tribe. Rev. Lee speaks a bit about our current message series by remarking on the importance of tradition and connect...
May 02, 2021•36 min
This week, Rev. Ken talks about the Mountain Goats album "Life of the World to Come" and explains how it's the inspiration for this message. He talks about the concept of "temporal distancing" and how it can be a useful tool in mindfulness practice. He tells us about a time when - quite unexpectedly - he experienced a profound change in perspective. Given this week's events, Rev. Ken takes a moment to reflect on the George Floyd murder trial, before taking us through a thought exercise about bei...
Apr 25, 2021
This week, Rev. Ken talks about the Mountain Goats album "Life of the World to Come" and explains how it's the inspiration for this message. He talks about the concept of "temporal distancing" and how it can be a useful tool in mindfulness practice. He tells us about a time when - quite unexpectedly - he experienced a profound change in perspective. Given this week's events, Rev. Ken takes a moment to reflect on the George Floyd murder trial, before taking us through a thought exercise about bei...
Apr 25, 2021•28 min
This week, Chris reflects on the entirety of the weight of the pandemic. There are different levels of loss, but she validates the fact that we’ve all lost something. Perhaps we’ve remained healthy, perhaps we’ve kept our jobs, perhaps all our loved ones are safe; yet we’ve all lost things this past year. She contemplates why we are encouraged to shout our joyful moments, but to keep our lamentations quiet. Naming our grief and giving it space can be healing. We’ve all been through a traumatic y...
Apr 20, 2021
This week, Chris reflects on the entirety of the weight of the pandemic. There are different levels of loss, but she validates the fact that we’ve all lost something. Perhaps we’ve remained healthy, perhaps we’ve kept our jobs, perhaps all our loved ones are safe; yet we’ve all lost things this past year. She contemplates why we are encouraged to shout our joyful moments, but to keep our lamentations quiet. Naming our grief and giving it space can be healing. We’ve all been through a traumatic y...
Apr 20, 2021•19 min
This week, Rev. Lee explains the meaning of Belonging Sunday in our congregation. She reflects on what it means to belong to a community, especially now that we’re in a pandemic. Later, she asks us to consider how there can be a cloud and sunshine in something as simple as a piece of paper. Our new members are introduced, and Rev. Lee goes over what’s in the welcome package we delivered to each household. There's also a special welcome from some of our younger friends.
Apr 11, 2021
This week, Rev. Lee explains the meaning of Belonging Sunday in our congregation. She reflects on what it means to belong to a community, especially now that we’re in a pandemic. Later, she asks us to consider how there can be a cloud and sunshine in something as simple as a piece of paper. Our new members are introduced, and Rev. Lee goes over what’s in the welcome package we delivered to each household. There's also a special welcome from some of our younger friends.
Apr 11, 2021•24 min
Rev. Lee begins this week by acknowledging that we are all “in need of a resurrection.” She sympathizes with the women in the Easter story of the resurrection who were visiting his grave that Sunday. She reminds is that when Jesus is resurrected, he isn’t recognized by his friends and family - he's unfamiliar. A messenger reminds the women that we can not look for the living among the dead. We can’t find new life in what is past. We conclude with a story from a pastor about a memorial service, w...
Apr 06, 2021
Rev. Lee begins this week by acknowledging that we are all “in need of a resurrection.” She sympathizes with the women in the Easter story of the resurrection who were visiting his grave that Sunday. She reminds is that when Jesus is resurrected, he isn’t recognized by his friends and family - he's unfamiliar. A messenger reminds the women that we can not look for the living among the dead. We can’t find new life in what is past. We conclude with a story from a pastor about a memorial service, w...
Apr 06, 2021•22 min
This week, Rev. Ken begins with an analogy about how chatacters in a horror movie often have a moment of thinking the danger has past. Rather than thinking those characters are acting foolishly, we're invited to find empathy for traumatized people. He's also made a playlist looking back on a year in a pandemic, and he focuses on the song lyris “How am I gonna be an optimist about this?” Rev. Ken talks about Transgenerational trauma, and how trauma travels through families until someone is ready ...
Mar 28, 2021
This week, Rev. Ken begins with an analogy about how chatacters in a horror movie often have a moment of thinking the danger has past. Rather than thinking those characters are acting foolishly, we're invited to find empathy for traumatized people. He's also made a playlist looking back on a year in a pandemic, and he focuses on the song lyris “How am I gonna be an optimist about this?” Rev. Ken talks about Transgenerational trauma, and how trauma travels through families until someone is ready ...
Mar 28, 2021•27 min
This week, rather than having a traditional Sunday service, we're giving you back the hour you lost in Daylight Savings Time last week. We're inviting you to use this time to do whatever it is that charges you full. Take a walk, spend time with your family, rest, or check out the resource guide from our Spiritual Development Ministry for ideas here: http://www.wellspringsuu.org/new/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/New_Normal__or___How_Not_to_Waste_an_Apocalypse___Message_Series_Resources.docx-1.pdf
Mar 23, 2021
This week, rather than having a traditional Sunday service, we're giving you back the hour you lost in Daylight Savings Time last week. We're inviting you to use this time to do whatever it is that charges you full. Take a walk, spend time with your family, rest, or check out the resource guide from our Spiritual Development Ministry for ideas here: http://www.wellspringsuu.org/new/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/New_Normal__or___How_Not_to_Waste_an_Apocalypse___Message_Series_Resources.docx-1.pdf
Mar 23, 2021•6 min
Rev. Lee begins with a story about a healthcare worker isolating from her family, and the stress it caused on her young son. This worker asks her son to “remember this feeling” as we move towards a return to normal. Rev. Lee invites us to remember those who became sick, or those who were lost to this pandemic in the past year. She also references an essay which went viral last year which pointed out that the “old normal” wasn’t all that great, and we have a chance right now to reimagine things.
Mar 16, 2021
Rev. Lee begins with a story about a healthcare worker isolating from her family, and the stress it caused on her young son. This worker asks her son to “remember this feeling” as we move towards a return to normal. Rev. Lee invites us to remember those who became sick, or those who were lost to this pandemic in the past year. She also references an essay which went viral last year which pointed out that the “old normal” wasn’t all that great, and we have a chance right now to reimagine things.
Mar 16, 2021•32 min
This week, Rev. Ken opens our new message series called "New Normal (or How Not to Waste an Apocalypse), by talking about a sculpture unveiling in honor of his father's service to an art museum. As we approach the one year anniversary of Covid lockdown, he reminds us that the Greek word apocalypse means "unveiling." We can look at this time as potentially a time of awakening. Rev, Ken also invites us to complete the lyric: “It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel…?”
Mar 07, 2021
This week, Rev. Ken opens our new message series called "New Normal (or How Not to Waste an Apocalypse), by talking about a sculpture unveiling in honor of his father's service to an art museum. As we approach the one year anniversary of Covid lockdown, he reminds us that the Greek word apocalypse means "unveiling." We can look at this time as potentially a time of awakening. Rev, Ken also invites us to complete the lyric: “It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel…?”
Mar 07, 2021•24 min
Rev. Lee begins this week's message by telling us about a tree she used to climb as a child. She also shares a passage from a book called 'Wintering," which acknowledges that life has a natural ebb and flow. Did you ever think you might learn an important lesson about life from a pecan tree? Perhaps you will. Rev. Lee also takes us into the John Heinz refuge in Philadelphia for a few moments of quiet mindfulness together.
Feb 28, 2021
Rev. Lee begins this week's message by telling us about a tree she used to climb as a child. She also shares a passage from a book called 'Wintering," which acknowledges that life has a natural ebb and flow. Did you ever think you might learn an important lesson about life from a pecan tree? Perhaps you will. Rev. Lee also takes us into the John Heinz refuge in Philadelphia for a few moments of quiet mindfulness together.
Feb 28, 2021•30 min
This week, Rev. Michael Bush takes us through the practice of Lectio Divina, which is Latin for “divine reading." It encourages the reader to follow four practices when reading scripture or spiritual texts. "Lectio, Meditatio, Oratio, Contemplatio." (Translated as: Read, Reflect, Respond, and Rest/Contemplate.) You'll have a chance to practice this along with Rev. Michael as he takes us through a passage from the Gospel of Mark.
Feb 28, 2021
This week, Rev. Michael Bush takes us through the practice of Lectio Divina, which is Latin for “divine reading." It encourages the reader to follow four practices when reading scripture or spiritual texts. "Lectio, Meditatio, Oratio, Contemplatio." (Translated as: Read, Reflect, Respond, and Rest/Contemplate.) You'll have a chance to practice this along with Rev. Michael as he takes us through a passage from the Gospel of Mark.
Feb 28, 2021•28 min
Rev. Ken speaks about the issues that come along with having the news on all the time, and how sometimes it's impostant to turn it off. He shares a story about a news reporter who shows emotion while reporting on a family. In the spirit of Valentine's Day, we walk through a heart practice you can do at home. Rev. Ken also shares a prayer for kindness, then a lovingkindness meditation where we can practice compassion even for people we don’t know well.
Feb 17, 2021
Rev. Ken speaks about the issues that come along with having the news on all the time, and how sometimes it's impostant to turn it off. He shares a story about a news reporter who shows emotion while reporting on a family. In the spirit of Valentine's Day, we walk through a heart practice you can do at home. Rev. Ken also shares a prayer for kindness, then a lovingkindness meditation where we can practice compassion even for people we don’t know well.
Feb 17, 2021•29 min
Rev. Aisha Ansano is our guest preacher this week, and she tells us about the importance and ritual surrounding family meal time when she was growing up. For this message she asks that you have a bite of food and a sip of something to drink nearby. She also invites you into the ritual of making a simple recipe along with her, such as vinaigrette or cinnamon sugar.
Feb 09, 2021
Rev. Aisha Ansano is our guest preacher this week, and she tells us about the importance and ritual surrounding family meal time when she was growing up. For this message she asks that you have a bite of food and a sip of something to drink nearby. She also invites you into the ritual of making a simple recipe along with her, such as vinaigrette or cinnamon sugar.
Feb 09, 2021•22 min
This week, Rev. Lee begins with telling us a story about how pandemic stress has affected some friends of hers, and how, in a moment of intense pressure, her friend as able to think "I'm alive right now and with the people I love." The idea of "Coming Home" to your own body might not be something we think of often, but it's an important practice. During this message, yoga instructor Gael Alba takes us through some gentle guided movement and breathing. All you'll need is some comfortable clothing...
Feb 02, 2021
This week, Rev. Lee begins with telling us a story about how pandemic stress has affected some friends of hers, and how, in a moment of intense pressure, her friend as able to think "I'm alive right now and with the people I love." The idea of "Coming Home" to your own body might not be something we think of often, but it's an important practice. During this message, yoga instructor Gael Alba takes us through some gentle guided movement and breathing. All you'll need is some comfortable clothing...
Feb 02, 2021•36 min
