Worship

Sunday Services—all services begin at 10:30 am

 

Sunday, September 7: “We Gather Together”

Rev. Bill Gupton

Join us for our traditional Ingathering Sunday worship service, in which all ages gather together to celebrate the depth and the power of our human connections. Please bring with you a small container of water, from your travels this summer, as we “merge the waters,” representing our common life source, and symbolizing the interdependence of all of life on this beautiful earth we all share.

 

Sunday, September 14: “It’s Our Religion”

Revs. Doug Gallager and Celia Thurston

Years ago, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a tornado touched down, badly damaging just one barn. The next morning twenty Amish men and boys showed up at their non-Amish neighbor’s with tools and lumber. They worked all day, finishing up after sunset. The owner thanked them profusely and asked what he owed. They refused payment. When the owner protested, they explained: “It’s our religion.” Our pulpit guests this morning are Reverend Doug Gallager and Reverend Celia Thur­ston, ministers emeritus/a of the Birmingham Unitarian Church in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Dr. Gallager serves the Heartland District as a trustee of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

 

Sunday, September 21: “Confessions of an Erstwhile Youth Worker”

Rev. Bill Gupton

Long before he was a UU minister, Bill was a youth advisor, working for many years with UU teenagers all over the country – many of whom, he is proud to say, are now active adult Unitarian Universalists (and a few are now even ministers themselves!). Back “in the day,” he had hair halfway down his back (and none on his face), typi­cally wore tie-dye T-shirts and no shoes, and was, in a word, an iconoclast. Today, at the request of one of our Heritage youth worker volunteers – who won the “sermon for sale” in last year’s auction – Bill will reminisce about those days, and share why he still believes youth work is vitally important to our faith. We will also welcome new members to our church today; if you want to join them (and us), please contact Bill.

 

Sunday, September 28: “Human Being”

Rev. Bill Gupton

In his final sermon before beginning the first sabbatical of his career, Bill will reflect on the difference between a “human being” and a “human doing” – and pledge to be more of the former (and less of the latter) in the next 23 weeks!

 

Sunday, October 5: “Looking Forward to the Sabbatical”

The Sabbatical Committee

This morning we will examine how Rev. Bill’s sabbatical can be a time for community growth, challenge, and reflection. Just as we support and encourage a sabbatical for our minister to deepen his commitment and self-understanding, we embrace the

opportunity to take time to do this for ourselves as well. What are some meaningful and productive ways to explore this opportunity?

Other Spiritual Opportunities

 

 

HUUC Labyrinth

 

Just outside our sanctuary, Heritage offers a simple, but beautiful, outdoor labyrinth, composed of bricks inlaid in the ground in a traditional pattern.  A labyrinth is simply a spiritual tool. The labyrinth is a metaphor for path or journey.  You may find the labyrinth is a metaphor for the twists and turns of your own life.  Our labyrinth is a 12 circuit Chartes style, based upon one of the original religious labyrinths in the great cathedral in Chartes, France.

Spiritual Potluck with a Side of Drumming (formerly the Community Drum Circle)

 

This gathering encourages spiritual exploration from a variety of traditions while celebrating community.  “Potluck” is a metaphor to convey the diversity of themes explored (i.e., including but not limited to meditation, readings, and rituals) and to convey that the leadership for each gathering rotates.  Drumming is included as a complementary spiritual practice.  As always, our group is open to the community, and all are welcome.  We meet the fourth Wednesday of each month beginning at 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

The labyrinth is not a maze; there is but one continuous path toward the center and the same path brings you back out.  At the center you are invited to remain for awhile.  It is a time for meditation, reflection, focus, quiet song or prayer.  When you are ready to resume the journey, leave the center and retrace your steps through the same path you entered.  This is an important reminder that one does not remain in the center, but returns to live one's life in the ordinary world.  Walking the labyrinth is often offered as a worshipful experience; please respect the meditative, prayerful state of others.
 
Remember that though the labyrinth always stays the same, your experience each time you walk it may be different.  You are encouraged to stay on the path and walk it again and again and again and again...May you find what you need at the center.

 

 

 

 

HUUC Pagans 

 

This is a loosely organized group of people in the church who are particularly interested in the sixth source from which Unitarian Universalists draw inspiration:  “Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.”  There are two main annual celebrations: Yule, the winter solstice, on December 21, and Litha, the summer solstice, on June 21.  During the year (the Turning of the Wheel) we celebrate other traditionally important times, or sabats, such as May Day, and Samhain on October 31.   All of our celebrations are open to the entire church. 

 

The group sometimes participates in a Sunday morning worship service or offers Adult Program workshops. 

 

 

 

Yoga

 

There are two opportunities to practice yoga each week at Heritage Church.  On Tuesday nights (7:00-8:30), our minister, Rev. Bill Gupton, teaches Anusara-Inspired Yoga®, a spiritually based style of yoga emphasizing universal principles of alignment, opening of Grace, and the inherent goodness of this life.

 

On Thursday nights (7:00-8:30), Julie Lusk teaches in the Hatha yoga tradition.