UUABQ Voice

A poetic and pictoral exploration of how “mother” is expressed in the universe. Music: Women's chamber group, songs for Mother's Day

Can you imagine what it looks like to be in Beloved Community? If we can imagine it together, we can create it together. We will look at Pagan teachings about community and what magic has to do with turning imagination into reality. We will also engage in our traditional Clay and Water Blessing. Music: Ad hoc choir will lead chants for Beltane and Earth Day, including an original “Blessing Chant” composed by Susan Peck

Like many other faith traditions, Unitarian Universalists celebrate our youth as they move from childhood into adulthood. Our youth will share homilies and music in this annual favorite.

An Easter sermon of hope during a challenging time in our congregation, community, and country. Music: Chalice Choir, directed by Susan Peck; with Lydia Clark, piano and David Schepps, ‘cello

Perhaps you've met Christina. Or perhaps you've noticed the woman knitting during services— that's her! For Christina, knitting, spinning, and other fiber arts are a daily practice that bring a reliable joy. This joy is a powerful tool that helps her to stay grounded as she navigates mental health issues including PTSD, and all the challenges that living in the world brings. She will discuss the importance of having your own practice of daily, reliable joy. Christina is a member of First U and an essayist. You can find links to her published works at https://christinasocorroyovovich.com/. Music: Spare Parts, our contemporary worship band

Friend of First U—and the Executive Director of the NM Black Leadership Council—returns to our pulpit to kick off a month of “JOY” as a spiritual practice. Music: Bassist Rodney Bowe joins Lydia Clark to celebrate joy in resistance.

We want to be safe. We want our loved ones to be safe. We want our streets and schools and congregations to be safe. We want to think the food we buy is safe. Of course we do. Is it possible? Is it even always good? And how do we live well in a world that feels increasingly unsafe? The Rev. Christine Robinson was the minister of this congregation from 1988-2017. Music: Gamelan Encantada, Jenny DeBouzek, director, with Lydia Clark.  

 Chloe Koren, Guest Preacher Too often, when a person needs religion in their life, the place they find offers darkness couched as hope. Now, more than ever, progressive religion needs to shine where it can be seen. Chloe Koren is a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. She is also the wife of our Senior Minister!

Let's reflect on what makes us trustworthy and why it is a vital spiritual practice in these chaotic times. Music: Special guest Reggie Harris, a singer-songwriter, storyteller and world-renowned song-leader who is a powerful interpreter of the global music narrative. 

Rainer Maria Rilke said, “Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves... like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now.” A sermon about change, growth, and trusting the process. Music: Lydia Clark & Susan Peck

How can we maintain civic trust in a way that continues to cultivate social justice? How do we re-commit ourselves to collective action when civic trust is broken? Music: Chalice Choir, with Susan Peck.

We are besieged by toxic messages telling us what our bodies should look like. How do we perform that ultimate act of resistance: loving ourselves as we are? Music: Leslie Bowen, Tania Hopkins, Susan Peck, Pauline LaBar-Shelton, and Celia Yapita  

What are your good old days? Your carefree childhood? The Civil Rights years? Sweet 16? We all have good (if incomplete) memories that we go to in moments of nostalgia. We all know that the past is a great place to visit but not a great place to dwell in, and Christine has some thoughts about that. Music: Lydia Clark, with Irene Fetherston, violin, and Lauren Harris, flute 

Eulogies is our annual service celebrating the people who passed in the last year who had an impact on us, but who might be lesser-known. Our house band, Spare Parts, will be sharing songs by musicians we lost in 2024.

Each Sunday, our Order of Service includes the words, “During worship, we may speak of God, mystery, the spirit of life, love, or the ground of being. Our membership includes atheists, agnostics, and believers in many kinds of divinity. Whoever you are, wherever you are on your spiritual journey, welcome...” How do we do it? And why do we call it “worship?” Music: Lydia Clark

Stories help and limit our ability to understand ourselves; how do our past stories affect how we see ourselves today Music: Nicia Rae, piano and Chalice Choir, directed by Susan Peck

The week after this Sunday we will meet as a congregation to vote on our new covenant. How do our stories inform how we are together as a religious community? Music: Lydia Clark and Rodney Bowe

Our Board of Directors will share information with the congregation about what to expect for this transitional year, and how we can all put our “best foot forward” in 2025. Music: Susan Peck & Vance Bass

Why do ancient Greek and Roman gods belong to “mythology,” while other gods belong to “religion?” What's the difference? And if someone says all religion is myth, should UUs get mad? Music: Lydia Clark & Susan Peck

We can only have an impact on the things that we are present to. What does this present moment ask of us? How do we even stay present in this distracting life? Music: Chalice Choir with Tania Hopkins

How can our community service be grounded in Unitarian Universalist fellowship? Music: Hymn singing with Susan Peck 

The holy is present in each season of life, offering us a source of comfort and trust. Music: Spare Parts: Vance Bass, special guest Doug Cowan, Chris Paul, Susan Peck

We have an epidemic of separateness, more commonly called loneliness. How do we reverse this devastating trend? Music: Intergenerational Band

How does healing happen? What do personal healing and collective healing have in common? Music: Chalice Choir, with youth trio featuring Puck Magnusson, Carson Mayo, and Emi Shadowspeaker

It has been a very difficult week. In the aftermath of the election, what do we do now? Music: Spare Parts: Vance Bass, Keith Morris, Chris Paul, Susan Peck, Celia Yapita

Talk about a liminal space. We are watching our country enter a crossroads and take one of two very different directions. What should we consider as we wait? This service includes a candlelighting ritual of remembrance for those who have died. Music: Lydia Clark

Our multi-religious approach to religion and faith provides many possibilities to understand ourselves and our place in this life. Listening with deep intention to our inner voice allows us to discover our personal wisdom and truth. Yet truths emanate from both our lived experiences and the shared experiences of others. We explore ways of deep listening in our search for truth and meaning. Music: Lydia Clark

With so many headlines and heartbreaking notes around hurricanes, floods, fires, and the intersectionality of justice concerns we care about related to climate change and environment, we are invited to explore light within the darkness. If we believe that our work is Loving the World we must hold the All of it. We must pay attention in new ways and in deeper levels. We are "refugia" in this stormy moment. There is great beauty and tender joy in holding the suffering of our current realities. We are not living in a challenging Era - we are Living into a New Era that is challenging our Loving. Our Pulpit Guest this Sunday is Joan Brown, a Franciscan Sister from the Rochester, MN community, who is living and working in Albuquerque, where she serves as the Executive Director of New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light (NM IPL). NM IPL is part of a national faith-based organization working to address climate justice. Music: Chalice Choir, with Nicia Rae and Susan Peck

As we begin another operating pledge campaign, can we listen for the messages that call to us from our community, our campus, our congregation, and our hearts? Music: Intergenerational music with youth and members of Spare Parts

What does it mean to live for reproductive freedom? How can we use the strength of our convictions to move forward in faith for reproductive freedom, and what would it look like to lean into what is necessary? Today's talk will focus on three ways we can advance reproductive freedom. Hint it has to do with - Clarity, Willingness and Possibility! Music: Lydia Clark

Former First U staff member and now minister Beth Elliot preaches on our dreams for the future of First Unitarian.  Music: Chalice Choir, directed by Susan Peck and accompanied by Nicia Rae on piano.

Our pulpit guest series continues with Reverend Randy Granger—a professional musician, storyteller, workshop facilitator, educator, and licensed massage therapist—speaking about moving from "Othering" towards understanding differences in our world's rich tapestry. Healing through hearing each other's stories, stories of grace and transformation. We will also have our Backpack Blessing today for children and adults alike. Bring your backpack, bag, or other symbol of your learning or work to the service. Music: Lydia Clark and Susan Peck

You are not your thoughts. You are so much more than the fleeting thoughts you experience, and the world is more than what we see; reflection can help put self and the world into perspective. Music: Spare Parts: Vance Bass, Tania Hopkins, Keith Morris, Chris Paul, and Susan Peck.

Community Leader and performer Cathryn McGill joins us with a sermon that explores our personal responsibility to overcome conflict and confront biases. It calls for both individual and collective efforts to foster understanding, unity, and connection, emphasizing that building bridges within our communities is essential to transforming division into harmony. Music: Cathryn McGill will be joined by John Mangel on piano and Lydia Clark.

Thriving 21st-century spiritual communities are like strong and beautiful stained-glass windows. They're composed of many individual people who come together to create a deep and meaningful experience where everyone cocreates together but each person can ALSO shine as themselves at their best. Music: Guest Musician Celia Farran, with Susan Peck.  

The sabbatical guest preacher program continues with Rev. Erica Lea-Simka of the Albuquerque Mennonite Church. August 28, 2024 will be the 61st anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s most famous speech- I Have A Dream. In these times of global unrest and interpersonal uncertainties, it is extra challenging to "hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope". How might Elijah's Dark Night of the Soul in 1 Kings 19:4-9, MLK's vision in his 1963 speech, and our own wisdom help move us as communities of faith and consciousness toward deeper spiritual centering? Music: Michael Mandrell and Susan Peck

The sabbatical guest preacher program commences with Rabbi Celia Surget of Albuquerque's Congregation Albert. Even the Rabbis of the Talmud agreed- it can be difficult to live in community- as individual members, we often risk facing the challenge of not being truly seen, of feeling (or being) ostracized, and yet… they also acknowledge that there is power and strength when we take the time to look at each other, acknowledge each other and hold each other accountable. Music: Lydia Clark & Susan Peck

It's hard to believe that it's been five years since Rev. Bob joined the First U staff as Associate Minister. What have we co-created in that time? Music: Lydia Clark and guest musician Issa Noor.

Participants from the Association of UU Music Ministries annual conference will join the First U worship team for a service about mutual support, a positive vision for the future, and covenant. The Rev. Bob LaVallee preaches.

Places of refuge are important for nurturing our spiritual lives. But what counts as one, and where do we find it? This is Angela's last Sunday in the pulpit before her sabbatical. She will return November 3.  Music: Guest musicians Sue Young and Rusty Nelson

What happens after death? We don't know for sure, but many people believe in reincarnation (including a surprisingly high number of Christians!) Let's explore this ancient idea. Music: Spare Parts, with Laura Bartolucci, Vance Bass, Keith Morris, Chris Paul, and Susan Peck.

Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed has been a parish minister, seminary professor, and prolific writer on UU history. On this Sunday Rev. Bob will speak on what his work tells us about the experiences of People of Color in UU spaces. Music: Lydia Clark and Susan Peck

We each have spiritual autobiographies or stories of the spiritual influences and growth that have shaped us. So does the church itself! Our Minister Emerita the Rev. Christine Robinson will join Angela in the pulpit today to tell that story. Music: Lydia Clark

Have you heard the good news? There are great things happening in the world. They don't make the headlines as often as the bad stuff. Come and be lifted as Angela preaches “the good news” today. Music: Susan Peck

Healing Sound Bath with Lydia Clark

Unitarian Universalism is a covenantal faith, and every UU congregation has a covenant. During this year, we'll gather as a community to develop a new covenant to meet the needs of our new reality and awareness. Rev. Bob will explain how the church will do this important work. Music: Lydia Clark

On this Pride weekend, a sermon for everyone who dreams of embracing courage, vulnerability, playfulness, and self-expression. Music: Susan Peck

Some of the most important things we can do for our youth to support them into adulthood are to keep them connected to Unitarian Universalism, and to continue to minister to them as they become adults. Our Bridging Ceremony celebrates this important transition and reminds the congregation of our commitments to our youth. We will honor Yony Mostoller and Evan Sadek. We will also celebrate Founders Day! Music: UU Youth Band

Simple rituals, practices, and sacred objects can be incorporated into each day. They help us live more deeply, without necessarily “doing more.” This enriches our lives in good times and becomes a source of strength in hard times. Music: Lydia Clark with jazz violinist Muni Kulasinghe

There are countless names for the Ultimate or Divine. Let's explore some! How do they help us understand existence? In what ways are they true? Music: Chalice Choir

Like better known Christian holidays, Pagan holidays have common names but many different beliefs and rituals. Sara Wofford and the First U Covenant of UU Pagans will join Rev. Bob to explore pluralism in Pagan beliefs. Music: Vance Bass, Keith Morris, and Susan Peck