Your NWA home for a liberal religion
What elements make for a meaningful life? And how is the stress of the current social and political climates a unique opportunity for enhancing the quality of our lives?
Speaker Info: Dr. Doug Krueger is a professor of Philosophy and World Religions at NWACC. He has spoken at UUFF annually for several years in a row, and it is always a pleasure to take in his calm spirit, unique perspective, and wealth of knowledge.
To view the Order of Service, CLICK HERE.
Special guest D’Andre Jones (click here to read bio) speaks about the very important federal holiday of “Juneteenth,” which was established in commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved black people in the United States. D’Andre emphasizes how Juneteenth is so much more than a celebration. It’s a call for equity, justice, and empowerment!
To view the Order of Service, CLICK HERE.
With guest speaker, Melisa Laelan! This service brings attention to the defining issue of our time, climate change and particularly climate justice. Yale Climate Connections tells us that “Climate justice is a term, and more than that a movement, that acknowledges climate change can have differing social, economic, public health, and other adverse impacts on underprivileged populations. Advocates for climate justice are striving to have these inequities addressed head-on through long-term mitigation and adaptation strategies.” As UU’s, our seventh principle is Respect for the Interdependent Web of Existence, of which we are a part. Climate change is a threat to our interdependent web, and as such this UUFF service acknowledges how the climate crisis is affecting our daily lives and mental health. Most gratefully, we hear from Melisa Laelan, Director and Founder of the Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese, who shares from her experience of climate change and its disproportionate impact on the Marshallese community. We share some ways the UUFF community is making a difference toward mitigation and adaptation, as well as possibilities for our future efforts. Join us as we reflect on where we are, what we can do and how we can support one another in our current and continuing climate crisis.
To view the Order of Service, CLICK HERE.
In this trans visibility service, Rev. Dr. Steven Gaines will interview trans singer-songwriter Skylar Conover, who will perform a couple of her songs. According to Skylar’s Facebook page, she strives “to make the world a better place.” She will discuss her experience and her use of music to process life, identity, and spirituality.
CLICK HERE to view the order of service.
With guest speaker, Rev. Gary McAlpin. There is hardly a time in our existence as human beings when our world has not had wars and violence. While we individually may not be militaristic Super Power leaders of the modern world, we can make a difference in what seems to be a war-welcoming world. Let’s learn together how we can help bring more peace to our conflictual world.
To view the Order of Service, CLICK HERE.
This Sunday, special guest speaker Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch, will talk to us about a very important and very under-represented piece of history. Studies on the Southern Tenant Farmers Union (STFU), have done little to center the experiences of its women members. Rural Black women were among the STFU’s most active members. This talk will focus on the activism of three African American STFU members: Carrie Dilworth, Lula Parchman, and Eliza Nolden – all of whom were agricultural laborers who were deeply involved in the organization.
To view the Order of Service, CLICK HERE.
[Read more…] about February 27 – “Women Always Had More Courage: Rural Black Women and the Southern Tenant Farmers Union.”Melanie DeMore returns again to us, bringing her west coast wisdom and award winning vocals as she sums up life with so much love! Her theme for this Sunday is “Tiny Graces.”
To view the Order of Service, CLICK HERE.
WALK WITH US is a music video created by artists around the country, expressing the initial horror of the George Floyd murder and encouraging continued conversation and advocacy toward change. Join us as we meet to discuss the video and contemplate the issues together. Special Guests joining us: Willa Moore, singer/songwriter, creator of WALK WITH US, Chicago; Kristin Phantazia Smith, WWU Community Liaison, Little Rock; Kym Franklin, gospel arrangements, Atlanta.
Post-Service Additions: CLICK HERE to watch the WALK WITH US video, and CLICK HERE to view a list of the 12 Action Steps you can take to help make this world a better place.
Led by Rev. Dr. Steven Gaines. This will be Rev. Steven’s first time preaching since being chosen/announced as UUFF’s next minister (will officially start in early 2022)! This Sunday, he will guide us in a reflection on Unitarian Universalism’s heretical identity, speak from personal experience with heresy in contexts of “orthodoxy,” and encourage us in our own searches for truth and meaning.
To view the Order of Service, you can CLICK HERE.
Rev. Rhett Baird, who served as UUFF’s Minister from 1994 to 2004 and was later given the title of Minister Emeritus, joins us this Sunday via zoom. His visit will be a facilitated interactive engagement, and he will share some carefully selected stories from his life journey and ministry. Stories that some would call holy and sacred and others might call poignant and memorable. We all have such stories stored in our memory. They have helped to shape who we are. They can remind us of our capacity to learn. Some remind us of our resilience and inner strength. Some can inspire us. Some fill us with awe and wonder. Some invite gratitude, forgiveness, and acceptance. All enlarge our world. All seem to be connectional. And they are.
To view the Order of Service, CLICK HERE.
Please join us this Sunday, as we host special guest speakers, Dr. Amanda Nell Edgar and Rev. Dr. Andre E. Johnson, co-authors of the book The Struggle over Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter. The publisher states, “This book ties together online and offline, national and local, and personal and political to understand one of the defining social justice struggles of our time.” Dr. Edgar and Dr. Johnson will speak about their research and its implications for our involvement in society. There will be time allotted for Q & A.
To view the Order of Service, CLICK HERE.
[Read more…] about October 10 – “The Struggle over Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter”The “Forever War” is not about Afghanistan, but is instead about the seemingly perpetual “Good Fight” that everyone seems to be urged to continue. We are told to keep fighting the “Good Fight,” but to what end? Lately it seems that we are in many ways back to square one. Does this fight last forever? Does it ever end? Is it even possible for it to end? And what do we do if we realize that it doesn’t end? Our guest speaker, Doug Krueger, helps us contemplate these incredibly important questions.
To view the Order of Service, CLICK HERE.
