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Each one of us has our own story which is shaped by our history, culture, experiences and identities. The stories we tell about ourselves, our institutions and our world influence our understanding of them. On this Homecoming Sunday, we’ll celebrate the beginning of a new church year and explore some of the important stories that shape who we are and what we hope to become.

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Our Vespers worship service is modeled after the traditional Taizé worship service, which uses silence, scripture, prayer, and repetitive singing of short chants and rounds to quiet the mind and promote deep meditation. The Taizé Community promotes peace and justice through prayer and meditation. Our Vespers service mirrors Taizé-style attention to silence, holy words, prayer, and singing, but has also evolved to include other meditative traditions such as yogic singing and Buddhist chanting. Followed by a time for community gathering. Every second Wednesday of the month (now virtual, through Zoom).

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No matter what our religious or cultural background, each of us has grown up with myths. There’s the myth of perfection. There’s the myth of the American dream. The myth of effortless success, the “happy family,” and so on. These myths have a way of creating a false standard by which we judge our lives, leading us to feel as though we’re always falling short. Join us this Sunday as we consider the power of these myths and how, in moving beyond them, we avail ourselves of the saving graces of living our own story.

Last month, on the same cruel day, the world lost two prophetic human rights leaders, Rep. John Lewis and Rev. C.T. Vivian. John Lewis’ challenged us to engage in “good trouble,” to trouble the waters of injustice; Rev. C.T. Vivian’s was committed to non-violence as a spiritual practice. What might we learn from these two leaders that can sustain us to do the same?

“Social distancing” is surely 2020’s best oxymoron. In March UU churches thought they might have to close their doors for a couple weeks. Then April, May, June, and July came and went, with subsequent surges in COVID cases. Now our congregations are facing a new season in quarantine. Some of us have partners, housemates, families… others are living through this pandemic alone. How do we build community apart and together through these strange times?

The only thing constant is change, and that is only temporary!” Change is an inescapable reality of our lives, and in 2020, we have all been forced to change in ways we never imagined. Times of transition encourage us to reflect on three essential questions: Where did we come from, who are we now, and where are we going?

This August marks the 75th anniversary of the United States’ atomic bombings of Hiroshima (August 6) and Nagasaki (August 9). Through the Hiroshima Children’s Drawings, All Souls has created deeply meaningful and enduring partnerships with individuals and organizations in Japan. What lessons can we learn from this incredible work, and how can we apply it to our lives in the United States today?

Pictures from a Hiroshima Schoolyard. Watch the 60-minute version of the documentary here (enter code PFHS23) or watch the full 90-minute version here (for $9.99).

Despair is so tempting these days, isn’t it? The grief, the rage, the fear, the unrelenting monotony of our everyday lives—they have the potential to sap us of energy and hope. It can feel, to use the language of the 23^rd psalm, like we’re walking “in the valley of the shadow of death,” and there’s no clear place to turn. Join us this Sunday as we reflect together on this psalm, the poetry of Linda Pastan, and the mercy that lies waiting for us in “the valley.”

Our summer theme of “threshold” can be understood as a transition point, like a doorway. But a threshold can also be a breaking point where something gives way. The coronavirus is pushing many of us towards various breaking points. Another breaking point is finally compelling a name change of the Washington football team. How can we encourage the helpful breaking points and withstand the challenging ones?

We live in challenging times of high passion and division, where sharp differences abound. Co-existing with a range of peoples, in diverse communities, always has the potential to unite and divide. What practices of compassion might we consciously cultivate, in order to increase well-being and thrive?  

On June 28, our worship service considered the role of silence in the process of transformation, whether we aim to transform society or self. This week we will reflect on poet Gwendolyn Brooks’ invitation to consider the fear, the dread, and the resistance we experience at the moment of clarity, when truth comes to the threshold of our lives and demands we open up to change. Join us to consider how compassion and shared vulnerability can serve as our next stepping stones on the journey toward new life.

DuBois wrote that “the prayer of our hearts is a petition for persistence.” In an era when tweets pass for policy, and even sound-bites test our patience, what resources can we call on to stay the course when commitments of decades are necessary? What can ground us when faithfulness is the only reasonable response to our challenges?