Jamestown, N.Y. – Rev. Lauren Turner returns to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown (UUCJ) on Sunday, March 24. At the 10:30 a.m. service, he will speak on “Hearts and Minds.” Turner observes that, “Thoughts come from our minds and feelings come from our hearts, right? But doesn't the heart actually pump blood? Where do feelings really come from? Neuroscience provides some surprising answers that relate to morality as well. Modern science meets ancient wisdom in our message this week.” “The Story of Jack” is the video Story For All Ages Turner created that will be part of the service. Now retired after 46 years working as a United Methodist minister, early in Turner’s career he worked in jails and prisons with inmates. Over the last few decades he has studied neuroscience extensively. He taught audio recording classes at Jamestown Community College and still writes music. In his spare time, he likes to write novels. This year Turner plans to make videos to preserve Democracy in the United States. Chuck Brininger is the service leader, and Julie Anderson is pianist. Participation can be in person at 1255 Prendergast Avenue in Jamestown or online. To join virtually, use the link at UUJamestown.org/calendar. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown is a progressive, liberal religious community serving the southern tier of Western New York and Warren County, Pa. The UUCJ’s mission is to support and celebrate each other, encourage spiritual and individual growth, and serve the wider community.
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Jamestown, N.Y. – When Reni Bob gives the message to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown (UUCJ) on Sunday, March 17, she will talk about “The Article 2 Bylaws Revisions and Their Discontents.” Bob will address the question: How should a Beloved Community deal with dissent? Having recently celebrated her 95th birthday, Bob can still recall fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe with her family in 1936, after which they lived in several towns and cities in the United States. With an AA in Zoology from George Washington University, she finished college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology. While a lab technician at French Hospital in Manhattan, she met and married Murray Bob; they moved to Jamestown in 1963. Bob’s community activities have included board memberships and officer positions in organizations including The Fortnightly, the original board of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the Jamestown Concert Association, and UUCJ. Among her hobbies are swimming, cross country skiing, reading, cooking, and painting; she’s won prizes for her paintings at Chautauqua Institution and Fleischer Art Academy in Philadelphia and had them accepted at the Jamestown Art Scape 2023. She has three children and five grandchildren, ranging in age from 32 to 2. Pianist Julie Anderson provides the music for the service, and all are welcome to the potluck that follows. Participation can be in person at 1255 Prendergast Avenue in Jamestown or online. To join virtually, use the link at UUJamestown.org/calendar. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown is a progressive, liberal religious community serving the southern tier of Western New York and Warren County, Pa. The UUCJ’s mission is to support and celebrate each other, encourage spiritual and individual growth, and serve the wider community. Jamestown, N.Y. – In celebration of Women’s History Month, congregant Kristin Chambers will present “Women are Changing the Narrative” at the Sunday, March 10 service of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown (UUCJ). Chambers sees the songs of today’s younger female singer/songwriters reflecting a seismic shift toward female empowerment. Through the lyrics of songs by Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Sara Bareilles and others, she will explore the changing landscape in which many remarkable young women of today are making history. A former Chautauqua County resident, Chambers now lives in Hinsdale, N.Y., with her husband, Ed Miner. She was a professor of social work and spent many years as a youth and family counselor. In 2017, she retired from writing training programs in the social services for the Center for the Development of Human Services at Buffalo State College. Chambers is the vice president of the board of UUCJ, an active volunteer at the Olean Food Pantry, Health Care Access Coalition, and summer Veggie Wheels program. Her favorite thing is being a grandma of three. A coffee hour follows the service. Participation in the 10:30 a.m. service can be in person at 1255 Prendergast Avenue in Jamestown or online. To join virtually, use the link at UUJamestown.org/calendar. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown is a progressive, liberal religious community serving the southern tier of Western New York and Warren County, Pa. The UUCJ’s mission is to support and celebrate each other, encourage spiritual and individual growth, and serve the wider community. Jamestown, N.Y. – Two thousand six hundred years ago the Buddha (“Awakened One") told his students that a solution to fearfulness was to do metta (“Lovingkindness") practice to deepen our connections to others...even those we fear or hate. On Sunday, March 3 the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown’s (UUCJ) first Sunday virtual preacher, Rev. Alex Holt, will speak on “Finding Joy: Live Metta in this Chaotic World.” At the 10:30 a.m. hybrid service, he will explore how the practice can become ours as well. During the Time for All Ages, Holt will talk about “The Monk and the Tigers: Finding Joy.” A video of the “Metta Sutra,” a musical reading chanted by Buddhist monastics, precedes the sermon. After growing up on a farm in rural Maine, Holt attended University of Southern Maine, Penn State and the University of California, Berkeley in his academic work. He has a Master of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry as well as an M.A. in Comparative Literature from Penn State. A long-term Buddhist student, Holt has focused on dharma work in addictions ministry. Holt is a retired Accredited Interim Minister with training through the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Interim Ministry Network. Last summer he completed four years as the interim minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Meadville, Pennsylvania. Before that, he was most recently interim minister in Seattle, Washington; Fort Worth, Texas; Bend, Oregon; and Clemson, South Carolina. Linda Hiers is service leader, and pianist Julie Anderson provides the music. A coffee hour and congregational meeting follow the service. Participation can be in person at 1255 Prendergast Avenue in Jamestown or online. To join virtually, use the link at UUJamestown.org/calendar. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown is a progressive, liberal religious community serving the southern tier of Western New York and Warren County, Pa. The UUCJ’s mission is to support and celebrate each other, encourage spiritual and individual growth, and serve the wider community. Jamestown, N.Y. – Rev. Alison Wohler speaks again at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown (UUCJ), this time virtually from her home in Columbus, Ohio The message for the 10:30 a.m. hybrid service on Sunday, February 25 is “Freethinking Mystics with Hands.” Wohler says, “There have been, and will always be, many ways to describe our Unitarian Universalist faith tradition. In Tom Owen-Towle's book Freethinking Mystics with Hands: Exploring the Heart of Unitarian Universalism, I found the one that works for me. I will explore Owen-Towle's perspective and that of others.” In 2016, Wohler retired as Minister Emerita from the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst, Massachusetts, and moved to Columbus to be near her daughter and parents. A summer resident of Chautauqua Institution, she is a member and 2024 treasurer of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Chautauqua. Before becoming a Unitarian minister, Wohler was a working scientist and spent 19 years as an art gallery owner. She has a BS in Biology from Allegheny College and an MDiv from Andover Newton Theological School, now part of Yale Divinity School. Her scientific background has been a significant influence not only on her theology, but also on her philosophy of ministry, and what it means to be in religious community. She identifies as a Religious Naturalist and often brings science into her services. Bruce Anderson is service leader. A coffee hour follows. Participation can be in person at 1255 Prendergast Avenue in Jamestown or online. To join virtually, use the link at UUJamestown.org/calendar. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown is a progressive, liberal religious community serving the southern tier of Western New York and Warren County, Pa. The UUCJ’s mission is to support and celebrate each other, encourage spiritual and individual growth, and serve the wider community. Jamestown, N.Y. – The leader and speaker at the Sunday, February 18 service of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown (UUCJ) is Barbara Winner. At the 10:30 a.m. hybrid service, Winner will address the question “What If?” Winner notes that Jesus is traditionally viewed as a historical figure rather than a mythical figure. Most today are familiar with the story of Jesus as literally a man who was an incarnation of God, who suffered, died, and was resurrected to bring salvation to all mankind. She asks: What if the Jesus story was actually inherited from the Pagan Mysteries? A former cult member, Winner has been an active member of the UUCJ for more than a decade. Pianist Julie Anderson provides the music for the service. All are welcome to the potluck that follows. Participation can be in person at 1255 Prendergast Avenue in Jamestown or online. To join virtually, use the link at UUJamestown.org/calendar. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown is a progressive, liberal religious community serving the southern tier of Western New York and Warren County, Pa. The UUCJ’s mission is to support and celebrate each other, encourage spiritual and individual growth, and serve the wider community. Jamestown, N.Y. – From New York City, where she is in her first year at Union Theological Seminary, Karishma Neva Gottfried will participate in the Sunday, February 11 hybrid service of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown (UUCJ). At the 10:30 a.m. hybrid service Gottfried will speak on “Revelation Unsealed.” Describing herself as having been on the path to ministry since she was sixteen, Gottfried says, “Unitarian Universalism (UU) today defines itself not by a shared belief in a singular Truth, but by the commitments we make as we accompany each other on our individual paths to truth and meaning.” All are invited to participate and learn more about what UU’s shared value that "revelation is unsealed" can mean today. Gottfried was raised in the UU Fellowship of Corvallis, Oregon. A recent graduate of Wellesley College in Massachusetts, she brings her love of Unitarian Universalism with her everywhere she goes. She most recently served as Campus Ministry Organizer for The Sanctuary Boston, and she runs the popular UU TikTok account @unitarianuniversalist. Emily Garrick is service leader. Coffee hour and a forum follow the service. Participation can be in person at 1255 Prendergast Avenue in Jamestown or online. To join virtually, use the link at UUJamestown.org/calendar. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown is a progressive, liberal religious community serving the southern tier of Western New York and Warren County, Pa. The UUCJ’s mission is to support and celebrate each other, encourage spiritual and individual growth, and serve the wider community. Jamestown, N.Y. – From his home in Oregon, Rev. Alex Holt delivers the sermon Sunday, February 4 to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown (UUCJ). The church’s first Sunday virtual preacher will explore “Can ‘Love’ Guide Us Through The Hard Night?” at the 10:30 a.m. hybrid service. Holt is taking this opportunity to look at changes taking place in the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), the central organization for the Unitarian Universalist religious movement in the United States. The UUA grew from the union of two radical Christian groups: the Universalists, who organized in 1793, and the Unitarians, who organized in 1825. They joined to become the UUA in 1961. After growing up on a farm in rural Maine, Holt attended University of Southern Maine, Penn State and the University of California, Berkeley in his academic work. He has a Master of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry as well as an M.A. in Comparative Literature from Penn State. A long-term Buddhist student, Holt has focused on dharma work in addictions ministry. Holt is a retired Accredited Interim Minister with training through the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Interim Ministry Network. Last summer he completed four years as the interim minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Meadville, Pennsylvania. Before that, he was most recently interim minister in Seattle, Washington; Fort Worth, Texas; Bend, Oregon; and Clemson, South Carolina. Linda Hiers is service leader, and pianist Julie Anderson provides the music. A coffee hour and conversation about the sermon follow the service. Participation can be in person at 1255 Prendergast Avenue in Jamestown or online. To join virtually, use the link at UUJamestown.org/calendar. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown is a progressive, liberal religious community serving the southern tier of Western New York and Warren County, Pa. The UUCJ’s mission is to support and celebrate each other, encourage spiritual and individual growth, and serve the wider community. Jamestown, N.Y. – Retired United Methodist Pastor Lauren Turner speaks at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown (UUCJ) on Sunday, January 28. The title of his sermon is “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Religion’s Role in Civilization.” Rev. Turner observes that, “It has been said that ‘there will always be crime, violence and inhumanity, but for real atrocities, one generally needs the help of religion.’ Religion can inspire and empower both the noblest…. and the darkest, human endeavors.” What are the characteristics of healthy religion, and what are the characteristics of harmful religion? Turner will examine them in his message. Having studied all forms of religion all his life, Turner retired this past year after working as a United Methodist pastor for 46 years. He has worshiped with Orthodox Jews, his best friend is a Muslim, and he interviewed former members from the Manson family and the People’s Temple as well as a team of professional deprogrammers back in the early 1980s. He has seen the best and the worst of religion. The speaker will also play the piano for the service and share a Story For All Ages he created, “The Real Reason the Dinosaurs Became Extinct," that features three owls discussing the matter. Turner taught audio recording classes at Jamestown Community College and still writes music. In his spare time, he likes to write novels. In 2024 he plans to make videos to preserve Democracy in the United States. Participation can be in person at 1255 Prendergast Avenue in Jamestown or online. To join virtually, use the link at UUJamestown.org/calendar. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown is a progressive, liberal religious community serving the southern tier of Western New York and Warren County, Pa. The UUCJ’s mission is to support and celebrate each other, encourage spiritual and individual growth, and serve the wider community. Jamestown, N.Y. – When Ruby Wiles speaks to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown (UUCJ) on Sunday, January 21, she will speak on “Keeping New Year's Resolution–Making Lasting Changes.” Wiles received the UUCJ 2017 Richard T. Parker Award for Social Justice for founding and directing Free Books for Kids Town, which has provided thousands of free books to children in Warren County, Pennsylvania. Inspired by her passion to encourage kids’ reading by having books that belong to them, the church’s Social Justice Committee gives books to Jamestown’s Fletcher Elementary School kindergarteners, has free book boxes for both adults and children in their front yard, and hosts book give-aways on Halloween and Memorial Day. In this first month of the new year, Wiles will share her perspective on how to keep our New Year's resolutions and live into the fullness of our being. With her passion for the importance of books for children, she will also read a Story for All Ages. Wiles graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, interned at Community of Christ in Washington, D.C., while a student at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California, and completed work in Clinical Pastoral Education at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland. Her first call at a two-point parish in North Dakota was followed by 12 years at Calvary Lutheran Church in the Bronx. Returning to her roots in rural Pennsylvania, she served Tabor Lutheran Church in Kane before founding Free Books for Kids Town in 2013. Pianist Julie Anderson provides the music for the service and a potluck follows. Participation can be in person at 1255 Prendergast Avenue in Jamestown or online. To join virtually, use the link at UUJamestown.org/calendar. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown is a progressive, liberal religious community serving the southern tier of Western New York and Warren County, Pa. The UUCJ’s mission is to support and celebrate each other, encourage spiritual and individual growth, and serve the wider community. |