of Houston, TX,
Services Archive
Jan 14: Interfaith Lessons From The Qur'an
by Osman Nal
Jan 7: On Being Intentional
by Rita and Bil Cusack
Dec 31: Take A Good Hard Look
by Patti Henry
Dec 24: Christmas Eve Service
by Rita and Bil Cusack
Dec 17th: Tis The Season
by Liz Steele
Dec 10: Singing For Her Sanity
by Lu Mitchell
Dec 3: Revelations
by Ann Baker & Bill Taylor
Nov 26: A Brand New Canvas To Paint
by Patti Henry
Nov. 19: Lessons From The Russian Orthodox Church
by Olga Pelecky
Nov. 12: On Being Imperfect
by Tracey Cook
We all do such a wonderful job of hiding our imperfections. We hide bulges, bumps, and wrinkles behind the latest fads. We hide our clutter behind closet doors and entire garages. We hide our feelings behind elaborate masks. But what are we missing? What have we lost, buried under so many layers? Come, take your seat, and learn how our imperfections can change the world!
Nov. 5: The Church Of Personal Responsibility
by Joanna Crawford
"Personal Responsibility" has become a catch phrase in both the political and religious realms. For Unitarian Universalists, personal responsibility defines our religion, our church dynamics, and the way we live our lives.What is personal responsibility for a UU and how
can we use it to live an authentic life filled with UU values?
Joanna Fontaine Crawford is a "born and raised" UU and has served in many positions at NWCUUC, including Worship Chair, President, and Webmaster.
Oct 29: Day Of The Dead Celebration
by Marti Nelson-Frazier
Oct 22: Journey To Love
by Woody Forrieter
Oct 15: A Time To Give, A Time To Receive
by Rob Barreda
Oct 8: The Inherent Worth and Dignity of Hitler? Figuring Out Difficult Relationships
by Patti Henry
August 20: Homecoming Sunday
by Cheryl Perry and Worship Committee
In this annual service, we welcome congregants and friends back from the summer and mark the beginning of the religious education year. Please bring your actual or symbolic sacred water collections from your summer travels to contribute to the water ceremony that is part of this traditional service.
August 13: The Center for Contemporary Theology: Omelet Spirituality
by Rev. Bob Tucker
Spirituality is such an elusive term, taking on meanings that reflect the proclivity of each individual. For me, a large part of spirituality is our connection with the often difficult-to-articulate values, meanings and visions of our mortal lives. Attempting such articulation is an important part of our spirituality, as are the sermons we prepare and to which we listen.
August 6: Faith in Action: How and Why to Grow our Congregation
Rob Barreda is our speaker this Sunday. His topic is:
Faith in Action: How and why to grow our congregation
For the Christian it is living a Christ-like life. In Islam it is showing complete surrender to Allah. In Buddhism it is outwardly living by the 10 precepts. Living your faith by example, a UU-like life, can save the world and grow our church.
July 30: Church of the Larger Fellowship Sermon: Meant to Be
How can UUs reconcile that within their congregations some members believe in destiny/predetermination, while others do not? Are coincidences just that?
July 23: More Conversation and Coffee
On this Sunday, up to 1/3 of our congregations families may be out of state at the Southwest UU District Summer Institute in south Oklahoma. The theme of this years camp is Religious Freedom. An article by a UU minister concerned about the status of freedom today will be distributed to the yahoo mailing list as a potential jumping off point for discussion. Bring a brunch dish to share afterward, if you like. His academic publications treat the politics of the poor in Nicaragua, Mexico, and Venezuela.
July 16: Too Fat to Fly
by Patti Henry
What is holding you back from being all you can be? Inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh's meditation on No Fear, psychotherapist and author Patti Henry will talk about ways to tackle your fears and become the full person you were designed to be. "Once you have mastered the insight of no fear, you are free." Please join us for this dynamic speaker.
July 9: For the Sake of the Song: Songwriting as a Spiritual Path
by Steve Brooks
Austin songwriter and Unitarian Steve Brooks was a spiritual underachiever until he realized that songwriting was his spiritual path. He explores the links between creativity, meditation and prayer, and the hidden connections between Greek tragedy and country music. And, of course, he sings - songs of his own and songs of the patron saint of Texas songwriters, Townes Van Zandt.
July 2: Conversation and Coffee
On this Fourth of July holiday weekend, come and enjoy an informal circle discussion in the sanctuary with church friends and guests. Our Music Fellowship group may be providing music after the conversation. If you wish, bring a brunch dish to share, and enjoy more discussion in the refreshment area after the service.
May 28: The War Within
by Woody Forrieter
What do you think about the war in Iraq? How about war in general? On this Sunday before Memorial Day Woody Forrieter will talk about achieving peace in your lifetime. Hint: Weapons of mass destruction are not required.
Woody has attended NWCUUC since the day in early 1997 when he wandered into a Sunday service thinking it was a self help program for displaced Canadians. He maintains it was an easy mistake to make since "everyone was so polite." Woody is a former radio host and is now a partner in a Houston marketing firm. He lives in Houston with his wife, Ingrid, and has two grown children who now live in Canada.
May 21: Children's Religious Education End of Year Service
Coordinated by Katy Carpman
Join us for an intergenerational celebration--remembering the year, honoring our RE teachers, and bridging our students on to the next level in their religious explorations.
Katy Carpman has been attending NWCUUC since 2001 with her sons Joey and Brian. She's finishing up her stint as RE Committee Chair and looking forward to summer vacation herself!
May 14: Mother's Day
by Patti Henry and Liz Steele
All moms and people who have had moms are invited today to explore birth stories, the wisdom of mom, and how much the world is in need of mothering. Please join Liz Steele and Patti Henry in looking at using female energy and intuition to heal the world. Hats and gloves are welcome.
Liz Steele grew up Catholic in the Greater New Orleans area. She is a member of NWCUUC and has been a practicing UU for most of her adult life. She is a clinical social worker for a local school district and a registered play therapist. She is the mother of three children-- Anthony, Zach and Stephanie, and has been married to Mark for 21 years. Patti Henry is also a member of NWCUUC. She is an author and psychotherapist. She is the mother of Scott and Eric and is married to Jeff Grass.
May 7: Congregational Transitions
by Dana Ashrawi
This sermon combines the thoughts of Dana Ashrawi and the Rev. Jane Ranney Rzepka.
Our church has been growing! Come hear about signs of congregational growth transition, theories of conflict, and methods for navigating change and conflict.
Dana Fisher Ashrawi is the current chair of the Worship Committee. She owns and works for a knowledge management company (translation: technical and marketing writing), has been married to Ibrahim for 17 years, and has 3 children. She is a 3rd generation UU and can claim the Rev. Theodore Parker as part of her family tree. The Rev. Jane Ranney Rzepka works for the UUA's Church of the Larger Fellowship that provides educational and worship materials for small and lay-led congregations.
April 30: What Do We Actually Worship After the Call to Worship?
by NWCUUC Youth
A discussion to gauge our church's view of what is UU Faith and what constitutes the general spirituality of our congregation. Then, a request to incorporate whatever our findings may be into EVERY Sunday service, as generally hearing and learning about faith and spirituality is the reason why people go to a church. ::cough cough:: and not a ::cough:: fellowship:: cough cough:: ahem. We will attempt to have this discussion in an engaging, fun sermonish-type way or die trying.
April 23: Beltane
by Kristen Shellenberg
Also known as May Eve, May Day, and Walpurgis Night, Beltane happens at the beginning of May. It celebrates the height of Spring and the flowering of life. The Goddess manifests as the May Queen and Flora. The God emerges as the May King and Jack in the Green. The danced Maypole represents their unity, with the pole itself being the God and the ribbons that encompass it, the Goddess. Colors are the Rainbow spectrum. Beltane is a festival of flowers, fertility, sensuality, and delight.
Kristen Shellenberg is a UU and graduate student. She is interested in anthropology and Native American studies from a feminist perspective. She is married and has a daughter. They live in Pasadena, TX.
April 16: Raised from the Dead: A Celebration of Life
by Patti Henry
Come hear author and psychotherapist Patti Henry speak about the miracles of Easter -- from the Easter bunny to Jesus' resurrection. All this -- and more -- from a Unitarian Universalist's perspective.
April 9: Flower Communion
by Liz Steele
Our annual "Flower Communion" is the most widely celebrated ritual in Unitarian Universalist congregations today. Every spring, most of our UU churches and fellowships devote a Sunday to this festive participatory service, which celebrates both the earth's beauty and humanity's oneness. Its simplicity and universality make it meaningful for children as well as adults. The Flower Communion Service originated in 1923 by the Rev. Nobert F. Capek, a Unitarian minister in eastern Europe who championed religious tolerance and freedom, spoke out against the Nazi regime and died at Dachau. Please bring a flower (or flowers) to share with us to celebrate this ritual of community.
Liz Steele grew up Catholic in the Greater New Orleans area. She is a member of NWCUUC and has been a practicing UU for most of her adult life. She is a clinical social worker for a local school district and a registered play therapist. She is the mother of three children-- Anthony, Zach and Stephanie, and has been married to Mark for 21 years.
April 2: Wages of Dignity, Wages of Hope
by Pam Bryson
Honoring Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Justice Sunday.
The right to a living wage is a human right. UUSC defends people's right to work in dignity for a living wage and their right to organize to defend those rights. We specifically address the ways race, class, and gender make their particular groups vulnerable to economic injustice. We support the struggles of these groups both to achieve access to a living wage and to defend their labor rights.
People's right to work and earn a livelihood is threatened in three fundamental ways:
Low-income groups and people of color in the United States, as well as ethnic minorities in other countries, particularly women, face barriers to breaking out of poverty through employment.
The current model of market fundamentalism threatens people's rights to employment at a fair wage and under fair conditions, and their ability to defend those rights. Trade regulations under the World Trade Organization render national legislation protecting workers' rights null and subject to international trade laws that favor the rights of corporations over those of workers. Pam Bryson is our church's UUSC representative.
Jan 21 - Legalizing Drugs To Heal Our World
Jan 21
by Dean Becker
Dean Becker worked as a security policeman in the US Air Force. He guarded B-52s patrolling the atomic bomb dump-off base. To facilitate his 80 hours/week
schedule, the Air Force gave him amphetamines to which
he became addicted. Dean came to realize that the "War on Drugs" was a hypocritical failure. "I watched some of
my childhood friends become criminals," he recalls.”
“Others died of drug overdoses and car crashes while on
alcohol.” Dean is now a reporter anchored at KPFT 90.1 FM in Houston. As producer, researcher and host of the
"Drug Truth Network" Dean fills a much needed niche in the media providing drug policy news from the view of a
reformer. Dean is a dynamic speaker with a passionate mission: healing the world. Come join us for this great service.
Jan 28: Eradicating World Poverty: What Can I Do As Only One?
by Karin Klieman and Cheryl Perry
We are pleased to have Dr. Karin A. Klieman,
Associate Professor(Africa) from the University of
Houston as our speaker. Dr. Klieman will talk about the
campaign, "ONE," that is dedicated to making poverty a
thing of the past. Additionally, our own Cheryl Perry will
discuss the specifics of "what can we do?" to aid in this
noble effort. Dr. Klieman is a specialist in pre-colonial
African history and the use of inter-disciplinary methods
(comparative historical linguistics, archeology, oral
tradition, and ethnography) for reconstructing the ancient
African past. Dr. Klieman has received awards from the
Social Science Research Council, Fulbright, and the
Belgian-American Educational Foundation. Her
fieldwork was carried out in Gabon and The Republic of
Congo (1992-94). She has traveled, studied, or
researched in numerous other African and European
countries including Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania,
Kenya, Togo, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone.
Feb 4: Finding My Dharma
by Alok Kalia,M.D.
By becoming a member of a Unitarian Universalist congregation, I asserted my right to search for my own truth, to take responsibility for my actions, and to control my own destiny. How do I turn these abstractions into reality?
Alok Kalia, MD is a member of the Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church where he has chaired the Community Service Committee and the Committee on Ministry. He recently retired as Director of the Division of Pediatric Nephrology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.Dr. Kalia is a Hindu who feels very much at home in the UU environment
Feb 11: Belly Laughs
by Joanna Crawford
Noted Unitarian Rev. A. Powell Davies once said, "When we see our own
grotesqueries, how quaint we are, how droll our ambitions are, how
comical we are in almost all aspects, we automatically become more
sane, less self-centered, more humble, more wholesome. To laugh at
ourselves, we have to stand outside ourselves - and that is an immense
benefit."
Come prepared for transformation ... or at the least, a few belly
laughs.
Feb 18: Too Much Fear,Too Little Love
by Patti Henry
What would it take to move from fear ruling our lives to love ruling our lives? Too often fear keeps us from becoming our best selves. It keeps us from loving others. It keeps us from being a healing force in the world. Inspired by Nelson Mandela and the work of The New Warrior Training, psychotherapist and author Patti Henry will share thoughts on why it is essential that love triumph -- and how we can make that happen.
Nelson Mandela: As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Feb. 25: Spirituality and Atheism?
by Cheryl Perry
This discussion will be presented by four members of our church We will be challenging the stereotype of the atheist and learning how atheists can have a moral grounding and look for meaning in life as well as having a sense of the sacred. Various scenarios regarding this topic will be explored offering different perspectives.
March 4: Is The Church Really Free?
by - Dr. Claudette Peterson.
The Unitarian Universalist Church is called the free church and incorporates both the free pulpit and the free pew. But is all the freedom we enjoy really free of charge? Come join us to hear this compelling speaker discuss this thought provoking topic.
March 11: Mad Agnes
March 11
by Mad Agnes
Come join us for this special sermon/performance and hear the UU message ring loud and clear by this superb musical group. Mad Agnes's harmony-driven performance offers an eclectic mix of contemporary singer-songwriter material with influences of classical, Celtic, folk/rock, PDQ Bach, and a touch of street theater. Their lyrics, vocal intricacies and instrument prowess make their music "music for thinking people."
March 18: BALANCE
Balance
by Rob Barreda
Typically when we think of balance in regards to spirituality we think of the individual. Come this
Sunday to hear Rob Barreda deliver an inspiring message of balance. How living our UU faith as active participants outside our church walls brings balance not only to ourselves but to our community. our nation. our world. Rob Barreda is a former military journalist and has been a member of Northwest Community for more than four years and attending for nearly five. He is humbly a father, brother, son, friend, teacher, musician, photographer, the Vice President of the Board of this church and has spoken at NWCUUC on several occasions.
March 25:Idealism and The Real World
March 25, 2007
by Chris Cusack
How do we maintain idealism without being naive? What substantive good does optimism bring? What do we have to feel hopeful about? Idealists are often painted as dreamers or innocents, but their spirit has proved to be a force that can produce very real results. Chris Cusack will discuss the role of idealism in a world where things don't always seem so hopeful. Chris is a lifelong idealist and Unitarian. He's pretty sure the two are related somehow.
UU Wisdom from Middle Earth
April 1: UU Wisdom from Middle Earth
By: Margaret E. Anderson
Were Frodo and Gandalf among the first Unitarians? Like us, these characters in the classic Lord of the Rings fantasies lived in troubling times, threatened by those who craved control over others. Frodo’s Fellowship used many UU traits to cope, traits that can supply us with comfort, direction, beauty, and even fun as we work toward our own goals for a better world.
Margaret E. Anderson is an executive coach and corporate trainer specializing in persuasion and communication skills. She teaches people to get what they need from others in ways that build bridges, rather than burning them. Her clients include large and small companies as well as individual executives and professionals. A native of Galveston, she is a Unitarian Universalist residing in Houston, Texas
Easter Sermon
April 8
Easter Sermon
By Patti Henry
Come celebrate Easter with us! Easter is the Christian high holiday. What can we, as UU's of Christian persuasion or otherwise, glean from this miraculous story of death and resurrection? Come search with psychotherapist and author Patti Henry for the Holy in this holiday, and learn how Easter just might change how you live your life.
Medical Ethics & Loving Choices
April 15: Medical Ethics & Loving Choices
Medical Ethics & Loving Choices
By Scott Medlin
Rev. Scott Medlin will give a talk about loving and living life to the fullest until the day you die….and about medical ethics, particularly as they relate to the “dying with dignity movement”. Rev. Medlin gives an uplifted talk that inspires congregants to “drink of life fully” – as he shares firsthand testimony both as a chaplain and personally of people who deal with a terminal condition and the compassionate systems that support them. Our UU beliefs of the worth and dignity of every human being and love as our guiding principle in all human relationships should support us as we decipher medical ethics and loving choices in the 21st century.
Scott Medlin is an ordained Baptist minister and Board Certified Chaplain practicing Chaplain Manager at Memorial Hermann Continuing Care Hospital &
Memorial Hermann Spring Shadows Pines.
Love will Guide Us
April 22
Love will Guide Us
By Era Buck
This sermon will consider some specific strategies for using love as a guiding principle in our lives. If we want the world to be a more loving place, we must start by being more loving. Although simple to say, this can be difficult to do on a daily basis. As UUs we can draw on the tools of many religious traditions to accomplish this spiritual task.
Era Buck, PhD is a founding member of this congregation, has been a UU for 20 years and is a career educator having been on the faculty of elementary schools, medical schools, corporate training programs, and currently the Cy-Fair Community College.
Living a Peaceful Life in the Midst of a Turbulent World
April 29
Living a Peaceful Life in the Midst of a Turbulent World
By Glenda Taylor
Living a peaceful life, I believe, involves a practice of balancing the pressures from many different and often conflicting aspects of our worlds—inner and outer. In short, peaceful living involves a lively and creative juggling act, balancing our many sides, our many opportunities, our many responsibilities, and our varying ways of approaching and defining reality
Glenda Taylor is often simply referred to as Grandmother Glenda by the many people who know her and give her this ancient title of respect because of her lifelong commitment to principles that are closely akin to those of the UU Church. She is Director of the Fellowship of Comparative Religion and of the Earthsprings Retreat Center. She has had a prison ministry, a personal counseling practice, and has lectured widely to diverse groups on cross-cultural mythology, psychology, and spirituality. Glenda leads spiritual retreats, women’s studies programs, studies of Native American practices, and other events. She is the author of numerous articles and a book of poetry.
The Magic of UU - How Paganism relates to Unitarian Universalism
May 6th
The Magic of UU - How Paganism relates to Unitarian Universalism
By: NWCUUC Youth
Over the past few months the YRUU group has been studying Paganism. We have learned about the symbolism of several pagan religions. We have compared pagan practices to those of the Christian, Muslim and Jewish traditions. We have compared the central ideas in paganism to the central ideas in Unitarian Universalism.
Our sermon will focus on how pagan beliefs and rituals relate to the seven principles of Unitarianism. The youth have worked hard to develop a service which will shed light on how paganism is practiced within the church. We are grateful for the help of members of our church who are practicing pagans for their insight as well as to the other RE classes for their support. We look forward to sharing the Magic of UUism with the entire congregation!
May 13, 2007-: Mothering the Mother
May 13th
Mothering the Mother
By Joanna Fontaine Crawford
When one becomes a mother, whether it's by biological means or otherwise,one enters the largest sorority in the world.
There are many different paths to motherhood, but we all share the experience of, as Elizabeth Stone wrote, “having your heart go walking around outside your body." As such, we mother each other in many different ways. Come celebrate motherhood -- and thesisterhood it engenders.
May 20, 2007 - Life's Transitions (and Bridging)
May 20th
Life's Transitions (and Bridging)
By Tracy Cook
Come and join one of life's happy transitions as we celebrate the continuing spiral of our children's Religious Education. We are all teachers, all mentors to young minds. We can all share in the joys of their accomplishments. This is also a good chance to look at the life transitions you may be going through.
Tracy Cook and Carol Lemons are Co-Chairs of Religious Education. Both have been members of the church for several years, and have been involved in a variety of activities.
May 27, 2007: Flower Communion
May 27th
Flower Communion
By Liz Steele
Our annual "Flower Communion" will be May 27th. It is the most widely-celebrated ritual in Unitarian Universalist congregations today. The Flower Communion Service originated in 1923 by the Rev. Norbert F. Capek, a Unitarian minister in Eastern Europe who championed religious tolerance and freedom, spoke out against the Nazi regime and died at Dachau.
Every spring, most of our UU churches and fellowships devote a Sunday to this festive participatory service which celebrates both nature's extravagance and humanity's oneness. We are all unique, encompassing the miracle of life, just as flowers. We are in need of
gardening--tending--to nurture our innate beauty --Our communion is about recognizing and sharing that innate beauty with others.
Please bring a flower (or extra flowers) to share with us to celebrate this ritual of community.
* Children will be invited back into the service for the flower distribution.
June 10, 2007 - Spiritual Transformation and Healing
June 10th
Spiritual Transformation and Healing
By Liz Steele
How do we “Dance despite Darkness” and Thrive when “Flames of Fire” are at our heels? Are there some spiritual higher truths that can we can draw on to help us in our most challenging nights of the soul? Join us as Liz Steele draws from the works of Jacquelyn Small, The Sacred Purpose of Being Human and Joan Borysenko PH.D Fire in the Soul, to take a look at how our we can use life’s messy circumstances on our journey to TRANSFORM at soul levels.
Liz is a practicing Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Play Therapist. She has been a Unitarian Universalist for most of her adult life. She has been an active member of Northwest Community UU Church for 5 years. She is married to Mark for 23 years and they have two great kids, Zachary and Stephanie.
June 17, 2007 - Low Self Esteem and Fatherhood
June 17th
Low Self Esteem and Fatherhood
“The Crucial Connection”
By Bob Pryor & Patti Henry
Low self-esteem is prevalent in our society and can cause much sorrow. Diagnosing this condition, understanding how it affects your views, relationships, and family can be the first step to dealing with this problem and turning your life around. Bob and Patti will discuss the symptoms, the causes, how to deal with this condition, and how the “Father” figure in the family can be an instrument of support and healing to the child to establish a strong feeling of self, and the confidence and self assurance to function in today’s world. Please join us this Father’s Day.
Our first presenter, Bob Pryor has over thirty years experience in Management & Leadership consulting and owns a training company that works with organizations and individuals in this area. He also trains firms on international business processes as well as being a part-time musician and composer who has published two songbooks of original music and four CD’s.
Our second presenter, Patti Henry has been a practicing psychotherapist for over twenty years. Patti is a frequent speaker at many UU churches on a variety of subjects. She is the author of the book, “The Emotionally Unavailable Man” and has appeared on many radio talk shows as an expert in Marriage Counseling and relationships issues.
June 24, 2007 - Summer Solstice
June 24, 2007
Summer Solstice
By Lucia Bettler
Summer urges us to grow -- it is the season of fullness and productivity on the earth. We are inspired to travel and see new places, to experience the fullness of life. The long days of summer light make us want to linger in the shade as green earth wakes us up. Tomatoes, red and full, tell us to eat healthy produce from abundant markets. The ocean beckons and hills beg to be climbed. It is a time of outer exploration, journeys and joy.
Come join us to hear Lucia talk about this special time of the year.
July 1, 2007 - Coffee and Conversation
July 1, 2007 - Coffee and Conversation
Coffee and Conversation
This will be a conversational service discussing the relevant topic of the day.
July 8, 2007 - Tolerance? Acceptance? How are Your - isms?
July 8, 2007
Tolerance? Acceptance? How are Your - isms?
By Cheryl Marshall
Please join us as one of our long time members, Cheryl Marshall, asks you to think about the UU dedication to diversity, the various forms of prejudice that exist in our world, and explore what we mean by “acceptance."
July 15, 2007 - "The God Dialog"
July 15, 2007
"The God Dialog"
By Judy Bunch & Bennie Grezlik
What happens when the God of the Old Testament meets a new, improved model?
This dialog between the old God and a new God answers that question with
humor, wit, and occasional Godly wrath.
Judy Bunch has been a UU since 1986 starting in Austin; she and Bennie Grezlik have both been members of Northwoods UU since 1990 holding multiple offices over the years including a stint as Board President.
Houston, Texas