January 3, 2021
It is a tradition of FCU to have a “Remembrance Sunday” on the first Sunday of the new year, remembering those we lost in the past year, as well as welcoming those who were born in the past year. We light candles to remember, and to welcome. The Deacons co-lead the service.
January 5, 2020
“Remembrance Sunday” is an annual FCU tradition when we light Candles of Love and Memory to recall irreplaceable family and friends who died in the past year. We also light Candles of Hope and Joy to celebrate children dear to us who were born in the past year. This video shows the end of the service, where I share an excerpt from “Charlotte’s Web” by E. B. White and a brief sermon, “Web of Life”.
January 6, 2019
This reading (the poem “Astronauts” by the great Robert Hayden) and my short sermon (“Remembering the Astronauts) were shared at the end of Remembrance Sunday. Remembrance Sunday is an annual FCU tradition; the congregation lights Candles of Love and Memory to recall irreplaceable family and friends who died in the past year as well as Candles of Hope and Joy to celebrate children dear to us who were born in the past year. Errata note: The beautiful line in Hayden’s poem is “once Absolute Otherwhere” (not “Everywhere”, as I mistakenly say a couple of times in this video.) My apologies! Read his gorgeous poem at this link.
January 7, 2018
A few weeks ago, I attended a Memorial Service for a woman named Nori. She was about 10 years my junior and had died from pancreatic cancer. Nori discovered Unitarian Universalism by way of the Nashua UU Church in the early years of my ministry there, and very quickly became involved in the life of the congregation. I felt honored to be her minister.