The Unitarian Univeralist Fellowship of Ligonier Valley is a member congregation of the Unitarian
Universalist Association. Ours is a denomination whose principles are based on tolerance and freedom of religious belief with
an emphasis on the integration of faith and reason. Our roots date back at least 400 years to Poland and Transylvania. We
have had many notable thinkers and activists such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Clara Barton and Albert Schweitzer as members. While
our community's heritage is Judeo-Christian we find value in opening ourselves to a variety of religious experiences.
In September 2007 we received the status of "Welcoming Congregation" from the Unitarian Universalist Association.
This was the culmination of a two year long program including workshops, discussions and outreach programs designed to support
the rights and worth of bisexual, gay and lesbian people and to make them and all other individuals to feel safe, secure and
welcome in our congregation.
Our Sunday service starts
at 10:30. It is followed by a break for snacks and coffee. After the break many stay for a lively discussion of the morning's
topic.
"The
only alternative to coexistence is codestruction." -Jawaharlal Nehru
Schedule of Services for November
and December
Nov.
1 Still With Us Led by several members of the Fellowship, the
service will be a time of reflection and sharing in the memories of those who have died but are still with us in spirit.
Nov. 8 Thanksgiving
Did you know that the Pilgrims didn’t wear buckles on their shoes, and that black-and-white clothing was only for Sundays?
A bit about the history, customs, and mythology of this important holiday. Presented by Dr. Sue Lau, retired Professor of
Religious Studies at the University of Pittsburgh.
Nov.
15 Grace and Gratitude in Daily Living Learn how to cultivate grace and gratitude in our hectic,
multitasking lives by practicing the six spiritual principles of Simple Abundance (gratitude, simplicity, order, harmony,
beauty and joy). Weaving a tapestry of these six principles into your daily life will help you discover your authentic self
and lead to living in a state of grace. Presented by Rev. Debra Thackrah.
Nov. 22 A Theology of Gratitude According to 14th century German Christian
mystic Meister Eckhart, "If 'thank you' was the only prayer we uttered, that would be enough." The Thanksgiving
holiday is almost here, with turkey & stuffing & gravy & all the other special foods that go along with it. But
"thanksgiving" isn't just a one-day-a-year event... or at least it shouldn't be. No, we have many things
to be grateful for, and it needs to be part of our theology. Today, we'll touch on some of those things and, if you like,
you can pick up a "Thanksgiving Advent Calendar" on our kitchen table to spark your own ideas. Presented by Rev.
Rebecca Booher.
Nov. 29
Why Do They Hate Us So Much? There are parts of the world where Westerners can’t travel any more.
There are whole countries that love our dollars but hate our values and our freedoms, and harbor terrorist cells training
to destroy everything we stand for. Our minister, Dr. Renee Waun, will address this issue using concepts from The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright.
Dec.
6 Half a Prayer Having been brought up in a Roman Catholic home, including twelve years
in a parochial school, I was taught that prayer is, or at least should be, an integral part of one's religious life. Some
years ago, I stepped outside the Catholic tradition and into the world of Unitarian Universalism, yet I still pray. Today's
message is about prayer; what it is and what it means, and whether it may hold any relevance for Unitarian Universalists.
Presented by Jim Galik, President of the UU Fellowship of Ligonier Valley.
Dec. 13 Loss of Faith American culture usually accepts that expression
as indicative of despair or doubt and relief is noted when “faith” is restored. We’ll examine faith in the
context of disillusionment as to whether loss of faith is necessarily a problem to be overcome or even to be avoided. Presented
by Ken Wagner of the UU Church of the South Hills.
Dec.
20 Cycles of Life Our modern sense of time is as “an irreversible sequence of unrepeatable
events”, defined by uniqueness and direction. Ancient peoples, however, believed time was cyclical, as evidenced
by the world around them and their own lives. To celebrate the Winter Solstice, members will attempt to recapture the
cyclical nature of time with prepared reflections on the cycles of life.
Dec. 27 Friends In High Places
Who are your heroes and “she”-roes—living or dead—who have helped you to set your moral or spiritual
compass? Dr. Waun will identify an impromptu panel to lead an interactive discussion on this topic, inspired by the
lives of famous figures such as Helen Keller, the Dalai Lama, Susan B. Anthony, Jesus of Nazareth, Diana, Princess of Wales,
Mohandas K. Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Religious
Education ClassesOur classes provide religious education free of dogma. Exploring
religious truth, meaning and experience is central to UU faith. In our communities and as individuals we seek lives of meaning
anchored by values and a commitment to promote principles of justice, safety, tolerance and encouragement. For further information
call 814-255-2676 or write to UU Fellowship of Ligonier Valley, 1730 Route 30 East, P. O. Box 692, Ligonier, PA 15658.
Classes resume in October.
Junior High Class
Curriculum - Neighboring Faiths-Exploring
religions with Junior High Youth
Nov. 1 Session 1 - ”What is Religious?”
Nov. 15 Session 2 - "What faiths do we want to learn about?"
Primary Class
Nov. 1 Family Love
- "New Baby", using the book, Baby Sister by Russel Hoban
Nov. 15 Family Love - "Grandparents", using the book
When I Go Visiting by Ann and Harlow Rockwell.
Baby Sitting Schedule
Nov. 1 - Sara Ruckosky Nov. 8 - Carol Kurek Nov. 15 - Ed Makuchan
Nov. 22 - Jean Slusser Nov. 29 - Pat MacKenzie Dec. 6 - Fran Lynch
First
Friday Event
The third First Friday event of this fall/winter season will be held on December 4th,
7:30 to 9:30 PM. It is "An Amish Student at Pitt". Our speaker will be Timothy Sauder, the
University of Pittsburgh's first Amish student.
Mr. Sauder is a student working towards
a bachelor's degree. He has high hopes of going on to medical school. An element making his academic journey such a remarkable
one is that he spent his first eight grades in a quintessential Lancaster County, Pennsylvania one room schoolhouse. He will
join us for an open candid discussion on what life is like growing up in an Old Order Mennonite/Amish community. His first
person account will compare the differences between a life in the Plain Communities and student life on a 21st Century campus.
Discussion and refreshments follow.
The First Friday Series offers the public the opportunity to hear religious, philosophical or other vital topics
affecting humankind. The belief set of a different religious tradition or other subject is presented and discussed each month.
Our book discussion
group meets on the second Wednesday of the month. December's selection is The
Bostonians by Henry James. The group will meet on Wednesday December 9th at 7:00 PM. All readers are welcome to participate.
One is not required to be a member.
December's selection is The Bostonians by Henry James.
Peace Group The monthly meeting will be held on Nov. 20 at 7:00 PM at the residence of Joe Stierheim, next
door to the Fellowship building.
