Archives: Services

Celebrating life and death in a time of a pandemic

Livestreamed on YouTube How do we grieve our personal and congregational losses at a time when grief is pervasive? In honor of All Souls Day, we’ll remember congregants and others who have died in the past year. Homily by Rev. Connie Grant; music by Ellen Gozion, Instrumental Music Director, and Danny Rectenwald, guitar.

What Pittsburgh, a T-Rex named Penny, and Violence Can teach us about The Future of Religion and Unitarian Universalism

https://youtu.be/QXpKm7vnLmg Religion, including Unitarian Universalism is at a moment in time. Can it survive? And what must it do in order to survive? What must we do? We’ll explore our place in today’s world, and why it’s metaphorical meteorites and not a comet that could wipe us out. Homily by Rev. Keith Kron; music by … Continue reading What Pittsburgh, a T-Rex named Penny, and Violence Can teach us about The Future of Religion and Unitarian Universalism

Stories from 200 years

View the service on YouTube Founded in 1820, the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh has had a fascinating history as it has responded to changing times. We’ll explore some of these stories in several ways, from Crankie to slideshow to a historian’s perspective on a formative figure. Homily by Rev. Connie Grant; Reflection by Kathy … Continue reading Stories from 200 years

Celebrating Indigenous Culture

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=623NoMkAQ6k We know that Americas and specifically, southwestern Pennsylvania were once home to Indigenous People, but what do we know about the Indigenous People still here, living among us? Reflection “Our Journey in the Indigenous Community of Pittsburgh: Aspirations for the Future” by Miguel Sague; Reflection “How We Can Be Present with Indigenous People in … Continue reading Celebrating Indigenous Culture

Connection, Community, Tradition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV2bEUQ4LpY The annual celebration of Founders Day by our Khasi Hills partners in India can inspire us to honor our own Unitarian Universalist roots, connect and nurture our community, and serve the wider world. The service will include a greeting from our Khasi Hills partners, a traditional dance from Northeast India by Pittsburgh’s Nandanik Dance … Continue reading Connection, Community, Tradition

Keep On Moving Forward

As you celebrate the 200th anniversary of your founding as a congregation, how will you commit to continue to support and care for your church in 2021? Homily by Rev. Connie Grant; music by Ellen Gozion, Director of Instrumental Music. Livestreamed on YouTube

Forgiving, not Forgetting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdZemuyYMiE Forgiveness is difficult; forgiving and forgetting may be impossible. Forgiving and remembering may be more attainable, as well as more useful. Homily by Rev. Connie Grant; reflection by Erica Shadowsong, Director of music by Kris Rust, Choral Music Director.

Ingathering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCLUavg8ZvY Whether or not you’ve been “away” lately, we’ll celebrate the ingathering of this community on the Sunday after Labor Day, as usual! What do you bring to this community from your experience of recent months? If you’d like to participate in a water blessing, please have a small container of water at hand. A … Continue reading Ingathering

Labor and Leisure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCLUavg8ZvY&t=689s When we think we are “doing nothing,” we are “doing something” with spiritual as well as neurological implications.  Can we recognize the value of being as well as doing? Homily by Rev. Connie Grant; music by Ellen Gozion, Instrumental Music Director; Bryan Bandli, liturgist.

Christmas Eve

Livestreamed at 6:00 pm (prelude begins at 5:55 pm) “The Gifts of Christmas”A traditional Unitarian Universalist Christmas Eve service, with stories, carols, music, and candle lighting.What are the gifts that matter? Homily by Rev. Connie Grant; music by Ellen Gozion, Director ofInstrumental Music and the Incidental Chamber Players.

“Interdependence Day”

Livestreamed at 10:30 am (prelude begins at 10:25) What does Independence Day mean to you?  Our Seventh Principle calls upon us to respect the interdependent web of all existence. This Sunday, we will be encouraged to think about Independence Day as something more than fireworks and the good old Red, White and Blue. A collaboration … Continue reading “Interdependence Day”