2007-2008 Service Topics

Below is the draft list of sermon and service topics for 2007-2008. If you have any ideas you would like considered for a sermon or service, please don't hesitate to contact me and let me know.

Thanks!

Sunday Services 2007-2008
Last Updated: August 23, 2007 (11:10am). These dates & topics will change without notice. For the really up to date list, consult www.eliotchapel.org web site or the printed newsletter.

September 9, 2007. Leading From Strength. Let's say your kid or employee comes to you with 3 As, 2 Bs, and an F. What do you spend the most time talking about? Do we make the most progress fixing our weaknesses or building our strengths? Our annual Ingathering Service. We begin our program year service times of 9 and 11:30 am, led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell.

September 16, 2007. Longing. Where does our sense of incompleteness lie? Where does it come from? Where does it go? Why do we hate it and yet sometimes yearn to wallow in it? How do we deal with it? Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell.

September 23, 2007. Mistakes? Me? Why do we dodge responsibility so thoroughly? Or get caught up in endless nit picking about who "is right?" Why can we see hypocrisy in others but not in ourselves? We will look at some recent research in social psychology. Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell.

September 30, 2007. Politics in Process. What would our country look like if all the winners in 2008 were process theologians? Led by the Rev. Dr. Susan Videen.

October 7, 2007. Founder's Day. How did we get here? Who brought us here? Where are we going? We celebrate our 49th year. Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell.

October 14, 2007. TBA. Led by our intern minister, David Breeden. Our 1st of 3 Town Hall meetings is at noon today.

October 21, 2007. Association Sunday. We do not practice Unitarian Universalism in a vacuum. All over the USA today and last week, UU congregations celebrate our commonality. The Rev. Suzanne Meyer will preach here, while I preach from her pulpit at the First Unitarian Church of St. Louis, MO.

October 28, 2007. The End of Democracy. In a rare sermon on politics, I look at the steps between democracy and fascism and consider how far we've moved down that path. Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell.

November 4, 2007. TBA. Led by our intern minister, David Breeden. Daylight Savings Time ends today.

November 11, 2007. TBA. Guest Preacher.

November 18, 2007. Bread Communion. Our annual intergenerational Eliot Thanksgiving. Three services: 9:15, 10:15, and 11:15 am. Reverends Daniel ÓConnell & Bonnie Vegiard, and our intern David Breeden will lead the service.

November 25, 2007. TBA. Rev. Dick Haynes, Eliot Community Minister. Services at 9:30 and 11 am.

December 2, 2007. Highly Unlikely. When certain wildly unpredictable events happen– like 9/11 or the Google phenomenon, we spin a back story to make sense of it all. But if we want to tell the truth to ourselves, we have to tell a different story. Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell.

December 9, 2007. Christmas Pageant. Our annual intergenerational service where our children show us the story of Christmas. Service coordinated by Rev. Bonnie Vegiard, Joan Casey, DRE, and many, many other helpers.

December 16, 2007. Making Peace with Reality. The desire to argue with reality can withstand all sorts of struggle. Sometimes we don't want to let go, forgive, forget, or move on. What to do then? Taoism has some answers. Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell.

December 23, 2007. TBA. Led by the Rev. Bonnie Vegiard.

December 24, 2007. Christmas Eve. Four traditional services: 5, 6:30, 8, and 10 pm.

December 30, 2007. TBA. Led by our intern minister, David Breeden. A single service at 10 am.

January 6, 2008. Circle of Life. Our annual remembrance of births, marriages & unions, and deaths. Service by the Reverends Bonnie Vegiard & Dr. Daniel ÓConnell. Services at 9:30 and 11 am.

January 13, 2008. TBA. Led by the Rev. Bonnie Vegiard.

January 20, 2008. TBA. Human Justice Sunday. Guest Speaker from Social Action Committee.

January 27, 2008. Blink and Miss. It's easy to ignore what we don't want to see. But then we can miss what's most important. Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell. Our 2nd of 3 Town Hall meetings is at noon today.

February 3, 2008. Self-Made Man. We explore the construction of gender and reflect on what a woman learned after posing as a man for a year. Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell.

February 10, 2008. Music Sunday. Our 5th annual musical extravaganza. Led by our Music Director, Jan Chamberlin, and our Choir Director, Leon Burke, III..

February 17, 2008. Money for Nothing. How can we be rich and bored? Maybe "The Secret" can help? Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell.

February 24, 2008. Celebration Sunday. We will be meeting off site to celebrate everything Eliot means to us in ONE big service with all kinds of production values and FOOD. You won't want to miss this! A REVIVAL SERVICE Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell, and many, many others.

March 2, 2008. Youth Service. Our Senior High will lead our service today.

March 9, 2008. Evil. Religious Liberals generally don't talk about this much. But sometimes we have to. Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell. Daylight Savings Time starts today.

March 16, 2008. TBA. Led by our intern minister, David Breeden.

March 23, 2008. Easter. Three Easter services at 9:15, 10:15, and 11:15 am. A UU communion ceremony commemorating the life and deeds of Jesus will be offered at the end of the first two services. Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell.

March 30, 2008. Our Common Beliefs. UUs don't have beliefs in common, right? We'll see. Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell. Our 3rd of 3 Town Hall meetings is at noon today.

April 6, 2008. TBA. Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell.

April 13, 2008. UUSC Sunday. Special Guest Speaker.

April 20, 2008. Bankers to the Poor. One man began lending small change to poor women in the third world and has lifted thousands out of poverty. Can we help, too? Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell.

April 27, 2008. TBA. Led by our intern minister, David Breeden.

May 4, 2008. TBA. Led by the Rev. Bonnie Vegiard.

May 11, 2008. Flower Communion. Our annual Mother's Day and Flower Communion Service.

May 18, 2008. The Politically Incorrect Truth. There are certain things we might not like to admit that are nevertheless true. Led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel ÓConnell. One service at 9 am, followed by our annual meeting at 11 am.

May 25, 2008. Animal Blessing Sunday. Our annual event, led by the Rev. Dr. Susan Videen. One service at 10 am today.

June 1, 2008. Graduation. We honor our junior and senior high students at their time of graduation. Service by the Rev. Bonnie Vegiard, Joan Casey, and others.

June 8, 2008. TBA. A swan song service. Led by our intern minister, David Breeden.

June 15, 2008. Father's Day. Today begins our summer services– a single service at 10 am, through Labor Day. Look for another insert on our summer services.