A Great Cloud of Witnesses - Rev. Katie McQuage - All Souls Day honors those who went before us, especially those who have made our own religious community what it is today. We will mourn the members of our congregation lost in the past year, as well as those in the larger community lost this year to the violence of our govern

The Veil Is Thin - Rev. Katie McQuage-Loukas & Thistle and Honey -Our multigenerational service honors the seasonal shift, known as Samhain or Winter Nights to our pagan community, and more colloquially as Halloween. Thistle and Honey and Rev. Katie will offer a ritual to open this time of honoring our ancestors and beloved dead, as we move toward Día de los Muertos and All Souls on November 2nd.

UU Response to Authoritarians: With Justice Our Guide? - Guest Speaker: Rev. Dan King - In the Unitarian Universalist faith tradition, seeking social justice is an imperative founded on our tenets of universal dignity and love as central principles. When we learn of patterns of repeated intentional injustice, it can be difficult to avoid despair, even with the models of 20th century civil rights leaders like MLK and John Lewis. In today’s service, Rev. Dan King shares reflections on justice and practical reminders of how persistent commitment and organization can overcome the obstacles we encounter. Rev. Dan, graduate of Rice University and U.T. law school, made a mid-life career change from law to ministry. He recently retired as Minister Emeritus of the First UU Church of Houston after over 30 years of service to multiple UU churches and organizations in SC, NC, CA, GA, MA, VA, and Houston.

From Fear to Fierce - Rev. Katie McQuage-Loukas - National Coming Out Day (Oct 11) has a different feel in these times. When safety seems to be in short supply, we are called as people of faith to be a sanctuary, a place where all people can feel free to be their whole and truest selves. Compassion and love may sound like soft things, but they move us to fiercely protect the vulnerable.

We Are the Builders - Rev. Katie McQuage-Loukas - The work of justice and liberation needs all of us, and there is a place for each of us in that work. Whether we are weavers or storytellers, caregivers or disrupters, we are all a vital part of the ecosystem that undergirds our work of service and justice. What role intimidates you? What role calls to you? Let us explore the many ways we can be a part of the greater work.

Widen the Circle - Rev. Katie McQuage-Loukas - We belong to each other. Whether strangers or friends, we know that we are bound together. We know that we must take care of each other. At the same time, we also know that we don’t have to do anything to earn that belonging. It is always there, a gift of Universalist grace. In times like these, how can we keep widening the circle of belonging, enfolding as many people as we can?