West Valley UU Church

Sunday Services Archives 2007

December 2007

Dec 2 - Pastor Terry Robinson
"Advent, Adversity, and Illumination"

Three great events in human history (one secular and two religious) merge into one six day period in the first week of December. Come join us for an attempt to stimulate your cortex via a snippet presentation of each. Do pay close attention, as we hope to encourage your participation in "the process". We hope you enjoy this attempt at cross pollenization!

Dec 9 - Bronwynn Torgerson
"A Gift of Light"

Dec 16 - Rev. Scotty Meek
"Questions About Unitarian Universalism"

Rev. Scotty Meek was our first minister in 1984. He is an excellent speaker. Because of his poor eyesight, his program will be a question and answer session about UUism.

Dec 23 - Pastor Terry Robinson
"KWANZAA, what exactly is it?"

What, if anything, does KWANZAA have to do with Unitarian Universalism? Why should non African Americans want to know about - and possibly even celebrate - this holiday? Why study these questions the day before Christmas Eve? What basic human values can we emphasize here? Intrigued? Come find out!

Dec 30 - Pastor Terry Robinson
"New Beginnings, Old Regrets"

Come join with us on the last service of the old year as we share a series of readings and musical delights meant to help us reflect on the past and encourage us to hop for the future. Wehre would we be without HOPE? Lewis Cass said "People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do". It is HOPE that enables us to actually move forward and "do". Depending on the availability of our new members, we may also have a welcoming ceremony for them to celebrate their joining our ranks. They will make the future of us all much brighter.

November 2007

Nov 4 - Social Action Committee
"Guest at Your Table"

The Vision of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee is of a world free from oppression and injustice, where all can realize their full human rights. Come to church and learn more about the UUSC's vision and mission. Find out how you can help this organization fulfill its vision through the Guest at Your Table Program.

Nov 11 - Pastor Terry Robinson
"Save Our Troops: Honor the Veterans, Not the War"

This Sunday falls on Veterans Day; our national holiday to honor those who have served in our armed forces. Come share some of our denominations members reminiscing of their own experiences. Then study the realities of the present situation regarding those 1.5 million who have served or are serving, or will serve again in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Nov 18 - Pastor Terry Robinson
"Bread, Bounty, and Beginnings"

We will celebrate the bounty of our reality here in our church community and explore a bit of our religious beginnings in Poland and Transylvania (Hungary). We will have several musical delights performed by members and guests. We hope to finish with a meaningful bread communion, in which all are invited to participate including the children. This will be a joyful intergenerational service in anticipation of our national holiday (accross all racial, cultural, socio-economic, and religious differences) THANKSGIVING!

Nov 25 - Rev. Charles Gaines
"Thanksgiving Leftovers"

This sermon will be less about turkey and pie and more about the family transactions that may or may not have occurred over a Thanksgiving holiday.

October 2007

Oct 7 - Terry Robinson
"Greatness via Generosity: Generation to Generation"

We have all had other who have helped us turn our seemingly impossible dreams into attainable goals. Most times these goals - with hard work, determination, focus, and community support - become reality. At your request the minister will tell you much about his life, his dreams, and his goals that have become realities because of the generosity of other generations directly to him. We will finally focus on how the dream of this congregation to provide the resources to afford a full time minister (and all that this implies for this blessed community) has become YOUR attainable goal.

Oct 14 - Association Sunday. Sermon by Terry Mead

Plan to attend this service as we join with thousands of Unitarian Universalists accross the nation to celebrate our shared committment. We will strengthen the bonds of our common purpose and combine our resources to make Unitarian Universalism a stronger voice for liberal religious values in our country.

Oct 21 - Randy Nowell
Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form; A U.U. Buddhist Defines 'God'

Some Unitarian Universalists claim a belief in "God" in one form or another. Some consider themselves Atheists. Some Buddhists speak of "Gods" and "Hell Realms", while others avoid the "G" word at all costs. Can a UU Buddhist then define "God"? You bet, but no matter what you think, the definition is not what you think.

Oct 28 - Terry Robinson, Intern Minister
"Magnifico Oro"

They say that money is the basis for all evil. In this case it’s solid universal money-gold. Come hear the real story behind the Columbus Day Holiday. The first resident Catholic Bishop of Chiapas was an eye witness to all that took place in the Spanish New World after colonization started in 1493. Hear his unbelievable personal account of those events. Note- this will be graphic in its descriptions and not recommended for children.

September 2007

Sep 2 - Terry Robinson
"Is it wrong? If So, What Are We Called to Do to Make It Right?"

The Talmud says: “do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief: do justly now, love mercy now, work humbly now. You are not obliged to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it."  Together we will explore several of the last centuries great humanitarians and their ideas of how to share the bounty of this earth (and our country in particular) more equitably. A Living Wage raises ALL boats.

Sep 9 - Dr. Maureen Sander-Staudt
"Genetic Profiling"

Dr. Sander-Staudt completed her Ph.D.at the Univ. of Colorado-Boulder specializing in gender theory and feminist ethics. Her dissertation was on the political implications of the ethics of care. Currently her scholarly interests include care ethics, as well as applied ethics, particularly bioethics, reproductive technologies, and moral education. Her talk will look at the human genome project and stem cell research from the perspective of Care Ethics, as well as applying Care Ethics to the comparative status of fetuses in abortion and crimes against pregnant women.

Sep 16 - Rev. Charles Gaines
"That Grand and Gracious Calling”

Rev. Gaines, our consulting minister last year, is currently supervising Terry Robinson’s internship and will speak about ministry. He will discuss how, traditionally speaking, ministers are called, not hired, to serve a congregation, and what that all might mean to West Valley as it moves ahead, hopefully, to calling a full-time minister next year.

Sep 23 - Beverly Price
"No Fig Leaves"

"The world of nudism is full of myths, misinformation, and lack of information. Bev Price will address these from the perspective of a long-time nudist, writer, teacher, and activist. She will discuss myths about body and appearance; the place of children, families, and seniors in nudism; sexual behavior and social nudism; the relationship between nudism, tolerance, and civil liberties; and what it is that nudists and naturists believe about their lifestyle and its underlying philosophy."

Sep 30 - Terry Robinson
"Jewish New Year"

Come and celebrate with your family (children will stay for entire service) the Jewish New Year (Shana Tovah!) and High Holy Days Service on Sunday, Sept 30, 2007. Please arrive a few minutes early and enjoy a taste of the traditional apples, honey and round challah before entering the sanctuary. We’ll honor the Days of Awe (Rosh HaShona and Yom Kippur) hoping your new year will be a sweet one! Also bring your list of relatives, friends or other personages that have died in the last year and you’d like to publicly remember. Lastly, bring your own list of personal errors, transgressions, and regrets that you’d like to symbolically throw away to be able to begin anew.

August 2007

Aug 5 - Rev. Wendy Williams
"Bearing Witness"

In a time of abounding hurt in the world, we are often at a loss as to how to fix it. Rev. Wendy Williams of the UU Fellowship of Flagstaff suggests that we are not so much called to solve the world's problems as we are to simply (and, of course, not so simply) bear witness as Unitarian Universalists.

Aug 12 - Kathryn Sheffield
"Myths of Creativity"

Creativity is a divine spark wihtin each of us. Yet it is a flickering spark. When we feel blocked, we fear that our inspiration has gove forever. But myths show us how to find the spark again.
Workshop on this to follow at 12:00 noon for a $5 per person fee.

Aug 19 - Terry Sims
"Religion that Matters"

More than anything else, I want my religion to matter to me and to the world. I think the idea that religion is important is in trouble, both from people who take religion too seriously, and from people who don't take it at all seriously. What I want to explore this morning is how we can avoid the trivial in religion adn still make sure it is relevant and vital to our everyday lives.

Aug 26 - Terry Sims
"The Quality of Mercy"

I borrowed today's sermon title from Shakespeare, as he used it in his play "The Merchant of Venice." The prophet Micah said: 'But what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?' How well do we heed the wise advice to love mercy as we go through life?

July 2007

July 1

Kathryn Sheffield

"Myths and the Nature of Good and Evil"

Today we seem caught between two competing discourses. One says that there is a clear good and a clear evil; the other, that everything's relative. Myths show us that both are true.

This service will be followed at Noon by a Q&A session on this topic.


July 8

Tom Lombardo

"The Future of Science and Religion"

Since the time of Galileo, there has been tension, if not outright conflict between science and religion, and the tension continues today. Where are science and religion heading in the future? Will the conflicts continue? Or will science and religion come together? Should they come together? Is there a way to integrate the ideas of evolution and God? What are the possibilities? What would be the most preferable future?


July 15

Rev. Linda Bunyard

"The Edge of Christianity"

Did we start a new religious movement - a new world faith - in 1961, or do we Unitarian Universalists still dwell on the edge of Christianity? They say all theology is autobiography. Our guest, Rev. Linda Bunyard, will share some insights from her own faith journey. Rev. Bunyard served as our consulting minister from July 2001 to March 2003.


July 22

Kathryn Sheffield

"Myths and Personal Crises"

We all face times of personal crisis. At such times, well-meaning advice doesn't reach our place of need. Sometimes we need a map to find our way out of darkness.

At Noon, Kathryn will conduct a Q&A on this subject.


July 29

Rev. Terry Sims

"Yours in Faith"

Someone wrote me a note recently in which he asked me to explain what I meant by "Faith", having used that word in my March newsletter column. This Sunday I will try to explain what I think faith can and does mean for me and for us.



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June 2007

June 3

Dr. Alexander B. White

"Survival and Liberation at Mr. Schindler's Camp"

Dr. White, a native of Poland, will give the congregation a glimpse of the 5 years under Nazi occupation during World War II and his survival and liberation as a result of being on the now renowned "Schindler's List". He will concentrate on the lessons to be derived from this tragic war in which he lost his entire family.

12:00 PM - Showing of Al Gore's movie "An Inconvenient Truth".


June 10

M. Scott Johnson

"From Inconvenience to Innovation"

From Inconvenience to Innovation: Responding to the Global Climate Crisis. Scotty Johnson of Tucson, Arizona was recently chosen as one of a select group of individuals to train with former Vice-President Al Gore and his Climate Project faculty. Johnson will do a Power Point presentation about the underlying science and emerging solutions for global climate change.


June 17

Kenneth A. Schei

"Rescuing Jesus (and America) from the Religious Right"

He is the founder of Atheists for Jesus and the author of Christianity Betrayed and An Atheist for Jesus: A Personal Journey of Discovery. He will travel from Southern California to speak to our congregation. His talk will be based on ancient documents that demonstrate the original teachings of Jesus.


June 24

Eleanor Eisenberg

"The Status of Choice"

A recent Supreme Court case, for the first time, made it clear that a woman's health is not the primary concern of the government in reviewing abortion cases. Is this the death knell for Roe v. Wade? The talk will review the current state of the law surrounding contraception, sex education, and abortion.



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May 2007

May 5

Janice Brunson

"An African UU Experience"

Janice Brunson, member of the board at Phoenix UU congregation, will speak on her recent trip to Africa where she visited and stayed in the homes of Unitarians in Nigeria, Burundi, and Kenya. Following her discussion she will have an African market, goods for sale made by African UU's.


May 13

Rev. Charles Gaines

"And the Strong Mothers Keep Coming On"

Rev. Gaines will talk about and celebrate some mothers and grandmothers that he thinks about on Mother's Day, not just from his family, but from history. "The young need to hear our stories, yours and mine".


May 20

Terry Sims

"Loving into Being"

What is it about love that makes it forever vital to our lives? What makes it endlessly needed and gives it such power? I believe it has to do with love's ability to create something out of nothing.


May 27

Rev. Charles Gaines

"The Permanent and Transient in Ministry"

Next year West Valley UU Church will be a "teaching congregation". My sermon will perhaps use the example of ministry by offering some ideas of what we might teach those whom we mentor as parents, grandparents, or parishoners.



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April 2007

April 1

Kathryn Sheffield

"Crossroads and Mythology: Myths and Religion"

Myth has been defined as "the other fella's religion." But myth is a far more comprehensive term than religion, encompassing folklore, literature, and art as well as belief. How are religion and myth related?


April 8

Rev. Charles Gaines

"What Easter Means to Me"

My understanding and experience of Easter is somewhat different than that of my Christian neighbors. One experience was when I witnessed, in a manner of speaking, the creation of the world.


April 15

Dr. Paul Eppinger

"Arizona Interfaith Movement"

Dr. Eppinger will give an overview of the 18 major faith groups included in the movement. Featured discussion includes how the faiths differ, the many ways in which they unite, and how AIM seeks to build unity in the community.


April 22

Rev. Charles Gaines

"Topic to be Announced"

The person with the winning bid from our silent auction gets to pick the subject of this sermon that I shall offer especially to that person. You'll know who won and hear all about it on Sunday.


April 29

Mary Rothschild

"Economic Justice as a Theological Issue"

Mary asks us as Unitarian Universalists to consider what we need to do to honor our UU principles to work for economic justice here and abroad. If we truly believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all people and the interdependent web of existence, what do our theological beliefs require us to do in our daily economic and political lives?


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March 2007

March 4

Kathryn Sheffield

"Crossroads and Mythology: The Myths of War"

The twentieth century was the bloodiest in human history, and the twenty-first has begun with a war that show no clear ending. War has become a central metaphor for our culture: war on drugs, war on poverty, culture war. Ancient myths show us that war has always been with us. Can they shed light on today's conflicts? Kathryn will be speaking the first Sunday of each month for six months and leading the religious education classes on mythology after each service. This is the second of the six-part series. The cost for the class after the service is $5 per person. The topics each of the six remaining months are: Myths and War, Myths and Personal Crises, Myths of Love, Myths and the Nature of Good and Evil, and Myths and Creativity.


March 11

Rev. Charles Gaines

"Universalism: Love's Winning Wit"

Many of you in West Valley UU Church call yourselves Unitarian. Often when the media reports on us, it also refers to us as “Unitarians”. But there’s another story about us that is often ignored. It is the “Universalist” part of our identity. As an original “Universalist” minister, I’d like to tell you some of that story.


March 18

Rev. Judit Gellerd

"Not on a Map, Still a Country?"

The world seems to have too short a memory of genocides.  By remembering, we honor those people who lost their country to aggressors, but are determined to keep their faith, culture and hope alive—Armenia, Tibet, and Transylvania among them.      Judit Gellerd will also play her violin.


March 25

Rev. Charles Gaines

"How to Become a Millionaire"

The over-whelming number of congregations I have visited as a consultant don’t like to discuss money unless it is in the context of how little of it they and the congregation have.  So on this Canvass Sunday, I hope to make our discussion easier by telling the younger people in our congregation how they can become millionaires and the older people how they can live as if they were millionaires.


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February 2007

February 4

Kathryn Sheffield

"Myths and Religion"

As people and society we often come to a crossroads where we must choose our path. Since the beginning, myths have existed to help us clarify our choices. This Sunday will be the first of Kathryn Sheffield's six-session series, "Crossroads and Mythology", consisting of sermons and adult religious education classes starting this Sunday after the service. She will be speaking the first Sunday of each month for six months and leading the religious education classes on mythology after each service. The cost for the class after the service is $5 per person. The topics each of the six remaining months are: Myths and War, Myths and Personal Crises, Myths of Love, Myths and the Nature of Good and Evil, and Myths and Creativity.


February 11

Rev. Charles Gaines

"A Theology for the Latter Half"

We don't need a midlife crisis to change our life or our perspectives about life. It all comes from growing older. See how it went with Odysseus and others.


February 18

Rev. Buzz Stevens

"Know Your Neighbors"

Feeling regret that you don't know your neighbors better? Is it important to connect deeply with those who live near you? Can it be done with more than one or two? Buzz Stevens, Methodist Minster Emeritus shares his ideas on this topic.


February 25

Rev. Charles Gaines

"What Would Lizzie Larrabee Say About it Now?"

According to recent studies, each generation is different, but there are also cycles of generations that make some similar with others. What does this say about the generation you represent and how you see other generations that are younger than yours?


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January 2007

January 7

Rev. Charles Gaines

"A Report to the Congregation"

Last October, I was engaged to study the West Valley UU Church, with special attention given to membership growth and vitality. Since then, I have met with many committees, studied church records, distributed surveys, and listened to a number of leaders. My report will offer my reflections on what I learned and some recommendations for you to consider. The service will include a short period for questions.


January 14

Rev. Charles Gaines

"The Power of an Idea"

We often think we are powerless, but within each of us are opportunities to effect the lives of others and even our world. Mr. Gaines will be in the Boston area from Jan. 19-29. He will deliver sermons at the First Parish in Framingham, MA, where he is Minister Emeritus, and at the First Parish in Groton, MA and present a paper at the Fraters of the Wayside Inn, held at the inn made famous by Longfellow's tales. Universalist ministers began the annual retreat, restricted to 21 colleagues in 1904.


January 21

Kathy Abramowitz & The Kids

"Intergenerational Service - MLK Day"

Kathy Abramowitz, our Religious Education Director, says that in this week when we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., WVUU kids will present an intergenerational service for your enjoyment and participation.


January 28

Wendy Williams

"Hope: A Spiritual Practice for Challenging Times"

"It is easy to respond to public events with criticism. However, the result is often despair and a feeling of powerlessness. How might hope offer us a perspective that invites thoughtful critique and responsible action? How can hope become a spiritual discipline important to Unitarian Universalists?"


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