Sunday Morning Service and Gathering - In-person and On-line

We gather at 10 a.m. for Worship Service in-person and on-line.

For those participating at the church, we strongly encourage people to wear a MASK. If you are feeling unwell or have Covid-19 symptoms please join us on Zoom rather than come into the building.

For those of you on the UCU email list, Friday afternoon you will receive information for about our Sunday Service and the UCU Weekly news. If you would like to be added to our email list please send an email to ucofu@ucofu.org.

Zoom link:

bit.ly/UCUSunday
Meeting ID: 970 8841 4602
Passcode: 424091

Call this number to hear the service on your phone: +1 312 626 6799
When you join the Service by phone, please share your name with the congregation so we know who you are. In the Zoom meeting participants can only see your phone number unless we add your name.

Need Help with Zoom?

If you are a bit confused with all of this Zoom business, we have help for you. Click on the link below to learn about Zoom.

Zoom Help - www.ucofu.org/Zoom/Zoom.pdf

Sunday Morning Speakers

February 26 Sandra Barnhouse, Bonnie Bell Albers as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Betsy Wells as Susan B Anthony with other assorted stories about
Unitarian and Universalist Suffragettes and the passage of the 19th Amendment
Unitarians and Universalists played a prominent role in organizing to expand the right to vote to women.

March 5 Bob Worner
Gray Matter
He will speak to Living traditions on humanist teachings about how Unitarian Universalists are encouraged to use their minds to establish and grow their faith positions.

March 12 Amy Beckman, Luce Reese, Mary Worner, Bonnie Guyer Graham
The 8th Principle Project and a Community of Communities
Proposed 8th Principle: We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.

The Black Lives of UU (BLUU) Organizing Collective encourages all Unitarian Universalists to advocate for the formal adoption of an 8th principle, articulating a commitment to the dismantling of white supremacy, within the stated principles of our faith.

It has been 20 years since the 1997 General Assembly, where delegates voted that the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) commit to intentionally becoming a multicultural and anti-racist institution.

How does the Proposed 8th Principle make you feel? Sit with that feeling for a moment. What would change at our church if we as a congregation adopt this 8th Principle? Would it change what we do? Would it change how we see ourselves? Would it change how we go out into the world? How might we embody antiracism in our part of the world? What do you think?

March 19 Ozzie Tollefson
Reflections on the North Country, a book by Sigurd Olson
In his book, Mr. Olson takes us into the wilderness north of his home near Ely, Minnesota. He encourages us to see, touch, smell, and hear the abiding expressions of nature. He tells us to leave behind our hectic, daily lives and absorb the innate wonders of water, flowers, forests, and wildlife.

Ozzie Tollefson
Growing up on a little farm near Fosston, Minnesota, Ozzie has always been close to nature. He spent 48 years in education, 15 years as a classroom teacher and 33 years as a touring performer of educational assembly programs, most of which centered on preserving our natural resources.

March 26 Lindsey Scherloum, UCU Educator and our kids
Child Centered Religious Education
How do our children approach religious education? How are they learning about Unitarian Universalism and how would they describe being Unitarian Universalist?

April 2 Ben Schierer
Rural Democracy

Podcasts - Audio Recordings

Sunday Services are recorded most weeks. To see a list of all podcasts by the Unitarian Church of Underwood follow this link: soundcloud.com/user-927528278

Children's Religious Education - Family Ministry

Children are excited to once again see each other in church on Sunday mornings.

Sunday service begins at 10 a.m. Come early if you want to help welcome folks to church or help out with setting up the church for the day.

Children are invited to sit with their families for the first part of the Sunday Service. As part of the Service, children and adults are invited to share a Joy or a Concern with the congregation. Following Joys and Concerns the children ages pre-K to middle school may go to their classroom in the adjoining building for children's activities.

For families with very young children, know that you are welcome. You may choose to sit in the sanctuary with your child or, you may choose to move to the room just outside the sanctuary where young ones can move around a little, and adults can still hear what's happening in the Service.

.."No single belief includes us here, no disbelief excludes us..." All are welcome!

Adult Religious Education

Soul Matters Writing Group - Led by Ellen Eastby.
Meets on Zoom the 4th Wednesday of the month at 11 a.m.
This small group opportunity is a mix between a writers’ group and our own UCU U Groups. Facilitated by Ellen Eastby, using a curriculum by Soul Matters Sharing Circle, this group will meet the fourth Wednesday, beginning October 27, at 11:00 a.m. via Zoom for about 2 hours each month. Prior to the meeting a packet will be given to each participant. The packet contains the month's theme, a reading, and some prompts so they can prepare a piece for the meeting. The meeting is formatted to allow for time for participants to share their piece if they wish. After all the writings have been read participants may share how a piece spoke to them. Please note, this is not the place to critique or make suggestions as to how an individual could improve their writing skills. This group is about listening and relating. While this may appeal more to writers, it is not just for those who consider themselves writers. This is for anyone who wishes for deeper spiritual discernment through writing.
If this is of interest to you or if you would like more information, please contact Ellen Eastby at ellen.eastby@ucofu.org.

UU Wellspring - Sources
UU Wellspring is a 10-month spiritual deepening course for Unitarian Universalists. There are over a dozen enthusiastic participants. Co-facilitators are Dawn Jordan and Katy Olson. All sessions will be on Zoom. The group meets Thursday afternoons, every other week, for two hours. UU Wellspring is a program affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Music

Music is very important to us here at the Unitarian Chruch of Underwood. Each week there are different musicians playing a variety of instruments and a variety of music. We listen to or have listened to a trombone, Hurdy Gurdey, flute, violin, harp, piano, guitar, and much more. We hear blues, pop, numbers from musicals, gospel,and a grand waltz on occasion. We are very fortunate that we have the caliber of fine muscians come to play at the church for Sunday Service. They play the "special music" which consists of the prelude, offering, and postlude.

We have two great pianists at church who take turns at playing everyweek. Susan Groff is a talented musician. She origianlly played by ear and had to learn how to read music. She makes the piano come alive. Mary Worner is our other regular pianist. She is currently studying with Rebecca Davis. Mary seems to enjoy classical music and often brings the room to absolute silence with her playing.

We occasionally have a musician or musicians come to do a musical program for the whole service. Patty Kakac, Rebecca Davis, Anthony Miltich, Joe DiMasi, and the MState Voice Ensemble are just a few of the talented musicians to perform at the church.

Rev. Stefan Jonassen

Reverend Stefan Jonasson is a Unitarian Universalist minister from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and a long-time friend of the Unitarian Church of Underwood. We are fortunate to have him speak during Sunday Service at UCU about twice a year. This is the link to the podcast of his most recent sermon: soundcloud.com/user-927528278/radical-moderation-rev-stefan-jonasson-april-7-2019

Power Point - There is No Away - Waking Up to Consumption and Waste

www.ucofu.org/PP/UU%20Talk.pptx