Worship Services Online

We think about freedom this month, and today in particular, we consider how leaders help us find freedom. We think especially about the ways our dads equipped us to live freely, and instilled in many of us the importance of leadership in private institutions like families and public institutions like congregations. We will also “commission” those delegates who will represent our congregation at the upcoming General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations.

At 6:30 PM, all are welcome to a simple supper prior to Soulful Sundown. A voluntary donation of $5 covers soup, salad, artisanal bread, cookies, and beverages. (Food service ends at 7:15 PM.)

Beginning at 7:30 PM and led by Rev. David Carl Olson, June Soulful Sundown features an evening of poetry, reflection, and live music from The Cosmic Orchestra, ONSITE AND ONLINE. Special Guest Artists Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams join for an ONSITE-ONLY coffee house/concert afterward. All are welcome, never a charge!

Where music resides at the heart of religious experience.

Join us for a powerful multigenerational service honoring the sacred transitions in our young people’s lives. This year, we’re weaving together two beloved rites of passage—Coming of Age and Bridging—into one beautiful celebration of becoming.

As we witness our Second Graders deepen their understanding of the UU Values and Inspirations, our Coming of Age youth share reflections on their personal beliefs and values, and celebrate our graduating seniors as they bridge into young adulthood, we honor the unfolding journeys of identity, courage, and commitment. These moments are not just milestones—they are sacred thresholds. Together, we bless the questions, the growth, and the becoming that make us who we are.

Through music, ritual, and spoken word, this service will center the voices and experiences of our youth while inviting us all to reflect on our own journeys of transformation. This is a Sunday of deep pride, heartfelt gratitude, and tender hope for the future.

Come be part of this sacred circle of support and celebration. Picnic to follow.

We celebrate the Stonewall Uprising of 1969 that initiated a new chapter in the struggle for the recognition of the human rights of transgender and same gender loving people. What began as a riot against the practices of the police department has been transformed over decades to include both resistance and celebration. In a time when, for several years, legislatures around the country have been limiting the freedom of transgender and gender-expansive people, we share joy in being together, proudly telling the stories of our LGBTQ+ members and friends. Please wear rainbow colors!

In the Hebrew Bible, we are asked to imagine our lives in the light of the immensity of history. We have such a brief time on this earth. On Memorial Day, we remember the sacrifices made by prior generations and imagine with one another what others might say of us when thinking about how we lived our lives in time of challenge and change. Please wear a flower of remembrance and come up the long driveway to the Worship Room with an open heart.

Transformation is rarely tidy. It can be slow and subtle or break us open all at once. Let’s explore the theme of transformation—not through easy answers, but through real questions. What does it take to change? How do we know when we’ve outgrown a part of ourselves? What are we willing to risk to grow?

Rev. Mary Katherine Morn is President and Lead Executive Officer at the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC). After decades of leadership in progressive faith communities and denominational service, Mary Katherine now leads the 85-year-old human rights organization. UUSC is inspired by progressive values and committed to shifting power and resources to advance global human rights where people have been criminalized for their identity and/or activism; displaced by violence, economic inequity, and climate crisis; and otherwise impacted by intersecting oppressions.

At 6:30 PM, all are welcome to a simple supper prior to Soulful Sundown. A voluntary donation of $5 covers soup, salad, artisanal bread, cookies, and beverages. (Food service ends at 7:15 PM.)

Beginning at 7:30 PM and led by Rev. David Carl Olson, May Soulful Sundown features an evening of poetry, reflection, and live music from The Cosmic Orchestra, ONSITE AND ONLINE. Special Guest Artist Nini Camps joins for an ONSITE-ONLY coffee house/concert afterward. All are welcome, never a charge!

Where music resides at the heart of religious experience.

Imagination isn’t just child’s play—it’s the fundamental human instinct to envision and create the world around us. From the first moments we begin shaping reality in our minds, imagination guides how we connect, heal, dream, and grow. What if imagination isn’t merely escapism, but our innate call to make life more beautiful, meaningful, and just? Join us as we explore imagination as a sacred act—a way of living fully awake, fully human, and profoundly alive.

Join us for a Service of harmony and heart. The UUCSR Choir, Soloists, and The Orchestra at Shelter Rock present Craig Hella Johnson’s CONSIDERING MATTHEW SHEPARD. Craig Hella Johnson’s powerful and moving work was written in response to the brutal killing of the 21-year-old University of Wyoming student and is a call to empathy, tolerance, and the best of humanity. As with all Worship Services, the greater community is cordially invited to attend. Invite your friends and family to hear this important and powerful musical presentation in a time of uncertainty and fear in the LGBTQ+ community.

Taoist philosopher Lao Tzu wrote “when I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” The Easter story of birth into new life is told in the spring when the earth is awakening all around us. We celebrate the seeds that have been waiting in the earth clod around us to be awakened by rain and sun to shed their old selves to become something new. What do we have to shed? What might we become?

After 25 years of being a Unitarian Universalist, and nearly 16 of those years being an Ordained Minister, Rev. Chris Long will share just how much joy, even now, he continues to work to embody through our Unitarian Universalist Values which may also be an elixir to and for you in such times as these. He looks forward to sharing in the co-creation of Worship with all who are present and online.

Bio: Rev. Chris Long is currently the Minister of Congregational Life for the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge (Baton Rouge, LA). He has served there since July of 2022. Since being Ordained by the First Unitarian Church of Oakland (Oakland, CA - June 7, 2009), he has also served and worked at James Reeb Unitarian Universalist Congregation (Madison, WI), University of Wisconsin (Madison, WI), West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church (Rocky River, OH) and The Community Church of New York (New York City), respectively. Throughout these Ministries, and in his many roles on denominational committees, organizations and a variety of leadership positions in the communities where he has lived across the country, he looks forward to joining us for worship and conversation for our April 13, 2025 Service. Please do come, invite a friend and take good care of yourselves as you journey!

At 6:30 PM, all are welcome to a simple supper prior to Soulful Sundown. A voluntary donation of $5 covers soup, salad, artisanal bread, cookies, and beverages. (Food service ends at 7:15 PM.)

Beginning at 7:30 PM and led by Rev. Israel Buffardi, April Soulful Sundown features an evening of poetry, reflection, and live music from The Cosmic Orchestra, ONSITE AND ONLINE. Special Guest Artist Hayley Reardon joins for an ONSITE-ONLY coffee house/concert afterward. All are welcome, never a charge!

Where music resides at the heart of religious experience.

Justice Sunday is celebrated throughout Unitarian Universalism to retell the story of the UU Service Committee (UUSC), founded to resist the forces of Nazism in Europe and to give aid to refugees. Rev. Ned Wight, former chair of the board of UUSC, will share of their continuing work. All of us will be encouraged to become members of the UUSC.

Every year, the Senior Seminar class at UUCSR holds a Worship that is planned by the high school youth. This year’s theme is The Tree of Life (Yggdrasil). We chose The Tree of Life (Yggdrasil) because it symbolizes interconnectedness, growth, and the cyclical nature of existence. We are reminded that we are all branches of the same whole, growing in our own ways throughout our journeys, but always sharing the same roots. This Worship contains self-written reflections alongside favorite songs and words that deeply resonate with our youth. It is very important for the Congregation to be able to hear the thoughts and beliefs of our youth, as they are the future of our faith, and they are able to grow into their own faith by passionately exhibiting what is important to them in such a sacred space. Please join us
to hear the voices of the future of Unitarian Universalism!

Aisha Hauser is the founder of “Connect, Learn, Grow,” an innovative consulting firm which works around diversity, leadership and conflict management. She is a member of the Lead Ministry Team of the UU Church of the Larger Fellowship, and is past president of the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA).

A minister reflects on his journey toward more innovation in the cultural patterns in his life. Neil deGrasse Tyson argues “Once you have an innovation culture, even those who are not scientists of engineers—poets, actors, journalist—embrace the concept of an innovation culture. They vote in ways that promote it.” As the political culture of our times leads toward polarization, can a religious community move us toward a richer appreciation of innovation and interculturalism?

At 6:30 PM, all are welcome to a simple supper prior to Soulful Sundown. A voluntary donation of $5 covers soup, salad, artisanal bread, cookies, and beverages. (Food service ends at 7:15 PM.)

Beginning at 7:30 PM and led by student minister Madison Colquette, March Soulful Sundown features an evening of poetry, reflection, and live music from The Cosmic Orchestra, ONSITE AND ONLINE. Special Artists Krista Preddice and Cassandra House join for an ONSITE-ONLY coffee house/concert afterward. All are welcome, never a charge!

Where music resides at the heart of religious experience.

Women lead us in reflecting on what women’s liberation looks like at this moment from the points of view of a teenager, a mother with school-aged children, a smart alecky working woman and a wise elder. With soulful and stirring music, and a meditation by our student minister, we join our ancestors who sang “yes, it is bread we fight for, but we fight for roses too.”

We are honored to host the President of the Unitarian Universalist Association who will help us reflect on how our UU movement can help us respond to the needs of our world.

Join us for a heartwarming service on February 16, as members of the Sophia Fahs Camp community share the transformative story of this cherished Unitarian Universalist tradition. This intergenerational camp fosters deep connections, spiritual growth, and a celebration of UU values through its rich history, from its founding days at Camp Quinipet to its recent transition to a multigenerational model.

At 6:30 PM, all are welcome to a simple supper prior to Soulful Sundown. A voluntary donation of $5 covers soup, salad, artisanal bread, cookies, and beverages. (Food service ends at 7:15 PM.)

Beginning at 7:30 PM and led by Rev. David Carl Olson, February Soulful Sundown features an evening of poetry, reflection, and live music from The Cosmic Orchestra, ONSITE AND ONLINE. Special Artist Noah Guthrie joins for an ONSITE-ONLY coffee house/concert afterward. All are welcome, never a charge!

Where music resides at the heart of religious experience.

Online Sunday Worship Service at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock. Due to an impending snowstorm, the Congregation will be closed Sunday February 9. The Sunday Worship Service will be available online.

In this Lunar New Year, we welcome the Year of the Snake and a time of transformation, renewal and spiritual growth. In an agricultural community, this could be a time to prepare the ground and plant new crops. In our more urban and suburban lives, it is a time to thoroughly clean our houses, to settle debts, and perhaps to get a haircut and don new clothes. For our celebration, everyone is invited to wear red. And if you have a bell, chime, gong or other noisemaker, bring that along, too. We’ll wish each other a new year that is filled with happiness, good fortune and community prosperity.

All are welcome to hear from and meet grantees of the congregation’s national funding program. Learn how Veatch grantees put our faith and values into action every day. Marissa Tirona, President of Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, will speak from the pulpit about how philanthropic programs and grassroots organizations are standing together to protect the rights of immigrants and refugees and our shared humanity. Marissa is nationally known as a leader for justice, inclusion, and solidarity.

Veatch Annual Meeting will follow at 1:00 PM.

This Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday, we reflect on Dr. King’s vision of our shared interdependence and the ongoing story of justice, love, and community. What does it mean to be part of a story that spans generations, calling us to rise, act, and dream together—even when the task feels daunting? How do we meet the challenges of justice and compassion, grounded in the transformative power of love and community? Join us as we explore how we can shape the next chapter of this shared story.

Discover the power and impact of our Unitarian Universalist movement as we explore this year’s General Assembly (GA) theme, Meet the Moment. Members of the Denominational Affairs Committee will share inspiring stories from their experiences at GA, highlighting how it deepens connection, fuels action, and affirms the transformative potential of our faith.

At 6:30 PM, all are welcome to a simple supper prior to Soulful Sundown. A voluntary donation of $5 covers soup, salad, artisanal bread, cookies, and beverages. (Food service ends at 7:15 PM.)

Beginning at 7:30 PM and led by Guest Minister-Rev. Karen Louise Hutt, January Soulful Sundown features an evening of poetry, reflection, and live music from The Cosmic Orchestra, ONSITE AND ONLINE. Special Artist Jeff LeBlanc joins for an ONSITE-ONLY coffee house/concert afterward. All are welcome, never a charge!

Where music resides at the heart of religious experience.

As we attend the Practice of Story, we consider the Story of our congregation. We tell of its founding, of its moving to new locations, and its role in promoting our religion. We also think of the stories we tell ourselves about this community and this faith. In it all, we think about the ways we tell new chapters of our story with more light (truth), more compassion (community), more love (commitment).

Hanukkah is a time to listen to ancient voices that call us to resilience and solidarity. In our Festival of Lights, as we are present to one another, we light candles and speak our intentions for self and others. A quiet morning of singing, meditation and story—and listening to what is calling our hearts.

We will light candles of hope, joy, and love in a music-filled Worship Service as we invite in the Christmas Spirit. The worship service ends with Silent Night and candle lighting. Carol singing and a reception follow the Worship Service. Please bring a dessert to share.

Join us for a reflective winter Service featuring Benjamin Britten’s "A Ceremony of Carols," a choral work that brings warmth and wonder to the season with timeless poetry and melody. Through music and reflection, we’ll explore themes of presence, peace, and the light we share in community. This is a time to pause, find inspiration, and celebrate the beauty and mystery of winter together.

The six movements from Britten's "Ceremony of Carols" features the UUCSR Choir and Soloists accompanied by harp.

A celebration of the turning of the sun. With many who celebrate earth-centered traditions and spirituality, we notice the dark. We let go of the old year which is passing and burn the Corn Mare to release her fertility for the new season. We bless each other as the sunny half of the year begins. And recognizing that we still have weeks of cold ahead of us, we tell stories of perseverance and communal joy. Wear something yellow to celebrate!

In this season of expectant waiting, join our Family Holiday Worship Service.

Our Religious Education kindergarten, first, and second graders will present a Nativity Play.

The Religious Education Holiday Decorations Crafting Party follows the worship service in the Social Hall.

Many of us live far away from our friends and family and travel to come together over the holidays. Let’s celebrate this “coming home.”