Sunday Services
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Children being read to by Sherry Warren during the 9:30 Service before their classes. |
During both services we share joys, concerns, and sorrows, as well as announcements about Fellowship activities. After each program we enjoy socializing over coffee and snacks. Take a look at our archived programs.
9:30 a.m. Service: UFL Spiritual Celebration Team's Philosophy of Sunday Services
Recognizing and honoring that we have come from different faith traditions, that we may struggle in our understanding of the presence or absence of the divine, that we are seeking individual truth as well as universal truth, acceptance, and blessing,
We use the following as guidance for planning and execution of the service:
- We welcome all.
- We seek to invoke the sacred through music, drama, laughter, tears, joy, sorrow, words, deeds, and silence.
- We seek to offer an environment for the sharing of ideas and experiences of what is sacred, mysterious, and wonderous.
- We seek to create a space that is safe for those who are searching for peace and acceptance, who are retreating from the hectic world, who are in need of shelter, and who seek to find ways to live meaningful lives in the world.
- Our services seek to honor the diversity of needs of all who are here. The tone or focus of our services may challenge your notions of accepted practice. We are thus reminded of our pledge to accept one another and encourage each others’ spiritual growth.
Our Spiritual Celebration has a structure similar to the traditional religious Sunday morning experience. We have a sermon/homily, hymns, and twice a month our part-time minister speaks. The subject matter is generally spiritual or ethical in nature, often with emphasis on the Seven Unitarian Universalist Principles.
11:00 a.m. Program: Since our founding, our traditional program often consists of a presentation, followed by a dialog between speaker and congregation. Topics may be on current issues such as health care or the environment, Unitarian Universalist issues, or world religions. Special holidays are celebrated, and the arts play an important part in our programs.
Summertime Programs: During the summertime, 9:30 Services will continue. In place of the 11:00 Program, we present Religious Odysseys, a weekly, half-hour presentation by a member of the Fellowship, followed by reactions and questions from the audience.
What We Do for Children
The goal of our religious program is to pro-vide children and young people with know-ledge and experience that will help them make informed choices about their religious life as they approach adulthood. We teach respect for oneself and for others, appreciation of the teachings of world religious traditions, concern for social justice, and respect for our planet. Youth are encouraged to attend Prairie Star District conferences.
Nursery: 9:15 - 12:00 every Sunday.
Children's Sunday School: 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Grades K-7 begin the morning with their families. After a Children's Moment, children attend Sunday school classes in the religious education rooms. Once a month we hold an intergenerational program to acquaint children with our Sunday morning services. From 11:00 - 12:00 children are invited to share activities with an adult, indoors and outdoors, weather permitting.
Youth Program ~ YRUU (Grades 8-12):
Junior and senior high school students are also invited to attend both the Spiritual Celebration and classes from 11:00 to 12:00.
"After we served lunch for about 150 people at LINK, we had our first YRUU 'lock-in.' I think we slept for two hours that night. We helped people, it was a fun way to spend the weekend." ~Tim Dingus, YRUU member
What We Do for Adults
The Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence strives to be a true intergenerational congregation, with activities for adults as well as children.
A sampling of recent adult activities includes:
- an 8 week course on the history of Universal Unitarianism
- orientation of new members
- weekly choir rehearsals and singing at the Spiritual Celebration
- "Drinking Liberally" discussion group every Tuesday evening at the Free State Brewery
As an intergenerational congregation, we provide a variety of programs and events:
- the annual Harvest Festival service including a potluck. The entire congregation pitches in to help and to give thanks for the important people and events in our lives.
- Dinners for Eight
- Fellowship Fun Night - games and activities, food and fun for the whole family. From pumpkin carving to sack races and Twister!
"I am thankful for good health, good friends and a wonderful family."
- anonymous "Leaf of Thanks" from the Harvest Festival
What we do for our community
As UUs, we realize that we are part of the interdependent web of all existence. From our local community here in Lawrence, to the wide world we live in, we encourage our members to participate in this web in many ways, including:
- Attendance at the weekly Peace Vigil, held on Saturdays at the Douglas County Court House
- Cooking and serving meals at LINK
- Supporting the Parents as Teachers program and other non-profit groups that provide health care and fight poverty.