People's Church of Kalamazoo

‘Love is the way messengers/from the mystery tell us things’ writes the 13th century Muslim mystic Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī , who is often known simply as Rumi. Nearly every religious tradition has a mystical tradition, made up of people who seek heightened states where they feel the presence of The Holy. In this service, we will explore Persian Muslim mystic poets Hafez, Rumi, and Rabi’a, and the mystic approach to religious knowing more generally.

Islam is the religion we are focusing on in March at People’s Church. The word ‘Islam’ literally means ‘submission’ or ‘surrender.’ How do Muslims understand these ideas at the heart of their faith? What might we Unitarian Universalists learn from engaging with these ideas?

If you are working to stay present in the world—interacting with others with care, compassion, and kindness; advocating and acting on issues of justice locally and in our world—feelings of heartbreak and overwhelm often come. How do we acknowledge these feelings, respect our needs, yet stay engaged in the works of love and justice? In this service, organized by Rev. Rachel and the Social Justice Coordinating Committee, a few People’s people will share about the spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual work they do to stay woke, stay present, and stay engaged.

The #MeToo movement is giving contemporary society an opportunity to have a long-overdue conversation about rape culture, toxic masculinity, and male privilege. How can men join this conversation as allies to “affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations”?

The Zhuangzi (sometimes written in English as Chuang-tzu) is one of the core texts of Taoism, based on the teachings of a sage that lived in the 3rd century BCE. The text contains stories and anecdotes that one scholar describes as ‘a ramble into the unexpected, the unpredictable, and the unknown—a piñata of paradox and parody and parable and wit, just waiting to be cracked open by childlike joy.’ This Sunday, Rev. Rachel will share some of these stories and lift up what they might have to teach us.

This month, we will be exploring Taoism in worship. Wu wei, which is translated as “non-action,” “spontaneity” or “acting from the core of one’s being” is one of the highest virtues in Taoism. Water metaphors are often used to describe it. “There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water,” yet for attacking things that are hard and strong there is nothing that surpasses it.” writes Lao-Tse, the founder of philosophical Taoism. Rev. Rachel will explore how we might incorporate the wisdom of water, spontaneity, and flow into our lives.

Bring you questions and Rev. Rachel will do her best to answer them on-the-spot during the time she usually preaches a prepared sermon. Even if your question is not addressed during the service, know that it will be read and thought about and possibly inform future worship services and programs at the church.

When Rachel invited Fred to deliver a sermon during the month of January and mentioned that Judaism is the theme for the month, he was reminded of the sermon he delivered some 20 years ago to the congregation of People’s Church based on the story of Isaac’s trip to the sacred mountain. He wonders if any one present remembers the point of that sermon? He will raise a very different questions about the meaning of the story now.

The Edict of Torda, an unprecedented act of religious tolerance was issued 450 years ago this month by King John Sigismund of Hungary, the only Unitarian King in history. This Sunday, we will celebrate this edict, which granted religious freedom to Catholics, Lutherans, Calvinists and Unitarians. We will also be visited by King John himself, as portrayed by Matthew Morris McCormick.

In January, we are exploring Judaism in worship and adult religious education. In the Jewish tradition, the word for repentance, teshuvah, literally means “turning.” At this turning of the year, we will explore the practices of repentance, the amends we might need to make, and how we might move forward into a brighter year.

On this New Year’s Eve, we will gather together to reflect on 2017 and participate in a burning bowl ritual to rid ourselves of what we do not wish to carry with us into 2018. We will also reflect on our growth and learning from 2017 and what values and learnings we intend to carry with us into the new year. This is an intergenerational service and all are invited to be with us in The Commons for the whole service.

In this service, we will mark the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, with song, story, ritual, and reflection.

At this service we will discuss Jesus’s parable about The Good Samaritan.

Join People’s Singers, People’s Ringers, and other People’s Church musicians for this music-filled service. Music selections will include holiday favorites and other pieces that capture the aspirations of the season.

Join us as we retell "The Trees of the Dancing Goats" by Patricia Polacco. There will be parts for everyone who wants to participate. The service will also include a child dedication ritual and a celebration of our newest members. For this service, all are invited to be in The Commons for the whole service, though the nursery and the preschool classrooms will be opened and staffed for our youngest children.