UU Church of Kent Ohio

Ingathering Sunday, September 9, 2018 Led by Rev. Steven Protzman and Colleen Thoele with Worship Associate Elaine Bowen  As many streams come together to make a river, we come together to make a community.  As we return from our summer adventures bringing water and stories to share, this festive multi-generational service of water communion and ingathering invites us to once again blend our lives together and renew our connections with each other.  Please bring a small amount of water for the water communion ritual.  Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM with nursery care available during both services.

Sunday, September 2, 2018  Led by Cal Frye and Worship Associate Carolyn Schlemmer Step by step, the longest march can be won, and by union what we will can be accomplished still. Beyond the workplace, the message of collective labor calls us to join together, all of us, to accomplish what we will. From the Wobblies to the Welcoming Congregation, we are called to come together, for we are stronger, better together. Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM with nursery care available during both services.

Sunday, August 26, 2018            Led by Rev. Steven Protzman On August 23, 1868, our church building was dedicated in the spirit of the Universalist message of love and to unite the community in justice, peace and compassion.  As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the building, tell stories from our history, and look to the promise of the future we begin together, we will reflect on what it means to be as, Rev. Kathleen McTigue says in reading #435 in Singing the Living Tradition, a "house of memory and hope". Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM with nursery care available during both services.

Led by Rev. Steven Protzman with Worship Associate Carolyn Schlemmer In the absence of a creed, dogma or doctrine, we bind ourselves to this community and to one another in service to our shared life and work through covenant, a promise to walk together towards the life we seek to lead.  This service will explore the history of covenant in Unitarian Universalism, look at covenant as the heart of our UU theology, and invite us to reflect together on what it means to be a community of covenant.   Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM with nursery care available during both services.

Led by Rev. Steven Protzman and Worship Associate Lisa Thiel As our adventure together begins, a new chapter in the long history of this congregation, who are we as kindred souls traveling together?  As we prepare for the journey ahead of us, what will we put in our spiritual backpacks?  What can we leave behind?  During this service we will also bless backpacks and other bags for students of all ages to affirm that we are with you in the spirit of love and care as a new school year begins. Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM with nursery care available for children preschool age and younger.

Led by Rev. Kristina Spaude We live in a highly divided world, one where we are separated by politics, fear, the news media, and many other ways. It's hard to remember to look for points of connection and common experience sometimes. What if, in our interactions with others and ourselves, we focused on the relationship, thinking that it is in the relationship that the holy lives? Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM with nursery care available during all services for children preschool age and younger.

Led by Kathy Kerns and Worship Associate Eric van Baars Salvation is an old and important idea in Universalism, but does it have relevance today for our faith?  This service is an opportunity to explore the meaning of salvation and to hear stories from people who were saved by Unitarian Universalism. Sunday service is offered 10 AM with nursery care available for children Pre-school age and younger.

Led by Rev. Robin Landerman Zucker, Interim Minister, UU Church of Meadville (PA)  with Worship Associate Lisa Thiel Among the multitude of Hindu deities, there is a goddess named “Akhilandeshvari” - the “Never Not Broken Goddess.”  She is anything but frail, though – she carries a trident and rides in on a crocodile!  As humans, we are also “never-not-broken,” yet how do you relate to our brokenness? Do we despise it? Embrace it? Feel empathy for it? Want to soothe it? Experience its intense pathos and pain and seek to transform it? We’ll ride along with Akhillandeshvari, as we explore these questions through an Eastern spiritual lens. In this participatory service, we’ll also hear a classic Indian folk tale and engage with Rev. Robin in a ritual of healing. Sunday service is offered 10 AM with nursery care available for children Pre-school age and younger.

Led by Elaine Bowen and Worship Associate Kathy Kerns On this Sunday, leaders will share their reflections of General Assembly.   Sunday's service is offered at 10 AM with nursery care available during the service.

Led by Rev. Dave Clements and Worship Associate Carolyn Schlemmer Secrets can be defined as those experiences, thoughts, sometimes feelings that we choose to keep from view or to talk about. There are some secrets that are by their very nature contain information whose authorized disclosure could endanger lives or security. But then there are those secrets that become “elephants in the room.” These can be questions, problems, solutions or issues that many people if not all know about but choose to ignore because to do otherwise could cause embarrassment, sadness or even trigger an argument. What happens when secrets become elephants in the room? Sunday service is offered at 10 AM with nursery care available for preschool age and younger.

Led by Lori Fatchet-McGee with Worship Associate Elaine Bowen This Sunday we will use poetry to focus on unity, peace, freedom, and hope; Independence Day; and democracy. One service will be offered at 10 AM with nursery care available.

Led by Lisa Thiel and Friends Let’s face it, change can be hard, and yet it is an absolutely unavoidable part of our existence. How can we deal with the upheavals in our lives with the most grace we can muster? In this special service, we will shake things up a bit in order to feel change, as well as hear personal stories of transformation from members and friends. Special guests include musician and author Margot Milcetich, classical cellist Kris Paggett, Saunis Parsons, Lori Fatchet-McGee, and Cal Frye.   Sunday service is offered at 10 AM with nursery care available during the service.

Led by Eric van Baars and Friends June is the month to celebrate "Dads and Glads", as we honor  traditions  of  our UU heritage and the father  figures who help  shape our community.  Please bring a stem or two of any flower that appeals to you with you to the service for our Unitarian Universalist Flower Ceremony. Sunday service is offered at 10 AM with nursery care available during the service.

One service at 10 AM with Pet Blessings Led by Lori Fatchet-McGee and Worship Associate Lisa Thiel UPDATE: Due to rain, this service has been moved to the church building - NOT at Plum Creek Park. Please bring a picture of your pet for the blessing, rather than your actual pet. On this Sunday, we’ll gather together for our annual service in the park and church picnic as we look  at how pets bless our lives and other blessings around us. Our annual Church Picnic will immediately follow our worship service and pet blessings.  Plan to bring the following: Something to sit on - folding chairs or a blanket A dish to share Place settings for you and your family (plates, silverware, napkins, and cups) Beverages (the Church will supply ice water) Bring any games you might like to invite others to play. For directions to Plum Creek Park, visit www.tinyurl.com/plumcreekpark

Led by Elaine Bowen and Worship Associate Cal Frye On this Sunday we will look at blessings through a UU lens. Sunday services will be offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM with nursery care available during both services.

Called by a unanimous vote by the Active Members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent on May 27, 2018, the Rev. Steven Protzman will begin his ministry with us on August 1, 2018. The Reverend Steven Protzman is a native Midwesterner and grew up in Missouri and Iowa.  He holds an undergraduate degree in architecture from Iowa State University and his previous career was as a pipe organ designer for several major American organ builders.  He is a 2009 graduate of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, New Brighton, Minnesota and was ordained in 2010 at the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis.  Steven has served the Unitarian Universalist Society, Coralville, Iowa (previously the Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City, Iowa) since 2011 as its settled minister. Steven is an outgoing extrovert who loves to socialize and meet new people.  He is also passionate about nature, especially wolves, eagles and the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon, is an avid country western dancer, and  enjoys gardening, the arts, hockey, good food of all kinds, architecture, and exploring new places.  While in Iowa, he rediscovered the rugged beauty of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas and vacationed down there for several years, exploring caves, rivers, forests, springs and the natural beauty of that part of the country. Steven believes in the power of Unitarian Universalism to transform people’s lives, to invite us to discover our fullest, most authentic selves, to guide us into deeper relationship with the Holy, and to challenge us to offer our lives in service to a world that needs the love and the gifts each of us has to share.   If you would like more information about Rev. Steven, you can check out his website at http://www.uuministry.com/stevenprotzman The password: M2FK}JtsZ6

Led by Rev. Steven Protzman with Worship Associate Rev. Christie Anderson In the hymn "Life Calls Us On", written by Rev. Kendyl Gibbons and Rev. Jason Shelton, the fourth verse says:  "And the Spirit's gracious power dreams of good that yet shall be."  After a week together of getting to know each other and dreaming and talking about possibilities for our shared ministry, we will reflect on our time together and who life calls us to be together in the years to come. Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM with nursery care available during both services.

Led by Rev. Steven Protzman and Worship Associate Kathy Kerns   The theme "Come Dance With Us" has guided your search committee in its journey of seeking your next settled minister.  As we reflect on the similarities between ministry and dancing, both of which invite us to practice partnership, adaptability and creativity, intimacy and experimentation, today will be a day of celebration as we begin our dance of ministry together, and we say yes once again to the invitation to join in the dance of Life.   Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM with Nursery care available during both services.

Led by DRE Lily Rappaport, REC Colleen Thoele, Mary Leeson, Chair and the Religious Education Committee This Sunday is Religious Education Sunday:  Growing in Community. Everyone is invited to attend services in the Sanctuary in celebration of our children and youth. We will recognize our RE volunteers during both services and will have a special Bridging Ceremony for our graduating seniors during the 11:30 service. Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM with Nursery care available for both services.

Led by Lisa Thiel and Worship Associate Jeff Marsh "Just as fields need fallow time to improve the quality of soil and crops, we all need pause to foster healthy growth. But what gets in the way? What have we lost through our culture of busyness? And what can be done about it? Sunday services are offered at 9:45 and 11:30 AM with Nursery care available for both services.