29 Jan February
Worship Services
Winter Storm Updates/Closings: In the case of extremely bad weather Sunday Worship Service may be cancelled. A cancellation decision will be made usually late Saturday afternoon (7AM on Sunday morning at the latest) and conveyed to media outlets, TV Channels 10 & 12, and radio stations WJAR, WHJJ, WPRI, WWBB, and WSNE. You can check the website: ribroadcasters.com for church and other closings, as well as parking bans. The church phone message will also contain information if the worship service is cancelled: 401-846-0643. Even if the service is not canceled, congregation members should make the decision to travel and find parking that is best for them and their mobility and health condition. We cannot guarantee that all areas on the church property will be free of ice/snow.
Sunday, February 3: Rev. William Zelazny
M. L. King Jr.’s Real Message
Dr. King’s legacy has been mellowed over time. He is seen now as a gentle man with a message that we need to be color-blind. But his real message was more strident which made Northern “white folk” who had supported his southern desegregation work uncomfortable because it hit close to home. Bill’s sermon, in honor of Black History month, originally intended for MLK Sunday, will look at King’s challenge to America then and now, a half century after his death.
Sunday, February 10: Rev. William Zelazny
Are You There for Me?
H.L Menchen, American social observer, said “It is mutual trust, even more than mutual interest that holds human associations together.” On this Sunday before Valentine’s Day, Bill will have us consider the issue of trust, the critical building block in personal and civil relationships.
After the service we gather in the Parish Hall for our annual Chocolate Fest during fellowship. Everyone is invited to bring some of their favorite chocolate candy or a chocolate-based desert to share.
Sunday, February 17: Mr. Rodney Davis
My Story, Your Story, Our History
History often does not reflect our story. At times it seems to divide more than bring people together. What lessons can we learn? What can we learn from the past help to reshape our future? In this sermon, Mr. Davis will explore this serious yet sometimes humorous topic.
Rodney Davis was born and raised in Newport. He served as president of Rhode Island Pride for over 20 years. He is also the past president of the R.I. Alliance for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights. He works as a marketing and special events consultant for Big Picture Learning. He lives in Western Coventry RI with his partner Brian Mills. He last preached at Channing Church in 2017.
Sunday, February 24: Rev. Ann Fox
What Is Your Guiding Light?
We all have a conscious or unconscious guiding light, an idea or value by which we assess what is acceptable or not acceptable in human behavior. What is yours? Let us consider what could be an effective guiding light for a new age of uncertainty in our mostly democratic society.
Rev. Ann Fox, is the Minister Emerita of Unitarian Memorial Church, Fairhaven, MA