Author: Michele Dubuc

31 Mar

Posted at 11:15h in Upcoming Events

 

Sunday Worship in the Church Sanctuary at 10:00am

Masks are recommended for Channing services and activities.

The services are also presented live on the CHANNING YOU TUBE CHANNEL  and available for viewing afterwards.

 

Sunday, April 3: Faith-An Act of Cosmic Defiance

Rev. Bill Zelazny

Author and songwriter, Nice Cave, once said faith as an “act of cosmic defiance, of subversive optimism, of unconditional and insubordinate love.” Rev Bill will look at this notion, that having faith in ourselves and in our lives when the universe is indifferent to us and perhaps even seems to be seems to standing against is the greatest act of courage and beauty a human can perform.

Sunday, April 10: Church and the Challenges of Today

Rev. Bill Zelazny

The church, writ large, and our church face a lot of challenges in today’s world and culture.  This Sunday, a few days before the dinner in Jerusalem with 13 men that is considered in the Christian world as that founding of the ”church” Bill will discuss the issues facing the church and us today and how we might respond.

The 2nd Sunday of the month we collect nonperishable foods for local food pantries. Items can be left in the “SAC Donations” bin in the back of the church.

Sunday, April 17: UU Version of Atonement

Rev. Bill Zelazny

Christians understand Jesus’ death and resurrection as the way sinful humans were reconciled with the divine God.  Orthodox theology teaches Jesus’ death was atonement for humankind’s sins.   UU however understand the concept of atonement a bit differently.  Universalist minister, Hosea Ballou, presented his theology in the early 19th century, that became the Universalist and subsequently Unitarian Universalist perspective with his Treaties on Atonement.  For his Easter Sunday sermon, Bill will revisit this theological concept of Atonement from our contemporary UU perspective.

Prior to the service we will have the pleasure of a half hour of jazz sponsored by Julie Herrick.  This special music will start at 9:30am.

Sunday, April 24: Celebrating Our Connection to the Earth

We Unitarian Universalists have a vision of a world in which reverence, gratitude, and care for the living Earth are central to the lives of all people.  Each year we renew our focus on protecting the earth with an Earth Day Sunday.  This Sunday our Social Action Committee, through the work of Beth Milham, will bring Jonathan Stone, Executive Director of Save the Bay to our pulpit.  His sermon theme will be waterway pollution especially with plastics.

Our Speaker: Mr. Stone grew up in suburban Boston.  He had degrees from Brown University and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Business Administration. He moved to Rhode Island in 1989, and promptly joined Save The Bay as a member. Jonathan enjoys a deep connection to the Bay, where he regularly swims, kayaks and fishes. Taking the helm of Save The Bay has given him a unique opportunity to play a leadership role in protecting Narragansett Bay and inspiring the next generation of Bay stewards.  During his tenure, Save The Bay has successfully challenged ill-conceived and damaging infrastructure projects, sounded the alarm on changing climate conditions, completed dozens of habitat restoration projects, achieved major legislative victories, expanded Save The Bay’s environmental education programs, and strengthened its financial foundation.

01 Mar

Posted at 13:31h in Upcoming Events

 

In-person worship in the Church Sanctuary Sundays at 10:00am

Masks are required for all indoor services and activities.

For a full list of our guidelines please see our Covid Protections and Guidelines

The services are also presented live on the CHANNING YOU TUBE CHANNEL  and available for viewing afterwards.

Sunday, March 6: We Move  Mountains One Stone at a Time

Rev. Bill Zelazny

Confucius is reported have said the “The man who moves mountains begins by carrying away small stones.”  Today, Bill will reflect on the meaning of this advice and how it applies to us and our journey in Unitarian Universalist faith to transform ourselves and to transform the world.  

Sunday, March 13: Come , Sing Your Song…With Us!

Christine Stevenson, members of the Canvass Team, Rev. Bill Zelazny                       

This joyful service will launch our annual stewardship campaign.

Throughout the ages, music and song have soothed, sustained, and informed us as individuals and united us as families, communities, and nations. The beautiful healing powers of music continue today! By blending our harmonies we forge energizing connections. Sharing music and joy-filled times, we strengthen our hearts and build our loving community. We invite you to “tune in” with good vibrations just as spring starts to break through the grip of winter.

Channing’s Annual 2022-23 Stewardship Campaign begins Sunday, March 13thst and runs through April 30th.  Stewardship pledge packets will be coming to you in the mail the week after the service. These will be filled with information about how Channing will use your thoughtful gifts to sustain our special programs, community outreach efforts, provide education, support our wonderful staff, and manage our essential expenses. Provided again this year are ways to pledge along with an enclosed a stamped, addressed return envelope giving you a quick, straight forward way to support Channing with your generous contributions.

 Ultimately as members and friends of Channing Church, we know we are all stewards and responsible for the financial well-being of our congregation. We count on your financial strength to keep Channing vibrant and alive.

Bring your song and join it with ours at Channing Church.  Lift Up Your Hearts!    Come, Sing Your Song…with US!

Sunday, March 20: The Power of Belonging

On this Sunday we will help Rev. Bill celebrate his 30th anniversary of ordination and install him as Channing Church’s called minister.  The congregation voted to call Rev Bill in January 2020, but Covid restrictions have prevented the installation ceremony. The Rev. Sarah Person, minister at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Middleborough, MA, will deliver the sermon.  About her sermon theme she says “The relationship between a congregation and its minister is often characterized as a marriage, a holy covenant.  One might say that ministry is even more basic than that.  Ministry is a kind of chemistry; combining the essences of the people and their minister into a living entity that is vital and transforming.  It is the power of that relationship that holds us, heals us, and impels us to heal the world.”

 The CMC President and Board members will lead the installation ceremony. 

A small reception will follow the service in the Parish Hall (A reception picnic is being planned for summer)

Sunday, March 27: Deep Questions, Faith Styles and Our Search for Meaning

Rev. Jeannette Bessinger

One important purpose of living a spiritual life is to transform. But the path of transformation along a spiritual trajectory isn’t always easy to define. One helpful way to begin to map our own paths is to ask ourselves some probing questions about the ways we seek and understand meaning in our lives. We’ll address some of these questions, and introduce some familiar and unfamiliar faith styles to help us clarify our own ways of finding meaning, and to better understand and appreciate the styles of others that might differ greatly from our own. 

[This sermon was originally schedule for January 30, but postponed due to snow]

01 Feb

Posted at 11:38h in Upcoming Events

 

In-person worship in the Church Sanctuary Sundays at 10:00am

Masks are required for all indoor services and activities.

For a full list of our guidelines please see our Covid Protections and Guidelines

The services are also presented live on the CHANNING YOU TUBE CHANNEL  and available for viewing afterwards.

Sunday, February 6: Hope and Optimism Have a Chat

Rev. Bill Zelazny

The real test of a person’s character is how you react to negatives. Some people fold or respond with denial, anger, blaming, venting, sullenness.  But others  respond with hope or optimism.  But while hope and optimism are siblings they are not identical twins.  They each have their own personality and approach to dealing with problems or bad happenings.  Today, Bill will help these siblings talk to each other and us about how they are different though many people confuse the two. 

Sunday, February 13: Therefore We Do Not Give Up

Mr. Rodney Davis                

Just watching the news on any given day could make a person want to isolate from society. The Covid pandemic, racial injustice, food disparity, political divisions, with hatred and prejudice seeping into every corner of our world. The list could go on and on yet under these harsh conditions, life continues. Long-time community leader and activist, Rodney Davis, will address this issue with his sermon. Using stories, historical connections and personal experiences, he will show how we can make a difference despite these challenges.

Many from our Channing community might recognize our returning guest preacher, Rodney Davis. He was born and raised in Newport and a proud graduate of Rogers High School. For a number of years, he served in the ministry with Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Newport Congregation before being disfellowshipped in 1992. He is active in a wide variety of community projects such as working as president of Rhode Island Pride, serving on the African American Ambassadors Group for the City of Providence in the Truth-telling and Reconciliation committee.  Last year, Rodney was the lead co-coordinator for the All Black Lives Mural Project where he and local artists and community members painted a 300 foot mural in Kennedy Plaza. In the fall of 2019, he was selected as a Diversity Leadership Scholar with College Unbound pursuing a degree in Organizational Leadership and Change.  He completed his studies in December 2021. He lives in Coventry, RI with his partner Brian Mills with whom he has have been together this August for 25 years.

Sunday, February 20: Stories of Care, Kindness and Compassion

The Caregiving Team

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, this service, provided by the Caregiving Team will share inspiring stories of love, caring and compassion that demonstrate peoples acts of kindness towards one another.    The caregiving coordinators are dedicating this service to Channing members who provide care to the congregation as coordinators, volunteers and on their own initiative.

Sunday, February 27: Looking at Black History Around Aquidneck Island

Mr. Charles Roberts

To wrap up our observance of Black History month at Channing Church, Charles Roberts, president of the Rhode Island Slave History Medallion project, will talk about some of the significant sites on Aquidneck Island that the Medallion project has identified. 

Mr. Robert’s talk follows the presentation on Saturday, February 26, at Channing Church by Dr. Akeia de Barros Gomes about Duchess Quamino and William Ellery Channing at 2:00 in the Sanctuary.

29 Dec

Posted at 11:32h in Upcoming Events

 

In-person worship in the Church Sanctuary Sundays at 10:00am

Masks are required for all indoor services and activities.

For a full list of our guidelines for re-opening please see our Covid Protections and Guidelines

The services are also presented live on the CHANNING YOU TUBE CHANNEL  and available for viewing afterwards.

January 2 & 9: Thoughts for a New Year

As we begin another cycle around the sun, Rev. Bill is inviting us in a two-part series to let go of some bad mental stuff and let the beauty of our inner light guide us. 

Sunday, January 2: Life Does Not Have to Be a Stress Rehearsal

Rev. Bill Zelazny

Are you feeling stressed these days?  More people are suffering from stress today than ever before. The onset of Coronavirus and societies seeming need to be pre-offended or over-worrying has left people feeling overwhelmed and stressed out.  In this first of two Sunday messages, Bill will talk about how we may want to make our lives less of a stress free-for-all and more of a celebration of our inner light.

Sunday, January 9: Our Self-made Prison

Rev. Bill Zelazny

We may not be physically locked up in a prison, but often we are not free.  We let things like what other people say or old hurts chain us in.   Bill will explore how these and other things keep us in a mental prison of dissatisfaction and unhappiness.  

Sunday, January 16: What’s This About an 8th Principle?

Rev. Bill Zelazny

Conversation has been floating around UU congregations over the past couple of years about the need to add one more Principle to our seven current one – “To affirm and promote working toward spiritual wholeness by building a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions.”  While this is not on the General Assembly’s agenda this year, on this Martin Luther King Sunday, Bill will talk about this Association-wide anti-racism, anti-oppression proposal that some congregations have individually adopted. 

Sunday, January 23: TBA

The Worship Committee is investigating several options for this service.

Sunday, January 30: Deep Questions, Faith Styles and Our Search for Meaning

Rev. Jeannette Bessinger  

One important purpose of living a spiritual life is to transform. But the path of transformation along a spiritual trajectory isn’t always easy to define. One helpful way to begin to map our own paths is to ask ourselves some probing questions about the ways we seek and understand meaning in our lives. We’ll address some of these questions, and introduce some familiar and unfamiliar faith styles to help us clarify our own ways of finding meaning, and to better understand and appreciate the styles of others that might differ greatly from our own. 

02 Dec

Posted at 13:35h in Upcoming Events

 

In-person worship in the Church Sanctuary Sundays at 10:00am

Masks are required for all indoor services and activities.

For a full list of our guidelines for re-opening please see our Covid Protections and Guidelines

The services are also presented live on the CHANNING YOU TUBE CHANNEL  and available for viewing afterwards.

Two Part Service: December 5th and 19th

Wonderment

We begin the season of beauty and exuberance.  Rev. Bill Zelazny will present this month two sermons that explore the theme of wonderment – that state of being in amazement or having heightened curiosity.

 Sunday, December 5: Opening the Spirit to Awe 

The term awe is often used to note something frightening because of its grandeur or vastness that challenges our understanding of the world.  But having awe is not fearfully facing something but rather its being invited into greater power.  Rev. Bill will lead us into thinking about the concept of awe and how it can empower us. 

Sunday, December 19: Living into Mystery

While we may intellectually know much, ultimately, we are surrounded by mystery. Every day we live we are bringing ourselves, as the Rev. Angela Herrera writes, “before the sacred, before the holy, before what is ultimate and bigger than your lone life.  [Every day] we stand at the edge of mystery, at the edge of the deep…” On this Sunday Bill will help us think about Sophia Lyons Fahs’ call for us to “. . .gather in reverence before the wonder of life; The wonder of this moment.”

Sunday, December 12: When the Rulebook Fails

John Dante Prevedini 

In March 2020, concert halls and other music venues across the world fell silent for over a year, leaving social media as the only way for musicians to connect with the outside world. In this talk, musician John Dante Prevedini will reflect on his experiments reinventing music for social media during lockdown, the unlikely publicity that resulted, and what COVID taught him about preparing for success in a world turned upside down. 

John Dante Prevedini, DMA, MBA is a contemporary classical composer, educator, and public speaker based in New England and active around the world. Drawing upon a variety of fields of knowledge, his overall work aims to examine unconventional facets of everyday life through a multidisciplinary lens.

The second Sunday of the month is our regular non-perishable goods collection for local food pantries.

Friday, December 24, 5:00pm, Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 

Rev. William Zelazny, Janet Grant, Channing Choir & Guests

The Sanctuary will be decorated, the candles will be lit.  All’s ready for a Christmas Eve celebration together in the decorated Sanctuary with music – trumpets, keyboard and the choir — scripture and secular readings, lighting of candles and singing Silent Night in the darkened Sanctuary.  Come, bring family and friends for our very special Christmas Eve service.  (Please note, face mask protocols are in place in the Sanctuary)

02 Nov

Posted at 13:45h in Upcoming Events

 

In-person worship in the Church Sanctuary every Sunday at 10:00am

Masks are required for all indoor services and activities.

For a full list of our guidelines for re-opening please see our Covid Protections and Guidelines

The service will also be presented live on the CHANNING YOU TUBE CHANNEL  and available for viewing afterwards.

November 7: Building Bridges Across Cultures

Juan Carlos Payer and Rebekah Rosen-Gomez

Juan Carlos and Rebekah will introduce us to the growing Latino population in Newport and around our state by looking at the dynamic cultures and what we, as a society, can do to welcome them into our beautiful city. 

Juan Carlos Payero is the Board President of Conexion Latina Newport (CLN).  He comes to CLN as the Deputy Director for Intergovernmental and External Affairs at the RI Executive Office of Health & Human Services (EOHHS).  He has also served as the Newport Director for Social Enterprise Greenhouse.  He holds a B.A. in Government and Politics from St. John’s University and a Master of Public Administration degree from Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY).  Juan Carlos is also serves as Vice-Chairperson on the Portsmouth School Committee.

Rebekah Rosen-Gomez is a founding member and now the Executive Director of Conexion Latina Newport.  A native of New York, she moved to Rhode Island in1991 and has worked with families in Newport for 16 years. Rebekah has a BA in Social Work from Rhode Island College. She is employed by the East Bay Community Action Program as the Family Services Manager at Pell Elementary School.

Conexión Latina Newport seeks to educate, support, empower, and advocate for Hispanics in Newport, as well as partner with local agencies, government, and schools, to better serve this population.

November 14: Theology’s Influence on Politics and Politics’ on Theology

Rev. Bill Zelazny

Throughout history and in different cultures theological concepts have been used to legitimate political systems, actions, and stances.  And politics have influenced or bent theological concepts to have meanings that may be different than originally intended to meet political ends.  On this first anniversary one of the most controversial presidential elections in years Bill will take a foray into the realm of political theology.

This Sunday is our regular non-perishable goods collection for local food pantries and the Sharing Locker.

November 21: Bring Gratitude into a World that Seems to have Forgotten It

 Rev. Bill Zelazny      

Sometimes it seems that the world has gone crazy, and it seems that many people have forgotten how to express thanks for all the things they have rather than distress about what they do not have.  On this Sunday before Thanksgiving Day, Bill will be asking us to reflect on the power of being grateful and how that will not only benefit us but also others.

Prior to the service we will have the pleasure of special Jazz music sponsored by Betsy Leerssen in memory of her husband, Neil. The music will start at 9:30a.m.

After the service is our “Lunch for the Bus”.  A lunch of soup and bread will be available for pickup or for local delivery. Funds raised will be distributed for bus transportation to the McKinney Shelter, Lucy’s Hearth, Housing Hotline and TAM. We want to thank the Channing community for their generous support.

November 28: Awareness of Experience in Language            

Channing Congregation Members

Poetry expressed emotions, can beckon memories, open the heart to a spiritual experience or can draw a person into a sensory experience.  This Sunday we may do all of that and more as members of the congregation share a favorite poem or read one of their own and tell why that poem is meaningful to them.   Come to share a Channing Church Sunday poetry fest.

30 Sep

Posted at 11:47h in Upcoming Events

 

In-person worship in the Church Sanctuary every Sunday at 10:00am

Masks are required for all indoor services and activities.

For a full list of our guidelines for re-opening please see our Covid Protections and Guidelines

The service will also be presented live on the CHANNING YOU TUBE CHANNEL  and available for viewing afterwards.

October 3:Meditation on the Wisdom of Rumi

Rev. Bill Zelazny, Assisted by Tim Phelps

Jalal ad-Dīn Mohammad Rumi, more popularly known simply as Rumi, was a 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar and theologian, and Sufi mystic. He is one of the most favorite poets among Unitarian Universalists.  This Sunday, in honor of his birthday which was September 30, we will listen to, and quietly reflect on, in the style of sama*, several of his poems and wisdom observations.

*a Sufi practice of deep listening often involving music and movement

Following the worship service we will hold our Annual Church Community and Volunteer Fair! Come and find out about and learn how to participate in the many programs and activities at Channing Church such as the Caregiving Team, Chalice Circle Small Groups, Fellowship, Worship, Property, Social Action and others.

October 10: Creating a More Accepting Community For our LGBTQ+ brothers & sisters

Guest Speaker: Brian Williams

In honor of LGBTQ History Month, that recognizes the struggles and contributions of LGBTS people who for generations lived in a hostile world, Brian Williams wishes through his talk to help the larger community understand the many identities in the LGBTQ+ community. He will address subjects such as how to respond to when a friend or neighbor comes out, and the best ways that we can support them.

Brian Williams is a 21 year old Gay/Queer person from Portsmouth, RI. He is an aspiring entrepreneur and works closely with local businesses in his journey towards being a business owner. Brian graduated from Portsmouth High School in 2018 and in his time there, he was very active in advocating for the LGBTQ+ community in his school.  Brian is working with Interweave at Channing Memorial Church as a committee member for their annual Born This Way Prom. Brian presentations incorporate both factual education and emotional firsthand experience. He is very passionate about helping educate the community to help the LGBTQ+ community to have a safe and accepting world around them. 

October 17: Appreciating Life and Ourselves

 Rev. Bill Zelazny 

We usually say “Thank you” to someone who has done something good for us.”  But have you ever said “Thank You” to yourself?  Sounds funny to say that, but appreciating oneself is an important measure for health and well-being.   Bill will reflect on appreciating ourselves in the context of appreciating life.

October 24: A Portable Sanctuary

Rev. D.L. Helfer      

Sanctuary is the art (and science) of creating peace around us to inspire peace within. But what does that look like and where is it?  Today we explore how to encounter mystery, and sanctuary, wherever we are.

Reverend DL describes themselves a is a Unitarian Universalist minister currently living in Rhode Island, a gender queer individual, and a believer in truth-telling. 

October 31: Passing Beyond the Veil and Back                

Ben Riggs

The “veil” is often the term used to describe moving past death to the mysterious place or unknown state of existence (or non-existence).  It was originally a reference to the mysterious innermost sanctuary of the Temple in Jerusalem.  Later it took on the meaning of the mysterious division between this world and what may be next.  Some people claim they died (stopped living) and then returned to life.   This phenomenon is called a NDE — near death experiences.  On this All Hallows Eve we will take a look at this event and its implications.

Mr. Ben Riggs leads a IANS (International Association for Near Death Studies) group in Newport.   He has been a presenter at the Salve Regina University’s Circle of Scholars classes.

 

01 Sep

Posted at 12:29h in Upcoming Events

 

In-person worship in the Sanctuary Resumes September 12th!

Masks are required for all indoor services and activities.

For a full list of our guidelines for re-opening please see our Covid Protections and Guidelines

The service will also be presented live on the CHANNING YOU TUBE CHANNEL  and available for viewing afterwards.

 Sept. 5: No Worship Service

 Ingathering, September 12: Do We Need Church?

Rev. Bill Zelazny

In her 1929 speech before the Minister Conference at Barry Street, an annual gathering of ministers to hear distinguished speakers, the Rev. Anna Garlin Spencer, the first ordained woman minister in Rhode Island, asked if society had outgrowing the need for a church. She wondered if all the new means of communication and connection that had developed in the early 20th century had made assembly at a church for educational and spiritual stimulation obsolete. We can make the same inquiry today.  Join Rev. Bill for our 2021 In-gathering service to explore this question.

This In-gathering Sunday we will hold a traditional box lunch picnic.  Bring a box lunch, a blanket or chair for an old-fashioned picnic in the park (weather permitting).   Water and lemonade will be provided, or bring your own beverage. During the picnic we will also celebrate the completion of the new sanctuary roof.

Children’s faith development program begins this Sunday also.  See the September Catalyst Newsletter for more info.

September 19: UU Beloved Community-Building in Response to a Zero Sum Nation, Part 2

Rev. Jeannette Bessinger

This is the second of a two-part sermon series. Part 1 was presented on July 4 and is available to view on the CHANNING YOU TUBE CHANNEL

The nature of the entire universe is love – all things drawing together, holding together to create cohesion. In the second part of this call to our church to build Beloved Community, we will explore the proposed 8th Principle, how and why it came about, and how UU-ers can use it as a springboard for a broader healing of our national “crisis of separation”.

Rev. Bessinger has been a guest in the Channing Church pulpit several times.  She is an interfaith minister and Board Certified Health Coach with an interest in self-development and interpersonal connections.

OUTDOOR WORSHIP IN TOURO PARK 

September 26: What Shape is Your Faith?

Rev. Bill Zelazny

If your faith could be put into a three-dimensional shape, what would it look like?  Join Rev. Bill for this discussion of personal faith and what faith means for us.    Weather permitting, this service will be held in Touro Park, across from the church.   Bring a chair or blanket.

30 Jun

Posted at 13:00h in Upcoming Events

This summer Channing Memorial Church will be presenting nine diverse and interesting presentations as our Sunday service on the CHANNING YOU TUBE CHANNEL  The services will be posted at 9:00 a.m. and available for viewing afterwards each Sunday morning from July 4 to August 29.  Subscribe and click the bell icon to receive notifications when new videos are posted!

 Summer Chiming Fellowship: Our Chimers will play the bells at 10:00am on Sunday mornings. The tents are up in the playground area, please bring your own beverage and/or snack. Come enjoy the bell concert and being together after far too long!

 July 4: UU Beloved Community-Building in Response to a Zero Sum Nation    

Rev. Jeannette Bessinger

With increasingly divergent politics and ideologies, the challenges to our nation are coming to a crescendo. We are amid a crisis of separation. We’re standing at a crossroad where we must evolve more effective ways of creating heart-centered community or risk fracturing along the fault lines of a zero sum battle.

This is the first of a 2-sermon series. In this first part, Rev. Bessinger will share lessons on community-building gleaned from growing up in Channing church and her story-based work with over 5,000 Newport County youth in high-risk situations. Part 2nd will be in Fall 2021 in which we’ll consider the ways Unitarian Universalism is uniquely positioned to answer that call as a Beloved Community.

As an interfaith minister and Board Certified Health Coach, Rev. Jeannette Bessinger brings a holistic perspective to her work. Her healthy lifestyle perspectives have been showcased in hundreds of speaking venues and media outlets, including Consumer Reports, the Washington Post, NPR and NBC News.

July 11: A Reporter’s Personal View of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Tim Phelps 

Tim Phelps has spent several years during his reporting career covering the Middle East.  From this up-close, personal perspective he will talk about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While he recognizes that any criticism of the Israeli occupation brings about outrage, there are important stores to tell such Israeli brutality and how liberal Israelis suffered ostracism from Israeli society for refusing to fight or for speaking out.

Tim has a long career in journalism during which he spent several years in Egypt and Israel reporting on the Israeli – Palestinian conflict.

July 18: Writing Your Spiritual Biography

Rev. Dr. Judy Campbell   

A spiritual biography traces your spiritual and religious life – where you started, what you have gone through that may have changed your life or understanding of spirituality and where you are now.  Judy will talk about the process of writing about one’s spiritual journey.

Rev. Campbell is a community minister, author and artist.  She is the author of the Olympia Brown Mysteries, the Viridienne Green Mysteries, several poetry and children’s books.

July 25: Post Traumatic Spiritual Gifts

Rev. Phil Schulman 

In November 2017 Rev. Schulman was struck by a truck while riding his bicycle. He began a long path to recovery. Along the way he found that he had been given priceless gifts which he calls “Post Traumatic Spiritual Gifts” that helped him face everything and recover. Phil will share his story and philosophy of spiritual gifts in the time of crisis.

Rev. Schulman has served congregations in the US Virgin Islands, Florida and, California, Texas, Louisiana and currently provides supply preaching in Texas. He has been deeply involved in eco-peace and justice activism, and working for human rights in field of mental health including developing a peer counseling program to a hospital addiction unit in Shreveport, LA. and directed the creation of a program to reduce the amount of force and violence in a upstate NY county’s mental health crisis response.

August 1: Ourselves and Our History

Notes about special elements of our various restoration projects

Chris Laudon  

Using iMovie and pictures of Channing’s various restoration projects Chris will have us take a peek at parts of our campus usually not seen, or which we may not were remembered. These images and her narrative will show us the connection that come from seeing things easily viewed and those unseen, from what is known or not known, from the remembered to that lost to memory. 

OUTDOOR SERVICE IN TOURO PARK!

August 8:Laugh for Life

Rev. Bill Zelazny

Launching for a Zen story of three laughing monks, Bill will invite us to think about the importance of being able to laugh, even in troubling or personally challenging times.  This will be an outdoor service in Touro Park, please bring your own chair.  There will also be a modest picnic afterwards with hotdogs (meat and meatless) and some side dishes outside the Parish Hall. See page 7 for more information  [NOTE:  In the event of rain this service will be swapped with the August 15 service ]

August 15: Ocean Justice: Joining Social Equity and the Response to Climate Change

Lisa Colburn

The push for social equity and our response to climate change intersect in the ocean space. As sea level rises and storms intensify, it is urgent to consider who is most at risk and how our response might favor the most advantaged and place burdens on the disadvantaged people in coastal communities.  We should engage as broadly as possible in efforts of ocean conservation and fairness must be a central consideration as we seek solutions. Lisa Colburn, a member of Channing Church works as a fisheries anthropologist.  This presentation will examine the concept of climate justice in relation to coastal communities.

August 22: The Formation of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)

Tom Beall

2021 marks the 60th anniversary of the merger of the American Unitarian Universalist Association and the Universalist Church of American to form the Unitarian Universalist Association.  History buff and long-time church member, Tom Beall will take a look back at this event that resulted in the formation of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

August 29: Unitarians in India

Tom Howard 

India’s religious landscape includes a Unitarian Association – the Brahmo Samaj, founded in 1828 by Rammohun Roy, the Unitarian Christian Church of Chennai, in Madras, founded in 1795 and the Unitarian Church of the Khasi Hills, founded in 1887 by Hajom Kissor Singh.  Within a radius of 50 miles in the highlands of the Khasi hills in northeast India live 98 percent (over 9000 people) of the country’s Unitarians. Congregation member, Tom Howard, will introduce us to the Unitarian Church of the Khasi Hills with this presentation.

September 5: No worship Service Labor day Weekend

01 Jun

Posted at 12:57h in Upcoming Events

Sunday Worship Services

10:00am: Live Zoom Worship/ 10:30am: Live Zoom Fellowship

Chiming on Sundays 10:45am-11:15am, please enjoy from in and around Touro Park! 

(email office@channingchurch.org to be added to our mailing list and receive the Zoom link)

The Worship Service will also be live streamed on Channing’s YouTube channel:   YOUTUBE Channing Memorial Church Newport RI and will be available for viewing afterwards. 

June 6: Letting Love Guide Us: Our Connection with All Beings 

Rev. Mary Margaret Earl

We are connected to the animals, and compassion often guides our relationships.  But some systems disconnect us from the animals. Here, we consider how we can reawaken our connection and widen our circle of compassion. 

The Rev. Mary Margaret Earl is a longtime UU minister whose ministry has focused on social justice. She served for a decade in the homeless community in Providence, and currently serves UU Urban Ministry, a Boston faith-based organization committed to racial justice work. She also is a longtime vegan concerned about the suffering of animals. Today, she visits in her role as a volunteer for Rhode Island Vegan Awareness.  Members of RI Vegan Awareness will be available during in the post-service Fellowship time for discussion.

 

June 13: Play and Transcendence

Rev. Bill Zelazny

If we allow ourselves to get deeply involved in a play experience we move into a special, even sacred, playground where only the present moment matters, one’s history, future, concerns, and problems vanish. Deep play, as this ”all in” involvement is called, is that form of play that puts us in a rapturous mood and awakens the most creative, sentient, and joyful aspects of our inner selves. In other words, the kind of mental, emotional, and physical experience that most people think is reserved for religion or spiritual enlightenment.  Maybe plan it is a kind of spiritual experience.  This Sunday, a week before summer officially begins, Bill will look at how play can be a transcendent experience.

Second Sunday Collection: All are invited to make a gift of non-perishable food, cleaning products, or toiletries (especially travel size!) which will be taken to local agencies. Items can be left in the marked container on the Front Porch of Channing House.

June 20: I Have Always Wanted to Know….

Rev. Bill Zelazny

There are four types of questions:  Yes/No questions; Wh-questions, Choice questions, Tag-questions.  All of them are asked for the purpose of acquiring knowledge.  On this Sunday let’s have some fun with a “question box” service. Ask questions about those things you’ve been curious – some aspect of Unitarian Universalism, U and U history, faith, spiritual journey, religion, or whatever (but no political questions, please).  Bill will try to answer them and if he does not have the answer, he will try to research an answer. 

To participate in this Q & A with Bill you will need to send your questions to him via the church email – office@channingchurch.org — by Thursday, June 17.

June 27: Joining Thousands of UUs in Sunday Worship

This Sunday we will join thousands of UUs from around the country at the UUA General Assembly Sunday Service.  (There is no CMC service this Sunday) As in past years, there will powerful choral music and an inspirational sermon.  There is no fee to view this General Assembly event.  Recognizing the importance of shared ministry and the many innovative approaches to worship created by congregations during the pandemic, UUA President, Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick Gray, selected the First Universalist Church of Minneapolis to serve as worship leaders for this year’s GA Sunday Morning Service.

Please join us on Sunday, June 27, 2021 at Noon Eastern for the largest annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists in worship. The service will be streamed on GA Online Events and on the UUA’s YouTube channel; members of the public are welcome.