31 Jan February

Worship Services 

Sunday, February 2: Guest : Julie Mallozzi

Life Lessons from Film Making

Filmmaker Julie Mallozzi will speak about what she has learned through her work creating social issue documentaries.  Her recent film CIRCLE UP in particular provided many life lessons about forgiveness, justice, and accountability; about trying to be restorative in everything you do; and about defining your own success rather than letting others define it for you.

Julie Mallozzi is a documentary filmmaker whose work explores the ways cultural traditions from around the globe intersect, hybridize, and are turned to new social purposes far from their original context.  Her films have won awards at numerous festivals, been broadcast nationally on public television, and screened widely in educational and community contexts.  Mallozzi received her BA from Harvard University and her MFA from San Francisco Art Institute. Mallozzi has taught at Rhode Island School of Design, Boston University, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and Harvard University, where she is currently a Lecturer in Art, Film, and Visual Studies and Administrative Director of the Film Study Center.

After the service,  Julie will introduce a 14-minute viewing of her film “Circle Up” and respond to your questions. “Circle Up” is about mothers seeking true justice for their murdered sons— justice that involves not revenge and mass incarceration by forgiveness, accountability, and community healing.

Sunday, February 9: Rev. Bill Zelazny

Resilience is a call of the Spirit

Some people in this congregation have come through a difficult time and some are about to enter a difficult time, but most of us are just trying to have the strength and courage to make it through one more day or week or year. And all of that takes the emotional power of resilience.  A colleague of mine once said that “Resilience cannot be about merely recovering from one trial or another. Resilience is also a proactive skill and a way of life…” And this proactive living skills is in its own way spiritual.  This Sunday Bill will explore the notion of resilience in living and its spiritual character.

Sunday, February 16: Rev. Bill Zelazny

The Big Love

The box of chocolates or the flowers or the card, or the charge card receipt for the quiet dinner that were the visible symbol of eros love, sexual love, may still be sitting on the table or buffet. That kind of love is very important for everyone.  But today, while we are still in the aura of Valentine’s Day, Bill invites us to consider what he names “The Big Love”, the kind of affection that is a call to action for us to let Love guide us in all that we do.

During Fellowship on Sunday, February 16 we will hold our Annual Chocolate Fest.   Bring a homemade or store-bought favorite chocolate dessert, candy or other decadent offering to share at Fellowship. The Chocolate Fountain will be flowing so anything that can be drenched in chocolate (fruit, marshmallows, graham crackers, gummy bears, maybe even broccoli!)   No need to sign up…just come with your surprise chocolate offering and join in the fun. 

Sunday, February 23: The Great Treasure of Unitarian Universalism and Channing Church

Our faith comes out of six religious and spiritual sources.  They are described in that long paragraph few of us ever read that follows the Statement of Purposes and Principles.  They, in effect, say, that people with very different theological and spiritual perspectives can join together in religious community and live in harmony.   This melding of diversity is Unitarian Universalisms and Channing Memorial Church’s treasure. Bill and members of our congregation will look at the six Sources this Sunday as we consider the power and potential this treasure bring to this congregation.