Fall, Winter, Spring Schedule
Our regular services run from the second Sunday in September through the second Sunday of June. Services start at 10:30am. The service usually lasts from 60-70 minutes. Coffee and fellowship time follow the service. This gives people time to converse, visit, meet newcomers, speak with the minister or lay speaker, and discuss congregational business. We often have informal luncheons or breakfasts before or after services.
We usually have one guest speaker or minister each month. This gives our minister a weekend off to spend with family, and gives the congregation the chance to listen to another perspective. Guest speakers in the past have included Unitarian ministers, a Jewish cantor, a Sufi teacher, a minister of Religious Science, an Ethical Society member, and a McDaniel College professor, amongst others. Sermon topics are quite varied, and may touch upon Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Earth religions, family life, love in its many forms, search for spiritual meaning, humanism, humor, or music.
We have special services during the year. We celebrate a Water Communion on the first Service of the church year in September, and a Flower Communion on the last service in June. We have a Christmas Eve family service and a Quaker style service on the Sunday between Christmas and New Years Day. We have had a Passover Seder most years, also.
Music is an important part of our worship. We have a pianist/organist to accompany the hymns, and play for the prelude and offertory. We have a small choir that sings an anthem on most Sundays. Anyone may join the choir. Practice is one hour before the start of the service each Sunday except during the summer.
Summer Services
We have services each Sunday during the summer months, starting the third Sunday of June and lasting through Labor Day Weekend. These services start at 9:30am. They are usually lay-lead by members and friends of the congregation, and typically last an hour or less. These services tend to be very informal and more eclectic than our formal services. Themes have included: poetry, the wisdom of Yogi Berra, Woody Guthrie’s music, spiritual drumming, yoga, meditation, interpersonal relationships, fathers, and patriotism.
Unitarian Universalists tend to explore during the summer, visiting neighboring congregations, or visiting congregations while on vacation. We have frequent visitors during the summer months. Many UU members first discover our faith during a summer visit to a local UU congregation.