Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Durham

Love is the spirit of this community
and service is its gift.
To dwell together in peace.
To seek knowledge in freedom.
To serve humanity in harmony with the earth.
Thus do we covenant together.

Welcome to our new members who joined our congregation this week!

Our community is already stronger for your presence. We are so happy to share this journey together!

Ever thought about how much of our global history, laws, and daily culture actually comes from ancient scriptures?

This week Brian Carwana, executive director of Encounter World Religions, invited us to explore how sacred texts have shaped human history, moral imagination, and spiritual life across traditions.

Far more than simply words on a page, sacred texts are transformational forces on our planet. With admirable knowledge, wisdom, balance and grace, Brian explored how world scriptures offer incredible poetry that has inspired billions, manifest as stunning forms of art that beautify space and physically become sacred, and at times even become the basis of empire-building.

Here is a taste of the multitudinous ways these texts have shaped human societies:

📜In traditions like Judaism, the availability of sacred texts contributed to a shift from leadership from royal lineage to one of merit. Anyone who studied hard and read the word could become a community leader, and study itself became holy.

📕The desire for individuals to read texts for themselves has often continued considerably to global literacy rates, sparking modern democratic ideas and individualism and forming the basis for modern human rights.

From portable scrolls that allowed displaced communities to survive great hardship, to sacred objects with personhood, to the actual words of the Divine, Brian shone light on the fascinating history of religion as a history of communication, art, and power.

Which of these historical shifts do you find most surprising?

Potluck time!
Each month on the last Sunday of the month we share food together after our 10:30am worship service. It helps us to stay connected as a community and deepen our connections. And it's delicious too!

Tomorrow afternoon our members will also gather for our yearly ACM, because we also highly value democracy and shared decision making in all the ways we operate our congregation.

As always, all are welcome!

What is your favourite potluck dish?

What if we could could train our brains to look for glimmers of good each day?

This is what Dr. Mary Morrison spoke with us about this week, and I think we all came away with some excellent strategies to try!

What she offered us wasn't about toxic positivity or forcing ourselves or others to "just be grateful". Rather, it was science backed, simple tips that feel really actionable and allow us to meet each other where we are.

For example, the What Went Well and Why technique invites us to write down at the end of each day 3 small things that went well that day. Maybe you got to your appointment on time, or got to eat your favourite breakfast. The key step is to also write down why it went well, which builds in gratitude and self-efficacy. Perhaps you'd already put gas in the car yesterday, or your husband bought bread the other day.

Doing this for just 2-6 weeks has been shown to have beneficial results for up to 6 months in terms of increased overall happiness and decreased depressive symptoms, so this kind of preventative mental health exercise feels really doable - why not give it a try and schedule it into your yearly routine a couple of times a year?

What is one thing that went well for you today?

If you could replace Victoria Day with a different holiday, what would you name it? What would it be?

Over this Victoria Day long weekend we tried something a little different than our usual worship service format, and shared tea, cookies and small circle conversations on a variety of topics.

What makes a gathering truly welcoming?

What does “living with dignity and compassion“ look like in ordinary moments?

What small daily rituals help you stay grounded in your values?

The result was beautiful (and nourishing for both tastebuds and souls) and I think we all came away knowing each other a little better.

We just may have started a new tradition ☕🫖

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Thank you to everyone who made the Bloom & Grow Crafting Afternoon such a successful event! It was an afternoon that brought people together to make something meaningful, to spend time with friends, and to form new connections with others. Many people chipped in to help and it felt like a real group effort. Not only that, but we were able to raise nearly $500 for the Youth for and ongoing Youth activities.

It was such a joy to gather together and to witness the creativity and connection in the room. Like seeds we plant in a garden, creativity grows with care and time, in small, meaningful ways.

As we enter this new season of renewal, may you find ways to weave creativity into your daily life and engage in meaningful activities that inspire you and help you grow. While it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day busy-ness of life, it is important to make space for what truly brings us joy!

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