Can’t Atone by Phone
by Reverend Kathleen Rolenz

Last year, the Catholic church officially sanctioned the use of a "Confession" app which helps you keep track of all the wrongs you have done since your last confession. Jews can send a prayer via their smart phone which then can be printed out by a rabbi in Jerusalem and placed in the Western Wall. In an era when so much interaction is done in cyberspace, the Jewish act of atonement still requires face to face communication. This Sunday we'll participate in some of the great rituals of Judaism's Yom Kippur service as we begin again with the "new" year.

With Worship Associate Dave Clement

Linked-In or Locked Out?
by Reverend Wayne Arnason

Despite Facebook's plummeting stock price, the growth in users of networking apps in the past eight years has been phenomenal. Are you linked in to all your friends? What difference is it making in your life? If you are a regular social network user, send me an e-mail at bergthor@aol.com and tell me how you use it to make your life better. Or why you tried social networking and dumped it? We'll look at what these networks tell us about community life today.

With Worship Associate Barbara Howell

The Quest for Maps
by Co-minister Kathleen Rolenz
Wayne Arnason

Our "Apps for Life" series kicks off with what we have learned from the app that most people have the most experience with, in their car, desktop computer, or smart phone - GPS! What-ever global positioning map application you might use, it seeks to answer the same questions: Where am I? Where am I going? How can I get there? Are these spiritual questions or what??? It's an appropriate Sunday to dedicate our teachers for the new church school year as the service begins, and tell your kids we love them as they head for the year of RE classes.

Labors of Love
by Co-Ministers Kathleen Rolenz and Wayne Arnason

Two of musician/activist Pete Seeger's lasting legacies will surely be his commitment to our country's labor movement and the environment. His efforts to support labor unions and to clean up New York's Hudson River teach us that all work has dignity and that clean water is not to be taken for granted. Join us for story, song and reflection on this Labor Day Sunday as we begin our new church year that includes our annual Water Ceremony. Don't forget to bring a small amount of summer water collected from the backyard pool, the local river/lake, or a more exotic place from your travels.

With Kathy Strawser, Director of Lifespan Faith Development