The Little Boy

by	Reverend Mark Morrison-Reed

“I was hiking up a mountain when an excruciating moment set me on the path to social activism. Along the way the challenges taught me some hard lessons, including learning to be thankful for the obstacles I encountered.” Retired from Unitarian Universalist parish ministry, The Reverend Mark Morrison-Reed is an affiliated faculty member at Meadville Lombard Theological School and the coordinator of the Sankofa Archive there. He is the author or editor of five other books from Skinner House Books. Mark will be the keynote speaker at the Pilgrimage To Selma Conference in March. Mark is currently working on a new book about the Black Empowerment Controversy.

Bite the Bullet

by	Reverend Kathleen Rolenz

During the Civil War, the wounded were given a bullet to hold between their teeth to be able to bear the pain of sur-gery. Today, we seem to be living in the painful reality of a culture that accepts gun violence and mass incarceration as just “how things are.” What would it take for us to bite the bullet and agitate for an alternative vision of the world based on liberal religious principles and ideals? Have you been wanting to invite someone to church but wasn't sure about which Sunday? Bring a friend to church THIS SUNDAY for a special welcome and invitation to learn more about West Shore.

The Weight of History

 THERE IS NO RECORDING OF THIS SERVICE.

by	Reverend
	Wayne Arnason

Two famous quotes are often muddled. It was Edmund Burke (1729-1797) who said "Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it." George Santayana said some-thing a little different than this. In his book, The Life of Reason (1906) he wrote: "Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." We find Santayana’s words more provocative, and paradoxically, more hopeful.

 Click below to download the text of this Sundays Sermon.

The Long Arc

by	Reverend Kathleen Rolenz and
	Reverend Wayne Arnason

When people see that this is a service that is launching a Capital Campaign, they might think this is one they should skip—because they think we are going to make you hand in a pledge, or that it will be a glorified pep rally. We want to assure you that there is no segment in this service where you are expected to hand in a pledge card AND we promise you that if you don’t come, people will tell you later that you missed something special. This Sunday will try out a different multigenerational format that will include young people in the front end of the of the hour. We have all hands on deck musically, with the Choir and the Junior Choir and the Free Spirit Band. Come start the long arc of our October services with us and see where it leads.