For Muslims, the holy month of Ramadan began on this past Friday evening.  Ramadan is so central to Islam that it is considered one of the “five pillars” of the faith, and fasting is central to Ramadan.  With only a few exceptions (which I’ll get back to in a moment), every Muslim is expected to […]

Singer, songwriter, and peace activist Pete Seeger wrote that, “a good song reminds us what we’re fighting for.”  On this Music Sunday we’ll look at how music can help us embody our quest for justice.  Our Director of Music, Scott DeVeaux, and Rev. Wik lead our exploration. [Note:  the choir will be singing.  Also, this […]

Sermon for TJMC UU Mothers Day 2017 By Rev. Alex McGee Note to reader:  This text was a general template for my comments, and some may have been changed or improvised on the spot.  Today is Mothers Day. Mothers Day can be looked at from different angles and experienced in different ways. Each of us […]

Ringing the Chime Greetings Good morning, and welcome to Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church Unitarian Universalist.  Ours is a congregation in the liberal religious tradition, and we welcome all who would work together to make this a world in which all are welcome.  As a part of that welcome I would encourage each of us to […]

The theme of our worship reflection this month is Transformation.  So, I picked the poem about the spider weaving its web because it has many images of transformation.  Erik read the poem to the children, and it is also printed in your order of service so you can post it on your fridge or share […]

As we consider the very real threats to our beloved Earth, it’s easy to get discouraged and overwhelmed. Instead, let us observe Earth Day by renewing both our spirits and our resolve with our annual flower communion. Bring a flower to help fill our sanctuary with beauty and our hearts with hope.

Our Christian kin celebrate Easter, the commemoration of Christ’s resurrection from the grave.  Yet there are many ways of understanding – and experiencing – “resurrection.”  Our “Rite of Spring” service is a look at the transformation of death to life, winter to spring, and the “tomb time” in our own lives into our own resurrection.  […]

The work of social justice is the work of societal transformation, and the Interfaith Movement Promoting Action by Congregations Together (IMPACT) is one way this work has been done in the Charlottesville – Albemarle area for the past decade.  As with all community organizing, the power of an individual is transformed into the power of […]

The Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism: Celebrating our Rainbow Chalice. Through song, story and reflection, Leia Durland-Jones and Rev. Wik will explore in multigenerational community what it means to live our values as UUs.  If you have ever struggled with articulating what UUs believe, this service will help you think about ways to articulate (y)our […]

Read the Order of Service. Because of the nature of this service, the sermon for this week contains the sermons for both the 9:15 and 11:15 service. The 11:15 service sermon starts at approximately 22:45. In each of the congregations Rev. Wik served previously there was the tradition of having an annual “question box” Sunday.  Congregants […]