Sunday Services

November 2025

10/29/2025

November 2, 2025:
Day of the Dead
Rev. Drew Frantz
This Sunday we perform our yearly ritual of honoring the ancestors. In keeping with the various traditions of All Souls Day, Samhain, and Día de Muertos, we take this day to remember those who have died and to welcome them as living spirits. What do we have to learn from the ancestors? How can we keep alive their memory and honor them?

Order of Service
Sermon

November 9, 2025:
God is a River
Rev. Drew Frantz
In Unitarian Universalism we encompass many beliefs about the nature of – and the existence of – the divine. Does God exist? Where and what is God? One vision of the divine, blending Religious Naturalism and Taoism, is that God is a river. Let’s see how this idea challenges or reinforces your own notion of mystery and of ultimate reality.

Order of Service
Sermon

November 16, 2025:
Guest at Your Table
Rev. Drew Frantz
Guest at Your Table is a program of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee to partner with human rights organizations domestically and abroad. This year Guest at Your Table supports an LGBTQ+ asylum house in Pennsylvania; a human rights organization in Central America; a commune for Haitian refugees in the Dominican Republic; and a river defender in Honduras. In our worship service we celebrate the good work being done; and we recognize that together we create greater justice and greater joy.

October 2025

10/1/2025

October 5, 2025:
Prophetic Witness: Mariann Budde
Rev. Drew Frantz
Bishop Mariann Budde, leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and the Washington National Cathedral, is well-known for a passionate sermon she delivered at Donald Trump’s inauguration this year. Her example inspires those who would speak truth to power. Bishop Budde’s other published writings are also inspiring, making her a model of faith and wisdom.

October 12, 2025:
Siding with Love: Fred Small
Norma Bailey
Fred Small, a minister at Arlington Street Church in Boston, shares in his homily that the essence of Unitarian Universalism is siding with love in everything we say or do. We will also acknowledge two significant days where we can share our love – October 11, National Coming Out Day, and October 13, Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

October 19, 2025:
Prophetic Witness: Imara Jones
Rev. Drew Frantz
Imara Jones presented the Ware Lecture at General Assembly this past June – the keynote address of our national gathering which boasts past speakers including Mary Oliver and Martin Luther King. Imara Jones is a trans woman and an award-winning journalist. Her talk on how trans people are perceived in America, socially and politically, is both inspiring and sobering. This Sunday we reflect on her message and its meaning for us.

Sermon

October 26, 2025:
Cultivating Compassion
Rev. Drew Frantz
This Sunday we explore several aspects of compassion, including having compassion for ourselves and for others–including difficult people. Our universalist theology teaches that the primary characteristic of God is not judgment but compassion. How can we cultivate greater compassion within ourselves?

Sermon

September 2025

9/3/2025

September 7:
Who I Want to Be I Am
Rev. Drew Frantz
This is the fourth and final sermon in a series inspired by the lyrics of India.Arie Simpson: What I seek I have / What I want to know I understand / All I wish I could I can / Who I want to be I am. Each line of the song lands as an affirmation: of having, of knowing, of doing…and ultimately of being. There is no greater achievement in life than being truly at home in one’s identity and person-hood. For many of us this is elusive, as we must do the work of transcending the false or incomplete versions of ourself that we have embodied. May every person find comfort and confidence in being exactly who they are.

Order of Service
Announcements
Sermon

September 14:
All Are Called to Serve: Honoring Rev. Brigitte Bechtold
Rev. Drew Frantz
Brigitte Bechtold was a longstanding member of this Fellowship before discerning the call to ministry. In recent years she completed her seminary training, became ordained as a UU minister, and now serves the Beacon UU Congregation in Troy, Michigan. Today she returns to UUFCM where we honor her journey and reflect on the ways that each of us is called to serve humanity and goodness.

Announcements
Sermon

September 21:
Truth-telling and the Eternal Child: Education is Sacred
Rev. Drew Frantz
The classroom is a sacred space in two ways. First, it is a place where truth is told, discovered, and refined in the dynamic interplay of students and teachers. Second, the classroom represents a place of safety for the child–the actual children in the classroom, and the child within every human being, the archetype of innocence and wonder. These things we celebrate today.

September 28:
Wise hope never dies
Guy Newland
The news is so relentlessly discouraging; when it seems things could get no worse, they get worse. How can we find hope and inspiration? UUFCM has––in its history, values, and community––the resources for wise hope, a hope reaches beyond the horizons of our imagination.

Announcements
Sermon

August 2025

7/29/2025

August 3: Summer Worship Series
Reflection by Bob Busch
Welcome to summer! Summer worship will be different and somewhat shorter; we will still have a hymn, chalice lighting and extinguishing, sharing of joys and sorrows, and an offertory but no Story for All Ages, the children going directly with the child care workers at 10:30. Each Sunday a different member of the congregation will briefly reflect on one of the following prompts:

How are you coping with national/world events?
What is your perspective with what is happening in the world and what does it mean to you?

Then we will open up discussion in response to their reflection. We hope you will join us each Sunday for our summer worship series, which runs through August 3.

August 10, 2025 What I Seek I Have
Rev. Drew Frantz

It is common for many of us to think in terms of what we don’t have—perpetuating a mindset of lacking. What if, instead, we adopt an attitude of abundance? A spiritually healthy path is appreciating what we have instead of chasing after more. The message that we need more to be happy is all around us in this culture; let’s listen for the message that says we are enough and we have enough.

Order of Service
Announcements
Sermon

August 17, 2025 What I Want to Know I Understand
Rev. Drew Frantz

This is the second in a four-part worship series that started with “what I seek I have.” Building on the theme of having enough, what does it mean to know enough? Surely gaining more and more knowledge is a life-long pursuit that all of us participate in. Intellectual knowledge, however, has its limitations. To be well-rounded and to live our fullest lives, we need to pay attention to the world of emotion and spirit as well.

Order of Service
Announcements
Sermon

August 24, 2025 Water Ingathering
Rev. Drew Frantz

Welcome back! The Water Ingathering is a ritual of welcome, return, and community that marks the beginning of the Fellowship’s year as summer turns towards autumn. Everyone is invited to bring water from a place that’s special to you – either at home or far away – and we pour our water into a common bowl. All are welcome. Bring your water if you can; you can also participate in the ritual using a pitcher of water provided. Following this special and uniquely Unitarian Universalist service we will take a photo of the whole congregation on the front steps.

Order of Service
Announcements
Sermon

August 31, 2025 All I Wish I Could I Can
Rev. Drew Frantz
There is so much that we want to set right, in the public world and in our personal lives–if only we had more power. Rather than feeling powerless, let us remember the wisdom of the serenity prayer: that we should change what we can and accept what we cannot. And, let us remember that (in the words of Marianne Williamson) we are powerful beyond measure. May we find our true power and dare to do all that we can do.

Order of Service
Announcements
Sermon

July 2025: Summer Worship Series

6/29/2025

July 6: Summer Worship Series
Reflection by Carol Rard
Welcome to summer! Summer worship will be different and somewhat shorter; we will still have a hymn, chalice lighting and extinguishing, sharing of joys and sorrows, and an offertory but no Story for All Ages, the children going directly with the child care workers at 10:30. Each Sunday a different member of the congregation will briefly reflect on one of the following prompts:

How are you coping with national/world events?
What is your perspective with what is happening in the world and what does it mean to you?

Then we will open up discussion in response to their reflection. We hope you will join us each Sunday for our summer worship series, which runs through August 3.

July 13: Summer Worship Series
Reflection by Katie Zapoluch
Welcome to summer! Summer worship will be different and somewhat shorter; we will still have a hymn, chalice lighting and extinguishing, sharing of joys and sorrows, and an offertory but no Story for All Ages, the children going directly with the child care workers at 10:30. Each Sunday a different member of the congregation will briefly reflect on one of the following prompts:

How are you coping with national/world events?
What is your perspective with what is happening in the world and what does it mean to you?

Then we will open up discussion in response to their reflection. We hope you will join us each Sunday for our summer worship series, which runs through August 3.

July 20: Summer Worship Series
Reflection by Kirsten King
Welcome to summer! Summer worship will be different and somewhat shorter; we will still have a hymn, chalice lighting and extinguishing, sharing of joys and sorrows, and an offertory but no Story for All Ages, the children going directly with the child care workers at 10:30. Each Sunday a different member of the congregation will briefly reflect on one of the following prompts:

How are you coping with national/world events?
What is your perspective with what is happening in the world and what does it mean to you?

Then we will open up discussion in response to their reflection. We hope you will join us each Sunday for our summer worship series, which runs through August 3.

July 27: Summer Worship Series
Reflection by Jacq Roberge
Welcome to summer! Summer worship will be different and somewhat shorter; we will still have a hymn, chalice lighting and extinguishing, sharing of joys and sorrows, and an offertory but no Story for All Ages, the children going directly with the child care workers at 10:30. Each Sunday a different member of the congregation will briefly reflect on one of the following prompts:

How are you coping with national/world events?
What is your perspective with what is happening in the world and what does it mean to you?

Then we will open up discussion in response to their reflection. We hope you will join us each Sunday for our summer worship series, which runs through August 3.

June 2025: The Practice of Freedom

5/27/2025

June 1: Pride
Rev. Drew Frantz
June is Pride Month when we celebrate the diversity of gender and sexuality in our human community–and advocate for equality and inclusion. These stances are central to Unitarian Universalism, and much needed in the current environment of threat and exclusion. The morning message will include reflections on the UUA Common Read for 2024-25: Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families.

June 8: Schooling & Graduation
Rev. Drew Frantz
The end of the school year is one milestone marking the beginning of summer. This Sunday we honor people in the Fellowship who have recently graduated. We also reflect on the terrible history of the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School, and on the current trends in public education, asking: what values inform the schooling that we offer children in our society?

June 15: Flower Communion
Rev. Drew Frantz
The special ritual of Flower Communion is celebrated by Unitarian Universalists everywhere. All are invited to bring a flower to the service if you can (we will have extras to share). Each person places a flower in the common vase to represent what you bring to the congregation; at the end, each person takes home a different flower to represent what you receive from the congregation. Please join us!

June 22: General Assembly
Rev. Drew Frantz
Virtual at 11:00am. UUFCM will be closed.
Embrace the electrifying spirit of the year's largest UU gathering, where we come together in unity for an awe-inspiring Sunday worship celebration like no other! It's a vibrant, communal worship experience that promises to uplift your soul and ignite your passion. Don't miss out on this extraordinary gathering of hearts and minds! The Office of the President, Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, is thrilled to announce that Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk will lead the 2025 GA Sunday Service. More information: https://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2025/sunday-worship
Link to Livestream: https://youtu.be/kIzcKbW0GT4

June 29: Summer Worship Series
Kelly Green
Welcome to summer! Summer worship will be different and somewhat shorter; we will still have a hymn, chalice lighting and extinguishing, sharing of joys and sorrows, and an offertory but no Story for All Ages, the children going directly with the child care workers at 10:30. Each Sunday a different member of the congregation will briefly reflect on one of the following prompts:

How are you coping with national/world events?
What is your perspective with what is happening in the world and what does it mean to you?

Then we will open up discussion in response to their reflection. We hope you will join us each Sunday for our summer worship series, which runs through August 3.

Order of Service
Announcements
Service Video

May 2025: The Practice of Imagination

5/1/2025

May 4: "The Poor You Will Always Have With You" Why?
Norma Bailey
Nelson Mandela stated: "Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings." Joyce Henricks will comment on these ideas, one from the Bible and one from Nelson Mandela, and explore how we can respond.

May 11: The Divine Feminine
Rev. Drew Frantz
In honor of Mother’s Day we consider the female archetype of the Mother alongside other female archetypes such as the Maiden and the Crone–all aspects of the divine feminine. Who provides you with the nurturing and protective energy of the Mother? How do you provide nurturing and protection to yourself and others?

May 18: Imagination (Annual Meeting)
Rev. Drew Frantz
The importance of imagination goes far beyond fantasy stories and children’s tales. When we find our situation to be far from how we want it to be, imagination is necessary to move forward. This is true for our personal lives and for our society. The Fellowship’s annual business meeting follows the service this Sunday–another opportunity to imagine the community we want and to take steps toward that goal.

May 25: Building Your Own Theology
Guy Newland
What do you believe about God? About right and wrong? About the meaning and purpose of life? We wrestled with these questions and more during the “Building Your Own Theology” class led by Jim Dealing and Rev. Drew. Participants were encouraged to write a credo statement as a final project, and three of these will be shared from the pulpit this Sunday.

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November 2025

October 2025

September 2025

August 2025

July 2025: Summer Worship Series

June 2025: The Practice of Freedom

May 2025: The Practice of Imagination

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