A warm welcome to you as a participant of Love at the Center: UU Values and Covenants. This transformational program will explore the enduring love that is at the core of Unitarian Universalism. You will explore the related values and covenants through the lens of abiding love, building community, acting in faith, rooting in growth, and transforming in love.
The Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt has given us permission to share the following quote, which was captured at an open forum at General Assembly 2023 when she was sharing her own long-term experience with spiritual direction:
“It is time for all of us to take care of one another.”
Together, our group will learn to hold each other with love, trust, curiosity and generosity as we explore Unitarian Universalist values and covenants. As we grow our spiritual lives and explore our covenantal faith, we will be “taking care of one another” and ourselves. Holding each other in love seeks to inspire us to bring love out in the world.
Love at the Center: UU Values and Covenants will provide a sacred container to deepen our spiritual lives through explorations, reflections, experiences and storytelling. You will have opportunities to engage with resources that will open your heart, mind, and soul to your inner wisdom and the sharing in each session will open you to the wisdom of the group. This sacred opportunity to be with each other will include exploring spiritual deepening through daily spiritual practices and regular spiritual companionship, which will be explained and discussed in our sessions.
Please obtain the books listed below. All books are available from the UUA Inspirit Bookstore or online bookstores. Chapters and essays in these books will be used throughout the program.
Beyond Welcome: Building Communities of Love, edited by Linnea Nelson. Skinner House Books. (2022)
Faithful Practices: Everyday Ways to Feed Your Spirit edited by Rev. Erik Wikstrom. Skinner House Books (2018)
Love at the Center: Unitarian Universalist Theologies, edited by Rev. Dr. Sophía Betancourt, Skinner House Books, Spring 2024.*
Sacred Nature: Restoring Our Ancient Bond with the Natural World, by Karen Armstrong (2022).**
For our first meeting on Jan 26, Please obtain the books listed above.
Begin reading Faithful Practices: Everyday Ways to Feed Your Spirit by Erik Walker Wikstrom, as time permits.
Bring a brief anecdote related to your name and to your early religious or spiritual life.