July Summer Worship Series
UU Society of Geneva
July Summer Worship Series
Lisa Rittenberry, Program Coordinator
Join us for an exciting summer line-up in our Pulpit! Summer can be hectic with vacations and camps, but we are planning fascinating topics and guests every week. If you can’t join us in-person, please attend the on-line services or check out our YouTube page.
On July 3, we will hear from Rev. Zsolt Elekes from Transylvania, Romania. He is actively involved in helping Ukrainian refugees who fled to his home country, Romania. As a minister of the Transylvanian Unitarian Church and a school chaplain, he and his fellow volunteers helped many hundreds of people in need throughout the recent months, with housing and food, but educational and cultural activities as well. He will share with us stories from the evenings at the city train station, from the many conversations he had with Ukrainian guests around the dinner table and from his perspective of helping unconditionally, the purest form of love, in his opinion.
On July 10, congregation member Dave Hanchette will tell us about his journey into self-love with his sermon titled: “Nurtured by a Fireant: Getting to Know and Love Myself.” The sermon tells his personal story of his need to get to know and love himself, how he came to do so, and its effect on his life. It suggests that knowing and loving oneself is likely important for everyone.
On July 17, our semi-annual visitor, Rev. R Ken Turner will join us once again with a sermon titled “Understanding Spirit.” Rev Ken is the Sr. Minister & Founder “Unity of Chicago South” (UCS), Transformational Speaker, Podcast Host, Independent TV Producer, and author. He always gives us plenty to think about.
Kyohei (Kevin) Mikawa will provide interesting insight on July 24. From his website: “Life is an accumulation of each moment of experience. If you can live even one moment of becoming a buddha-like person in your life and gradually extends that moment, your life will be more meaningful and rewarding. The key is to prioritize the perspectives of the other and forget about your own perspectives especially when others are in need of something. This is a practical application of the buddhist teaching of "no-self" qua a path to universal buddhahood as elaborated in the Lotus Sutra.” Check him out on YouTube.
And finally, UUSG member Kevin O’Neill will tell us about Augustus Conant and his experience during the Civil War in his sermon titled “Our Story.” Does UUSG have a story? Not just any story, but a story that grounds us and inspires us? Hear two narrators and five musicians tell our story of commitment, courage and sacrifice. Be prepared to sing, laugh, and maybe even cry. But most of all, be prepared to be grateful and proud of our story.
If you have an idea for a service topic, or if you would like to be a guest in the pulpit, please contact our Program Coordinator, Lisa Rittenberry, at admin.assistant@uusg.org.