Sunday Mornings at Cedars

Kathryn Lafond, Cedars Guest SpeakerNancy Philip, Worship AssociateWhy does it seem we are afraid to listen to our Higher-Self? What I am led to understand, through nearly thirty years as an intuitive, is that by learning to live from our heart-centered, heart-led perspective, we open to potentials far beyond the limitations we’ve currently set for ourselves. Why not make this journey more light-hearted and fun!Kathryn Lafond, Intuitive Energy Healer/Health coach, Author, and Wise Woman Herbalist, trained in ancient wisdom traditions, is a life-long seeker who brings spiritual guidance from innumerable mentors. She is devoted to helping us remember the sacred in everyday life.

Rev.  Margo Rinehart, Cedars MinisterDavid Thomas, Worship AssociateNow that the fireworks and Presidential speeches are over, what stays with us after the July 4th celebrations?  The proposition that all men are created equal must be tested again and again with each new generation.  As America has not yet filled its promise, how can we, as individuals keep us moving toward that goal?Reverend Margo Rinehart serves Cedars by welcoming people from diverse theological and religious backgrounds and spiritual beliefs on their journeys to learn from one another, search for truth, and answer the call of love and justice.

Angela Lujan, Cedars Guest SpeakerLiz Motter, Worship AssociateThe development and importance of community and the role it plays in resilience. How it relates to Pride and its importance for all of us.Angela Lujan is a board member of Poulsbo Pride, the Executive Director of NW Hopeful Horizons, and an employee of Kitsap Mental Health. As a mental health professional of 14 years, serving the Kitsap County community has always been important to her. She sees the challenges our community faces and the struggles individuals face when they feel a lack of belonging. Her passion for serving and stewarding others centers on her hope for a better future.

Rev. Barbara Cornell, Cedars Guest MinisterNancy Philip, Worship AssociateIn his book, The Wild Edge of Sorrow, grief therapist Francis Weller says, “In our grief we are broken apart and reassembled. It is hard, painful, and unbidden work. No one goes in search of loss; rather, it finds us and reminds us of the temporary gift we have been given, these few sweet breaths we call life.”Join us this week for a reflection on meeting the pain of our losses, on the patient work of reassembly, and on honoring the brief, luminous gift of this life.Rev. Barbara Cornell coordinates bereavement services in Edmonds, WA as the Lead Coordinator of the Bereavement Program and the Mental Health and Recovery Ministry Team at Swedish Edmonds Hospital. In addition to her work as a hospital chaplain, she is married to Dane Scott, and they have two adult children, Katie and Will.

Chuck Walbridge, Cedars Guest SpeakerLiz Motter, Worship AssociateWithin parts of the liberal left, there are voices that speak of men through the lens of toxic masculinity, hoping to name real harm but sometimes painting with too broad a brush. On the illiberal right, the manosphere often responds by amplifying the very traits it is criticized for. And in the space between these loud extremes, the everyday experiences, struggles, and quiet goodness of most men rarely receive attention.This Sunday, we'll explore these tensions with care and look for a more generous, human‑centered way forward. You're warmly invited to join us.

Rev. Barbara Gilday, Cedars Guest MinisterJohanna Munson, Worship AssociateFeaturing music by Gretchen YanoverAs we try to make sense of what is happening in our country, it is useful to look back at some past recoveries, and importantly, look at what successful strategies are being employed in our day.  We must not lose faith. We must not give in. And true to our Unitarian Universalist values, we must think and act in love - the greatest power in the world.Rev. Barbara Gilday came to professional ministry in mid-life, but her life has been full of inquiry, diversity, social justice, connecting and sharing with others:Teaching in Ghana, hosting Japanese Exchange Programs, developing peer tutoring programs, hosting a Ukrainian refugee, to name a few. Currently, she is exploring in new and deeper ways, how we continue to find joy in, and give value to life as our capacities change. Barbara is the grateful member of a loving, blended family, and a new mom to a young rescue dog, Marley, who keeps her physically active.

Rev.  Margo Rinehart, Cedars MinisterLiz Motter, Worship AssociateAs spring turns into summer, Unitarian Universalists from around the world celebrate Flower Communion, a ceremony of celebration of each person's uniqueness and to honor how we flourish together. Flower Communion was created for his congregation in 1923 by Czech Unitarian minister, Nobert Capek. Remember to bring a few blossoms to give away as we share in the abundance of life. Reverend Margo Rinehart serves Cedars by welcoming people from diverse theological andreligious backgrounds and spiritual beliefs on their journeys to learn from one another, search fortruth and answer the call of love and justice.

Rev. Bruce Bode, Cedars Guest MinisterNancy Philip, Worship AssociateThis is a companion sermon to Rev. Bruce Bode’s January 4 sermon titled “The Road Not Taken”, which was based on Robert Frost’s poem by that title. This follow-up sermon will look at the road we have taken in life, then explore how we go forward from where we are.NOTE: A print version of the January 4 service can be found at the link here.Rev. Bruce Bode is retired as senior minister of the Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Port Townsend, WA in June 2018, and where he is now Minister Emeritus.

Rev.  April Frazier, Cedars Guest MinisterNancy Philip, Worship AssociateHave you ever felt like “feeling grateful” was one more thing on your to-do list? Or a cliche that makes you roll your eyes? Or maybe wonder if it is even possible to pay attention to gratitude when everything else happening in the world crowds it out? Let’s take a breath, take off the pressure and find an opening in the mundane and mystical…and then maybe we can find some laughter, awe, and gratitude.Rev. April Frazier is a Board-Certified Chaplain and after working in hospitals and pastoral care in a parish, has spent most of her career in home hospice. She is an Affiliated Community Minister with Shoreline UUC. She received her M.Div. at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. She finds joy in nature, creative projects, and spending time with her family.

Rev.  Margo Rinehart, Cedars MinisterDavid Thomas, Worship AssociateJoin us for this special Sunday morning service where Reverend Margo and selected congregants will be reading their favorite poems to uplift us and give expression to our deepest universal experiences.Reverend Margo Rinehart serves Cedars by welcoming people from diverse theological and religious backgrounds and spiritual beliefs on their journeys to learn from one another, search for truth, and answer the call of love and justice.

Nancy Philip and Gregory Cook, Cedars Guest SpeakersOur seasoned Worship Associates Gregory Cook and Nancy Philip share their perspectives on the topic of motherhood.Nancy Philip joined Cedars in 1997 with her partner Jeff and their children Marina, Lydia, and Archer. She has served as a Religious Educator, trustee, long‑time committee member, OWL facilitator (often co‑facilitating with Gregory Cook), and a Worship Associate for 16 years, advocating for love, inclusivity, and marginalized communities.Gregory Cook has been part of the Cedars community since 2007 and has served as a Worship Associate since 2016 (with a few pauses along the way). His curiosity spans a wide spectrum, from the elegance of physics to deep questions about identity and what makes us who we are.

Rev. Margo Rinehart, Cedars MinisterLiz Motter, Worship AssociateThe poet Rilke tells us not to seek the answers to our questions, rather to live everything, to live the questions now.  In this service we will explore how holy curiosity helps us engage our underlying beliefs and yearnings, and the tangles that long to be unknotted in the search for meaning in our lives and wider world.Reverend Margo Rinehart serves Cedars by welcoming people from diverse theological and religious backgrounds and spiritual beliefs on their journeys to learn from one another, search for truth, and answer the call of love and justice.

Jennifer Alviar, Cedars Guest MinisterNancy Philip, Worship AssociateImpermanence is difficult for the mind to grasp and the heart to accept. Come join us as we co-create an earth mandala together. May this nature-based community art form guide us in the spiritual practice of letting go with more grace.Rev. Jennifer Alviar is a Unitarian Universalist minister who designs rituals for healing and renewal in sacred and civic spaces. Her calling is to bring more intentionality to daily life by uplifting the simple, ordinary moments in the natural world with an eye toward beauty, wonder and awe.