UUCR Services for October 2026 services

10/4/2026 Blessing of the Animals Rev. Dr. Gayl Lavinder Every October, those involved in ministry find themselves summoned to bless the animals. This practice, deeply rooted in Catholicism and now practiced in many faiths, has been attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology and his deep love for all of creation. Please bring live animals on a leash or in a crate. Photos of your beloved companions are welcome in lieu of actual presence. A blessing will also be provided for animal companions that have passed. Please bring a photo.

10/11/2026 Drumming-Can You Hear Me? Sharon Pataky We may hear the words another person speaks, but do they experience themselves as heard? Through personal story and the practice of drumming, we’ll explore how our habits of listening can lead toward understanding, disconnection, or deeper relationship. A workshop will follow in the afternoon.

10/18/2026 Dancing with the Shadow Rev. Joan Faison Our shadows are beautiful, necessary parts of us. They are our guides, teachers, and gifts. As we learn to dance with our shadows and embrace the totality of who we are, our power grows exponentially. We become intentional co-creators of life and it becomes easier to live on purpose. We learn to completely love ourselves. At any point, we have the power to choose our response to life, continue to grow, change, and shift how we show up to the world around us. The world needs each of us—not a polished or perfected version, but the messy, true, authentic version we are in this moment. 

10/25/2026 AI: When Our Creations Surprise Us Rev Mark Cutolo "From the Tower of Babel to artificial intelligence, humans have always created things that exceed our expectations. What can AI teach us about creation and ourselves?

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