Rev. Bill Gupton
This morning, on the anniversary of his mother’s death, Rev. Bill invites us to consider some of the things that really are “matters of life and death” – and some of the things that aren’t – with a few personal stories from his sabbatical, and beyond.
Worship Associate: Lisa Prantl.
2021.
Rev. Erin J. Walter
Rev. Erin Walter
After more than a year of pandemic life, some days feel almost normal, while others still bring us to our knees. Drawing upon the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke and her own spiritual practice of music-making, Unitarian Universalist Rev. Erin Walter will reflect on how we may endure ongoing struggle while amplifying love and joy along the way.
Rev. Erin J. Walter (she/her/hers) is a minister, activist, and musician based in Austin and winner of the 2017 Sermon Award from the UU Women’s Federation. A former YMCA director, Rev. Erin is the singer/songwriter for band Parker Woodland, whose music you’ll hear in this service. She serves as a board member for the Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry and the Affiliated Community Minister of Wildflower (Unitarian Universalist) Church in Austin. You can find more about her music and ministry at ErinWalter.com.
Worship Associate: Bill Lyon.
2021.
Rev. Bill Gupton with the HUUC Board and Committee on Ministry
As we rejoice in the return of spring, we celebrate the return of Rev. Bill from his sabbatical by looking back at what’s been happening in the life of the church the past four months, while also looking ahead to an exciting future filled with change, challenges, and — as always — beloved community.
Rev. Bill Gupton
In many ways, this Easter Sunday will be like so many others at Heritage Church: a celebration of the renewal of life and the return of springtime, a meditation on the natural cycle of death and rebirth. In other ways, this Easter Sunday will be unique indeed. This is the second straight Easter in which we will be gathering virtually. The end of our pandemic-imposed separation is tantalizingly near, yet still indefinitely far away. This Easter Sunday, our Senior Minister returns from sabbatical to lead us in worship as we consider all the ways that we have come back to life, and all the ways we still hope to do so.
Worship Associate: Kathy Wade.
2021.
Rev. Nic Cable
Rev. Nic Cable
A year ago, Kate Deciccio created a powerful art piece to respond to the pandemic, which read “If we get this right, we will never go back to normal.” Now a year later, what will it look like for us as individuals and as a congregation to “get this right?” If we aren’t going to “go back to normal,” then where are we going? Join guest speaker Rev. Nic Cable as we explore this provocative idea in community.
Rev. Nic Cable serves as Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbus, Indiana. He received his B.A. summa cum laude in 2011 from DePaul University in both Religious Studies and Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies. He went on to receive his Master of Divinity summa cum laude in 2014 from Chicago Theological Seminary. Rev. Cable has received several Fellowships for interfaith and religious leadership from DePaul University, the Forum for Theological Exploration, and the Interfaith Youth Core. Most recently, he was named a 2018 Germanacos Fellow for social entrepreneurship. Rev. Cable has traveled nationally and internationally to build bridges among diverse communities, including in Nicaragua, Japan, and Israel/Palestine. Locally, Nic serves on the United Way Community Impact Committee, the Guiding Team for Imagine Columbus (a city-wide inclusion initiative), and as Executive Director of Columbus Interfaith.
Worship Associate: Steph Tacy.
Our goal: “Get back to normal”
Reid Hester and others
Our 2021-2022 pledge drive sets up a wonderful contradiction. It is on one hand the most mundane and boring pledge drive ever. Our goal is simply to get back to normal. But when has it ever been so inspiring to consider what it will be like to get back to normal? Our pledges will bring that new normal into being. They will enable new staff to be hired (Church Administrator and RE Director), the return of the choir to the sanctuary, and so much more. Come join us for this Stewardship Sunday where we can collectively envision the light at the end of the tunnel.
Worship Associate: Bill Lyon.
Rev. Mitra Jafarzadeh
Rev. Mitra Jafarzadeh
For many months, it has seemed like every choice is a matter of life and death. As faithful people, we want to help, but there is so little that we can change by next Tuesday that the world can feel too heavy on our shoulders. Join the conversation this Sunday as we turn to the lighter side of world religions and find God and all the saints laughing. Let’s play with the ideas that playfulness matters, that humor can be transformational, and that joy is a noble companion to the work of justice.
Rev. Mitra Jafarzadeh is the minister of St. John’s Unitarian Universalist Church in Clifton. Members and friends of her church will be joining us for this service.
Worship Associate: Kathy Wade.
Rev. Mitra Jafarzadeh began as settled minister at St. John’s Unitarian Universalist Church on Aug. 1, 2013. Before coming to St. John’s, she was the settled minister at Westside Unitarian Universalist Church near Knoxville, Tenn., and an acting minister at Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church in Louisville, Ky.
While in Tennessee, she taught Survey of World Religions at Pellissippi State Technical and Community College. She has been active in a clergy task force on domestic violence for several years, served on the board of Family Promise of Knoxville, which provides shelter for homeless families, and has served in other interfaith and service organizations over the years. In Cincinnati, she is an active member of the Clifton clergy group.
Mitra’s master of divinity degree is from Lexington Theological Seminary and her bachelor of arts in sociology is from University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her family enjoys hiking and camping. She also enjoys cooking, playing the recorder, watching “Doctor Who” and reading mystery novels.
2021.
Rev. Ruth Vann Lillian
Rev. Ruth Vann Lillian
The world’s major religions teach us to somehow love our enemies but that’s easier said than done. We’d prefer to avoid our enemies, but what if we encounter them right in our own congregation? How do we create “Beloved Community” when there are people in our church we just can’t stand? It’s easy to keep our friends close, but must we really keep our enemies closer?
Rev. Ruth Vann Lillian is a native of Birmingham, Alabama who was ordained in 1994 in the Methodist church and found her way to Unitarian Universalism in 2005. She holds degrees in English literature, marriage and family counseling, and ministerial studies which prepared her for 30 years of collective experience in hospital chaplaincy, parish ministry, religious education, campus ministry and LGBTQ advocacy. She currently serves the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Tuscaloosa. She and her husband are the grateful parents of two wonderful sons.
Worship Associate: Regina Pugh.
Heritage Acres Waterfall
Mimi Sinclair and Steph Tacy
“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” — Loren Eiseley
With spoken word, music, and silence, we will reflect on the element of water and our relationships with it. Necessary for life, nourishment for the body and soul, source of pleasure, expression of sorrow through tears, creator of life, destroyer of life, water is worshipped and feared. You may want to bring a glass or bowl of water with you to the service to participate in a water healing ceremony, blessing virtually with the water collected at our ingathering last fall. You might also bring a drum or shaker to accompany musical selections.
2021.
