East Shore Unitarian Sermons (bellevue, Wa)

Please join us on Sunday for a very special worship service. This Installation Ceremony is our congregation formally entering into shared ministry with Rev. Maria Cristina. The service will include special guests, music and more. We will celebrate after with food.

Language holds both power and possibility for liberation, healing and wholeness. Yet such liberation depends on who wields the power and how this power is used. Come join us as we seek to redefine and expand our understanding of language in leading to greater equity and inclusion within the disability justice movement.

As Unitarian Universalists, we recognize that our liberal faith is historically and spiritually rooted in Christianity. Therefore, we celebrate Easter, as well as the rebirth of nature and the resurrection of dreams and hopes. The Flower Ceremony, sometimes referred to as Flower Communion or Flower Festival, is an annual ritual that celebrates beauty, human uniqueness, diversity, and community.

Join us as we welcome Sul ka dub Freddie Lane, member of the Lummi Nation. The Lummi House of Tears Carvers are back on the move, transporting a hand-carved totem pole more than 6,500 miles to help protect Oak Flat. This land is sacred to tribes like the Hopi, Zuni, Yavapai and O’odham and is at risk of being destroyed during mining operations on one of the largest untapped copper deposits in North America. We welcome Freddie in the spirit of solidarity, healing, honor, hospitality, and respect.

Join us as we honor Dolores Huerta and César Chávez, labor leaders and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers. Their efforts resulted in farm workers in California having the right to collectively organize and bargain for better wages and working conditions. A tireless advocate for workers,’ immigrants,’ and women’s rights, Dolores Huerta was presented with The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States.

The Equinox is a time of balance in the earth’s year. The nights and days are of equal length. It is the still point in the great ebb and flow of light into dark and dark into light again. The turning of the seasons is the turning of the wheel. Let us gather to celebrate the return of Spring.

We gather to express our gratitude for all the blessings we receive from our ESUC community, to honor all the people in this congregation whose legacy inspires us to build the Beloved Community. Join us as we honor our church leaders, Ministry Team members, volunteers, and staff.

From “Don’t Say Gay” bills to the swath of laws criminalizing gender affirming and abortion-related care, attacks on bodily autonomy in the US are escalating at an alarming pace. And this nation has always targeted certain kinds of bodies as less worthy of protection and freedom than others. What does our UU tradition offer us as an antidote to toxic theologies of coercion and control that are fueling the current culture wars? Join us for a conversation about intersectionality, radical spiritual imagination, and the liberation of all our sacred bodies.

Pastoral care is a ministry of presence. People have stories of grief, trauma, loss, confusion, loneliness and depression. There is healing value in speaking these stories out loud when there is a compassionate person to listen with attention, and with the intention to bear witness. Our lay pastoral ministers will listen without judging, offering advice, or trying to fix anything. Having someone tuned in and able to be with you while you sort through your feelings allows you to tap into your own deep wisdom and capacity to heal.

Join us as we celebrate Mardi Gras and Purim. Together, we'll reflect upon the power of reversals. Nothing has the power to change us, confront us with reality, open our ears to a new truth, or turn our life in a different direction like a reversal can; a time when our world is turned upside down.

We yearn to love and be loved. When we act with lovingkindness, we align ourselves with the loving power of the universe and each other. When we embrace our neighbors and all creation with love and compassion, we unlock the power of covenant and unconditional love. All ages service & Uluhan family Child Dedication.

We often think about meditation, religious rituals, or pilgrimages as spiritual practices. Yet the journey of parenting also offers us opportunities to grow spiritually as we embrace change every day.

In Honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. we will explore teachings from the book “Healing Resistance: A Radically Different Response to Harm” by Kazu Haga. Reclaiming the energy and assertiveness of nonviolent practice, we can transform not only unjust systems but broken relationships.

The Feast of the Epiphany reminds us to honor all of our life’s journeys, particularly the unexpected detours. We’ll reflect on the meaning of the Epiphany and those unexpected “Aha!” moments that might change the course of our spiritual journeys. With impending change, come both fear and child-like wonder. Let us ponder the magical experience of following your star!

Join us this morning for an all ages service celebrating the start of a new year. We will celebrate with stories, songs, and learn how to prepare for the coming year like mother earth does. We will sit quietly and rest and dream.

Join us for a lovely candlelight service with carols and readings that convey the spirit of Christmas.

Enjoy the unique, rousing peace of Christmas Eve in this service crafted for children of all ages.

Join the East Shore Mighty Choir under the direction of Director of Music Eric Lane Barnes for a wintry mix of traditional carols, classical pieces and brand-new holiday songs. Special musical guests will add flair and spice to this engaging, meaningful and very merry program.

In many Latin American countries we celebrate Las Posadas, a pre-Christmas tradition recreating the arduous journey of Mary and Joseph fleeing from violence and seeking refuge. In the United States, many churches incorporate this tradition as an expression of solidarity with all immigrants and refugees. We are reminded that we are a living sanctuary and a welcoming congregation.

Change is in the air. It is a time to be mindful and intentional about our deepest desires and concerns for ourselves, our families, our communities, and our planet. It is also a time to gather strength and nourishment for the journeys ahead.