Rev. Alison Duren-Sutherland is Saltwater’s contract minister for the 2023-24 church year, operating in a hybrid/remote capacity from her home in Southern Oregon and onsite at Saltwater one week per month.
Deep, reflective listening has the power to help us cross divides, to make connections that we could have missed, and to build relationships of kindness and care as we are called to do by our Covenant of Right Relations. On our October Faith Formation Sunday, all ages will come together for multigenerational learning, play and … Continue reading Living Love through the Practice of Deep Listening
How do we cultivate an openness to receiving wisdom and inspiration beyond what our senses can perceive? Whether you hope to tune in to the silent voices of your own inner wisdom, the lessons of the more-than-human world, or the wisdom of a supernatural Divine, Rev. Alison will offer reflection on and opportunity to practice … Continue reading Listening for What Can’t Be Heard
Throughout religious history, revivals have marked periods of resurgence in people’s commitment to their faith traditions. They brought the community together and served as a galvanizing force for the future, often during times of great change or anxiety. In the midst of overlapping climate crises and mounting social injustice, now is the time to worshipfully re-imagine a … Continue reading UU Climate Justice Revival
Acknowledging Indigenous wisdom that tells us that “Water is Life” and following a 40 year tradition in Unitarian Universalism, we celebrate our community by participating in the UU Water Ceremony, pouring our individual waters into a shared vessel that represents our congregation. Bring water that is meaningful to you or use the water provided in … Continue reading Gathering Our Sacred Waters
There are so many things to grieve: the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on our bodies and minds, broken and severed relationships, the loss of our beloveds to death, the changing climate that we fear may one day cease to support human life, and so much more. In this service, Rev. Alison will provide us with … Continue reading Time & Space to Grieve & Lament
In June, representatives from UU congregations around the country and the world voted to revise the way the Unitarian Universalist Association bylaws talk about the purpose of our denomination. Rev. Alison will explore the way this new articulation of UU values builds on the previous Principles and dovetails beautifully with our mission at Saltwater Church … Continue reading Our Principles, Our Values, Our Mission
Join Rev. Alison and Saltwater’s Covenant of UU Pagans chapter as we honor the Celtic Pagan first harvest festival of Lammas, also called Lughnasadh (Lu-na-sah). The first days of August herald a time of abundance, and the full ripening of summertime. What is coming to fruition for you this high summer?
We will start our Joyful Connection Series on June 30th . Miriam Woito will begin the service briefly in the sanctuary with a meditation, chanting, and Margret Knasiak will play her crystal bowl. We will then go to the welcome room to create a piece of Neurographic art. This is a very simple yet powerful … Continue reading Neurographic Art
What do Unitarian Universalist communities share, given that we do not share a set of common beliefs or “creed”? In this service, we’ll return to Saltwater’s statements of who we are — our mission, our purpose, and perhaps most importantly, our covenant, which offer us a common vision of how we will be together. You … Continue reading Renewing Our Commitment to Covenant & Community
“True goodness is like water. Water’s good for everything. It doesn’t compete. It goes right to the low, loathesome places, and so finds the way.” –Lao Tsu, translated by Urusula K. LeGuin Thousands of years ago in China, during a time of political and social upheaval, a small volume was written to help people find … Continue reading Flowing Along the Way: Lessons from the Tao te Ching
