October: Practice of Deep Listening
October 6th, 1st Sunday
“Deep Listening” Rev Ted Tollefson speaking.
In a culture that puts emphasis on speaking and has classes in many schools on “public speaking”, maybe it’s time to turn our attention to the importance of listening. How can we learn to listen at a deeper level to enhance private and public conversations? There will be an Icecream Sundae after the service: free icecream for all! Workshop on “Deep Listening” too.
Oct 13: Mike Noreen will elaborate on what Hope for Earth (H4E) is currently doing and how we can participate. The mission of H4E is to create a hopeful, ecologically sustainable future for River Falls through collaboration, education, partnerships, advocacy and action.
Oct 20 Forum: The Wisconsin Citizenship Voting Requirement Amendment is on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment.
Find out the history behind this proposed amendment to the WI Constitution and come ready to discuss its merits.
Oct 27 Our Neighbor’s Place is an award-winning nonprofit organization providing support, shelter, and housing services to foster self-determination in Pierce and St. Croix counties. Director Shelly Smith will describe the programs that ONP offers and how you can support its efforts.
November theme: Repair
First Sunday: Randy Dean will do his first service at UUSRF. More to come.
Introduction to Deep Listening from Soul Matters
Welcome to the Practice of Deep Listening. This is your chance to listen carefully. Your whole life might depend on what you hear.- Joyce Sutphen
Listening helps us find our way. The listening of therapists allows us to navigate our way through life. We turn to prayer to hear God’s guidance. We listen to experts so we can get ahead. Like a flashlight that leads us through the darkness, listening helps us stay on course.
And yet maybe there’s more to it than that. What if listening doesn’t just guide us through the world, but also creates our world. Just think about why you listen to those close to you. Is it really just to gather information? To hear the other clearly? Or is it because you’ve discovered in those rare moments of deep listening that a space suddenly opens up between and around the two of you? A space that is radically different than the space you inhabited a few minutes prior. A space that feels sacred. A space that, once you’ve experienced it, you never want to leave.
Question for UUSRF: Could listening really create our world? What world shall we create by listening?
Plan for September through June:
2024-2025 Themes
This year’s overarching frame is The Practices of Our Faith. We’re using this frame to focus on how Unitarian Universalism is a lived faith that inspires us to act, live, and love our values out in the world. Or to put it another way, we’re diving into our long-loved commitment to “deeds not creeds.” Our overarching frame is also a way for us to connect to our new UU core value of Liberating Love, with each of our monthly themes framed as a practice that helps us embody liberating love in our daily lives.
December: Presence
January: Story
February: Inclusion
March: Trust
April: Joy
May: Imagination
June: Freedom
Unitarian Universalist Holidays, Holy Days and Worship Themes 2024-25.