Sermon Archive

Kent Nerburn has been called “one of America’s living spiritual teachers” by the prestigious web magazine, Spirituality and Practice, and “one of the few writers who can respectfully bridge the gap between Native and non-Native cultures” by Harper Collins publishers.  He is the author of 16 books on spirituality and Native American subjects, including the acclaimed trilogy, Neither Wolf nor Dog, The Wolf at Twilight, and The Girl who Sang to the Buffalo.  His books on spirituality include Small Graces, Simple Truths, and Make Me an Instrument of your Peace.  Kent holds a Ph.d. with distinction from Graduate Theological Union and the University of California at Berkeley and spent 30 years working among Native American communities.  He says his work, at heart, is always "a search for an authentic American spirituality."  He will speak to us this morning on what he calls the "Ordinary Sacred" -- finding the spiritual in the everyday and how we too often underestimate the importance of life's difficult moments on our spiritual journey. 

There will be a Special Collection during this service benefiting "Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette"

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Each Sunday that we gather for worship, we reaffirm our purpose by saying together the words of our congregational covenant which begins: "We Covenant with each other as a community of love." Today we put that call into action by exploring deeply with one other what it means to be a community of love with each other, with our broader faith movement and with the wider world.

This participatory "Soul Circle" service is based on the small group ministry concept of Chalice Circle. We will offer some inspiration, a time for quiet reflection and an opportunity to share deeply with one another in small groups. This service will be facilitated by Wy'east Members & Friends.

Join Our Virtual Service Sunday at 10:30 AM

This service will be offered ONLY as a virtual service.

Click here to join the virtual service on Zoom

Meeting ID:  275 194 110

Phone In:  (669) 900-6833

Better, faster, newer... always comparing, always striving. That is what our culture pushes us to do. What are we, as Unitarian Universalists, called to do? Join our minister Rev. Leslie Becknell Marx to explore the spiritual practice of compassion -- for self and others.

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Each church year there are 4 months that have a 5th Sunday. As part of our lay ministry and to offer respite to our Worship Committee, we are using these Sundays to offer an alternative to traditional worship. In lieu of holding a service, either in-person or on Zoom, we will be organizing a group service project we can do together instead.

• For this "5th-Sunday's Day of Service," we will support one of our sustaining community partners, Rahab’s Sisters. To learn more about Rahab’s Sisters, see https://rahabs-sisters.org/

If you are able, please join us and make Friendship Cards together (we'll have some supplies to make cards)! Bring your own lunch and we'll make a picnic of it inside!

Gather at the Community for Positive Aging, (formerly, Hollywood Senior Center) between Noon and 1:30 PM

Wy’east members will collect clothing, toiletries, and hygiene supplies; and make friendship cards, and bring them to Wy’east on Sunday the 29th, or make arrangements to have items picked up if you can’t deliver. 

Share your questions and ideas on Wy’east Chat. Let’s work together to make this a fun and helpful service project.

Larry Burt, 503-329-6397
Diane Ingle, 503-936-6947

We are religious people of imagination and possibility. We are a living tradition ever evolving and transforming. In these ever more rapidly changing times, we as Unitarian Universalists need to ask: Who are we? How do we live into our values? Our UU Association of Congregations is engaging with the periodic process of examining and updating Article II of our bylaws. This is important because it involves our beloved Principles and Sources. Our minister will walk us through what has happened in this process and what comes next. Join us to reflect on change in our wider movement and in our individual lives.

Leslie's calendar does not allow her to be with us for a Multi-Platform worship this month. She will be in the pulpit again for an in-person worship on Sunday, February 5th and Sunday, March 19th.

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Rev. John Hasenjaeger and Mary Ann Barham will share their experiences and challenges with “Sacred  Organizing,” in their work with the Leaven Community Land and Housing Coalition, a predominantly  interfaith group in Multnomah, Washington & Clackamas Co. that includes both Westminster Presbyterian and First UU in Portland. John will offer some of his own vocational journey and how his  thinking about it has been revolutionized by his Land & Housing Coalition experience. Mary Ann will  introduce us to the “Sacred Organizing Spiral,” as a way of living out one's spirituality in community,  while making real change in the world. Together they will introduce us to the Barbie's Village project,  which will provide transitional housing for Native American families who find themselves houseless in  Portland; this “land back” project will be located just a half mile from where Wy'East UU meets. 

Rev. John O. Hasenjaeger is a retired Presbyterian minister and neighbor of Wy'East UU. He has  served as Pastor of churches in the wider area. John also taught Philosophy and Religion at Clackamas  and Mt Hood Community Colleges. And he has participated in the life of Eastrose UU in Gresham over the last 20 years. Today his church home is Westminster Presbyterian in the Lloyd area. In addition to  church and higher education, John's third vocational dimension is what he has learned to call “sacred  organizing,” which is the subject of today's talk. 

Mary Ann Barham has been a resident of NE Portland for 35 years and currently lives in the  Hollywood neighborhood. She has been a member of the Land & Housing Coalition’s Multnomah Co.  design team for the past 1½ years and attends First UU in downtown Portland where she is involved  with immigrant justice and other social justice activities. 

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Our Social Justice Speaker Series on "The Future of Democracy" continues with a presentation from Political Science Professor, Dr. Melody Ellis Valdini. Her talk offers an overview of the recent decline in democracies in the world, with a focus on some common trends and developments that political scientists have noticed. In addition, she will offer several methods that are commonly proposed as potential fixes to this decline, and highlight both the most ineffective and effective solutions for the problem of declining democracies.

Melody Ellis Valdini (Ph.D. 2006, University of California, San Diego) is a professor in the political science department at Portland State University as well as the co-editor of the Journal of Women, Politics & Policy. Her research focuses on the consequences of institutional design, with a particular focus on electoral systems, political parties, and women's descriptive representation. She has published in the American Journal of Political Science, Political Research Quarterly, Electoral Studies, and Politics & Gender, and is the author of two books: The Character of Democracy: How Institutions Shape Politics (with Richard Clucas) and The Inclusion Calculation: Why Men Appropriate Women's Representation (both published by Oxford University Press). In 2020, her most recent book, The Inclusion Calculation, was selected as the winner of the Victoria Schuck Award by the American Political Science Association, which recognizes the best book published on women and politics in the previous year.

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At this winter time of the New Year, there is nothing so warm and cozy as a service where we sing hymns together, particularly those that bring us joy and hope for the days ahead. We will have some hymns picked out ourselves for sure, but you might also come with some favorites and requests. Hymn sing led by Wy’east Member Mathias Quackenbush.

Multi-Platform Worship Sunday at 10:30 AM

This service will be offered as BOTH a virtual and an in-person service.

Click here to join the virtual service on Zoom

Meeting ID:  275 194 110

Phone In:  (669) 900-6833

On Sunday, Christmas Day, we will not have a Service, but our regular Sunday Zoom worship connection will be open at 10:30 AM for a Social Hour for anyone who wants to drop in. 

Virtual Service Sunday at 10:30 AM

This service will be offered only as a virtual Social Hour.

Click here to join the virtual service on Zoom

Meeting ID:  275 194 110

Phone In:  (669) 900-6833

On Christmas Eve, we will, at 5:00 PM, “gather for renewal and fellowship” as called for by our mission. We’ll do so virtually, alongside our covenant to be cared for and to care for others. We will share stories, light candles, and close with the traditional Silent Night. In community together, though separated by screens, we will lift up our hopes shining through the darkness and grieve for losses felt heavily during the Christmas Season. You're invited to bring a candle to light from your home worship space. This gathering will be facilitated by Wy’east members and friends.

Virtual Service Saturday at 5:00 PM

This service will be offered only as a virtual service.

Click here to join the virtual service on Zoom

Meeting ID:  275 194 110

Phone In:  (669) 900-6833