UUFSMA: “Ingathering: Why Do We Do This Every Sunday Morning?”

Sunday, October 24, 10:30am 

“Ingathering:
Why Do We Do This Every Sunday Morning?”

​​Speakers: Reverend Tom Rosiello
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Zoom link:  https://zoom.us/j/414604040 
Password: 294513

By Joseph Plummer
UUFSMA Board Secretary

Have you considered lately why many people take time every week to attend a religious service?  You could do lots of other things on a Sunday morning.  You could be hiking, playing golf, working in your garden, or reading the Sunday newspaper with a robust cup of coffee. You could attend weekly lectures elsewhere. You could do volunteer work instead. Or you could follow the schedule of any other day of the week.

In this weekend’s UUFSMA first ever in-person and online Sunday Service, the Reverend Tom Rosiello, Fellowship Minister, reminds participants of such alternatives to meeting for prayer and reflection. Clearly though his goal is to underscore the rewards for fidelity to weekly spiritual gathering—approached with open minds and free spirits.

The practice of observing a sabbath on the seventh day and coming together for weekly worship is an ancient practice, a ritual handed down through many religions but not always with a free hand. Social compulsion or nagging guilt can motivate people to make their way to a sabbath seating. In conservative traditions it is considered a sin not to attend a weekly service.

Yet no such compulsions seem to move congregants to gather in liberal religious communities. And, certainly, a sense of eternal obligation does not play a role in calling people to attend a Unitarian Universalist Fellowship service like we have in San Miguel. Yet here we are gathering Sunday after Sunday. So, if you find yourself asking why you are here, Reverend Rosiello will present many reasons why you choose to attend – the benefits you derive and that flow to others by your doing so. Then, as you become more aware of the importance of this weekly practice for you, he will invite you to share what you have with others who might also benefit from the practice of weekly communal gatherings.

To participate in our online Sunday Service, visit the Fellowship’s website at www.uufsma.org and click on the Zoom Service button displayed on the home page. If requested, enter password: 294513. Sign-in from anywhere Sunday mornings between 10:15-10:25 am CST.

For future Sunday services, UUFSMA members may send an email to Diana at info.uufsma@gmail.com to learn about required reservations and safety guidelines.

Through grants and awards, UUFSMA donates at least fifty percent of its income to support nonprofit organizations that provide health, educational, and environmental services for underserved communities in the San Miguel region.

Please support this work by clicking on the website home page Donate button. Now more than ever, your support is essential.

During the past 20 months of the coronavirus, UUFSMA suspended in-person Sunday services and other gatherings. A growing collection of previous online services can be found on the UUFSMA’s YouTube channel. Go  to https://www.youtube.com/ and enter UUFSMA in the search box. The UU Fellowship welcomes people of all ages, races, religions, sexual orientation, and gender identity.