UUFSMA: Let Your Light Shine

Sunday, January 27, 10:30am 
Let Your Light Shine
Rev. Debra Faulk

At this Sunday’s Unitarian Universalist Fellowship service, The Rev. Debra Faulk addresses how we limit ourselves by giving into fear and not recognizing our own strength and power.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?” Actually who are you not to be? … As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

The quote comes from Marianne Williamson’s, A Return to Love, though it has often been credited to Nelson Mandela because he used it in his inaugural speech upon taking leadership in South Africa following the decision to end apartheid. The service will use this quote in its entirety as the inspirational diving board.
What is it that we fear about or own light and power? Rev. Faulk explores some of the things that might limit us, including culturally mandated biases, certain social pressures, and even denominational confines that have withheld the full expression of our unique and universal greatness that would add to the overall flourishing of life and goodness on this planet. This is a time when we are being invited to recognize our own power and privilege, and to use it for the greater good.

Rev. Faulk holds a BA in psychology and anthropology from the University of Victoria and a Masters of Divinity from Vancouver School of Theology. She has served as a chaplain at Vancouver General Hospital, Director of Religious Education in Victoria, and as Parish Minister to congregations in BC, Ontario. She is now in her ninth year as Minister of the Unitarian Church of Calgary.
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She is a member of the UU Ministers Association’s Collegial Development Team. This past summer she participated in a pilgrimage to Transylvania for the 450th anniversary of the Diet of Torda, said to be the first recorded document of religious freedom. Her greatest passions are inter-faith dialogue and action, building community of all ages and perspectives, addressing issues of equity, and protecting the environment. Her two adult children and five grandchildren were born, raised and still live on the west coast of Canada.

For more information on the UUFSMA, including our Children’s Religious Education Program, Social Action  Outreach, weekly discussion groups, social activities and Care Team, join us any Sunday at 10:30am at the Hotel La Aldea or check out our website at www.uufsma.org. 

Our fellowship was born in 1987 when a small group of expatriate religious liberals came together to meet as Unitarian Universalists in San Miguel de Allende. The fellowship has been active and thriving ever since. Every UU church has it’s own flavor, and we are no exception. We are a combination of expats and visitors, each actively engaged and contributing to this wonderful Mexican community we love. Because there is a coming, going, and returning aspect, our spiritual community is extremely fluid.  There is a magic in San Miguel which draws us in and binds us together—both as members of the church and of the larger community. Our programming is led by visiting ministers, community leaders, and church members, so the variety is lively. We have opportunities to meet as UU’s each week at discussion groups, breakfasts, luncheons, and in various other ways. Depending on the season, attendance fluctuates between 40 and 140. Our primary focus is on funding social action within the surrounding community. We love good music, good discussion, good food, and having visitors. We invite you to join us any Sunday morning.

Members regularly post updates and information on this site. We also post meeting minutes and announcements there.

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https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/UUFSMA/info

Click on “membership”and follow the directions.

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