Upcoming Services

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July 2024

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July 7 | We Should Always Be Able To Say "I'm Sorry"

We are all taught as children to say “I’m sorry” when we have hurt someone else. As adults, however, some of us have a harder time than others putting this lesson into practice. It’s never a mistake to say “I’m sorry” even if we believe we are in the right.

— Peter House

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July 14 | Letting Go of Ourselves

Life is full of goodbyes. The longer we live, the more loved ones we have to say goodbye to. While it’s painful, we do survive, and life goes on. Are there lessons to be learned from these experiences about how to say the biggest goodbye of all?

— Peter House

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July 21 | What I Learned From The Eclipse

April 8 was supposed to be the opportunity of a life time. But we all know that Rochester’s weather didn’t cooperate with our big plans. Are there lessons to be learned from that day that may be more valuable than the memories we’d have of everything having worked out perfectly?

— Peter House

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July 28 | What I Believe

A worship service sharing theologies of Unitarian Universalism in multiple voices. Taking our pluralism seriously by sharing this diversity of beliefs.

— Rev. Lane-Mairead Campbell

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August 2024

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August 4 | How Easy it Can be to Fracture a Community

The past eight years have shown us that our national unity is much more fragile than we ever thought. We are living in an ever more narcissistic era where the beliefs and the desires of the individual are increasingly valued over the compromise and acceptance required by our communities and institutions. We must all live with increased awareness of how easy it can be to fracture a community.

— Peter House

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August 11| Christianity Without Beliefs

The United States is not a Christian Nation as so many of our friends on the right claim it is. But Christianity is nonetheless the religion which dominates our culture. Is it possible to be a devout Christian without believing in anything supernatural? Could Christianity be boiled down to a set of practices which make the world a better place?

— Peter House

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August 18 | Injustice or Destiny?

Most Americans live fairly privileged lives when measured in global terms. This privilege at times blinds us to universal truths, and over-inflates our expectations. Is there still a place for humility and acceptance in 21st Century America?

— Peter House

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August 25 | A Celebration of Justice!!

Justice is a central value for Unitarian Universalists. This service will feature the Transposing Voices Choir, an all-trans choir based in Rochester.

— Rev. Lane-Mairead Campbell

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*First Universalist has a long-standing tradition of having one Sunday sermon a month be presented by someone other than our minister. Our lay-led services give our minister well-deserved unscheduled time, as well as allowing us to share our individual spiritual journeys, experiences and diverse world views, which is an important part of our rich Unitarian Universalist heritage.