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      Worship at the Walpole Unitarian Church promises a rich and diverse menu this year using a creative approach to sustainable ministry!

     Reverend Elaine Bomford offers two services a month, and we draw from a large number of other professional and lay speakers. On the first Sunday of the month, we hold Circle Sunday service, a casual time to be together, discuss a topic, play and sing.

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Autumn Services 2023

September  October  November

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Unless otherwise noted, all services begin at 10 a.m.

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September 10 – Rev. Elaine Bomford, “Ingathering: Water Communion” We begin the new church year with a Unitarian Universalist tradition, the Water Communion. As rivers converge on their way to the ocean, we gather in unity with one another and the life-giving waters that sustain us. In this ritual, open to all, some of us will bring water we collected from special places near and far to pour into a common bowl; others may splash in water from a pitcher and tell us about the place and the lesson for you that it represents. 

            September 17 – Rev. Mellen Kennedy, Parliament of the World's Religions Rev. Mellen will share stories, observations, hopes and challenges from her experience of attending the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in August. The theme of the Parliament this year was “Defending Freedom and Human Rights” and was attended by roughly 10,000 participants from 80 countries and 200 Religions.

            September 24 – Rev. Elaine Bomford, “Carl Sandburg.” As a young man, Carl Sandburg attended Lombard College in Galesburg, Illinois, founded by progressive Universalists. In keeping with his lifelong convictions of free thought and social justice, Sandburg was buried from the Unitarian Universalist church in Asheville, Carolina. We hear poetry written by this wry, wise, and visionary member of our extended faith family. If you would like to be a Reader for this service, please contact Rev. Elaine, ebomford@gmail.com

           October 1 – First Sunday, Antonia Andreoli,  will talk on “Spiritual Immigrants.”

           October 8 – Rev. Elaine Bomford, “The Wisdom of Sundays.” In her Super Soul Sunday interviews, Oprah Winfrey has gleaned wisdom from hundreds of the most prominent people and lesser -known lights of our times: Ram Dass, Jimmy Carter, Deepak Chopra, Thich Nhat Hanh, Maya Angelou. Rev. Elaine shares gems from these interviews for pondering and inspiration. 

            October 15 – Rev, Sandra Whippie, will offer the service “For the Beauty of the Earth.”

            October 22 – Rev. Elaine Bomford, “America's Next Great Awakening,” Rev. Elaine reflects on Christopher Naughton's “America's Next Great Awakening: What the Convergence of Mysticism, Religion, Atheism and Science Means for the Nation and You,” a recently published examination of historic polarization and existential challenges that threaten our democracy entitled. “The core of America – our history, myths and ideals – has the capacity to bring out the very best in us.” 

            October 29 – “Harvest Home” with Keith Penniman. A participatory celebration of the fall harvest and the blessings of nature and community. Everyone is invited to bring a small offering of something they have grown, gathered, made, or purchased from a local producer, for example: a vegetable, fruit, flower, autumn leaf, acorn, baked good, or craft. There will be an opportunity for each participant to say something about the item they have brought. At the conclusion of the service, everyone takes home one of the offerings other than the one they contributed.

            November 5 – First Sunday, Wendy Harty will present “The Connectedness of all Things”

            November 12 – Rev. Elaine Bomford, “We covenant...” At the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in June 2023, UUs in attendance voted to accept for congregational consideration significant revisions to our Principles, Purposes, and Sources. Rev. Elaine will introduce the proposed changes, which will see final vote in June 2024. Members and friends in the pews will be invited to comment.

            November 19 – Keith Penniman, “Ruth and Naomi.” Reflections on the biblical story of the friendship between Ruth and Naomi as seen through the eyes of three 20th-century women.

            November 26 – Rev. Elaine Bomford, “First Encounters.” In his book “This Land is Their Land” David J. Silverman writes “If the public continues to insist on associating Pilgrim-Wampanoag relations with Thanksgiving, the least we can do is try to get the story right.” With Rev. Elaine, we revisit stories of first encounters between Pilgrims and Wampanoags in search of a story that is closer to the truth than myth.