Celebrate summer solstice at UUCWI
Through story, song, and ceremony, and without a sermon, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island will honor fathers at the Sunday service and celebrate the fullness of life and Earth’s blessings at this time of solstice.
All are welcome. Values-based children’s religious exploration classes and childcare will be provided.
The service is at 10 a.m. at 20103 Highway 525, just north of Freeland. Check www.whidbey.com/uucwi for more information.
Sermon examines God’s perfect creation
Eighty-five years ago during the famous Scopes “monkey trial,” people argued whether we should attribute existence to God or evolution; today, people continue the argument, perhaps confusing spirituality and physicality as though God, as spirit, would create with materials inferior to spiritual perfection.
“The physical universe expresses the conscious and unconscious thoughts of mortals … Briefly, this is Darwin’s theory — that Mind produces its opposite, matter, and imbues matter with power to recreate the universe, including man.” (“Science and Health.”)
On Sunday, June 20, the Christian Science service explores how God’s spiritual and perfect creation can be part of your daily experience today.
Everyone is welcome. The service at 10:30 a.m. at 15910 Highway 525.
Pastor Wedeking gives the message
What is the secret for a successful church? How is Paul’s prayer for the church at Colossae also revealing for churches today? Pastor Ron Wedeking tackles this question in his straight-from-the-Bible sermon, “Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians,” based on Colossians 1:9-14, on Sunday morning at South Whidbey Community Church.
Morning worship begins at 10 and is preceded by an adult learning forum at 9 a.m., with Stan Walker leading an inductive study into Paul’s Letter to the Church at Ephesus, and Art Angst leading a study into the Gospel of Luke. These are open classes where everyone is invited.
There will be a movie night at the grange, starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 25, featuring the film, “Faith like Potatoes.” Everything is free, including lots of great popcorn. Everyone is invited.
All SWCC sermons and special adult forum lectures are recorded, and copies on CD-R or e-mailed as Windows audio attachments may be obtained by calling the church at 221-1220.
SWCC is a local independent, non-denominational church that adheres to the National Association of Evangelicals Statement of Faith. It is open to everyone, and gathers for worship each Sunday at the Deer Lagoon Grange, 5142 Bayview Road.
For further information about the church and services, call 221-1220.
Talk to explore ‘Is Unity Christian?’
Unity has often been described as a philosophy of “practical Christianity.” Though the church’s guiding principles are based on the teachings of Jesus and look to Jesus as a way-shower, Unity follows a path that is not identified as a Christian denomination.
All are invited to consider the words of Rev. Patty Becker as she clarifies the defining beliefs of Christianity and how they apply or not to New Thought philosophy. Music will be provided by Lynn Parr on the piano, and Joy Williams will serve as the platform assistant.
The service is at 10 a.m. Sunday, and all are welcome. Unity of Whidbey is located in its new chapel at 5671 Crawford Road in Langley.
Unity of Whidbey also maintains office hours at the church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
See Unity’s Web site at www.unityofwhidbeyisland.org for more information.
Forums continue at St. Augustine’s
Ted Brookes will present the next adult forum at St. Augustine’s in-the-Woods as the Freeland church continues its graduate-level theology series on early Christianity, “The Beginning of Jewish-Christian Relations.”
This is the first of three lectures dealing with the relationship of Jews and Christians in the ancient world.
The series will consider how Christianity started as a sect within Judaism, yet quickly became a separate religion, because most Jews refused to accept that Jesus was the messiah.
These lectures will focus on three key figures for Jewish-Christian relations: the historical Jesus, the author of the Gospel of Matthew and the Apostle Paul.
The perspectives of Matthew and Paul survived into the second century, when some Christian groups still held onto their Jewish ethnic identity, whereas others rejected the Jews and all things Jewish.
The forum is at 9:15 a.m. Sunday.
The topic on June 27 will be “Anti-Jewish Use of the New Testament.”
