Virtual Service Recordings

Sunday, September 17, 2023
“Recalculating”
Rev. Mitra Rahnema

Sunday, September 10, 2023
“Introductions”
Rev. Mitra Rahnema

Tis the season to recalculate and begin again. With the arrival of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, let us explore the days of awe, acts of introspection, atonement, and the reforming of our hearts and minds for the coming year.

Introducing ourselves and others can be one of the most anxiety-provoking things we do. Yet, that is how we begin a relationship. On this Sunday,
Rev. Mitra will (re)introduce herself as she begins ​her 2023-2024 interim ministry.

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Sunday, April 30 2023
“Unleash Your Power --
Embracing Joy as a Spiritual Practice”
Greg Bowens

After leaving his post as the chapter president of the Grosse Pointes-Harper Woods NAACP chapter, Greg Bowens entered Unity Urban Ministerial School, where he is currently studying to enter the ministry. This Sunday, Greg will engage us in an interactive exploration as he helps us explore the theme of hope. Gosh, who couldn’t use a little more hope these days?!

Sunday, March 26 2023
“Savage Economic Inequality”
Joseph Buttiglieri

The Unitarian Universalist Association has much to say about issues and causes
of economic inequality.  However, do most people even think there is a problem? Is it systemic or are we to believe the poor will always be with us, so it is no big deal?  Let’s examine how we got here, what societal policies helped create this situation and what should we do as Unitarian Universalists.  “Challenging extreme inequity locally and globally is a moral imperative.”  Quote from: Escalating Economic Inequity, UUA 2017 Statement of Conscience. Many questions, some answers and hopefully, food for thought, further questions and action.

Sunday, Jan 01 2023
“Remembrance and Renewal”
Meghan Boomhower and Chuck Palmer

Please join Meghan Boomhower and Chuck Palmer for this holiday morning service. We'll remember some of the people we lost in 2022, consider the Jewish concept of forgiveness found in the Yom Kippur holiday, and reflect how to move forward in our lives in 2023.
Settle in for some timely messages and for some great music by our own piano virtuoso, Joseph Palazzolo! There are no college football bowl games on New Year's Day, and the NFL games do not begin until 1:00 pm, so get yourself out of bed and start 2023 with us!

Sunday, Dec 4 2022
“Intergenerational Service on Peace”
Dr. Alexander Riegel

In the midst of this holiday season, the world needs peace as much as ever. Join us for this intergenerational service on the theme of peace as we explore what the Apostle Paul called “the peace of God that passeth all understanding.”

Sunday, Sept 11 2022
"Ingathering: Unitarian Universalism Begins
Where the Sidewalk Ends"
Dr. Alexander Riegel and Julie Artis D.R.E.

Welcome back! We are so excited to be beginning a new church year after these
stressful years we’ve been through. Let’s hope we return to relative normalcy this year… And, we are excited to start the new church year with our usual Intergenerational Ingathering. During this service, we will listen to, and reflect upon, the wit and wisdom of Shel Silverstein. Hope you can join us!

Sunday, Aug 28 2022
"Sicily: Island of Diversity"
Joseph Palazzolo

This Mediterranean melting pot, for millennia, has seen a myriad of peoples, cultures, and religions. Out of this long and varied history Sicilians have created their own language, culture, art and architecture rivaling those of any on earth. Join our music director as he takes us, through stories and pictures, on a Sicilian journey he made this past winter while searching for his roots.

Sunday, Aug 14 2022
"Speaking Up for Failure in 5 Disappointments"
Jerry Herron

Here’s the problem. We are oversupplied with how-to-do-it instructions for being successful. Meanwhile, surveys show us that we grow less and less happy with every passing year. So, instead of success, I want to speak up for failure and the disappointments that failure brings—an endlessly renewable resource for feeling better and doing better and being better. 

Sunday, July 31 2022
"5 Teachings from the Japanese Wabi Sabi Philosophy That Can Drastically Improve Your Life"
Meghan Boomhower

• Wabi is about recognizing beauty in humble simplicity. It invites us to open our heart and detach from the vanity of materialism so we can experience spiritual richness instead.
• Sabi is concerned with the passage of time, the way all things grow, age, and decay, and how it manifests itself beautifully in objects. It suggests that beauty is hidden beneath the surface of what we actually see, even in what we initially perceive as broken.

Together, these two concepts create an overarching philosophy for approaching life: Accept what is, stay in the present moment, and appreciate the simple, transient stages of life. Join Meghan and Skylar Boomhower to explore this concept and how it can shift your perspective. It might allow for more space to accept and therefore more enjoyment of the moments of your life. 

Sunday, July 10 2022
"Global Supply Chain Disruption and
The Impact on Our Most Vulnerable"
Kevin Ketels

Unprecedented supply chain challenges have disproportionately impacted the poor in the United States and the world through higher prices for everything from food and housing to baby formula and energy. We'll explore the origins of these problems, the real impact and future outlook. 

Sunday, May 22 2022
"RE Sunday"
D.R.E. Julie Artis and Dr. Alexander Riegel

Children’s RE is a vital part of our liberal religious place in the world. This is our yearly service in which we recognize the efforts of all those people who make our children’s religious education program happen week after week, month after month, and year after year.

Sunday, May 28 2023
Michelle Scobie

What if we could approach all conflict in the same way as jazz musicians practice, play and improvise? Military chaplain and former parish minister Bret Lorie explores these ideas along with stories from his service as a musician in the Air Force and later as an activist, in his sermon, "Music and Mediation: Resolving Conflict in a Warring World."

Sunday, May 21 2023
“RE Sunday”
Julie Artis and Dr. Alexander Riegel

Join us for our end of the year recognition of all the wonderful people who work to make our Children's Religious Education program the great success that it is.
As a highlight (this year and every year), our Seniors will be speaking to us as they say their goodbyes to our program and launch themselves into the larger world... always poignant moments when our Seniors speak!
We will introduce our Boston group to the congregation. We hope you join us after church for a Seven Principle Sundaes with GPUC members and friends.

Sunday, April 23 2023
“Earth Day”
Dr. Alexander Riegel and Julie Artis

Per usual, this Sunday will be an intergenerational service celebrating Earth Day – but with a different twist this year. We will be celebrating with awe inspiring wonder the fact that the earth and all creatures upon it are actually extraterrestrial in origin! Yes, folk, we are stardust!

Sunday, Feb. 12 2023
“Hacking Your Spiritual Practice”
Carol Guither & Meghan Boomhower

The Vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the body, has not only vital health importance, it is also important as a spiritual element of our being. In this sermon, Carol and Meghan will describe:

• what the vagus nerve is,
• how it works and problems associated with vagal malfunction,
• how to calm the vagus nerve using breathing and simple movement, and
• why this wonderful nerve is an important tool to help us embody some of our seven principles.

Sunday, Dec 18 2022
“Would You Like to Hold the Baby?”
Children's R.E. Holiday Pageant

This year our RE students have been studying the Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This year’s holiday pageant is entitled, “Would You Like to Hold the Baby?”. It is the retelling of the Nativity story. Our students are enjoying preparing for their pageant with happiness and joy. Come, let our students guide you through a morning of happiness during this special season.

Sunday, Nov 20 2022
“Intergenerational Thanksgiving Service/Potluck”
Dr. Alexander Riegel

It has been three years since we’ve gathered in our beautiful sanctuary to break bread together. This year we return to that tradition and we very much hope that as many of as possible are comfortable and motivated to join us for this service/event. Note – this will be a shortened, intergenerational service prior to the potluck.

Sunday, Sept 04 2022
"Siding with Love"
Anne Roberts

In this complicated day and age where so many unloving thoughts and actions occur, these are reflections on how to love productively. The service will include several love songs.

Sunday, Aug 21 2022
"Welcoming Everyone - WeGP"
Shannon Byrne

Shannon Byrne of We-GP will share about the vision and action of the justice-based, grassroots organization and its focus on building bridges to move towards a more just and equitable Grosse Pointe.  Learn about how to engage in the work of We-GP. We-GP has been helping our community resist attacks on civil and human rights and to promote local, state and national policy and legislation that advances social justice.

Sunday, Aug 7 2022
"Reflections on Ukraine After
Eleven Years of Service There"
John Engstrom

John is a federal prosecutor with over thirty years’ experience prosecuting federal crimes, including public corruption, international organized crime and money laundering. He served as a Department of Justice liaison (technically, a "Resident Legal Advisor") at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, from 2010 to 2013 and then again from 2019 to February 2022. In between, John visited Ukraine at least once every year in an official capacity to assist with legal reform issues and prosecutorial capacity building. After John and his wife, Miriam, were evacuated from Ukraine shortly before Russia significantly expanded its seven-year war against Ukraine, they are slowly resettling in Michigan, grateful for their safety net, and dearly missing Ukraine and their Ukrainian friends.

Sunday, July 24 2022
"Your 'Go Tos' That Help You Cope"
Rebecca Moracco

The last few years have been stressful for everyone. In that time we’ve all had to find what gives us peace and provides safety. Let’s talk about our “Go-to’s.”

Sunday, May 29 2022
"From Baptism to Revelation: A UU Journey"
Anne Roberts

Anne Roberts, long time UU and member of GPUC, will be speaking about her own journey into our liberal religious faith.  How did she discover us? How do her UU values color her view of life? And, why is she so committed to this beloved community and our UU faith?

Sunday, March 20 2022
"The Four Courages"
Carol Blotter

Carol is the founder and the guiding teacher of Chelsea Meditation Group. She has also been a member in the Friends (Quaker) community since 1979. She will be exploring the Buddhist concept of the Four Courages: the courage to be human, the courage to be present, the courage to welcome afflictive emotions and the courage to live from an open heart. In these times of unknown well-being, we might all do well with a different perspective on what defines courage.

Sunday, January 02 2021
"Lessons from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood...
One Kind Word at a Time"
Tonya Wells

Please join us in starting the new year with reflections on the beloved American
educator, Presbyterian minister, songwriter, author, and television host, Mr. Fred Rogers.

Sunday, November 28 2021
"What Kids Can Do"
Dr. Lori Peek

Children make up nearly one-quarter of our population in the United States. But their needs, talents, and contributions to society are often overlooked. In this service, Dr. Lori Peek, who is a professor of Sociology and director of the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado Boulder, will discuss lessons she has learned from young people whose lives have been upended by disaster. Dr. Peek will invite us to consider how we can enact the seventh principle by ensuring that children are recognized as a vital part of our interdependent web of existence.

Sunday, October 31 2021
"Poetry Potpourri"

One of the more popular sermon styles this past year has been Dr. Riegel’s “potpourri” sermons, addressing several different topics, related or not, over the course of a sermon.  This Sunday, four different members of GPUC do a poetry potpourri.  Come (or Zoom in) and hear what wisdom your fellow GPUCers have to share with us!

Sunday, June 20 2021
"Father's Day Reflections"
Bill Brusilow, Todd Mannow, Jeremiah Hess,
and Alexander Riegel

A few years ago, several members of our congregation spoke about the meaning of Father’s Day. This Father’s Day, several fathers in our congregation will share their reflections on the experience of Fatherhood.

Sunday, April 24 2022
"Environmental Justice: Must We Change?"
Samuel Pruitt

Guest Speaker and GPUC Member, Sam Pruitt will be giving a slideshow presentation of an updated and abbreviated version of the slideshow featured in Al Gore's now famous movie "An Inconvenient Truth." He will talk to us about the climate crisis and give us insight as to the individual solutions. In doing this, Mr. Pruitt will answer three questions in the affirmative, "Must we change? Can we change? Do we have the political will to change?"

Sunday, February 13 2022
"Voting Rights:
A Historical Take on Current Day Challenges"
Tonya Wells

Vote suppression has a long and ugly history in the U.S. and over the last two decades, it has resurfaced with a vengeance. We are called as Unitarian Universalists to affirm and promote the use of the democratic process in society at large. Please join us to be inspired by the wisdom of suffragists and other important historical figures.

Sunday, December 12 2021
"Intergenerational Service: The Holy in the Holiday"
D.R.E. Julie Artis and Dr. Alexander Riegel

Because not all of our youth will be able to attend church just yet (due to vaccination status), we thought it better to do another intergenerational service in lieu of our usual holiday pageant. For this service, we will remember the “holy in the holiday” by taking a closer look at the spiritual messages behind those beloved holiday songs we sing this time of year.

Sunday, November 21 2021
"Intergenerational Thanksgiving Service"
Julie Artis D.R.E. and Dr. Alexander Riegel

This year’s Intergenerational Thanksgiving service will be on the theme of belonging. In these times, with so many of us isolated and facing such difficult personal challenges, it’s important to remind ourselves that “we belong.” If you have a story, reading, or reflection about “belonging” that you’d like to share, contact Dr. Riegel or Julie Artis. We’d love to include you in this service!

Sunday, September 05 2021
"Unitarian Universalists, Cats and Dogs"
Meghan Boomhower

In the Unitarian Universalist Church we find inspiration from many different sources. The inspiration for today’s sermon comes from a joke. You may have heard it:
    Q: What’s the difference between cats and dogs?
    A: Dogs look at people and say, “They feed us. They give us shelter. They take care of our every need. They must be gods.” Cats look at people and say, “They feed us. They give us shelter. They take care of our every need. We must be gods.”

Sunday, May 23 2021
"RE Sunday"
D.R.E. Julie Riegel

We will have our second Religious Education Sunday on Zoom! Mark your calendars to hear our two graduating seniors Laila Panzenhagen and Irving Sendra share their Statement of Faith Projects. We will have a guest soloist and a slide show of what has brought our RE Families comfort this past year. We hope you stay on Zoom and go to the Annual Meeting right after the service. At 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. you can drive by the church and pick up an Ice Cream from our Ice Cream Cart!!! Our parents and students will be handing them out!! We celebrate our GPUC community that lift up the span of all ages.

Sunday, April 25 2021
"Challenges, Lessons, Gifts:
Reflecting On a Year of Pandemic"
Dr. Alexander Riegel

We have spent the last year in a pandemic that has dragged on longer than most of us would have imagined! Though a trying and tragic year, in every experience there are lessons and gifts to be had. This Sunday, several of our fellow GPUCers will reflect of the challenges, lessons, and gifts this year has brought us.

Sunday, March 28 2021
"Commitment to Our Earthly Vision"
Joshua Berg

Rev. Mary Safford was a founder of the Iowa Sisterhood, a group of women ministers who spread Unitarianism into the rural Midwest during the turn of the 20th century. She wrote that “the liberal church today is to be obedient to its heavenly vision. Not only must we proclaim the saving truths we hold, but we must also strive to build up these truths in our own lives and in the lives of others.” This Sunday we'll explore the Iowa Sisterhood and what they modeled that we can emulate today to move Unitarian Universalism successfully into the future.

Sunday, Jan 31 2021
"Welcome Revelations from Julian of Norwich"
Kelly Fordon

Julian of Norwich’s story resonates today on many fronts. A medieval anchorite and mystic, Julian (1342-1416) lived through a global pandemic and penned the first book in English written by a woman. The central message of Revelations of Divine Love is “All Shall Be Well,” which was not a popular notion at the time. In this sermon, Kelly will discuss Julian’s various roles as mystic, writer, and revolutionary, as well as how she survived the last 44 years of her life in a small anchorite cell.

Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020
"The Experience of Gratitude in a
Time of Disconnected Lives"
Dr. John Artis

Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, "In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich." Today, a few days after Thanksgiving, we are able to find our pathway toward gratitude and the enrichment of our lives. Today let us explore what we can be grateful for in our lives.

Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020
"Unitarian Universalism and Working People:
What Are We Called To Do?"
Joe Buttiglieri

What does or should it mean when Unitarian Universalists celebrate Labor Day? An examination of how America's laborers are mistreated and what our Principles and Purposes call on us to do as individuals and as congregation. 

Sunday, Aug 23, 2020
"Finding Compassion"
Jerry Herron

Compassion seems a particularly important topic these days, given all that is happening. I've come to the conclusion that compassion is not so much a fixed state of mind as it is an over-and-over-again destination, that we can get to, and keep coming back to, if we have a proper map. From there, it becomes possible to feel toward ourselves and each other, and then to act, in ways that might prove as beneficial as they are necessary. What I am proposing, then, is a kind of traveler's guide for finding compassion, with advice provided by poetry, philosophy, fiction, drama, music, and film.

Sunday, May 30 2021
"'In the beginning, God created...': a Kabbalistic Reading"
Rabbi Olivier

Our guest speaker on Sunday, May 30th, will be Rabbi Olivier BenHaim, a teacher of Jewish mysticism from Seattle who will unpack the Book of Genesis' Creation Story anew for us, through the lens of the Kabbalah. What will ensue will challenge us to understand the early verses of this story in a radically different way. It might cause us, at least, to reexamine our assumptions. At most, it might just change our life.

Sunday, May 09 2021
"Mother's Day Reflections"
Dr. Alexander Riegel, Ariana Riegel,
Jackie Hoats-Shields, and Janna Sendra

A few years ago, several members of our congregation spoke about the meaning of Mother’s Day. This Mother’s Day, Dr. Riegel will deliver a brief homily on the Divine Feminine, after which three members of our congregation will share their reflections on Mother’s Day.

Sunday, April 18 2021
"Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Aether"
D.R.E. Julie Artis and Dr. Alexander Riegel

This earth day we celebrate the elements that make life possible: earth, wind, fire, water, and aether. This will be an intergenerational service with various people sharing about each of these vital elements. Come, recall the wonder of your “blue boat home”!

Sunday, Feb 28 2021
"Exploring the Wisdom of Mary Oliver"
Tonya Wells

During this sermon, we will explore the well-loved poetry written by Mary Oliver to extract wisdom for everyday living. The service will include some favorite poems of Mary Oliver as well as some less known works.

Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020
"Hearing One Another:
There Is More to It Than Meets the Ear"
Tonya Wells

Your intentions, attention and intuition have so much to do with the ability to really listen to another human being and form meaningful connection. come to consider how we can listen better in order to generate more love in our intertwined world.

Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020
"Be in the World as a Traveler"
Dawud Walid

Prophet Muhammad, the last prophet of Islam, said, "Be in the world as a stranger or a traveler on a path." This sermon will touch on this prophetic saying in relation to how we can strive to detach ourselves from the trends within our society that are increasingly leading to more political rancor and growing economic polarization.

Sunday, Aug 30, 2020
"Myth-Busting the Spiritual Journey... or,
Was Patanjali Right All Along?"
Carol Guither

It's both an entertaining look at my own attempts and obstacles in starting a spiritual journey and practice, and some real advice and cautions from Patanjali and others on what a spiritual journey could look like, challenges along the way, and practices to stay on the path. Patanjali is the author of The Yoga Sutras, which is one of the most important classic texts on the traditional practice of Yoga.

Sunday, Aug 9, 2020
"Tips for Staying Together in a Long-Term Relationship"
Kathy Konwiak

As Unitarian Universalists, we work to affirm and promote justice equity and compassion in human relations as our second of seven principles. Living out this principle with a person we are closest to - our life partner - is so important to quality of that relationship. Kathy Konwiak has recently retired from a 35-year career as clinical psychotherapist. Kathy is offering her insights as a therapist and as almost a four-decade long Unitarian Universalist into those qualities that appear to be most important in nurturing and protecting these most important relationships.

Sunday, July 26, 2020
"'God moves in mysterious ways':
Natural Selection as The Creator"
William Moore

The British theologian, William Paley, published his best-selling book, "Natural Theology or Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity" in 1802; the title is a concise synopsis of the theology that dominated the Church of England in the 18th and 19th centuries. Scores of naturalist-parsons spent their ample leisure piously collecting beetles, butterflies, mosses and other organisms searching for the Attributes of God. What they found was "nature, red in tooth and claw" and a Creator whose attributes resembled those of Rube Goldberg rather than the omniscient God of the Old Testament. Could the human genome be a Rube Goldberg invention? It certainly looks that way.

Sunday, May 31, 2020
"Religious Education Sunday"
D.R.E. Julie Artis

We will have our first Religious Education Sunday on Zoom! Mark your calendars to hear our three graduating seniors Morgen Bocci, Ada Marotzke and Noelle Shields share their Statement of Faiths Projects. Our guest soloist will be Henry Sendra. We hope you join us to share the end of the year celebration of this unusual church school year. We are a community that lifts up the span of all ages.

Sunday, April 26, 2020
"Personal Stories from the COVID-19 Crisis"
Various Members of GPUC

Five GPUC members offer brief reflections on their personal experiences and how they've managed to survive the current crisis.

Sunday April 12, 2020
"Empty Tombs and Spiritual Deserts"
Rev. Mitra Rahnema

Sunday March 29, 2020
"Happy All The Time?"
Jerry Herron

Sunday, Aug 16, 2020
"Antisemitism-Henry Ford and the International Jew"
Chuck Palmer

One hundred years ago, Henry Ford attacked Jews through his newspaper, the Dearborn Independent. He also printed 500,000 copies of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion." Chuck will discuss antisemitism and retired Detroit Free Press journalist Bill McGraw's Autumn 2018 article of the same title for the Dearborn Historical Commission, which the Commission pulled from publication and refused to distribute.

Sunday, Aug 2, 2020
"Reality: What a Concept"
Robin Ramsay

Right now, most of us can say that there are things going on in our lives that are very difficult; things we wish weren't part of our lives. When faced with pain, it's very easy to get caught up in wishing that reality were different and bemoaning the wrongness, or unfairness of it. We can waste so much energy fighting with the fact that this situation is actually happening, that we get stuck in suffering, and unable to take useful action. As the author Tom Clancy puts it so well, "When you fight with Reality, you lose, but only 100% of the time." Dr. Ramsay will discuss common human thoughts and reactions that get in the way of accepting reality, and making effective choices for well-being based on that reality.

Sunday, July 19, 2020
"Love in the Face of Adversity"
Ken Meisel

Ken Meisel, an area poet and psychotherapist and a prior guest lecturer at GPUUC, will offer encouraging thoughts and commentary on how we are challenged and invited to love deeper and braver in times of adversity - whether that adversity exists within ourselves, in our deeper heart relationships or in the world at large. He will offer helpful insights on love and marriage, love and personal growth, and love as it relates to our social contract with the community-at-large.

Sunday, May 24, 2020
"Transitions"
Dr. John  Artis

In a time of deep physical and emotional change, how do we embrace the transitions in our life? We all face tremendous change in our lives and have so many questions to answer about how to transition through the changes. On this Memorial Day, let us examine the transitions and make a commitment to handle the change in a positive way.

Sunday, April 19, 2020
"A Person, A People, A Planet"
Mary Ann Perrone

Sunday April 5, 2020
"Hope Alive - The Currency of the Vision in All of Us"
John Artis