November 1: Discussion Sunday - Our Fine Feathered Friends with Terry Richman & Valerie Weston

This Sunday we’ll flock together to share our bird stories.  Are they of the squawking red-crowned parrots overhead or the singing of mockingbirds on telephone wires; do doves nest on your balcony or hummingbirds visit your flowers? Did a little birdie tell you something? Do you seek them out, keeping your binoculars, camera and identification book close at hand?  Are you fascinated by birds in science, literature, myth & lore?

November 8: UUs in History with Ann Kleinsasser, Lay Leader

What do Linus Pauling, Susan B. Anthony, and Adlai Stevenson have in common? Along with a host of other well-known historical figures, they were all Unitarians!   For us, as UUs, it is always affirming to learn about inspiring people who shared our values.  Today we will hear about several famous Unitarians, and the ways their values influenced their work and contributions to society.

November 15: Decision Fatigue: To Choose or Not to Choose with Mary Madill

If your brain feels so ‘full’ that you feel mentally paralyzed, you’re probably suffering from decision fatigue. An American makes an estimated 35,000 decisions a day. Studies on parole boards and consumer habits show that as choices accumulate, people become significantly more prone to rejecting difficult changes or making rushed, suboptimal picks. Choosing not to choose might be the best response to the daily avalanche of options.

November 22: Gratitude & Friendsgiving with Valerie Weston

This service wraps up our Gratitude Jars Project. There will be a mini service with an opportunity to share the project’s impact, read a few messages from the community jar, and hear a few poems. A Friendsgiving Feast will be enjoyed immediately after: sharing, eating and enjoying one another’s company will be plentiful! See you there.

November 29: Active Love and Anthropocene Angst with JD Stillwater

That humans are having major impacts on the planet is now quite clear, and some of those impacts may be evident millions of years from now. Are we a cancer on the biosphere, a plague? Would it be better if we had remained blissfully in the stone age? Our angst about such matters may be no more helpful to building sustainable systems than is white guilt in forging racial justice. Guilt about environmental destruction won't help build a sustainable society, but active love might, the kind of love we have for our teenagers when they're especially annoying. JD Stillwater somehow relates all of this to romantic relationships, beautiful sunsets, and Joni Mitchell.