Sermon Archive 2026-27
The Courage to
Step Off the Porch
with Pastor Jackie Ryan, Guest Speaker
Special Music by Paul Bennett
August 2, 2026. What do a grumpy old balloon salesman, an eager wilderness explorer, and the experience of doubt have in common? Using Pixar's Up as our guide, we'll explore why doubt isn't the opposite of faith - it may actually be where faith and spirituality begin. Our greatest transformations often happen in community in those moments we "step off the porch." Expect a few laughs, a few balloons, and perhaps a new way of thinking about doubt—not as something to overcome but as part of what makes us fully alive.
Jackie Ryan is an ordained minister called to Nativity Lutheran Church in Bend and a doctorate student at George Fox University, Portland Seminary. She enjoys living in the Pacific Northwest, and the love and compassion of community.
If God is a DJ
with Rebecca Miller,
Lay Leader
July 26, 2026. We explore the spirituality behind dance, as well as the connections dance can create between individuals and their community or each of us and our divine spirit. Come dance (in body or spirit!) as we explore how dance affects people all over the world and the joy and the healing it can bring.
Rebecca Miller is a life-long UU and dancer whose love of all kinds of music and of moving her body inspired today's talk. Outside of dancing, she works as an author speaking agent, and grabs every opportunity Bend offers to be outdoors, be it camping, hiking, kayaking, or breathing in the clean air.
250 Years and
The Gap One Breath Deep
with Rev. Jen Youngsun Ryu & Rev. Scott Rudolph
July 5, 2026. With love located at the center of our values, Rev. Jen, from our Eugene congregation, explores what UUs mean by "love." Rev. Scott wonders abou tlove's place in 250 years of American history. Our service unites live elements and recorded pieces from Sunday morning worship at the Unitarian Universalist Association's annual General Assembly, which occurred two weeks ago.
Rev. Jen Youngsun Ryu (she/her) serves the Unitarian Universalist Church in Eugene, arriving in 2021 while the building was still closed and the congregation was finding its way back to one another. Born in Seoul and raised in Ohio, she found Unitarian Universalism as a young adult in Baltimore and was drawn to a faith that honors both the tough mind and the tender heart.
Weaving a Web
with Music & Love
with Rev. Scott Rudolph,
Amy Brock & Chris Patrick
July 19, 2026. Spiders can teach us about the web of community, interconnectedness, and the stories that shape our lives. We inherit webs and we create them. Here at UUFCO, music is one of the threads that we use to weave the fabric of this community. When we spin our web together with the strands of curiosity and compassion, we find ourselves entangled in a more just and joyful network.
Director of Religious Education for Children & Youth, Amy Brock, and our House Band Leader, Chris Patrick, join Rev. Scott for this service.
Seeds of Nurture
with Rev. Erika Spaet,
Guest Speaker
July 12, 2026. There are many ways to consider progress. Whether forward movement is personal or cultural, claiming this can be important. But, there is also the danger to be found in the hallucination of progress. Practices of presence might help us discern the difference.
Rev. Erika Spaet is originally from New Jersey and moved to Portland after college to cut her teeth as a community organizer and live in intentional spiritual community. She graduated from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California, and now serves as the pastor at Storydwelling in Bend. She is married and enjoys cooking, reading, and singing lullabies to her boys.
