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Church News

Pastor's Message

      Posted on: Saturday, August 1, 2026
Dear UUCB,
     I am back from summer break and looking forward to the year ahead. I wonder what we will do. I wonder how we will make someone’s life better. I wonder how we will deepen our understanding of spirituality and the callings of our hearts. I wonder what we will learn about what it means to be Unitarian Universalist. I wonder how we will engage with the injustices that terrorize so many. I wonder how we will listen and what we will say in good moments and hard ones.
      This shared ministry is an adventure and we co create reality every day. We collaborate in justice seeking and justice making even, and especially when, it doesn’t feel like enough or seem to be working. We center ourselves in love and remember everything is connected. We explore the diversity of the world, making all we experience holy, inherently worthy, and full of irrefutable dignity. I love this religion and how we manifest it into the world. So, in the months ahead let’s keep going outward and inward, expansive and deep. We are needed.
      I am leading three worship services in August and I’ve decided that rather than doing descriptions I would share a poem or a picture as the inspiration for my message. These are things that have moved me in some way over the past few weeks and helped me think about what matters. I can’t tell you exactly what direction I’ll go in, or how the image or poem will work in the context of the service, but I am excited by the challenge. I hope there will be something interesting and useful for everyone in the end. In fact, a Mary Oliver poem speaks so perfectly to my desire each Sunday of the year that I really can’t help but share it.

I Want to Write Something So Simply
by Mary Oliver

I want to write something so simply

about love or about pain
that even as you are reading
you feel it and as you read
you keep feeling it
and though it be my story it will be common,

though it be

singular it will be known to you

so that by the end you will

think— no, you will realize —

that it was all the while yourself arranging the

words,

that it was all the time words that you yourself,

out of your heart had been saying.

With Love,
Rev. Amy

Shared Plate in August

      Posted on: Saturday, August 1, 2026

      It is our practice to give away 100% of the riches collected in each week's offering.

      In June, 50% of our plate split goes to The Senior College of Belfast, now celebrating it's 25th anniversary. See the website link below.

     Each week of this church year, the other half goes to Niweskok - a collaboration of native food and medicine providers with a goal of re-matriating Wabanaki lifeways through engaging with their kinship responsibilities, and reclaiming traditional foods and healing. They prioritize restoring the Penobscot Bay region as a Wabanaki food hub.


Belfast Senior College Website

Upcoming Offerings from Rev. Amy

      Posted on: Saturday, August 1, 2026
      I've been back from summer break for a few days and want to let you know some of what I thought about and planned while I was away. In a wonderful moment of summer connection I was able to spend a significant amount of time with 2 of my favorite UU ministers, Rev. Sara Hayman and Rev. Jan Hutslar. We gave ourselves a mini retreat to think together about what our churches need, and how we might offer meaningful opportunities to grow and learn and act in the world during the year ahead. We each had slightly different focuses and we were inspired by different shared resources and our own gifts and challenges. Through that conversation and planning we decided to design a collaborative worship service to offer in each of our 3 congregations in 2027. One that focuses on our individual takes on what it means to be a UU and why we chose this religion over all the others. We hope it will help you all deepen your own understanding and identity related to this particular faith tradition and inspire you with interesting questions and teachings. 

      One of the other things I found fascinating over the break was a book by Richard Rohr titled "The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For, and Believe" During this past spring I did a couple of services on countering Christian Nationalism by exploring the teachings and interpretations in the bible and in historically practiced Christianity. You all seemed very interested in learning more about what the bible says, what our UU connection to Christianity really is, how Jesus moved through the world and what he taught etc. Given the current world climate and the way fundamentalists and some evangelicals are using biblical teachings to invoke fear, hate and injustice, it seems more and more important to have a counter understanding that does not just dismiss or disrespect such a widespread and well loved religion. This winter, beginning after my January break I'll be leading an 8-session UU Bible/Book Study using Richard Rohr's work. Folks will need a copy of that book and a bible of their own choosing. We'll go through popular and little known bible verses and stories to gain context and understanding, developing our own vocabulary and interpretations, in the hopes of feeling more grounded and capable of countering the fearful, hateful messages of some nationalist theology. 

      Please also stay tuned for information on a new Midlife Women's Group. With inspiration from Eileen McCue and others I hope to offer a reprisal of the "Lightly Seasoned Souls" group I did a couple of years ago. This will be a time for women in their middle years to gather at least once a month and discuss together the unique needs, struggles, transitions, joys, and learnings of this stage of life. Please email me if you are interested mccormickar11@gmail.com. I hope it's something we will co-create together to meet the needs of those who are there. Perhaps we'll have shared readings or songs, or simply topics and themes that resonate for us to engage with each month. 

      In addition to the midlife group I have heard from a few folks that a more general women's group is wanted. I look forward to collaborating with folks on what that might look like in form and substance. Reach out if you have thoughts or ideas. I am open. 

      There will continue to be invitations to engage in action related to protecting and supporting Maine's Immigrant Community as well as engaging in the upcoming election season in a way that honors our UU Values and Principles. We will continue in our commitment to helping those experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity through our work with Family Harbor House. Also, I attended a portion of the Healing the Wounds of Turtle Island ceremony at the Land Peace foundation while I was away and I was moved again by the wisdom of Indigenous cultures and the power of ritual to invoke change and inspire practical, productive action. Let's keep meeting, setting goals, accomplishing tasks and moving the needle of justice ever closer to the global beloved community we aspire to create with freedom and safety for all. 

      Finally, while I was away I also remembered how much I have enjoyed leading the UU Wellspring Program. I believe there are now 34 people who have participated in this 10 month intensive program and it has been beautiful each time. I will be offering another session this year. Please email me if you would like to be a part. mccormickar11@gmail.com UU Wellspring requires quite a commitment, but it is worth it if you're able. We meet 2x a month September through June. There is homework between sessions, books to read and other material for you to engage with between our meetings. Below is more information about the program itself. It is rich and meant to help folks think about their own spirituality in the context of UUism and the sources from which we gain our wisdom and our teachings. I need at least 7 people to run the program and no more than 11. We will meet in person at church 2 Saturday afternoons a month or 2 Friday afternoons per month depending on what works best for those who sign up. 

      As always, reach out to me anytime. It is such a gift to be a part of this vibrant community of loving imperfect people doing the best they can to better themselves and the world. 

Love,
Rev. Amy 

Security Site Tour - August 11

      Posted on: Saturday, August 1, 2026
The UUCB Security Team has arranged for a site visit from the Maine office of CISA, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, on Tuesday, August 11, from 10am until noon. Officers from our local police and fire departments will be invited to attend. The visit will focus on what would best serve as a security program for our church. If you wish to participate in this important gathering, please contact Cayla (office.uubelfast@gmail.com). 

New Council President, Anna Wood-Cox

      Posted on: Saturday, July 4, 2026
Dear Friends,

As we begin a new church year, I wanted to introduce myself as your new Council President. Over my 28 years as a member of this church, I've had the privilege of serving in many different ways. I've been Council secretary, chaired the Nominating Committee and the Welcoming Congregation Committee, co-chaired the Fundraising Committee, and for the past seven years have served on the Committee on Ministry (CoM).

But, most of you probably know me as the "Hannaford cards and Dinner Anywhere in the World" lady at the high table outside the hospitality room every Sunday! Each of these experiences has deepened my love for this church and this community, and I look forward to drawing on them as I step into this new role. My time on CoM has especially strengthened my appreciation for our covenant and mission statement. These are more than words on a page—they are the values that will continue to guide me as Council President.

I hope you'll always feel comfortable reaching out to me with questions, ideas, or concerns. You can email me (below), call or text me at 207-930-9399, or simply stop by and say hello at my usual spot outside the hospitality room before or after worship.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve, and I look forward to continuing to grow this amazing community, and its shared ministry, together.

Fondly,
Anna

Email Anna