By Dean Cerny
Special to The PREVIEW
The Pagosa Unitarian Universalist Fellowship invites you to attend a service titled “Is There Something You Would Like to Tell Us About?” with visiting pastor Dean Cerny, this Sunday, June 18.
Human experience gives birth to language. Religious language is generated by spiritual experience and the consciousness of that experience. It is the nature of human consciousness to communicate, to verbalize the content of that consciousness.
As we learned last month from Richard Rohr, “The Latin root of consciousness which is conscire: ‘to know with,’ indicates, it is first and foremost a shared experience.”
Consciousness is to be shared. As humans we communicate; we connect to one another through symbols and language. Through language we also connect to our surroundings, and we gain a sense of place, a sense of belonging.
The Pagosa Fellowship is about belonging, and through this sense of belonging, we grow spiritually. Religious maturity involves the sharing of spiritual experiences through symbolic language and ritual. Through communication we share our core spiritual values and goals individually, as well as communally.
Please join us this Sunday as we get “practical.” Together we will explore the language of religion as it directly relates to our spiritual experiences. Bring your own favorite spiritual word that is meaningful in your life and let’s see what it might mean to others.
Cerny will soon become a part time resident of Pagosa Springs and will lead services at the Fellowship twice each month. This is a collaborative effort between Cerny and the Fellowship as they both explore the potential possibilities of a “settled” form of spiritual leadership for the Unitarian Universalist presence here.
This program reflects the Unitarian Universalist principles of “A free and responsible search for truth and meaning” and “Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.”
The Pagosa Fellowship is a caring, inclusive fellowship dedicated to spiritual growth, justice and serving the needs of our larger community. As a Welcoming Congregation, we invite everyone to share in our faith community. We cherish diversity and foster a safe environment for all.
Enjoy refreshments and conversation after services, which are held Sundays at 10:30 a.m. in Unit B-15 of the Greenbriar Plaza. From North Pagosa Boulevard, turn onto Park Avenue, then turn into the Greenbriar Plaza, drive to the east side of the parking lot and look for the Unitarian Universalist sign, facing north.
For further information, see pagosauu.org or call 731-7900.
