Topic is Dia de los Muertos
Bill Graves, ministerial intern at the Skagit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, will be the speaker at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island service on Sunday and will share reflections on the significance of the Latin American tradition of the Day of the Dead.
This three-day fiesta spanning Halloween, All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days honors the lives of deceased relatives. It encourages everyone to confront their own mortality and celebrate the continuation of life. The mood is decidedly joyous in spite of the subject matter.
Graves has participated in and been moved by these festivals in both Mexico and Bolivia. He invites everyone to help construct a Day of the Dead altar by bringing and sharing a photo and/or an object associated with a dear departed one who is still an influence in life.
All are welcome. Values-based children’s religious exploration classes and childcare will be provided. The service is at 10 a.m. at 20103 Highway 525, just north of Freeland. Check www.whidbey.com/uucwi for more information.
Doug Benecke speaks at Unity
Doug Benecke will conduct the Unity service this Sunday, Oct. 26 at Bayview Hall.
His talk will be part of a pair of talks exploring the topics of failure and success. The first talk will be called “The Brilliant Function of Failure” and will include a discussion of the gifts failure brings.
Benecke will continue with this topic Sunday, Nov. 2 when he explores how the trailing experiences can facilitate eventual gratitude and equanimity. He will accompany the service with music and appropriate commentary.
Sunday services start at 10 a.m. All are welcome.
Artist’s journey at adult forum
Mary McLeod will share the story of how her own faith journey has interwoven with her artwork and with her calligraphy in the adult forum at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 26 at Trinity Lutheran.
McLeod is a visual artist, a gifted musician, a teacher at the South Whidbey Intermediate School and a long-time member of the local community. Look for a display of her lovely calligraphy in the narthex at Trinity beginning next weekend.
Commemorate Reformation at St. Peter’s
What is a Reformation? What does it mean today?
St. Peter’s will commemorate Reformation Sunday with worship, food, fun and film this Sunday. All are welcome to the celebration.
An adult forum on “Lutheran Identity: 1517 & 2008” starts at 9:15 a.m.
The festival worship sermon “What is an Evangelical?” follows at 10:30.
A clam chowder lunch is 11:30 a.m., and “Luther,” the award-winning 2003 movie starring Joseph Fiennes, Peter Ustinov, Claire Cox, Alfred Molina and Jonathan Firth will be shown at 12:30 p.m.
Watching this exciting film is a great way to learn about the Reformation.
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church is in Clinton, at 6309 Wilson Place, one block north of Highway 525 and Whidbey Island Bank. For details call 341-4715.
The Gospel is topic at SWCC
South Whidbey Community Church welcomes John Groce to the pulpit for tomorrow morning’s worship at the church.
Groce has a master’s degree in biblical studies from Seattle Pacific University and has served as a pastor in Pacific Northwest churches for 16 years. He is currently a lead sales representative for the popular Biblesoft software programs.
His sermon topic is, “The Gospel Explained and Exemplified,” based on John 3:16.
South Whidbey Community Church offers a wide variety of gifted and educated speakers at Sunday morning worship services. Both the church and all its speakers adhere to the National Association of Evangelicals Statement of Faith.
Each worship service begins at 10 a.m., and is preceded at 9 a.m. by two adult-learning forums: one a discussion of the Book of Romans, led by Stan Walker; the other a study of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, led by Jim Craft. Midweek Bible studies continue in the Gospel of Luke, at 7 p.m. Wednesdays, led by Art Angst at the home of Rick and Dinah Zapata.
South Whidbey Community Church is open to everyone and gathers for worship each Sunday at the Deer Lagoon Grange, 5142 Bayview Road, Langley.
The church is a newly-formed independent, evangelical and non-denominational church. For more information on the church and services, go to www.swcchurch.wordpress.com.
