Archives: Services

Soul Matters Discussion: Embodying Resilience

It doesn’t usually work to simply ignore or will our way out of stress, however there is a way. Various studies have shown how to care for ourselves: completing the stress cycle, downshifting the nervous system, and returning the body to its sense of safety through rituals, singing, laughing and moving. Community is key to this: the body returns to safety when we are with people we know, love and trust. Practicing being in our bodies and returning them to safety increases our resilience. We increase our courage and build our capacity to cope with stress and hopelessness. Our CVUU community is building our embodied resilience not only for individual … Continue reading Soul Matters Discussion: Embodying Resilience

Effective Listening

More than ever, people are struggling to pay attention to each other. This is largely due to our self-focused culture, technological distractions, and a toxic political atmosphere. Effective listening goes far beyond merely processing someone’s words. It requires prioritizing the speaker and helping them feel heard. It requires reading their body language, encouraging them to continue sharing, and putting our own assumptions aside. Effective listening includes trying to understand how the speaker is feeling and why they’re trying to share something. Most find effective listening challenging—and it is…but it’s well worth the effort.   Meet in person at CVUU or online through Zoom on Sunday at 10:00 AM.

Soul Matters – Practicing Resistance

When there are so many horrible things happening in the world it is difficult to know where to begin. How do we fight for a more loving and just world when the problems are far bigger than we could handle alone? Join us for a discussion on what resistance looks like, how joy is an act of resistance, and small ways we can make a change. Because we need everyone. Meet in person at CVUU or online through Zoom on Sunday at 10:00 AM.

Incarcerated America

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“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” — Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from the Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. wrote of structural inequities in the American criminal justice and punishment systems. He recognized that at every point in the criminal justice system, people of color are treated more severely. Excess incarceration results not only from racial injustice, but also from being unhoused, having an addiction, suffering from mental illness, being an immigrant, or using illicit drugs in small quantities. There are far too few resources for treatment or meaningful solutions—both in prisons and in society at large. Our law enforcement systems incarcerate far more … Continue reading Incarcerated America

Awe and Wonder

Awe and wonder, those moments of “wow”, can reduce stress, boost creativity, and increase connection and happiness. Let’s have a conversation about what they mean to you and practical ways to intentionally engage in awe and wonder. Seeking and finding that sense of the profound, beauty, vastness, appreciation, and increased curiosity are so very good for us. We look forward to hearing some of your own experiences. Meet in person at CVUU or online through Zoom on Sunday at 10:00 AM.

Fire Communion

Join us for a meaningful and powerful ceremony to mark the start of 2026. During the service, you’ll have the chance to write down something you want to let go of—whether it’s a bad habit, a painful memory, or anything else holding you back. You can choose to share what you’re releasing with the congregation or simply place your paper in the bowl. Then, we’ll head outside together for the dramatic and symbolic burning of these slips of paper, setting our intentions for a fresh start. Don’t miss this unique and inspiring tradition—let’s release the old and welcome the new, together! Meet in person at CVUU or online through Zoom … Continue reading Fire Communion