Theresa Gleason led us in exploring the meaning and necessity of service in our lives by interviewing two guest speakers. Dr. Linn Larson, a local physician, has volunteered for two decades at the Open Door Clinic in Middlebury and earlier this summer spent a ten-day vacation providing essential health services to migrants in Tucson Arizona. Middlebury social worker, Thomas Jackson (with the fabulous translating skills of Jordan Young), facilitated a mind body medicine skills group for migrant workers which met for 2 hours every week over a nine week period this past winter.

Poppy Rees, Dir of Religious Exploration opened the service singing Refugee by Moira Smiley accompanied by NaunauBelu on djembe.

Becky Strum led the chalice lighting adapted from Rev. Dr. Rebecca Ann Parker and Rabbi Abraham Heschel:

We light this chalice to celebrate the inherent worth

and dignity of every person;

We celebrate the gifts of being human:

Our intelligence and capacity for observation and reason,

Our senses and ability to appreciate beauty,

Our creativity,

Our feelings and emotions.

We cherish our bodies as well as our souls.

Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy.

Theresa Gleason called to worship with Eagle Poem  by Joy Harjo (Appointed as 23rd Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to Library of Congress on June 19, 2019.)

CVUUS Feminina and Friends, directed by Lucy Tenenbaum sang Bring Me Little Water Sylvie  Huddie W. Ledbetter (Lead Belly), arr. Moira Smiley accompanied with body percussion.

Gloria Estela Gonzalez Zenteno led the Time for All Ages.

Guest speaker Teodoro Espiritu Garcia, farm worker and Open Door Clinic volunteer offered a voice from the immigrant community.

Theresa closed with Starhawk (from The Spiral Dance).

Annual Hunger CROP Walk followed on Middlebury Town Green.