Interfaith: Special blend of traits needed to navigate these difficult times

Nica Eaton-Guinn
Special to The Star

What a world we live in. It seems everything is heightened these days with more natural disasters, mass shootings, terrorism and strife around the world.

It takes a special blend of courage, resilience and compassion to navigate these difficult times. Faith in the underlying pull toward the capacity for goodness in humanity helps, too.

The Rev. Nica Eaton-Guinn

As Unitarian Universalists, we approach the issues of our world from a perspective that we are all interconnected. What one of us does, impacts us all. 

We honor the inherent worth and dignity of all people, whether someone is an immigrant, part of the LGBTQ community, or part of a particular religious tradition or none at all.

We trust in the guiding power and grounding of love. We gather together not around a creed or a specific belief, but rather around living our values of love and inclusion through our actions. 

That means we welcome all into our sanctuary – Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, pagan, atheist or humanist. We worship the mystery and sacredness of life, together with the rationality of science, while trying to live out our values of love and justice. 

We trust in the healing power and inspiration of beloved community. We teach our children about all major world religions and how to ask spiritual and philosophical questions and engage in action.

As part of our community’s commitment to action and service, we regularly offer community forums to our Ventura County society dealing with important topics of the moment.

On Oct. 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., we are holding a unique workshop titled “Love Resists.” This is a progressive empowerment and action workshop, open to our interfaith partners and anyone interested. It will be held in the fellowship sanctuary at 3327 Old Conejo Road in Newbury Park.

The aim of the workshop, led by the Rev. Kathleen McTigue, director of the Unitarian Universalist College of Social Justice, is to offer practical ways that congregations, organizations and individuals can make a difference in supporting human rights in today's charged and divisive political climate.

The workshop will explore:

  • Choosing priorities for social action.
  • Partnering with grassroots groups.
  • Structuring efforts for maximum impact and sustainability.
  • Speaking from the grounding of progressive values. 

“Love Resists” is a campaign organized by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.

It aims to address the threats to immigrants, Muslims, people of color and the LGBTQ community. It opposes hate speech and the rise of efforts to limit voting and reproductive rights and access to health care.  It also actively supports policies that address climate change.

McTigue said participants in the workshop will “see more clearly what we face, imagine more boldly the ways we can act, and live our values more radically and courageously on the side of justice.”

To register and for information, go to http://bit.ly/2gcbzGI.

We hope you can join us either at this workshop or at one of our Sunday services. We gather every Sunday for two services filled with music and wisdom from all the world’s traditions, at 9:15 a.m. or 11 a.m. 

Our religious education program takes place during the first service with childcare available for all.  For more information, please see www.cvuuf.org or call us at 498-9548. We look forward to meeting you. 

The Rev. Nica Eaton-Guinn is a member of the Conejo Valley Interfaith Association, which meets monthly and welcomes clergy and representatives of all religious faiths. She can be reached at minister@cvuuf.org or 498-9548.