Sunday, November 26, 10:30am
Posada de la Aldea, Ancha de San Antonio 15
Free

If The Only Prayer You Ever Say Is Thank You, UU Service - spirit

by Jon Sievert

The Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube reflects on the spirit and meaning of Thanksgiving at this Sunday’s Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Service.

Of the many spiritual practices and personal growth modalities people invest in today, perhaps the most effective is both simple and ancient—the cultivation of a grateful heart. During this season when Thanksgiving is celebrated in the U.S., Rev. Straube considers the practices of gratefulness and gratitude. What all of humanities wisdom traditions have taught, modern science is now proving. Gratitude is good for our mental and physical health and the most direct practice for creating lasting happiness.

Dr. Straube was a Unitarian Universalist parish minister for 35 years, serving congregations in Washington State, North Carolina and, most recently, as Lead Minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego. While serving the San Diego church, the congregation created a separate campus in the U.S./Mexico border area. With the recently ordained Rev. Tania Marquez as the main staff minister, UUs of the South Bay is now a thoroughly bi-lingual and bi-cultural congregation within First Church. Plans are also being made to begin a campus in Tijuana.

Throughout his ministry, Dr. Straube has been passionate about studying the beliefs and practices of humanity's great contemplative traditions. This commitment comes from the understanding that human beings possess the innate capacity for a more authentic, wise and compassionate life than most of us live. From the time of his first Buddhist meditation retreat while in seminary, he has had a committed Buddhist practice for more than 40 years and has taught Buddhist meditation and practice in all his ministry settings. He has also studied and taught contemplative practices in the Christian tradition. He considers himself as a disciple of both the Buddha and the rabbi Jesus of Nazareth.

He currently maintains a practice of spiritual direction and meditation coaching via his website, www.spiritualfulfillment.org. He also serves as Interim Director of Contextual Ministry at Meadville Lombard Theological School, a seminary for training Unitarian Universalist and other liberal religious leaders in Chicago. Dr. Straube earned a Master of Arts in Divinity at the University of Chicago and a Doctor of Ministry degree at Meadville Lombard. In 2014, the school granted him an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.

Special music will be provided by Marc Taylor and Catherine Bryne.

The U.U. Fellowship meets every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at Posada de la Aldea, Ancha de San Antonio 15, and welcomes people of all ages, races, religions, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The meeting room is wheelchair accessible. For more information, visit our website at uufsama.org.