The Story of the Ingathering Water Service
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
Release Date: 09/05/2025
A UU Christmas (Part 1)
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
If you’re at all familiar with Unitarian Universalism, you know it is a pluralistic religion. The members of our congregations come from many beliefs, and each person has a unique spiritual journey that led to a UU congregation. In this episode of the Auburn UU Fellowship podcast, one of our members shares her story and, since it’s Christmas time, the meaning she finds in the holiday. AUUF is a multi-religious faith community with shared values, including equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and transformation, all in the service of love. We believe each of us has the...
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Food and Faith 2025
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) podcast, in the midst of unfunded SNAP benefits because of the government shutdown, our minister, the Rev. Marti Keller, speaks of food as a spiritual value and moral imperative. No one should be hungry or lack the security of nutritious food.. The data cited in the podcast is from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. This service was recorded on November 9, 2025. Jim Newton, one of AUUF’s lay ministers, opened the service with the chalice lighting. — AUUF is a multi-religious faith community with shared values,...
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The Values Factor
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) podcast, our minister, the Rev. Marti Keller, talks about the values at the core of Unitarian Universalism. Unitarian Universalism is a religion of shared values rather than a doctrinal creed. This service was recorded on September 28, 2025. Chris Basgier, one of AUUF’s lay ministers, read the chalice lighting. — AUUF is a multi-religious faith community with shared values, including equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and transformation, all in the service of love. We believe each of us has the...
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Recommended Read: Christ for Unitarian Universalists, A New Dialogue with Traditional Christianity
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) podcast, we suggest a book to add to your reading list, possibly helping you build your personal theology: Christ for Unitarian Universalists by Scotty McLennan. Sylvia Rogers, a lay minister at AUUF, read this as part of her training and shares her impressions. — AUUF is a multi-religious faith community with shared values, including equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and transformation, all in the service of love. We believe each of us has the right to seek spiritual truth and develop our own...
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Sing Hallelujah
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the AUUF podcast, our minister, the Rev. Marti Keller, describes the evolving religious landscape in the South and how Unitarian Universalism uniquely addresses the spiritual needs of a growing multi-faith kaleidoscope — including those who consider themselves spiritual but not religious. This was recorded at our service on September 14, 2025. Cindy Reinke served as the service associate and began the service with the chalice lighting. AUUF is a multi-religious faith community with shared values, including equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and...
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Nourishing the Spirit
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the AUUF podcast, Gary Lerude shares some ideas for nourishing your spirit during a busy and troubling time of the year. This was recorded at our service on September 7, 2025. Melanie Rains, who served as the service associate, read the chalice lighting. AUUF is a multi-religious faith community with shared values, including equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and transformation, all in the service of love. We believe each of us has the right to seek spiritual truth and develop our own theology rather than accept a single religious creed. AUUF is one of...
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The Story of the Ingathering Water Service
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
One of the Sundays around Labor Day starts the program year for most UU congregations. Reflecting historical roots, the slower pace of summer affords ministers and church volunteers time to relax and recharge, time to vacation while children are out of school and the weather is nice. Many UU congregations celebrate the start of the new program year with a water service — sometimes called the Water Communion. Parishioners bring water to pour in a communal bowl at the front of the sanctuary, samples of water experienced during the summer. Symbolically, the Water Communion honors our individual...
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Recommended Read: White Too Long
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) podcast, we recommend a topical book to add to your reading list: White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity by Robert P. Jones. Jim Newton, a lay minister at AUUF, read this book as part of his training to become a lay minister and shares this summary. As you’ll hear, White Too Long provides an insightful discussion of the complicity of white Christians in sustaining white privilege since the end of the Civil War. The Trump administration has now made sustaining white privilege U.S. government...
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Great Good Places
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship podcast, we explore the post-pandemic version of “third places,” safe and welcoming spaces to build and maintain community. These places are especially important as more people are isolated working from home and fewer attend church. Perhaps these new safe places can help heal the polarization and loneliness in America. This service, recorded on Sunday, August 10, 2025, was presented by our minister, Rev. Marti Keller. Ralph Banks served as the Service Associate. AUUF is a multi-religious faith community with shared values,...
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I and Thou: Bridging the Divide
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship podcast, we explore whether constructive conversations can help bridge the political polarization in this country. Can the insights of Martin Buber and Richard Rorty help? Gary Lerude explored this topic in a service on July 20, 2025. He is one of four aspirants for the lay ministry being trained by UU minister Rev. Marti Keller. AUUF is a multi-religious faith community with shared values, including equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and transformation, all in the service of love. We believe each of us has...
info_outlineOne of the Sundays around Labor Day starts the program year for most UU congregations. Reflecting historical roots, the slower pace of summer affords ministers and church volunteers time to relax and recharge, time to vacation while children are out of school and the weather is nice.
Many UU congregations celebrate the start of the new program year with a water service — sometimes called the Water Communion. Parishioners bring water to pour in a communal bowl at the front of the sanctuary, samples of water experienced during the summer. Symbolically, the Water Communion honors our individual journeys mixing to form the beloved community. In this episode of the AUUF podcast, Rev. Marti Keller shares the origin of the water service.
AUUF is a multi-religious faith community with shared values, including equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and transformation, all in the service of love. We believe each of us has the right to seek spiritual truth and develop our own theology rather than accept a single religious creed.
AUUF is one of more than 1,000 Unitarian Universalist congregations around the U.S. and Canada. If you’re in the Auburn-Opelika (Alabama) area, we hope you’ll join us Sunday mornings at 10:00. Visit our website at auuf.org.
Our theme music is “A Call to the Soul” by Folk Acoustic Music. It’s available on Pixabay.