Luke Bouman

"Most relationships succeed or fail based on the effectiveness of communication. What are the relational and spiritual foundations of healthy communication? How can we touch others in a meaningful way without crossing boundaries? Communication depends on emotional context. People are not likely to hear you when your words are “pursuing” them. Luke’s compelling research can be applied to interpersonal, work and family relationships opening the door to more joy and true connection.

Luke Bouman is a retired Lutheran Minister and an active consultant for churches, other non-profit organizations and professional groups. His lifelong passion is understanding organizational dynamics and communication. A gifted public speaker and writer, Luke is married to Kathy, his wife of 39 years, and enjoys music, theater and golf."

Speaker: Sandi Watters

Hope. The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche called it the worst of all evils. Benjamin Franklin said: "He that lives upon hope will die fasting." And hope has been maligned by many others - as a sop, a crutch, and a slap in the face of logic and reason. But . . . where would we be without it?

Speaker: Carl Wolf

We claim love as a guiding force in our religious practice. In our struggles against racism, love should be our motivation.

This will be an open mic Sunday service. We will ask for volunteers to share briefly (1-3 min) and extemporaneously what First Unitarian means to each of you. You can share a brief personal experience or your feelings about being UU or a member of First U specifically. Speak from your heart.

Speaker: Tony Pucillo

"The practice of burning offerings released into the atmosphere in reverence of the divine can be found in nearly every religious tradition. Our annual Burning Bowl ritual of letting go of the past and welcoming in the new allows us to imagine what is possible while releasing that which holds us down. As we prepare to greet the new year we join together in this cleansing ritual. Pause, look inward and emerge refreshed, ready to embrace the world we seek to create.

Tony is a professional public speaker. He has served as a Unity prayer chaplain And is currently is an active member and serves on the board of the Empty Circle Zen Group. He has recently returned to Northwest Indiana."