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Sunday Reflection with Rev. Aaron Payson @ The Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, MA

Sunday Reflection with Rev. Aaron Payson @ The Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, MA

By: Rev. Aaron R. Payson
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Greetings! This podcast features reflections by The Reverend Aaron Payson, Minister of The Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, MA (UUCW). UUCW is the legacy of The First Universalist Church of Worcester, established in 1841. The congregation is located across from Indian Lake in the north-west part of the city. In its present location since 1956, UUCW is a vibrant community for all ages, committed to love, hope, and justice, inspiring people to take on the challenges of a changing world.

Join us online or in person at 10 am on Sunday. Information about upcoming services, as well as a full archive of past worship, and information about the many programs and opportunities for community service and social justice, is available at our website www.uucworcester.org, or by contacting us at office@uucworcester.org. For more information about this podcast, contact podcast@uucworcester.org.

UUCW is a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association (www.uua.org). We are located at 140 Shore Drive, Worcester, MA 01605. For directions, visit our website www.uucworcester.org.

UUCW 2025
Philosophy Social Sciences Spirituality
Episodes
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    Dec 25 2025

    We gather for this service of readings and carols to claim the spirit of Christmas through stories old and new, songs, soloists, and candlelight.

    The Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester (UUCW) is located in Worcester, the heart of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Our services are live-streamed on ... at 10 am every Sunday and stored on our website www.uucworcester.org for future viewing. The music you hear is from "Song Without Words," written and performed by our Music Director, Matt Johnsen.

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  • 20251214 Wading Through The Rubble
    Dec 15 2025

    We honor the Jewish holiday of Hannukah, remembering the ancient story and asking what lessons from this period of national discord and return apply to us today.

    The Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester (UUCW) is located in Worcester, the heart of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Our services are live-streamed on ... at 10 am every Sunday and stored on our website www.uucworcester.org for future viewing. The music you hear is from "Song Without Words," written and performed by our Music Director, Matt Johnsen.

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    31 mins
  • 20251207 Don't Just Do Something, Sit There!
    Dec 7 2025

    The Buddhist teacher, Ajahn Jotipālo writes:

    Ajahn Sucitto once said that we often think of patience as waiting for change. I will endure this situation, gritting my teeth, until it changes. Certainly, we might want a painful situation to change, but with true patience, according to Ajahn Sucitto, it’s more like thinking, I will be with this situation, period. In other words, there’s no expectation that the situation will change or get better.

    By learning to turn toward our suffering and simply be with it, we are staying at the level of feeling. We are not getting into the story, the proliferation, or creating a self around it. If someone says something to us and we become angry or feel uncomfortable, instead of going outward, as we typically do with mettā, we can go inward. (https://www.abhayagiri.org/reflections/692-turning-inward-with-patience)

    This Sunday, we pause to honor Bodhi Day, the Annual Day on which many Buddhists reflect on the Buddha’s gaining enlightenment. We will explore one of the essential dynamics of this process, which is our relationship to all that tries and challenges us as we seek to be our best selves in a world that is often bruised and hurting. Join us for this special service.

    The Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester (UUCW) is located in Worcester, the heart of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Our services are live-streamed on ... at 10 am every Sunday and stored on our website www.uucworcester.org for future viewing. The music you hear is from "Song Without Words," written and performed by our Music Director, Matt Johnsen.

    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
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