Please come to our services in person from June 30 -- no more Zoom till Fall. (Then you can again click here for Zoom of our weekly services at 10 am).
Christina Sillari has been the minister of First Parish in Portland since 2010. She is the visiting minister at CVUUS during October, 2019.
Originally from Somerville, Massachusetts, she is from a working-class family of Greek Orthodox and Catholic Heritage. She rejected those faith-based traditions as a teenager, and sought meaning in mysticism and dance, and became a practicing Buddhist, embracing the ways of Eastern Philosophy. She became a Unitarian Universalist in her mid-20s after feeling empowered by a sermon given by a female UU minister in Boston. She values UU’s willingness to let individuals define their own brand of faith. And that open-mindedness drew her to our congregation.
In addition to her Masters in Divinity, Christina has her Masters in Psychology with a focus on yoga and mind/body health. Prior to becoming a minister, she worked as a therapist, yoga teacher, shamanic practitioner and group leader. After choosing her path as a UU minister, she was an integral member of the ministerial teams at UU churches in Newburyport and Arlington, MA.
Christina is a strong and supportive minister with varied experience, knowledge and belief that deeply benefits the First Parish Congregation. She is passionate about work in justice, compassion and understanding within the local, denominational and world communities. In addition to her insightful sermons and spiritual teachings, she provides perspective, support and growth to the church, its members and visitors.
Rev. Tricia and Rev. Christina led us in celebrating our congregation at the end of this first year of transition. We looked to the future, and recognized new members. We brought flowers to add to our communal bouquet. The Flower Ceremony, sometimes referred to as Flower Communion or Flower Festival, is an annual UU ritual … Continue reading Welcoming Joy
How does our faith tradition cultivates wisdom? What does it means to be a Unitarian Universalist in these times? What role does CVUUS play in sharing our faith’s wisdom with the greater community? Led by Rev. Christina. We share our offering with Climate Economy Action Center of Addison County (CEAC). See worship details here: OOS … Continue reading The Wisdom of Our Faith
Rev. Christina explored class and classism from a personal and emotional perspective looking at it through the lens of behavior and language. We share our offering with Atria Collective (formerly WomenSafe). See worship details here: OOS 3.10.24 See a recording here:
Are you a Universalist? Rev. Christina helped us explore the history and theology of Universalism and how relevant and necessary it is today. We are sharing our offering with Black Church Food Security in honor of Black History month. See worship details here: February 11 Order of Service See a recording here:
We know that there’s one thing we can count on in this life: that it will end! How can we prepare for this, and know that we’re not alone in the journey? Through looking at religious and cultural perceptions of death and our personal relationship with death we explore what it means to practice dying … Continue reading Practicing Death
ON SITE & ZOOM. Through the gospel, music, stories and poetry we explored the light of Jesus and the meaning of Christmas. Led by Rev. Christina Sillari. Donations collected for CVUUS Discretionary Fund dispersed in collaboration with HOPE. Ended with the traditional lighting of candles and singing of Silent Night. See worship details here: Pre-Service … Continue reading Christmas Eve UU Service The Light of Jesus (6:30 pm)
ON SITE & ZOOM. What is this human capacity for forgiveness? Where does it come from? How can it save the world? We explored forgiveness through powerful stories and personal reflection on our own lives. Led by Rev. Christina. Followed by our Radical Love Exchange special luncheon and drawings during social hour. See worship … Continue reading Forgiveness: The Ultimate Act of Generosity
What is liminality? How does being in a liminal space impact us? Can we use liminality as a teacher? Theologian Richard Rohr believes, “The unique and necessary function of religion is to lead us into this crazy, liminal time.” We surely are living in crazy times. How do we become friends with liminality? Can we … Continue reading Liminality
ON SITE & ZOOM. With Rev. Christina Sillari, Poppy Rees, and the CVUUS Choir What are you hoping for at CVUUS? How can we foster a sense of connectedness and community for the upcoming year? Through words, song, and ritual we explored what it means to ride the waves of life together through co-creating sacred … Continue reading Ingathering Water Communion: Riding the Waves Together
Rev. Christina Sillari continued in our pulpit and asked: God: What is God and why is God so prevalent in our culture? How does your mind and heart approach the notion of God? “Could anything actually exist in the universe, as science understands it, that is worthy of being called God?” by Nancy Ellen Abrams … Continue reading What, Why and How God Is in Our Culture, Hearts and Minds
