Blog

Our member, former preacher David Hart, will share with us a look into the life of  Ben Lindner on Sunday, November 23 at Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist fellowship.   A 1983 graduate of the University of Washington, Lindner was a progressive idealist who traveled to Nicaragua during the Sandinista Revolution of the mid-1980s, using his engineering degree to help bring electricity and water to a small village in Nicaragua – a decision that eventually led to his tragic death at the hands of the US-backed Contras.

A former Baptist minister, Dave Hart will tackle the difficult topic of “The Price of Commitment” and how it may help us in determining the commitments we make in our lives today.

All are invited to attend our Holiday Benefit Auction, to raise funds for St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry and the Free Clinic in Rice Lake, and the Winged Freedom Raptor Hospital in Spooner: December 6th from 3 to 6 p.m.  Everyone is welcome at UU services 10 a.m. Sunday mornings, 230 W. Messenger St. in Rice Lake and also on Zoom – link may be requested from mydogknows@gmail.com

Well known Prof Emeritus of our local UW Barron County campus, Robert Hasman will offer his reflections on Robert Frost’s poetry at Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Sunday, November 16^th.  

Prof Hasman’s choice of the well known “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” will be central to the morning’s choice of Frost’s work, as he reminds us of the ways poetry may provide both guidance and refuge during challenging times.  Bob suggests that all review this beloved poem before the service, and perhaps have in mind other Frost favorites of their own.

All are invited to attend our Holiday Benefit Auction, to raise funds for St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry and the Free Clinic in Rice Lake, and the Winged Freedom Raptor Hospital in Spooner: December 6th from 3 to 6 p.m.  Everyone is welcome at UU services 10 a.m. Sunday mornings, 230 W. Messenger St. in Rice Lake and also on Zoom – link may be requested at patriciashifferd@gmail.com.

Be with us as Arthur Thexton zooms in to complete his series of reflections on how UU’s create a coherent belief system which honors both the diversity of our moral code and traditional religious beliefs.  

Sharing that he approached the topic with trepidation – “Not being a Christian myself, or even a theist, I have to question what authority I might have in suggesting to others how to regard their deepest religious convictions.  But this has been a refreshingly valuable exploration which  I look forward to sharing with the Blue Hills Unitarian Universalists.”

All are invited to attend our Holiday Benefit Auction, to raise funds for St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry and the Free Clinic in Rice Lake, and the Winged Freedom Raptor Hospital in Spooner: December 6th from 3 to 6 p.m.  Everyone is welcome at UU services 10 a.m. Sunday mornings, 230 W. Messenger St. in Rice Lake and also on Zoom – link may be requested at patriciashifferd@gmail.com.

As member of Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Rice Lake, Zarrin Reynolds of northern Wisconsin will share her perspective on “Hope” at the November 2^nd. Sunday Service.  As an English teacher at the Lac Courte Oreilles High School, LCO Reservation near Hayward, Ms Reynolds has a unique opportunity to become aware of cross cultural awarenesses.  

Reynolds will attempt to bring insight to the challenges currently troubling many, noting that “In a time of physical, political, and historical darkness, how can we hold onto hope, and how may we even try?”  What does hope even look like in a season of despair?  What do our UU values and community offer in the way of an answer to those questions?”  

All are invited to attend our Holiday Benefit Auction, to raise funds for St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry and the Free Clinic in Rice Lake, and the Winged Freedom Raptor Hospital in Spooner: December 6th from 3 to 6 p.m.  Also all are welcome to UU services 10 a.m. Sunday mornings, located at 230 W. Messenger St. in Rice Lake.  Also on Zoom – link may be requested at

Blue Hill’s Unitarians are excited to have Rick StGermaine of the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe tribe return to our fellowship Sunday, October 26^th. at 10 a.m. Dr. StGermaine will share an overview of the 21st century changes in the two spiritual societies of the Wisconsin Ojibwe – the Midewiwin and Chideweigan belief systems.

“Both died out in the early 1960s for understandable reasons, but our tribe revived Chideweigan around 1969.  Our people have joined neighboring ceremonies and it has become an important part of our lives again.” StGermaine will share how this helps his people, and a description of their spiritual ways.

The Order of Service is attached below for those who want to run themselves a hard copy to bring along.  All are invited to Blue Hills UU services which are held at10 a.m. Sunday mornings in the fellowship hall, located at 230 W. Messenger St. in Rice Lake, and also on Zoom. The zoom link is sent to members, however all interested may request this week’s link by request at bradljt@auburn.edu

Chaplain Dennis Peters of Hillsdale will address the Blue Hills Unitarians at Sunday Services October 19^th.  Noting there are few of us aware of how important a role Norway played in slowing down the Nazi advance in World War II – most especially the Lutheran church! Ch Peters will bring us to revisit that past and expand our knowledge of history.

All are invited to stay awhile after the service with Dennis on this third Sunday of the month, as Blue Hills UUs gather for Pot Luck;  members & friends are encouraged to bring a dish to pass and enjoy time for camaraderie & nourishment.

.  Blue Hills UU invites everyone to services, beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday mornings in the fellowship hall, 230 W. Messenger St., Rice Lake, and also on Zoom. The zoom link is sent to members, however all interested may request the link by contacting patriciashifferd@gmail.com.

Our friend and fellow UU Art Thexton will be with Blue Hills Unitarians on Sunday October 12^th to continue his series “How to Believe in God.”  Beginning a few years ago, Arthur shared with us the first of three sermons relating to religion in all of its forms, including atheism, humanism and agnosticism.  

Noting that all of these are actually a faith, and that it is incorrect to refer to any variety of difference as having “no faith,” Thexton will explore with the Blue Hills Fellowship what it means to be spiritual for a UU.  Our mornings with our “part-time, itinerant, circuit-riding, lay preacher” Arthur Thexton are always enlightening.

All are invited to Blue Hills UU services which are held at10 a.m. Sunday mornings in the fellowship hall, located at 230 W. Messenger St. in Rice Lake, and also on Zoom. The zoom link is sent to members, however all interested may request this week’s link by request at mydogknows@gmail.com

Rev. Terry Cummings will conduct the Service this first Sunday of October at Blue Hills UU, bringing us a message from the Old Testament.  The prophet Michah had this to say:  “People should do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with their God.”    

Being on the side of justice, especially social justice, is the goal of many faith communities, although sometimes bearing witness and advocating for justice-centered causes can draw us into the arena of politics.   Rev Cummings will reflect on how the politics of social justice can sometimes be divisive and affect communities of faith.

All are invited to Blue Hills UU services which are held at10 a.m. Sunday mornings in the fellowship hall, located at 230 W. Messenger St. in Rice Lake, and also on Zoom. The zoom link is sent to members, however all interested may request this week’s link by request at mvanetten32@gmail.com.

Blue Hills Unitarian Universalists of Rice Lake welcomes Nick Schweitzer of Sauk County September 28th, who will be in attendance at the Rice Lake Fellowship Sunday, to conduct the Sunday Service.  As a congregation and Board member of the Free Congregation of Sauk County, a Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Mr Schweitzer will speak of the Counter-Force Project – “a group of  individuals dedicated to peacefully opposing attacks on our schools, our libraries, our local governments and our civic values.”

The Free Congregation of Sauk County is a free-thought society without creeds or ministers, founded in 1852 as a “Freie Gemeinde” by 19th-century German immigrants, and still meets in the historic Park Hall built in 1884.

Following the service, Mr Schweitzer will be hosted to lunch with members.  All are invited to Blue Hills UU services which are held at10 a.m. Sunday mornings in the fellowship hall, located at 230 W. Messenger St. in Rice Lake, and also on Zoom. The zoom link is sent to members, however all interested may request this week’s link by request at  mydogknows@gmail.com

Prepare yourself for an uplifting morning Sunday, September 21st at Blue Hills UU!  One of our chief organizers, Judy Barisonzi will lead the morning’s thought train by informing and inquiring of us “Why Story Telling Matters.”   As a writer and family historian, we may expect enlightenment.

Woven into our time together will be a celebration of a significant day in the life of  another of our members, Robert Hasman.  We expect Bob will be with us to share Pot Luck on his quite special Birthday morning.   Each third Sunday of the month, Blue Hills UUs gather for Pot Luck after the service; members and friends are encouraged to bring a dish to pass and stay awhile to enjoy time for camaraderie & nourishment, and on this Sunday morning:  to celebrate Bob!

Blue Hills UUs invite everyone to services, beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday mornings in the fellowship hall, 230 W. Messenger St., Rice Lake, and also on Zoom. The zoom link is sent to members, however all interested may request this week’s link by contacting jimbradley4335@gmail.com.