Rev. Erik will examine the history and present of Unitarian Universalism as a faith which asks questions in some cases, simply for the sacred task of asking them. The service will include a community discussion period with our new minister, so come bringing questions you'd like to ask him. And in the Unitarian Universalist tradition, all questions are welcome but not all will be answered!
Rev. Erik David Carlson (he, him, his) is a life-long UU who has held leadership positions at every level of our Association, including the Church of the Larger Fellowship, the Central Midwest District (now MidAmerica) and the UUA Board of Trustees. Rev. Carlson has served 17 of the last 20 years in UU congregations and is currently a hospital chaplain working in the Ascension Health system while completing graduate studies at Northwestern University.
Prior to ordination, Rev. Carlson served as intern minister for the three New Orleans area UU congregations who were struggling with rebuilding their churches and communities in the post-Katrina period.
His work on technology and UU evangelism was a featured essay in the 2008 Jenkin Lloyd Jones Press publication Reverend X: How Generation-X Ministers are Shaping Unitarian Universalism, and his leadership during the 2020 protests in Kenosha was the subject of a national piece aired on HBO’s Vice News.
An accomplished songwriter, Rev. Carlson often performs original music in the UU worship services and enjoys his growing collection of stringed instruments. He is dedicated to the spiritual growth of our young people. Rev. Carlson lives in South Milwaukee with his wife, the Rev. Kimberlee Tomczak Carlson, Minister of Faith Formation at the First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, his 13-year-old son Miles and two opinionated felines.
He is looking forward to meeting everyone and beginning this exciting collaborative relationship with Unitarian Church North.
9:50 – Join for informal conversation (optional)
10:00 – Service begins
11:00 – Coffee hour
The role of religion in the military has changed dramatically in the past year. We will look at the changes, the reasons for them, and how they affect the members.
Sarah Oelberg has been a special education teacher, has written special ed. curriculum for our U.S. Office of Education, was a faculty member at Yeshiva University in New York and at NYU, and trained special ed. teachers in Iowa. She followed her heart as the first in her six-generation Unitarian family to become a UU minister. After serving churches in Nebraska and Minnesota, she retired in 2001 and now she frequently speaks at UCN. She and husband Gerald raised four children and have six grand- and four great-grandchildren.
9:50 – Join for informal conversation (optional)
10:00 – Service begins
11:00 – Coffee hour
Our minister emeritus, Tony Larsen, will be with us again to help us explore why we "waste" an hour on Sundays--and at other times too!--when we could probably be doing other important things. What is a sabbath? And why are there sabbaticals?
Tony Larsen was our minister here at Unitarian Church North for 4 years (2019-2023), having served before that at Olympia Brown UU in Racine for 40+ years. He was raised Catholic, and studied to be a Catholic priest for 10 years before being ordained to the Unitarian Universalist ministry. He received his B.A. in philosophy from Maryknoll College in 1971, his M.A. in theology from Maryknoll School of Theology in 1973, and his D.Min from Meadville/Lombard Theological School in 1975.
9:50 – Join for informal conversation (optional)
10:00 – Service begins
11:00 – Coffee hour
Summer is ending soon and the time of the harvest is in its fullest on the Wheel of the Year. We are nearing the season of the Crone. Let us honor the Crones and grandmothers among us and those who have passed, in song and stories.
The Unitarian Universalist Women’s Connection (UUWC) is a vibrant regional community across the Midwest (primarily Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan) that fosters deep personal renewal, creative expression, and lifelong friendships through inclusive, nature-inspired women’s retreats. Rooted in feminist theology, UUWC organizes popular spring, summer, and fall retreats that provide a rich tapestry of experiences designed to help participants rediscover joy, share their personal narratives, and find mutual support.
9:50 – Join for informal conversation (optional)
10:00 – Service begins
11:00 – Coffee hour
Learn the origin of the Tower of Babel story (and find out a few things Sunday School teachers never told you about God's fear of human beings). Learn a bit about linguistics too, from our linguistics-loving emeritus minister, Tony Larsen.
Tony Larsen was our minister here at Unitarian Church North for 4 years (2019-2023), having served before that at Olympia Brown UU in Racine for 40+ years. He was raised Catholic, and studied to be a Catholic priest for 10 years before being ordained to the Unitarian Universalist ministry. He received his B.A. in philosophy from Maryknoll College in 1971, his M.A. in theology from Maryknoll School of Theology in 1973, and his D.Min from Meadville/Lombard Theological School in 1975.
9:50 – Join for informal conversation (optional)
10:00 – Service begins
11:00 – Coffee hour
The meaning of worship is
to be shaped by
what is of worth.
We gather together in spiritual community because we need constant reminders of what matters most in life. In a world of heartbreak and dehumanization, our congregations and communities call us to our better selves. We learn to live with more wisdom, more connection, and more compassion.
Our Worship Services are weekly reflections that weave together our own thoughts and experiences with music, beauty, poetry, and words that both comfort and challenge. Our programs for all ages inspire and awaken us to our capacities to make a difference in our own lives and in the world.
