Rev. Carmen Emerson presents
Six Needs of Mourning #4:
Develop a New Self-identity
Elizabeth DeCoux, Worship Leader
Gary Smart, Pianist
First Coast Flute Choir, Guest Musicians
An encouraging and uplifting exploration of the needs and meaning of mourning, moving beyond the myth of linear, staged grieving and the cultural platitudes we learn early in life to deflect grief. The series concludes with an opportunity to consider advanced care planning as a gift of love to your families. This Sunday’s service covers developing a new self-identity after mourning. Part of your self-identity comes from the relationships you have with other people. When someone with whom you have a relationship dies, the way you think of yourself and the way society defines you changes.
About Our Speaker
Rev. Carmen Emerson, MDiv, is the Affiliated Community Minister for BBUUC. She earned a Master of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School and a graduate certificate in conflict resolution from Lipscomb University’s Institute for Conflict Management. Rev. Carmen is in good standing with the UU Ministers Association and in full fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association. She is a Board-Certified Chaplain and the Spiritual Support Services Coordinator for Baptist Health System in NE Florida. Rev. Emerson’s experience as a parish minister includes ten years of full-time service to our UU congregations in Albuquerque, NM (contract); Meadville, PA (called); and Nashville, TN (called).
About our Guest Musicians
First Coast Flute Choir members have been making sweet music together since 2014. All volunteers, with various backgrounds, players are linked by their love of the flute. In the past, the choir utilized all members of the flute family: piccolo, C flute, Alto flute in G, Bass flute, and even Contrabass flute. Their music represents many different styles, cultural heritages, and historical periods.
FCFC regularly performs at the Florida Flute Convention in Orlando. Some recent and past performances also include: Friday Musicale of Jacksonville, Christmas at the Cathedral District, Riverside Arts Market, local libraries, St. John’s Cathedral of Jacksonville and at area churches, as part of their services and for special event concerts.
Next Sunday, February 1, 2026
David Dean presents a sermon written by
Rev. Douglas Taylor
Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Binghamton (NY)
Grandma’s Hands
Alyssa Halliday, Worship Leader
Gary Smart, Pianist
Later in our lives, the defense mechanisms we’ve had that helped us at first begin to get in the way. The grandmother’s hands were covered in thick calluses and scar tissue that had protected her in her youth, but caused her pain in her later years. The image of having ‘built a wall’ is common. We build an emotional wall or some other type of boundary to protect ourselves. In time, however, we often find the wall then impedes our ability to connect…
(See our “Next Week” publication for more information, as well as BBUUC.org)