A continuation of our series on spirituality – and lack of it – in Unitarian experience. Explores how some of us adapt and adopt cultural metaphors, including considering “a free and responsible search for truth and meaning” as a kind of journey.

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Alix Geard

Read below, or download the PDF

---

Alix Geard © 7 June 2026

Part 1: My journey through religion and related thought

Ka tangi te tītī, ka tangi te kākā, ka tangi hoki ko au, tīhei mauri ora

– The tītī calls; the kākā calls; so also I call: receive the breath of life!

I hau tuatahi ahau i te tūranga o Maungakiekie

– I first took breath at the base of One Tree Hill, in the old National Women’s Hospital.

I tipu ake ahau ki te takutai o Tīkapa Moana

– I grew up on the shores of the Hauraki Gulf.

Ko Ngāti Ingarangi me Ngāti Aerana ōku iwi

– My ancestors were English and Irish.

Nō Tāmaki Makaurau ahau

– I am from Auckland.

Kei te Whanganui-a-Tara ahau e noho ana

– But now I live in Wellington.

Ko Geard tōku whānau

– My family is Geard.

Ko Alix tōku ingoa

– My name is Alix.

E kī ana te kōrero: “Nāku te rourou – nāu te rourou – ka ora ai te iwi.”

– As it is said, “With your food basket and my food basket, the people will be well.”

Nō reira rā, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa

– Therefore welcome, welcome, thrice welcome.

It’s been a while since I’ve led a service here. I’m once again going to split my musings into 2 parts, with 2 different perspectives on the theme of spiritual journeys.

I’ve heard positive responses from people in this community about the sharing of personal stories during our series of talks about spirituality. So in this first part I’ll share my story. In the second portion I’ll explore the journey metaphor. For now, settle yourselves and get comfortable – this’ll take a while.

Spoiler: I had a non-traumatic Protestant upbringing. It shaped me culturally but mostly didn’t stick religiously. It went hand-in-hand with valuing science and using the mind I’d “been given” to make sense of the world. But I’ve been to my share of Roman Catholic masses to sing the music.

There will also be a few very religious references.

Continue reading Travel Tips for Spiritual Journeys →

Can spiritual journeys be something other than finding a religion or a God? A personal interpretation. My story’s a bit different – but maybe it’s yours too ….

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Maria Hayward

Read below, or download the PDF

---

Maria Hayward © 24 May 2026

What is a Spiritual Journey?

According to AI, “a spiritual journey is a personal, non-linear quest to deepen self-awareness, connect with a higher purpose, and find inner peace”. The definition continues: A spiritual journey “involves shifting from ego-driven living to authenticity, often marked by meditation, mindfulness, and self-reflection. The process often starts at the heart, nurturing compassion and a deeper connection to the cosmos.”

I quite like that definition – although a connection to the cosmos might not be the words I’d use. And churches or religion are not mentioned. I also think that it doesn’t matter whether our spiritual journeys include a concept of God or religion or church. These are all personal worlds and we make our own decisions about which aspects of spirituality have relevance or meaning for us. It doesn’t matter that there are differences in our spiritual journeys or beliefs or credence. In my opinion, what matters is how we live our lives. And how we make decisions in our lives – what guides us? It is interesting to hear the variety of spiritual interpretations and journeys that we’ve been hearing over the last few weeks.

Today I’ll share my journey. Mine is not so much about waka jumping (or faith/church swapping) – it’s more about that ethereal thing, the development of my moral compass, perhaps, that steers or guides me in my life. This is today’s ‘take’, the theme or topic for today’s service.

Continue reading Reflections on a Spiritual Journey →

How I came to Unitarianism and am still not sure how I define or participate in spirituality.

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Kate Lewis

Read below, or download the PDF

Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.

---

Kate Lewis © 10 May 2026

A few weeks ago Ruby introduced our series of talks on personal journeys of spirituality. She titled her talk Grappling with Spirituality, which is perhaps an appropriate title for the whole series, since here we all are in the Auckland Unitarian Church, and most of us did not start our religious or spiritual lives as Unitarians.

After volunteering to do this talk I started to wonder if I am, in fact, a spiritual person. What does that word even mean? It reminded me of teaching and lecturing at the university; there’s nothing like teaching a subject to make you realise you do not understand it at all.

Continue reading Grappling with Spirituality, Second in the personal journeys series →

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Ruby Johnson

Read below, or download the PDF

Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.

---

Ruby Johnson © 29 March 2026

Opening Words:

Today’s service is part one of what we are aiming to be an ongoing series on spirituality, and addressing the question of what the spiritual needs of our congregation might be. I wanted to launch this series, because I think that a lot of us have a complicated relationship with spirituality, with religion, and with the concepts and language that surrounds them – I include myself in that group. Some people here are longtime members of either this congregation, or of other progressive religious traditions. Others, like myself and several of the other service leaders, come from backgrounds where religion was a painful and oppressive part of life.

Continue reading Grappling with Spirituality →