Join Us
Our Sunday Services
by Bill Fahey
North Chapel Sunday Services are held in the Sanctuary at 10 am.
Service reflections will continue to be recorded whenever possible.
The videos will be available on our YouTube channel here and website below.
To receive our weekly newsletter InTouch, with a link to the reflection on YouTube please sign up here.
Last Sunday’s Reflection
June 28, 2026
Reflection by Michael Backman
“On Being a Welcoming Congregation”
In the 1980s and 90s, when the word “welcoming” became a code word for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, the Unitarian Universalist Association launched a Welcoming Congregation Program to help us learn how to undo homophobia - and later, transphobia - in our hearts and minds, our congregations, and our communities.
Mike Backman joined the North Chapel in 2000, shortly after moving to Woodstock from Berkeley, CA, when his now-husband, Steve Swayne, accepted a teaching job at Dartmouth. They have since left the hills of Woodstock (and all that property maintenance) for a condo in Quechee. They thought that they would eventually return to California, but now that they are both nearing retirement they realize that Vermont has become home and plan to stay.
Mike and Steve became activists during the heated discussions in Vermont around gay marriage and civil unions in the early 2000s, speaking at the Vermont legislature, Rotary Clubs and other organizations. An avid thespian, Mike has been involved in numerous productions in the Upper Valley, last playing Joe in Northern Stage's Waitress last year.
Mike works in IT at Dartmouth College and looks forward to getting more involved again in the North Chapel after retiring later this year.
He grew up in Provo, Utah, and will share some of his experiences growing up gay in a very Mormon environment and why belonging to a Welcoming Congregation is so important to him on June 28th.
Video on YouTube
- Upcoming Service -
These notes are usually available on Thursday afternoons.
Sunday, July 5, 2026
Reflection by Rev. Dr. Leon Dunkley
The American River - Flowing for More Than 250 Years
“Hunger is the best sauce.” This saying applies to the nourishment of the body and also to the nourishment of the body politic. As we celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary, how do we best satisfy the spiritual hunger that we are experiencing? How do we rekindle courage, freedom and American integrity in these difficult times?
Service Coordinator - Megan Lancaster
Altar Decor - Polly Forcier
Contribute
We hope you will join us in supporting the North Chapel with your offerings of time, talent and treasure, as we work together to continue to grow as a strong and vibrant faith community.
The commitment of our members is critical to every aspect of the life of our North Chapel community.
Read about all the ways your generosity is needed and where your skills, efforts, time, and contributions
will be appreciated here.
For all financial donations, please use the form on our website here.
WORSHIP THEME
Worship Theme for June 2026
Gratitude
Gratitude is a way of living that opens our hearts to one another. Through generosity, compassion, and hope, we celebrate abundance not by what we keep, but by what we share.
Theme for July 2026
Go to the Woods
Step beyond the noise of daily life and into a deeper relationship with the living world. In the woods, we encounter transformation through changing seasons, new growth, and the rhythms of nature. The forest teaches resilience, connection, humility, and wonder — reminding us that we are part of something larger than ourselves.
Previous Sunday Services
June 28, 2026
Reflection by Michael Backman
“On Being a Welcoming Congregation”
In the 1980s and 90s, when the word “welcoming” became a code word for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, the Unitarian Universalist Association launched a Welcoming Congregation Program to help us learn how to undo homophobia - and later, transphobia - in our hearts and minds, our congregations, and our communities.
Mike Backman joined the North Chapel in 2000, shortly after moving to Woodstock from Berkeley, CA, when his now-husband, Steve Swayne, accepted a teaching job at Dartmouth. They have since left the hills of Woodstock (and all that property maintenance) for a condo in Quechee. They thought that they would eventually return to California, but now that they are both nearing retirement they realize that Vermont has become home and plan to stay.
Mike and Steve became activists during the heated discussions in Vermont around gay marriage and civil unions in the early 2000s, speaking at the Vermont legislature, Rotary Clubs and other organizations.
An avid thespian, Mike has been involved in numerous productions in the Upper Valley, last playing Joe in Northern Stage's Waitress last year. Mike works in IT at Dartmouth College and looks forward to getting more involved again in the North Chapel after retiring later this year.
He grew up in Provo, Utah, and will share some of his experiences growing up gay in a very Mormon environment and why belonging to a Welcoming Congregation is so important to him on June 28th.
Sunday, June 21, 2026
Reflection by Rev. Leon Dunkley
“The Grace of Not Fitting In”
Mary didn’t fit in. She was judged and ostracized. At the end of her first trimester, with baby Jesus growing in her belly, disconnected from the father of her child, Mary was unlike the other women surrounding her. She was alone. She didn’t fit in…and yet, her experience was a blessing to the world. How do we learn to appreciate the grace of not fitting in?
Service Coordinator - Ann Beirne
Memorials and Tributes
We offer a place to honor those who have passed.
All are invited to send photos and stories to the office so that they can be included in the online tributes on this page of our website.
Contact Us
North Universalist Chapel Society 7 Church Street, Woodstock VT 05091 Directions/Map
Minister: Rev. Dr. Leon Dunkley can be reached by calling or texting 802-369-5104.
Administrative Assistant: Joanne Boyle can be reached at 802-369-9838 or northchapelcommunications@gmail.com
Director of Spiritual Education: Tatum Barnes can be reached at 646-675-9232 or tatumali1030@gmail.com