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BUUF-sermon-20101031.mp3

All souls. The living and the dead. Of our friends and enemies and 11th. Peaceful leavers. And those who left screaming. All souls religions of. Also. That is what. Queen isabella. The veil between worlds is thinnest. Permission to let our imagination room which is rare. Skeptical. Oriented. Mostly we treat this holiday as an occasion for a lot of fun and creativity. A time when we can pretend to be someone else we can scare ourselves about what lies beyond. Almost all of it. Have a good time for dissipate or watching the dressing up the forays into the supernatural. The lightning upstairs. With most people i like it alot. At the same time days mysteries reflection. Sober and joyous on things we do not understand. When we reflect. On the deep. We understand. We find ourselves up against both. Soul in richmond. And. Soul siri. Let us consider witches as an example that takes this into the pool. Which costumes are a staple of halloween. They are usually these black hazard green complexion work on the nose stereotype. Nothing like the earth honoring. Healing. Justice loving people who call themselves witches and come in all shapes and sizes that human being. There is one thing. And i absolutely hate halloween. And that is the fairly recent ed. Life-size witch dolls on brooms. Smashed. I just hate it. And this takes us right back to the subject of susan's disturbing song humanity's inhumanity to each other. The salem witch hunts happen in our country in the late 60s. I kind of later localized outbreak of an unspeakable epidemic. It swept through europe throughout the century. Estimates of the actual witches executor range from 100,000 to 9 million. You really don't know. Almost all of the women and almost all were of the peasant class. Significantly but parenthetically to my subject today jews and heretics. We're also tortured and burned during these times. I recommend to you the book dreaming the dark by a well-known witch who has written several excellent. I had a creating ritual class from her in seminary. In which i learned a lot about practicing religion in a. Right brained. Earthsea. And her essay in. Several hypotheses about why these atrocities. They're all related. And to the human ability to fall into evil ways. The important thing about remembering these long past atrocities. That they were rising up of shadow. In a particularly vicious form. Human shadow that mysterious part of our unconscious. Amazing horror. And leads us to a sense of our exclusive. Right. In this case perhaps. Earthiness. And since you were in the man doing. Perhaps. Healing holistically. Specialty of medicine. Perhaps male-dominated. Head oriented rigidly controlling religion. Need to obliterate reminder that the holy is everywhere. Maybe they needed to obliterate. Who found god in earth. And in relationship. What are the reasons were for this very nasty uprising of this dark side. Untold thousands of witches were killed in the name of religion and right. On this day. When spirits are known to be afoot. Religion can take on. A very broad and embracing meaning. We still. The contrast. Cupid. We feel the horror especially as we hear susan's uncomfortable song. We breathe. We deplore the excesses that humans are capable. It is to be devoutly hope. We know that we as individuals and groups of atrocity. 21st century citizens are no more immune than our 17th century brothers were falling in. This coming tuesday virginville made the announcement. We in our church are hosting mark kimball. Are you african. Who is traveling. Terrible persecution of gay lesbian bisexual and transgender. Homosexuality has always been illegal. Uganda. But draconian laws are being proposed. Partly as a result. Of conservative american christian missionaries. We have heard that argue. Proposed laws include. Long incarceration and. Agonize since his leaving the country. There was a newspaper page listing and allies including him with a large banner reading. We see that talk risings of shadow are by no means confined to olden times. Persecution campaign's going to rise anytime anyplace. Lest we feel relieved that uganda is far from us we need only. And if we look at ourselves in our own hearts we know. That is one of us. Carries the potential. 4 east. Now what could carry our potential it's all humans have. To be actual place is denial. And self-righteous. Anytime. Any of us. Ourselves. In patterns of hurting others were ourselves. We have a religious responsibility. To look at our own. And this often requires help. From professionals are from loving france. When we allow ourselves the luxury of knowing. The we are correct. Knowing that we have the truth. Others have. We are probably swimming. In a small tributary. Of the huge rivers of horror. Inhabited by the torturers. And the first. Germans are supposed to comfort the afflicted and afflict. And so far this one has been the lab. Wondering how i got so deeply into the horrors of the human heart when i started. The most obvious connection is the witch image. Usually portrayed this time of year in a parody.. Is this an echo of the terrible things that happened to witches in the olden times. The other connection is that this persecution and modern persecutions like it results from fundamental isms of one sort or another especially religious. Each of us. Is capable of narrow-minded self-righteousness. When we get back to the direct connection with this holiday. Pagans celebrate this song. You know how to spell for your order of service for now. This holiday marks the end of harvest. The beginning of a new year and it marks the evening when veils between the worlds arthemis. Like mexican day of the dead. Salad welcomes the souls of those who have died. To join us for a while. It invites to reflect on the departed. And otherwise. And look honestly at the whole relationship in his case. It invites us to talk through. This kind of approach. Is the opposite. Righteousness. This ritual. Practice with integrity allows for realizing the full given take sorrow and joy and generosity of the human spirit. Administers meaning once i had i heard him moving account. Wu college. It's not exactly the same as fallen order. This man whom i will call richard is a dyed-in-the-wool. A christian unabashed. Conservative. Conservative in the sense that he does not embrace what he considered newfangled or shallow. He is also open to genuine spiritual experiences that will enhance words. Some years ago. He went on a guided. Vision quest in death valley in february. Is native american. As many people as possible from that forces life again. One at a time. Words of love. Estero. A repentance. A forgiveness. To the one who has died. On the vision quest after sunday's richards guide instructed him to sit up all night. In the freezing cold. Rap. He was to invite. All the people in his life. He was to die. To his self as you knew that stuff. It was a mystical experience. He said. They came. Albertacos one and then another then another. I would fall asleep. I would struggle back up to city of moore. Richard's eyes filled with tears in his voice. I couldn't wait. For my wife. And for my daughters. I admire richard a lot anyway. I honor him even more for the spiritual courage it took. To go to.. Well outside his usual emotional. When we talk. The people in our life. The living and the dead. Whether we talk in real life. Or privately in our deep honest reflection. How can we help. But open our hearts and enrich our souls. When we do the very hard thing of looking at relationships with humility. Our parts as well as the other. We embody the full honest life and we embody the facing of our various show. When we face our shadows embracing them as best we can. We heal the parts of ourselves. That lovin for meanness and. It is impossible to maintain a rigid. Persecution type heart or head if we're looking as seriously as possible. Let us know a small ritual to honor those in our lives. Who has helped us live as larger. More generous souls. Whether they are alive or dead. Whether we love them. Or not would learn because of difficult relationship. I'm going to ask you to close your eyes please. Feel your feet on the ground kill yourself in your seat. Breathe deeply into this moment. When i invite and ring the bell. I asked you to begin speaking aloud quietly. The names of the mini. Who inhabit your heart. We will be sharing. But we will not be listening to each other. We may whisper some names. As we speak together. Creative salad energy. All the names we put into this sacred air will rise my foley. Swirling up. And surroundings. We will speak. Few names or does. Perhaps remembering more as we go along. And the silence will gradually. Starhawk size. At what we put forth will come back threefold. She taught. And lived the pagan philosophy. That one embraces the dark as well as the light. In one's heart as well as in the year cycle. Those of us who embraced her teachers. Paintings that are also found another tradition. Practice to the best of our ability. The honesty and self-exploration that leads us to treat others. With dignity and respect. Is a holiday. That embraces a broad. Mystery accepting approach. True religion. The practices of pagan celebrations. Serve as a shining antidote. To the kind of thinking. That led to the torture. Mj. Of so many witches and others. May we do.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20091129.mp3

Good morning. Before i share with you some slots regarding. Beethoven's daiku. And we'll talk about what daiku means in a moment. I want to take this opportunity to thank some very special people. First and foremost i guess would be carrie bastian she's been a saint to work with we rehearse yesterday and that's an absolute joy to come into a situation and be able to. Collaborate with such a wonderful musician. You're blessed to have carrie here. Likewise david ward. Communicated many times by email what would we do without email. And he likewise has been out all over use this word but he's been a saint also thank you david. That very eloquent. Expression. From a more lengthy expression by leonard bernstein.. Included in your program and i do want to refer you to the insert by the way because it's some point i think you'll find. It helpful to make a reference there but i very much appreciated appreciate the. Eloquent expression of an excerpt from the bernstein. Commentary by mr. alan schwartzman. Thank you alan very much and i would be terribly remiss. If i didn't recognize my own brother bob and his efforts and ensuring that his half. Of the responsive reading group performed as well as they did. Thank you very much for this opportunity. Presentation back in may which stands for unitarian universalists of. Transylvania county. Forbetterforworse send a copy to my brother bob. And he got this idea somehow that maybe. I should inflict it on you so he went before the worship committee and. Pants here i am this morning if you find anything of value or interest in what i share with you. Make sure you think my brother bob. Conversely if you find little or no value of interest. Make sure again you direct your comments to my brother bob. Unbound. The late american music aaron copland once remarked that quote. If a literary man puts together two words about music. One of them will be wrong. Presuming to possess some do not a great amount of literacy i therefore advise you not to ascribe too much credibility to what i have to share with you this morning. On may 7th 1824 ludwig van beethoven. 9th symphony the ode to joy symphony received its premiere in vienna austria. The audience responded to this first-of-its-kind choral symphony. The audience response was allegedly loud and enthusiastic however is unitarian minister and author robert fulghum reminds us in an essay. Key beethoven. Never really heard it. She just thought it. Asserts furthermore that beethoven. Defied his fate with jubilation. Defied his faith. Total deafness by the age of 48. The subsequent completion of his final symphony that monumental nights six years later is evidence not only of his prodigious creative words. She's fate by the throat. It shall certainly not bend and crush me completely. The words that come to my mind or from friedrich. I need she. Relative to that statement by beethoven nietzsche later in the century remark. He who has a why to live for. Can bear almost any how. Today this musical manifestation of egalitarian principles is the composition of choice for political and cultural celebrations throughout the world. For example christmas 1989 some of you may recall this. Leonard bernstein conducted a version of the 9th. Which freiheit freedom replacing throid ijoy. To celebrate the fall of the berlin wall. At the time bernstein commented. Beethoven would have given us his blessing in this heaven-sent moment. 1998 winter olympics. Japan sergio tozawa. Appeared in what may have been the largest electronic. Simulation of a concert hall ever imagine. He conducted six choirs that were located in new york berlin town sydney. And logano six cities on five continents. In a televised simulcast in wichita. Amazingphil. The world we live in. Nineteen85 you probably know that the european union chose beethoven's music has their eu anthem. And something close to my heart since i lived in connecticut for years and not far from new york city there's. The station of the new york times wqxr and every year they have a classical countdown. 25 years ago i checked in to see what the classical countdown. Was suggesting is to listeners favorite works. And 25 years ago it was beethoven's 9th there's number one. Can you guess what was number two. Beethoven's 5th. I checked it just this past year just what beethoven 9th is still at the top in the fifth is number two. What is cervantes music. This morning i'd like to explore with you some of the elements that account for the lasting appeal albeit. Inspiration of this immortal composition to begin however perhaps the word of explanation is in order regarding the title of this presentation. Beethoven's daiku unbound. In japan masked choral groups in orchestras come together in december of each year. And they give performances of geico tycoon to them stands for the big 9. Heimlich. Beethoven's last symphony. The big 9 on bound. Well just as in the world of baseball with its padded bases. 9 innings and sometimes tide score. This music include string basis or simply faces. It is beethoven's 9th. And it includes the musical score. Consider the following story. A number of years ago the seattle symphony was doing beethoven's 9th under the baton of milton catan's. At this point you must understand two things. First there's a long segment in this symphony. Where the bass violins don't have a thing to do. Not a single note for page after page. Secondly. There used to be a tavern called desi as400 right across the street from the seattle opera house rather favored by the local musicians. It had been decided that during the performance after the bass player said play their parts in the opening of the night. They would quietly lay down their instruments leave the stage and residents it on their stools for the next 20 minutes. Well once they got backstage someone suggested they try to cross the street and quaff a few brews. After they had down the first couple rounds one said. Shouldn't we be getting back. It'd be awfully embarrassing if we were late. Another presumably the one who suggested this excursion in the first place. I anticipated we could use a little more time. So i tied a string around the last pages of the conductor's score. When he gets down to that point milton's going to have to slow the tempo and fumbles with a string for the other. They have another round. I'm finally returned to the opera house a little tipsy by now. However as they came back on stage. One looked at their conductors face told them that they were in serious trouble. Jet x was curious. And why not. After all. It's the bottom of the night. The score was tied. And the bases were loaded. Before we untied the score. And explore the bottom finale of the night. I want to share a few assessments of beethoven's die. Coup and briefly review pre 9th symphony activity. These are some of the assessments of the knights what is former french dramatist and sas by the name of romaine roll on. And he suggests that this work the knife preaches the kingdom of god on earth established by the broader brotherhood of man in reason and joy. Nineteenth-century conductor by the name of lewis for. Had quite a different take on this. He found the finale of the ninth quote monstrous. Tasteless. And its handling of schiller's ode to joy. So trivial that i comprehend how such a genius is beethoven. Johannes brahms is interesting. His quote is i will never finish the symphony. You have no idea how it affects one's spirits to hear continually the marching of a giant. Behind you. Boston music record 1899. Is not the worship pages symphony mirror fetish nurse for fetish. Devastation. Oh the unspeakable cheapness of the chief tune freight ephrata. Do you believe way down on the bottom of your heart that if this music had been written by mr johnell tarbox now living in sandown new hampshire any conductor here or in europe could be persuaded to put it in rehearsal. And finally leonard bernstein who by the way back in the 80s recorded. All nine symphonies with a vienna symphony with whom he had a very special love affair. Any provider wonderful commentary including what. Include it in your. The insert in the program. On the night. And bernstein that's commentary includes two words with listen to the ninth symphony without emerging from it changed and rich. Encouraged this music speaks a universality of flock of human brotherhood freedom and love. Regarding prehnite symphonic activity as you know a rotate symphonies before this. And. None of us has been able to escape i think the other widely popular beethoven symphonies a fifth with its unforgettable three shorts and a long rhythmic motive. Try to escape plan. I like to refer to those two instances by the way is. Sonic shocking off. And endured a they must have been because no one before beethoven have the courage or the audacity or whatever else to write than opening of a something like that. The greatly expanded form of 1/3. By the way. 700 measures just for the first movement of the third. Selfless the lakes of symphonies by mozart and haydn. Just that one movement if you will and then of course we all know of the 6th symphony to pastor our he expanded to a 5th movement evening's programmatic didn't. Reflects a lot of beethoven's profound love of nature. Same for our program in 1808 witnessed the premiere of both of these. Quiz not surprisingly beethoven at the piano. And a musical setting of a poem in praise of harmony of life art and music attributed to christian huefner. This work anticipates in striking ways to finale of the ninth particularly with respect to the similar siematic material and variation techniques utilized by beethoven. Thank you david we had a very brief rehearsal yesterday and so far he's doing a master.. With respect to the person to 15 years fan separate. And the 9th symphony. Witness the progressive loss of hearing. Also is frequent withdrawal from society from society and a lengthy rather. I all do a successful battle. For the custody of his nephew karl so you had a lot of. Challenging personal things going on after he wrote that work prior to reunite of course. Despite. Or perhaps because of his misfortune he resolved to as stated above seize fate by the throat and fulfill a creative desire first kindled many years earlier is in the 1790s. T.i. that time became aware of schiller's ode to joy. And the resultant ninth symphony represents as you all know radically new creation where we add soloist. Coral voices. Into this and phonic johnra for the very first time that we know of in history. Time doesn't permit me to provide an analysis of this money metal composition however i would like a few of the elements in the finale that may account for the undeniable universality and immortality of the work. The dramatic fashion with a fortissimo without strings. Yellow bass recitatif in this becomes the material for the bass solos by hikaru interspersed. His coming is that's also too tender i must find something more rousing like the i'll send you something myself and then he sings. We're at the point now where that lovely ode to joy theme is going to be introduced and rather than take you through the entire set of variations what i'm going to have you listen to next is the second variation and 3rd variation on the ode to joy. This is a very typical beethoven technique when it comes to seaman variation presented initially in the loan places and simply shifted up and now it's something the first violins and then also. Is a horn player we love those fortissimo passages because the conductor isn't doing this to us he actually says or you. Introducing. Do i represent the very formidable challenges i mentioned before. Considerable struggle with the staffs beethoven i just got it. He showed schindler a sketchbook with the words. Let us sing the old of the immortal schiller. Beethoven's reportedly spent a great deal of time r.e.m. recognizable today or for i-10 east. Old friends not these tones. Beethoven said his own words to music scoring it for bass solo in the form that represents the earlier shallow based rest of the teeth. I would direct your attention to that program insert now because we're actually going to get to some of the texts and. Deal with a few excerpts. From the section where the voices come into play. So the side that has the translation. Chillers provides the narrative for that aspect of the ninth. In a chapter titled the celestial and the human he refers to its religious. Dimension. According to lockwood. Schiller's poem is divided into two forms of imagery one portraying a circle of friends praising joy. Has a spiritual and moral condition in the other widening the poets outreach in the choruses to embrace all humanity. Lockwood furthermore suggests that beethoven's choice of poetic material. Shows him laying stress on the balance between the two basic topics in the text secular and religious. Part 1 the secular image part 2 the religious image. Part 3. Unification of the two worlds of feeling. The communal. And the religious. Two desperate desperate themes are combined. In a double few. Thank you david. So it's now become a choral symphony if you will. This section culminates. With a declamatory setting. The test the text as you see their translates into sheriff stands before got. God. And what follows them is a little. Turkish march if he will so we'll go with that now and that will want to push those dials up because it's a very quiet turkish march as it starts. Turkish bands are very popular at this time beethoven decided let's bring in some symbols triangle bass drum and just have some fun with you so just fun stuff before the 10 or souls comes in there was a lighter side.. There's an extended fugal part for the. Orchestra after the tenor. Comes in and you see the text there for the tenor soloist. I and then. He decides it's time to bring back melody. In a very. Pledge form for full chorus and orchestra. The sopranos have no excuse for coming in on the wrong note the horns are playing octaves f sharps and that's their pitch if they missed this one well. Beethoven now decides it's time to introduce a new scene and this clearly has affection for the whole world. And you can see that from the page where it says be embraced millions this kiss for the whole world. I have in my notes that we're reaching a point where we have sopranos up in the upper stratosphere for the text beyond the stars and sopranos. As you may know if you happen to experience the 1989 for pharmacy took place at the berlin wall came up with a brilliant approach to. Several scores of. Children's voices he just brought in a whole children's choir if you will and let them scream away on those high notes along with us a friend so i'm sure adult sopranos. Beethoven interrupt. Ozzy. Simple depew allegro that is the always a little faster passages several times with a fluting fleeting adagio very slow sections. And then there's this flurry of orchestral sounds. That. Reflect again. How does genius defied. His fate with jubilation. And the work then comes to an end so this final section. This is such a pure electric. At the 1824 premiere. After the last notes for sounded. Beethoven was seen onstage still conducting. Very kind gesture on the part of the ensemble that performed at premier because they did have a conductor who. At the blessing of hearing. But they decided to have. The grandmaster onstage also. With the score off to the side conducting. So there was still conducting at the end. And teenage alto soloist by the name of carolyn unger walked over. Turn beethoven around. So that he could accept the audience's cheers and applause. Which of course. Could not hear. The audience that claimed him through standing ovations five times their supposedly were handkerchiefs in the air hats. And raised hands so that beethoven could at least see the ovation gestures. Enclosing on a personal note. I've had the opportunity to perform this work a few times with professional orchestras during right 30-plus years in. The state of connecticut. At the end of each performance i cherished. The pre applause silence which was usually brief but there was this brief silence. Has a time to briefly reflect on my feelings of sincere gratitude to beethoven for this musical gift. Gratitude shared by millions of listeners in performers throughout the 185 year history of this immortal music. Silence i was reminded also that the composer of this inspiring work was in the words of george eliot. On the other side of silence. Perhaps the reverend robert fulghum said it best in his essay on. Beethoven's 9th. With these words. This essay by the way is included in. Everything i need to know i learned in kindergarten. Included this essay on beethoven's 9th. These are vulcans words. I find within beethoven's music and irresistible affirmation. In deep spiritual winter i find inside myself the son of summer. Someday some incredible december 9th. When i am very rich. I'm going to any sold several bestseller so i think he's at that point that we could do this i'm going to rent me a grand hall. And a great choir in a mighty symphony orchestra. And stand on the podium and conducts tonight. And i will personally play the kettle drum part all the way through to the glorious and while simultaneously. I will bless all the gods that be. 4 ludwig van beethoven. For his nine. And his light. In just 15 short years from now the world will celebrate the bicentennial of the birth of the music that more than any other composition as noted by leonard bernstein. Speaks a universality of thought of human brotherhood. Freedom and love. During the years leading up to that auspicious year celebration 2024. One can rest assured that the inspiring transcendence enjoyed by millions of people throughout the history of the ode to joy symphony. Beethoven's daiku. Will be experience. Abundantly. Throughout the world. Rather than end on cooper sound of a note. I have a postscript that reads. The symphony spokesperson has informed me that the bass player's unwillingly furloughed from the seattle symphony have been reinstated. Thank thank you very much.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20090712.mp3

The title i don't know if you noticed that. Take notes on a big notice. Praise ignotum ferrigno cs refers to a process very common. And any conversation having to do with religion. Religion subsist on metaphors. What's metaphors. But the problem is i see it that the metaphor somehow become the object. Of the religion. What the metaphor stand for. Let's start with the big one. Because it's greater than any name could possibly show. Other words to use instead. I think that's pretty good thinking. Islam has allah. Still the god of abraham. Mistreated more like. Fate. That is whatever happens. It's up to god. Tuala. I still want to try. Remember a long time ago learning. One of the classics about god god is love. Isn't it interesting how that definition just seem to pop up. My topic this morning. Life. Pretty good idea or at least i felt i had a good idea. Then. I became an english teacher. Totaline like that to show that whatever is here cuz. Events. Action verb. The receiver of the. Verb. Of the action. Cuz right back to their. Don't have any problems. Curly in my christian life by suggesting. The sort of construct. Could be reversed. Annie's construct like that. Elizabeth is the minister. The minister is elizabeth. John is my friend. My friend is gone. If a equals b. So i suggested one. His god. Poop. People. Try to straighten me out on that. Angry angry exclamation. Forgot. So forth. If there is something wrong with either of those sentences. What's wrong is. Big notam. Perfect noticias. An unknown saying. Explained. Play more unknown thing. An unknown saying. An unknown site. Explaining another logic. Heard that all my life. No please take note. But my title this morning is what is this thing called love. What is the thing called guy. I'd like to share with you some of my personal history in search of. The holy. God. Love forever. I was raised in the presbyterian church in midland pennsylvania. My 7th grade year are minister offered at $5 bill. 14th chapter of john. You know the one that begins let not your heart be troubled. Just think. Put that meth in 1939. Basic wage was $0.25 an hour. All of this started. The other kids had a mother like i had. Memorized chapter and ovary. i don't know month or so. I did complete with quoting the entire thing to the congregation. I got $5. But you know i don't know where it went. $0.25 an hour and probably paid for. Are food for a week. Unfortunately in that church with all the things. Well. Spirituality. I'm glad with 14 chapter john because i've come across. Minister. What did jesus mean when he said to send you a comforter. He respond. What is the holy ghost. Spirit. The comforter is the holy spirit the holy spirit is the holy ghost. Get it. Take notes on. Perfect noticias. In my first year of teaching and upstate rural pennsylvania. I somehow became the choir director of the evangelical united brethren church. And youngsville pennsylvania. Have a semester of music in college. I stayed in the choruses. Fortunately it was a good choir. And i learned a lot. The men's section was a separate chorus. We traveled all over northern pennsylvania singing in churches. However in the process. We took part in evangelical services. And one time my wife and i. Answered the altar call and became born again christians. I should. Probably tell you that i found two more people in this congregation. Who came out of the evangelical united brethren church. We are a secret society. Prepared to take over this congregation if necessary. We moved across the state choir. Again vitality. To the task. This was not a good choir. 7. Well pretty countryman to high school students. But i work at lutheran church. Christmas came the faster said we would have a christmas eve midnight service. Yikes. I asked him if i could bring some high school kids are new to augment choir. The service went very well. Acquire. What's good music was great. Go to phone call because. Pastor had found out that one of those high school kids. Was jewish. Lutheran service. And i got a good old-fashioned bawling out from the pastor. Esquire that was good news because i didn't see anybody. I met with some saturday mornings and we sang familiar sunday school hymns. Phlearn phrasing breathing tyrone and all of that. The third one. Better person. Interested so we did. At the end of the service a pastor. With anger i'll never forget what he said. What do you mean bringing that ecclesiastical bebop. Into my service. Lutheran choir director. Spirituality. Nonexistent. Presbyterian church presbyterian church. Break away from the church. Some of you older folks maybe if you remember carl mcintyre. I saw him interviewed on tv one time for he said that we should. Nuclear bomb china to get the word of jesus christ. I heard him i saw it. Last there very long. Of course i need to work around out my mainstream christianity. Self-directed. And the methodist church in big rapids michigan. I actually experienced. Choruses from brahms requiem. Far beyond my ability. Linda presbyterian choir director. Came to see me and suggested together. For the christmas messiah. Adult. Then i said something like. She said that she would have company on the piano. And my methodist accompanist. Shiver. Remembering how something. Over. If during that performance. We finished with the hallelujah chorus mean. Squire was vibrating. I was vibrating. Then i was shocked to discover the church was full of people. I hadn't realized they were there. Experience. Now i think i know what took over. Unfortunately. Up to that point in my experience. Church choirs. I've been called to see. Because the really alive people do everything and the choir is one of those things. No matter how great the music. For the choir. We had unbelievable hatred. And this court one lady would not. But any. Closer than way over here with that lady over there. I wanted to get them. Skip the sopranos together but neither one of them with. Just hateful things. Who's too bad. Rest assured nothing like that exists in our choir. My family moved to syracuse for my doctoral studies and i spent most sundays. This part is very hard to share with anyone. My wife and mother of my six children was breaking up our marriage and family. She was involved with one of the men she was involved with. Unitarian universalist choir. I wasn't sure what that was i do remember. That was some years before. Church to see who this man was. The minister read. Put ut read to you. What kahlil gibran said about love. I was astounded. The beauty. Isn't even the bible. Reading. Actually explained. Some of my marriage break-up. Somehow. So anyway i went back to next week. I still remember what i jotted down. In my church bulletin si. Cocaine what these people were saying. I wrote. Poets speak to me in words i've used all my life and never knew the meaning of. You may remember that none of that rhythm that's a sand can. Seven lions. First class. I found as though my entire being have been coated with clay and baked. It was breaking away. Piece by piece. The marriage did break up horribly. But i have found my spiritual home. 5 years later i found the boise unitarian universalist fellowship to settle into. Case you didn't know it and this fellowship 30 years ago. That's another story. So here i am trying to talk about love. I've had 30 years of the ups and downs excitement. Two years as president with a board since i put this together. Things are going to be another year of it. The rather recently a few things i never had before. I will call her honey tiffany. But. Something seemed to clear up a bit. It might have started last summer when i was sitting outside in our backyard and a tiny insect. Landed on my finger. For some reason i brought it up before i could see it better and experienced a rush of amazement. It was really really tiny. But perfect. Child. The wings. The most perfectly-formed gossamer wings with a slight. Bluetooth tourism. It's so tiny. This profession was no accident i felt. Preterite. Evolution or heavenly. Clericalism kindness was an act of love. Shortly after i drove down to flagstaff and was there when our jenny. Jamie took me down to look at them in the intensive care unit and there they were tiny. And perfect. This little hand at 5 perfect fingers and nice little foot at 5 perfect toes. Protection was no accident. This was an act. Double feature act. Pavlov. What if they weren't perfect. Put there be any less love. I can't imagine. Such a thing. Not too long ago giannotti watch the late-night documentary about a five-year-old girl. Gordon board. Born. Usa. Horrible malformed face. What is the longest that's what parents. The love that little girl. The love of her fellow kindergartners. Taking her as she was. No matter what. In the wonderful book the dow of pooh the question of eeyore's virtues and vices a rose. The observation was made that he or was neither good nor bad he just. Was. It's a wonderful book. Denver co. Grabit. In a series of things took place with us this past december our beloved that's possible doggy oliver had to be put down. After 16 years. Absolute love. There's no other word for it. I don't care what anyone might describe and. Animalistic terms. Oliver loving. We loved him. Forever. A few days later a doctor determine that i had cancer in my bladder. Elizabethton on staten fellowship. And i was amazed at the reaction from the people here. Cast of cars. Allsorts red sox. Prayers. And our daughter-in-law wendy died. The jordan i went to her funeral in oregon city in the small lutheran church. The church was packed. During the reception in the basement. The walls are not the stairs and up into the sanctuary. Where was he almost there. I talk to her. Pastor there. Panda. The best game is going to clusion just it was never here because of their love. Wendy the family. Can you tell other. Not remember what jesus said about sending a comforter. I believe. The comforter was and ears. Where is the hard part. And this will be hard for me. What is this thing called love. Place to locust kids. Somebody just sent me these. I guess it was one of my daughter-in-law's i said what i was going to talk about at the fellowship and she sent these to me deezer. 5 and 6 year old children. What's in the room with you at christmas. If you stop opening presents and listen. A girl puts on for few minutes on saving cologne smell each other. Hellboy. Glamis when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day. Four-year-old child had an elderly neighbor. Whose wife had recently died. Hello boys yard. His lap. And just. When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbor the little boy said. I just helped him cry. Well maybe we should go back to a grammar lesson. Love love is god. I guess i just want to smile at that and say. But that would bring up a diagnosis a big notice arguments again. So why did labor one metaphor with another one. This phone has been working on me for quite a while. And i'm just beginning to death. Need-to-know description. Nor exegesis no defining no excuses. Pictures. It is. I can stretch my metaphor love into something very very large and important. But i won't try to define it. Pictures. Is. And i believe it is there. For anyone and everyone. Not to be disembodied and secularized. Codified worshipped. Religious metaphors. The just acknowledged. Used. Concerto. I'd like to share with you a very personal process i use and my daily meditations. It may sound and look like something weird that i do it in private. And when i can't do it. I do it in my head. And if you want to you can join me. Along with. Love i think there needs to be an energy. Energy where are we going to get an energy. Professor sitting on a volcano. Better energy. But that. I'm so as i sit there. Picture. The power of the energy that's done underneath me. And i have it come up. To my body. All the way up. And out. My chakra. Thought they had the universe of love. So here's energy. And love. Why want it back. All of it. So i pull it back down to my chakra. Energy in love back into my body. Handout this chakra. And i send it. Hugh. When do that with me for a minute. Just sit. Start. Bring up that energy. After your body. How to cure sacra the top of the head. Bring that universe of love. And energy back in. Chakra. Healing. Healing. Feeling. Front chakra. Send it.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20100516.mp3

Living community. Has been seen this year. In worship. And religious exploration and other parts of the church. I am so glad to say. State of the church sermon. Much like a community this spring. Much like a cradle. For we are safe to dream. A workshop for we labor side-by-side. To nurture souls and to help heal the world. To lift spirits and to broaden my. This spring. We are recognizable as version. Aguilar's community. Human. Is a funny thing. To reflect on this. We have to look both at this programme and the one before it. Address springs. Without referring to last springs highly uncertain. Was. On the one hand. Rejoice. And how folks were affirmed in music. How are children emerge from their classes smiling and enthusiastic. Newcomers tell us over and over. How many people of all ages and orientation. Have benefited from our social. On the other hand. You're going i was giving this tournament i said. After moment. There is a good deal more conflict going on than is usual. I noted that only a fraction. And a whole lot. Not very public. But bitter. Extremely judgemental. I had returned them in 08. From a six-month sabbatical and we have not taken the time. Re-establish this long relationship of ours. So we didn't have. Our old. The year. 08/09 had had a great deal of time. For more relationship. Confusing. Turbulence constellate irrationality. We blinks a little bit of that. But we can translate into our intuitions into our system of the under the surface feel of our community. Here was my salvation of our spiritual mental relational condition. What a mix we are right now. Dynamic reaching out fun welcoming. Overworked. Frazzle. Confused. Upstair. Belligerent. Some folks defended to the top of there and unwilling to concede precious ground. When i did say. But when i was a good deal worried about. You said jury mini. Of those descended on the attack people. To enroll. The basic love and trust. Whole community. And this. confirmation. We hired a wonderful consultant from the unitarian universalist association. Her name is mary gleeson. She interviewed about what we might be able to. The results were very. Clearly. Primarily because people kept telling her. Did they did not trust. Church leadership. Wasn't a complete surprise. In addition to the business-like tone. Three financial. During the first half of this program. There was a continuation. I'm under the surface conflict. A mean-spiritedness. I'm gossiping behind each other's backs. And the defensiveness that leads to attack. A very few people were involved. It does not. Stop spirits of leadership. Even though. She recommended that staff and lay leadership. On spiritual matters. I'm being transparent in all. Focusing on the positive. Finding the right people for leadership. And gratitude. For each other. And for this church. We have done that. That happened because moving from from unhappy spirits to generous one. Morgan chronicling. The first i need to make. Classically sermons are supposed to. And afflict the comfortable. At the same time i do have an affliction. I am told my folks that i trust working on this year's georgia. If there are still pockets of all you guys want to do. Fortunately i have. No idea of who you are. You do send it to me. So you may be sure. That i am not. Identifiable. If you feel afflicted by what i am saying. Only you and god. Will do. Have you reflected. Direct express. Of our spiritual life. Of our commitment. Have you thought about. How puritanical. Is the position that churches have no business talking about. Creating a dynamic. Requires generous financial stewart. Are you truly aware. What has been going on in our fellowship this year. Is it possible. That sensitivity. About these matters. May stem from your own wounds. And not from what. The church. It feels risky to speak. We have well-developed sensors. About anyting. Speaking in defense of fairness. And in the hopes of continuing. Okay. To the comfort inn. Is any part of you still harbor suspicions or wondering. Join me. In hearing the whole story. Last spring. Boost leadership in the middle of. Two apparent of service. It committed more deeply and broadly this fall. Their unflagging ever. Over months and months. That is free and determination. Do this spiritual home of ours. When the stewarts stewarts of drysdale quite short last year. The board did not make another appeal. Leadership. Cutting into programs. And freezing staff salaries and doug. It would have been legitimate. To bring the problem to you all. Baltimore news. Tired at that point. They were paying. This fall many leaders board and others to help. These leaders look to what mary recommended and they said. The people have spoken. We will postpone the debt reduction. We will simply have an excellent. Regular store. Spiritual home. Be sure to come to the annual meeting tonight. You'll hear lots of. Listening and communicating going on. We chose living community as this year's. Religious exploration. Individual relations and leadership. A beautiful symposium. Numerous high school seniors. Inviting everyone on their own journey from. I don't really just end of mind and heart and soul affirming classes and presentations. Board has made itself. This conversation before and after services with snacks. Well attended. 234 people. Which is interesting considering how many people said in october. Did they felt they were left out of the process. Our theory is. Available. Am i communicating. The nominating committee worked extra hard this year looking for. The program ministry council. The co-chairs of the time. In creating. Which will be devoted to operations and communications. Among committees and task forces free. Rit committee has worked very hard. We have communications task force. Which is looking at new inventor. I'm getting information out. Office assistant send email. And stewardship has done a wonderful job. I'm trying very hard to contact everybody. Interest of full disclosure and honoring our long relationship. But i will be retiring. In june. 2013. 3 years from now. Calling. Have warned me against so much. About people stirring up trouble because i'm leaving about. Etc. We have crafted this ministry. 20 years. With many of you coming along at all times. To help with the crafting and beyond infinity. There are people right now crafting a plan that will help us. Breathe. And honor this ministry that we. They know that many of us. Certainly including me. Will need to be doing personal spiritual. Over this time. An opportunity. And i see. In so many many ways we are acting like a community. Hallelujah. Praises. We need to continue. And more. And so i ask you what you will be doing. Community. As we reflect. Attractive. Universalist association. We want to honor our ministry. By attracting the best. Most money smart. Minister in the usa. The carry-on. The next. Last week i spoke to the foundation. And in the harder routine. I am wanting everyone to turn. Our mindfulness m. When it comes to the explicit mundane life. Will you stop. Greeting reading for sunday service. Can you increase your financial. Between our goal and. Will you think seriously about a working. My to join membership. Or worship religious exploration. Plus others. Need. Appropriate. This morning i have chosen to focus on the monday. I want to close my recalling. Spiritual. And the everyday. Are all heart. The financial. And the prayerful. Board meeting. And worship experiences. Indifferent universe. Hazard responsive reading remind me are missed. Breathe. Feeling. Softening. Breathing. Freezing. Feeling our hearts. Feeling the heart. Of the souls. Beloved. And unknown. Breathing words or feelings of gratitude. For a community that can embrace us. That can move. From distress. This house. Is the workshop. Our. Common. Cradle. For our dreams.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20100801.mp3

Synchronicity. The word was coined by carl jung to describe what he called. Kimberly coincident occurrences of a cause all events. But you can just call it coincidence or pure dumb luck. Either good or bad luck it depends on the situation. Portcullis. Poorly understood by human beings. Are going all the way back to the big barn. Sometimes synchronicity is just amusing something that makes you go. Sometimes it is instructive and music. How to illustrate. Several years ago i was in the boise public library. Looking for a particular book. What's the card catalog computer on the shell. When i got to that shelf the book wasn't there. But in the exact spot where it should have been was a misfile book. Synchronicity. I have checked the book out and read it. Occasionally. We were in texas and the job search wasn't going well. We couldn't find anything in the smaller towns where we wanted to live but wanda received a job offer in san antonio. Which is a nice place to visit but we didn't want to live there. She had applied to teach him several places around the northwest though. I'm asking her to come for an interview. It would have cost us over $800 a piece round trip to fly from san antonio to boise. And we weren't willing to spend that much. A few days earlier we had given up our seats on overbooked flight. From el paso to dallas fort worth. In exchange for two free delta tickets anywhere in the 48 contiguous states. So we flew to boise for free. Wanda got the job and we've been here for 21 years now. It wasn't much of a relief for us as we live our lives on synchronicity for many years. But even before we knew. The word and what it meant. You could also call it opportunism. We generally took the road less traveled by following the advice of that stage american prophet. Yogi berra who said if you come to a fork in the road take it. I have a feeling that. Many of you are the same way even if you don't realize that even though she don't really think about it. For all our planning like turns out to be more a matter of luck translated as opportunity than anything else. What does all this have to do with. Waikiki and walk lights. Well i'm glad you asked. In the summer of 1988 wanda and i were studying at the university of hawaii to meet alaska's. Teaching certificate renewal requirements. Taking advantage of synchronicity. Three separate agreement between hawaii and alaska. Granny needs other students resident tuition. Simplicity. Waikiki for a few days. Uncle john observe that the button marked. The cross street push-button white for light. Didn't seem to have any actual effect on the light. No matter how hard you pushed it or how many times the light went through hits. She suspected the buttons were just there to create the illusion that you actually have some control over your environment. Suppose just for a moment that life in modern america. Is a busy waikiki intersection and most of the buttons we push everyday or like the ones that those intersections. Some of us scrupulously push the button white for the light then cross. The intersection between the white lines and never question the system. Don't wait for life across women where they choose. And if they. Don't get don't get hit by the bus. I got hit by the bus and lost my place if they don't. Either chaired or jared by the sidewalk. In fact some of the pedestrians might decide these people are a threat to public order. Grab them and punish them for their behavior. Some people never get the lighting time. My sister is one of them. Play rush across just as it breaks his final warning and gets flattened by. The bus. Then sometimes the light gets stuck. You keep pushing but the light doesn't change and you have to come up with an alternative plan. Maybe even walking down to the next intersection and waiting for the light of that comic. There's some people who are color-blind. Decipher words or pictograph. For autistic etc etc. Unless someone helps them or mike's alternative provisions for crossing the street behind. Then there are few who figure out the system's timing well enough. They can walk up and push the button just before the light changes. Goes west. Then follow these charismatic leaders to the other side of the street. Whether or not the buttons are connected to the light switch somewhere in the mighty halls of the city and county honolulu. Is an omniscient central traffic control system. That works for the ultimate benefit of all. But even if we knew where it was we can never get in because the security is so tight. Mainframe computer. Program to keep everything working just of the show. Or maybe there's a person the central controller sitting at a console. Changing the lights. Or just throwing switches capriciously to mess with our minds. Or maybe everyone is pop hannah. Footwork gone surfing. Maybe there's no central control system at all. The lights just change of their own accord randomly headed toward ultimate chaos. But perhaps the most frightening prospect. Is that we truly are in control. Pushing individual buttons at arlans win. If we do assume the buttons are connected to the lights. And the lights just central system. The buttons and lights. Might still be awake for the system to control us. Rather than vice versa. Two conditional interact with it on its own terms. The system was there after all running through its own patterns long before we thought the 767 to hnl. We still face the grim possibility that one day the brakes on. The bus will follow and intersection at the peak of rush hour. Most of us have grown up with a similar system.. We are free and independent and need no one else to help. Until we encounter park failure or gridlock or a tsunami or. The bus. We probably feel we've attained the state of walk light. Electricity or not. Someone who is from the south pacific island. If it comes to hawaii. This puzzled at first but eventually learns that when car stops. Car-stop you can cross the street safely. Then he realizes the car stopped when the red light comes on. And so forth and so forth until he figures out. If he can push the button. The car stopped the little white man lights up. If you can cross the street himself. But somewhere in the back of his mind is the unsettling realization that he's no longer truly free no longer in control. He's just been conditioned to make best use them best use of the system. He's become bound by that system so ridiculous limitations. Subject to the danger of the bus. We've learned to use the system so efficiently that a few of us. Habiba. Develop the extra time to dawdle on the street corner did ourselves. We're observing. Imperfect image. Some questioned the political correctness of the lights. The pedestrian crossing light. Used to read walk and don't walk. Though some felt the ladder was too negative. Perhaps i asked for a like that said. Free to be you and me which would allow you to walk rounds gift card cleo largest tender. Of course allowing for those who might not be able to read english. About big red hand palm outward. Meaning don't walk. I'm a little white silhouette of the walking man meaning. The only white males were allowed. Only to find a mess of wires. Running to the lights with a larger more tangle mask running. Far from it disappearing into the darkness beneath the street. We might try to dameworth or control by station ourselves at strategic points. Shreveport conditions to someone in the central seaside location. Who has an iphone with a thumb app. Onnit. What you can use to activate remote control push the buttons at selected intersection. What is the city in the number first grow. Is there more cars and more people the system reaches saturation. And develops criminal gridlock. Perhaps compounded by decaying infrastructure in the tsunami or two. People unable to cross the street resorts. Play polarize into groups. Westport one group. The move on the cross the rotors. The group. Tito's partisans. Each group says it's for change but in the end i think changes but the light. The groups resort to verbal abuse. Someone shops. Your leader is a rollerblading socialist terrorist. Someone from the other groups house back. Thought your last leader was a segway rider with terminal. And his wife leader was rosemary's baby. Verbal abuse. The system is on the verge of collapse. Perhaps two thousand years from now archaeologist. Has heard the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Troll the system for their own benefit. To discourage pedestrianism and encourage everyone to pay to ride the bus. What's an ion. The people that have to decide whether or not this property is right. + 2. What do they can actually affect change in the system. Or do they just have to get on the bus and go along with it. 3 weeks ago. On monday july 12th. Wanda and i got off the bus. At the auschwitz concentration camp. Between 1940 and 45. 1.1 million people died there. Including nearly a million jews. Over 100,000.. Polish dissidents in potential db. Russian prisoners of war. Gypsy. 3 days later. On july 15th. We were riding the tour bus through dresden germany. So beautiful on city on the banks of the elbe river. On february 13th and 14th 1945. American bombers. Burn to the ground by royal air force expertise. In creating firestorms in cities. 25,000 people died for hats more. German civilians and soldiers. Another refugee. An american prisoners of war. Over a million in 5 years 45,000 of dresden. In one night. Just a small fraction of all who died in world war ii. Those people did not start the war. Mini did not fight in it. Could stop it or escaping. Play ran out of buttons to push. Sometimes the frantic effort to get across the street becomes insignificant. The face of the greater reality. In krakow poland. Archer bus stop briefly at a nondescript building. Former location of oskar schindler's enamel factory. Where was the german businessman who saved 1,100 jewish employees. I'm almost certain death at the hands of the nazis. There were others growing wallenberg. Julie sugihara. Curry ten boom and her family. American unitarian minister. Waste or sharpen his wife martha. To save people from the nazi machine. Estimated that less than 1/10. The one percent of europeans in german controlled areas. Undertook such risky business. The night after i visit the outfits. We had dinner in the klezmer house in krakow. Music. Lively life-affirming. Yiddish blend of. Various musical influences. It was a soul there. Places like auschwitz. How does a side note you can see and hear the musicians from the pleasure house on youtube. Under the name quartet klezmer trio. Play great music. After we got off the bus we went to the crown.. Loosely church of our lady. Was built in the early 1700s a huge baroque lutheran church square on the outside round on the inside. And it was destroyed in the 1945 bombing. Reconstruction began after the east german government dissolved itself. And the church was reconstituted in 2005. But i walked inside i felt compelled to sit down. If you in the back and just absorb it all. We could visited several baroque churches during our travels and their extravagance it calls me to joke. It was easy to see why the local communities were broke. But this one was something else. This was as was the clothes warehouse in krakow on a smaller scale. Lacrimation of life. Assign the dresden wiz. A symbol of. The human ability to prevail against the destructive forces of evil. The brown fairfield was rebuilt with contributions from individuals and businesses and organizations in germany and america another places. The largest individual contributor was a german-american named global. Who is the boy of eleven head witness. The dresden firestorm. In 1999. She won the nobel prize. For physiology or medicine. And contributed the total amount over $1000000. Did the reconstruction of dresden. Particularly to the throne. Enter the building of the new synagogue. Replace one missing. Been burned down during kristallnacht. In my 238. While i was traveling in europe cities with centuries of. Commerce culture religion and war. Visiting public buildings. They're still in use. That were built before europeans even realized america existed. I had a dream. In which racine perfectly clear that mbn. The tyranny of organized theism. And the tyranny of organized atheism mean absolutely nothing. More than a particular religion to try if your cat is a symbol. A common humanity. Something we all understand. Something that connects us all. Interconnected massage earlier. In relation to synchronicity. And that is why so many people felt it worthwhile necessary. Spend the money and effort to rebuild it. Avenue synagogue opera house and the rest of. Why so many people visit those places today. And if you find a night common humanity. A sense of god. Then perhaps that is where it resides. Perhaps the buttons are just not really connected to anything at all. After all the nazis bully their way into control of a democratic government in germany. Something that could never happen in the united states. 2000. But maybe the pedestrians do have some power may be enough of us pushing enough buttons. Stop the traffic. The news is not being good. Here in the last week. And i could list several examples but most of you have probably heard them. Maybe we need to just forget the walk like that mystery get trying to cross the street and circumvent the system. Find a new way to do what needs to be done. We want history to remember us. As it does germany's biggest unitarian church. But you just sat and hope for the best is the nazi's take over. Or is it does. Martha and whitestone sharp. Who traveled to europe and worked to save as many people as they could before and during the war. Jim hightower. Said the opposite of courage is not cowardice. It is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow. Sooner or later we all ride the bus. But did you check the destination to see prince going before you got on board. The optimist believes we live in the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears that this is true. So. Take care of each other because we might be. Love your enemies. But don't let them start. Putting people in the box carbs. And be good stewards of the earth so your gun could children can enjoy it as much as you have. Then the next time you think you're pushing all the right buttons. Look up to make sure the bus isn't bearing down on you. Thank you.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20081214.mp3

Where are you christmas. Where are you mid-winter holiday. Is a question lots of us ask ourselves lots of times. In the grinch story from which this song comes from the movie version. Maybe christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe it means just a little bit more. But that's so hard to find. Because the stores are so with us. So many times we are just bombarded with all the tells us we must buy and we must go to the store and that is what it is. And this morning the boost musicians and i are here to propose different ways. That we might find christmas that we might find that we might find the wisdom. Of these midwinter days. One of the ways we can do it is in nature and such. Define denature. Every morning when i come to the office on tuesdays and wednesdays and thursdays the first thing i do. Is go out to the grove. Are wonderful wonderful magical gro. Through all of this season. And now the grove is bear. The grove is sparse you can see in and out of the grove it's in its winter dress. In fact i'd like to go out there while it's snowing. And there is a poem by lorelei's telling us that we can find part of the spirit of the mid-winter holidays by being in nature because it's called the first day of winter. On the first day of winter the earth awakens to the cold touch of itself. Snow knows no other recourse except this falling. This sudden let it go over the small. Gnomed. Bush. All the empty entries. No puts beauty back into the wizard and malnourished into the deathwish of nature and the deliberate way winter insist on nothing less than difference. Waiting all its life's gnosis. Let me cover you. One of the places where we find christmas or we find. The true spirit of midwinter. He's in solitude. Is in nature. You stopping by the woods on a snowy evening. And sometimes we also find it in our connection in the rituals and the traditions that we that are families that are religious organizations have created over the years. Our church. Has deck the halls. Which pressures in with children and adults 12 days of christmas of the season actually arrives. We have our silent quaker style service. We have christmas eve service we celebrate the solstice. All those are the traditions and the rituals of this particular church i have always been enormously grateful that i could bring my family's ritual. So much to me for all of my years of growing up. We're on christmas eve. We go out. And find the brightest place in the heavens. Even if it's totally over again even if it's snowing or blizzarding we find the christmas star. We find the bethlehem star. And then we say what we hope for. For the coming year. And i've had the great gift of all these twenty years. Being able to take this cherished family tradition. And take it into our church and we all go outside and look for the christmas star. One of the groups in our world. It has very very strong connections are the jews. The jews are a tribe. Whether they are meeting together in a synagogue where they live far apart from other jews all jews know that they belonged to a try and they have a mid-winter celebration it's actually a minor celebration in the jewish calendar but i think it was. Developed in defense against christmas for the jewish children. One of the many many times that the jewish heart had to rise up. And triumph over oppression. Judas maccabaeus and his family and his folks. Were oppressed. And they were fighting the syrians. They were received and they only had enough oil for one day. They had to have more oil for their lamp if they were going to be able to live out the siege and overcome and triumph. It was no oil. Magically. No not magic. Because of divine intervention and divine providence. The oil lamp lasted. For all i did. And therefore to this day the jews and some of the rest of us celebrate the eight days of hanukkah the festival of lights. The mid-winter at another time. In this dark time of the year. Oppression. Very close to the heart of the american experience. The african-american experience in america. Slavery and oppression and racism. Many steps have been made for guiliano that there is racism still in this world ends at the. Position of an african american in our country is one of. Having to look at it with you. And hope that that was written for. Greatness strikes in the. Understanding and embracing of all that we unitarian universalist feel so strongly about. Only in 1994. Was the celebration of kwanzaa. Celebration. For africans. Either africans in africa or africans in the diaspora. Tango african or in other parts of the world. It is not a religious celebration at the celebration but i'm 10 minutes before the beginning of the new year. Reflect on character. On unity. On integrity. The song what's going to be the word to tell us something about fondant. Does kwanzaa is a time for learning. Learning puppy history. Kwanzaa looking to the future. Building of our community. Kwanzaa lighting seven candles like them with the family. Kwanzaa is a celebration using creativity. Let's sing a song for kwanzaa with pull together for unit. Song for kwanzaa harambee harambee. Symbol standing for the struggles. Shining for all of us disease. Are the hope in the promise, sia. In a writing written by the founder of this holiday he says. That on the day of meditation. Quiet reflective. Does each person. For african-americans. When we cannot appropriated their holiday. So we can take a lesson from. On that day we must answer soberly and humbled humbling. Am i really who i say i am. It is of necessity at time to recommit ourselves for highest ideas. In a word for the best of what it means to be both african. Devote ourselves to what it means to be human. Have you were together in this lovely day. Trying to answer the question where are you christmas. Where are you mid-winter holiday. Do we feel our hearts growing. Xiety and stress. Associated psychology. There is a concept. Unspeakably gear. So we always hope it's associated with this time of year. Home. Home. One of the most poignant words. Any language. Home is a place. For we can be safe. Home is the place where we can be. Ourself. Some of us. Throwing up has wonderful hump. Maybe. Little town. Hayfork california. Uno. Wonderful places that we can always go back to with our minds and our hearts. Imagination. Some of us. Hurley home. Home. Rockville centre family to nose close to us. As our lives go on it. What we hope. All time. Everyone. We asked each one of us carries in our heart. Enough home. Everyone who comes in contact with us. And now we come to be. Knotty problem of skip. Just as our hearts have been. Relaxing and growing influence with music. They often. An immigrant story says maybe christmas doesn't come from a store. It doesn't know. I'd like to also speak up for the nature of a gift to come to the store candy perfectly fine. Vitruvius the gift from the heart. My husband bob. Person giving gifts from the heart. What we were at a very large. Bookstore. Auburn or grass valley california. And i saw a copy of the car ran into beautiful. Gold and black lettering on it and i didn't have a copy of it for you. So i. Then we got home and we went on with life. In my birthday came up in september. For my birthday. I got that copy of the koran. He had dashed off to a phone when you stop for gas. Call manhattan. That was a gift from the heart. And that is the true. Nature objects. A gift can be our presents. I guess can be the result of our creativity. I guess it would be our love. Our laughter. Reading from one of the most important. Midwinter season scriptures we have. From how the grinch stole christmas. Evilwave. Every single. Sign of christmas sign. Thunder raptors. Any says they're finds its morning time now early morning they're finding out now with no christmas is coming no just waking up. I know just what they'll do i open a minute or two. Annoyed. Brenda grinch that i simply must hear. Sony pod. And the grinch put his hand to his ear. How do you get your sound rising over the snow. It couldn't be so. Stop christmas from coming somehow or other it came just the same. And the grinch. With his rich feet ice cold in the snow still puzzling and puzzling. How good is the soul. And he puzzles 3 hours. Children's puzzler. He has before. Maybe christmas he thought. Doesn't come from school. Maybe christmas. Perhaps. Means a little bit more. And what happened then. Well in whoville they say. That the grinch's small heart. Through. Recycle.

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BUUF-sermon-20090531.mp3

Somewhere in this world there is a bodhisattva and enlightened being. A very holy woman who talks to god from time to time. And never mind that buddhists aren't they. Be still human she sometimes windows has her curiosity when she has these conversations at. Can you tell me what heaven and hell are like. And holiness 3 who is feeling educational at day says. The woman finds herself looking into an attractive room of people sitting around round table. On the table. Are bulls of the most savory stew you can possibly imagine almost as good as my husband bob makes. It smelled heavenly you might say with onions and spice and a tasty protein for vegetarians and omnivores alike. A lovely sight. But then she notices something terrible. The people are amazing dated. Gaunt. Sunken cheeks. Pronounce rib cages. Worse yet they were expressions of total despair. And no one talks. Anyone else. When the woman looks closer. Cc's if their eternal torture. Is that their elbows are locked. There is no way. If they can bring food into their mouths. Until they are sentenced to eternity. Starving. I'm lonely. In front of a nourishing 20. She says holy one this is a most horrible pathetic thing i've ever seen hell is unimaginable suffering take me away and show me heaven please. 2 blanks. And they're in front of hers the same room. Well-appointed. People gathered round tables which a bowl of fragrance and savory stew. And for people's arms are rigid. In front of them. Making it impossible to reach their mouth with a spoon. But there's a big difference. Your people are happy well-fed looking chatting laughing with the others having a great old time. Nameless whatever. I can see that these folks seem to be enjoying heavenly happiness but i don't get. It's simple. Replies the great evolutionary designer. The people in hell. Are self-centered. They look only to their narrow cells until they suffer. In heaven. They can figure it out. If they feed each other. Everyone will be satisfied. If each person is willing to put forth effort for the others all will have enough. If all feel responsible for the whole community. Community. Will result. For all that is our life. For all life is a gift which we are called to use to build the common good. On this second to the last sunday of the programme or no don't forget to bring a flower. For the common good next sunday and also something for the potluck common good afterwards. As we ease into summers more relaxed. Pace. I hope for the common good. Here in our fellowship. And in all parts of your life. Whether you are a part of this congregation or not. This is celebration sunday when we celebrate the official end of our annual budget drive. Because we leaders in this church and love this church and we know how important it is in the larger community we have been very upfront about asking people for our pledges. Not everyone has been asked yet the most evil. Your financial pledge. Is an embodiment. Of your spiritual self. And the good news david told you. Do we have actually raised more than any campaign that we have something like 10% more families actually committed and. We have. Carrying on a campaign we have spoken about it openly. And just said this is part of the spiritual fabric of the church. The bad news is. You can see from the wolf. We have down here. The bad news is we have so many things we want to do to fulfill our vision that actually what we've raised right now is. Pretty sure. Of that. And you will if this continues and we actually and finally end. And it's still the case will be getting a letter. With. The budgets and you'll need to approve they'll have custody probably don't want to have. So if you. Think carefully about being generous and you might even reconsider your pledge if you have already pledged. Sometimes in some churches the minister can morning. And then if minister doesn't like it then they just closed the doors and have the extra stand at the door and keep talking until everybody is satisfied. I don't think i'm going to be able to get down to work. In this area. As in all universalist world we must choose. To feed each other. My husband bob and i fled you over 5% of our gross income because we want this congregation to fulfill its potential. Nourishing those of us who are within the walls. And helping to heal. The larger world. Spiritual commitment in our life. The way that we see each other. For all that is our life. Are expressed in so many ways. Yesterday i officiated at that funeral for a child. There is so little. One can do. Four people stricken with such grief. And i am just glad that this church can be some small part. Of offering love. And support. To folks are in such a place. This year our welcoming congregation folks have been still active. Helping to bring awareness about the oppression that is still felt vividly why are gay lesbian bisexual and transgender sisters and brothers. This year our lively junior high age children will be going to boston in about a week. Accompanied by loving adult chaperone learning about our faith and its history and massachusetts and also watching red sox batting practice. Every sunday. Somebody comes in the door who has just heard. August 8th of h. A religion that accepts them. Where they are on their spiritual journey. Someone who is just heard of this place. Or the ties that bind. Our cherished. And we also honor. The individual. This year are fabulous musicians. Have pulled us. And high. Into worshipful places. Places beyond thinking. Places that transcend. Our individual differences. Or the theologies that we think sometimes matter. For all that is our life. This morning sliding into summer we're going to honor the many people who've worked so hard this year to feed us. Flooding in church because it moves out of reverence and a sense of spirit. But sometimes. Why can't i wrap up sermon at the end of the year. Clapping well. What is 100%. I guess you could do it anytime in this. I'm trying to ask your people to stand. And when all of them are on their feet we will look around and we will clap. And many people have worked so hard. All right if you have okay. Rebecca. I'm going to ask very groups various categories and i asked you to stay still until we get done if you are somebody who's already standing. And i call a category that you're also in which is going to happen. Sit down for a minute and stand up again. Are bored please stand up. I'm here to tell you that you are really really deserved apply let's wait till we get to all of them and there was a few wild okay is there are there are lots of folks all right. If you served on the fall from the facedrive please stand up if you did anything to help the fall sitting down and there's the standing up. Bylaws committee. Sitting down and there's a standing up. What everybody standing up for as long as we have everybody can we get everybody. How about spring annual budget drive anybody standing. How about if you are a musician in the church in the fire or being human or anything. If you are the chair of a committee or a task force no stay standing bacon even no matter what. Okay if you are a not a cherubim a member of a committee for task force. The large eagle sitting down. Okay if you are a person who has done some little thing for your fist congregation. Like breathing or read in a service or made coffee or cleaned up or anything please stand up. Well or hilton already i was just about to say that you don't have to worry i mean. I think we're going to be the next category and you notice that a huge category a very very busy people. They're working as we speak. Look around. Look around with love in your heart and let's sit down. That's a pretty impressive group. Hopefully it'll be even larger as the year goes on next year. These are the people. Who have fed us. These are the people who have worked ridiculous hours. These are the people who have had to take occasional abuse. From someone who didn't want to be contacted about a pledge and couldn't be civil about it. I still hope that never happens again. These are the people who love this community. And you. And each of. Enough to dedicate. Untold hours of their time. And wild blood is so appropriate. Whether you are a part of this conversation or not. You can reflect on all. That is your life. You can reflect ingratitude and humility. On those who have fed you and you can take us searching. Not falsely modest look. At the way you feed others and create community. Whatever. Or whoever you are. You can look directly at the people and the groups that make the world better. For all. That is your life. Do you use that gift. To build the common good. And make your own days glass. Whatever. Or whoever we are. We can seal the faithfulness becomes with recognizing other loving soil. As we go forth into our summertime's remembering your flower and food for the potluck next week. We can keep the story in our heart. We can create.

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BUUF-sermon-20090524.mp3

Bad habits die hard coffee. Stop. Before i try first like to say thank you to the congregation for considering me to. Give this. Asking me for it. And then asking me again because i wasn't sure of my deployments guy john supposed to be leaving again in a few days early but just to go to texas this time so. Not traveling across the world so. Still be relatively close to home. Which would be a nice thing for a change. This is titled in. The young soldiers and it was asking me to. A reflection on. How i have seen. The lives affected of people around the world. Due to conflict. And strife. And how it has affected their. Religious beliefs and and what they do and their daily lives. To survive. This can best be summed up. I'll buy good friend of mine in iraq. Augustine to rocky. And the government there. Him and i were having a conversation one evening. Overall contrary to popular belief muslims actually do drink. Whiskey and a few cigars. And what he told me was. And i didn't really think about it. Too much at the time but upon reflection i realize that this is a fact of life through every place that i've been. He says. To me my country and all of its people are morally bankrupt. Do the warren conflicts. The context of our conversation was much the same as the context of this paper. Ayaz westerner could not understand the depth. Of the despair of the iraqi people and country without actually being here for an extended. Time and luckily having a job in the military that allowed me the opportunity to go out and mingle with the people everyday. For almost 3 years. I paid a heavy price my insides. I try to impart. Onto you today. What i have. Observed. May not agree it's just my reflections on it. I lost 14 of my friends of the last 3 years. And more over the course of my last 26 years i've been in the military. I have seen such devastation. But military conflict by all sides. And such depraved indifference. Buy a few. For the return to a normal life. But just left me forever changed. And sensitive to what goes on around me in a way that 95% of the americans will never grasp. But you would have some of the experience thrust onto them to open their eyes to the real life outside of our own worlds that we confine ourselves to everyday. I went back over my life's experiences in the military. The 29 countries that i have found myself and in service to my country. And realize the simple statement by my friend in iraq holds true to all the places and people i have met. Work with. And talked at length with. Throughout my career. What i mean by morally bankrupt. Is the changes forced upon a people of high moral principle and religious beliefs. And in some cases well-educated. To survive a period in their lives. Analyzer their country that forces them to abandon their beliefs. And unfortunately. Their practices to survive. These changes in their lives were observed by their children. And emulated in mass. To the point that it will take generations. To correct the society to even a small amount of what it was. And still have it survive. This is true in central america. Rye witnessed. Young girls. Being bought for sex. For the cost of a tube of toothpaste. To the balkans where i witnessed men teaching their sons how to hate. And carry on that tradition of paid for 500 years and fight the five hundred year war. Perpetuating a conflict that has been ongoing for 1400 years in that area. And we have a nation has taken up the fight. In recent years and will be fighting this fight. Until it is resolved. One way or the other. Taken from a book that i read. But a while ago. The author. Put forth the idea that the only way that the world would stop fighting. Religious wars. Was 41 gigantic religion. A corporate religion almost to take over the world in mass. And then. There would be no more war because it would all be run by one person. And everybody will subscribe to basically the same beliefs. Interesting idea probably won't happen though. This moral bankruptcy. Is in the caribbean. In the middle east. Africa. It has even spread to or some may have said to me. Spread from our own country. In our own country we have this. To a degree without the benefit of armed conflict. But rather by activism of a small group of people desiring to legitimize views and beliefs. To all for the sake of a kinder gentler world. I believe in their goals. But having been around the world and spend. The better part of a decade and a half out of the country. I can only say that the world's neither kind. More gentle. No caring. Except to the point as to assume power and rule and further their own ideologies and beliefs. I have seen men women and children. He marched out into the desert to be killed. I have seen bombs explode outside of schools to try to kill anyone helping restore freedom and peace. I felt the devastation of losing close friends in the countries i have been to and it had to watch their families walk away. Knowing that they will probably not survive the week. I could not. Despite my efforts in others do anything to change their outcomes. I have seen 500 people. Killed in a matter of minutes drowned in the tigris. Because of hate and religious bias. I have seen this and much worse. What's this. I have also witnessed a devotion to a way of life. And a refusal to admit or submit to defeat. Sometimes it takes the form of passive resistance. Sometimes it is voice enacted on more forcibly. But always it is there in the underlayment of all societies and places i've been to and worked in. It is the refusal to give in. The refusal to give up. And the tenacious way through hardship. Adversity and personal loss. That we as americans cannot battle. They go on to practice their religion maintain their beliefs. And in some cases. Even if it will kill them. Still they go on. Still they die. Do they go. Ask yourself this. If bringing your family to church today. And if you knew there was a 10% chance. That one of you or your children could be killed for doing this. Would you still have come. I know people to do it everyday over there. Either muslim. They're jewish their christian. And still they go. Still they pray still they have faith. It is their god. It is their world. You probably heard it there's a saying over there in the muslim world. Enchilada. Loosely translated that means by god's will. And they will carry on their lives. And if god wants them to live and prosper he will. And if he wants them. To suffer. And their wives to be taken. That also was god's will. I know i would not bring my family here. If i was a 10% chance that i knew that they could be killed or my son would be killed. I would not do it. Hi bae leave my family at home. And make the truck myself. But i would not endanger my wife or my son. What would you do and how deep is your commitment to your god your country. And your family. Thank you.

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BUUF-sermon-20090412.mp3

The bees remind me of growing things. Of the whippet. Lance. That streak of gree. True darkest. Nighttime. And growing things remind me of a rhubarb plant that has invited heesters resurrection for me for so long. There's more to the story. The first half of the rhubarb story. Began when my husband and i were married in 1991 and we received a rhubarb plant. And. I planned it in the parking strip. In front of our house where the soil is roadmix basically sage is pretty much all that really grows in it. Bob chided me gently for fighting something in such a silly place. So i absolutely made it my business to water for lies and love the poor little plant. Encouraging it until it became a teacup rhubarb about 6 inches high. This went on for years. It may 1998 my beloved younger sister kate died after a year-long fight with pancreatic cancer. Losing my little singing partner and friend. Was the deepest. Animal shock. My soul and hard have no. In the next 10 months. I left my little rhubarb completely alone it was as though i wish for its death joining cape who has struggled so hard for life. The following spring. I wistfully wander down to the rhubarb cemetery. And oh my gosh. There were those glowing little red shoes warmth and life and beauty catching my numb and cold heart. Like the beauty of the dream. The rhubarb lifted me up. In my journey. Back. To light and life. There had been a slow dying. Struggling. Difficult death. Remember easter has a struggling difficult death in it. It was dark as to have been sharp grief and rage and renouncing and closing up. And there had been resurrection. A battered and bitter soul. Brought to the humbling realization that the old old stories are true. Life. Arises from death. Light returns from darkness. In the words of uu minister max coot is poussin are raining. A sense of deity. Add cracked my december husk. Pushed returning life. Out of my inner tubes and pain. Cause of the small red shoes that personal easter. My heart began its return to life. Able to begin recalling love. Feeling love on its way back. To being stronger than jack. In me began the dawning resurrection the dawning recognize recognition of the message of jesus resurrection. At the heart of existence can be found love and blessing arising from suffering. Again and again. There's another chapter the story of the rhubarb plant. It had been transplanted to a better place several years ago. A place in the middle of a major. Grass killing. Project that we began last fall. Just a week or so ago someone asked me if the roo bar was still alive. I haven't talked about it for five years. I had checked couple of months ago actually just before i. Got pneumonia. So i had to reread regretfully tell him that it wasn't alive anymore. That it was apparently a victim of neglect. And or misplacement of the newspaper we use for the winter. Brass killing of our landscape plan. I kind of shrugged my shoulders ruefully you know this kind of thing happens. But after a while. I had to admit that i felt very very bad. 11 years have ensued since case death in greece is no longer sharp. I don't feel so strongly the need for istanbul. I have deep in my spiritual life in those years spending time in prayer meditation centering and opening practices self-exploration. Well yeah. I allowed something little and mundane. And incredibly meaningful to die. Didn't matter. It's only a small. But neglect of one small deeply important thing can lead to one small important death. Symbols bring meaning to human life and i had let other matters draw me away from this simple. Symbol. Of all that my sister and i had shared. The symbol of human relationship. Which symbolizes the divine. Invited here on earth a month. I love the darn plant. Which always stay outside. And it had served as a reminder to me that love actually is stronger than death. I thought to myself that such thoughtless neglectful behavior contributes to lifelessness in ways we may not recognize. Dark and cold or not always a result of a big traumatic event. I can come on slowly. Sneaking in past. Are self-aware. I had if i had treated the bees in my dream as dismissively as i had the rhubarb. I would not have found safety in light. And i grieved once again. This is an easter sunday sermon not a good friday. Solomon sing. That the fig tree puts forth its pigs in the vines are in blossom and guess what. The rhubarb and they turn into little leaves. Last wednesday i'm winded my sad way out to the new rhubarb cemetery and oh my gosh. What joy. Where none was expected nor perhaps deserve he was a gift of grace. I almost felt embarrassed. Out there all by myself in the lawn. At the profound and joyous release that i felt. And i certainly felt once again. Humbled. At this matter-of-fact reminder of mystery. Of powerful forces far beyond my ken. Horses i have not put into motion. And i cannot stop. I don't make. And i don't take it away. Forces to attend to. In the universal cycles. Of death and rebirth. Joy. That particular theme of easter rises above suffering even though suffering is genuinely cannibal. Love so hard to practice day in and day out. Takes us through seasons of dark and cold it doesn't remove them. Usher's us back into light and more. This morning may all our hearts partake of the spirit of the living room bar. When great darkness descends. Maelove. In spirit and human relationship. Guide us in faith towards spring. When we cause darkness. May we be guided. Toward light. And humility. When we must enter the domain of the humming buzzing bees. May we know that we need not fear. And that love. Will bring us to safety. At love. Will bring us.

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BUUF-sermon-20081019.mp3

How's the trial of southern illinois farm. Fungus farm with a wooded area with a pond. My brother his friend and i often went skinny-dipping there in the summertime. Like most kids and i imagine some adults do. Which has pebbles in the pond. To watch the ripples spread out. The ripples would move out in all directions. How far they traveled was determined by their distance. And. The edge of the pond. While some would go just a short ways. Others would travel further. And still others. We just fade out. We send out ripples in all directions. It isn't only what we say. But how it affects others. Remember the edge of the pond. It isn't all the same. Others interpret what we say by their experiences. And what they hear. Sometimes what people hear. Can be very different than what we intend. An example miscommunication happened to me recently. My former partner received a phone call from her stepmother. Her father who has lung cancer and is on oxygen and also has diabetes was in the hospital. Her stepmother has glaucoma and colon cancer. Got off the phone in tears. She said there was no one to take care of them. I'm sure that she had to move back to missouri. To care for them. She asked if i would move with her. I told her i would give it some consideration. I felt i should let sue feli. Our board president know that i might have to move to missouri on october 20th. Standard i would have to resign. She interpreted what i said as a mediator. Which wasn't my intention my intention was to resign the 20th. She got someone to fill my place. It turned out the situation in missouri made it impossible for me to move there. So i withdrew my resignation. As i stated in my withdrawal. Ws senator can withdraw his intended resignation. I certainly could. My email was not worded. The best. And this caused hurt feelings. I'm very sorry for this. As it turned out i have sensed officially resign. Not because i'm leaving. But because of personal reasons. My dad never owned a tv until the early 1950s. I can still remember the little 13 inch black and white table model. With rabbit ears. If you turn the antenna just right. You could get a picture from the only tv station which was 50 miles away. From where we were living in hastings nebraska. To holdrege. When i got out of school the only thing to watch was howdy doody. The station went off the air at midnight right after the tonight show with host steve allen. It came back on with the today show with dave garroway and a chimpanzee named j fred muggs. Today i have lost track of how many news programs and channels there are on cable and directv. These channels run 24 hours a day. Seven-days-a-week. 365 days a year. Have you ever wondered how much is too much information. I know i have. You can watch the olympics live from beijing china. You can set your living room. And watch history being made as the first man of african american descent. Accept his party's nomination for president of the united states. Then one week later. We can watch a woman accept the nomination of the other major political party. For vice president. Yes. Shrinking world. With satellites people can walk down the street and carry on conversations with voice or text message with people. Perhaps the opposite side of the world. A mother in minneapolis can be talking to her son in fallujah iraq. Just as a fire fight breaks out. Today much of the information we receive is negative. We are told. By the pollsters that this is what the public demands. Why is it that the human race 12 -. Rather than the positive. I have a theory on this. I believe it started before recorded history. When cavemen were hunters and gatherers. If they didn't remember their own or others negative experience. They might end up another critters appetizer. Is this a trait we need or even want in the 21st century. Perhaps we do need it. No. There is no saber-toothed tiger ready to have us for lunch. But there are dangerous for a person with too much of a pollyanna attitude. Is an election year. When we turn on our tv we're bombarded by political advertisements. We also get it on all news programs. I was rather pleased by one candidate early in the season. He said nothing about his opponent. It said he spoke of his experience and what he could do if elected. Unfortunately as we approach election day even this candidate has abandoned the high road and has begun to attack his opponent. This candidate is now slinging mud just like the person who's running against. Why is it. The order of the day. I frankly don't care what his opponent says. As my mother used to say just because someone falls on a manure pile doesn't mean you have to fall in after him. I do not want to hear what an unfit person. The other person is. I want to hear why i should elect one person over another. Because of what that person can do. Or will try to do if elected. It seems that this. Type of charger assassination is not what the public wants to hear either. At least it has proven so in the presidential race. The public has enough bad news to deal with everyday. With both the gas and stock-market prices does fluctuating. Healthcare. Climate change. Negative comments about one person or the other. That is running for office. I want to hear what a person will try to do to solve these situations. Those ripples can be positive. Have a positive effect as well. If we choose to use them. We lived in a hectic fast-paced world. We are constantly on the go. The family sit-down meal even on a sunday has become as extinct as the saber-tooth tiger. When was the last time you told your partner. I love you. How about your children. Especially your teenagers. Yes i said teenagers. They rolled her eyes and think it's corny. But it still is worth letting them know. It may be easy for you women to do this. But i'm speaking to a mixed audience. Here. We men need to affirm our love for our partners and our children as well. It isn't unmanly to do this. Oh and santa's do you really mean it. After all you do mean it. Don't you. The 1989 my family went through a divorce which was 85% my fault. I have not seen my oldest. And youngest son since 1992. I haven't seen my middle son in a couple of years. I would give anything to say. I love you. And with meaning. One more time to my former family. Because this is a source of great grief for me. It isn't only words the cause rebels. Back in the 1970s there was a lot about body language. What kind of message do you send out. When you meet a person with physical disabilities. How about mental handicaps. How about a person who isn't the same social status as yours. We unitarian-universalist strive to build a better world. Do our actions as well as our words affirm this belief. Do we sacrifice ourselves on the altar of being nice. Not hurting feelings. Parked waffle this is the case. For several years after my divorce i belong to co-dependents anonymous and adult children of alcoholics. Who's 12-step programs for adults who grew up in a home. Where one or both parents were alcoholics. A certain amount of time in the program they gave out little coins called chips. On these coins were the words to thine own self. Betru. We cannot. No we must not. Give up our own soul to become doormats. In order to keep the peace. We can disagree without being disagreeable. We can express our opinions without destroying another self-esteem. It merely takes. before speaking. Sometimes we talk. Sometimes the pebbles we talk can cause ripples which are humors. Back in the 1970s i lived in omaha nebraska and work for ford storage and moving. The allied van franchise. The biggest client was offered was the united states air force at offutt air force base we're just moved a lieutenant colonel from k park. The housing area near omaha. To lincoln nebraska. Bo jackson's about 50 mi. Which wasn't bad because of the newly-opened interstate. Barney my driver was in a hurry to get back to omaha because he said he had. Quote a hot date. So as truck drivers would say he put the hammer down. Suddenly i saw the flashing lights came on in the rearview mirror. Barney pulled over looked at me and told me to keep quiet. Which i intended to do anyway i wasn't driving. He rolled down the window as a state trooper approach. The trooper look up at barney and inquired. Do you know what the speed limit is. Barney with a straight face looked at the officer and said no matter of fact voice yeah i saw sign back there that said 80. The trooper looks startled. Bush's campaign hat back on his head and express. My god man that was the interstate sign i'm damn glad i caught you before you hit for at&t. Turn around and walk back to his cruiser shaking his head. You never gave barney that speeding ticket. Yes we all talk. Throuple. But send reveled. Where are these ripples go is hard to determine. What effect they have is harder to determine. Let's make certain the rebels don't turn into tsunamis.

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BUUF-sermon-20091004.mp3

Christmas eve. 1997. 2 years previously we had sold our beloved. Shabby. Inadequate. Frontier sparkling to a daycare center. After many years of difficult discussion and huge amounts of naeyc. We had spent a wretched year cohabiting with the childcare providers who simply filled our space. 5 ft tall plastic pink flamingos i was in. In competition with it. After the daycare year starting in january 1997. We had rented from the first presbyterian church downtown constructed this building. Minus the two education. We probably had constructed it on our newly purchased four and a half acres. First prince. We conducted sunday worship at. 4 p.m.. Are 150 or so folks. 700 person sanctuary. With the modern 44. Cross in the front. Are children attended sunday school in the confusing warren of religious education room and our office space was one largest room in the basement. If anyone wanted to talk privately to me i had to take him to the choir.. We were grateful. For providing temporary space at a reasonable rent. We were not comfortable. At yuletide 1997. This building. Was almost ready for us to move in. Entirely habitable. But without a conditional-use permit yet. Garden city. Unofficially. Turning their back. Let's. Celebrate christmas eve here. Because there was no room for us in any other. Carol. Was joy to the world. And it was sung in a spirit that did justice to the time. I stood here on this chancel. Looking out. I was overcome by gratitude. And law. Animazement. Actually off. Pretty much unable to sleep. We were then. And we are now an imperfect community. I just read a comment in the christian century magazine that noted. Sometimes. Church congregations act more like an episode of jerry springer is in leave it to beaver. Knowing that. I was lifted. Touched beyond words. Vision of a unitarian universalist congregation. Which could nurture the souls of all who entered our doors. And which would help. Heal the world. Yesterday our fellowship a remarkable day long. Unprecedented in our many decades of church life. My 22 and before that too. 70 or 18 kids activities. Meditated. Moved. 8. And reflected on what community means. It was the living community symposium. Community is an issue we must address. Over. And over. Andover. And we had a great time doing it. Yesterday. One of our leaders characteristics. And my goodness what a great bunch of ideas emerged. Respect. Openness to. Actual. Traditions. Trust. Celebration. Understanding the striped dress and conflict. Reconciliation. Laugh. Diversity. Commitment. Having limits and boundaries. Reaching out being genuine. Listening to each other. Sharing work. Communications / dialogue. Showing up. Perseverance. Cat inspired ourselves. When is the next star lyrics challenged us. Mark which of these weefine. In the boise unitarian universalist fellowship. And mark those we are lacking. That was. An interesting. Exercise. There was agreement on some things like we have yes good food. And honoring of our children and our youth. At least we are not good about last. Highmark. I was not too surprised to see disagreement about whether or not we have diversity in our congregation. And i was very much not surprised to see trust. One of those words. And others. People have different experiences any community and tressa read to us. About the elephant. And the blind men. If we are to build our religious community. If we are to commit. That. In a way different. From how we have done it before. We all need to bring humility. We need to bring listening. And respect. And the ever-present knowledge. Have. Difference. We may be for instance someone who has served happily. On many church groups working through the hard times. Feeling a deep foundation of spirit. And goodwill here. How far to bl. He's more or less warm-and-fuzzy maybe something at the end of the tale. At the same time we in order to be complete. Respectful members of the community. Need to be open to the person who came in. Open to the person who rises. With a leadership decision. We need to know that our point of view. Is so. Not the only one around. We need to know that. However much we may surround ourselves. With like. Minded. Only maybe one of the. We maybe the riser in anger the person serious at the church. 4a directions. Or isn't. Our part of the elephant. At the same time. We need to be open to the tears of gratitude shed in a sermon. Open. The one who has joined in vast relief coming home. Open to the ones. Who make leadership decisions. A lot of hard work. And their hearts. Best intentions. We need to know that our point of view is so not the only one. And from that knowledge we need to know it. However much we may surround ourselves. With light. Minded. Respect. Commitment. Open. Hanging in there through difficult. Reaching out. Reconciliation. Healing. These are the ways we move towards community. If we are to. What we want to be. Nurturing soul. Helping heal the world. Opening mine. Lifting heart. And. We must be humble place in community. For each of us only has. One piece. Proverbial elephant in the room. And it's called community. How do we share an affirm all our individual ideas while living in collective community. We have you use believe that there are many pathways to truth. Part of our essential living community is that when we discover a way that we think might be one of these truth. We naturally question. And argue to test it. We have you use cherish doubt. We are confident doubters. If no one challenged our beliefs. Our positions. We wouldn't be a proper community. In fact. Ruu proclivity for argument is evidence by the multitude of jokes. But you can find when you google unitarian universalism. Like this one. What are the sacraments. Dedication. Marriage. Memorial service. And. Arguments. This naturally leads to the next joke. Arguing with auu is like mud wrestling with a pig. Pretty soon you realize the pig likes it. Debate and conflict ideas from normal part of any growing thriving community. To be a community that cares. Question how we do without managing. Resolving. And yes. Being present to those exquisite moments. When we transcend conflict. We are a living breathing caring people who intentionally seek out the experience of being in community. It is our connections to each other and to the process of life itself. That keeps of coming back. You use a pretty famous for our love of community and process. Again as evidence 11 google. Like this one. Each religion has its holy books. Judaism has the torah. Islam has the quran. Christianity has the bible. Well you use have robert's rules of order. Our humility and our humanity can be found. We are people who cherish lively debate. We are people committed to process. Sometimes in spite of our very sincere efforts. This ends up looking like a bunch of tangled fishing line. So the question remains. How do we fry in living community law holding on. To our passionate belief. Are logic and reason. Search for meaning and truth. How do we do this. From a heart centered way. While knowing that we are human being sometimes. Only sometimes demonstrate an extra. Earnestness. The teeny tiny part of the elephant that i have to remain in living community to enter the conversation to keep the dialogue going. We must feel safe. Am i safe i mean emotionally safe. How do we make an emotionally safe to talk about anything. Without going to silence. Which is about withholding information. Sarcasm. Avoidance. Or even withdrawing completely from community. How do we refrain from violence. Which is any verbal strategy that attempts to compel others to our point of view. By doing such things as labeling. Another manipulative maneuvers. You know when i'm really honest with myself. I'm going to both sides of silence and violence in conflict and community. In fact my very human self tends to sashay back and forth. I know that i'm at my worst and community when i've gone to that silencer violence place. I am out of dialogue and into the stories that i tell myself in my head. Perhaps you can relate. Sometimes. I told myself. A victim story like. Not my fault. I'm pretty good at denying my contributions to the situation. I can really get into villain situate stories. As i'm driving away from the parking lot. It's so her fault. It's easy sometimes to assume the worst. From the other party. Finally i've also found my help with stories. Complete fabrications like. There's just nothing else i can do here. Yikes. It's then that i'm stuck in my stories i'm estranged and ego and completely community. That's what i need a little help from my friends. Like remembering to center my attention and return to the present moment. Breathe. Practice empathy. Intolerance. For myself. And also for others. Because the business of being human. And the business of being in community. Can be so hard. Returning to community means courageously confronting myself and asking. What is it that i truly want. The answer is. To be in relationship with all of you. How do i reconnect with shared commitment. How do i bring back mutual respect. How do i stay connected to myself. While staying connected to the conversation. I know i'm doing pretty well at living in community when i feel comfortable experiencing. Vulnerability and allowing others to share their thoughts and feelings without moving to judgment. I've made peace with the groom zone. And it's safe to enter that shared pool of meaning. Shared commitment is in place and. I really know. Stephen the steaks that we all make. Aren't the most important part of us. And i'm able to maintain my face. Admit the foundlings and the failures. I'm trusting the flow i'm trusting the process. Good community is about meaning-making and coming from a heart center place. My debts out to community when i've gone to a stye in val dialogue. And i've connected with. Intervene. I'm able to hold the tension between differences. And actually see that differences. Are essential compliments. To unity. And to soul-making. The heart back to the first reading. It's in those moments that i can truly sense that i am a connected pearl and indra's net. It's sensing my tender soulful center. Connecting to something that's so much bigger than i. By bringing my best self to community. I am connected in love. The elephants. And i know that i need to connect with all the pieces. But each of you have. To begin to understand living in this beloved community. Community move through us as we move through it. Helping us individually. And collectively to become more. Ask who we truly are. We have the opportunity. And again. And again. To take a heart-centered fluid approach to community. Respectful relationship. And honors differences. While creating harmonies.

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BUUF-sermon-20100131.mp3

Tapestry. Ab stories. Here we have the story. 1907 missionary. But had to leave. We know that are for mothers and fathers. We are grateful for apple hopper who started our mother's day ceremony among many other things. The vietnam war. Highpoint and departure of our first minister in 1987. Lots of us remember that sunday morning in my early years when i said fire i was wearing as a school. My struggle. John's farms story. Private stories. And tragic. Pettiness. And reconciliation. We are on the edge of a new part of our story. Congregation that we can be. And heart. Encourage. Congregation. Might not you are a newcomer. Absolutely the most fascinating. Although. In any case. To attend sunday services. And reflect on many other aspects of the human spirit. Remembering. Sharing. Creating stories. Like hours. We can learn about ourselves. Observant. And 170 of us. A nationwide survey last year during worship service. Large survey. Lilly foundation with part of it. 300,000 worshippers. Survey on sunday. We have been provided a wealth. Information about our self. I can barely touch spontaneously. We are. Overwhelmingly flight. 59% of us are women. The national average is. 81. Percent of us have a college or graduate degree. National average of 47. 49. 30%. Compared with 48. We can have. So much hope. It gets a little confusing in the manuscript. So if you want. Not surprisingly. We score extremely high in our valuation children's religious education. Our kids are very important to us and we know. We are very welcome. In the past five years since i came here 23 years ago. Instructional revere. We are congregation. 78. And 62%. It's not a survey. Two-thirds of us are involved in. Which is much higher than the national average of 42%. Personally. As the most important aspect of our congregation. We are way less likely. 27% less likely than the national average. To be in worship because of a sense of obligation. And we're quite a bit less likely to be bored or frustrated. Isn't that good. Category. 86%. Even better 87%. Directions and they are. Set the good work.. We can see more clearly. You might consider. Play. And help us create. The good and the bad. A challenger. Side by side. Parts that race. 4.2 areas. It's not just the survey.. Significance of concern. Even. Distrust. 17%. Said they didn't know. Directions of the church are. Your other survey results. Money and attendance. Significantly less. In comes to our church. Then do other denominations. 51% of the people surveyed. Which is way lower. And the 81%. Which answer everything. It will not surprise. In any activities of this congregation. To the community. It looks suspiciously as. Involves enthusiasm. National. We have fewer used in young adults than the national average. We very much need. The creativity and ideas. The wonder of scarcity. Alarm timer. 30% as opposed to the national average of. Highly commendable. Inspired. To make alzheimer's feel. I'm just raising the question i don't know. German. Great concern. Only 15%. Spend any time. In spiritual practice. That is one of the biggest disparities. Congregation is complex. Great. We having sex. We seem to feel assembly. Disinclination to the day-to-day mundane practices of commitment. Like. Generous. Financial stewardship. Received. In our attitudes about social justice. I struck the word. We do not seem to understand. The fundamental importance of spiritual friend. Okay. Having done the good-news-bad-news thing. Turn down. We can't. We have always done. In the places where improvement is needed. On our considerable rex. He's already doing amazing. Structural works for transforming a stroma. Church that has actual systems in place. Seamless. Making these structural changes. Continue. Lifting heart. Vines. Nurturing souls. And helping heal the world. Welcome. Genuine. That fart. Facebook. Do you know. Food pantry. Gramps. How many purebreds of strategic plan. Lots of places. Ministry council. This council has coached. Ministerial energy. Affect. We have never been connected. Not to mention. Creative. Of the fellowship. Who's the transmission. Whose function will be to educate all of us about the process of going from one minister to another. Our. Relationship. Between now. The board is increasingly sensitive to communication. The committee on ministry. The spending time observing relationships in the ministry of the whole church. And will be postponing. The direct. Action part of the action campaign. It was called a cabin with champagne. Postponing that until spring. 2011. We may rejoice in it simple. Successful. Abreva. There is. You can trust your car. Anna smallwood. You. Can live. Siri for help. And alone they are not. More and more. Feeling part of community joyously. Just one more. Unthinkable. You seem to consider ourselves well above. 16th episode. When you are asked. And just saying yes. You'll be very agreeably surprised at what a good time you have. But it's not a matter of marching up to. Okay are you part of a circle. Might you consider joining a committee. I'm asking you. Set there are always time. Can any of our lives. A consumer. That there are times. As we receive. It's blessing. And if you are in that place. You must. Ignore. Exhortation. If you're not. Will you wherever you are in your life. Jacob. A spiritual practice. Remembering it requires no. A spiritual practice if you do not have one. If you do. You will see more clearly. Your place in the universe. And your place in this fellowship. However you are contributing to our church. Can you connect. We doing it. Is being with each other in joy and in sorrow. Sharing the sprint. The help. Kiehl's store. Glorious. We are spiritual. Justice making shirts. And we need to become. Even more so. Stories. Are so precious. From my time serving in this church. Recently i got cards. Another illustrated with blue elephants and heart-shaped butterfly. He was so cool. After school. She said. My favorite part. What to listen to you talk. Close my eyes. My father's lap. I also. Is closing my eyes. Poop is so cool. And we can all work. Together. Everyday.

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BUUF-sermon-20091108.mp3

At the beginning of my. Sermon. I would read. From the bible sb. I read from the fifth book of moses. Do toronto mean. Talk dirty versus. 11 * 15. 4th commandment which i command you this day. He's not even from you. This is nothing to have them that you should say who shall go out for us to have them and bring it to us. Documentary x. Do it. You should say. Matthew matthew written. Do it. By the world. That you may do it. I have set before you this day. Congruent. Antiva. Houston idol. This is a traditional. Transylvanian unitarian blasting greeting. Kristy hughes. God bless you. It's. I wish. A very nicely. And i would like to greet you with this. Transylvanian unitarian greeting. Thank you. I'm so grateful. To be here. With my family. Why children. I'm not sure only in my name. Because. Eyebrows with me. The blessings the greeting is that. My congregation back in transylvania the mystery are sending to you. It is good to be here. It is good to be. Among view. See these faces. Known for many many years. It's very important for a minister. Congregation. My message will reach. What i want to say. At home. I haven't. I know them. I know there are sorrows. I know that. I know that a lot. Everybody's. Familiar i know them by their names. Hit the floor. I can even come then it's almost impossible year. Haven't seen you so familiar. I feel like. Checkmate. Before the united states. We meet different people experiences then. I have these questions. Who are you. What are you customers. What makes you weak. What can i learn from you. Are the fellowship as a congregation. But also what can i learn from us. Are the most important question. Is in what do you values. Shape your life. I remember. I used to be a member of our organization. Different congregations and. About our youth movement and of course,. The phone. Believe they're all. Regis fly. Because of these. I would like to. For everyone. Meaningful story. Because every person was responsible. A single sentence. Cool change. And. Not even the first player who said the story in motion. New how is boudin. It was an essential game. For all the times you played it. We were able to predict. The spirit and capacity of the group. Weaver standing. Outside. Difference. Life. Start with something. Animals. Mexican see around us. Have their roots in this first world. The first one. And they formed the world really rooting for the ios. Human input. Lebron james. Levantine. Hope and despair. I'll faith. Our hopelessness. Altiers. I could say. How's tori. Our life. I just don't believe. Unus annus. We are. For some of us. The word, easley. And we succeed. Have to struggle for every single word. Demag the phone happen. And of course. For some people. Define. No matter how hard. I'm here i have to tell you. That it is not always. For our life. All individual stories. Hydrolyzed. But also with large powerful structures that sometimes unwillingly work against aspiration. Wishes and good we are. Sometimes seems our savior. So complicated. So many things. Sometimes the structures of the society. Is a segregates people. And make it so hot. Always being aware. What's going on. In the world around us. I sometimes find it very hard to believe that this word. We are leaving in pasteurizing. World of love. What are you doing mean. Our life. Inspiration. Emotion. Because dad. In your heart. We have to find our way. We have to find a way. To that first word. That is really about love and life. You can find. Only in your soul. Senior solutions. Theoharis vision. Because. Religious heresy. 440 years old. And stronger for religious freedom. You know transylvanian unitarian heritage. Express respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person. I can. The freedom of religious consciousness. East europe. 4in the wheel. That's right to bring compassion in human relations or not. A free and responsible search. For truth and. Meaning. I can. Transylvanian hungarian culture and language. I can just find it in the door. African unity with liberty and justice for all. Orion respect for. Hope vr. Apeach vr. Pull-a-part. This might. Ahsan khan contradictory for you. For religious heritage. Except from the first decades. Emerge from the continuous. We were carrying to protect our religious and nation's identity. Your heritage. In the atmosphere of freedom. Democracy. Deliverer christian position. We'd rather rely on our historical heritage. Why are you strength. Comes from your share values. But i. Feeling i know. Have the inspiration that roots in the last. Human being. I know. Bonding fiber. Frost. And for you to. However. This is not the most. Important issue. Remember. I started my sermon. In this game it sometimes happens that. And meaning. Did the players have really found the community. Always come forward to try to straighten the mistakes. And the others follow. Make the story this way. In a battle directions. Difference. This game. Is like. It is up to us how we leave it. We have the girls to. We choose which road. The bank. Show question. As an individual. You're back. The word of god. Community drive. Community. Answer this question. Find your heritage in your life. It is not enough. We have to push it in the service of a backhoe life. Aw. Your heritage. Myheritage. It can provide mutual support. Canopy go beyond it. Can you provide support to the community through service and. Social action. If not. Problem. Because. Transylvanian. Can i tell you how it seems really mean. Heritage. Something nice. Something that has no presence and. No future. Our opposing. Dubious. Regis. So. Emerge from the freedom of the spirit. If you can't engage. Keeping the service of others. Hicksville have few contacts with everyday needs. Hoplife. So the question is. Build bridges. Make me. Come home. Can i make you. Come home. In transylvania. In the world. We have it. We have this in our. You have to leave it. Another time. Randy step too far. From these where are you. We have to go back. Find the first one. Word of god. Call as you wish. That's weird that. Gives you fiber. We are here for. 4 days. In boise. We are hearing. The united states. Roasting broccoli for taylor hoffman. You know. If i was. This happened to us when. Thursday. Be right here. Because. Have you felt like coming home. It's important. Husby. He showed us pictures without people back in mishka. That's wasn't very deep and very great feeling. Then. Have a service. The singing. Singing together praying together. It's also. All the signs together. Are here. Embroidery made by the. Association. I think two years ago. Them. Delivery outside. Beach. Resound. If it was so great that. These people. India house. And the most important thing. Lost. That's really fat. Daddy's love. Disputing this friendship. Bus coming from inside. You may excuse me. I didn't do it in the first service.. I would like to leave now because. It is getting harder and harder. Facebook. Fairy tales. And. The song. Who are friends. The message. Whispering in her ear. Good morning breeze. Now. She lost her. For the sound was hiding behind a cloud. And was not thinking of her. Abandoned. She spared she sent her sound. Do the song. And ask. Do you still love me. The fancier in the air by the strike loud. The message. Natalie. The second to the sun. Bats. Falling to the valley. The color of the flower. And you've advised bursting on the stock of the pansy. And the love. Broke through the mist. Slip through the clouds and landed. Unsun. And the clouds. Enemies world transformed into long range. And the sound was. Shining of the pansy. And a little pansy. Black eyed peas. The greatest thing. You can. Use somebody. Avocado. July. Battle of. Did you have. Decide.

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BUUF-sermon-20100221.mp3

Shoot me now. 12. There was even a tv comedy series called just shoot me. European society and suffering. About a year-and-a-half ago my mother died. At the age of 97. Horse. But it was. My mother had been losing her mind and body for several years. Earlier she couldn't remember before. She didn't even recognize me. Process. Important. Long before. Talk about this. We agreed the just living for the sake of living was not a good thing. If it were possible to just. Or pass me to do it if she were unable to. But it's not possible. Some doctors. For fear of this many people who have lost any chance for enjoyment of life. Have been condemned to months or years of unnecessary suffering. Because most of this country has simply accepted the ongoing attitude of life. Fifty or sixty years ago. Eventually. Shifted. Today. Perhaps someday societal farwell. On the right to die with dignity. An english couple in their lives. Formal. And television producer but now she was in the final stages of terminal cancer. Her husband. Sir edward's downs. What's a distinguished orchestral conductors. After 54 happy years together they decided to end their own lives rather than continue to struggle with their health problems. They wanted to be next to each other when they died. Were they drank a strong for a b**** with together. Died in a civilized manner. Zurich. And supported their joint decision. Scotland yard. Although britain decriminalized attempted suicide in 1961 others to kill themselves. Recently there have been efforts in switzerland to restrict or ban the practice of assisting suicide. And surely we all remember the political hysteria over terri schiavo in 2005 in florida and indeed throughout the united states. When the woman's parents publicly fought her husband over the right to die with dignity. Florida legislature debate various bills to intervene. But she had. Previously discussed the matter with her husband michael schiavo. And he just tried to carry out her wishes. When she could not. Jesse jackson was one of the political. Moral ethical issues. Well he was right when he said that. It is indeed the profound moral issue. But i say the right beside her own fate. The protesters continue living. They would prefer to grant no one the right to die with dignity. America. During the 1990s he helped bring death to nearly 100 people who were terminally ill. His reward for helping them was that the state of michigan. They convicted of second-degree murder because one man who was physically unable to trigger. Ask the doctor to do it for him. Just finished he has given several public speeches that universities and on television. Oh by the way hbo is preparing a movie called you don't know jack. Sometime this spring. Oh and just this week. He said his young lover had been hospitalized in terrible terrible pain. That fact to help each other. But. He's been arrested for that now. There has been some movement toward shifting suicidal weight. Oregon voters were the first in america do to improve a death with dignity act 64. Washington state. What states require the patient to jump through a lot of hoops figuratively speaking of course. A doctor have to diagnose. Osis. .. Nothing. Strangely. They said that assisting a suicide is a crime only if it's not successful. Asking. What show was special about this right-to-die. We'll take a look into your own future. Suppose you come down with. And offering no hope like joan downs. Would you prefer to suffer for months or years. With no hope of respite. Or would you rather stop and enjoy life adventure with dignity. Or suppose you're injured so severely that you have no hope. Would you prefer to use hospital. Or you rather call a halt to all that with quiet dignity. Trump. It should be everyone's right to do so but it isn't. If i had an unbearable or unsustainable condition that i thought would. Risk imprisonment. I particularly like the attitude of and watkins a cancer sufferer in tacoma. He plans a festive death with martinis for her guests. She's already picked out a orchid colored casket. Then she saw the release that the choice of giving her aunt. Unaka come to support the decision. In the first year of oregon. But the others could rest more beer. They would be ready to deal with it. Population. For each of them with a person who found comfort in deciding his or her own end. Standing by for truly thankful deaths by disease. Northwest washington. And i've gone through the hoops to get the medication. Daughter. Said it was time. Shared one last hug. Mrs. fleming's daughter. Rejected the notion that her mother's plan was suicide. She said. Suicide is an expression of the spear and disconnection. Nor was she disconnected. I think. There's no reason to fear a peaceful control death. If everyone knows it is coming and there's going to be comfortable. That understanding them to accept that it is just an ending like that of a book or a play. In long island and 88 year old man names legal old sick with congestive heart failure and kidney problems. To see him agitated. Long island hospital. Another's call terminal sedation. They gave him a strong sedative to let him sleep. Along with morphine to silverstein. This combination can slow breathing and heart rate unless can hasten death. He died after a peaceful days. Carefully developed. But only to make the patient more comfortable. Another new york hospital. The us supreme court. In 1997. Has no barriers to medication suffering. Even to the point of causing unconsciousness and hastening death. Set ruling can protect doctors who choose to help their suffering patients but only up to a point. But not the intentional causing of death. Another words what those long island doctors did okay but. The courts are right to be careful not to let it get out of hand. It does have to be the person someone else's. Affected person. Doesn't fear death. But i see no reason for anyone else to fear that death. One of my favorite movies. You know the chief name. Despairs of his future. Funeral structure. It is a good day to die. After thanking the spirits for the good things in his life he had. Unless she wants to fight. After a while some raindrops fall. He opens his eyes and asks. Am i still in this world. This grandson answers. Yes grandfather. Old lodge kansas grown. I was afraid of that. Sometimes the magic works sometimes it doesn't. He has the right attitude. Death is just another part of the life cycle. People have many different beliefs about what happens after death but it's all speculation. We have something internally pleasant to look forward to. Future. For those who believe. Like playing alpha. Once it's over it's over there's nothing to worry about after that. Considering that you also need to think about whether an earlier into the flight. And if you were a friend or family member of. But remember the children of edward and jones island. For proud to share their parents final moments. Remember. Professor. Spring and summer in the park. But then comes october and frost. All the leaves fall. Freddie's wise friend daniel is playing. Everything dies. No matter how big or small. And then we. Freddy resist the idea. I'm afraid i don't know what. We all fear what we don't know fetty it's natural. You were not afraid when spring became summer. You are not afraid when summer became fall. Natural changes. Why should you be afraid of the season of death. You folks quietly. Gently downward. Softly on the qantas no. Recording from the book. He was more comfortable than he had ever been. He closed his eyes and fell asleep. He did not know that spring would follow. He did not know their what appeared to be his useless drive self. We join with the water and serve to make the tree stronger. Most of all. We're already plans for new leaves in the spring. My mother didn't fear death. She was far past being able to celebrate your death. And at the end there's no way to have any real communication with her. But if there was a moment. When she realized. Well. I'm sure he thought was. It's over at last.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20090809.mp3

Tumi bugs is ho. The news-star. A chance to spread one's roots. Take chances. Dogs. But it's an opportunity i will always grasp. Patrick bug student summer 2009. Creativity fulfillment connection revolution. It all begins when you get your hands in the dirt. Heather flores. The idea that natural landscapes or at least gardens can be therapeutic or restorative is in fact. An ancient one that has filtered down through the ages over 2000 years ago. Bright 1699 the book the english gardener advise the reader to spend spare time in the garden either digging setting out or weeding. There is no better way to preserve your house. Richard lewis last child in the woods. The garden is silent plants are growing. All around i watch things observing nature a person grows a little bit each day. A plan is the same pushing up and out of the soil. Taking its first real breath. Like a baby taking its first silent cry. Tanya five students summer 2009. Children lived through their senses sensory experiences length the child's exterior world with their interior hidden effective world. Since the natural environment is the principal source of sensory stimulation. Freedom to explore and play with the outdoor environment. Through the senses and their own space and time is essential for healthy development of an interior life. Professor robin moore director of the national learning initiative. Bugs is a place to get in touch with the world. Well. Buxton summer 2009. The peace of wild things. When despair for the world grows in me and i wait in the night at the least. Maybe. I go and lay down. Infinite beauty on the water. And the great heron feeds. I come to the peace of the other wild things. Who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of stillwater. And feel about me the day blind stars waiting. With their light. For a time i rest in the grace of the world and i'm free. Wendell berry. Apprentice yourself to nature not a day will pass without her opening a new and wondrous world of experience to learn from and enjoy. Richard w langer. Bugs is a place for peace happiness, sinjoy. Parker. If you have a garden and a library you have everything you need cicero. Must we always teach our children with books. Let them look at the stars and the mountains above. But then look at the waters and the trees and flowers on earth. Then they will begin to think. I think it's the beginning of a real education. David polis. Very relaxing to be here. How old is this church. I meant kelly today and we did a relaxing in the grass and it was fun. I'm glad i came here today. They told us to think up ideas to get the blackberries on top of the bush. This place is awesome. I wish i could live here. Excerpt from bugs students journal. If we represent knowledge as a tree we know that things that are divided are yet connected. We know that to observe the divisions and ignore the connections is to destroy the tree. Wendell berry. A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness. It teaches industry and thrift. Above all it teaches entire trust. Gertrude jekyll. Silence once again overwhelms me raindrops down on the garden i listen and hear many sounds the sounds of nature birds chirping. Then once again silence. I've never heard a more beautiful sound. Clear and pure the sound of 1000 things waiting for something to happen. Linnea bug student summer 09. There's no gardening without humility. Nature's constantly sending up even its. Percent. Egregious blunder. Hopper dawson. Whoever acquires knowledge but does not practice it. Is asthma. Sawadee. Bugs is a place where you learn something new everyday. There's a little plant called reverence in the corner of my soles garden which i love to have to water once a week. Oliver wendell holmes. Gardens are not created or made they unfold. Spiraling open like a silk pedals of an evening primrose flower to reveal the grounds plot of the mind and heart of the gardener and the good earth. Wendy johnson. Strawberries are like little sons growing plants. Zapper bug student summer 2009. Is great when old men plant trees. Greek proverb. The place where i can make a difference in the environment. Ashley bragg student summer 09. Kiss of the sun for pardon. Song of the birds from earth. You're closer to god's heart in a garden than anyplace else on earth. Dorothy francis gurnee. I used to visit and revisit it a dozen times a day and stand in deep deep contemplation over my vegetable progeny with a love that nobody could share or conceive of who had never taken part in the process of creation. It was one of the most bewitching sites in the world to observe a hill of beans thrusting aside the soil or rose of early peas just peeping fourth sufficiently to trace the line of delicate green. Nathaniel hawthorne. One cannot think well sleep well. Virginia woolf. Baggage is a place to learn and have fun at the same time. I can make a difference in what i eat. Kira bug student. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold. It would be a merrier world. J.r.r. tolkien. Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody. Samuel pepys. Bugs is not just about gardening and cooking it is about making friends and noticing who you really are. Figuring out i like this or i don't like this or i have a fear of this. Tania bug student. You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces. Just good food from fresh ingredients. Julia child. Don't eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize his food. There is then a politics of food that like any politics involves our freedom. We still sometimes remember that we cannot be free if our minds invoices are controlled by someone else. But we have neglected to understand that we cannot be free if our food and its sources are controlled by someone else. The condition of the passive consumer of food is not a democratic condition. One reason to eat responsibly is to live free. Wendell berry. As it should be. Samantha by the student summer 09. I feel warmth coming and slowly turn my body towards it grateful that don has finally found me and relieved relieved me from the cold night. I rise above the hills freddy my warms across the earth and see my child gazing up at me. The day her face follows me through this guy. Sunflower i gave it my mother throughout the day at all her beauty and grandeur but i know her visit cannot last and i prepare for another cold night. Send i did my childhood by as i slowly drift on bringing light to other places of the earth. A poem by audien samantha summer online. Laughter is brightest where food is best. Irish proverb. Bugs to me people who care deeply about themselves others and the world in which we all live. And who are willing to give part. Something selves to make it a better place. Conrad student summer 09. We have plenty of time for questions. If you have some for becky morgan or the students. Two sets of questions 14. Call becky on those who what where when why how is the school and not also for bills. what the real songs word we we heard. I'll start with the who what where when why question what we we run bugs is a we chose specifically not to kind of just run through. Who we are and what we do but give you a little different. Take there. There are brochures here for you to take with you about the the nonprofit which is the boise urban garden school but briefly i'll just tell you that we have you run a seven-week summer program for students who are. 10 to 15. So that's most of what you witnessed with the pictures and our students here are all participating in an extension program they've been through bugs at least once. If not more times and we have some. Some folks who are here today members of the the fellowship who live across the street from bugs to mike and melissa chambers and they came last summer to me and said we have this portion of our yard and is there any you think you might want to use it and so that started the wheels turning and shirts. The kitchen and student selling produce at the farm stand. In our curriculum is really centered around the question where does your food come from so you may have gathered a little bit of that but we're looking at some pretty big issues in the context of the really hands-on. Way to do that. Where students can leave feeling empowered to grow and cook. Their own food. And really good food. So i'm in addition we have expanded and work with schools during the school year we work with various elementary schools. Luckily bringing them to bugs students go through a series of four workshops. Throughout the the spring and fall and they are participating in the as much of the cycle of the garden is possible in that amount of time. And we have expanded yet. Beyond that to this next year we're partnering with taft elementary school. And we will be working directly with. The faculty and the students at that school to help them in the the process of putting in a school garden is ultimately kind of our vision to see gardens at every school so that this isn't something that students have to come to outside of school but it's right there as a pretty powerful learning environment at the schools and schools are kind of one of those places that. Feel a little like a no-brainer like what well why would we have gardens at schools there's tons of land and the grass is getting watered anyway and there's many many many curricular extensions and threads that teachers can. Hit their state standards by teaching. The water cycle or botany or. Art or mass out in the garden so that's the brief. Kind of who we are and what we do. There any other questions. Where's your scarf and located. It's located at the thug site and we are on franklin. Just east of orchard. Behind the wright congregational church. We have a really nice partnership with that church and they have basically let us use the land and we use their kitchen and classroom facility as well and the farm stands right on site. Open on wednesdays from 10:10 10:30 to 12:30 and 4 to 6 and we go through the end of september so you can come on out and. And by produce but also get tours of the garden and kind of see see what bugs is all about. Even though the summer programs over. There's a community garden that has sprung up the summer on 4th street between 10th and 11th are you connected do that at all. We're not officially allison demarest started that garden and it's really incredible example of one person. Making the connections to start a community garden but we've talked about. Ideas and she's she's doing a great job of making that happen in our community. Seems like a lot of what you're talking about has to do with you know what. You know each child can learn in relation to the. Garden and so on each person each adult you know so-and-so and think about our. Food and where it comes from and we've been having some discussions in the congregation around. In our role in dealing with hunger and so on and tried to. Thinkware. You know. Starting back and forth some with what and what we might do to address that and you know when i think thinking about. Community gardens are other kinds of food system related kinds of things. You should we be doing. Not pregnant versus but man also in a relation of food bank and other kinds of issues and i'm wondering. Okay so you know where you connected to allison demarest gardener you know that's kind of things is there some discussion about that sort of thing going on so that each of those maybe some of those community gardens become a bigger part of what the food system is in that community connected to the csa's and all that. That's a good question there's a lot of conversation happening about those issues in particular. I know that that there's an effort right now to to form a hub for community gardens because in boise it's a it's a real gap in many city seattle portland. You know it's a piece of what the city does and so there's. There's an effort there and actually there's a vista position at the food bank right now that there's a woman who's in that position for a year who's kind of. Doing the research and finding out what's going on out there and we've met and so there's action there there is. This is. Related but separate there's sharing backyards is something that actually molly brought she's an americorps member that's working with bugs. This year and she brought to boise. Exist in other places but basically that's a an online service where as an individual you can go on and say i've got land. For i want to farm and so it's connecting people who want to farm or garden on smaller scale with land that's available as i get a lot of those phone calls you know do you want more land do you want to come do this and and really you know it has to be a bigger effort to coordinate you know the the community garden peace and and then as well as just. People who have land it's that want it to be used in the people that actually want to be doing the the gardening. In addition there's something that's happening right now i think it's called the abundance project and that's basically. With the goal of taking excess produce from individuals from community gardens from gardens like bugs. And making sure that that's going to. People in need and people who need food and it could be a small quantity so that's something you might look up and find out if you have you know your own garden is. Has moved way too much zucchini. Whatever it might be xena what do you do with it and so i think. There's a lot going on i think we're in the beginning stages as a community of really putting some of those things in place for creating a better food system but. We all know we need a better food system so i think that there's there's definitely some some action being taken. Actually she didn't shared the your funding sources and how you know that whole piece. There were primarily grant-funded which this. In this economy is rather challenging we do have some really great local support. From foundations fund for idaho idaho community foundation whittenberger foundation. Among others and. And marmar cunningham. But we also have some we've had some national support from sierra club and regional sierra club chapters we. Weave. Definitely rely too much on grant funding at this point in terms of the organization sustainability looking to. To move out of that at some point but. That's where we are right now we're pretty small staff time the executive director in 11 full-time person. And. In addition you know we have a annual fundraising dinner silent auction in september which is a fabulous event and it's us it's a great opportunity to see bugs and see what's going on so. Make the little plug there. So that's kind of suggested farmstand sales are. Oh yeah i would say the farm stand is for education purposes and we do make a little bit of money for that for our program to the farmstand but the reason that we have our farmstand is. For the students to be involved in that whole process of. Figuring out pricing and selling the produce xcetera.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20090705.mp3

I will do no quiet when i was at the university of oregon. And she was always bringing in her. Coffee before. It'll her retirement she finally confessed that it was. Really f******. I appreciate your invitation to speak on. Foodways i forgot that i am solo. A food machine. I'm from the choir director in in the baton rouge we talked on the phone. Up to ongoing she's evolved. What have you been doing at the church tonight i said well overnight singing. Put together lower parties there. And sophia. And it'll be very exciting meeting session that i can share food ways will be going on. Guitarist get together in the evening and. I'll try to find out where they're going to be drinking beer if you want to hang out with them and you're welcome i think to come to the session itself. Milton in paradise lost. I shall have to call on my muses. Remarkable cooks in my case. When was my mother vera. My sister helen. And my wife barbara have a nice painting you see i keep food in my life. Each one with her own story. My mother was a cook of the thirties and forties and we have many of her recipes. Which probably wouldn't fly today there. Have you and busters and other things. She never missed an opportunity. To supply such things when i was in grade school. Hatchet cookies on george washington's birthday. Until today you're not allowed to bring cookies to school anymore but i enjoy the cookies. There is a gooseberry pie story i think that you might enjoy with her we we had a rather established six dinner or in our. Home in iowa and. My father didn't get home and having cold and. Topology came in at 7 and the. The dinner between we were served earlier and. My mother. Here at the table it is rather cool reception when he got home. And so after. The dinner was served. Me came in and said that miss peterson i high. I can't find the pie and should be the gooseberry pie because my father's favorite which method trip across town to pick the gooseberries and come back and make the pie. And she said oh do if. Mr. peterson x this evening you can find the garbage can. Oh she returned from vassar college where she was studying. So she was in charge of thanksgiving dinner. And she created what we call the. Four-week-old ever biscuits. And though meaning. After we tried to eat the biscuits we took them outside with a hammer and try to crack them open. And distinguished. My sister died a couple of years ago went on to live in paris and return 10 years later as a very accomplished continental chef. Should married a frenchman and the. Her house was always. Pleasure to visit around christmas time and otherwise. She was the proprietor of a culinary business so-called walk and whisk. Andover she did cooking classes as well as. Provided cheering for a number of weddings and. Other. Businesses that used her. And she probably had the reputation is the finest. Cheaper in south louisiana often catering in louisiana in new orleans as well as baton rouge. And she still is in the kitchen with my daughters. What place in the eagles. Cold seasons. I think there's an anti-hero here and i think it has to be my mother-in-law. Oh because she was nothing accomplished cook at all. And i'm sure she would be. Walking me to pass on her recipe for. Christmas turkey. She wouldn't want me to but i will. You get up at dawn and throw the oven on that food last. Pinterest the bird into the oven and when the last partini is finished. Well. Today i will talk about three phases. Of. Historical the d evolution of kitchens today i suppose. Photos of two babies eat italian influence. Is the medici family i think brought. Haute cuisine will say to italy and then the french followed along with the influence of marie antoinette and others. The french don't agree with that of course but i think the italians do come first. Renaissance. And cuisine which seems becomes. Another world of food called slam bam thank-you ma'am. The drive-thru window. Heads up before i conclude i shall propose there's still another phase of contemporary. Queasy. The caveman image been reading the book recently on what sort of converted from. Sew-in evolution manly homosapien came about. I'm finally up. He got two. What he learned to cook with fire. And that was sort of the step. The. Homosapien had surpassed. The animal world because they weren't really standing around about a cutting meet up before. Experience is the first recording of this is a selection of music from indonesia. Send. Is the river asking once. Are you. Taking the wood bamboo and cutting the skewer itself rather than i said i just bought some skewers at the supermarket. Celebrate the event. This case it was a tooth fighting and it's a three-day ceremony where everybody the villages entertainment and the other music that you just heard would be sold at the primitive instruments of flute and. The video. And. Stacking long sekulow everybody's plate was on i had noticed but they couldn't start the wedding to lie and put my plate down. So it's time to get on with the ceremony and i'm so sorry i should lay this herman. Flip 2. But the. And your ken. so then the second was allowed to have cocktails and i was in the. Apple store. But two. Didn't. Apathy the hook prisons are they called me and my sister's house would have been something like a steamed artichoke with hollandaise sauce fellow book for husbands french preparation for roasted chicken cooked in wine beautifully prepared asparagus. Followed by her greens with a heavy garlic dressing and sunny to the importance platter with baby up a fruit too tart for dessert. Oakley square off in 3 hours affairs if they've been friends they would start at noon and be finished by 3 in time to go to bed. Luther was the downside with that was if there was a shortcoming. In the haute cuisine if was the psychological demands that were put on the host. And hostess trying to keep the thing alive while people were talking themselves up in the kitchen. Experience. And so the fast-food thing and. I can swing shift over from that 20 we live in salzburg for wild. Reserved. Then the heavy bill was at lunchtime normally a soup followed by an entree and probably fruit dessert but then don't skip 5. Would you have your wonderful dessert at the coffee house. And then finally maybe something like a waffle type dessert for dinner. And so you never went away hungry i told it to they've dropped everything comes with whipped cream. And i think they've deleted the whip cream in recent days because health issues of funny take over. We find things. In our culture the saturday market so the people who have specialized in so it isn't just the cranky. Little trucks pulling in all the grill and sending you on your way. And so it's really nice to see what comes that way. Will those three phases so we've had the caveman hook cuisine in the contemporary a drive-thru. This is barely enough i think now we're ready for that. Has nothing to do with calories. You should start with. And it's the the frenchwoman maybe the danish woman who went to france and returned it the film well-worth saying you can rent it. And she comes back to a fundamental distinct culture where there was no alcohol. And they lived make potatoes and very basic meal. Did she inherited and prepared a haute cuisine menu for the local fundamentalist. And funny they decided that was really really quite an exceptional thing to do. That's where we are i think. Fish fresh fish. Of the various types of dining i should refer to a dutch experience i had some years ago i was in a bar admitted young fellow david. And we bet the next day for coffee and. Pizza by my partner's a very good cook and i would love to invite you for dinner. Tattoo. Our house. But he said no you're from louisiana and he is from suriname he's black. And i said oh well then i talked to in a black university i said there would be no problem there. So i went to the house and we were getting on a card table. With for mismatch please for mismatched forks for mismatched chairs. If they were napkins i'm sure they weren't matching either the whole thing was mismatched. Known anyone who threw himself. To prepare you to deal with such passion. Compassionate for the guests. And i just still remind him of that. And this was rudy. A preps one of the high points of dining that had nothing to do with the it was just the the passion that weighed into the preparation of the food. I had one experience of unitarian church in baton rouge. Invited the minister to. Food graduated attending college fraud graduated the easiest disease to avoid. Towhee. About 200 people there at the end of the service. The people just rushed to me with a brilliant speaker. Pulled over on the slow side of the grill that is gone for 3 hours and on the way home i thought. The fire could have gone out. You could have heard the whole roast up. And it was the unitarian miracle it was the best leg of lamb i've ever made in my life and time passed and ignore. We. We're talkin this isotope cal were talkin pride in the presentation and the art of food. I've been here for nearly a year and if enjoying enjoyed seeing the creativity on the first sunday menus casseroles and hard boiled eggs assorted breads fruit in various forms potato salad coleslaw green variety of flavors. Perhaps a few of them would qualify as haute cuisine but they do represent compassion which is the ultimate thing i think as well as. For themselves is guess i take pride in what i do with the kitchen and i hope. The pride is in the dish. What about a story when i was a graduate student in new york. I was invited to the home of his doctor friend. And his wife and because the doctor was always busy. End. Infected. Did you eat the cake. And isis. And i. Country. I think i've enjoyed see the interaction of conscious people of preparation of food with the people who set up tables and chairs. Which happens in my own kitchen to my daughters restaurant. There's 14. In some way or other i think if you look carefully at the table just to see what's there. It's not just the food.. The cruise i said you don't have to put this together in the sanctuary. I explain i understand public better than anyone else. Presentation on the. Foodways.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20080518.mp3

When has a little challenging rhythm but it's has lovely words. Thanks for being brave enough to try it. I'm delighted to join you here in boise this morning. Your beautiful country over here and i am so enjoying. The sunshine. I come from portland and it's been a particularly gray and wet winter. So. This. This change of. Of weather is very welcome. The landscape over here is really beautiful too and i think it is especially important to maintain a strong connection with the land especially in these times. The hills the forests streams running through. All the creatures that live there. And i'm sure that's a gospel you can all relate to. How can we not have a relationship with the earth. Living in places like this. Nature feeds our spirits in a way that nothing else can. But we can't avoid the reality these days that our world is changing. At least partly because of our own behavior. The life our children and grandchildren will experience is certain to be quite different. From the life we have known. And some of these changes will challenges. To the very edges of our capacity to respond. I'm talking about environmental changes of course. Basic issues such as clean water and air. Healthy ecosystems food production. And how these are all affected by global warming. And how the cost of these will certainly not. Be distributed evenly across societies. My own sense of what is happening and what we will need in the near future. Has caused me to make some quite different choices in my own life. And many others are changing their lives as well. For some it's a change to a more simple lifestyle. Slowing down the pace. And accumulating less stuff. Looking for ways to save energy and eat more sustainably dr.les. And consider the earth more often and their lifestyle choices. But i managed to get just a bit more radical than that. I decided about a dozen years ago to switch careers and become a minister. Environmental minister. The primary focus of my ministry is on the theological and spiritual basis in our unitarian universalist faith. The calls us to respond to the environmental crisis. Our spiritual connection with earth is at the core of who we are. It nurtures and sustains us as we seek to heal the brokenness in the world. It's true that this work is a huge challenge. And sometimes can be discouraging. But i see signs of hope all over as i work with people and congregations across the continent. I expect most of you are well aware. That the earth that are earth home currently faces environmental challenges of a size and scale unheard-of in human history. We know whether we like to admit it or not. That humans contribute to the problem such as climate change species extinction and degradation of the air water and soil. Around the globe endless conflicts and wars are inevitably tied to the use of resources beyond what the earth can sustain. It's hard to avoid the despair. That comes with so much loss and uncertainty for the future. So many of us feel overwhelmed at the brokenness. Experiencing deep pain and a sense of loss when we see rivers polluted air thick with smog. Children sick with toxins. Spread in water systems. Or suffering asthma from the emissions of chemical plants and their neighborhoods. We see open spaces gobbled up with subdivisions while we wonder where the next generation of children will play. We can see the results of our short-sighted decisions. Destruction of vegetation that protects coastal estuaries making them prone to flooding. Inadequate investments in infrastructure. Like the levees in new orleans that crumbled in the face of the storm surge from hurricane katrina. Marginalized groups in our communities are often left out of the good times. Decisions are made in one place without regard for their consequences elsewhere. And impacts usually fall first and most severely. On those who actually get the least of the benefits. And the long haul no one is immune to environmental destruction of course. But in the short-term global warming and other environmental problems are not equal opportunity disasters. It's usually the poor the disadvantaged. Those who don't speak our language. Those who don't have our privilege who pay the price. It's all of those without the technical and financial capacity to protect themselves they are paying the price for toxic pollution and climate change right now. We saw who got out of new orleans first when katrina was bearing down. And we saw who did not. South pacific islanders are already negotiating with neighboring countries to move their populations to higher ground as sea level rises from climate change. The native village. Ashish where raffin alaska is paying a huge price along with a number of other native villages. With double disasters of melting permafrost. An eroding shoreline. And of course it's not just humans paying the price all beings on this earth are facing rapid changes in habitats and food supply that they haven't evolved to deal with. Polar bears get all depressed these days but many many other species are at the brink or already lost. Our scientific understanding of the complexities of earth's systems and how are human behavior affects those systems has become quite sophisticated in the last couple of decades. We know about the scenario but somehow we seem to be unable to muster more than token responses. So why is it that we still resist making the fundamental changes in our lifestyles that we know on some level are necessary and inevitable. Part of it maybe greed or indifference i suppose but i think it goes deeper than that. I think we have fallen into fear and hopelessness. We feel helpless overwhelmed. Paralyzed. And these are all symptoms of a deep and pervasive despair. In the view of joanna macy a buddhist scholar environmental teacher and activist. The problem is that we separate ourselves from each other and from nature. And then we use others. Other people other species are the resources we use others for our own game. Wendell berry observes the results of this. He says it is in the destruction of the world in our own lives that drives us half insane. And more than half. To destroy that which we were given in trust. How will we bear it. Now just a few weeks ago the roman catholics named environmental destruction. As a mortal sin. When unitarian universalist don't like that word very much. But we certainly have to recognize it as a colossal mistake. Contemporary society makes it particularly hard to find a sense of meaning in our lives. So the endless stream of commodities we have to have. Has actually become a substitute for love. For community connection. And for really feeling at home in the world. Los to ask us to buy and own less to preserve nature. Feels like asking us to be less. And that my friends is at route. Play profoundly spiritual crisis. Steven rockefeller a professor of religion at middlebury college in vermont. Claims that our environmental problems will not be fully addressed until we come to terms with their moral and spiritual dimensions. And we will not find ourselves religiously until we fully address our environmental problems. I think he's right. You see science and technology can explain what we observe about the universe. Faith gives us the framework for meaning. For which questions we ask. And how we think about what we know. And what we don't know. It's no surprise we're feeling overwhelmed. So many serious issues so much work to do. So many changes. But wringing our hands in despair. At the magnitude of the challenge is simply no longer good enough. We must roll up our sleeves and get busy. So how do we find the courage at the end energy and imagination. To respond to the crisis and to sustain our commitments over the long haul. Are you your principles have given me a framework of meaning forgetting to work on this hurting world. At first it was all about the seventh principle. What i saw as the source of our environmental wisdom. When i first learned about the seventh principle. I knew i was home. We affirm and promote the interdependent web of all existence. Of which we are apart. This was a truth i felt at a very deep level. But over the last 15 years i've come to understand that all of our principles collectively. Give us a richer and more complex understanding. Of our place on this planet and how we should live. With the abundance of life at risk. The inherent worth and dignity of every being. Not just for humans but for all of earth's creatures. The individual search for truth and meaning. Each of us trying to understand what science tells us. And searching for the right response which of course is not always clear. Encouragement to spiritual growth. Deepening our relationships with each other and with earth. Taking sustenance from our relationship with nature to stay strong. And keep it up with work. And of course justice equity and compassion. Justin justice and equity for all beings in creation. And compassion for those who are powerless to protect themselves from the destruction of the earth. Compassion for ourselves and each other as we feel the uncertainty and confusion. As we stumble to find the appropriate response. Coughing feeling inadequate or powerless. Wanting to work toward a better world. But finding as individuals we don't have enough power. I'm finding new meaning as i return to these principles with allen's of earth consciousness. Our faith asks a lot of us in terms of living those principles. Most of us join a church to satisfy a need for community. Seeking a place to nurture and grow a faith to sustain ourselves. To sustain a future for our children and grandchildren. When i first became a unitarian universalist. Which is only about 15 years ago now. It took me awhile to understand the full measure of what this could mean. Once i opened myself to the possibilities of these special relationships. I could never not be a part of this community again. From tearing potluck suppers to marching and demonstrations from adult education classes and covenant groups to the annual work day when we cleaned the grounds and took care of basic maintenance tasks for a building in gardens. All these activities are ways of building community. No matter where i go now. Whichever congregation i'm visiting. I am nurtured. By this connection. In the face of the environmental crisis. This community is crucial. Now there are many ways to make a difference. But to act together on our covenant to respect and promote the interdependent web. Is the only way to impact the larger social economic and political structures that allow the damage to continue. I have worked with you you ministry for earth since i finished seminarian 2001. We had just launched the green sanctuary program when i became the program manager. And now you are one of the candidates one of the 93 candidate congregations in that program. So most of you should know at least something about the program by now. Committee that's hard work hard at work to organize your efforts. So you can become accredited. But just in case you're new to the scene you should know that green sanctuary is a national congregation based program. To help you use make that connection between our face. And the way we care for the earth. In the seven years since the program was launched. We have enrolled more than 160 congregations in the program and 66 are now accredited. That's about 15% of uu congregations in just seven years. New applications are coming in now at the rate of nearly one each week. In 2006 just two years ago. Delegates to the general assembly overwhelmingly adopted a statement of conscience that is easily the strongest statement of any faith tradition to date about climate change. This statement asks you use as individuals and in their congregations to take action on global warming. And it commits the denomination. The unitarian universalist association of congregations to take leadership in public witness on this issue. And to promote and support action on issues of environmental justice and sustainability in the congregations. Last year after several months of negotiating with the uu ministry for earth. The uua announce street announced recently that the fall that the denomination would take on management of the green sanctuary program as a vital expression of our faith. They have agreed to provide staffing and support to congregations engaged in that work. Here is what the joint uua uu ministry for earth announcement says. The green sanctuary program created and nurtured by uu ministry for earth. Has seen exponential growth in recent years indicating a deep longing by congregations to put their virus values into action in regard to earth concerns. We are proud of the congregation to have taken the work to heart. And who have used the program to challenge themselves to a deeper commitment to a sustainable and just world. After years of dedicated stewardship by the uu ministry for earth board staff. And volunteers. And congregational activist this vital program will become the first uua program devoted exclusively to the earth. The phenomenal success of the green sanctuary program represents the power of committed unitarian universalist. To transform themselves their congregations and their association. We should all be very proud of the uua for taking that on. The transfer will take place this summer on the 1st of july. Relinquishing this program which has been our primary focus for the last 7 years. Will free up our energy. Passion resources to focus on a couple of substitute issues that we haven't yet been able to staff adequately. Over the past two years we've realized that you use want to be able to do more for environmental justice and sustainability but they don't have enough tools or understanding to know how to be most effective. Will be focusing especially on sustainable food access to water. And environmental racism and oppression. Assuming of course we can afford the fun we can obtain the funding will need for the work. We also know that without spiritual support you use will burn out. And sink into despair at the magnitude of the crisis. So we are committed to providing resources and opportunities for reflection and spiritual practice. For example i lead workshops on and retreats on a spirituality of earth justice that summer finding very helpful. And i'm becoming more involved and interfaith works such as the idaho greenfest that's green expo that's taking place this weekend. This afternoon i'll participate on a panel about current efforts and religious environmentalism with a local uucc minister and a rabbi. Now see you seem like we're the goals to you we really need your support as members and as contributors. So check out our website at uu ministry for earth.org. For membership information. And if any of you think you could that this is important enough work that you might be able to offer. Substantial support please talk with me at coffee hour. Dui has been very supportive of our work but they do not fund independent affiliates so we need people like you all to make sure we can keep at it. Not as usual are you you face doesn't give us the definitive answers to the dilemmas of everyday living. But if we're paying attention. If it can help us collectively find appropriate responses. We also have to realize that changing our own day today actions isn't enough. We must work for systemic change in our congregations in our communities and our nar economic and political structures. In the face of our present crisis our faith is absolutely essential. To keep ourselves energized and maintain hope. It keeps us connected to the presence of the sacred. For that which has great meaning in our lives. Playgrounds us in the present moment. And reminds us of what matters most. So while spiritual practice can seem like sort of a self-centered pursuit in fact it helps to dissolve our preoccupation with self. Through it we cultivate a sense of peace and compassion. That pervades the rest of our relationships and activities. And it gives us the strength and motivation to follow through with our moral values. Biblical scholar walter brueggemann wonderful little book called the prophetic imagination. Profits are those crazy angry grieving people who stand on the corner and pronounce words of judgment and condemnation for all the evils going on in the world. Prophets describe all of the terrible problems like we often do when we talk about climate change in the fate of the earth. The prophets also do something else. They make real the possibility that things can be different. It's not necessary brueggemann says for the prophet to spell out a detailed plan for the alternative society. Rather the profit simply has to help people imagine that a different way of living is even possible. You've probably heard that famous albert einstein quote problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them. And that's exactly what bruggeman is talking about. In a code i'm going to share with you he uses the term royal consciousness to refer to the collective powers-that-be. Nrj that would be the money powers that control the corporate and political structures in the us and around the globe. Here is how bruggeman put set. How can we have enough freedom to imagine at articulate a real historical newness in our situation. That is not to ask if this freedom is realistic. Or politically practical. Or economically viable. To begin with such questions is to concede everything. To the existing royal consciousness before we begin. We need to ask not whether it is realistic or practical or viable. But whether it is imaginable. We need to ask if our consciousness and imagination have been so assaulted and co-opted by the royal consciousness that we have been robbed of the courage or power to think an alternative thought. And that's a powerful insight from bruggeman. And it follows that part of our job is to begin to imagine that different world. So i hope you're all getting involved with green sanctuary work here at boise uu fellowship. And i hope you're getting your creativity going. We have to imagine that it is possible to make arbol strong enough to hold the light. And to share the light of our faith in a way that's gentle enough. To fill the bowls. So let us imagine our congregations. As a garden where the seeds of a just and sustainable future are planted and nurtured. Where the invasive species of self and planet destroying consumerism oppression and violence. Are rooted out and recycled into nutrients. For a life-sustaining earth community. Which we will create. Together. May it be so. And may we make it so. Hey man i'm blessed be.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20091025.mp3

Hi and elia. Ants. Each day for smartest to the brutal inner city of boston. Our kids were very tired. Sometimes you can hardly get up the stairs when i pick an elliott house. Daniel make us talk. About the den reading our journals. We were pressed. Sometimes the conversations will be very serious and sometimes we just couldn't stop laughing. Everyday had its own personality like when we went to the holocaust memorial it was very emotional for a lot of us. Then there was a day when we want on the deck boat tour and they have lots of laughs. Another driver made fun of idaho and us a lot. Everywhere we went out every dunkin donuts and since there was one on practically every corner michael got pretty nomade. I think tyson just got hungry dreaming of his next chocolate donut i think he may have eaten 10 in one day. Meredith didn't like getting your picture taken so course people people were always trying to take a picture. When it came to the scavenger hunt people got pretty competitive. Nick and i figured we do pretty well done this before. But now. Some people like everett megan sandy. Like the red sox and yankees at fenway park. At the no name restaurant. That was really its name. It's not name. Michael nice are delicious lobster dinner at our last night in boston. I didn't agree with him. Let's just say that i'm glad nick and joe were sharing a room with him. And not me. I shared a room with carrie and sandy is a lot of fun. Leave a day early to get to soccer tournament but that didn't stop him from taking 1200 pictures another day and he might have broken some kind of record. I think megan would have liked if you're done with your underwater she pretty much like anything that had to do with the creatures. If anyone wants to get lost i'm glad it was nick. I think he was the only one of us you could fully navigate to subway and make it back to us in just a few minutes. After 5 days we all got pretty good about getting around the city we also got to know more about each other like a big family taking care of each other giving each other a hard time. Knowing each other's moods and enjoying each other's company. I'm cary. We had a lot of fun while in boston on the first full day there we went to the joe wax memorial dog park. Later that day we had a choice to either go to the science museum or the aquarium. Those of us who went to the aquarium had a really great time there were a lot of different floors and on one side there was a huge tank with all kinds of different animals like fish sharks and a big turtle. And in the middle there's a really cool presentation on penguins. Then we went to the john f kennedy library and it was really amazing when you first walk in you see a big room with clear glass walls and a big. American flag on the floor below you. Can you start walking through huge hallway of campaign signs pictures and prices life everywhere when you get out of the hallway you're in a room with the glass walls they're really surprises you because you thought that room was below you and then all of a sudden you're in it. The next day we went on the boat to her it was really really fun you look like a car that turns into a boat when you drive into water. The driver was really funny he thought he knew a lot about idaho that he really didn't he kept talking about how idaho had so much corn and cows. Some of us even got to drive the boat. Then we went to the hard rock cafe which is also really fun then we had some free time afterwards to drop or just do whatever downtown. I saw street performer that was standing on a board on a ball on a box and he was juggling a plunger hammer and a traffic cone. Boston we went to the arlington street church and i thought of you really boring but is actually really fun. Then we had lunch at quincy market. Which we learned there was actually quincy market. And i had some really good clam chowder. Then we had a really cool tour of fenway park we got to sit on the green monster and we even. Saw the sea. For the longest homerun ever hit landed. We went. To the no name seafood restaurant and it was really good. The next day we got to shop a little more and then we had to leave. Hi i'm everett. Boston like other big cities has enormous variety of food. From its best selection of seafood to it's delicious italian restaurants in little italy you can find just about anything. Our first night in boston everyone walk down to the quincy market for dessert we split up to choose from the many different food shops. My ice cream and other people's desert traces were all very tasty and worth the 5 minute walk. Who usually prepared. Breakfast and lunch versailles from your house. And a lot of english muffins. Several nights the chaperones cook dinner for us and job 2. Other nights we went out for dinner one night we ate at the hard rock cafe and even though they're in several major cities it was still really cool experience. The entire wall behind the bar was made up of symbols from famous bands. And besides listen to the hard rock while we ate the food itself was a treat. However the best meal i ate on whole trip was by far in little italy. During our scavenger hunt. Along the freedom trail my group stop for lunch because we are very hungry and tired. It was worth it we lucked out and found a small little italian restaurant. It was some of the best italian food i've ever tasted and then for dessert we stop by pastry shop just around the corner and had cannolis. No i am a teenage boy into me food is food and that's all. But these canales there is something else. I was so full that i could only eat one but if there'd been ruined my stomach. I would have eaten 50. If you ever find yourself in boston searching for a good meal then please i beg you head to little italy. When it comes to food in boston most famous boston baked beans or lobster dunkin donuts. And dyson got pretty excited about this it turns out that dunkin donuts was actually started in quincy massachusetts massachusetts right outside of austin. All in all it was a great trip for a taste buds and even though we're only in boston for less than a week encountered a lot so different and tasty food. Hi i'm megan voice. The history of boston is so different from boise's history in boise we hear a lot about the oregon trail. But in boston everything has a story. On the black history tour we learned about the area around where you sing. Many of the houses nearby pickett and elliott house house people that helped freed slaves. I was amazed how hard these people work to protect the freedom are african-americans. After long days on monday nights we went down to the quincy market and faneuil hall. By faneuil hall was the holocaust memorial. It has six glass pillars inscribed with millions of prisoner numbers. Represents a death camp. And each number represents someone who died there. When we were on the freedom trail. A lot of the stuff that i thought was memorable. Wasn't even part of a scavenger hunt. In the courtyard of ozarks church was in iraq war memorial. All these dogs hacks of men and women who died in the war we're strong together. Towels washed in the wind and looks very pretty. The freedom trail took forever and it also required is to venture into for cemeteries. Boston has a lot of dead people. At the end of the freedom trail with the bunker hill memorial. Which looks a lot like this. Washington monument only made out of granite. While some of us trusted others climb the monument. All-in-all boston has a lot of united states history and much of it is splendid furious tree. But that's another topic. Hi i'm meredith. We learn many different aspects about uu history in boston each one an important element of the fellowship we are today. We learned about important unitarian people and even churches in history. Before we went to boston we watch the movie glory about robert gould shaw. Are young caucasian unitarian man who is born in boston massachusetts. And led the first all-black regiment during the civil war. In boston we also viewed a monument dedicated to shaw on the black history tour we took. It was really interesting for me to find out that the first all-black regiment was led by a unitarian. Because it's backed up my beliefs of how accepting of others unitarians were then and are now. It made me proud to be a unitarian. We also visited the united first parish church where john adams. His wife abigail adams. Their son john quincy adams and his wife louisa catherine adams were varied. John adams was the second president of the united states and john quincy adams was the six. It was fascinating. Find out deserve in unitarian presidents in us history. The arlington street church was and still is very important to early american and modern-day history. The fellowship played a part in the fight against slavery in the 1800s and now fights for social justice. Another unitarian church the old north church is mentioned in the famous poem the midnight ride of paul revere. As far as modern-day history goes there is a simple yet powerful memorial of the iraq war that is made up of dog tags of men and women killed in the war that is in the courtyard of the church. These two churches helped me realize how many other people there are who really care about the well-being of others. I look back at you on unitarian history and hope that what we fight for now will become history with a happy ending. Michael. Even though the trip to boston was mostly in the name of unitarianism there are many fun activities that we participated in just for fun. These activities included the duck boat tour the tour fenway park and of course the 2.5 mi long freedom trail. Which includes 17 historical sites around the city of boston. The duck boat tour was about an hour-long sightseeing adventure and which we drove through the streets of boston but also served along the charles river in the same truck. Duck boat is an amphibious vehicle that was used during world war ii. Can go directly from land to water and back, and then back to land. It was pretty cool. Except the driver made fun of boise lot. Dude asked where people were from and when someone from our group would say boise you would say oh yeah i've been there i've been to yellowstone before. Fenway park is cool was pretty cool because even if you are baseball fan or not there is something to be appreciated in when walking on top of the green monster or sitting in the press box. Not only is it the home of the boston red sox. But the site of many important events in baseball history and historical monument. Fenway park tour is a truly awe-inspiring experience. Since me and my mom were in boston for a day longer than the rest of the bounders. When we finally figured it out we ended up at the top of the prudential tower. It was nice to get a final view of boston before leaving. None of these activities took as long as the freedom trail scavenger hunt though. Which took one whole day to finish. Separated into groups we race along around boston searching on the trail that goes from the boston common to the bunker hill monument in charlestown. During the scavenger hunt not only did we have fun but we learned about boston in american history. Their many fun activities that we the bounders participated in and that made it both over learning experience and a fun trip for everyone. I thought the trip was important because we got to know each other a little better. Opportunity to learn so much about the history of. Use and how important it was in the shaping of this country and have a lot of fun at the same time. Boston trip is very important because it gives us a sense of connection to our you history and our routes. And it's your generosity that makes it possible. The trip to boston really meant a lot to me because it brought a lot of fur. I've never been that far east cena tombs of dead presidents are eating at hard rock cafe or bonded so much with a group of people before. Even though boston is grueling it was really fun i got to see new places learn new things and get to know people better. I really enjoyed going to boston because i really like you learning about the history and i really got to know the people in the group fought better. I really like boston cuz i got the know my group and learn where my face came from. Actually was working an hour ago. You'll be able to see maybe some of them for. Dropping toward the end of the 11:00 service. You still want to come on up here. And. Kathy and joe can do microphones if you have any questions to ask. These young folks or. Any of their leaders or joe and kathy carmen and me and emmy and. Ashley. 70 things you say ask. Wyoming. Over there. Thank you very much i spend some time in boston to and it was wonderful to go back through the city with the stories that you had to tell. One of the things that i thoroughly enjoyed was a holocaust. And glass. Powers are. Open at the top. And to me that was so hopeful for all the souls that died during holocaust. Thank you so much you guys are so good at public speaking into. Great i have a question are you guys planning on going back. And how can we help with that. Okay i'll answer that. Device manager program is. And every other year program that folks who are going to the coming-of-age. Raise money and go to boss until this group won't actually be going back to boston butt. Next year. There'll be another group of people approximately this age as these folks are are. Terming out in the high school. And they will be selling coffee and selling cakes and asking you for money and doing all the things that they do all year so that that they can have some money. For us to make the trip raise money and it's very it's a very important part of the coming of age. Stuff we do with the folks. So it's every other year and it will be will be preparing starting at the beginning of next year for the next group to go. Give him the money and giving him encouragement and getting to know them. One of the reasons that we like to have them here is that we like him. The see them and know who this. It was a great trip. I was i was there too it was so cool and it did you have something to say. I'm part of the the whole arc next year is that we do do coming-of-age. We also do coming-of-age. A lot of times people. Come forward to me sort of clandestinely and say hey if you need sponsors i mean if you need mentors. I'd be willing i'd love to so if you really want to be a part of this and hang out with these guys for close to a year come talk to me cuz it's it's an amazing experience i've been a mentor twice. And if i wasn't the gre i would like put myself in front of children and say it's an amazing experience. Coming-of-age program is a year-long program we're with our. Actually 7th and 8th grade using occasional 9th grader. We meet each it's using the program have a mentor. And they get to know that adult pretty well we meet once a month and talk about. And all sorts of things. But our face. If you do minor things like god and evil in heaven and stuff like that. A great. So i'm i'm always there the director villages case director of religious education is always there. And all you sent all their mentors it's pretty good size group and it's a wonderful experience for all of us. Couple years ago. But one thing i didn't hear from. Your experience about arlington church. Was the ring the bells. And also during the service we went to several members of the boss spinners who spoke. Not this time. That was there for the entire trip just for most of it. I just want to say thank you for the i appreciate we are lucky enough to go to boston every summer. And i appreciate the walkthrough history one thing you need added to food though is key lime pie at legal seafood that's my pilgrimage. Population. What were your thoughts when you were in boston. Population and how are your thoughts on. Your face. And if it changed anything. Anybody step up to that one. Different being in boston. Because. Lot of people know about unitarian universalism here it seems like. Like when i tell my friends what religion ima like. What's that. So it was kind of different big in boston where more people knew about it. It was pretty much everywhere in the city like we went to many churches that were. Unitarian and actually where the atoms are where their tombs are. That's still a unitarian church today and which is where the kids go is right across from the tombs of the. Where the president presidents are buried. If i could if i could just say the last thing we did just before we scooted to the airport on that monday was we visited with the di-ar-ree at the arlington street church. And one of his questions to our group and it was adults alike he said. How many unitarian universalist churches are in your neighborhood. That was it and you know they blurt it out we have six in the state we have one in boise and he he wouldn't he proceeded to say that. There were at least five major churches in the metropolitan area and probably 50 in the state of massachusetts and still went on from there and so it really kind of. Gave us an impression a very strong impression of just how centralized and how strong it is in that part of the country so. My question is did any of you fall in love with boston and want to go back there to go to school or to live. I was able to go in the trip to with them but i just kind of did my own thing. But one thing that impressed me a lot about boston was hearing that it's the youngest city. In the country. There are so many colleges there. Every other block there's another one and there's just young people everywhere so it was really. Exciting to me to just hang around and see not only these guys. Find their way around but to just see so many others their age and. In their generation.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20090913.mp3

I will pour a little of the water. It is actually how many many years. And i invite you in anyway. And. Hayden lake idaho hawaii. Cascade lake. Jackson hall sacramento. Yellowstone. Oregon coast where twilight was found. Seattle boise river and rain camping. New york city in switzerland. The meadows in boise. Buddhist relics tour. Pacific ocean. Austin and san francisco. Florida and california. Minnesota river. Salmon river. Dredge pain near redfish lake. Payette lake. Stanley hot. Stanley hot springs in the selway-bitterroot wilderness. Philippines. The well of our new home on woody drive. We have heyburn state park hill massachusetts. Elliott pickett house portland. Salmon river payette lake rainwater from mount washington. Hooters in las vegas. Germany. Port angeles washington. Camping in idaho. Snake river. Payette lake in lake tahoe. Utah and 7 countries surrounding the baltic sea. Breitenbush hot springs with nude bathing pools. Oregon coast. Stolle meadows on the south fork of the salmon. Boston massachusetts. Oregon coast. Squamous channel. Ga salt lake city. Sorry. Cranberry lakes in a thunderstorm. Vernonia oregon home and trader joe's. New york city. Seattle space needle. Unitarian universalist general assembly in salt lake city and texas. Golden village. Heartland. Pacific ocean. Oregon coast in fayette lake. Atlanta. The hudson the potomac and the chesapeake. Diamond lake phillips lake warm lake. Sean island where my mother lived and also middleton idaho. Bo o'hara. City of rocks. Buddhist relics tour. Lake michigan st lawrence hudson east monongahela allegheny ohio. Potomac schuylkill. North platte rivers. From the sink that my son loves this watching. Oregon coast in payette lake. Aishwarya the falkland islands valparaiso. Carrie's wedding in port townsend. Potomac river diamond lake phillips lake payette lake and warm lake. Anchorage. Tucson and main. From the kitchen back there but representative of lake como italy. Various idaho state parks. Once again with come together from many different places. Life is all over our fair state. Lots of states in our fair union. A lot of washington's in oregon's in the occasional california. Navigation. Massachusetts and new york and washington dc and texas. And others that i. Not to mention the world traveling that's happened to italy and switzerland and germany and and many other places. The point being that we dispersed we go places we learn things and we come together. Pouring our water together. And that we flow together even though we also flow apart. Hat time. Earlier we staying. We are. Somebody. We are a community. Of somebody's greater. Then each outside. If we seal the river flowing through it. We can be with each other as we need to be. Creating a church of loving companions of fellowship.of sold raring. Spend time with the imagery of. Lovely day. On the beginning of this particular program year. I am drawn. He's. I am drawn to the way you can get. Amazing things done. Just by flowing. Persistently. Along the easiest path. Grand canyon. We are at church with a lot going on. We spent a lot of time last year on a lot. Business and financial matters. We had a fabulous. They were working very hard to solve for the future. We dried up. A little. There was an m. In the flow of healing. Homeless. Love and reconciliation. Which are a religious community. Some of us tried unsuccessfully to erect. And we ended up feeling flooded with the original million. Plus we got the debris of our own. The song called. You don't. Recipe. For alienation. Here's my vision for this year. Above. Above all we honor relationship. Processed. Spiritual centering. And radical respect. The natural flow. Religious community. We make no. Especially if we are angry or upset. Without asking the question. What. Would love. Require of us in this situation. There is always some stream of compassion within each of us ebbing and flowing certainly. And i propose. A grounded in our own spiritual practices react. We all carry with. Now. Lest you be figuratively or literally rolling your eyes at such a touching scene. There is more. I looked specifically at one person. I propose that we maintain relationship and process and spiritual practice and compassion. While. We conduct the oso necessary volunteers score. And more and more social outreach. It also involves money. And i am so cheered. Why what's happening in this area. Our stewardship chair this year is debbie.. Really. Really. Have to conduct successful operating in. These campaigns. Are absolutely necessary. We must reduce our land yet so we can open the head gate. A wonderful program and outreach nurturing souls and helping heal the world. Our stewardship leader understands.. With many many others she also. She has already called a meeting. In which we discussed practices. Of any status any financial being in a whatever. Doing that at the same time as not ever being awkward or embarrassed about the need for. She has written a note. To every single. Pledging individual or family in this church on note. Affect. There is no showing me about the need for joyful financial. And there is also a deep. Of our community rivers. I am assuming that business will more and more. Be conducted in this spirit. For there is no. Spiritual practices. Results to care about each other. The most consistent plate. In this community. That we feel the flow. Of compassion. Comradeship and love. Is in our worship service. At some point or points almost every sunday. I look around. And i can feel. The ties that bind our hearts. In loyalty and affection. Here we take a deep breath. And settle in. Space. To reflect on matters. Ultimate work. What cause. What makes what makes. Here. At the best of times. We find it easiest to see the good. In our neighbors. Even if they have hurt us. Have hurt them. Here. And our worshipful best. Our hearts are touched. By the people around us. Doing their best. Just as we are. As fallible as we are god knows. And ask. Fellow human beings. Companions on. Here sometimes we glimpse a oneness that brings us to tears. A unity that gives. Imperial. And so. As we go forth from this homecoming.. Can we determine to keep the best. On sunday morning. In our hearts. And our souls and our actions. Whether we are relating personally or doing the mundane business of the church. Can we seal the river of compassion flowing. Our hearts are mine. Can we meet. The river.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20100411.mp3

A single word. Rain. Annoyance. Indifference. Comfort. Love. What is your response. Probably something like. Words are our greatest blessing. Inwards trip except phone. Reverend michael.. United church of christ. Evolution. And he has a lot of help. In reconciling the differences we have. Words. His overarching. Mods for evolution. How the marriage of science and religion will transform your life and our world. In the same sentence. True salvation is available to us. To a scientist. Understanding. Why do waves mikey bridges. Between. Night language. Ementary sides. Of our experience. Objectively real normal everyday discourse. And nightlife. With spectacular images of the emotional truth. Nightline which is more subjective. And it flies directly. Into our hearts. Poetica. Poetry is different from froze. Images.. Galen. A poem. Should be equal to. Not true. The history of greece. An empty doorway. He means. And i'm quoting now. The wholeness of reality. Measurable. Unmeasurable. And he says anything less realized. Using. The happenstance. Ability of chaotic. To argue over. Is like debating whether it was me. My fingers tapping the keyboard. Or the electrical of my nervous system. For the rest of my time this morning. Reconciler. Science and religion. Embrace. Scripture. Read thank god for evolution and see if you are. For now. Richard tarna's. Passion of the western mind. Sneak on a friday night and saturday and there are. Myers and registration. Passionately. How to make 91. Technology. He speaks of a primal world. And the human self knew that everything was connected. And from this assumption. Requires police. Night. And then thomas notes that the modern modern world you observing humans. Are separate from the rest of creation. We have improved so much. We have destroyed. We are working. Or at least our ability to. Celine tours. A knife. Language. Props. The first car. The great. How different. Might. If we valued more. Our imaginations in arkansas. Towards all. Beauty as much as. Carhartt. What will happen if we pay more attention to our body. Not only reason. Intuition. Tiffany arvada. Hope. Real friends. Best. Knife blanks. Complimentary ways of expressing. From accepting a sacred deer. He ordered us to turn more towards. Poetry. Music. Each other. Heart and soul. Church. Okay. Unitarian universalist. Dark towards the bottom and silver towards the top. From the very large tree. There is a law. With some people cross. Here's a nice language meditation. Which is closer to my experience. And let us together. In the morning. We walked from the church. Do the eaves. Slowly across the grass. Or the south side of the grove. We look to our left. N2r rent. To the portal trees. Portal trees. Open arms. We walked slowly. Feeling. The spirit. If we seal our own. Cancer. Of this interconnected place. We know with every breath that every tree is connected to every other tree. Huge. Pat down. We know. That's a beautiful silver and black. Why. And reseal embraced. We walked to the clearing in the middle where i will turn to the four directions. Honoring them and the elements they represent. Join me if you like. Or stand and breathe. Sacredness. Orlean against grandmother. And he'll. Her lunch. We might move. Close to each other. As we kill each other's life and love. Caring. Human. In the embrace of the world. We reach the other side. Taking a long. Noticing. Grateful. We bow our heads and gratitude and walk. Smiling. Jeremiah's garden. Across. Poem of our little siri. Is equal to. And salvation. True.

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BUUF-sermon-20081123.mp3

I do not know when it began but you do. The begin with discontent. With annoying at your soul. It began with an out-of-place nests. It began with heresy. Perhaps it began with an expansiveness that drove you to seek perhaps it began with thoughtful inquiry. And it was a friend and acquaintance a colleague who was jus christian hindu. An uncharged but discerning woman in your workplace who heard you speak and said wait a minute. You sound like a unitarian. In a member of this fellowship or another said come visit my church and it was not an intrusion it was a kindness it was a courtesy. Because it helps you find your way home. No no you're a homebred unitarian universalist. Your parents or their parents looked for a church that they could safely and trust with what they held most dear the hearts the minds the very souls of the next generation. And maybe you left the church in your teenage years but returned later in life with children of your own. Or maybe you remained. Through high school the start of a job through college graduation your sense of belonging deepening through each and every one of those transitions. No i know you you searched on the web. You answered that survey on beliefnet you entered some magic combination of words click the i feel lucky button. And you googled your way to this saving faith. I really do not know when it began. But each of you do. Remember your own beginning. Make a place for it in your heart and your mind draw near and let it be present. To warm and inform you during our time together. Under special morning. As you probably heard by now i am privileged to serve as moderator of the unitarian universalist association a wondrous rich network of congregations nearly 1,100 strong. In which of the boise unitarian universalist fellowship is an important member. An association that celebrates the joys and shares in the concerns of this congregation here in idaho and sends me to vouchsafe that fact. I get many many requests to preach far more requests than there are sundays in a year and so i get to choose. I choose to be here this morning. To express my gratitude. For the critical difference that your minister elizabeth green is making right now in the lives of our association's members. I'm here and choose to be here because i hear through elizabeth stories but also through the grapevine here in the pacific northwest. That you folks are growing in so many wonderful ways. And that i should check you out. I'm here to mark a milestone. And to think elizabeth. And this congregation for your amazing work together these two decades. Nancy schaefer our associate minister in ann arbor michigan close to where i live offers this poem called callings. When you heard that voice and new finally it called for you and what it was saying. Where were you. Were you in the shower wet and soapy. Or chopping cabbage late for dinner. Were you planting radish seeds or seeking one lost sock. Maybe wiping handprints off window or coaxing words into a sentence. We're coming up on hyacinth. Or one last no. Where were you when you heard that ancient voice. And did yes get born right then. And did you weep. Heather called you since before you even were. And when you knew that did your joy escape all holding. Where were you when you heard that calling voice and how in that moment did you mark it. However after. Are you changed. Telus please all you can about that voice. Teaches how to listen how to hear. Teachers all-you-can of saying yes. Both inside and outside of unitarian-universalism there are folks who think of calling as something that only pertains to our clergy. Ministers are called to congregations fellowship search and then call religious professionals some fellowships column install them and then stand back to say is something going to happen here. But after two decades you know that's not how this thing works. 4nr unitarian and universalist traditions both clergy and the laity. Are called to minister to participate in what you use theologian james luther adams called the priesthood and prophethood of all believers. There is a calling for each and everyone of us. And when we hear it it leaves a mark. Whether or not we answer. Where were you when you heard that ancient voice. And did yes get born right then. And did you weep. Had a called you since before you even were. And when you knew that did your joy escape all holding. The concept of shared ministry ministers and us lay folks working together sits at the center of our tradition and at the lives of our congregations. For our congregations to transcend the ordinary. We need every person to hear their call and to find a way for yes to be born. Clear away every know the stands between our souls and the unique yes. That we must give voice to the yes that was given to each of us alone to live into being in the world. It is not enough. For our ministers to find their ministries. We must all find our ministries. What is it that calls you nancy schaefer asks. When you hear that ancient voice that knows your name. What does it summon you to do. These that i offer is mundane stories everyday stories of lay people who have found a way to answer a call. Some names have been changed to protect the innocent. Or not. Innocence is somewhat overrated. But elizabeth knows john. And john and sharon early leaders in their congregation in kansas city. John was attending a required training about racism after general assembly a few years ago elizabeth was there too. Sharon was hanging around waiting for her husband. Ancillae volunteers partners and spouses often do. And she said could i come to. Who said yes. After the training sharon return to our congregation she kept thinking about this training. Thinking about how her congregation could talk about accessibility our congregation could talk about gender issues how they were a welcoming congregation. But they never talked about race not ever. She wondered why not. And after much thought and some months. Sharon recruited another guy a guy in the congregation of volunteering together they provided. A 4-week class based on the book soul works. Does teaching the class sharon his help leaders in other congregations who are also beginning to work on issues of race and class and ethnicity. I asked sharon why are you doing this she told me her story and then she said after i went to the training i knew that someone needed to do this. And finally i realized i could not wait for that someone to be anybody other than me. I said what was the hardest part. She said having the courage to try. Sharon heard a call-in answered yes what is it that calls you. When you hear that ancient voice that calls your name to called you before you ever were what does it summon you to do. And what are the nose that keep you from saying yes. I was in new orleans again last december working in the town of violet in st. bernard parish st bernard was devastated by hurricane katrina and people there continue to rebuild their neighborhoods in their lives. I travel to violette with a group of you used one of our congregations in massachusetts. In the present of the marblehead congregation is named mary and she got her brother who's naughty you you not yet but we're working honey ham. To drive overs from houston to work with us john owns a company that is a composting and landscaping business. And he knows more about earthworms than any human being i've ever met. His company's name is urban worms. And i said why did you come. Because at this point we were still sleeping in omelette buildings on hard floors with sleeping bags and getting really tired every single day. And john said no i had to be here. He said ever since katrina i've known i was supposed to be doing something but i never knew what to do i never knew how to be involved. But i'm supposed to be here right now. To john takes away from his business a whole week takes a week off to drywall home for a family he's never met. But i know he'll be back. And he'll bring friends along with him because john heard his calling found his yes. What is it that called you. When you hear that ancient voice that knows your name. What does it summon you to do. Congregations get called as well. The west shore congregation in cleveland just finished a multimillion-dollar addition and renovation to their plant. The same time they raised funds for a microcredit bank for a small village in guatemala. Was a big stretch. In the middle of this capital campaign they realize there's something more. But they're called to do it was a big stretch but the spirits are strong and they're thriving. Despite the violence our congregation in dallas sends medical relief teams to haiti. Every monster congregation wellesley hills sends a check to pay the mortgage of our first church in new orleans. Each fall the uu society in brooklyn the closest congregation to the former site of the world trade center. House of ramadan dinner for the muslim community in the five boroughs. Something they started. Immediately after 9/11. What is it that calls you. When you hear the ancient voice that knows your name what does it summon you to do. I drove to fort lauderdale florida from new orleans the first week of january in 2007 is somewhere up in the panhandle i passed a billboard. I'm driving along at about 90 miles an hour cuz there's nobody else on the road at 2 a.m. there's this billboard that says welcome to florida. Mortality 100%. Are you ready. Anna first i thought this was an ad for an insurance company right. But then i realize that that little print at the bottom of the billboard. Was not a web url. But it was a reference to the new testament gospel of john. So it actually made me long in that moment at 90 miles an hour. For those kinder gentler billboards that sometimes where i live god takes out billboards herself you know they'll be a billboard signs god right like some quit buying billboards using my name god okay all those kinds of things and so that i'm wondering what would our unitarian universalist god's billboard look like. Because i think if. It was you you guys billboard it would have a different message. Because what will you use don't share common theology we are probably agree that this life is not a dress rehearsal for the next. Post-death life where life actually begins. We may not be certain about life after death but we're pretty much clear that there's death after life. Billboard billboard that the uu god by would say something like welcome to florida. We're all going to die. Have you lived yet. When you get to the end of your life. But you have lived. Will you have heard your summons answered yes. And allowed your joy to escape all holding. Or will you only remember that you held fast to your complete inventory of reasons to say no. You can't take them with you either. What are the nose that keep you from saying yes even today. I don't know. That you can let go of because they no longer serve. Are there knows that need work that needs your attention because they prevent you from saying yes. To that which will make you most alive. What is the final know you must put away so that you can find. Your way to say yes. What is it that calls you. When you hear that ancient voice that knows your name what does it summon you to do individually. And together as a community. You're sometimes it's even harder for an entire congregation to find its yes and this is easy to understand. Because even after i've gotten rid of all the nose that keep me from saying yes i have to worry that you're dealing with you or knows which may be different than mine but all my friends went to congregation finds its yes and you know this when a congregation finds its yes a truly miraculous and audacious future. Possible. I'm here to saint elizabeth in this congregation for your amazing work but also to remind you that the work is not yet completed our work is never completed not in any year not after any set of election results are announced not in our lifetimes. Poet denise levertov reminded us we've only begun to love the earth. We've only begun to imagine the fullness of life. There's too much broken that must be mended. We only have begun to know the power that is in us. Each of us if we would join our solitudes. In the community of struggle. See we have only begun to know the power that is in us only begun holy work it is that awaits us and it's not enough for our ministers to find their spiritual centers. We must all find and name and cling tenaciously. To that life force that grounds us. Let's turn the clock back 20 years. Many of you were here when this fellowship. Took a chance on a new minister. Fresh out of seminary. Many of you were here when this smart minister took a chance on you. But even more of you've joined the fellowship more recently. What was it like to call a minister to this pulpit what are dacious risk. Did we have to engage in to be willing to know. And be known to each other. The unitarian universalist congregation in atlanta georgia recently called a new senior minister and during the week when the skullcandy dating week i know you don't know these things. Because you haven't had to do it in 20 years there's this thing called kandidaten week minister comes preaches a sermon stays all week you kind of run them through the gauntlet and then at the end they preach again in the congregation vote so during that week. My friend dr. tony stringer. Spoke at one of the meetings about risk and love. This is i could go on with reasons why this was a difficult search but i won't. I really just want to mention one reason this has been difficult it might not be on your list it was a difficult search because we're difficult people. We really are. And you got to love us for it. We're deeply complex and deeply flawed. It's part of what makes us interesting we can accept gay and lesbian couples cross-dressing men uppity women and all manner of eccentricity. But we struggle to accept that some of us believe in god and some of us don't. Some of us are so passionate about peace that we will rip the throat out of any minister who is just a little less passionate about this thing that we hold dear. We're complex. We're deeply flawed. Interesting where some of the best people i know and some of the worst to get along with. Sometimes we're better at being honest than we aren't being kind. But all the time all the time we mean well. We passionately believe in free speech so much that some of us won't stop talking. We want to be relevant to what is happening now as long as it doesn't require us to change anything. We want to grow our congregation as long as it doesn't get any bigger. Where a bundle of contradictions lonely and needed despite being full and generous. We're a beacon of liberal religion and a bastion of humanist conservatism. We want a minister but we're not sure what they're supposed to do. We want someone skilled and knowledgeable to lead us so that we can ignore him as we go our own way. We want someone to be out front so we can refuse to follow we want someone to represent our point of view in the wider world even though we can't agree on what our point of view is sometimes sometimes tony rights i'm so frustrated with us and sometimes sometimes i am moved to tears. By what we do together we are deeply flawed. We are so interesting. And you have to love us for it. And then tony spoke to the prospective minister and said honestly if you came looking for perfect congregation you won't find it here this week. He said to the congregation. And if we came looking for a perfect minister. We will not find one this week. This guy he's too young he talks too fast and he has too much hair and we've got to love him for it. We can love him we can choose to love him. Just as he can love us. He can choose to love us. This is never been about finding the perfect minister. We don't love someone because they're perfect. If that were our criteria we'd be loveless and alone. And we deserve to be. 20 years ago the members of the boise uu fellowship took a leap of faith. And dare dare to love elizabeth green. 20 years ago elizabeth took a leap of faith and dared to love you. You didn't know each other all that well then it was probably easy to love. When you dare to love you dare to love the parts that you knew. But you knew there would be more now maybe there was somebody like tony stringer here to describe the complexity to say there's more to us that you haven't seen yet. But you know most of us expect the complexity. We understand that real love. Real love. Is far more challenging than anything one learns in a week. Love requires the commitment to be authentically present all the time. Across those 20 years. Authentic religious love requires us to risk over and over and over again to risk disappointment. To risk exposing our own flaws and fears. To risk audaciously so that we might be changed. Transformed. By loving. And by being loved. If we love audaciously enough. We might create the space where we can learn to love ourselves. So what love what yes. Have you found here in boise. I've only been here. Day and a half. But this is a wonderful place. What a wonderful home for people who join you and i know they are joining you they're going to keep joining you see there's often overlooked the critical piece of magic that happens. When a congregation finds its loving yes. The possibilities for. Ministry for individuals are greatly expanded. You can smell it in the air. So there are many many people in boise in the surrounding area who are looking for a place where they too can answer their call where they can experience this love. Where they can live their ministry hear the summons and finally throw away now. And start saying yes where i can listen to my heart. Or i can be held in community where i can change just a small part of the world to make it more just and you will open your arms. And say yes and yes and yes. Listen for just a moment. You'll hear all the yeses already present in this room. People will come to ask you how to listen and you will teach them and they will teach you you'll hold each other and community and care. Encourage each other make a difference. Just as you and elizabeth. Have encouraged each other these two decades. This is precious work this loving shared ministries here in this community. I thank you for it. Clothes with the words were raya mountain dreamer. Offered is a prayer as a meditation. Listen your way into this with me with your whole self. I have heard it all my life. A voice calling a name i recognized as my own. Sometimes it comes. As a soft bellied whisper. Sometimes it holds an edge of urgency but always it says wake up my love you are walking asleep. There's no safety in that. Remember what you are and let this knowing take you home with every breath. Whole tenderly who you are. And let a deeper knowing color the shape of your humanity. All you have ever longed for is here in this place in this moment. Right now. There is one word you are here to say with your whole being. When it finds you. Give your life to it. Don't be tight-lipped. Don't be stingy. Spend yourself completely on the seine. Be. One word. In this great love poem. We are writing together. Amman.

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BUUF-sermon-20100314.mp3

First church said a lot of things. Famously he said. Religion is our human response to the dual reality of being alive. Who said the purpose of life is to live in such a way that our lives will prove worth dying for. Andy said. The only thing that can never be taken from us even by death. Is the love we give away before we go. The reverend doctor forest church who died on september. Is a person every unitarian-universalist and perhaps everyone else in the whole world. His life was an inspiration. And as his work as historian and theologian upon which we may all spiritual free ones. He spent his formative years between boise and washington dc where his father served for many years. As a us senator from idaho. Forest was not reared as a unitarian unitarian universalist. 15 churches mother. Points to two influences in his life that led him to unitarian universalism. The first was his maternal grandmother a very liberal quaker who is given to declaring. There are no. Ccts. In heaven. Grandmother clock was the closest thing to a unitarian that forest had in his life. Any other influence was the jefferson bible that remarkable document created by unity. By simply cutting up the christian scriptures. To include only jesus. U.s. senators are given a copy of this bible and forest treasure his dad. He love that spirit of independent thinking. He was a passionate star. In the summer of 1978. Uu church in boston researching that congregations history during the week. I'm preaching it to them on sundays. Ready to head back into a life of academia forest was persuaded otherwise by the minister of the church he had worked for. The man said according to that scene. You're like your father you like people. You'll lose your sparkle if you just research and write. What excellent advice. They cast about for open uu. Low and behold all souls in new york. Historic but much diminished congregation what's open. Twenty-nine-year-old up start with almost no training to be a minister. Was called over 24 other applicants. He was called in 1978 and served as senior minister. Other aspects. That his ministry better the larger community significantly. The congregation triple during those years. And what i have always admired forest. It is matter of fact. Honest. And humorous way of creating creating theology from the stuff of life. His son frank said at the new york memorial service. My father wasn't beloved because he was a larger-than-life puppet legend. It was because he bounced and accepted his failures. Successes and his humanity with such transparency. That despite the obvious pain suffering and trials he endured. He was healed emotionally spiritually spiritually and personally. My everyone around him. In 1991 after 22 years of marriage and two children. He and his wife amy were divorce. He married carolyn loose in 1992. In the new york times obituaries. His first wife amy first church. Member of his congregation. Their ensuing affair caused a public controversy. But the congregation voted overwhelmingly. Perhaps you can imagine the conflict a congregation goes through when such a situation arises. Perhaps you can imagine the judgment. The sorrow the recriminations the anger. The overwhelming emotion of all sides. Perhaps you can imagine how incredibly difficult it is for everyone whatever their opinions are on the issue. Forest moved fruit. And the love he and carolyn shared broke open his heart in many ways. Changing his life forever. And for better. He drank way too much for years searching to fill the spiritual void. Which was god. In his fearlessly honest way he writes about it in 2002 and bringing god home. He says. Because my wife would not look the other way. And because i had grown bone weary of my penchant for evasion. I couldn't live like this. Much longer. All my excuses and rationalizations had far out run their expiration date. After several aborted attempts and long experimentation was variously successful measures. One year ago i quit drinking. The greatest gift he gave us of his life was his manner of dying. The humor and love that accompanied him through the valley of the shadow. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2006. He only had months to live. And this turned out not to be true. He spent the next three years sharing the meaning he found between being born and dying. He preached his last sermon about five times. The last time he returns to the fold only months before his death. He told the congregation. I'm going to have to either stop saying i'm about to die for just. In 2008 he wrote love and death my journey through the valley of the shadow. The most important switch. Most important point of which is this. He says. Will my love live on forever. And your love to. It will certainly live on after your death. Continuing to test for heart heart. Long after you have gone. Before he died he finished the cathedral of the world are universalist theology. Open paul and i will be teaching a class on that book next. I saw for said i kind of farewell party last september at his mother's house and he said. I wanted to sum up the theology before i go. He was also typically humorous about himself in that conversation. Planning that he was fundamentally lazy he said. Dying slowly suits me because around and read and write. In his two dozen books for discovered life and death and love and his father and history. And reclaiming religious symbols and early christian hymns and paul tillich. The name. Besides love. The one that has most of all his subjects is god. Which cropped up in so many ways. The g word with all the baggage it drags around for so many. Can wreak havoc in the minds and hearts of unitarian universalist. Some of us have allowed ourselves to accept a new version of mystery. Where someone put us a lot of years ago. Accepting that they're tiny version of the great whatever is what we must accept. And therefore reject. Forest says. I recognize that for many people the word god has trump from repeated use. We can always restretch it. If you can't manage to do this. If the g word fits your mind more like a straitjacket than like a divine garmin. Substitute. Spirit may work for you. For the sacred. Or higher power. So long as the scope of your reverence is large enough it doesn't really matter. Not at all. Horse speaks of how vigorously he had avoided guide in his early preaching years and he notes. Unitarian universalist church this is not difficult i'm not sure that anyone noticed. He began to notice. And he woke up a lot of us to noticing to. Forest was a highly respected writer. Thinker activist and public intellectual. So naysayers could not dismiss him as just another of those superstition mongers another of those weak-willed folks who need a crutch. No. The god keep challenge us with. Requires a lot of courage. Bushels of humility. And the willingness to engage deeply often. And forever. The god he would have us bring into our lives has no naming. Is unimaginably far from being tied down or tamed by any of our inevitable and puny human efforts. This guy is in his words greater than all and it present in each. This god is found when we get out of our little containers of self. When we are brave enough to be open to others to realize that love. Or god. Is found in the messy business of living deeply with others. And forest god. The higher power that so many you use have reclaimed gratefully. Is revealed through the process of human experience in this world. Participating in the mysterious everyday life of creation. The god of forest churches life can only be found when we are. Humble. And willing to be vulnerable to other human beings. To share our own seats. Joys and sorrows. If we isolate ourselves or believe we are the crown of creation. We cut ourselves off from the soul opening experience of the great whatever. The mystery that is beyond human knowing. In his last forest asks 3 hard questions. Number one. Do you love yourself. Have you made peace with yourself. Do you love your neighbor. Are you reconciled with your loved ones even your enemies. + 3. Do you love god or whatever you may choose to call that which is greater than all and yet president. The life force the holy. Do you open your heart daily and with deep gratitude for the gift of life. Undeserved mysterious abundance challenging difficult and blessed. Insurance. Do you love your god. About you. But i'm very much a work-in-progress when it comes to those questions. I have to make cheese with my human. Myhumboldt humorous efforts over and over. I have a heck of a time not getting so distracted that i forget to load my friends and as for my enemies well. And as much as i want to love my god as faithfully as i open my heart everyday. I keep forgetting the gratitude that is the heart of such loss. My guess is you're with me and all this that we are all works in progress. But then so was forced church. He was absolutely as fallible as the rest of us perhaps only in his amazing ability to face himself. Sometimes after a long while. And to share his human weaknesses and also his integrity and strength to so many of us. He told us. Religion is our human response cuz a dual reality of being alive and knowing we must die. And he in rick's us by sharing his responses with us. Changing with the years. Changing with life and love and death. He said. The purpose of life is to live in such a way that our lives will prove worth dying for. And we stand humbled by the worth of his life. He said. The only thing that can never be taken from us even by death. Is the love we give away before we go. Forest love. Widely and well. They will respond with such integrity to being alive and knowing we will die. May we all live so that it will be worth it to ourselves and others. Above all. May we continue ever and always. To grow the love in our hearts. And in our soul.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20100613.mp3

Oxford speaker today. Is barbara alexander. I go way back and i go clear back to the ywca when we met there. And then pierce park and really have a landscape. But it was just kind of whatever. Firearms or someone did you know to the yard it was pleasant but. Wasn't huge. And then the church. We had 58. Maybe we needed a landscape committee. Sort of committee formed and i think was the first chairman. And. I know mary was audit i was on at mary mcdowell and was on it. Warren. Horn was on it. Maybe someone else i left out if i have i'm sorry i just. We began to think about what we wanted. And one of the things we were kind of visionary really because that was. Was more than 10 years ago. We are mission statements. Included using water thrifty plants or xeriscaping whatever we could. Could manage but native plants if we could. But you know. Low maintenance doesn't mean no maintenance. And. At some point the church. Actually had like a huge workshop. Where they told everyone including the children. And ask them what they'd like to see inline juice out here. And. We tried very very hard on that very first committee to include. Everything. Did everyone wanted. Free sample the kids decided to keep the tiger pit. So we didn't fill it in if we kept it because the kids wanted that. It's just the whole out in the grow but. Event anyway we. At some point. Mary realize that we needed professional help on this with a professional landscaper. Hired dog bell to draw a bar. Is this the this is a master plan right there on the board isn't yeah. Get danse help every time. We build new wings on the building or or. Whatever and it's been very helpful to us to have a direction. But the interesting thing for you might be to see where the future is because there's quite a few things planned. That have not happened yet. And we're going to need. Everyone's help to to make those things happen. I feel like back now i did write this out. So. The building proposal was approved by the. Congregation and building began. Well. I guess a lot of you know this was a horse pasture before there was a building here. Maybe maybe not but it was and. It looked perfectly flat to me. But by the time they got the. The site prepared to start the building. There was a huge mountain of dirt and back. I don't mean you know something that you just kind of walk over. I mean. A pile of dirt. That you could get up on and look down on the building. This was a huge pile of dirt. And. Meanwhile. Choli has patrick's cow a very far-sighted couple who saw the possibilities on the other side of the ditch. Head decided to hire topher delaney and i know joleno tell you about this. Nationally-known landscape designer of healing gardens and children's garden sits on. And the first time topher came here and saw that mountain of dirt she said. Oh my gosh you know how kids love to be on anything that's even 10 ft. The mountains we're going to move all at 4. And working. Betso. They did they took all entered and moved it from here over to there. Belterra mi card was. Chilling outside. Anyway. You all know how much. We enjoy that. And. The first building was constructed. And it was just this building here. Didn't have the two wings. Our much-anticipated first meeting was scheduled for christmas eve 1997. We are now under garden city planning. And we discovered that we needed to have irrigation in place. Wyoming's in place. All around the front and the side of the church. Before they would give us an occupancy permit. Mary put in the irrigation i. Dug up stuff out of my yard. Weather edwards sweat the green her so they've always worked with us you know. We had a huge landscape party. We somehow manage to get everything in. And get our occupancy permit and times i really i will never forget the first meeting we had here it was so wonderful. It was you know it might have been muddy and it might not have been finished but it was ours and we had the wonderful candlelight service outside and it was. It was just so neat and it was on christmas eve is just perfect. What we didn't realize was that we were planting all those things on top of river rocks. There really isn't a whole lot of dirt out there. And but you know stuff is groom and it's amazing it's kind of like. But i'm. It's not. Wonderful garden third out there so leave me. So i know sometimes you wonder why. Text sort of struggle. Part of the reason is that. I know people often say why don't we have huge trees planted out in the landscape and things like that. We only have water to. A few parts here so. It's not as easy as saying he had a whole bunch of trees out there because there's a lot of times we had. You have to admire what survived out here. The following spring warren still are wonderful patio out here in memory of his mother mod. And the sportsman's built the wonderful little bridge. Over the debts so we could all have access to jeremiah's garden. Mary put the irrigation in the. Penza. Sod in the courtyard the first courtyard. We had to take all that up when we decided to build two wings on here. So all the sudden the landscape committee had to move it. We had to dig it all up i moved again because the sewer line needed to go in. It only sent one of us to the hospital. Sometimes we didn't have too much too much time to get these things. So we have to dig them up. Put it down or am i done. Address okay well the question to ask you. Why is ugan throughout this. I know you asked me you said you wanted me to tell her i. Why has she stopped it out because you can hear all the things. Well you know. Get the chance to create something it's a chance to meditate. Plan. Okay i'm going to send you know there are so many people that have built so many things from the children. Play house 2. The eagle scout projects that gave us a horseshoe pit so fire pit as there are so many things that he write. Please. Excuse me 5/17 out because we didn't have time. The point is this whole thing. Has been created with volunteer labor and. Volunteer money and. If you. This is the phone. Committees beyond really and and. And so i promise you if you join us. Also. I just have to mention now that we have the the bridge event. Setter. This is a major fundraiser and it's it's all because of this wonderful landscape out here. So this is another. More money you can give more time. Outdoor landscape. Snake grass warhurst vandalism and fires. So please come join us. It has have some fun. And thank you barb. A million there's no way you can do it in a short time. Our next speaker is jolene scale. Welcome everyone thank you barb. My mother died. At 81 years old. It was a very bittersweet time since she had alzheimer's disease and it was her time. I lost my last parents so the pain is there. But this is a strong reminder about why patrick and i started. Pursue the development of jeremiah's adventure garden. Which we started in 1998. I'm okay. Just a deep breath. And continues and remains a tangible legacy chart family. We want to honor our diversity. Our diverse plant family which represents that people need to grow and change. The way gardens do. Appreciate diversity which gardens represent. To have a vision for the future. Which is necessary when a small saplings planted. Gardens express our connectedness to the earth. We wanted to give. That lasted beyond christmas and birthday gifts. When they're long-forgotten we wanted to reminder to our family. Are there impact on the earth. I've even in a small way. We wanted to have a fun place. It brought out the child in everyone. Our family tree is a hybrid with no jeans and common are very few genes in common. But with five kids and seven grandkids. It represents how diversity is what mother nature is all about. Four of the five children. Adopted by patrick. He couldn't be here by by the way today. And then i was lucky enough to inherit all of them. So when you add in my side of the family that diversity is exemplified. Then spake presented. The new boost property. As a place to build our vision. Happenstance provided a chance to work with topher delaney the world-renowned architect it. Bart mansion she's from san francisco and her creativity helped us turn this very witty and trust me very weedy flat pasture and to an ongoing project that it is today. Patrick was commenting after looking at my talked he wanted to know how many loads of weeds. And so forth we've hauled to the dump and i'm thinking we could probably manage the whole compost area to dump by ourselves. When it came to naming the garden we had outside serendipitous guidance again but it was in the form of a dream that i had. What was named jeremiah's adventure garden. Or jack for short after guardian angel that patrick and i had jeremiah is a bullfrog. So over the years we have had an adventure building the various elements of the garden and each has special meaning to us. But you may not realize what that is because we have no signs to express that. It's on the to-do list. But those elements include. Twin falls the waterfall. Patrick was raised in twin falls and has strong roots there. And noticed that we even use the term roots when talking about families gardening term. Which is the area that top of the crabapple trees are which is crabapple lane. A place for romping or just looking around and honoring all creatures great and small. There is dreamhill. Where you can lay back in the grass. And watch the clouds or dream or listen to a story or hunt lions and tigers. In the butterfly forest we planted 16 different varieties. A butterfly bush ranging from white. 2 deep purple. Show that nature doesn't prefer one color over another within the same family. The briar patch along chelan. Teaches that nature isn't always soft and nice. There are thorns. And spikes to deal with and yet at the same time it's home to small birds and animals. It's protected protect him. There is beauty within the thord. The maze this is a fun place. Made up of privis harry potter lived on privet drive. And if you look at it above as if you were a bird you can figure out that it spells jeremiah. Have you gone through the tunnel at the end. There's a mulberry tree for dancing around there's a grandmother pre bridge for crossing over into the grove forest. There a ponderosa pines around representing the forests in which i spent my youth in washington state. And every year we have planets pumpkin patch and enjoy that harvest. We just added the medicine circular it's in the process if the weather would cooperate. And that's a place of contemplation and learning of acknowledging the directions and what they represent. There are many other elements either completed. In process or planned. With the hope that they provide grand additions to jeremiah. Debus. Two boys see into the future. More information will be shared via the newsletter as time allows. And so you can be a part of the experience. We hope you and your family will share our adventure in jag. Have fun explore learn grow. Do so knowing. Been given by our family to all future families whatever their did definition or make. Yelling thank you. We're so grateful that she was able to be here because it was so fresh. And last week she spent with her mother. And family. So we appreciate so much. You being here for our family. The next speaker is john jacobson. Good morning. From the time i was a small child living in the wind river mountains in wyoming. Being out in nature has been essential to my well-being. When i starting my family moved to salt lake city. Which is situated the base of the wasatch mountains. Some of the nicest hiking you could ever ask for. And as a young man i discovered the wonders of camping in the red rock deserts of southern utah. Anybody spinner you know what i'm talking about. In my early twenties i started working as a service technician for the natural gas utility. Wichita daily to people's homes. And yes i'm a mad natural gardens just wonderful gardens. And i began to realize how a person. The creator own natural retreats regarding. Finally did not give up. Hiking or camping. Am i ready for decide then begin to garden. And it became a passion trying to create my own spiritual space right at home. For me starting this like therapy. It allows me to spend time in the present moment. And freeze my mind of many other thoughts and worries. Even waiting believe it or not. If done in the right frame of mind. Can be a spiritual experience. If you don't worry about how many weeds you need to paul. And just take them one at a time. It can be an opportunity to quiet your mind. We've all heard the expression about sitting and watching the grass grow. Well when you're around your garden every day. You're literally watch your plants grow. The absolute pleasure i get from watching a plant develop from a seed. To mature plant. Is reward in itself. 44 years ago when we were living in salt lake city they had a vision of taken out most of our lawn. And replacing it with drought tolerant plants so we can use less water. I had a. Catalog from. Nursery in new mexico called high country gardens. And i could see that it would be possible to create a colorful showy garden salvage drought tolerant plants. Well. My heart was in the right place but my enthusiasm over road common sense. I was so eager to bring my dream to life that i ordered 350 plants. Call with the same shipping date now so when they arrived i quickly realized i was in over my head. Cuz he's plants need to be put in the ground right away. Thank god for my wonderful next door neighbor who jump right into help me. We were still planning in the dark but we kept at it until we were finished. I would like to say this had a happy ending. But the maintenance was overwhelming this a planting to ben. Between deadheading flowers insect issues. Weeds and in my case just plain lack of knowledge. I lost about half of those plants. This gardening experience taught me a lot about letting go of my attachment to the outcome. Text. Like so many other things in life despite our best efforts we have little control over the outcome. And we have to know when to just let it go i'm still learning that. Now many years later i am much better at putting experience in perspective. Promise spiritual aspect of gardening is still very much a part of me. Lost part of the package to. Choosing between beloved pets and gardens can be a very real challenge as well. In my opinion both can be spiritually challenging endeavor. My. sunny tries to water the garden in his own way anytime anywhere. So i have to put up fencing around the garden to protect it from him. Unfortunately this interferes with my desire for a backyard that is natural and spiritually satisfying. So here's another opportunity could practice let him go. Obviously the dog stayed as though. Gardening provides a connection to the earth that can be profound and satisfying. An opportunity to practice gratitude and humility. We are all very much a part of this earth it's all we have at this is our home. Let's do our best to protect it so future generations can experience the awesome beauty and spirituality of nature. Alan schwartzman is our next speaker. It is there a. As mary. As marius skorts. Landscaping treasure or relic. After the podium i want to give you a little. Background before reading his poem. Mary assumed the chairmanship of the landscape committee in 1999 and since that time has been referred to. By most and always buy me as she-who-must-be-obeyed. One of her first jobs was to recruit. Two mowers. Or as she said from booths. Brightest. After a thorough vetting process. Which included a minnesota multiphasic personality inventory. Coston and i were chosen primarily because we were the only two volunteers. At that time we had only a walk behind. Mower. But mary cross the street that a neighbor had for sale. An old allis chalmers riding mower we call her little alice. Coston and i took over two months. And no one in boise by the way could service this machine and had to go to nampa. It had a mind of its own. Have been the mowers since that time. And every time we pass we always tip. Hi hat. Emeritus status. And mary she must be obeyed started appropriate. To give him a fine send-off and acknowledgement. Today english language. And as a veteran wordsmyth. I have cast this tribute as a shakespearean oration. You may find some of the themes the m the metrics the rhythms. Familiar. Which only goes to show coston. That i am an equal opportunity plagiarist. For your glossary there are tattoo latin phrases. Gaudeamus igitur which means therefore let us rejoice. And deus ex machina literally meaning god for my machines it's an old operatic or literary device. Where the author would send down jupiter's to save the situation plus the hero up into an area of safety and so everything would end happily. Ever after. I have one. Yiddish word fat climb. Which will appear. It means full of emotion to the point where you cannot speak. I haven't titlevest. Farewell tributes to coston. In iambic pentameter no less. Poisons. Call boofer's lend me your ears. I come to praise coston. Not. To retire him. The goodness he has done wise all about us in the landscape for coston is. An honorable mahler. He has been my friend faithful and just to me. And personal ambitions did he forsake. Price. The mantle of chiefs number one mower and slice to the noble coston refuse. Then surely. It needs to be made of sterner stuff. And so should it be. Neither rain nor sleet nor gloom of cottonwood debris. Has stayed faithful mower. From the swift completion of his appointed rounds. With eyes a twinkle and tip of cap. He has performed and help. Save. For a glitch. Or two. Raise high. That steel blade and they're touched one blade of glass. Teeth with noble visage. Intoned. This is indeed the young. Non cut about aloft little allis-chalmers salvage. For a pittance by the fair mary. Arc austin. With broken axle and figure 8. Fontella rescue. And pungent smiles. And honorable mower. Unlike his craven counterparts. He has repaired tionda restroom. They're relieved himself. As chewing relief behind the nearest flowering bush and john deere. Has emerged as one with natural habitat and transformed our landscape the green sanctuary free. Hi my dad from nuclear pollution. Boston leaves to us. Cleared pathways. Trimmed. Verdant pastures private knox grassy knoll. And sunny swells. Common pleasures. To walk abroad and recreate ourselves. If this be not enough. Remember how he has removed. With a zen-like focus and words of wisdom. A stomp. By any other name still is a stump. Talk amongst yourselves i'm a little sex lamp. From one another. Shall we see his life again. When's. I know not. Therefore. Our fondest farewell. Forever. And forever fare-thee-well deer costume. If we do my wife. Why we shall smile. Tip our hats. If not why this parting. Is well met. It's not over. How do we remember enrique v. Can we be so. I'll ask the board and dire straits with budget fixed and money's tight. No fair financial recompense. To the rescue as deus ex machina. From the sky the pulley family trust. Responds and brings forth reply. And here to explain more fully. I summon forth. I told alan earlier there's an old vaudeville axiom. Never. Ever. Ever. Follow a banjo act. Coston. Because of you i have achieved lofty status. I have been promoted to more apprentice first class. Azad. From this. Fellowship. We are presenting you the keys to your very own john deere. Knowing full well that you and judy in a few years we'll be moving into a condominium and will have great need for that. But in the theme of downsizing we downsize forgotten.

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BUUF-sermon-20091206.mp3

Well hello there. Ian looks like a nice group. I think i'll sit down for a spell. See what i have in this. Facebook. Cuz you all look like you could use a story. A very wise woman once said never doubt. Small group. Thoughtful committed. Citizens. Can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has. This is the story of a small group of children to work together to make a difference and light up. Their world with the power of community. Once upon a time a group of youngsters had an idea. How to foster peace on our planet. You will want to find in your bulletin the lyrics to i'd like to teach the world to sing. The kids will handle the first two stanzas. The rest and repeat back to the top. With everybody. However there were people in the community that felt it was just too hard to chase the world. Luckily and enlighten group. Afghan hipsters knew that big change happens one step at a time. So they sang a song about a leader in northern europe long ago. Duke wenceslas. Was a very pious catholic ruler who spent his life doing good works. He became the patron saint of the czech republic after he died. The holy roman emperor otto the first. Gave him. Regal dignity and the title today. There's been a lot of information flying around for the past 23 weeks about this. Service so. King wenceslas with a hero in his community and so what's his page. It took courage and compassion to help the peasant. The page learns that we can all push through adversity together one step at a time. We live we live among you disguised as ordinary mild-mannered children. But we will have. Okay everybody in mountain pose. Just like a mountain we are strong and ready for anything. Okay. opposed every one. We try to be as loving and loyal and is non-judgemental as dogs. Cobra. Whereas flexible and focused is cobras and we can do anything we set our minds to. Warrior pose is everybody. Warriors are strong and helpful powers wisely. Okay everybody treat. Life trees we are rude near. Enable that withstand strong forces and we're very balanced. Alright everyone. This poses just plain fun it shows you are willing to try new things and that we're open-minded. And now we end with lotus position. Disposed. Is about peace it reminds us to think before we speak. And to look inside of us for the answers. All right everyone go to your favorite pose. Yoga superheroes hope that we've inspired at all find your. Superpower. We never know where we have super heroes in our midst in the traditions of the season. Season faith communities have it kind of hero. The christians have jesus and the jews have. And your dad's maccabee of the hanukkah story. As the young people demonstrated we can all be heroes in our community. Now if you'll all turn to him number 221 in your gray hymnal. This konica song was actually newton. There's some tricky rhythms. We will all muddle through together. We are superheroes. And we are flexible. The message was heard the light of peace and justice will shine brightly when a community works together. The stories of the youngsters started to spread. Far and wide. Daughter started to change their way of thinking and people started listening to the stories of heroes among us across the miles. Even in far-off lands in small villages. The power of community thrive. Monsters are women who have simply but happily with her family and a small village in china. Funday people of the village. Started having trouble with the eyesight. Ugly scary freddy. The doctor chen medicine actor medicine but nothing blah. Soon they find that they cannot see at all. The woman's family started to. Show the symptoms as well the woman was beside herself with ytel.. Talking about miracles. Add that computer scan jonas it could only be found somewhere on the other side of the bamboo flats. So the merman left. Have village ali win morning. Many hours later at the women. Came upon the gate lock. She sat down to yes and that she yesterday. Chillicothe. She notices. Can find tim's alonzo c on display. Move that rocking we have to get home to our family. We are all. We are all one. Thank you for moving. Start rock now we can go through the crack in the wall. If you ever need us. Just called for us. All through the day the woman walk. I wonder how much. Villager. I wonder how my family and friends in the village are doing i hope they are all blind now. She was startled from effects of a tiger. Hungry i think some express panda. Really hit the spot you want to eat. Ammoseek. We are all one. Spot thank you for saving my life. Now i will help you as you help me the obvious. Can be found by an ancient jelly to in the north edge of the falls. We are all one. Active woman continued top johnny she began to notice but something when stephen. Everything is very blurry and gray. What's each step. Singha eyesight got lost. I've made it all this way but i can't. See to find the herb i will never be able to see my family and friends again i wish someone could help me. I can see thank you. The woman behind back to the first $12 when she got that everyone was completely flying. I don't see to eat my butt. Now i have nothing to do and i'm bald. I have feared. Soon everyone has been shot in the woman was able to get hunter simple happy life because after all. We are all one. Following their visions of peace equality and justice. They were peaceful warriors. With open minds loving hearts and helping hands. So what do you think would happen. All these folks from around the world. Ran into each other. We are going to talk about the ribbons that everyone should have received as you were walking in and if you didn't get one. There's several people with baskets of ribbons and you can get them. This is what comes of not going to the rehearsal because you know. Rest of the staff. But i do in fact. Open up this part. Every year for the last 44 years we have in fact this this age group which let me see we're talkin about our junior high youth. Are passing out ribbons. Among you. And they're passing out sharpies. This is an opportunity for each of us. To write something on. It is a blessing. For this community. A blessing for religious community in general. Or a blessing for the world community please raise your hand. Did you need a sharpie. What we do with these. Is we hang them all. Line in our courtyard. They say they're in the snow they stay there in the rain. Until they finally fade away and those blessings all these hundreds. Go forth into the world. As the months go on. So just keep your hand raised if you need something to write with or you need. And then passed them in. Empire. Just passing jordan isle and raise your hand when you're done. And our lovely junior high use will in fact. Collecting just as a leah is doing here. We add our power to the greater hall working together takes faith. Strength and commitment. But we can't forget to have a whole lot of fun. Think globally. Party locally. Hey we're all together. With all this partying the young folks decided to grade. Their vision of a favorite santa lucia legend. Which comes from a vineland. Province of sweden. There was a terrible famine and the people were starving. A large white ship with him coming through the light. Night across the lake vernon. A beautiful woman was standing on the pouch dressed all in white. With a ring of light around her head the country people boarded the boat and sounded laden with plenty of food. And as they were carrying it off. They looked back to see the ship had disappeared. I'm pretty sure it's time to turn to. Number 231. In your hymnal. We'll sing angels we have heard on high. In between cookies. Our store is almost at an end but the power of us. We are all singers of peace. Superheroes and we all together in the power. Are closing words. Denari family gatherings. Is the family. The strangely lovely way they harmonize and carols sung. Christmas. For the holidays. Traditions that recall the freshest memories down the years. The sameness. Of them. And i will extinguish our chalice.

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BUUF-sermon-20090920.mp3

Unitarian universalism. Unquestionably belongs in that category called liberal religion. You may be a member or friend has been around for awhile. You maybe a visitor or a relative newcomer. You may be here to check us out in a suspicious manner. For whatever reason we are here though everyone of this of us in this room knows that we are sitting in a hotbed of liberal religion. We may find ourselves willy. There's a 2005 book. And it should lie lift up religious liberalism. As one of america's most significant. Historical or religious a source of much that is. In our country. This is a good book for unitarian universalist to me since unitarian central. Do the american liberal religious movements in early 19th century movement. If i were to ask you. What. What would you say. I'm not a rhetorical. For yourself. Attitude and imperative. Are involved in liberal religion i am asking you to get personal as you reflect. On the religious values dear to you. I live with tensions questions and issues that arise from our being who we are and. We want to be as vigorously affirmative. Fortune cookie. Who's message was. You would prosper in the field of west inventions. The book restless souls has ironically. About the possible pitfalls of our wacky inventions. And i'm going to ask you to reflect along with me once we do. For your heart. And your life. What. He is. What. Unitarian universalist. Six points that he calls. The rudiments. Individual. Aspiration after mystical experience or religious feeling. That's one with god and my surround. Silence and solitude. Henry david thoreau. I love to be alone. Eminence of the transgender. The holy. In everything. Quaker george fox said there is that of god in everyone. Modern-day creation spirituality people say there is god that of god in everyone. Appreciation of religious variety. When the early 19th century helped found harvard divinity school comparative religion. Department and hero tattoo volume book called. The fifth one is the pursuit of justice producing reforms. Liberal. When i think of barack obama in 2004 when he had recently been elected as senator. It shouldn't be hard to reconnect progressive politics. Martin luther king. 96.3 is an emphasis on creative self-expression and adventuresome. I think of garrison keillor's characterization of us as starting churches through creative. An hour. Acceptance. Information of the democratic process. Most of us. But unitarian-universalism will pretty much agree with schmidt. Individual in finding truth in meeting how many times. You heard or perhaps said phrase. Spiritual. But not religious. Individual. Institution. We also know that understanding of. Believe in the pursuit of justice in the world. What are the questions. Set a rise in our minds and our hearts. And they don't just arise in our minds and hearts either. Cribbage. How can there be any dip or cookies. How wax. You have an alleged church that has self-described. Since we don't communally engaged. But shallow dilettante. Can a religion. With so much variation among ever. Really nurture the souls of those who come into its doors. Really. Help heal the world. Particular round of soul-searching. I returned again. To a joyful affirmations. Discomfort. And all. Without abandoning painful. Let me get one free. You can't believe anything you want and we should simply.. We cannot believe for an instant that we have. Our respect for other individuals. If we should join a white supremacist group. Could you use. If we believe that our swords carrying means is okay in the service. We are false. To our principal and the democratic process. You get the picture. We can't believe anything we wanted. Don't let anybody. Let me see and navel. Without. We exceed. And. Critiques. The first one is honoring relationship. And community. This means holding. It means sometimes putting communities over your own good. And it means contributing. It means holding compassion. As a high guide. Refraining from hurtful word and. Even when we know each other well enough. To really put the knife into that and respond. Indian community we will. It means following jesus. Love and respect trump. Belief. In any liberal religious group of people. Over my 21 years of serving this fellowship. Spiritual approach. Many of those folks. The differences. That would be a deal-breaker. In a non wacky religion. Many of us have moved into respect. In august there was a senior stages breakfast. Very long-term members of our church. The senior sages group contains 4/2 concentration. The greatest concentration of humans. Atheist. Anti spiritual. In and around our church. A few of them. Red roof inn. Play backyard. It just didn't matter. It didn't seem to matter. Black. We ate. We tease each other about our forces you. We discussed. I'm pretty sure the check hanson and i are. 180° different. East on matters of a spiritual nature. And we hugged with the enormous affection that we share. Or philosophy. Was the furthest thing. From our heart. And if i walk to my car. Cheers rose on bin. Mysterious joy. And higher. Then. As foundational. As relationship and community are they are not suspicious. To make a genuinely religious congregation. Will save us from shallowness and stereotypical. Is each of us. Taking responsibility. For our own spiritual discipline. Doing it. Doing it day in and out. The reading that camera. Humanist champion. Early 20th century. Alarm jews and christians alike. A social reformer. And pretty. Of all. Dim the human spirit. And. Seriously advocated. Spiritual practice for all. He says on the ground of mental sanity and on-the-ground of spirituality. He was right. Spiritual. Our daily reflections. Cultural id. We may read and ponder thoughtful philosophical discourse. Dilettantism. If each of it does it every. Practice. And such practices give us a shared commitment to the mystery. And they ground us toward our better selves. 10 minutes. Another deep breath. Mindful. If we all practice to regular spiritual discipline would also.. A regular discipline takes pills. Not. The prettiest. Parts of rv. Practice requires that we do. The hard-working looking at ourselves. I'm learning to be better people. For what it's worth the most. I do. And sometimes i. What i have to say. A deep and regular practice also keeps us from denying life. Wait. We deepen our community. We walk our talk. And we look to the hunger and the poverty and the narrow-mindedness and the oppression that create this world in. If we only found those first two practices we will be narcissist. Not committed in any other way in any way to other people. Lives in our own individual outreach. We also must connect to social justice as a religious community. Do you remember the bright faces of the kids. Boise urban gardens program. Reflect on what our churches pay forward fund means. Do the financially-strapped member or friend. Who is facing the prospect of no utilities. Recall the gratitude and humor of any herzfeld. On behalf of the anne frank human rights education. As we mature in this area. More resources available. It is division of many of us. Boise unitarian universalist fellowship. For good causes and for systemic. Social. Anyting. In life typically weighs. Slow ford fusion. We will be. Spiritually. As individuals. Can we wear the mantle of liberal religion. Committed to our higher power to each other. In the hebrew scriptures the prophet micah tells us we are to act justin. Love kindness. And walk humbly with our god. It sounds like to me. For our liberal. Religious endeavor.

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BUUF-sermon-20100509.mp3

One early september morning. In 1982. I was driving by school. In lynnwood washington heading for a day of teaching high school drama and english. I looked to the south. And i saw that. The mountain was out. Western washingtonians describe a clear view of majestic mount rainier. When clouds and mist. Obscured. But i got used to it. Early morning pinks and reds and yellows and oranges and gold. Ran their fingers up and down ridges. Purple blacks killing a massive deaths. Between the ridges. The sky was pearlescent. My breath caught in my chest. Curious rose. My hair felt as though it was standing on end. I pulled over for a bit. Overcome by the beauty. Overcome by the holy. I watch the loveliness. Of the mountains changing face. Filled with gratitude. And wonder. Reluctantly i looked at my watch and i saw that i needed to be at school. I took a deep breath. Changed my mental and spiritual gears ft milo's trucking gear. And headed into the parking lot. I thought. Rather proudly. With an experience like that i will be so ready to meet the day. To rise above the hurry the freshers the energy of hundreds of kids slamming lockers. I'll just be still. With the sunrise mountain. Well. Because i wished to remain. In my transcendence spiritual state my mind and my heart and my evil stayed behind in my parked car. I was completely ill equipped. 40 ordinary. For those hundreds of kids for the shouting and the bustling and the slamming. Anger grows up. Impose the school's morning bustle on my. I was annoyed. Clenched into a nun generosity that was his deepest amount. Seeing myself with a tiny bit of objectivity i was astounded even at the moment. And how beastly i could become. Minutes. After exaltation. I was taking a bath. That's a reason that i felt. Toward the kids i generally enjoy students energy usually made me shake my head and smile. There is an excellent work. Exactly what happened to me. It's called. After the ecstasy. The laundry. By jack kornfield. Parenthetical mother's day. Books titled she's not inappropriate. When you had a peak experience. There is still laundry waiting to be done. Kornfield quotes exam master who says. Enlightenment is only the beginning. It's only a step of the journey. You can't cling to that as a new identity or you're in immediate trouble. You have to get back down into the messy business of life. To engage with life for years. Immediate trouble. Yes indeed. Of course i have been totally enlightened. As i wept over the transcendent glory of mount rainier's morning luminosity. But i had glimpsed. Had word loosely felt for a moment. Spiritual truths of beauty. And interdependence. And god power and comfort glory. This was only two months after the life-changing spiritual opening. I experienced in the alcohol rehab center. In july of 1982. To ohio power. Iso. Had not learned. The laundry. I absolutely did not get. All part of the same. So i missed the holy. Inordinate. In my narrowness. I lost joy. Possible in the everyday. Amor truly enlightened person. Would have made the transition. Understanding. the laundry of high school teaching and learning. Is just as much a part of the holy as his glorious sunrise. A more truly enlightened person probably would have. Before putting her car in gear to finish going down the hill. Words of gratitude. To the sacred mountain and his son. And then. Breathe into the coming day. Perhaps speaking words of gratitude. 4health. And good college. And the frisky. Funny. Sunrooms on little theater. Lynnwood high school. This more spiritual person. Would have been present to the ecstasy. And also able. Be mindful in the nap. High school teaching. What are the main problems that is a dress buy books like corn seal problem of human. Ride. Taking an achievement in these cases spiritual achievement. And feelings self-satisfied. Even above. Because of that achievement. The greeks called it hubris. The arrogance leads humans to challenge the gods. And receive. Jon kabat-zinn. And he addresses the hubris problem. As it applies to medicine. He said you can start believing in and acting out the part of the correct meditator. One who has everything under control. And his wise enough to deal with everything without being caught up and reacted emotions. In the process. You can cleverly arrest your own development without even knowing. We can embody hubris in all parts of our lives. Pride in ourselves. Keeps us from understanding the significance and the necessity. Of doing the laundry. Cheerfully. And matter-of-factly. And so does somewhere. Besides. Where we are. There are few things more important. When where we are. Being. To what is happening. Around us. When we cling to a preconceived something. A sunrise. Our idea what's right past grievances future hope. We do not appreciate where we are. And the laundry becomes a mindless activity eclipse by the other more important. That morning in 1982. Instead of being humble. His way there wasn't. Instead of being humble that i was now able. Finally to appreciate the world's beauty. I was frappe. And i slipped right out of mindfulness. Hoping to stay. I'm hoping to stay in the ecstasy of that moment. Until my heart was looking backward. If my body was driving forward into my day. I hope that we all have mount rainier experiences in our lives. And that we move smoothly from them to the various laundries of our lives. I hope that i have learned something. About ecstasy and laundry over the years. At the same time. Humility and mindfulness. Those touchstones of living a centered stewartsville life. Just important after spiritual ecstasy. We don't have to live a life punctuated by transit. Whatsapp. We don't have to live that kind of life to be humble. And mindful. And therefore. Think about community life. For example. Think about this church if it is important to you. Or. Another community that feeds your soul. Or some people their family is such a community. Think of the high. You have experience. In this place. It may have been hearing our high school senior speak last week. Principal. Passions. It may have been that story you heard in worship. The one that happens to fall right into your heart. It may have been part of a walk through the grove. It may have enjoyed marching in the parade and body and a commitment to justice. It may have been genuine forgiveness. From someone you hurt. It may have been a dear person. To whom you turn. Invulnerability. Entrust. And love. And now. Think about. If you are involved are still ships life and this would be true of other for me. Way more. Monday every day works.. Which is why. We here. As in all parts of our lives all communities all places need to see it as one hole. To be lived mindfully and joyfully. If we let ourselves separate out the spiritual. From the necessary. Good work we do to keep going and make a difference. We have created a recipe for raw and uncut. Jack kornfield makes a clear distinction between ecstasy. And the laundry. It is useful. To think in those terms. At the same time it's a bit artificial. And we need to go. Distinction. Into the mindfulness practice by tick nat han and others. A wood tick not han says about washing dishes. Pretty close to london. Only at the top of teeth as if they were a nuisance. Then we are not. Washing the dishes to wash the dishes what's more we are not alive during the time we are watching the. We are completely incapable. Realizing the miracle of life standing at the sink. He has also the man who says. We think walking on water or thin air is a miracle. But i don't think. I think. Walking on this earth. Is demure. Tick not han simply doesn't talk about experience. Roblox skin miracle. Because. He is not a prideful man. Because he simply does. One thing at a time. And not just not allowing room. Enlightenment and the laundry appear to be exactly the same thing. He says there is no reason why mindfulness should be different. From focusing. And so. Lettuce. Onerous. If we find ourselves in a mystical transport at mount rainier in the morning. May we find the same joy. Glenwood high school. In our morning meditation we rise to a glorious inside. May we approach. Our daily routine in precisely the same spirit finding joy. If we step outside this church. And are overcome by the calm beauty of the place. May we step back into our business meeting. In humility. And mine. Yes we remind ourselves that the laundry is waiting. After we have experienced ecstasy. Even further. We know it's all the same. May.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20090906.mp3

Good morning. On labor day weekend sunday. The official end of summer before the beginning of the start of our program gear. In every season there is a time for every purpose under heaven. Or so the saying goes. And we're getting ready to transition. Do i knew trapeze bar. So how are you feeling this labor day weekend. Was it a good summer for you. Are you rested and recharged. Are you inspired to begin a new season. Or are you just happy to have the kids go back to school. Summer should be a time for recharging our battery shouldn't it. A time to recover from the stress of difficult jobs in high-pressure family life. Getting the kids or dad activity. I hope you've been able to take advantage.. We've been blessed with great weather. Wonderful opportunities for recreation by tubing down the river. Boating on the reservoirs. Perhaps the courage to raf when idaho's rivers. Perhaps you took london voices suggestion and got listed on the grand canyon and its colorado river. Or possibly you simply took iv yourself. Or your family away. On an undemanding camping trip. Just you and the mosquito repellent. And your trusty stove and camping camping tan. Or you went fishing at some point this summer. Maybe. Fly casting about. Or just kerplunking forelock. Anyways did you take time for yourself. Read a book. Going to general assembly this summer in salt lake city. No matter where you went or what you did did you know you could be found giving out messages of yourself. It's true. Reverend michael mcgee says you don't have to be a minister to be a preacher. Each one of us is preaching every single moment of our lives. Everything we do and say is a message were preaching to the world around us. We can say it with our t-shirts and hats of course. Even better. With our actions and our words. And our lives. Many of our fellow congregants to park and paint the town made a difference in one woman's life. Church members in the pride parade and fellowships boos. And in the near future. We worked with habitat for humanity. We built the first and soon a second home. Community outreach individual lane. Magee says when you're loving forgiving and affectionate to those around you then you might as well be wearing a neon sign. Because it's obvious two people but your message is. When you are working for peace and justice. Your message is as readables as one of those being pulled along by an airplane. When you're living a deep spiritual life of compassion and consciousness. All they have to do is look into your eyes. And listen. To your words. Speaking of wearing a neon sign on your past one thing one must say about the summer is the t-shirts come out in full force and i see some of you warriors today. Sure they're comfortable. The more times than not they have something to say for us. And t-shirts are one way to get your message across. Rev mcgee and i love about t-shirts. Is there still revealing. Usually when you see someone in normal clothes you have no idea what that person is like. What they believe where they've been what they love. So when you wear a t-shirt. It's as if you're saying. This is who i am. Even if it's pretty weird. T-shirts our way for us to make a statement about life. In our day-to-day lives were surrounded by commercialism and superficiality just think about it everywhere we looked everywhere we go. On television radio in papers magazines on our computers at sporting events. Even on many of our close. We advertised company wears. Constantly being bombarded by sales pitches with proclaim in one way or another. You are what you buy. Is one of the few places you can escape the corporate hawkers. We're lucky there's not a microsoft ad-lib in order service. For verizon cell phone logo in the hymnals. Just do it slogan on the pulpit. Certainly not all t-shirts.. Show the sign of a long stairway with many people in lines. The sign reads. Wait here for final judgment. The second man in line is thinking. Today. I just got to wear this t-shirt today. His t-shirt reads holier-than-thou. We do need it to be careful in choosing our t-shirts because they are away do we tell the world who we are it might be an image of a place that's sacred to us or a photo of someone we love. Or work of art we appreciate. For my favorite. A message about what we believe. What is your message. Hopefully we wear the message that tells world what we find meaningful and purposeful in our lives. Or perhaps a shirt just makes us laugh. Or perhaps it's a protest against that which is life 29 and prejudicial. We should be letting the world know what we believe and why we believe it in any and every way we can otherwise we advocates our responsibility to take a stand for our values. We don't want to be so tolerant. Double tolerate intolerance. Some of us are shy about letting the world know what we believe. So why not be proud of our convictions. Proud enough to let our credo shine. Mcgee's favorite t-shirts as you might have guessed. Do with religion. There are many traditional christian messages and symbols usually of a fundamentalist nature. But he is more appreciation for those that are more unique. More often these days once he's payton t-shirts about. One says born-again pagans. A picture of stonehenge on it that says. Give me. old time religion. Intriguing question. Are you a good witch or a bad witch. Another articulate t-shirt is one that reads religion is for people afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for people who've already been there. Reverend aggie interprets the meaning of course isn't many people cling to institutional religion out of fear of damnation. Where's those who have suffered and face their suffering courageously are the ones who have learned to live meaningful spiritual lies. Some t-shirts portray religious heroes since i chose the unitarian universalist ones of. Thomas jefferson. Susan b anthony. Avalon stevenson. At olympia brown. Another t-shirt list. Heretic in good company. Including galileo. St joan of arc. Matthew fox. Copernicus. And of course. Jesus of nazareth. The earth the church. Says the earth is flat. But i know. I've seen the shadow on the moon shadow. Been in the church. You know who said that. Ferdinand magellan. First one to sail around the world. He should know. One of my favorite religious messages is love the questions. German poet rainer realty once advised a younger poet to cherish his deepest questions. Questions he said. And then questions now. Perhaps what that what's is what six distinguishes unitarian universalist from other faith communities more than anything else. We are much better at asking the questions. And coming up with the answers. Or as realty put it. We live our way into the answers. Scarface demands that we ask the hard questions about religion and spirituality as well as politics and society and that we crossed our own answers that come from our lived experiences after my mind and heart. We believe that if you don't ask the right questions you can never find the right answers. You might say that we unitarian-universalist don't have to have all the answers. Keep learning from experience. So we have a growing changing evolving faith. Did reverend frank hall. We can't know all the answers but we can keep asking questions. One part of life is that it's a big?. Awesome wonderful mystery. After we try to give an answer to someone's question we might say. So what do you think. We believe in listening. As unitarian universalist we look too many sources for wisdom. For some of the hebrew bible is one of these. For the song we sang. Turn turn turn. Pete seeger selected the words from kokila. The hebrew name of the biblical wisdom blue book. You may know what from us greeks named ecclesiastes. Both words mean teacher. A wise sage. For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven. Funerals because it acknowledges the rhythm of life and death. It's also used to rallies to protest particular wars. But the scripture written in 4th century has meaning beyond funerals in wars. Just like our song. Its original author wrote of life as pairs of opposites. He was not indicated it was good. Because there's a time of either can be good or bad wrote wilbur eskildsen. And she said he'd because most hebrew sages were man. He made a bad as an eighth pair. A time to work. And a time to play. But in fact text on either side of the song focused on these very subjects. Jahzare season. Our time to consider work. And workers. Behind summertime play. It seems appropriate to reflect upon these things. I hope other than your t-shirts. You wore your sandals. Or flip-flops sometime this summer. If so you know that summer is a time for lightening up. A time for relaxing a little bit. It's no mistake that are newspapers give us list for. Beach reading no heavy political tones. Just fun mysteries in romance novels. The one of the books it's making the rounds and summer is michael dowd. Thank god for evolution. His wife connie barlow will be speaking next sunday with reverend green. But i digress. Back to summer and labor day. Even our summer clothes are like and playful. We trade our dark heavy suits. Force colorful shorts and bathing suits. Would some of us were children back in the 60s there was a rule to labor day. It was a time to put away your whites. Your white shoes and purses. You white dresses and shorts. Is there anyone here today who still feels like they're making a social faux pas with wearing white after labor day. Oh how the past haunts us. The times have changed. Tomorrow we change over to winter white. For the rest of the year time of the year. Just as sunday is a sabbath time of the week. Summer ends and autumn approaches rapidly. On september 22nd just a few short weeks away the fall equinox will occur. This is when the light of day is equal to dark of night. Winter solstice in late december will daylight begin to increase. As religious people have done throughout the ages we knows the celestial turnings and its meaning in our lives. Just cuz there's a time for day-at-a-time fornite. Let's turn back to the source of the songs biblical text. For some illumination. To set the stage for the words we saying the author writes of his quest for the meaning of human life. It was this quest that led him to understand indeed there is a time for every matter under heaven. He discovered this by first leading a life of pleasure. He sampled all that life has to offer. He gave it his best shot. Realize the pleasure is transitory. It's a vanity. And a chasing after wind. A pleasure what uses it he asks. We sometimes yearn for a life of pleasure. But i think we know it wouldn't sustain us for long. Who offered next try the life of toil with the intent of accumulating wealth with. And prestige but that too was empty. For he realized you can't take wealth with you when you die. Then i considered all that my hands had done and the toilet spent doing it. And i realize always chasing after wind. A vanity. We seek wealth and comfort to. But wells for well sake i think we know cannot be meaningful sit eschaton. The author next pursued wisdom thinking that mankind's purpose. But eventually of wisdom he rides at the wise die just like the foolish. Add each generation must must learn its wisdom a new. Absarokee despaired and hated life. With no other purpose for life evidence he thought labor must be with the business god has given us to keep busy. This is not a satisfactory for purpose for living for him or for us. What do mortals get from all the toil in strains. For the days are full of pain and the work is a vexation. Even at night their minds do not rest. Is this not a question you have asked. Does weis teacher raises. Although this was written in before century it sounds like it could have been written today. What is the meaning of life. What is our purpose. Why are we born. Just to die. Conclusion. Perhaps this is your conclusion. He says there's nothing better for mortals and eat and drink and find enjoyment in their toil. Does anyone have a t-shirts at reeds. Eat drink and be merry for tomorrow you may die. I had one. I wore it to death. This is a more realistic version and approach to life that are ancient teacher intended. For remember he had earlier discovered the emptiness of pleasure. Instead he meant that we should play. Eating and drinking part. But we should also find merriment or enjoyment in our toil. Let's return to include by emphasizing again in the face of life is the only certainty. I know there's nothing better for people to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live. Moreover it's god's gifts at all should eat and drink and take pleasure in their toil. As unitarian universalist however we may envision god. If we envision god. We affirm this view. This is the only life we can be certain that exist. That's not to say there isn't something more. Many people believe our spirits or souls. Return or live on. But we can't be sure. This nearly 1,600 year-old approach to how we lead our lives. But it still makes sense for us today. A lesson for us is not to lead our lives for an n. Accumulation. Instead we should enjoy life's journey. Consider your work on your play and the meaning of your life. For your journey does matter. I hope you have work. Did you find meaning and if it get vexes you that you seek out something will it will give you more satisfaction. Physical labor can be meaningful mental labor. Our labor our work may or may not be paid work. It's not pay alone that gets our work meeting or gives us a satisfaction we seeking our work. I hope your volunteerism in this fellowship and is a larger community brings you meaning and satisfaction. We must be able to walk that narrow line between being proud of our beliefs and values at working for peace and justice. At the same time being humble enough. Not to demonize those who disagree with us. And even be willing to learn from them. T-shirts our way to let our life-enhancing value shine. To express our opinions and beliefs. Our hopes and dreams. Our anger. And sense of humor. Scarface ultimately is luminous only interactions. How we live our lives. How we love one another in our planet. And how we go about liberating those who are in bondage. The definitive t-shirt. The most profound sermon. Is what we bring to this life we've been given. Summer has ended. It's time to put away our toys. Everything has its season. Although we can't take what we accumulate in life with us we can leave behind us. A better world. Justice at the time for weeping and laughter. There's a time to make a difference. The purpose of church. Is to call people to serve. The primary reason we are here in this fellowship is to create a community of compassion that reaches out beyond our sales to the communities to the world as a future generations. Is our heart. This is our soul. All else flows from this purpose. Dropping a few bucks in the plate when we are collect for a good cause or writing a letter now and then to your elected official isn't enough. We are called to give up our sales in the name of love to those who suffer. We are called to reach out to those around us and around the world who need not only our love. What are acts of compassion and justice. May we make the transition. To the next track piece bar. Smoothly. In the end. It's up to you. You must decide. only be present here. But to bring your presents. Your passion your skills and commitment to making this a religious community that helps us to become full loving healing justice-seeking human beings. In the words of the great unitarian abolitionists minister theater parker. Brz religion which like sunshine. Goes everywhere. It's temple. All space. It's shrine. The good heart. It's creed. Altru. It's works its ritual. Works of love. It's professional face. Divine living. May this next year challenges to live and work. To the fullest of our capacity. Most of the transition zone. Before our next trapeze bar. May it be so.

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BUUF-sermon-20080427.mp3

One of our unitarian-universalist rites of passage that we offer our older youth. Is bridging. That's why we're here. Jeff liebman a you youth advisor describes the bridging ceremony in these words. The bridging ceremony celebrates the transition of our youth. From their high school experiences into young adulthood. It's a time of tremendous change and stress for our youth. It's a time when some of them. My leave our particular church community to travel to other cities. Into higher education into into careers and possibly into new families. The bridging ceremony is a rite of passage that welcomes these bright and energetic people. Into the rewards and responsibilities of adult life. Now this bridge has two sides. When is childhood and adolescence where they become leaders. And role models. For younger friends and acquaintances. Now the other side. It's a little scary. It's a vast frontier of the unknown. Full of responsibilities and boundless opportunities with some challenges. We the adult members of this church community also stand on that other side. We stand on the other side with our arms wide open. Our minds prepared to mentor and learn from them. And our hearts prepared. To share life together with them. Mary. Anna. Oli. Lizzy. Abbott and logan. We celebrate the completion of your high school years. We've watched you grow up. And we take great pleasure at being a part of that development. We also honor and welcome you at this time in for a wider church community as young adults with lots of ideas enthusiasm and energy. Please know that we love you. And are ready to accept the many gifts you bring to our table. As well as offer you support when you may need it. I have one update to our order of service. Anna chaney will be doing some irish dancing and she will be doing three instead of the four listed she's doing to soft shoe and one hard shoe. And then the order of presentations are this. Abbott will speak first. Lizzy will speak second. Anna 3rd. And only fourth. My poem is entitled free. Religion makes us all feel trapped. Forever until we see the light. At least until we understand what the task is in our hands. Perhaps run we all accept. Who we are and don't look back. Then everything falls into place revealing to all our one true face. Perhaps those who believe us wrong will forever push us down. But that will never approve true as long as you know what makes you you. Looking back on the path i took. I now know i made no mistakes. Because everyone that made me strong help me see where i belong. I always pictured my path to heaven to be paved with kind acts. So i said my please and thank you minded my manners and played nice. It wasn't until i was 15 that i heard the other side of the story. My friend aaron and i were walking down the school hallway. She asked if i was going to soccer practice later. Class was over and both of us had a load of books to take home. I said i couldn't because i had church group that night. Do a little further before and stopped. She knew i was working on my face statement for coming of age. She knew i was unitarian. And place your hand on my shoulder. Lizzie she said. I hope you choose to accept jesus christ as your savior so you can come to heaven with me. There were tone was carrying i felt as if i have been slapped in the face. I smiled weakly and said i'd be at the game on saturday. I came home to find my dad reading in the living room. He glanced up and casually asked me about school. I started to give a vague description of my day when i popped. I decided to tell me about aaron. And the incident in the hallway. Defense had taken in the pain i felt. He listen calmly nodding and considering my words. You do know in the new testament you must accept jesus christ as your savior in order to go to heaven he began. I shook my head into feet. But. So what if you're a good person. What if you just don't know about jesus or god. I asked. Attempting to save my views on religion. As my dad described it to me i could have send my entire life but on my deathbed. Claim jesus as my savior and sylveon being admitted into heaven despite my past. I was quiet. How could heaven the final resting place for good people. Heaven's gates swing gates swing open only for those who said i believe in christ. Even at the last breath. How could the afterlife be exclusive. It wasn't fair to those of us who were unsure. And especially to those who didn't even know. I became enraged with the idea of religion and i stayed that way for a long time. My incentive. Be nice. Change to giving only as much as i was allowed to take. What am i going to get out of this attitude. Once in awhile at slip-up. I'd open the door for a stranger or offer a helping hand in a project. Sometimes i would receive a thank-you or smiling return. They were nothing to the rest of the world. But i felt appreciated for my kindness. It was because of these moments i found enlightenment. I don't look for the prize at the end of a task. Or the end of life. I've tried it and i've yet to find religion and rewards. I strive to be a good person just because. As i see it i believe i do the right thing for the right reason. I'd like to simplyworkout so my most memorable experiences here. Bursar's junior high youth group with fellow always there helping us along. I remember going to boston and having the time of my life playing the game of skittles. Visiting the us constitution. As well as many other things such as visiting the arlington street church. And ringing the bells. Is during coming-of-age that i found my love volunteering. I'll always remember grandma's eggs with cynthia. Christine and joe. You've been great to get to know this past year. Joe i will always remember our bowling games going head-to-head. And losing to you by many points. Christine i will forever remember your funny stories. Just recently my love has been dream group was judy. Judy your become. Like family for me. Loving me helpful advice. I'm listening when i complained about my classes at school. For those experiences the kindness. And the gardens i think all of you. Including those not mentioned from the bottom of my heart. At times our own light goes out. And is rekindled. Buy spark from another person. Each of us. Has it caused to think with deep gratitude. Of those who have lighted the flame within us. This congregation roulette my flame when i first walked in these doors five years ago. I plan on carrying that flame to montana with me. I suspect it'll be with me for the rest of my life. Hello. You all know me but just for the heck of it my name is oli. I have been here for nine years i realized. That may not seem like very long at all for some of you and for others it probably seems like a very long time indeed. I came to boise from huntingdon valley pennsylvania. In the summer of 1999 just before i started 4th grade. Unbeknownst to most annoying to blue 44 years prior to my move to idaho. And you ask well how does that work i've been going to bux-mont unitarian universalist fellowship in. Bux-mont pennsylvania so from one move to another. Open unitarian for at least 12 years. Like most people. I have learned much along the way. And like most unitarians the more i learn the less i know for sure what i really do know i could share my opinions on many things. Politics religion right and wrong public schools tobacco lobbyist genocide abortion taxes. Hillary clinton the war in iraq the economy the environment communism socialism buddhism music theater star wars star trek and global warming just to name a few. But. If i were to talk about these things would you really. End up knowing more about me and who i am. Let's set aside those fields of thinking and go back to the basics share these are. Very important issues but. They don't do us much good if we're not sure why we think the way we do about them. I believe. In love. I believe in forgiveness. Now we're getting somewhere. I built. Believe in our unitarian principles of. Which i think there are seven. I believe i have been granted the grace to question whether something is right or wrong. I also believe that i make mistakes cause for laughter. You may have noticed. Triad stated what i believe. Not what i know i believe. There's an important difference between the two. Or do i know that. What i do know. Is that life is finite and death is a very good possibility one of these days. I appreciate many things that i have in my life. Family. Friends. Mentors mentees. Sunnydaze cloudy days starry nights. Water food shelter safety. Endclothing. I also have hopes. I hope to change the world. I hope for peace. And i hope that instead of starting a war problems can be solved through tennis matches followed by a light lunch. More than anything i hope that hope last a very long time. Now you know a little more about me i would like to thank. Everyone here as you have all had an influence. And hopefully been influenced by me. Thank you for your time. And don't forget to spay and neuter your pets.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20081130.mp3

I give thanks for the gift of my tears. I give thanks for my muscle aches. I give thanks for the gift of my sweat. I give thanks for my anger. I give thanks for the gift of my doubts. I give thanks for my despair. These are the confirmations of my hard work. Without these my growth is limited. Without these my service is suspect. These are the confirmations of my hard work. That's a simple prayer i picked up from working in a catholic hospital. Every day around 8 a.m.. What are the hospital chaplain to come on over the overhead. And give a prayer. When you log into your computer at the start of your shift there's the daily announcements. But yet another prayer. A little bit about the organization. Management starts a meeting with a prayer and you should expect someone to pray if you are blessed with having food at your meet at your meeting. For someone like me who is intent on getting the work done. But kind of annoying. I mean. If you ever stop to listen to catholic prayers and i mean no disrespect for anyone who's still holding the catholic faith. You come to realize that they do a lot of asking. Grant me this give me that forgive me. Sometimes i wonder if the catholic church or. Others you can probably fill in the blank. If the god doesn't require such a prolific florida for asian of children. That their followers start to understand what they're really doing. With all this begging and asking and forgiving. She wanted them to know what it was like to constantly have someone begging and asking you for something. What's over 10 years i started to kind of wonder. What was it i wanted to do in a prayer. What does it mean to me what would i like to say. To the universe as a whole. I love that helped by becoming a mother myself. And after getting all of the constant mommy please mommy mommy mommy mommy mommy please forgive me i'm sorry. I started to realize that what i really like to hear with. Praise. Pancakes. So i went to a meeting and i finally got asked to do the prayer at the meeting and i said okay here we go. And i gave thanks. Human and i do find myself it's certain times that certain bad things. Might happen to people who are particularly rude or ignorant. Or i do occasionally beg. Just a little bit for that extra piece of patients to not say what i really want to say that might be the only inappropriate the different time. So how does one form a prayer without begging. For me again i said it's logical to give praise and to give thanks. As a child. Rub-a-dub-dub thanks for the grub god. So i started to look at how to modify the daily prayer. To give thanks. When i tried my first new prayer in that meeting. I actually got us kind of a smile from one of the sisters. When life started handing me opportunities to start focusing on the blessings from that point on. It was simple things simple things that i might have missed if i hadn't really started looking for those simple things to say thank you about. Things like the ukrainian lady who would clean up my office. And she came one day and she asked me. How to get to help her navigate the computer system it's so easy to help us find our doctors. To help her find one for her daughter who had a toothache. Or her husband who had. Back problem. It was also things like. Helping to build a home. For a family who risked everything to come to america. And live here. I started to realize that i was blessed by so many things. I'm thankful that i woke up this morning. I'm thankful that i had. A bagel for my breakfast. I'm thankful for indoor plumbing. People started responding to my spirit of thanks and some of them actually liked me. People were willing to help me when i asked and some of them even gave me gifts of thanks. I won't say the heavens opened up and my life goes completely without problems now. I still struggle some days. It's hard. It's hard when we're surrounded by people who are so negative and they're hurt. And hurt people hurt other people. The times when you can do nothing else but cry. And scream. And anger and frustration and sorrow. But there's a blessing in that time to. Because it must have been truly passed. And like any good storm. It seems easier to focus on the simple things again when it's gone. Ankles don't hurt. I'm thankful that in certain lights. Gray hairs can look blond. I'm thankful that my mom read to me and my dad sang for me. And i'm thankful that i can do the same for my son. The gift of gratitude doesn't ensure a perfect life but it helps. When you find that simple thing for which you can be grateful for. Your spirit opens up. To bigger and better things. I find it easier to fight to believe that everything will work out in the end. At least. The very focused on the benefits makes it a heck of a lot easier to smile. We all know. That a smile can chase away any number of beers like talking to a small spread out group. Or. Lift the burden of your sorrows. I challenge you to start the day like the gentleman and christian and christians reading. With a gift of thanks. And see what it can do for you. I'm thankful for my friends and my family who love me despite my feelings. I'm thankful for a strong spirit and a voice to match. Most importantly i am thankful. For the friends who are helping me today. And the opportunity to share this gift with all of you today.

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BUUF-sermon-20091101.mp3

Ask you to rise again as you are able. We are all facing east at this point. Spirit of the east. Spirit of airways. For allowing us to rise above from abroad perspective. May we feel your lightness in our bodies and our souls. May we feel the renewing energy of the dawn. May all who are in need. Feel your healing. Turn to face the south. We thank you for passion and warmth. And challenge. May we feel your inspiration in our bodies and souls. May we feel the danger and the hope of your blazing presents. May all who are in need. Find your healing. Play space west. Spirit of the west spirit of water. We thank you for flowing through all being done to the world. May we move fluidly. May all who are in need. Find your healing. Please turn to the north. Spirit of the north. We thank you for grounding us solidly. Entering our bodies and spirits. May we walk in confidence knowing we are supported. May all who are in need feel your healing. Please turn to the east once more and hold up your hand or hands. Spirit of all. Within. We humbly offer our lives to your service. Knowing you are greater. Then we are. We just participated in a form of calling directions. We just something that i do pretty much every day in my spiritual practice along with a breathing meditation. It is pagan. Parking back to pre-christian and other earth-centered religions like native american. When i do it privately. I allow the words to willa. Coherently or not. And i speak the names of every single person i can think of that i know. Who is her. Or ill. Or in distress. Or mad at me. Target whatever and then i just say. Offensive cheers. When i privately involved these embodiments. Of mystery. I find humility and strength metaphors for that. Indescribable that thing that we sometimes nicknamed god. Envisioning. The world. And spirit surrounding me. Create a kind of container that when i remember it. And keep it in my heart. Holds me. And hold all. That i am. When i neglect this deeply connecting practice. I tend to lose my bearings. To become more scattered. Blamed. And i am less able much less. In love and compassion. The title today sermon is what do i have to be to have a spiritual practice. For calling the directions. I have to be i have to call myself. Pagan. Of course not. One of the great beauties. I've unitarian-universalism is that we are. Mystery is approached in many ways by many traditions. And if we are deeply respectful from another state. Then if we do not appropriated as it is ours. We can find joy. Emotional depth. Grounding. And the courage and the strength to go forth and make a difference. There is no need in our faith. Be any particular religion. What possibilities opens up to us because. We are unitarian universalist. Before i continue music on the importance of a spiritual practice for each and all of us. Experience one. On purpose for this one. I have picked one. That might make us uncomfortable. Russian orthodox. Have been known to prey. Hundreds of times each day form of the jesus prayer but they say. Lord make haste to help me. Lord makes. To save. Lord make haste to save to help me. Lord make speed to save me. And i am going to ask. To say that phrase. Quietly to ourselves. Over and over if you can. For a couple of minutes. Lorde. Make haste to help me. Lord make speed to save me. And then i'll turn it off. You will resist. Still feeling wounds. Still feeling that such language takes you back. Into having to be a christian. I invite you to say love instead of lord. Or to make whatever accommodations that you must. At the same time. I invite you to know your reactions. Note. How different your response will probably be when we move to say. We do not have to speak this together. We'll just speak it at our own steve very quietly. Eyes closed at you like. And i will say it aloud a few more times and i'll turn off my mind and i too will settle into the general murmur of the hole chan. Make haste to help me. Lord make speed to save me. Lord make haste to help me. Lord make speed to save. Lord make haste to help me. Lord make speed. The folks who repeat that over and over and over and all their waking hours. Trying to obey. Paul's admonition to pre-workout. There are folks among us. For whom repeating such words. Is a blessing. A bomb. To be able to speak in such in this way in our church. And as for the others well. We'll move to eastern practices that are more. Before that. Let me make central crucial point. Whatever we consider. Are primary physiological. More spiritual path. With unitarian universalism is our overarching. We need. To cultivate. A spiritual. We who have been studying in class restless soul having a little surprised to see a consistent thread. Running through liberal religion for the past. 3 + 1/2. Plus. Busy but material world of ours country of ours. Some of our most important mind hearts have consistently said. We must have a spiritual practice if we just. Felix adler. One of the founding fathers of america humanism. Long considered non-spiritual at best. Said. It is advisable to consecrate. Certain times to see in one's life. In all its relations on the ground of spirituality. He said that such a practice every single day from any inspirational tradition that one chooses famous humanists writers. Is necessary for inward comp and is necessary to prevent. And you'll know it's a spiritual forebears of hours. Nurturing the soul. And helping heal the world. Ralph waldo trine. Who was famous in his lifetime born in 1866 and died in 1950. He had a huge effect on america. He said the regular spiritual practice. Regular spiritual practice. That caused us to lose our. Small personal self-centered self-seeking nature. And go into the service. Of others. 20th and 21st century grapes. Buddhist monk american buddhist jack kornfield or jon kabat-zinn. Find spiritual practice. You're still your spirit and just. Everyday. And karen armstrong says in the book that you can read from. Like any skill. Religion requires perseverance. Hardware. And so say i. How i long for the day. When the phrase from wall-e. And so say we all. For some classic. Buddhist sitting meditation. Paying attention to our breathing. Empty lines. As much as we're able. Sit comfortably with your feet on the ground. Your spine erect but not can't. Your body routed comfortable in your chair. Close your eyes don't lie. Start to pay attention to your breathing. Revenge. Redoubt. Continue to focus on your breath. There's no need for us to tense up or. Make a big effort. To push out those unwanted box of the monkey mind. Breathing in. Breathing out. We can just notice our unwanted thoughts. Breathing in. Breathing out. Even if it seems like we're just noticing every 5 seconds or so. That's fine. We just keep. Breathing. Buddhist meditation. Agreeable to you use. Rising std from reverent. Virtualized non-theistic traditions. I also recommend. The parking back to the pagan. We have a lab rats out in the back. Wonderful form of meditation. You won't be sorry if you do. The benefits of regular practice. We will be more centered. We will have more self inside which is not to say that we will always be. Things will arrive practice regularly that we really actually. We simply have to deal with it makes its more whole more human more real. We will be less likely to project her fears onto others more likely to own them and therefore find common ground with others. We will be at steelix adverb. Which is critical. To help make justice for others and for our world. Before we close with a chant which is one of my favorite forms of practice especially in community. I need to do a little disclosure. Yes it is. Yes it means the world to me. Yes it makes a difference in how i go about my life. How do you spell de. I can't leave you with the impression that i meet the standard. I am home. For all of us today. There are occasional days when they pretty much.. When i catch a 6 a.m. playing from 4 a.m.. There are more than occasional days. Regular. We're done this one before this mantra mantra from the heart sutra and that's a classic scripture. It's. Got a got a. Going beyond. Arrogante. Going altogether beyond.. And then. Bodhi svaha which is variously translated. Better yet. Awakening fulfills or even better wakening hail. Does. Gotti gotti. Arrogante. Just joining minutes. What. Wakening. Hail.

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BUUF-sermon-20100815.mp3

Good morning. A few weeks ago bob huntley. Explain to us that contentious knows divisiveness growling us and talking about oligarchy was his way of being spiritual. And i appreciate him saying that because i think spirituality manifests itself in all kinds of different ways. And social action and justice doing service. Today we get the touchy-feely version. Last spring listening to elizabeth sermon on passion i got to thinking about passion in my own life. Annette. But me to examine the passion that i feel for my work as a psychotherapist. I am crazy for therapy. I think that we would the world would be better off if instead of mandating military service we would mandate a few years of therapy for everyone. For me it's in my work. That i feel most alive inspired and purposeful. And it's in my work that i am have learned deeper and more experiential meaning of concepts that i heard talked about in church all my life. James baldwin was referring to traveling in abroad. He said i'm met a lot of people in europe i even encountered myself. I have met a lot of people in the therapy room and i have constantly encountered myself. Spirituality was it work in the process even as i found spirituality. At my work. Scott taxi author of the roadlesstraveled explains that the experience of spiritual power is basically. But. Past of lifelong learning that comes slowly. That certainly is my story. I grew up in a traditional christian. Church methodist. I know my mother was deep into her own conservative beliefs. Fortunately she wasn't very preachy around the house. She never reinforce your discipline by calling upon god or jesus and as long as we didn't smoke drink cuss or get pregnant. We were okay. I was a good girl. Obedience i wasn't troublesome and i was a religious girl with a strong personal moral code. When i set the table and i dropped a fork on the floor. I always pick that 4 cup and put it at my place and i was always very careful not to mention my good deed to anyone out loud. But i wasn't a very deep thinker. When i got to the college of idaho and took the required religion classes. The more liberal theology that i heard they're didn't cause a crisis of faith which it actually did for some of my fellow students. But i heard they're just seem like it made sense to me. Apparently i hadn't taken the conservative dogma very seriously in the first place. And young adulthood i lived happily a happily unconscious fruit juicy life. As a wife and mother. That's what sherry dowlen and i used to call it when we were raising our families backyard to backyard. There was a popular ad on tv for hawaiian punch we're a little hawaiian guy little cartoon guy. Bouncing along the bottom of the screen he's humming happily to himself. Knocked him off his feet with a nice hawaiian punch. Without pause he picked himself up and resume scaly humming juicy. That was me in those days. Thumbing my way through the vagaries of a family reading without into my inner life or actually even being aware that i might have an inner life. The rest of america was waking up to the atrocities of vietnam. Desegregation to the oppression of women. I was comfortably asleep. Idaho. And in ignorance. But in my late twenties i begin to feel an itch for something more something was missing. In those days in the 70s. I began exploring eastern sod. I learned in practice transcendental meditation. Read about metaphysical and paranormal experience. Participated in the girls and consciousness-raising of the human potential movement. I began consciously defined myself as a spiritual seeker. So i was looking for something that i really couldn't even name. The seeking stage culminated one ordinary day. In a mind-bending dramatic life-changing abraham maslow worthy. Peak experience. It woke me up with the force of a lightning bolt. And i have never been able to return to my drowsy fruit juicy experience. It happens when a friend and i were playing around with guided imagery. He was the guy didn't i had my eyes shut and i imagine the images suggested. I never done this before. Yes i can conjure up a mountain top. Yes there's a little cabin at the top. It just appeared. Hey wow. Here comes a little wise old man. Ask him a question. Suddenly. From someplace far beyond my conscious mind. From someplace in my being to which i was a complete stranger. A question rose up and asked itself. And guess what it was. Who am i. It reverberated with such force that i could feel my molecules separate. And my individuality begin to merge into the collective. And for the first time. Ainu with experience. Boss. My own separate. Nature. And the unity of all things. Then at the edge of extinction. The roar in my head subsided. The molecules of my body collected themselves back into their familiar form. And i. And subsequently living ever after. The who am i question that. Burst from my where burst open my awareness. Was one that people around me all at the time we're asking all over the place. It was a question that i had actively scoffed at. The question seemed contrived the irrelevant. I am who i am. Yet after all my seeking after something that i could only name spiritual what. Whatever that is. I had found as happens in spiritual quest. A sense of myself. The journey of the religious kid in the secret things spiritual did not lead to the doors of the church for the nunnery. It veered off in the psychology as i pursued that glimmer of self-knowledge awakened on that imaginary mountaintop. Dimly aware at last of the sound of my own voice and the nature of my own truth. I realize that i've been living my mother's life. Rather than my own. The married at 18 the four children. Over the next few years this awareness led to a divorce. I abandoned the role of spiritual seeker. To follow the path of personal growth. By going to california and graduate school. To become a psychotherapist. Not that i knew what one was really or what one did. Here's what i know about psychology at the time. As i was moving through the dark knight of divorce someone suggested to me that i might be depressed. And i didn't know what that meant that was the days before all the psychopharmacology ads on tv. Dictionary. And the dictionary said depressed was pressed down upon. Yeah i did feel kind of pressed down upon i guess i was depressed. I know a little more now. I've spent the last 30 years learning about. Not just depression. The amazing machination and possibilities of the human psyche. I had a private practice in california for many years and for the last 5 years i have retired to work half-time as a counselor in an employee assistance program. A client asked. How can you sit here and listen to people's problems all day. It is true. Clients come to me with our problems and often we problem-solve. Ask for advice and i give advice because i think the world would be so fine if it will run my way. It's my real job. Am i privileged. My real job to be present to the very sacred process of people. With the deepest and most crucial issues in their lives. It's my job. To witness courageous moments of healing and self-discovery. In the midst of darkness and pain. It's my job to experience daily the wonder and inspiration. In the potential and creativity of the human spirit. Enough of the time. My job is like sitting in a garden and watching roses bloom. I would like to share some experiences from network that have led to a deeper understanding of concepts. It's from clients that i have learned a meaningful way to think about sin. And grace and evil. I should have said sin and evil and let's save grace for last. Theologian paul tillich suggested the word sin should be used not to denote. The act. Something we do that is bad. That's how i always thought of it. That's why i send didn't concern me too much. Because remember i was a good girl. But to suggest that is actually a state of being. The state of being separated. Separated from cell. From others. From the ground of being intelex term god. My client margie. Was a living monument a separation. Incidentally as i mentioned my clients experiences to illustrate my own journey. Be aware that i've changed the names and circumstances. When she came to see me for counseling she was in her thirties she was employed as an accountant raising her three children. The details of her of her history came out slowly. Over the course of her 9-year therapy. I gave them to you here in capsule form. She didn't know who her father was. When she was three. She loved fiercely. Either gave up margie and her siblings are they were taking away it taken away by the welfare and sororities. Eventually margie and her five brothers were placed in a foster home for a she lived for the next 11 years until she left the date 16. The social services the situation seemed ideal. Marjorie jean margie. Got to be with her siblings she was well-fed. Whenever the placement came up for review it was pointed out how well she's doing in school. What social services didn't see. Was that margie was being physically and emotionally and sexually abused and used for the entire 11 years that she lived with this foster family. Who claim to care for her as she hurt her. As they hurt her. Body mind and spirit. The way that she was able to survive the devastation that was her childhood. Was to pull her child self. Jamie. As she was called then. Into a tight little ball inside hidden away where no one could touch. Time to split off from consciousness. Those parts of herself. And rise with guilt. And sees with rage and you're in for love. Creating separate parts of herself. In the therapy room slowly and painfully overtime. I got to know the separate parts of her psyche. A strong and fierce twelve-year-old named running deer. Who carried her anger. And who protected her by running interference with the outside world. I knew black scars blackstar. Who carried her hate. And listen to this. Blackstar and running deer never. Talks with each other never met inside her psyche because as they explained to me. If hate and anger ever got together. Then she would be just as bad as the foster parents. I knew morningstar. Who carried her love inside and who protected janie and the fragments of child part 2 survive alone. The psychological survival is multiple personality disorder. Icy and her survival in the extraordinary organization of her psyche. An amazing illustration of human possibility. An astounding demonstration of the tenacity and creativity of the human spirit. Her therapy was a continually moving and spiritual experience for me. Margie lives in extreme experience of separation. Estate of sand by tilix definition. But no way was she is a sinner that her foster mother told her that she was. The foster mother told this little girl who wanted only to be loved. But she was a sinner because she had her mother's blood the blood of a horror running intervene. Surely we could only call this abominable piece of interaction. By the word evil. Another word that took on meaning in working with margie. My childhood was an innocuous experience in a household with loving parents. About the evils of communism. Evil was always an abstract concept. Something to do with clearly bad people. None of which i knew. Margie's foster parents. Taking the into their care a family of six children. Experience the real essence of the word evil. On a cognitive and emotional level. She was about 9 when she had the glorious experience of winning a lamb at the county fair. Was her lamb and she loved it dearly as you can imagine a little lonely girl abandoned by her mother. Would love a little lamb. She named it baby. And she said it and cared for it. As it grew from a lamb to she. One day she came down the road after being dropped off by the school bus. She saw that they were outside the barn. Butchering. Hanging from a hook was a carcass. You know. It was baby. Margie of course was shocked and devastated. Whatever else evil might be it is certainly. That which fails to recognize. The innocents and the frailty of a child's heart. And deliberately or even spotlessly. Rips into it. Happily. Happily it was also with margie that i witnessed grace. I've always liked that word and it comes easily naturally to my tongue. But it's who's offered clarity. Tillich speaks of grace as. Renewal of life with life. The reconciliation the reconciliation of self with itself. The acceptance of that which is resent was rejected. Sometimes it happens till it says that we receive the power to say yes to ourselves. Seppe sanders us and makes us whole. Self-hate and self-contempt disappear. And that ourself is reunited with itself. Throughout her life and sarah margie struggles with pain confusion dark memories fear anger. She struggled with more intensity than most of us have to endure. But in the course of our journey together there were many moments of grace. Of accepting that which was rejected. A reconciliation of self with a self as she reclaim split off emotions. And experiences. To restore an integrated whole. Many who have a history like hers to come to the damage. Where did she get such courage to move through horace memories and agonizing feelings. The comeback to wholeness. It seems like grace to me. Incidentally you should know that during the time we work together. She enrolled in the local junior college and got her associate's degree. Then she went on to get her bachelor's degree. She went on to get her master's degree. In social work. And she got a job working with troubled teenagers which is been a lifelong dream of hers. Margie was the second client i'd ever had in my life. So i was pretty well-trained i was as green and raw as a an intern could be. Grace was surely with me. To the therapy as we bumbled along together. For the renewal of life with life. Cuz i didn't have the skill or experience to take any credit for her remarkable journey of healing. She still has an inspiration to me personally and professionally. As i recall the magnetism and the energy. Of a spirit driven to move beyond the damage of sin and evil. To become. Her own healing force in the world. Of course few therapies are as dramatic and intense is margie's journey was. But the more daily issues confronted in the counseling room have offered me the same experience of spiritual enrichment. As i sit with clients. With the woman burned out on life. Who learns it's okay to say no rather than trying to be all things to all people. Sitting with a man facing retirement with depression. Who finds new possibilities is it connects with forgotten aspects of his personality. The couple who commit to replacing their growing hostility. With reconnection and love. I said everyday with everyday people. Brave enough to confront their demons or aware enough to reconnect with their essential selves. Are vulnerable not enough. To change behaviors that don't serve them well. Recently i was sitting with a client who is agonizing trying to come to grips. With the experience of childhood molest. Pictures with me. She's working in imagery. Integrate and heal memories and emotions that goes belong beyond the relief. Just understanding can bring. She is sitting in her chair eyes closed. Imagining the young child that she was she's reporting what she sees. I'm sitting in my chair few feet away for witness. And grounding presents. She describes the child that she is imagining as disturbing to her somehow. She's repulsive. I know i should feel sorry for the client says. But i don't. She doesn't like me either. She reports that in the image the child has no face. It's kind of disgusting. Doesn't want to talk to her. I tell her. Just let her feel your heart. She silent. She's smiling. She gives a gasp realizing. She has a face. Yeah she's getting a face she's a whole child now. She's leaning into me. I do like her. I am awestruck. Spider sense of a sacred moment as she spontaneously moves from self-loathing. To reconciliation with the child that she was. In the next session she reported that she did not realize the deep disgust she carried for herself. Saw the world differently. Uncharacteristically. Cut off a relationship with a man who really didn't treat her very well. Spirituality at work.

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BUUF-sermon-20101024.mp3

Since this sermon is about interdependent. I thought that i was. Not being much of an expert on modern science. I emailed a retired friend who was a physicist. Ask him about. Interdependence and interconnection. An abridged version of his reply goes. After reflecting on my interesting friends. Sure enough there are loads of references to interconnection. He speaks of the unity and interrelation of all phenomena. Eddie tells this quantum theory. Reveals an essential interconnectedness of the universe. Also makes the point over and over. That the old way of viewing reality. Made up. Component. Is simply outmoded and raw. 20th century and beyond. 20 nouns that reality is a web. Relationship. Physicist david bohm. Bring sciences findings into the human realm when he says. Is proposed that the widespread and pervasive distinctions between people race nation family profession etcetera etcetera which are now preventing mankind from working together for the common good. One of the key factors of their origin. The notion. Existence is evidently an illusion and the solution cannot do other than. To endless conflict and. And i know that doesn't of you out there from physicist through engineers to artist no more than i do. About quantum physics and string. And i appreciate. At the same time. If the worship reflections. Is interconnections and interdependence of all things. To mix our spiritual thoughts with leavening of science. We are. Even after over a century of scientific discourse to the contrary very subject. Illusion of old science. That the universe is. In bones words. Inherently divided and disconnected. We are subject to the illusion that we humans are. Relational scientific notions. As we pursue. And interdependence. Which means. More love. More generosity. More giving each other breaks. Because we are all part. Have a great. Scientist. Is a good book that's called belonging to the universe which is a combination i mean a conversation between. And brother david steindl-rast. Is devoted to comparing modern science. And modern religion or spirituality. It's the assumption all the way through. Is that we all. Everything belongs. Do the same. In the book of the people says we are spiritual. Nothing flotation. Or not at all. Alicia family. This is elaborate in the second century by the anonymous letter. The great witness to early christian universalism. A well-known unitarian universalist minister. Boise stephen churches. And his lovely metaphor for reality and truth. Is a huge cathedral. With many many many windows of all colors and designs and patterns. All different. Yet illuminated. By the same one like. Well-known modern spiritual writer he's speaking of flowers and crystals and precious stones and birds and he remarks almost handedly. Like all life-forms report temporary manifestation. On the underlying one life. One touch. Never forget you william blake. And poetry. I remind you of call to worship. To see a world in a grain of sand. And heaven in a wild flower. Hold infinity in the palm of your hand. And eternity. In-n-out. When we make a decision. In a given situation. To act as though we are part of a web of creation as opposed to a fiercely separate individual. We probably will not be. But a grounding. Yet similarly-themed ideas. Can support us. On the hard road. Connected. The more separate or something is. The closer we feel related to the other. The more likely we are to realize those hard spiritual gold. Humility. Compassion. Understanding. The more we realize that we are integral parts. Of something. Nobody. Completely understand. The more we are likely to stand. Insole relationship. To the rest of the universe. Including. Each. Speaking of. Having flown about a bit. So far in the higher reaches of science and philosophy and religion and art. There is interconnected list. An inter. Galore. In this congregation. Deep friendships. Rude. Envisioned and realized. Disappointment. They have torn our hearts and yet we have stayed. Mutual learning between young and old. Gratitude for the blessings of our land. There has been. Time and substance given joyfully and so many problems solved. How many problems. Shoulder together. 2 difficulty. Enjoy. Install. There is also i am beginning to feel this phone. In our. About a year ago i gave a sermon which i am retiring in june. 2013 after 25 years of ministry. At this point in our church. When elizabeth retires is a pretty common phrase. Leadership is acutely aware of the many things we have to do in order to get our house in order for the new day. And they are free. Endwell. At the same time. There is a kind of spiritual. Emotional low. Going on. And i think it is related to the fact. Did i am going to retire after all this time. Is down. For the first time in my minutes. In some situations it's hard to find the energy in a group or groups. Like some of the classes that i. My intuitive perception of us as a whole is it we are a little disoriented and a little. I hear things from the rumor mill like a concern i'm going to a lot of meetings during october. When i have meetings in october. Not one thing has changed. I have heard. Questions about weather. It's really possible. Congregation now. Possible prices. Is about. Inter. Dependence. We. Are an incredibly complicated web. Of interconnected relationships. It's not about. Me. Being the minister. And the church able to get along without specific. It's way more complex than fat. Yeah. Her around. For a lot of things i'm the minister. Perspective inspiration. Decent sermons. A listening ear. Affection. Organizational skills. Not all depending. A voice in the community. Spiritual leadership. All kinds of things. A fart come. For listening. For honesty. Respect. The courage to challenge me. Your time treasure and talent. Humor. Organizational skills. Commitment. Forgiveness. It would be impossible to graph or drawers. Almost impossible. The web of our different. Mutual. Changing relationship. To further complicate matters and this is extremely important. This amazing web of relationships new and old folks in the congregation. Is part of our commitment to the greater cause of liberal religion to our minority face. This particular web as we know it. Is going to end in a relatively short time. It is no wonder. With all this going on. I kind of loss of energy as we look at what is before us. Maybe even for some of us. The depression. I have barely recently emerged from just. Which is why i speak of it here. There are plans. To address our longer than most people's. of transition starting with a january visit from our district. The comedian ministry with consultation from experts will be addressing the spiritual and emotional parts of the transition. And the board and program ministry council are doing very good work. Trying to get structures inside. These are good. And they are necessary. We interconnected people. Have to face each other about how we are as people. Who we are. How we feel. And what our intentions. My presence. With you. Except sometimes in october when i go to me. Minister. I love this congregation with all my heart and i can't. Nurture and challenge until it is genuinely. Sharing my ideas as well as my feelings. I've lost and confusion as we walk together. Toward the joy of a new day. And you're so tiny from you. Your presence. With me and everyone else. Please don't. You. And i. And we. And the whole bright world of unitarian-universalism me. Understanding navigation is far more. Thank you for doing that. Bring the kids. Volunteer for something. Contribute your ideas. About how we can continue to live. And grow. And love each other during this dresses. We have time to be with each other until. It will take the courage i know we have for us to stay present. To stay engaged. To hold each other as tightly and well as we always have. We have always. To good times and through some very badly. We have always. Interconnected. The more we have realized and honored this web. The better people. And the better church we have. If we start slipping we can remember all those scientists. Or we can dive into the mystics and the poet. We are not islands. We are part of the main. The mysterious hole. And when the bells toll. The bells of joy and the bills have lost. We need not ask for whom they troll. They are for us.

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BUUF-sermon-20100912.mp3

July 1982. In the care unit drug and rehab drug alcohol rehab center. In kirkland washington beginning my life. A small treatment center. Harry. Old escape. Green. Stream running through it. It was one of those amazing clear sparkling. Almost no rain seattle area. Most afternoons we had free time to do our homework or rest. Leslie water to ice bar or liquor store i guess a lot of time. Easter place. At the flowing water. Coming to know the banks. The stones of various sizes and colors and shapes how they created. Different textures. Tiny rivers flow. It all became very familiar. And i love it. When day is thought. As i sit here everyday. Looks the same to me here in this spot. And the stream from beginning to end is. Pretty much the same. Different in every moment is gone on its way before i can even think. It's kind of important. It also. I asked someone. Hermann hesse has novel siddhartha. Which i had read in the sixties with everyone else. Enough. I have articulated something close to what i was remembering everyday by the care units. He says this. Out of all the secrets of the river. Pizza j only saw one. This one. His soul. Easter. This water ran and ran incessantly it ran and it was never always there was always time and yet new. Great understanding. Engrafted not only felt some idea of its touring. A distant memory. Divine voices. The river is everywhere at the same time. On this welcome and welcome home water sunday. Today. Let us feel what the river of life. Use. The dimly rat. Divine imagery in our church life and in our larger life there is a river. Mowing through our souls. We are always so aware of change. In our lives. Leave. Or die. Or have the gall to just start behaving. We lose jobs. Great. It is the very. This morning focusing on our fellowship community life we begin this year by cake image into our cell. And you don't feel connected yet actually aren't able to connect it to the life of a ideas. With a lot of other groups this community and we have a transitory but hard time of relatives. I hope you will all come. Potluck tonight. Community. As a church. We have only been able to come up with a certain amount of money so programs for this year have almost. This is just like what happened. Exist. We will be. Okay. We will be more than okay. If we remember the larger picture even as we are working to change the transitory part back into a more spirited. The river of our church life together. Is a hole. From stream. A profound. That emerges always. We're striving so hard to make things work. We are. Spiritual community. Welcomes. There is joy. And beauty. And who and what we are. The whole of our troops. Is it we are about nurturing souls and helping heal the world. Honest. House 1. The whole of our truth. Is it we do everything we can to embrace every. Of all ages. Genders. Or mental state and spiritual value system we stand on the side of love for all creation. Everyone here. Fallible humans. With other. Fallible humans. Can reach each other in working together. On this stretch. Ivar rivers light. We are committed. The generosity. To civility. To a joyful spiritual journey. That honors others. Each person. Contributing. To help us feel the truly awesome hole. Okuma er. I recommend. One is to pay attention around you. Spiritually embracing your fellow travelers. Right now. Just take a deep. Mindful breath. Feel. Did you see. You might not. If you volunteer for something or joint attala circle or tickets. And you can build strength and hope. You will feel the soul nourishing possibilities of this church river. And you will take that faith into the rest of your life. In the second thing that i recommend as much time as you can. Walking. For resting. An hour. Beautiful. Grounds. The other day. Burdened a bit. Troubles. I like to say it's my i stepped out the end. You can only imagine. Many of most. What. Could i. So short-sighted. How could i be. In faith and understanding. So i got out of my. That's what i. Ej stole home. For now. A time to come. We simply do our park. To encourage. God is found. In a lot of places. And beauty. R2. Important. Welcome once again. All of us. Do the 2010/2011 stretch up our river trip. Welcome to the bumpy places for the roxy. Welcome to the places where the water runs a little bit. Welcome to hartsfield. Beautiful journey with. The loveliness. Rising above. Everything. There is. A river. There is a river. Flowing.

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BUUF-sermon-20100926.mp3

The sermon title you have in the newsletter or online. Was. What motivates a truly religious person. What on earth possessed me. What do i really know about what a. Truly religious person anyway. At the sunday services worship meeting we had called. My motivation for change. Could be several. I think i was searching for something a little more religious sounding. To put a critical spin on it i may have been unconsciously wanted to be sure that everybody knows i am. I know more than you do. I had to throw in something along those lines into my type. Less critical. I was searching for something. I'm aware. Motivational. To begin making the point that just. Chosen so enthusiastically by all of us. Is way more complex than. It still did a lot of people are interested in. If you google motivational speakers you will discover that there are 550. Yahoo not to be outdone. So you can always find a motivational speaker. What are the internet has to say. Motivation is a truly important. For our consideration. I asked you to sink a significant decision you have made in your life. Let me listen possibility. A college major. Starting or ending an important relationship. Building a church. Buying a horse. Coming out as a gay. Contributing your time talent and money in a major way to something you care about. Joining or not joining another group. Accepting responsibility. Buying a home. Having or not having children. Close your eyes for a moment. And reflect on your reasons for your decision. Your motivations for your decision. If you are able. Exploration. You are finding. An array. Motivation. Or what we might call. Self-serving. All bets are outwardly focused. Thinking in some way. Text amar phil. Really can't be articulated. Remaining. Here's another smaller example illustrating motivational complexity. Our church. Volunteers from our church and they're awesome. Take food stamps. Running through a credit card machine and then use the card. With which to buy healthy. Healthy. My guess is. I'm quite sure that their main reason. We're spending saturday mornings doing this job. Is a commitment to justice and equity. It makes it possible for already. List altruistically. We all have these mixed kind of motivation. How to receive those volunteers probably also like the idea of spending time in the saturday market. Probably motivations less easy to pin down. Mysterious pain in the heart. Scamming from something. Gills. For gratitude. Or both. A privileged class. Where the next meal organic for otherwise. Is coming. Perhaps a spiritual close to tears. When he or she. Lexus. Teal. It is this category of motivation. This morning. Most of us can sort out artists that are deceased. Those are more or less bread. And most of us also operate. Can stem from these. Our unconscious. Credibly powerful source. And is a force. Not to be understood by alone. By the unaided. So cherished. What's dragon. Truly religious person back into our reflections. That. Spiritual person. Will be devoted to vote. And to the mercure deeper less easy to grasp parts of life. To god. It all hits. All religious person will know that her actions are so often motivated by wellsprings well below the conscious one and will strive to live inside from those sources. Our spiritual individual will know. And also most destructive behaviors come from the shadow realm. And will summon the humility in the courage. Two-faced. In the indirect ways. Requires. Is incredibly important. Is so all-fired mysterious. How can we even tell if our motivations are coming from there. I'll tell you some of the signs. I pay attention. Sometimes tears rise unbidden. Anytime i had no reason. I get my teeth into an issue and i will not. And i am transfixed. I miss him wery or disliking even though i don't even know. My heart. Lurches 4th in love. With middle rational basis. I didn't mean to make tumbles out of my mouth. Where did that come from. I get goosebumps. Synchronicity. I can feel meanness and retribution in my heart or i don't feel it. And someone i trust. And lets me know. Or perhaps delight rises up. Overshadowing. You might supply your own to think about it. There's more to this. Then nice. They are very. Enforced. I'm not saying that we have to madly deeply explore every single. I was for instance. Transfixed by the beauty of a wall of vegetables at the co-op. I just stood there staring and how beautiful. But i didn't feel any compulsion to examine. I just enjoyed the vegetables on the wall. Other people. I want to examine our important motivations as possible. If we are to live as generously authentically and fully. House pop. We need to admit the power of our unconscious motivations. As possible. This is. Religious. I recommended i have romance. Norris vestibule. Can any books that i refer to are used will be at. Motivation. Get out. To deepen our awareness. Paradise. Open our hearts. It asks to sacrifice the ideas of perfection. The mystery. Some of the things that i do to try to stay awake. And i came up with spy. Attitude. Help me on earth those difficult. Parts of myself. The parts that went. Can allow me to operate with integrity from my better motivation. I hasten to assure you. That i do these five things as much as i can. There's mindfulness. That's simple. I'm just being. Without. Internal. Commentary. 5 minutes. Without making one judgement. Good or bad. Read tik-tok. The buddhist monk who writes so compelling. Single. After a while we might be surprised at the inside sarah rise. A spiritual practice need have no fear. Call xavier. If the word spiritual makes you uncomfortable. Honest commentary from people. We trust. At lowering our defenses when they give it. This is actually my all-time least favorite. We know they're being hard of hearing is a disability that's not the fault of the person. Being hard of listening. On the other hand is the responsibility of the person. We can have spirited conversation. With our unconscious. This is not a very unitarian-universalist kind of activity. We behave as don't wear any play. Acting out. I cannot talk about anybody else in the house. We keep the words coming even if they're saying blah blah blah blah blah. It's possible that insights and motions will arrive. Because they come from a deep source with it. We can write a dialogue to. We just don't let inhibitions. Allowing the unconscious. And the fifth one is good. Garrison keillor's to books at 7. Are a fine place to start. Peter says. The meaning of poetry. Is to give courage. Is obliged to saul. Buck you up. To get you to pay attention. Once you have looked into those two anthology. You can undoubtedly come up with other ways to allow the unconscious. Paradox. What's important is. That we acknowledged. Our reasons for what we do and say. Space for god's mystery dwells with all of its dark and light. The more conscious we become. A lifelong journey. The more we integrate our known and unknown parts the better we. Let me close by reading once again. This being human is. Ijoy. Depression. Amina's samoan cheerio. Welcome and entertain them all. Even if they're a crowd of sorrows. Honorable. He may be clearing you out. The dark. Ashamed. Anomalous. Meet them at the door laughing and invite them in. Be grateful. For whoever comes. Because each has. As a guide. From beyond.

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BUUF-sermon-20090426.mp3

I've told you before. About my 87-year old friends friend of this church. Embodies the best of unitarian universalist. The vision statement that we crafted last false claims that we lived heart and broad mind and cal fits the bill. Especially about the mine. He's the one who said. I'm an atheist but i think i'm probably wrong. At ministerial lunch last week we were having a great discussion of the phenomenon about how some historical arrows produced great people and others don't. Cow is conservative as you use go so imagine my surprise when he said. Probably some truth to astrology. Predict individual errors like that. My heart was lifted. That's surprising example. Many you use would have a closed mind at the idea. That might reflect archetype that the cosmos could have a connection with its component parts. Like our world. And he doesn't get around as sprightly as he went good but his brand of unitarian-universalism practice for 40-plus years contribute and. He told me his name kal-el is an acronym that stands for. Conservative agnostic. I'm glad for him. I also get great inspiration from the other end of the age spectrum. I have been working this year as i do every other year with our coming-of-age you. Inexperienced city's guarantee. Mines and lift. Gabby garmin the leader and me we meet monthly to discuss serious. Genuinely theological issues like god and mentor youth. Does a service project. Mentor and youth pair. Anime tennessee's kids will share with us in worship. There fritos. Why did you leave. At this point in their lives at 14 years old. Almost all of them have been in the fellowship for at least several years and many since they were born. I actually have conducted the weddings i'm at least three or four. Can there be anything more important. Then creating a place where we honor. Cheats. Enjoy love. Learn from. Our children and youth. These folks in our class. They're respectful most of the time they are extremely funny they are often rowdy there occasionally difficult. They are broad of mine and lifting of heart. I am very glad. Unitarian universalism. Has been a home for these you. And i am so glad that we are here for them. This morning it's my interesting cat. To lift up the excellence of our community. Inclusiveness of running and lifting of harding mine honoring the making of justice and i'm to do this partly so you'll be inspired. To pledge the very most you can't operating of this dynamic understand. Also like any human institution we're having a bit of chaos here and there. Human relations have their ups and downs and we are having some of those. But you know what. This is a totally human. Flights. And i can only sing the praises. Of a humid place the ghost force in that crooked line of the closer to find some. Sometimes we stagger. And sometimes we strive. Sometimes we burst with joy. And sometimes. We barely hang on or barely hang in. Sometimes out of our pain and desperate need we demand definitive answers. We feel that lightning. Undemanding leak. Sometimes. We talk ourselves very close into ourselves. And still on the market. And sometimes. We can gather the courage to share our grief. Or i lost and lo and behold hands reach out to us arms takis skin. And words of love. From people we barely know show up. In our mailbox. When i say how much i love this place. I speak out of scars that i have received. Reconciled and unreconciled paint. Impossible morning. Necessary blazing light. I speak as a person. Discovered my really great husband when i moved here in 1988 we got married 1991 and are still married. And if you do. Music. And i also speak. As a person who was nearly broken. By the death of my sister in 1998. Angel in love by this community. Until i could begin my journey back. To a completely changed life. Like the skin horse in the velveteen rabbit. Sometimes. I feel. Pretty. Real. Sometimes i feel pretty loose in the joints. And even downright shabby. Define a lot of my sharp corners. Have been loved off. Sometimes when are fabulous band place. I think i'll leave the preaching to them. What's a reading tonight. With their joy. Talent. Their ability to choose. All of those things speak to the deepest religious court of our sold whatever our belief systems waybe we don't have to worry about. The hand song. Speaks to the importance of the individual. We honor and we cherish individuals and it says. My hands are small i know. But they're not yours they are my own and i am never broke. And then the song also reminded. That we honor and cherish. Does shaving. Heart lifting miracles of generous community and it says. In the end. Only kindness matters. We. And in the song we are river. We're all called to reflect that the community that still nourishes us. Also makes transformation possible. Beyond these walls into the larger community. Our own little hands growing strength. By joining others. What song says. Each kindred spirit we encounter. Helps us grow. We are a river that flows through the land making our way to the sea. Gathering power as hand joins with him. Slow-moving stream the building a dream for the world. The handsome reminder. That we. Are god's eyes. We are god's hands and we are god's mind. That was out the best efforts of our fallible humanity. The holy cannot be found in the world. Each of us is precious in this church. Each of us. Becomes greater. By opening to others. All of us. Make love and justice happen by creating community and we all serve the ground of being. Source of nobility that was called the great whatever. This church community. Intimate. I am glad that we here today. All of those souls gone before us have created such an exciting open human spirit loving home for unitarian-universalism i'm glad it's here for us. Last night at our very lovely gala party. We had testimonials from several adults in the church. 20 something. Well there was eight years old. Had been running around helping very competently with the youth. And so she. Mc david voorhees she could speak. Around the room. Little figure. Jetty crosshair looking for all the world like something. She said. My mom brought me to this church when i was. You people. Have all helped raise. Thank you. For being with me in my day. I am glad. It displaces here for a little freya. For her big brother. For old people. And young family. And anyone. Who can call this fellowship home. May we know the importance. A being with each other. Call r.j..

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BUUF-sermon-20100110.mp3

Evine. You notice the leaves rustling with the tree frog. In the distance you hear a cow. Field grass. Little bit on the riverbank. Quiet peaceful. It all of a sudden there's a gearshift inside of you. It's like taking a deep breath and going. Yeah i forgot about this. Attack from the opening scene of an inconvenient truth. Algora captures perfectly the sensation that deep breathing can create. And one could easily believe that al gore would need to take the time to let himself slow down thinking about. Play the movie gore related story about looking at environmental record. Procore also notices and rises and falls against its upward trend. Is breathing inhaling next town. During the spring and southern and summer in the northern hemisphere oxygen carbon dioxide. Winter. Score notes that the levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the environment fluctuate desposar brecht us. I found this to be a fascinating and surprisingly moving part of the film. As we learn more about our environment our world our universe. We find that it's a lot more like us than we expected. El gordo. But he also finds that being quiet and listening to the sounds of nature help our heart to slow down our minds quiet and arrested. Now it's corn. In his case nature with the catalyst for this physiological response. And we can do this weather will win and i deal with pastoral setting for and it's daryl windlass cubicle. I first became interested in breeding years ago in oregon. I was bit of a mess at the time i was. Feeling nervous anxious worried about various life situations. I basically felt. Qt and disoriented and disconnected from most of the world around me. That's the department offer to meditation class and i knew i needed to take it so i can learn to relax. I took the class with my buddy tom who was a painter. He was looking for an easy peasy credit and he was one person who didn't need any help relaxing. Meditation class. I had an aversion to wrestling ever since a bad case of callus shoulder blades in high school. And i was ill at ease in that room. Recording of a droning sitar. I was at a loss who gave this lecture on our lungs and i was just sitting there thinking well. And my friend tom said to me. Going on in the background. Keep mistaking the sound of the stiff tar. For a circular saw. Which reminds me of a joke. And real frog with stanford's lilypad says. Deadpool swim along in a while later one of them says to the other one. What the heck is water. So. Oxygen was all around my buddy tom and myself but we had no idea what it was. Lexus on on living well. Both important ideas keep your mind from having regrets later. We practiced a few simple look yoga postures which i immediately like. Either by making impossible not to take a deep breath. We also chanted hendrick mantras to the sound of her harmonium. She told one story in particular cuz it has really beautiful imagery. I've never found any prints. Or find out where she got it but your girls. There's young. Who have to take care of elephant through the. Town square everyday to get it to the forest where they do their work of collecting wood to sell. At first it's kind of an ordeal to get this elephant to town square because he has a very curious trunk and a great appetite so he grabs papayas and watermelon send them as soon as you can. So. The villages get really upset. Trains the elephant. To hold a feather in front of his face in his trunk. Walks along with this feather. Right in front of his eyes and you can still see things out of it. So. She practises more and more keep realizes if she comes easier to just focus on the feather. Is martin b canned mangoes fresh off the tree. Focus on mind can do more harm than good. There's quite a lot of useless. But if we allow. Little elephants of my mind as i did at the time to go grabbing any yummy or. Mostly we'll find ourselves some problems. I'm i'm at that point in eugene with mostly hanging his trunk and shame or trumpeting nervously about things that we're coming up. Here. If we did not go back to ourselves in the present moment we cannot be in touch with life. And our breath is a great way of returning to the present moment. Regular reconnecting with our breath. Difficult or uncomfortable to breathe deeply. What about people who metaphorically. It's not such a different sensation in the real thing. Most people many people are not using 24 capacity. An inefficient breeder. Baby drawing in only 20 to 50% of their lung capacity. The probably breathe through their mouth made me hold their breath periodically without realizing it. And when this happens again. Breathing short shallow breaths only into their upper chest. And it's kind of short shallow breathing causes. A reduction of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream which constrict your blood vessels. And float and your brain. What gas levels need to be in balance. This is not just an occasional state they can have serious physiological and psychological effects. If a person stays deprived of oxygen for an extended time they become forgetful anxious. Confused handstand irritable. Severe cases of chronic oxygen deprivation headlights anxiety road rage and voting republican. Lack of oxygen. Response. On the other hand breathe through their nose usually. Which slows down the regulations. They breathe into their entire ribcage their belly their whole torso with makes their whole body more at ease and relax. Complete exhalation activates the body's relaxation response. Falling off a deficient breather is calmer more clear-headed and probably healthier and happier than one who's infection. And how it can help us let's try a little exercising. You know he's done this once today already we can do it. Comfortable. Graffiti. Flat on score against the back of your chair still your seat. On seat of your chair. And begin to slowly inhale and exhale. Casino on your breath. And. Through the top of your head. I feel so you can press your sit bones down at the chair that you're sitting. But you're not. Compressing your torso vertically. Navigate to spokes on your breath try to breathe in and out through your nose. And constrict the back of your throat. So you create a soft whispering sound on both the inhalation and exhalation. Got to make sure that you're breathing deeply. Completely. First take that breath. I feel your belly moving forward away from your spine and expanding. But that inhalation move up into your lower rib cage feeling your. Rib cage expand from side to side. From back to front. Bottom to top. Finally let your upper chest lid and after chest lift and forward. Have you complete that inhalation. And it slowly begin to exhale. First move in your belly back towards your spine. Pressing it up against your diaphragm then let the lower ribs contract around lungs. It finally let your upper chest move back and down as you expel this last bit of used air from your lungs. This process continues to repeat itself. As naturally as possible but with gentle encouragement from you to both deep in the inhalation. And whites in the exhalations. Imagine that you were on a cliff. Overlooking the ocean. I'm just observing as the waves come crashing into the shore. Rejoin the ocean. Bring your awareness. Can it be just coincidence that our breath sound so much like the ocean. When you're free this way where's our brat. A reflection an echo. Are the sounds of the natural world around us. I would say that when we return to our breath. When we return to our true nature we are returning. Really to the earth itself. Michael dowd in his book thank god for evolution which quoted while ago complete itself. He also describes various parts of the earth compared to the vital functions of a living organism. Earth's physical structure is core mantle crust and continents is the skeleton or framework for life at the largest scale that we know. The soil is a massive digestive system on which land-based ecologies depend. Oceans waterways and rain function of the circulatory system they transport the blood that nourishes the body of life. Photosynthetic bacteria algae and land plants service the planets lungs ever regenerating to life-giving properties of earth's atmosphere. I would say that when we come back we are literally coming back to the one nature we all share. Physically as good a way of any is learning about the many mysteries of the universe and the ties that bind us to it. Is mary oliver says. Someday perhaps. We will learn all there is to learn what the world is for example and what it means. As we continue to discover more about the universe i believe that we will find that is both expanding. And contracting.

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BUUF-sermon-20080824.mp3

Hi i'm tony deangelis. Today i'd like to draw on my 22 years of experience studying and instructing in a traditional style of martial arts. Japanese karate. To explain. Why i believe that the martial arts are a spiritual practice worthy of extended discussion. From the onset i want to differentiate my style a traditional style. From a sport or a self-defense system. Supposed to just a physical fitness endeavour a traditional-style approaches the martial arts as a physical moral and spiritual system. To help one live a fuller. More enlightened life. Cornerstone of the traditional martial arts integrates meditation. Intuit practice. It strives to cultivate humility and develop compassion. It attempts to look at the world with show shin. That's the japanese for open beginner mind. And you do this in an attempt to develop zongshen zhanshan is the old where mine. The ultimate. You're trying to ultimately cultivate motion. Mushin which is no mind or empty mind. So hopefully this will become clearer by the end of my talk. The martial arts today particularly in the west here is oftentimes consistently misunderstood. And the reputation has been diminished by both western. An eastern pop culture. Hello i have to guiltily admit. I do have a soft spot in my heart for good bad. Martial arts movies. What people call. Angry white pajamas. I just want to talk to you a little bit about that for a minute this incidentally what i'm wearing is that the outfit is called aggie. It represents show shin or beginner mine the whites of the gear represents shoshanna but what you'll find today we we link practicality with principal and it in asian culture tends to be a modest culture and it's a wonderful garb to work out and it's made of cotton canvas cotton so it's it's it's modest but yet it it has a deeper meaning to what we're talking about here. Also if you will i'm wearing bare feet. And in the western tradition barefeet is oftentimes a sign of disrespect but in the eastern tradition particularly in the martial arts when you come into the dojo which is a the training hall it means the place of the way you take your shoes off because the shoes are outside and they're dirty and when you're practicing in the dojo it's a ritual space so you're dedicating yourself to that space so you take off your shoes if you know i have no jewelry. His practical reason for that because of the martial arts. It can be dangerous if you're wearing rings or necklaces when you're practicing sparring techniques. But it's also a sign of respect in that you're trying to become egoless. You don't want a difference your sake they differentiate yourself from other students in the dojo. If you see here i'm wearing my belt. The belts represents experience. It's a little bit different than in in the american tradition in american martial arts schools there are color grading systems and indeed even in the traditional japanese systems now we sort of deferred to that color grading system with bill. But in reality in the old days for traditional martial art you were given a white belt. And the white belt was never washed. And the grits and the sweat of the white belt stayed on the belt and overtime the belt becomes black. Which is a sign of experience. In the west we look at the black belt. As mastery. In the easton traditional japanese system. It's only half of the journey. The idea is that the black belt garner's are certain level of experience and then you must take that experience and go further with. And the idea is that after time. The belt starts to fred. And begins to turn white again. Ultimately in the end similar to what elliot speaks about his four quartets you come back to the beginning and you know it for the first time. Because you're again. A level of a white belt but. An expert. So that's what. That's what the goal that's what we're working towards here. Hey we just let me just go back to the g1 second the ghee is the term that's used gigs japanese it also means in japanese rectitude. Which you may or may not know i didn't know originally when i started this book wouldn't rectitude means is making the right decision in every situation. Without wavering. Rectitude but i do have to say i'm standing here in my angry white pajamas my geek and i'm a little embarrassed. And partly the reason i am not embarrassed by wearing outlandish clothes some of you may know i used to be an actor so i am used to wearing outlandish costumes but my embarrassment stems from the inappropriateness. Of wearing my karate work clothes if you will hear in a unitarian church. A place where. By their nature the western tradition spirit is often separated from the body. Now i really like being at you you but but honestly sometimes we do get in our heads. Eastern tradition on the other hand and especially the martial arts has a much has no difficulty mixing the body. And the spirit. However i do want to say i am a you you i'm proud to be you you and i know of no other spiritual venue where i could get up here and explain to you my feelings of why the martial arts are spiritual. Here we are. Let's talk. First. I'd like to briefly and i can breathe that frame the martial arts in historical context now i can go on with this forever if you have any questions want to talk more about it later we can talk afterwards 21 things i'd like to say there's apocryphal story that has been reported that in the japanese with the 28th patriarch. Buddhism he was at the bodysattva it which means enlightened being who brought buddhism from india to china. Also brought kung fu to china. He brought it to the chinese monks in the shaolin temple under song mountain. Now this may or may not be true. But what is irrefutable is that chinese martial arts and buddhism have been linked together for at least the last fifteen centuries. For the next thousand years after the first 7th century transmission buddhism in the martial arts migrated from china to okinawa to japan and finally taqueria. And it's worth noting that buddhism and the martial-arts suddenly changed when introduced to each unique culture. And the japanese cultural soil proved incredibly fertile for both buddhism and the martial arts. The dominant strategy of japanese medieval society was the samurai the samurai was the hereditary japanese martial cast and they reinforce the tie between zen buddhism. And the practice of their martial arts. I'll look at it this way if you could die in battle at any moment. Ap came practical to tie a philosophy that stressed impermanence and living fully in each moment. To your dominant fighting system. So that's that's why we see. The tie. In the modern era the martial arts are considered a do. From the chinese doll. Down meaning away. And the dough is a way of liberation. Japanese culture is full of dust. Mine is karate do. Karate means the way of empty hands. There's chato the way of tea there's to do the way of archery there's. Ocado to the way of flower arranging. Simply put in japan the dodos are diverse disciplines used as vehicles for enlightenment. Now i'd like to talk about a few concepts that are essential to understanding the martial arts in the first concept is practice types of principle. And there was in this was exemplified by the first passage that i had dale read today the martial arts. Are practical art form. They started as a practical codified fighting system and as takuan soho author of the unfettered mind states technique and principle are the two wheels of a cart. But that would be a horse-drawn cart. So to really understand karate. You have to practice karate. I thought about putting the chairs beside and starting a karate class here today. But i rejected that idea because something you might be feeling physical exhilarated man others might feel sore and when did. But ultimately unfortunately we would be no closer to a deeper spiritual understanding of this practice the spiritual teachings of the martial arts of physical. Korat something physical like karate. Is a slow process of accretion takes 5. Ten fifteen years the martial arts and especially karate. My art form. Physically needs to be practiced obsessively and relentlessly to really organically understand the deeper teachings. We say 10000 kicks to understand one type of kick. We say ten thousand punches to understand one strike. Another thing we say it's a 33 years to learn how to stand 3 years to learn how to punch and three years to learn how to kick. In. The beginning i talked a little about the final goal of the martial arts to get to moonshine or empty mind. You can't go to motion or empty mind unless these techniques are first ingrained in your body. And the spiritual underpinnings are also reflective of these physical parameters in japan the term is renoir. Which means polishing the mirror polishing a mine. To honor this idea at the end of every karate class. All of the students get down on their hands and knees and manually wipe the dojo floor clean with a towel. This has the practical effect of wiping the sweat off the floor the wooden floor. And it also has the symbolic effect of helping each student approach his or her practice with humility. Wiping the dust of our ego which settles on our souls. But at this point i'd like to address for the difference between a martial art and a marshal system. Most cultures around the world have developed a marshall system of fighting system it which is a series of physical movements for protection for depends. Text protect your will on another. We think of boxing which is a very fearsome fighting system from the west. However raising the martial arts to the state of an art has been most fully realized in the eastern traditions. Most notably the martial arts of title buddhism we see it in china and japan. And korea. The concept of a martial art the idea that a marshal system was not only a system for protection and defense but could be used as a vehicle for ethical and spiritual development. A vehicle to cultivate humility and compassion. In its most realized form the vehicle is to get in touch. With the divine. That's the crux to what i'm talking about today getting in touch with the divine. My style of karate is seido karate. Seido karate is some means sincerely. Say dodo mean way say which means sincere sincere way it was named by my teacher a grandmaster in 10th degree black belt titotu dashi nakamura. From a poem from confucius that goes sincerity is the way of heaven. To follow it sincerely is the way of mankind. Seido karate places great emphasis on strong compassionate moral and ethical considerations. The dispatch right over here. Comes from the family my teacher to catch enough morris family crest. If you can see it here it has. 3. Circles. The first circle is respect. The second circle is love. And the third circle here is obedience. When we're talking about respect we're talking about respect for ourselves. Which i cannot respect for our families and respect for others. Without respect one cannot truly have loved and without love when can i truly understand and cultivate compassion. Title nakamura states that compassion is literally the movement of the insides of one being for another being. Obedience. It is a little more difficult for westerners to grasp. Keiko nakamura specifically states that obedience is not blind military obedience but obedience of the heart. An obedient to serve something greater than oneself. And obedience is another wonderful tool to check the ego. And serve greater cause selflessly. When we go to the dojo we back. Boeing we do when we we go into the dojo we go we bow when we before we step onto the dojo floor we bow when we leave the dojo floor we bout to our master we bout to senior students we bout to other students this battling is not a sign of some subservience but is a extension and technique of practicing your obedience. A is more to cultivate. Greater humility and again to diminish the influence of the ego in our lives. Who's comes from worcester shinobi which basically when you look at the kanji it means i understand it also means patients so when you bow your practicing and you're actually physically saying patience. With these tools to martial arts through martial artist through his or her practice needs to cultivate certain ethical and moral. Principals as well and those are rectitude heroism. Universal love. Courtesy truthfulness devotion and loyalty. I i i almost cringe when i say those things because it sounds a little bit like the boy scouts. Too bad but it just it's a bit see if you have a little embarrassing at first. But there is a reason for this and i will go on to explain it to you karate in the martial arts in general. Take an unflinching and honest look at the violence. That is pervasive within the human species. Violence rage aggression have been part of human story from before its official beginnings and it appears that part of our part of our genetic heritage. I like to think of the marauding bands of chimpanzees that indiscriminate lee kill rival groups for pleasure. In our modern world think of road rage domestic violence sexual abuse and murder and we need look no further than the tragedy that occurred a few weeks ago in tennessee. To see this violence play down. By extension. All we need do is briefly listen to or read the newspaper to see that this anger and violence and aggression is getting played out on an international level everyday. And i'm not focusing on other people or other countries. The martial-arts acknowledges that these negative feelings and emotions are found in each and everyone of us the darkness exists within our own hearts. The martial-arts would say that if you don't see that you're ignorant or you're in denial. Or worse you're lying. An ignorance is not a criticism it's you just haven't learned yet. Bike station if you are then in danger of propagating and amplifying this violence and aggression if you live in that ignorant or denial. The dojo is a told you before is called a place of the way it's a laboratory to explore violent impulses. And that's why the strong ethical imperatives and formalize courtesies the bowing and then the boy scout rules and then the feet clothing the being other than the rest of the world are established as guideposts and boundaries within the traditional martial arts to enforce a controlled safe environment to explore fear. Violence. And the aggressive impulse. I'd like to use the buddhist framework here if i can sense martial arts and buddhism are very very closely linked. If one originally comes to studying the martial arts for self defense. One is operating solely under fear. That's fine we all sometimes come to things because we want to learn to empower ourselves and become less fearful. Fear is a great motivator to begin one's journey on a path to enlightenment. But if we stay in self-defense if we stay in fear. One is operating on the level. Of using tycoons tycoon soho's analogy of a tied-up cat. If you progress then to the next level which is attempting to understand violence and aggression you were attempting to understand the nature of what the buddha in the four noble truths. Truth called suffering. However if one practice is diligently over many years you might get to the next level which is called freedom. It's the passage that gail read today at the beginning of the talk and to reiterate if i could to quote it in in terms of the martial arts the mind is not detained by the hand that brandishes the sword. Completely oblivious to the hand that wields the sword one strikes. He does not put his mind in his adversary he does not put his mind in his own body. The opponent is emptiness. He is emptiness. The hand that holds the sword. Is emptiness. Understand this. But do not let your mind be taken by emptiness. Easier said than done. Enclosing as i stated in the beginning of the talk we come back to the idea of shem. Beginner open mind. The temperature reach. Zanshin aware mind. And ultimately after diligent practice when will cultivate motion or empty or no mind. Engendering the mind with no place to abide. Or the story of the well-trained cat. Thank you.

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BUUF-sermon-20100228.mp3

Many many times. Probably. You know. If we're in a hurry. Towards the person with the white eyes and straight back and. Under the circumstances. We are generous. Kissing and. Our music. What if. What if we all started. Difference between. Nobody has an instruction manual. Every. Single. Difference. We are learning. The song we just heard. We don't learn. How many years has been for many of us. Ever gotten the tickets. Ever had an accident. I got a speeding ticket. Pass price. Am i stupid. A 60 year old friend of mine. In december distracted. Left literally. Have you ever done. You regret it. Something new. Or had supposedly. Internal pressure of sometime. End. Seriously i also usually have to apologize. Me and lie about someone. Have you ever seen around behind somebody's back. And dumb things you said you wouldn't. Onecast and promptly stepped onto the other one. Committed verbal or physical violence. Neglected something important. Have you ever let anyone down. We are. The first song talked about making mistakes. We are so. As far as i can tell. I'm guessing. It's a part of being incarnated into human form. If we all remember. Status. Probably. On ourselves for our mistakes small and large. Why are you. We changed our frame of reference and started forgiving ourselves. We might start taking it easier. If we lower ourselves with no. We will acknowledge. We will pay more attention. And be more mindful to the souls around if we have forgiven. If we have our eyes open. The other day in a yoga teacher training. I ran into a couple of quotations. Document. We are. We are here for 90 or 100 years. Turn up.. The truth meaning of life. He's running to. Welcome to earth. At the outside. Hardin. Will you be strong for me. Will you share some of your stories with me. If you will show me compassion. Will you still embrace me. Will you understand. Stand by me willingly. Will you share some of your questions with me. If you. We are. Humans. Kindness and understanding. When mom to give it and we long to receive it. Ebags. Inspiration. Blocks. Not doing it. Leaves us at the mercy of our. Not doing it isolates us. Regular practices that take his toward. And other forgiveness. We are far more likely to forget our students. We are more likely to. In the darkness. Generosity. It is really really difficult. What's about. In my old washington. I committed a very serious. Against a fellow church member. Don't get along at all well. Was a result of his wife realizing her sexual orientation. I put it in a craft and terrible way. I said. Splendid. I did not know. One of my audience. And ask to talk. Mortified. When the defenses are up. So we discontinued that talk in a little bit later he asked for another. I apologize. Not realizing. Not realizing. Midas. I could do something. In pain. Because his church. Tyrone. Trying to understand. Try to reconcile. I think he was acting all. As a good student humor. Three decades later i still stay. Integrity. Towards self insight and honesty that. And a lot of help from our friends. During my first year at the illogical school. I totally avoided. After 18 months. Bike time. Was waiting upon me. And i have some kind of a toning app. Yes i was going to forgive myself. Allow myself to be in relationship with john again. I used a disguise and abbreviated version of this. Backward by then. I am really. Bless his heart. Delighted to hear my heart speak. In a relationship. The important transgressions of our daily life. Large or small. Much more often. You take tart of the daily time. To be honest. Our shortcomings. Give them. May i. Maybe. We can pray to god. We can commune with the directions and the elements. Our daily discipline requires no. Search can lead to a softening of ourself. Which will make us much more likely to understand others. Which is. Kisses. Will forgive us our considerable trespassing. We will know. We really are pretty.. We are all. We're in our hearts. If we truly know this is. Every person in this room. We can begin the process. Define our hearts. Toward ourselves. And our feelings. As we forgive ourselves. As parts of the fella. Human family. We will. We will pay. Attention. We may avoid. Are ultimately going. To the same place.

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BUUF-sermon-20090405.mp3

Are reading a narcotic placing. Laugh at the expense of religion. There's a little truth. You sleepers know who you are. And i probably won't hurt you if i get loose. Religion. Ernest an unfunny. Provides great material for joking i have to make a brief. But extremely important qualification about all humor i'm talking about this morning. Humor that is cruel. Malicious. Or diminishing of others is not funny and should go away from all this. One of the most unfunny things. Religion at its highest cause it to love. To compassion. To listening to others views. And alas. We all know that we humans to practice religion. Canby hidebound and impossible. So there's a tongue-in-cheek religious were supposedly. A catholic church. And a cumberland presbyterian church. It gives us a break. From the very real pain of dogmatic religious difference. Free it starts with a catholic reader board that says all dogs go to heaven. The presbyterians says. Only humans go to heaven read the bible. God loves all his creations dogs included. Catholic dogs go to heaven presbyterian dogs can talk to them after converting to catholicism. And finally all rocks go to heaven. Which is a tendency that. Can be found in many ministers. Begin arms appraised. Ruptured look on his face. Dear lord without you we are done. Girls white stripe stuff from the few over there. Mommy. What is. We can see how religion can turn into jokes. It makes us see our fallibilities it's not just capital. And recognize the unexpected seriousness into laughter. What makes some of us claim that left. In and of itself can be a religious activity. Think about all those laughing buddhas. The hindu elephant god ganesha. The dolly mama. Breaks into hearty laughter almost every time he answers a question from one of us earnest pilgrims. If you google. Religion and laughter. You'll find all kinds of writing on the subject including some books that look pretty serious. There's two reasons why laughter is religious. When is. It brings us together. In peace and goodwill. And the root of the word religion means to bind together. 25% of the people in this room. Are suffering from a terrible loss or struggle of some kind. And the rest of us are at least worrying. About one thing or another. As lisa pointed out laughing doesn't take away our wolves. You shared smiles or g or defy. Comforting. The afflicted. That age-old function of religion. God. Is best known in the faces. And the voices and the touch. Of our fellow human beings. It is religious to be together with open hearts. Even when the tie that binds us is left. No second reason the good laughter is religious isn't it can poke at it a little causing us not to take ourselves seriously. Afflicting the comfortable. Function of religion. A realistic humility not. But he is one of the things that a spiritual practice religion should do. Humor. Can help remind us that the most important things are unknowable. And that we and our concerns are pretty small parts. As i told you earlier i went to the doctor on friday. Across town from my house. I arrived at 2:30 to be informed if my appointment was at 3:40 and that i had been told the wrong time. I didn't take it out on the reception mad. Remember that complaint free. Herman li. Then i thought. I've been reflecting on laughter for days. And now i'm in a funky state. Taking myself really serious. So i made up a game. Looking at places besides starbucks where i might profitably while away an hour. Toys r us. Cabela's. Never been there maybe i could be a bowhunter. I have an emergency. Birthday and the birds that i went out for a steak fries. Jenny craig. And then i saw. Hooters. Starbucks. But my goofiness all by myself in the car had to rid me of the notion my life was a matter of importance. I need reminders. That i am not. The big cheese. The big cheese. Is part of horses weigh. Way. Beyond my knowing. Here's a joke that also reminds me of. Sunday morning. Can i give you two good reasons. Me and i don't like them. You're 59 years old and you're the pastor laughter is good. Laughter is one way of being religious. Here are some examples of 2007 headlines that i devoutly hope. Reminded their composers that they the writers are indeed felon. Something went wrong inject fresh expert says local high school dropout. Panda amazing fails veterinarian takes over. Returning to religion this time unitarian universalism specifically. Jokes about face. Reflect our virtues back to us in funhouse style. We pride ourselves on our rationality. Are critical ability. Our refusal to accept predetermined holiness. We tend to pride ourselves on not accepting anything unquestioningly were often the ones with question authority on our car bumpers. And there was a visitor to a unitarian universalist church. Unbelief at the heretic. Are you asking this how you like it. And of course if we're critical rationale. You should. That we would. Esther. It was a sunday morning service in boston. And a man was making a ruckus the bacteria. You didn't. I would like to make. A parenthetical remark to newcomers today please don't be too alarmed we do in fact have our share of. Okay moving away from religion into other areas of mystery can you think of anything more deeply deeply spiritual. Humanely. Divinely human. Denver's. And here's a slightly. Offbeat taker. I've been teaching now for about 15 years. But the best story i ever. And what was up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed in her. She holds a snapshot of an infant. My baby brother and i'm going to tell you about his birthday. Mom and dad made him as a symbol of their love. I'm in denver to seed in mom's stomach and luke ruin their he ate 49 months through an umbrella cord. That about 2 saturday. Short around the house. So my dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies. The sign on the car like the domino's now. My mom had this bag of water she kept in there cuz you got thirsty. I'll close today by returning to our face. You may have asked yourself and ask why others be. Important existential question how many unitarian-universalist does it take. To change a lightbulb. Well there are many equally valid past but there's only one.

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BUUF-sermon-20101010.mp3

In 2004. Massachusetts was embroiled in one of modern days most defining controversies. Marriage equality. Universalist association. 25 beacon street boston common. Declaring our support. A gay marriage. One afternoon during that time. Jason shelton a young unitarian universalist composer. Was in the office of the vin uua president rev bill. President six-word excused himself to take a hot media call which were coming in like crazy. Jason heard him say no. We're standing on the side of love. Lowe's. A song was born. Perhaps destined to be one of our standards. The promise of the spirit. Space. Hope. And love abide. And so every soul is blessed and made whole the truth in our hearts as our guide. We are standing. On the side of love. The phrase resonate. Standing on the side of love is now an official campaign. Launched in june 2009 at general assembly in salt lake city. The campaign's mission is to harness. The power of love to stop oppression exclusion and violence based on people's identity. The first focus was gay lesbian bisexual and transgender rights. And the bright yellow standing on the side of love. T-shirt. Steakhouse steps and city council hall 240. In late may of this year over 150 of these t-shirts. Foreseen on you use in phoenix arizona. Crackdown on immigrants. People began referring to. Individual congregations all over the country have worn the shirts and use the slogan the situation's to oppression exclusion. Justice and love. Intertwine. Wouldn't. We all like to know. That we're living our lives. On the side of love. This particular sunday. Like a lot of sundays in the wife of congregation. And yet always and forever. Our subtext is. That difficult religious concept known as love. Today we have a guest. Some of us are very fond of. A busy towels to our reduce the debt campaign. If we are generous enough will frias. To carry our salvation. But used to say loving message forward more effectively. To nurture the souls of all walls. And help heal the world. Christian congregation. There's some other people in purple syrup to art but. In the service of nurturing soul souls. Stand on the side of love every time we meet. And reflect on people who might be able to benefit. From a friendly contact. Every time they authorize a check. From our congregations pay it forward to help someone with rent. Or utilities. Or the gas bill. They stand on the love every. Peanut butter fish for our insurance. Food pantry. There are. Quietly. In an hour. Community. And it is a loving act. Walker food. With no fanfare. With no strings attached. No need for anybody else to know you just go around there go in the door and take what you want. Joinus. On november 13th. You'll learn helpful things about life skills and you might be one of those. Bill's to call. Did you join. The cct. Here at buffs. We work to create a financially healthy structurally sound cradle. For our dreams of making a difference. We stand on the side of love as we work to help each other. And we want the spirit of. Flow within and among us in every single thing. From conducting business meeting. Through joyful potlucks. To solving our differences. To praying. And our beloved friend. Love is one of those hard words. Preaching about love can call forth. At the brightness of the sochi. It is one of the most overused words in at least speak english. But you know. I know. It is perhaps the most important practice. We can bring to the world. Defining it gets frustrating. Let's not. Instead we can and i identify at least at. Phrase standing on the side of love. In my mind then moves to. And that phrase. A lot for me. If we are standing on the side of love. If you are standing by me and i am standing by you. We are in it. For the long haul. With as generous. Heart. As possible. Shiny poochyena of new romantic love. When you love me enough. To stand by me. We have good times. And. You have committed. To putting up with me. Calling me on my end that attitudes and behaviors. Calling me generously. When i love you enough. To stand by you. We are glad. And. Two hanging in. To boredom and prices. Until healing. Brings us to a new place. We. Hold each other accountable. To those better selves that spring from love. Parenthetically. I am speaking of an ideal toward which it is possible to grow. That some relationships with people and the institutions are better off ending. It's just that's not what i'm about to smore. Relationship. What is considered some examples of the hanging in there generously kind of love. Really loves music. In his soul. After an unexpected terrible health crisis embittered and inclined to go into investments. Devoted his energy otherwise two things that he loved. First raising money for the symphony. Boise state university. Any apparently has enough love left over with his favorite. I love you don't know why the laughter is the nearest local. Tv the last two admitted i imagined. I think of the rodger sherman's of our congregation. Rodger is nowadays. Every minute. I just working life decades. In community organization or working in other ways toward justice equity and compassion. It sounds noble. Is pretty much a hanging in there forward one step backward it's not easy work. And there are prizes. Most vocationally or as volunteers. And none of you would go around saying. But you are. If you put around our church reading a little while you are aware of those kilos. Joy and sorrow and annoyance and reconciliation. To help grow. Unitarian universalism salvation all message in the treasure valley. I can look around. And i can see. With more gratitude that i am capable of expressing. The faces. So many of you. Who have labored. Do disappointment. Adversity. And triumph. Who have made mistakes. So generously atone and carry on. Who has forgiven your ministers mistakes. Who have contributed. Massive amounts. Of your time. Your talent. And your treasure. To this beloved. Contributing to this beloved community. Are standing. On the side of love. When i think of a. Long-haul kind of standing on the side of love in my own personal life. I think of my children and my odyssey. I had my daughter destiny when i was 16. And my son scott when i was 17. Their father. About the time they were around 10. And you love him. I discovered that i was beginning to like to drink. It didn't take long to discover. Then i liked it. A lot. For the next 12 or 13 years. With a few sane spot. I drank increasingly alcoholic. You can. Imagine. What my kids teenage years were like. It is the part of my life i most regret. So less than responsible. Who are the two people that i probably loved most in the world. With the grace of god. And a lot of help from the care unit rehab hospital and alcoholics anonymous i began recovery. The kids are adults by then and their main sponsor first was really. Looks like they might actually have another around for a few more years. And then if i continued in recovery. They were able to start feeling. With the help of their therapist and their own programs. Surface. We had several. Very very. Consciously. Difficult. Years. As opposed to the more unconscious difficulty of the 33 years. Because of the miracle of sobriety. And the bomb and challenge of spiritual discipline and the advice of a whole raft of wise people i was finally able. Do the necessary hard work. A simply. Listen. Or not bugging them if they needed several months break from talking to me. By no effort. You really need to hear this by no effort of my ego-driven will. Do the belated realization that i was flat-out. Plain old standing in the need of forgiveness. I'm sorry. And i will be here. For as long as it takes us. To work through that. It was one of the hardest relational times i have ever caught. Skinmedica. Every time i wanted to say yes but. Living in the pan dancer indiana self-recrimination. I really really wanted to explain how i had done the best i could. And i actually had fallen into that trap earlier. My wise advisers. God. And my higher self prevail. Praises. How wonderful to be able to stand here today and say. That we all lived. And that are bonds. Are stronger. They are by no means perfect. Hear that. Loud and clear. Ouija. With each other. Stand on the side of love. With this much honesty and courage. As we are able to muster. From the personal to the global. Can we take into our hearts the quiet resolution to stand on the side of love. Justice is indeed standing on the side of love. Can we find the causes that move us and then become a part of them. Can we stand by our godt sisters and brothers. What does sean homeless who like us are part of humanity family. Or the brown and the black and the red people who suffered.. Can we stand with our money our bodies our time and our energy with those who do not enjoy the privileges. When we realize how much we care about an institution can we transfer. Can we once again see the larger picture put aside our distractions and reluctance is in cherokee. And when our personal relationships are imperiled. Can we take the deep breath. Let's steal the others struggle. Our own part in what is happening. Can we let. Mystery. Everyone will have a different way of doing this complex business to standing on the side of love. All of us will stand by each other. But we can do it. We must.

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BUUF-sermon-20090719.mp3

In 1995. Kathy and i had the opportunity. Take a group of college students to oxford england. For three months to study abroad. One long weekend. We seized the chance to go to the famous lake district. Lodging between windermere and ambleside. We found a delightful taxi driver. Who was willing to take us places. Drop us off at some site. Pick us up an hour later and move on to the next place of interest. We were able to take in the wonderful lakes to quaint villages. And the stunning mountains. Which so not really very high. Appear alpine in size and steepness. We arrived early if william wordsworth's favorite retreat. We're greeted by his great-grandson and a bathrobe. And we're invited to wonder around the house and grounds without supervision. Because he had not finished his morning cereal. We have the house to ourselves and looked everywhere. Living areas kitchen bedroom study and most especially. The small arbor wordsworth had built overlooking derwent water. A long narrow lake stretching to the north. I resisted the temptation. To place a few small wordsworth ian relics in kathy's burgers. After sharing a leisurely post cereal conversation with wordsworth's descendants. We return to our taxi. The driver had picked up several young japanese women. All students on holiday. Who's english barely exceeded my japanese. And we were off to kezic. What had begun as a drizzle became a heavy rain driven by strong winds. And we all decided. That we would do an auto tour. Rather than try to stroll around town and valley. But before we got the kezic. We stopped on the side of the road to look at castlerigg. Pay for thousand-year-old sterling stone circle. Sitting on a hill. And surrounded by rugged heights. The rain and wind made it impossible to see a thing. So with the synergy. With the synergy of mutually supported foolishness. We all decided to climb the hill and see the ring up close. What a shame. Two mature individuals. Who have no business climbing a wet sometimes muddy 250 foothill with a bunch of young ladies giggling in japanese. But we made it and entered the ring. I have some wonderful foggy photographs. The people standing but we need almost parallel to the ground smiling radiantly in 60 mile an hour winds and lashing rain. My guess is that 4000 years ago the builders of this modest stone circle would not have made the journey we did in those conditions. But what was most striking was it even if he's awfully inclement. Conditions and are slipping and sliding about. The place felt somehow sacred. And this is the memory that sticks most strongly. At least since we dried out at our hotel all those years ago. And so it is always been. There are ancient places. Abandoned for centuries and even millennia. Did have a holy seal about them. And there are places that have been given that field. Almost anyone who has been house hunting. Has entered empty homes that have felt. And others that did not. These feelings have nothing to do with architecture or view. They seem to be the result. Of human habitation. But some geographical locations also have a sense of the sacred about them. This is why we find churches built on temple sites. That were themselves located on stone-age sanctuaries. Where these places reach far enough back into prehistory it is impossible to tell whether the land itself. Have this mysterious feel about it. Compelling sacred sites to be built there. Or whether humans through centuries and centuries of worshipping ritual contributed to creating that phenomenon. Perhaps both. We do not have to be new-age deputies to sense these things. Finding harmonic convergence has been tuning into cosmic vibrations do not have to be our thing. To recognize that some churches feel like churches. And some do not. The philosopher in each one of us may want to reach some grand ontological judgment. About what is going on. But the phenomenon many of us perhaps all of us. It felt at one time or another. Cannot be denied. We should not confuse arguments about the causes of such phenomena. Whether divine magnetic physical or psychological. With the reality of the phenomena themselves. The great lesson the philosopher and psychologist william james taught us over a century ago. Was look at the phenomena. And be slow to judge what causes it. This weekend we have the special privilege of hosting. Sabores relic tour. Fitoor that embodies an ecumenical buddhist movement. Ended it aims to appeal to all buddhist. Can anyone open to it. In centers on relics. In this case the unusual remains of great buddhist saints and teachers. For me it's quite moving because. Some of those relics are of great buddhist teachers that when i was teaching buddhism in college. Of course had taught. The traditional explanation is that these relics are pearls left behind in their ashes by these departed teachers. To encourage our efforts toward understanding. Freedom. Enlightenment. We may reject the explanation. But the pearls remain. Pancare in judgment. He's wise. Why would anyone be interested in relics. Except perhaps our rather morbid interest in the heart or some or skull of an allegedly spiritual person. Answers may vary. Relics might focus our concentration. On what is really important. Helping us to let distractions and secondary interest drop away. They may help us generate reverence with the aim of increasing our wisdom and compassion. Take a note to our gratitude. To those ancestral contributors to the mighty traditions that sustained millions today. Another words. Reminder. Of what is essential. Since we all have techniques we use to realign ourselves. To return to the ground of our being. To gain clarity about our life and our place in it. Why do relics generally leave unitarian universalist unmoved. Even cold. Even more why may they generate sometimes feelings of repugnance. Perhaps even hostility. Because they're nonsense. Because i represent the most superstitious elements in religions. Because they are somehow faults indicators of something transcendence. These responses of course you're not really explain relics or their influence on some people. Rather they are judgments about the value of relics. Relics as well as ritual. Even the minimalist ritual of unitarian universalist churches. Like lighting as a chalice. Required deeper explanation. And because each of us is conscious. Because each of us is self-aware. Because we are human being. We have spiritual lives. However we might describe that fact. And that simply means we are mysteries to others. And to ourselves. In fact the buddhism manifest here today in the relic tour. Offers a way of penetrating that mini mystery. Even if we cannot ultimately solve it. For some. Relics may afford a new piffany. Just as a blessing or a prayer or a certain location on earth might. My own epiphany came not from a saintly relic. Place or action but from a book. In this congregation. When i first started full-time teaching career in 1967. That's why they invited me to do the presentation today they started a relic should the dress relics. I read a slim volume called the voice of the silence. A translation of some tibetan texts. By the founder of the theosophical society hp blavatsky. Who said it represented a wisdom even older than but ism. It was full of strange terms some of which i cannot claim to understand even today. But it's central point hit me like a shaft of laser light. After reading this little work. I realize that my life could never be the same again. The point of the book is a simple question. Are you living your life for yourself. Are you living your life for the whole of existence. All of which. Is interconnected. Just as much shows why icr unitarian universalist 1st and 7th principles. Respect for the dignity of each individual. And the interdependent web of all existence. So appealing. I could not sleep for 3 days. I did not want to hear this challenge. It messed up everything i thought i was about. Remember then i was young yes it is true once i was young. And ambitious. It had great plans. For marvelous career some prestigious university. But now i knew after reading that book. Even though i did not understand i do that life could not go on as i had conceived it. Now this is not mean that i am a saint. Who lives his life for others. The gulf between recognition of truth. And realization of that truth in one's life. He's deep. And why. But the standard for measuring everything i did in thought and said. Had been laid down. And there was no getting away from it. 42 years later. There is still no getting away from it. Epiphanies happen. Of course they do not resolve all problems issues fears concerns hopes. For life choices. But they do bring a flash of awareness. It cannot be forgotten. And thereby influence. Everything that follows. For some people a relic might do just that. After all this book though translated into english. Was a relic from the long past. I suggested a basic reason for our tendency to shy away from relics has little to do with our explanations. Various negative elements in religions. Rather has much more to do with us as human beings. Many of us have encountered idolatry and found it repugnant. And even destructive. We is unitarian universalist. Struggling to find our own paths in our own ways. Reject idolatry precisely because idolatry give something a transcendent or sacred value that it cannot bear or sustain. We do not want to be let down. Or let down again. If this view is even a little bit true of at least some of us. It explains why some of us find it difficult if not impossible to appreciate relics. Because we're individuals. Our innermost reasons will vary as much as our paths through life very. But rejection of idolatry is a scene that may provide them all. Reading personal advice column. Mainstay of newspapers. I have it i still can't quite get rid of. Makes it clear that it is quite possible to recognize a relationship that is unhealthy. And abandon it only to fall into another relationship. It is unhealthy and exactly the same ways. Idolatry is an unhealthy relationship. And we might wonder whether we can readily abandon one form of idolatry. Only to be ensnared by another. Francis bacon. An early proponent of what came to be called the scientific method. And the quote i read this morning. To like the chalice was from francis bacon. Was also concerned with idolatry. But he did not find the idols he dismissed only in religion. He believed that we had to prepare to develop a philosophy. That is an understanding of reality. By purging idols of many kinds. She identified. Four classes of idols. Idols of the theater. For all the various abusive forms of authority. Kansas unitarian universalist. We have identified and rejected most of those. Just ask our minister. I don't see the marketplace have to do with the misuse of language. And we are very aware of them and their dangers. Being saturated daily with political rhetoric. And advertising slogans. Disabusing ourselves of them seems an endless task. Perhaps labeling ideas and actions as liberal. Conservative. Superstitious. Even. Scientific. And so on our idols we need to identify more readily. Idols of the tribe are those views and concepts which are common to a whole community. Culture or civilization. And they are much harder to identify. Simply because they can be invisible to us. It is easy enough to see them and reject them when they have been identified is plaguing our forebears. For example ideas of racial superiority and all those various colonial mandates. But this still leaves us a century behind. Those ideas we've grown up with. Can two easily seem to be mere descriptions of reality. When in fact they are assumptions about reality. We all find ourselves struggling with these idols. Everyday. But idols of the den. Those idols peculiar to the individual. Our most difficult of all to discern and remove. These articles may be taken to be part of our own being. Of what we are. And therefore we may cling to them as we do our own lives. Even more than idols of the tribe. Make whatever spiritual path one is walking. Fraught. With fear. Do i really know myself. These idols inhabit the very mystery of each individual being. But they also make the spiritual quest a real quest. And not just some easy boring lesson to be learned for an upcoming test. There are no multiple choice questions in life. Indeed it seems like life is one long essay question. Cliche. The idols. Are in. The details. So the question is. Have we really given up relics. If we abandon those relics of the mind of the emotion. Of our self-understanding and our understanding of others. Is relic idolatry. I think as a past. Or is it lurking within each of us and amongst us. Always ready to make us a little less authentic. A little less open to others. Undermining community in the name of individuality. Undermining individuality. In the name of the interdependent network. Existence. Viewed in this way we have little reason to be disconsidered about relics on display. They may serve their purposes of focus concentration and spiritual insight. Or they may.. The deep spiritual work incumbent on us because we are human beings and life is a community. Incumbent on us because of our unitarian universalist 1st and 7th principles. Which by their nature include the other five. Is the removal of idolatry. Not the removal of relics. Relics may or may not help us. White speech. Song. Social etiquette and motels. They are neutral tools. It is what we do with them. Syd matters. Do we use them to nurture community relationship and understanding. Even if we do not respond to relics of any kind. We can appreciate what they do for others. At least in the way we can appreciate a work of art. It does not speak to us. But that we know speaks too many. Are real task is not to judge all this from some allegedly superior standpoint. It is to continue searching for those idols that appeared to us as sacred when they are as bacon saw. False notions and misleading tendencies. We honor truth. And that makes our work great. Hard. And holy. It is nothing less than the alchemy of our being. An ongoing transformation of ourselves. Toward realization is a mystery that we are. Which is perhaps no difference. From the mystery of existence. We will not know. Until we penetrate. The mystery.

boiseuu_org

BUUF-sermon-20100523.mp3

When you pile rocks. Upon rock. One at a time. The vessel gets killed. Or american. The glastonbury tor. Is a safeway fuel near glastonbury england. I am the warrior toes of our congregation. In 2008 when i was on sabbatical. It's jurassic. Stone layers. Have kept it from being eroded over the millennia. So it rises alone. From the clay field. That's around it. It is said to be the home of the king of the fairies. It is said to be have been a druid center. It is said to have been an arthurian chill force. It is said to have been and deed of holy face. Christian's built on it. The mediaeval st. michael's tower ruins are on top as christians so often have built. Pagan sacred sites. If you want. Slowly up to the top. Share your walk with a lot of peaceful cows. Spend a little time marveling at the 360° you. Forever in all directions. Reflecting on what your heart feels. You will know that the stones of this tour are indeed. Just below it. Is the chalice well. Another very ancient. Very holy. Place. In that sacred garden. The way she was and i felt. Reverence. And mystery. I touched the female you tree which is holy. To the lady. My heart and soul took fire even as my roots plunged into the earth. Cheers bar. Sitting by the way. Sitting in the angel bench by the roses. Communing with the trees conversing with the druids who works there. Was a time out of time. A blessed renewing both transcendence. Grounding. Theology and history. Did not matter. As the sacredness was simply available to anyone. Of any time. For any belief. The chalice well site is administered by. The chalice well trust. Which takes care of all the undead. How did must have to create and keep track of a budget every year. For they have staff and other workers to pay and they have revenue from ignition. They must have to hire gardeners and overseas volunteers who helped end the play. And welcome visitors. They must have to make mundane decisions like how to do crowd control when there are 175,000 people in town. For the glastonbury festival. They have to do all these things and undoubtedly hundreds and hundreds of other things. While keeping uppermost in their hearts and their head. That they are responsible. 4-h sacred. Plex. Sounds familiar to me. We here. In the boise unitarian universalist fellowship. We are a sacred. Place. Vegetable and noodle. Ann arbor vet. Uccello's website. Theology and history do not have to matter. And sacredness is available to anyone. Whoever. Or whatever. You are. We are here. To help people give birth to their best cell. Time and space. For us to contact whatever it is. That brings us to rev. That brings us into. Genuine. At mystery. We might call it.. Borehole. Or human nobility or the great whatever or spirit of life or how higher power or or. Our human presence. Together. Is cold. The place itself. Made holy. Our presence. Recreate the scholarship for human beings spirit in order that they may go forth and make a difference. We nurture soul. And we help heal the world. Now a lot of you know. How much. Mundane work it takes to keep us going. There are always budget considerations just like the chalice well trust. Our beautifully run stewardship drive. May fall short maple very short and we may all have to make difficult decisions. Look at all the gardening. Worship needs to be plan children are taught encourage. Like the chalice well staff. We dozens who do the daily worm of poop. Can lose sight of our true purposes if we're not careful. With only three more years of my ministry there is a real. Urgency. Two are becoming that paradox. Spiritually deep. And pragmatically success. Here's how the chalice well staff. Created what they call. The work he thought. It is a covenant they share. Keep their eye. I'm going to read it to you slow. Please. Reflect on it as so i'm reading it about this place. Perhaps somewhere else that's important to you you can read along if you like you have it in your orders.. Take a breath. We acknowledge chill as well as a place of beauty sacredness and p. And we cherish it. As a team or so. 215 60 members. Still a team. We will support each other and foster the spirit of arson. We will endeavor to have clear open and honest communication between us. The try to resolve issues and concerns to it. We will be fully present. Taking pride in our work and being wholehearted in the service that we give. We will act with integrity. Honesty and professionalism in all that we do. We will engender right relations and act. Care. Love. Timer. Humor. And humility. We will uphold all spiritual values of goodwill and right intentions. And we will demonstrate environmental awareness in our working. Manish. The function according to those. If we manage. To function according to those. When i asked you to take another look at it just for yourself take a deep breath. Field of fear the word that you perhaps just read you just heard. Reflect on it in your own walk. He's worried somebody just as we do a commitment to the highest good for all. A commitment to the. Which are part of the same thing. I invite you now. Take a look at those words. And please read them aloud quietly to yourself. We'll just have a murmur i don't want to do a unison reading i want you to reflect. You may want to stop on when it means something in particular to you. I want you to read them. In a way that takes it into your heart. Speak quietly restart now. There are lots of keywords in this. Keywords. So we can all live for. Beauty sacredness. Communication. Being fully present. Being wholehearted. Integrity. Honesty. Right relations. Spiritual values of goodwill and right intention. Environmental awareness. In all.

uucnrv_org

160626_jm_hymns.mp3

Welcome to the june 26th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today. A service in song. Is led by worship associate jane mahone. With the assistance of several uuc members. Who introduced their favorite you you him. Welcome welcome good morning so great to be here. Today i'm ellen plummer. And it's my joy to launches into our. Annual hensing many of us were invited by our worship associate jane mahone to submit the names and the titles of. Hymns that. That. Have meaning and that we would like to share together so our worship today. Our worship today is dedicated to the. The divine the holy the the that which makes us spring forward the song in our heart. And you may remember that our worship worship theme this month is yes. Yes. I can't do it quite like tara.. Yes. Channel my inner dara. And i invite you. Yes. 2. This is not about whether you can sing or you can't sing or what your own self tapes are about your voice. And i invite you to say yes. To the voices within. As we sing our favorite hymns together. Today i was. I had a little moment earlier today when i heard they coulouris and it was transported to the fourth grade when i was a member of the estudiantina with ribbons down my back and we saying they call otis and espanol. Right. De colores sebastian was campus but that's not my song. My him this morning is come sing a song with me. And i love. The words of this him this him is number 346. 346 norteno. Gray. Gray hymnal. And it invites us to share with each other. Method and a mechanism by which we might know each other's mind. Bye. Which we might know each others. Heart. And. Ultimately. Our commitment to bring to one another hope. So. I'm going to ask wayne to come. With me. Good morning and welcome again. Do they give you a congregation. I'm jay mahone i'm one of the worship associates along with ellen and and quite a few others. And i am so delighted to have the opportunity to lead this rather unusual service. Would you raise your hand if you were here and i believe it was 2013 probably in the summer. When we did. Him service before. And you came back. All right and i especially wanted to explain this to anyone who's this ting perhaps for the first time because. It we really do not do this every week. If you idiot so if you hate this we will we will not be doing it again probably for a year or two more. If i have anything to say about it we'll be doing it now. And i'm so. Please and kind of flattered is that people were willing to move up toward the front now i asked people i want you to know ask people to sit in the first four rows hoping that we could get people in the first seven rows and and. So thank you so much love you. You use don't usually cooperate this much. So anyway today will be singing songs from our to hymnals and so if you be sure you have those at your fingertips if you don't there's some extra sets quite a few extra sets as wayne warned me there would be in the front rows. We're people typically do not sit. And so does everybody have a copy of both the teal and the gray hymnals. That they can get their hands on or share with someone okay good. I want to just remind you to silence anything that might go off during the. Service although we may not hear them so it probably won't matter but maybe you should leave them on and we'll see. And now i'd like to invite barbara taylor up. Toledo send him number 159. And just to give you a little. I don't know if i put teal hymnal next to the ones that were in the chill him know but just to give you a little clue if there are three digits it's the gray hymnal. If there are four digits it's the teal hymnal. Well here's a little more insider info at the bottom of the hymns. On the right. The other so often. Werder so about. What the him what the tune is. And you can look those up in the back and you can see that sometimes we have several different hymns with the same tune which i think. Nicole i love that when i can recognize the tune. So. This one this is my song it's to the tune of finlandia which i think is just so inspiring i love that music so much. And i like this one especially because it reminds. If there's a guy that's it. Thank you so much for a bro. And wayne. I want to. Since you have pointed out to me that we got no instructions about standing or not. Just feel free to stand or not stand whatever you want to do is just fine you've done such a good job site again almost the first four rows that i want to give you a little freedom today. For this service. I would also. Like to give a special. Thank you. To a special visitor we have today. Who is susan barrett. She is the person who came thinking that she would probably play. 5. Maybe five songs you know the three solos plus couple of him which is what we usually do. And last week when i mention to her that we might be singing you know like. 10 or 12 only was so good-hearted about it but she started immediately like 20 and then i could do like a medley of hymns to the beginning and i can do this special him and and she is not only a wonderful local musician who plays both piano and cello and has performed in much greater halls than this. But. She has actually had experience. Playing for other. Churches as well. And now i'd like to welcome maryland dupont forward to lead us and him 311. Well i think that most of us are familiar with him that i'm going to introduce to you this morning let it be a dance by rick mastin. However this was not included in the uu hymnal which preceded the one we're using today. And my familiarity with this him goes back many decades. Actually when i had the privilege of hearing it's song by rick mauston himself at our previous church in san diego. Rick was friends with arco ministers in about once a year he would bring his guitar. And doing entire service of his poetry in his music. He always spend some time with the kids first and sent them into gear fits of giggling with the dirty word song. Which would versus which ended in the words. Doggy poo. Hottie. Cooper. Bottom. But after all we were in the throes of the vietnam war at the time and the real message. About dirty words was in the final verse. Which concluded with the words hate and war. Rick masson was a you you through and through and he was ordained as a union minister in 1971. Although he never attended seminary. Or even finished college. He performed worship and 500 congregations over the course of his active. And let it be a dance. Of course remains his best-known musical piece. After he played at. Played it for us he reminds us. Dance requires. That sometimes we go forward and sometimes we go backward. And the thing is the down. Getting to a different place not so much. I would like to close by sharing an image. My brother told me a. He didn't find love and the most unconditional entender time until he was well into his fifth decade of life. She was a diminutive woman he met in thailand. And they had many years happy years together before. Or she was diagnosed. The terminal. Charles shared some of his images of their final weeks together. In that way the people often need to do in their grieving. She was receiving hospice care at home. I went to became too weak to get to the bathroom on her own. They worked it out. She placed her feet on top of his feet. Grasping around the waist. And he walked backward. And together they got where they needed. And she described this tender event to me. I recognize the elements of the dance. Sowell included in the rec mass. Rick masten. himself died of cancer in 2008. At the age of 78. When the doctors told him that his condition was terminal. He said. How do you go out dancing. By doing what you've always done. Being yourself. May i have this dance with you through the good times and the bad times. Let it be a sweet may i have this dance with you. Everybody let your body looking too bad. Let it be i guess we do may i have this dance with you. Morningstar comes out without the dark there is no loss. Paul is going to lead us in the next him. And i have asked. Wayne and fail to ask bill if he would come up. And help cuz we're going to sing this in a rent as a round. And while i'm on the subject of doing things that are a little. Sometimes beyond i says you use i've noticed some folks dancing in the aisle. I think i heard some other parts besides the melody feel free. Well before we do that we can have a few words about this. This. It's because it's very dear to my heart. When i was. In my twenties and really looking spiritually for home. And i checked out just about every denomination of christianity and some eckankar in some off things. And they were all. The lawsuit exclusive to me they excluded somebody. And that bothered my heart a lot. And it wasn't until i found the sufis. But i thought i found a home. Andrew me the person who wrote the words of this song was a thirteenth-century mystical sufi poet. And the words there's a line that's not in this song. Come come whoever you are. Wanderer. Worshiper. Lover of leaving. Even though you've broken your vows a thousand times. Ours is no caravan of despair. Come yet again come. How can i be more inclusive than that. And as we just said love is the doctrine of our fate so. Do you use in the sufis feel. Connected to me in that way. So. And she said this is around so i thought we would sing it. Wants to get all together twice. I didn't want to do it all together and then break up into. Street fights. Okay let's do it twice together. And then we'll stop and we'll do it in parts. Awesome. Price place together. Okay well alright. And you in the middle to decide which. Hunky dory. We know who we are already alright. Middle. Oh yeah chicken call. Oh yeah chicken call. Yes that was beautiful you guys it sounded so nice up here. And you will get to hear. Yourselves on the podcast if you would like to. We are recording this and we have the. Fancy mike as arthur's note call sit right down here. To hopefully pick up the whole room not just the people who are leading the song. And now i'd like to invite irene peterson and molly mcclintock up. Toledo. One of my favorite songs. Good morning. Hi molly this is irene if you don't have it figured that out yet. I think this was an easy one cuz this is a favorite for so many of you. This is one of the very first song that was sung when we started coming to uuc in the fall of 2014. And it's sort of hooked.. Partly because it felt like a folk song and not a church him which was very important to us. And which is why we always love when jim current sings. It hits on three of our favorite uu themes the oneness of the human condition. The journey of spiritual inquiry. And the connection to the natural world. So please join us it is number. I love that song. 11:11. And now i'd like to invite cynthia luke forward. And will be singing hymn number 354. I first met shelly denim who's the author of this. Him. At the mountain in the 80s how many new shelly. A few of us dead. So shelly was on the mountain staff and she was a programmer and she was married to ian dennen. And she has five songs and their him know and i asked. I'm chained to choose which one she wanted us to sing this morning. Shelly left the mountain in 2010 when they had a staff. Resignations. I'm because the mountain budget was in such poor shape until three of the major. Staff members programming staff members left at that time. Then i was curious to see what happened to shelley. And her husband ian and they lived in highlands north carolina. For a few years and. They both died in 2010 and 2013. Ian. Died unexpectedly according to the. Obituary in the highland press. And she died six months later. I'm very unexpectedly and suddenly. So they leave for children. And i would love to sing the song it's a tribute to her and how much she meant to me in the 80s and touch my life. And how many times have sung this song. Chikhli like the last verse. We need easy to. Our next him as 123 spirit of life. And i've asked. Wayne to sing it through once. By himself. And then we will all join him. On2. All the rings. Hold me close. Come to me. Call. Alright we're going to sing it all together. And now i'd like to invite dick look forward to talk a little bit about. The song that he has chosen number 128 for all that is our life. For those of you have heard me sing you're probably surprised that i'm up here. It's kind of curious because i literally can't sing and even though alice has a team ever teach everyone to sing i really succeed be a failure with me. But music does speak to me. Amanda. I've always been a little bit on the teary side but i am. 4 years clean and very serious bicycle accident having my brain got rattled around a bit. And i seem to be more labile since sense. I awesome crider enhance. I love this song because. Thumbs up life and. How we approach life. That we give thanks for everything in our whole life we celebrate. And. It's it's all. It's good and if so. Important to us. It's a gift. And suggest it says we are called to use. This is kind of. Panama unitarian philosophy. Pro togetherness him. And i won't stay up here and sing. Wish we are. And make our own days gone. Or need each other or services. For all that is arlo. Or sorrow or failures. Or all that is arlong. 404. And make our own.. I love all these songs. I said that already started. And last but not least before. The benediction. Is. Bill patterson's going to come up and tell us a little bit about why he chose the fire of commitment which is in your teal hymenal. Which means it has. Four digits. 1028. This song is is. If not my favorite. It's certainly one of the favorites i guess i have a lot of them. Cuz i do like sing i don't do much of it anymore. Joshua snyder. So it's a little tired i don't know if i'll make it through this him and like dick. I haven't had a serious bike accident like you did but. I guess it's just the age catching up with me. About turning into. Witty old man that's what's happening in the southern music just really. Does it to me especially. Especially good music and good sayings. I'm glad wayne's up here he can carry us through the ham if i. If i. Tear up. I don't know if you noticed the story or not i can't remember where i heard it. Or who told it was somebody in in a pulpit. So it may have been here don't move done in my other congregation. Dining florida. When the. Editors of the new pembroke we're putting it together. They came across somebody knew about the the song the fire of commitment i don't know if that was the name of it at that time but. They liked it so much. They said. Yeah we really want this with this. In our hymn book. But we need to change some of the wording i don't know what the changes were that they they wanted to make. So they got is my understanding they got on the phone. With. The writer of the song actually that the right of the words is different from the right of the music and i don't know which one they talked. Maybe both. But they. The story goes that they. Back and forth. Most of the night. Trying to convince these people or this person. To let them change some of the words and first the person was. Adamant no no no just like i wrote it. But then finally they relented and the changes were made. And it's in the handbook. And. Much to my delight because. It really speaks to me a lot. Music of course you know they're at the other notes whatever whatever you want to call him the notes that pitches and so forth. They. Speak i think more 2-hour. Emotion. It's just something the intellect but mostly i think it's to the emotion least that's true for me. But the words the lyrics speak to. Leo delectable also to the emotion to. And. The both of words ending music in this song speak to my. Not only my intellect but i think more importantly. Jemima emotion but even more importantly than that. They seem to speak to. The interval eremos. Tore my being. I used to think it was music. But i realized. Music is is there somewhere looking around and around the core but the core is. His more than that and i i don't know exactly what it is i'm working on that a lot. So. It will sing this through with sing the whole thing we've still got plenty of time so short serve. And then afterwards. If i still have any voice left in my plan is to. Sing a little bit of the tune. With my mom from. Which i discovered. Not too long ago actually fits. And so it'll be a treat or treatment. For you. Please do this in fact. If you want to join in it's very simple. Mantra. Do you want to join in. That be fine. That be great. There's a sabal singh 10 song. Rama rama. No. Reduce knock. Thank you so much bill that was an extra treat. So willie is going to do our benediction. About a year ago meg barnhouse. Indeed one of our server. Over the summer. Concluded her service with. Phenomenal benediction. That's sad. May you learn to be the wind. And breathe. And blow. But you learn to be like fire. And shine and glitter & glow. May you learn to be like water. And rise and ebb. And flow. May you learn to be the earth. And growl. And it touched me. And it moved me and i went home that very afternoon and i said it to music. So i will do my best to play for you now. May you learn speaking the earth. May you learn. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At uuc an rv. org.

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131201_do_creativity.mp3

Welcome to the december 1st service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by are settled minister. Reverend roland. Her servant is titled the gift of creativity. Our first reading this morning. Comes from saul williams who has a spoken word. Poet. We are unraveling our navels so that we may ingest the sun. We are not afraid of the darkness. We trust that the moon shall guide us. We are determining the future at this very moment. We know that the heart is the philosopher's stone. Our music. Is our alchemy. Our second reading this morning as from theologian. And author. Prolific author matthew fox. To speak of creativity. Is to speak of profound intimacy. It is also to speak of our connecting to the divine in us. And of are bringing the divine back. Into the community. It is true whether we understand our creativity to be be getting and nourishing our children. Making music. Doing theater. Gardening. Writing. Teaching. Running a business. Painting. Constructing houses or sharing the healing arts of medicine and therapy. Imagination brings about not just intimacy. Butt big. Intimacy. Essence of union with a cosmos. A sense of belonging and being at home of our knowing we have not only a right to be here. But a task to do with well while we are here. The artist innocent among us shares intimacy. And returns ones intimacy to the world. Nourishing a communities inner experience. This process of intimacy she feels a lot like a sacred experience. What do we do with chaos. Creativity has an answer. We are told by those who study the processes of nature. The creativity happens at the border between chaos and order. Chaos is a prelude to creativity. We need to learn as every artist needs to learn to live with chaos. And indeed the dance with it. As we listen to it and attempt some ordering. Artist wrestle with chaos take it apart deconstruct and reconstruct from it. They accept the challenge to convert cash into some kind of order. Respecting the timing of it all. They combine holy patients with holy impatience. Yes that is the role of the artist. It is each of our roles as we launch the 21st century. We are all called to be artists in our own way. We were all artists with children. We need to study the chaos around us. In order to turn order. Into something beautiful. Something sustainable. Something that remains. To tell you the truth. I'm not really much of an artist. Not in the traditional. Sort of way. So it's rather funny that i became a creative arts teacher. Which was one of my vacations before i was a minister. My very first art classes were actually a disaster. My childhood art teacher was a perfectionist. And i wanted. Her recognition desperately. So when it was time for collaging in our art class when i was a young one. I flipped through the national geographic and i look for all of the shiny images and i pasted them i cut them and i pasted them and copious amount. Untwist sheet of construction paper. Perhaps some of you have memories like this. So the teacher pass right over me. And she went onto my neighbor. I can never forget how she said to my fellow student. How interesting. We should put that on a t-shirt. And i raised my eyes and i lifted my own page. And i said could you put this on a t-shirt. And she looked at me and she said you could. But why would you want to. I wanted her to bestow upon me the mark of an artist stamp of approval i was doing art to please someone. But it wasn't working. And it has little to do with anything that brought me a sense of joy. A sense of discovery. Certainly not a wholly sort of connection. That we heard in our first two readings. Food for me it was theater actually. That became my very first expressive form. I watched plays i wrote plays. I acted in plays and much later i came to be a drama teacher. I loved words. I love the power of human beings using their voices and bodies as the fundamental instrument of creative expression. I love to watch the plays tell a story which brought one up close and personal. To some truth. I'll share with you was actually very early way that i came to love humanism. Or to be. Appreciative of humans creative powers and to bedazzled. Buy them. I was struck by the human beings ability to feel so many emotions and then our ability to observe ourselves. Also to amend our own actions and then to imagine a world and created with sounds and silence and. Movement and dance. I was fascinated by mere human beings. Are magnificent bodies and whatever shape and form. I was dazzled by the array of our human challenges the gritty moments the moments with grace perhaps there are some people here who also loved theater. Raise your hand if you're a lover of theater. Lots of theatre. When i went to see one play called my children my africa. Biathle sogard i was transfixed by the lights in stage and it seemed there that all that was a colonel. Had come to rest somehow in that very moment. Which revealed me something mysterious that was both dreadful and beautiful and that way it also opened my heart to mysticism. In an unexpected way. That play by apple food guard. Is about a group of schoolchildren in south africa who experienced being caught in the systems of apartheid. In the audience i felt alive. And that sense of aliveness was being radiated from the actors on stage but it has something to do with us in the audience to that we were creating something together in that space and time that. That may not ever exist. Again. Even though i was only 10 years old i had the sense that we were traveling through history and time together being shaped by this experience in a way that was larger than that play. Instantly larger than that little barn. Henryville pennsylvania. Where the play was taking place. I have for many years been a student of augusto bilal. He's a brazilian educator who died not so very long ago. He was nominated for a nobel peace prize in 2008 for his work. And i would say he's one of the unsung drama terms of our century. Augusto boal created something called the theatre of the oppressed. Which has a somewhat ominous name. But a rather beautiful story behind it. He was an actor and a director who left commercial theater. To go forth and teach theater games and improvisation. To rural areas in brazil. Now in the ways that inspiration to pass down through authors and writers and thinkers and teachers and experimenters who have come before. The law was inspired by bertolt brecht someone who i'm sure folks in this room. Some folks are quite familiar with. The wall and bertolt brecht both had ideas about dissolving the line between actors and observers. Belongs with the sort of problem solving for the theater in which people would stage real life challenges. And then the community would co-create. Ways of solving those challenges. Forming collective solutions. Was very popular form of theater. And it's hot now today all over the world. I've on occasion lead theatre of the oppressed workshops in our unitarian universalist congregation perhaps we'll do that here sometime. The wild developed this interesting subject he called the spectre. One who could both observe. But also take action. I found myself drawn to the walls work out of necessity. When i was serving as a creative arts teacher and a drama teacher. I was looking for the kinds of tools and approaches that would help people to tell their own stories. Help communities. Collectively imagine new ways of being together and problem-solving. At that time i was working with him in a program for adults with developmental disabilities. And script printed script were out. Our environment was one of rampant improvisation. It was an environment that might have been challenging for some and in fact it was for me upon occasion but. Thankful turn of events. This experience actually ambushed me. To lose any sense of predetermination. Or should or perfectionism. Or ultimate control. About creativity. Where i was teaching creativity with the process by which individuals and the community. Sound of sense of freedom. Enjoy. It was not my early art teachers kind of place. A process was experimental all ideas were given a chance to breathe. And to be considered. Many of the folks that i worked with had been told. Directly at some time in their life that they could never be an artist. That they could never be an actor. Because of the difference. Because of their difference and abilities. But our actors and artists came alive with the freedom. To do their own thing together to create without judgment. And we ended up touring original shows based on the life stories of our actors to places like a special needs school. In melbourne australia. When i was trying to keep up with the fierce creativity of my student i was trying to find new tools like the theater of the oppressed. An anti-magic my own earliest acting teachers in high school. They who had also surrendered their scripts to the trash heap. And who would given us room to tell her own stories and to create original plans. At that time in my life i would say that theater. Saved me. Maybe you had a saving story. About the art. At that time in my life i long to belong like so many young ones. I longed for a creative tribe. A community of affirmation a place to play a place to be silly to explore that which was real. Family. School pressure. China some of our younger ones here explored and worship last. Sunday. Politics friendship. When i became a teacher i tried to offer the same thing back. A space to belong. The name of the real questions. We would try to take to the stage and portray. Those things that were on people's hearts and minds. The ancients viewed art itself as a process of. Discovery. It was less about formalizing a finished product. All art that was made by human beings was considered mere imitation of the work of the divine. Plato wrote about this he said we will not stay the painter that he really nick something. Certainly not he really just imitate. So early on the id and western philosophy and early western theology was that all human art was just imitations of the divine. And then christianity developed. And strands of christian thought highlight of the ways in which divine inspiration actually shows itself is emanated through. As individuals. And this idea blossomed forth in the renaissance and then the enlightenment.. I have been moved by the process theologians in the 1920s. Like alfred north whitehead. Who developed a way of talking about god. As not static. But is changing. As a process. All ways of becoming. This was a new concept. A new popular concept. Process thought process theology allows us to you use language like god is a verb. Emphasis is not just on being but in becoming. It makes a space for us to imagine ourselves in a growing thriving universe and us to have growing thriving universes inside ourselves ever in a process of change. This is the kind of thought that unitarian universalist poet and theologian victoria's safford is indicating when she says god is what knows how to grow. House of staunton process theology highlight creativity. Generativity. Imagination. Possibility breathing. As features of life that connect us to the secret into the holy. I would say that the arts. Are incredibly important. Life-giving. Because they recall us to our senses. Literally. Our sense of peace and touch and sight and smell. When beauty is issued forth from a creative process of meaning. The beauty can actually heal and reveal. Restore and remind us. Not long ago i was at a minister's retreat. A beautiful place. To value beauty. And they're matthew fox with the illusion that we heard from earlier today gave a presentation. He wrote a whole book on creativity. And he says creativity happens at the edge of chaos. And order. For some of us schooled in the platonic idealism or like to control things which we humans often do. Defensive chaos giving way and being part of creativity is perhaps a little bit uncomfortable. Maybe some of us like tight lines. Clear lines. Order. That is good and often necessary. But this teaching this morning highlights the necessity of chaos as a prelude to creativity. Hinduism has long embraced the chaotic. Kali is the goddess both of creation and of destruction. And many of our origin stories found across the spectrum of the world's religious traditions actually highlight this experience of primordial darkness. Also known as chaos. It's actually necessary in these stories to give birth. To the world. It's a womb assort. The poet alex grey puts it this way in a poem that was actually inspired by emerson's oversoul. He called the darkness. This chaos. Because at the studio. Of eternity. He said 15 billion years ago before the beginning. In the studio of eternity. There was a blank canvas. Nothingness. Pregnant with the possibility of everything. And then a miracle. Our collective being. The divine artist. The creator god aching to express to exist. Exploded itself. Ourself into a cascade of light shells. Big bang.. Into creation. Matthew fox says the universe is a birth place where stars are born. There's something very important here about the darkness. This month we begin our monthly theme of waiting. It's a time of pregnant pause. In our hemisphere the days grow shorter. Historically the farmers could not farm so people went inside. The inner arts. They did things inside like woodworking and sewing. This is a time for inner looking. Embracing our own darkness and its relationship to ultimate creativity. You know what teacher. Whose brilliance lies in three simple words. She turns on the music for her students for her dancing students. And before instructing her students to move she says. Breathe. And wait. Breathe. And wait. Students often want to race 4th in their steps. But when they do they're led by their mind not by the spirit of the dance moving through them. The music begins and a teacher says breathe. And wait. This is the study of winter. And its relationship to creativity. There's one more thing i went to lift up this morning and that's jim henson. An imagineer. An engineer of the imagination known to so many of us. And he said i don't know exactly where ideas come from but when i'm working well ideas just appear. I've heard other people say similar things so it's one of the ways that i know there is help. And guidance out there. It's just a matter of figuring out how to receive the ideas or information that is waiting to be heard. We know we can think about creativity. In that frame of mind that is satanic idealism. And we can give credence to the wonderful heroic artistry of the masters. But i would say that creativity is an inborn gift. They each one of us has. And it's long been linked with the powers of the soul. If we do not take this time. I'm waiting. I'm sitting in the chaotic darkness. Our efforts. Will be let alone by force. And not. In breathing concerts with a cosmos. Are larger sense of creative spirit. Can lend us a sense of ease and magic and joy and sometimes we know. When we've arrived into that place. What are we to do those of us who wrestle with this waiting. When the darkness feel so uncomfortable. It's a hard thing it's what meditation has as practicing. But in this weeding. i want to suggest you today that i'm quite interested in us human beings. Recovering when i call the sense of the doodle spirit. The doodle spirit has very little place in the digital world. Following pen scratches and hunches the doodle spirit. Is it time for sweet meandering. In which wonder just shows up again and again and again reminding you and reminding you. Of who you really are. It's the one where you write just to write. You draw just to draw. You take an impulse walk not because you know where you're going. But because you want to experience being lead. Digital spirit is very strong and children. It's the gift that rachel carson talks about when she invites us to consider that a child world fresh and new and beautiful with wonder. And all we need is our adults willing. The journey with the children. And see the wonder of bounding. She calls. This wonderful space. Rachel carson basically talks about how this wonderful space. Is actually source of our own inner strength. So we might think that's a doodle spirit. Is really just a waste of time but when we unlock the power of our own wonder within. It's a source of great strength when it comes to issuing forth our great creativity. This is a time of winter. The time of pregnancy. Darkness and possibility. I wonder if we might together listen for the creative call. Whether we might practice the doodle spirit. Together and it's individuals. Now we each give ourself the gift of creativity. And space for it to bloom. And grow. And carry us through the darkness of winter. Blessed be. And amin. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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pete_seeger_theology.mp3

This morning i want to kindle a very special flame. I will light a flame press this morning in honor of the life of pete seeger. And i'll share with you. These words. Pete seeger said i feel most spiritual. When i'm out in the woods. I feel a part of nature. Or when i'm looking up at the stars. I used to say that i was an atheist. And now i say it is all according to your definition. Of god. According to my definition of god i am not an atheist. Because i think that god is everything. Whenever i open my eyes. I'm looking at god. Whenever i'm listening to something. I am listening. T'god.

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160403_do_past-future.mp3

Welcome to the april 3rd service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is lead by our settled minister. Reverend arrowland. And her sermon is title. Recognizing the past. And stewart exist. I invite you now to join with one another in myself and inexperience of. Prayerful. Reflection. Abiding source of love. Spirit of life. Help us to gentle ourselves. This day. Help us to gentle ourselves to here. Love call within our own hearts. Help us to be forgiving of ourselves and others. Abiding source of. Hope and love help us to honor the spark. Life. In each and all. We know that the world is marred by violence. Help us to love beyond borders. Help us to offer kindness the kind of which restores hope. Let us remember to be patient with ourselves and with our loved ones with our. Neighbors and our friends as we make our ways each one of us. Upon this precious earth. The time that we have. Let us bring into our hearts and minds all who may be suffering and in need of solace and comfort right here. And let us now extend our caring compassion and ever-widening circles. Embracing those who have been targeted by a recent. Law discriminating against transgender folks. In north carolina. Let us affirm love courage to transform prejudice and ignorance. May we in this congregation. Continue to create a sanctuary for the affirmation of. Human wholeness and love regardless of gender. Expression. Let us extend our care to those on the front lines and the racial justice struggle in our country. Those were being local and public about the need for equality and equal opportunity and access to. Democratic process we hold so dear as. Aterian universe. Let us extend our care to everyone who makes a hard choice to speak out. For what. They know is right. In the name of love. And your source of life help us now extend. The karen our hearts to those who have been. Affected by the suicide bombings in pakistan. Turkey. Nigeria and brussels. Let us feel the fabric of life. Permeate all of us. May we offer our compassion strains for resilience and persistence. For those struggling just to survive. May not one. Of us. Be forgotten. May the spirit of love and courage. Aspirus. To work for adjust. May we love well and. Blessed be. And. A few reading. For us this morning. The first is by albert einstein. Strange is our situation here upon the earth. Each of us comes for short visit not knowing why. Yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. However there is one thing we do know. That we are here. For the sake of others. Above all for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness. Depends. Two more brief readings for you this morning the next comes from alice walker. To acknowledge our ancestors means that we are aware. That we did not make ourselves. But the line stretches all the way back. The grace with which we embrace life in spite of the pain. Asaro's is always a measure of what has. Gone beef. And this from our own unitarian universalist minister named mark morrison read who's up published. Author well-regarded minister in our movement. He writes the central task of religious community is to unveil the bonds. Define ditched all. There is a connectedness a relationship discovered i missed the particulars. Of our own lives. And the lives of others and once it is felt. It inspires us to act. Progestin. It is the church that assures us that we are not struggling for justice on her own. But as members of a larger community. The religious community is essential. For alone our vision is too narrow to see all that must be seen and our strength is too limited. To do all that must be done. But together. Rvision widens. Inner strength. Is renewed. Therein lies the readings for this morning. This is a tough sunday. For me too. Here's how i want to begin talking with you this morning. In light of the fact that it is our stewardship kickoff. In light of the fact that it is a month in which we're exploring afterlife and next that's the monthly theme for april and of course in light of the news which i hope many of you already received in a communication. That went out. Regarding the fact that i will not be with you. Next-gen. Given all those things here is how i want to begin this morning. When i was growing up as a child in the main line unitarian church of devon. Pennsylvania. Are church caught fire. It was a furnace fire. The kind of which many old churches have. In our church was out of commission for a while. Thankfully we were able to meet at the church across the street let me just pause and ask has anyone here ever been part of a church that had a church fire. Yeah if you have you it's pretty common for older historic churches. So the church caught fire but thankfully we could worship together and hold religious education across the street and. Even as a kid i understood how neat that really was. Not the fire. But the idea that the church down the road could help us out. Down that road that led to the church with a lot and that lot was a graveyard. Can old graveyards the kind was stones that aren't really thin slabs that kind of even been towards the earth. In our church school took a walk when autumn into that graveyard. In our religious education teachers took. Crayons and they took. Paper in the teachers asked us to walk throughout the graveyard and pick out a few graves where we would do rubbing. And we drop with a crayon on the page that was pressed up against the gravestone. And that way we would do what was called grave etching. And so would appear on the paper the name of the person who had died. Also the date. And any other things that that person. Or the people who love that person had decided to include on that gravestone. Things like. Daughter. Mother. Father. Helper. Friend. Now you might be curious as to why i'm sharing this today but. Please do bear with me because i hope it will become clear to you. We did these rubbing you see on the on the paper. And we were kneeling. In the fallen leaves on this rare warm afternoon in the graveyard and somehow we were kids but a hush. Kind of fell over us if we wandered and we found our grave markers we bent mean yield and we colored. And we had raced up the road to be there we were thoughtful. We were searching for just the right marker. We were picking out our perfect colors. It was peaceful. Out there. It smells like earth and it smelled like leaves and there was sunshine and a breeze and. It was nice. Actually. And what was communicated to me that day was that a graveyard can be a place of beauty and thoughtfulness. Graveyard can be a place that's normal. Not weird. Place where. We as human beings remember people. Where we might get a little bit more quiet. Then usual. A place where we can be together. Because of that unitarian universalist church the church of my youth that i was raised up in my first time at a graveyard was not scary. The introduced me to this part of life in a very gentle. Sort of way and by that i mean that it was normalized. And needless to say that this experience in our face neighbors. Graveyard with a far cry from the images that i would see later as i grew up. You know what the scary ghost images in the. Are horror movies and that sort of thing. The back at our place at the unitarian mainline unitarian universalist church there was a portion of land. Between our parking lot and the main building. And it was this beautiful grove of trees and their there were little pathways. But let around. And here and there were and still are. Little markers. But say people's names. And have words written on them. And i remember as a kid it must have been shortly after going to visit the graveyard that we came back and i wander through that little grove right in front of my own unitarian universalist congregation. And i saw those pathways that iu you and i don't remember who they were said to me. Well for us some people might choose to be buried but some people may also choose to do other things when they die. Like have their ashes spread. And so here in our memory garden there are ashes. Read and you can walk through. And you can. Feel how special this place is. Some of us want to have our ashes spread out and make sure you stay. This was my earliest introduction until ways that we you use often embrace both life. And death. By creating special places of remembering. By setting aside those special places to acknowledge those who have gone before. And even though i've never thought about this until right now. I appreciate that the memorial. Garden at that church in devon. That it's right between the parking lot and the entrance. To the congregation. The reason is because it's a reminder. But those who we love who have died are always with us. And that they'd helped prepare the seeds. For our future. So i want to share with you that next sunday. Here at our own dear uuc next sunday we'll be talking a little bit more about the very special memorial garden. That is right here. And it's a special story. You'll hear more that day from isabel bernie and bobby littlefield. And we'll be talking about what it means to plan for the end of one's life with a workshop. For 325 that all adults no matter your age and life or your stage in life including parents of young children are encouraged to attend. Just to start to think about. That portion the ending of one's life. So. Now today i. Guessing that some of you might think it's a little bit more bed maybe. Or odd. That i would be going in this direction that i would begin r. Stewardship kick-off talkin about the end of life. Today's service was called recognizing our past and stewarding our future and it's the day as i said we're officially kicking off our stewardship pledge campaign. Which is maryland suggested will conclude on april 24th with a sunday sunday. We'll have a lot of sweetness. Ice cream bar. Thank you in advance for everyone getting your pledges in. By sunday sunday. But to make the connection for you this morning. I invite you to come with me. For a moment. Into a warm autumn day. With the leaves the orange and flaming red and warm brown. Come with me for a moment into the tranquil silence. In which the full cycle of life is felt. And with children at meal with crayons in the same places where loved ones have been buried on grounds. Cared for by those with a vitality. To care for that land. Now i invite you to come into connection. With what it is that a congregation is. And what it is that a congregation. Does. And what it is that this unitarian universal. Congregation. And what will you do. And how it is that life. Fullness lived and breathed. In such a place in such a people. I invite you this morning to come into connection with a deeper sense of what is holy and transcendent. Eminence and close. Life. Love. What is larger than any one person. For at the end of the day. This is what i believe is the gift of congregational. Connection with life. Connection with love. Connection to that which is larger. In any one person. And this is perhaps the very best reason to pledge. To make a commitment to a congregation future. John allison wrote the only thing you take with you when you gone. It's what you leave behind. When i ask you now whether anyone here can raise your hand if you actually met or new. Herschel ali. Okay take a look around let your next turn around a little bit today. Thank you can put your hands down. Those of you who raise your hands are those who remember and knew the person personally like the person. Perfume our fellowship hall is named. So many of us come on sundays and throughout the week and we celebrate and we have meaningful connection we have coffee and chit chat. We snag each other for congregational business only asked about one another's house and well-being in a hall that was named after herschel alerts someone that the majority of folks here. Have. Not. Ever met. What i want to suggest this morning. Is that each one of us are recipients of a kindness. In a vision and a commitment of those who have come before us. So that means that when we give freely and generously with joy to the future of a congregation we are. Participating in a sacred act of generosity. The creative gift. For those who will come next. Now. There is so much glorious momentum in this congregation. And it's very vibrant present. Has been built upon its very powerful past. And each year we have an opportunity to generate not only what will occur for next year. In our operating budget. But also the larger future this congregation and moreover it's voice and presents. In the world for those who welcome next. Today i'm remembering that this congregation and its bright light is part of a much larger tapestry of the unitarian universalist congregation. And the way in which what we do here what you do here year after year as part of the flourishing of our entire unitarian universalist movement. In our tradition is about caring for one another and liberating the sacred and the holy in ways that are for filling in loving. Helping us to live a sickly and reach for a world in which the worth and dignity of every person. Shein. Now. I can tell you that reared by a congregation. Having chose to serve the ministry in my twenties and now presently serving you as minister in my 30s. I have been so joyd. And blast. 210 but i believe wholeheartedly to be the importance of unitarian universalism in the world. And i believe ours is a life-affirming life-saving. Tradition. Your congregation i love you. If you remember anything from today's. Service other than please do pledge. Please do remember. That i said that. And i mean it. And i could tell you over and over and over again. That i love you. When i accepted the call. Service your minister. I accepted the opportunity to journey to be part of this congregation. Lifetime. I am so grateful. For our ministry together. You have played a very important role in my life. And i am glad for the. Role that i played. Even though it might be small in the long run. At the lifetime of this congregation. From seeing you 121 in my office as you share with me your burning. Questions. What is been deeply meaningful for you and your lives. From preaching with you teaching with you too. Walking. In the sunshine together with you standing out for marriage equality marching in north carolina for voting rights standing than in the rain. Right downtown blacksburg for. Religious. Freedom and religious pluralism. Being under a sukkah. With you in the sanctuary. Leading trainings with you. I have come to care so very deeply for you. As individuals. And the whole congregation. I have been so joy. To be your minister. And this is what makes it so very hard to tell you what i need to tell you today. Which is what many of you have already cleaned and caught word from an email that went out to you because i wanted you to at least. Catchword of this before just arriving on sunday morning. And that is. That pee and micah and i have decided to relocate. Back to california. We are sad. Einstein. And i know many of you will have mixed feelings. About this leave-taking. I will not flatter myself to imagine that everyone will be sad. But i will recognize that. Sadness is present. And possibly many other feelings. For this reason please do know that this month i'll be holding. I just know office hours tuesdays and thursdays from 9 to noon and i hope that many of you want to drop in and tell me what's on your heart and mind ask me. More detailed questions that we might not be able to explore together this. Morning. And i also will continue to meet you. By appointment depending on your schedule. June 30th will mark the end of my service as your minister and in july we will go back west. I have accepted the position to be the next chaplain and director of spiritual and religious life at mills college which is a small social justice. School with undergraduate and graduate programs. And there i will oversee their chapel and their program of religious and spiritual development. I'm not saying goodbye yet because we still have many months together. But i will say that when i'm there. I will look out my windows and i will think of you often. Their chapels not altogether unlike the space right here. Set into a grove of trees and. I know when i'm there. I will look outside and you all will never be far from my heart. Parts were like that you know. Wyd. Expansive. This is why we pray and worship and sing together on sunday mornings. Know that our hearts can connect across great distances. I want you to know. Why. Can i never could have expected the way in which having micah and our lives would change us. We could have never expected. The way in which we would come to discern. The critical importance for our child to be closed. To his. We also could not have expected. How hard it would be. Repeat to find full-time employment. He has try. My ministry with you is no longer sustainable. For our family. And that's why. We must go. Why we are choosing to. Remember that i love you. When pete and i accepted this call we had every intention. Of building a life here. For many years. You have changed me. I am not the minister that i was. Before i came to be with you. I am a stronger minister because of my time with you. And i hope. I hope that our ministry together has started to band continues that journey of unlocking the power of the shared ministry here there is so much. Momentum. People keep saying that words me we have momentum we have momentum yeah there is momentum. And there is no reason. For that. To stop. I have so much. Confidence. That a joyful vibrant ministry and the momentum will continue and i will do everything i can to continue to work with your bored. If we discern what next steps are to keep that momentum going. Ministering with you has been a true joy. A joy that is the ministry of this plates. They were talking about stewarding the future and. To be honest with you as much as i can say that i have very many mixed feelings this morning. I'm sharing with you about our leave-taking and that you might have many feelings as well and good grief were talking about afterlife the next. And we're kicking off stewardship and oh my goodness. I actually can come to realize that maybe all of this is quite fitting. Concord high zone one day here and here's why. Because stewardship in the future is not about me. As your minister. And it's not even about. Each one of you. As members and friends of this congregation. Even though it concerns you. It's about what's larger. Then all of us. Who comes next. Who years from now will be seated. Right here. Or in the expansion. Who will be seeking a religious and spiritual home and find it here. Who will know that you used see by years of tremendous social justice work and service ministries. The many many seasons of you of the you use these beautiful music pouring out of its doors. The generations of creative families and inspired leadership of religious education about the children who will come with. Are crayons and with their paper and will spend time listening to the earth breathing. And will run their fingertips against the names and the words. In our memorial garden. It's about the years. This congregation will. Journey. Being recognized in a larger community for it being a safe sanctuary. For people that feel broken hearted by the world but why. Firm life itself. Joy. What i wanted suggest you is stewarding the futurism. It's not about next year's used budget. But about what those young people will do with the experiences that our congregations offered them what they will ring out into the world beyond this congregation and beyond your homes to bless a world that needs blessing. It's not. About what we can't take with us but it's about what we can leave. A legacy of our loving. And our commitment to a future none of us may seek. Be realized in our own lifetimes. This is what stewarding the future. Is really about. Do you remember that i love you. Stewarding the future i can say is exactly the kind of holy boldness that our entire society needs right now. We need a courageous brave. Loving people. Who are committed to a vision of that which is far. Bigger than ourselves. Larger than any party larger than any nation. A vision of love that will leave this planet hospitable and whole for those who will come next. A vision of society that are not guided by scarcity and steer and violence but rather by collaboration imagination and hope. And i love. This congregation. Because this is the place where we practice. For that world. This is a place where we practice birthing that world into being. Building ourselves up with the inspiration to make that world happen. In our very lives. This is really hard. You have moved me so much. Gettemeiers so grateful. You are the family that. We didn't have here. It's your voices. That blast of micah while he was in my room on sunday morning. Through your kindnesses. They're your wave through your hellos you have been the family. That has nurtured and supported our. Sun and so that is. A very special relationship indeed. Very important to me that you know. And i'm not leaving to go serve another congregation. I was not looking to leave you. Although by necessity. started to expand his search. Broadening search from just here in the new river valley. And in that process we came to know about the mills opportunity in oakland right where are family is and so that is why we're going. And we are so helpful that people find something there. Because our family needs to income. And i know that many of you. Understand that. In ancient stories there's a. Teaching about the tree of life. The teachings about these wells that people go to to drink and to regain their health. And if there is a tree of life and if there are secret wells of inspiration. Metaphorically speaking i think our congregations are those places. Paul kurtz who's am father of secular humanism writes the meaning of life is not to be discovered only after our death. In some hidden mysterious realm. On the contrary can be found by eating a succulent. From the second tree of life. I'm living in the here-and-now is fully and as creatively as we can. Congregations are organisms. Those with connections and relationships. Congregation we practice. We practice knowing that which is larger than ourselves. We practice moving the blinders of individualism so that we can participate in a collective and sacred wholeness. Congregational life. Is about us. And it's not about us. And that is the beauty and that is the challenge. Broadly speaking in today's world i know that we can either ask you and beings choose to bicker and fight. Or we can choose to collaborate and get creative and care for each other. I believe that is unitarian universalist when we get an imaginative with ourselves. With our neighbors when we start to share values we can together and i. Believe this without a doubt we can unleash a tide of love that is so powerful that it shakes the cages of human-induced unnecessary suffering. And rattles awake. The conscience. A society so that all life can. In conclusion i want to invite you to take a listen to these words. Written by ray bradbury. Is a science fiction writer and the science fiction writers have a handy knack of reminding us with their visions of the future how we ought to be living today. In fahrenheit 451 which i imagine several of you. No and have red. Rebecca bradbury says everyone must leave something behind when he dies. My grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or house or a wall built by or a pair of shoes made. Or garden planted. Something your hand touched some way. So your soul knows it has somewhere to go when you die. When people look at that tree or that flower you planted your there. It doesn't matter what you do he said as long as you change something. And the way it was before you touched it. It is something that's like you after you take your hands away. The difference between the man who just cuts lawns and a real gardener. Is anna touching. He said. The lawn cutter might just as well not have been there at all. The gardener will be there for a lifetime. So as long as you change something from the way it was. Before you touched it. Into something that's like you after you. Take your hands away. None of us knows how long. We will be here. How long our lives will be. As i said. I am so grateful for the portion of my life. Dive shared with you. I'm so grateful for the portions of your life. That you have shared with pete and micah and. Maybe part of also this congregations larger life. Ungrateful. As many of you know my. Grandmother died this year. And just recently i went to do her memorial service. And when i went there to new jersey to bury her ashes. Preside at her memorial service. The parker ashes in the ground and we smooth the earth over. And make a padded that earth. And then he scooped it up. Innate. This brought home to me very powerfully the way in which joy and sadness are intertwined the way in which laughter and tears go shirley together in the cycle of life. This morning is you. Process the news that i will be leaving as your minister but i will never stop. Loving you. As you consider making a very courageous and thoughtful pledged to steering the future of this. Incredibly special congregation. As you think about welcoming the stewards that we commissioned into your home. I wonder if you might think about what your life is about. What is most important and given the topic of worship all april long i'm going to ask you to consider it invite you to consider it through the lens of this question. That is what would you want to have written on your. What would you want children to find when they come with crayons and paper to read what is etched on the truth. Of your life. Noting that just like each one of you my own life is a work in progress. I will share. What i would have on mine. It's pretty simple. Mother. Wife. Daughter. And also this. She loved well. The world. And her family. My prayer this day for us beloved community is this. May we live our lives. Backwards. Guided today by what matters most. What we know will matter most at the end of our day. Let us waste not a minute. Living fully. The time for that living is now. Let us love deeply and may we buy our. Courageous and loving living. The word a brave and bold future. For all of those. Who welcomed neck. Thank you. Having me as your. Minister. And i left. Blessed be. And i know. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

160327_do_easter.mp3

Welcome to the march 27th service. Unitarian. Congregation. In blacksburg. The service today. Multi-generational. And is led by yourself. Reverend airoli. Happy happy. It's here. It's spring. The earth is unfolding. In color again. It's here. It's spring. Ancient stories that we will here today invite us to listen. For the sounds of hope. Unfolding. And listening for the murmur of life renewing and growing. Folks it's here. It's spring. And we join this day and acumen chorus. To remember what makes each one of us. Come ever more deeply alive. To help each one of us remember what it is to be joyful. In a few. It is what day. What's today. Easter says the chorus of voices yes indeed and what do we think of when we think of easter. Go ahead. Shout it out what do you think of. Astara thank you very much we're going to get there i heard chocolate what else do you what else do you think of when you think of easter. Jesus rising from the dead what else. The easter bunny flowers. Rack of lamb. Eggs. All right folks so. Here's the thing. Most scholars. Thinks that the name easter. That name easter. Ashley gets its name from mo stray or ostara. A goddess that was celebrated by people long ago between the 5th and 8th centuries in the area now known as germany. Ostara can we say her name together. Ostara yes she was one of the pre-christian goddesses celebrated. Enzo on easter people tend to often think about jesus who will speak about later. Jesus was a human who lived and died well before the time that ostara practices came forward but it took a lot of time for christianity as a religion. Just brad. And so before christianity the religion. Brad to this area this area in germany there were many many other ways that people were practice. Religious and spiritual life. Describe non-christian. Beliefs and practices when christianity religion. Kane and became dominant. Describe all of those other practices that were not. The christians called those practices. Pagan. Anglo-saxon paganism. Was polytheistic. Meaning. People understood that there were many gods and many goddesses. And so after christianity the religion was established. The folklore the practices that meaning-making of those folks that work called pagan. Became woven into the way that the christian church began to practice and celebrate the customs of easter. This is why. Here in western celebrations of easter. We can locate many of the symbols. Once associated with pagan practices. Today neo-pagans are those that revived and remember and are deeply connected with the rich. Wisdom of ostara. And the wheel of life. There are many legends told about us tarah she's considered the goddess of the radiant dawn the coming of morning the arrival of spring. And her name actually derived from the word for. Don. Don that shining light that arises from the east. She was a fertility goddess. She marked the end of winter. He had a passion for new life. And you know what. To come here this morning. To tell her own story. I want to welcome ostara to come forward and share with us a little bit about some of her legend. Morning. Ostara for esther ortiz talk goddess of the dawn. Many many many. People all over this planet are very happy that you're happy this morning. Springtime preventer. Representation. Because a card. And then what comes out of it. Baby chickie at stripes. And why do you do that. Richard doyle. Does that really happen maybe not except i do know that i put eggshells in my rose garden better that your colors better so maybe some of these symbols are religious practices. What do you think my favorite animal. My totem animal the hair or the rabbit rabbit have been a symbol of spring and a strength. And it's always been my toto on favorite animal. In some cultures is another form of ancient china. But it's the same kind of idea he's little. Vulnerable mammals that create great abundance. Now it is like the moon and the sun have the same amount of time in the day is my job to wait for my long winter slumber. That's my sign. Sometimes i'm sleepy and doing a little late. Always around the time the equinox for the sun and the moon. That's my sign. Now when you're right. Came up to the earth to the great awakening. Animals. Because the light said it was time to be warm. And his wings brawl frozen. End music. But i noticed it couldn't. Because it's wings have been frozen ever broke. I carried it around now. What animal did i tell you. The rabbit. So i decided. And also just couldn't leave me. And i made. My bird a rabbit but it was a rabbit. The next year when i was awakened. Send out every year sometime around equinox great awakening and the dawn. I am greeted by. That was hidden in about 20 stara i want to thank you so very much for bringing your stories your wisdom and your legends. To us. Here. Morning. Co-star of stories and legends help us connect some of the dots that might be confusing at this time of year when we wonder how is it that there are eggs. And bunny. And chocolate. Issara legends help us to remember that. It is through the woven this of time and the complex intersections of culture and memory that we get some of these holiday practices. Like a holiday customs that many associate with easter. Today we particularly want to honor. The neo-pagans among us. Who deeply honor and celebrate the wisdom of ostara. Today we think ostara and as unitarian universalist we think the neo-pagan movement for their contributions. To our larger unitarian universalist living tradition. And for keeping us ever more deeply connected to the wisdom. Of the earth. We just heard a song that jared are. Pianist played for us this morning. That might be familiar to some of you. Anyone recognize that song. Yeah lots of folks. What was the what was that song. Yeah here comes the sun by the beatles that's right. Here comes the sun. It can remind us this day of ostara. Who brought forth the sun. Did you know and i'm going to get some of you here do now. Dayton christian community. On this day on easter suncommunities. Rye. Very early. Even when it's still dark and they gather together for what is called an easter sunrise. I love you know that. Maybe some of you have even been to an easter sunrise service. Those can be especially powerful and meaningful. Christian communities to when they do this honor the returning of the son of the sign of hope. But. Unlike the legends and practices that we heard about earlier those christian communities are not welcoming the goddess. Ostara. Rather for christians at this time of year christians those identified with christianity here and those beyond our walls easter is about in many ways the resurrection or rebirth. Jesus. Jesus a jewish man. Who christians understand. In a few different ways. One being that jesus was the special son. Of god. Others put it this way. God took human form. Entertained. In the person of jesus. To show people how to live a good life. For christians the easter holiday celebrated the idea that jesus overcame. Overcame death. By being reborn and some of the important messages in these. Stories he's christian stories that originated from the bible. Which is a collection of stories will hear more about today. On some of these messages include the idea that love. Wow. When. Over death. Andover cruelty. Or that life blooms again. After a long winter. Karen hager director of lifespan face development is now going to share with us a little bit more about the christian easter stories. Or one of the main telling us what stories associated at this time with a person named jesus. And with his followers. Easter what's is what's called a moveable feast means it's on a different day every year. And they set the date. As the first sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox which is the first day of spring. Aunt. The season for christians actually begins 46 days prior to that with went and i'm sure that many of you know people who gave up something for lent. Common for catholics not eat fish on fridays during lent. Chocolate. Some people give up my nope. Where they give us something else they really love. And some people just use it as a time of introspection and prayers so that they can better receive the message of jesus. Because easter is a story about jesus. And he was a great jewish teacher who lived about 2,000 years ago. And he had a really simple message that we're going to talk about. Now. I am listed. 12 volunteers and gave them plastic eggs when they came in if you have an egg would you hold it up. Okay. If you look at that egg has a number on it. When i get to your number i'm going to ask you to open it and tell us what's inside the egg. K who has number one. Okay joy. The bible. Everything that we know about jesus is contained in four books of the bible matthew mark luke and john. Now i know when you look at the bible it looks like one big book. But it's actually not. It's a collection of many books that are written by many different authors a different times and the first book about jesus was actually not even written until 30 years after his death. And the four books don't agree on everything. Show me to take parts of all four books as i tell you this story. Who is number two. Open it up and tell us what's in there. It's a map of palestine. Palestine is the country the little country that jesus traveled around teaching. And he would travel around and he would spread his message. And as he traveled large crowds would come to hear him his message was really simple what he taught was the god loves everyone. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor. If your educated or not. If you male or female god loves you. And though this was a really simple message it was a really radical message for the time. Palestine was under roman rule. And the governor pontius pilate was a particularly cruel man. And the romans did not like this message being spread around. And it's a matter of fact they considered him to be a dangerous troublemaker. And as jesus began to travel around. And it's message began to spread the crowd started getting larger and larger. The larger the crowds became. The more worried. The romans became. And they particularly began to worry when some jews began referring to jesus as the messiah. Who is the great person that they were waiting for it to come free them from roman rule and to bring peace to everyone. Jesus had been traveling around about 3 years. Spreading his message and he decided to undertake a public ministry in jerusalem. And he knew this was going to be a really dangerous trip given how the romans felt about. He thought his message was that important. He needed to go and take the risk. And so he spent 40 days fasting and praying in preparation for this trip to jerusalem and that's the period known as blind. And now who has number 3. A palm leaf. Jesus travel to jerusalem with 12 his followers called his disciples. And the week before easter. As he entered into jerusalem is marked by christians is palm sunday. Palms because as he entered the city. People spread their coats and leafy branches for him to walk on. No the city was very full. It was passover time so lots of people were there for the festival and when people heard he was coming they went crazy. They went wild and they lined the streets for his entry. And the palms were they're spread out just like we roll out a red carpet for important people. Who's number four. Silver coins are in there. Because unknown to jesus one of his disciples a man named judas betrayed him. And he offered to lead the romans to jesus in exchange for 30 pieces of silver. All that week. Jesus taught in the temples all the way up until thursday the night of the passover meal. Call good thursday by christians and its marks the last supper which commemorates the last meal that jesus had with his disciples. And he was really sad because he had a feeling he was going to be killed. Who has number. 5. Brad and us number 6. A great. Jesus broke bread and he passed it to his disciples and he told him to think of the bread is his body. And to think of him as bait. And he passed the cup of wine and told him to drink from it and to think of it as his blood into think of him as they drank. And he told them that he was going to be leaving them in a short time and when that happened. They should all love each other as he love them. Number 7. Praying hands. After the dinner jesus and 11 of his disciples went to a quiet place to pray. And suddenly they heard footsteps. And through the darkness they saw torches and lanterns coming towards them and it was judas bringing the romans to jesus. And they arrested jesus and they took him away. And who is number eight. Purple cloth. They took him in front of pontius pilate and he was sentenced to death. And they dressed him in a purple robe and they put a crown of thorns on his head and they mocked him and called him the king of jews. And who's number 9. Across. He was sentenced to die by hanging on a cross which is how they put they they punish troublemakers in those days. The really cool way to die and it's called crucifixion. And the day that he died as marked as good friday by christensen if you wonder why it's called good friday when he died. It's because good in this case has taken from the ancient words of god and holy. So good thursday and good friday actually mean holy days. And who has number 10. Iraq. A friend of jesus's took his body after he died to a little tomb. In a in a rock. Can you put his body in any rolled a heavy rock heavy boulder in front of it. And his disciples out flat. They were fearful for their own lives they were very very sad. And they were really hopeless because they're messenger of hope have been taken from them. Number 11. It's empty. Three days after he died. A group of women friends. Went to the to his body bringing spices to annoy it. When they got there. I found the rocket and rolled away and the tomb was empty his body was gone. And they ran away very frightened. Now this is the point of the story in the first book about jesus mark. Where the story ends. And later there was a part added that said that jesus appear to a woman that healed. And to his 11 disciples. 30 spoke to them and then he ascended to heaven. And the other three books don't mention anything about him ascending to heaven but they say that he appeared and spoke to them. The term resurrection means to come back to life and some christians but not all christians believe that jesus is body literally came back to life. Most you use don't believe that jesus is body literally came back to life. We think instead. The cheese is suicide of his a great and good human being with remembered in his followers hearts. That the story of the empty tomb gave them hope. And allow didn't to remember him. And in that way he and his message lived on after he died. I'm so today is we celebrate easter let's celebrate it as the rebirth of jesus whether you believe. In a physical resurrection. Whether you believe in a renewal of his message of love. It's a message so strong that it's actually resonates. 2000 years later. And so it is that this morning we have met. Ostara. Experienced a taste of some of her legend. Some of the pagan and now neil pagan rituals of remembrance that connect us. Powerfully to the earth's wisdom. And so it is that this morning we've also learned a little bit about the christian. Easter. As unitarian universalist. We honor our roots in jewish and christian teachings and we also honor the source of earth. Centered. Spirituality. Co-star of stories remind us to live in harmony and with appreciation. Of the earth itself precious. Beyond all measure. Perhaps this. Time of year helps us to more deeply remember that life. Renews itself and that it's evidence. Is all around us. In the hatching. Of eggs. In the blossoming of flowers. In the dark rich. Soil. Of the earth. For this let us. Be grateful. Now maybe some of you. Have held in your hand. An egg. Before. Yeah. If you've ever held an egg that has not been boiled. You might remember that an egg is very fragile. We have to treat an egg very gently or else that can. Do what. Yeah or else i can break. Many of us. Eat eggs in many different ways we scramble them. We boil them and when we boil them. They get more tough. They don't crack as easily. Today let us. Remember. The egg. Let us remember to be both. Gentle. And. Strong. The story of jesus as a human being is a story of a person both. Gentle and strong. His wife his death and the message of hope that his father followers of captain live remind us that what we do with our lives. Makes a great difference. Is karen. Started to lift up as unitarian universalist in particular we focus on the life. That the human jesus lead. That historical jewish teacher who was courageous and kind. Gentle and strong both. Who taught. Said it was important. To think about those who were being other.. Those who were left out. Those who were oppressed. Today i encourage each of us to think about how we can continue to. Help. And heal our world being both. Gentle and strong. How we can think about being helpers especially. Working with those who are being treated unfairly. Enclosing this morning. Couldn't ask for a few helpers to help karen and victoria and i pass along baskets of eggs. We invite those of you who wish to do so. To take. A symbol. Of spring. Of hope. Of gentleness and strength. May each one of you grow ever more strong. For the causes of justice and kindness. Honoring the earth. With each step. That you take. Dear beloved ones we enter this morning into the sacred circle of life. Honoring the possibilities of hope and life ever renewing and ever-growing inside ourselves. Let us go forth. Finding hope. Sharing joy and being agents of a great. And courageous love. May each one of you have a wonderful. Happy easter. Blessed be and. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting. Located in blah. Virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

160925_ct_search-for-optimism.mp3

Welcome cuz it's september 25th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service is led by guest speaker and former member dr. carter turner. And his message is titled. United we kneel. Patriotism definition. And the desperate search for optimism. The podcast begins with an introduction of carter. I worship associate jane mahone. End with an exchange between members of the audience and carter. I would like to welcome everyone here who's come this morning. And i especially would like to welcome our speaker this morning. Dr. carter turner. Dr. turner is associate professor of religious studies at radford university. He is currently chair of the department of philosophy and religious studies and president of the radford university faculty senate. And yet he said yes when we called him. He is a native of virginia. He is has a history degree from virginia tech and has a phd in religion. Religious and. Theological studies from university of denver. It teaches and writes on religion. And the american civil war. Religion in sports we've heard one of his wonderful. Sermons on religion and sports before. Religion and politics which will be hearing a bit about today. He lives in roanoke county with his wife karen and their daughter callie. Morning. I'd like to start with a reading called it's a poem called island people by susie davies. Island people. Proud of independence. Water divides us. Waters our separateness. Yep it was from water that we all sprang the umbilical cord cut. And we yelled out for breath. Cried out for soccer. And we'll keep on crying. Can we reach out for our sisters join hands with our brothers. On distant shores. Island people proud of independence. Learning to swim against the tide of tribulations. Against global disaster will all join hands. And swim to the shore. Where we only see the ocean. The island no more. Thank you all for excuse me inviting me to be here this place is such a special place for me and my family it's great to see so many old friends and realizing that some of my new friends at radford also come here now too which is great to see. But thank you. I want to read one other things before i start here and this comes from a new york times article by thomas friedman on august 31st of this year called when lose but no compromise. More and more of our politics resembles the core sectarian conflict. In the middle east between those between these two branches of islam. And that is not good. Because whether you're talkin about shiite or sunni. Why radians and saudis. Irate israelis and palestinians. Turks and kurds. A simple binary rule dominates their politics. I am strong why should i compromise. I'm weak how can i compromise. With rare exceptions the politics of the middle east is just a see-saw game between those two modes of zero-sum rule or die thinking. Rarely these days does either party stop to secor forge common ground. It's just i am strong so i don't have to meet you in the middle. Rhyme week so i can't meet you in the middle. You can see how well it worked for them. I read this article this article by friedman and was going into one of my classes on teaching religion and culture this semester and oftentimes i'll start by just. You asking an informal. Sometimes light-hearted sometimes not light-hearted questions it just get them talking. And so the classon and having this article in my mind in this comparison of us with. Sunni sunni and shiite. I asked my students. How many of them agreed. With the statement that the united states is quote dangerously divided. And about 90% of the students raised their hand might have been one student it didn't. And so i wanted to pull that apart a little bit in and talk to them a little bit more about what that meant and so ice will. Let's let's start with the divided part what what are the divisions that we see. And they said well there's black-and-white decisions divisions between the rich and the poor. Between republicans and democrats conservatives liberals. Republicans and other republicans and democrats and other democrats. There are divisions between christians and muslims. Are divisions between religious people and the nuns the no religious people. Between. Men and women and between police and black people these are the groups that were named. And so then i said well let's talk about the dangerous piece of it mean in what way is the. The country in danger how do these divisions lead to some kind of danger. And they said well. First people can die. That if you have a tendency to. To hate the other or see some other group that you think is a threat to you than you may feel inclined to kill them or. Maybe you lose your sense of humanity and then feeling seems like an option. We know when they said that it made me think back on that thomas freeman article to that when you look at this sunni in the hsieh unity for all muslims and disagreement. Came between them was over the question of who was going to who was going to succeed muhammad after muhammad died. It's so you had this parliamentary. Disagreement between these two groups but what really forged the group was killing the leaders of groups of these groups were killed throughout history and their followers were killed and it was the killing that really. Solidify the division. So it made me a little scary to think about killing his eyes part of the danger in this country. But i think it's real. Certainly one of the risks of being dangerously divided is with the country's unable to rally in times of crisis. Maybe we all do need to make sacrifices. Maybe that's in a war effort or maybe that has to do with climate change or some other. National or international needs. But if we're dangerously divided maybe we're not that willing to make those sacrifices. Certainly we have the risk. Of being unable to address our problems to the political process. Hard to argue that that's not a danger that we see already a lot of paralysis whether it's at the state levels were the local levels. The national levels. We're not working together to solve problems. And then i think maybe the bigger danger is is is really the more foundational danger which is the way we stopped trying to understand each other. That really the divisions. Can only be cured by trying to understand one another and understand this division. But when those divisions get so ripe. An insult personal and so painful. Then people stop crying. And that i think really underlies all the other concerns. So. When i was in graduate school these questions about dividing culture we're really in the air my advisers were very much interested in this question. What's a common culture. What is our common culture here in this country. And what happens if a country loses its common culture. What what happens to her. And so. I think a lot about that question we have these divisions but are there other things that maybe overlay these divisions. That. Badoo bind us in a way they do preserve us from perhaps some of these dangers that were looking at. One of those common cultural pieces. Really asked scott to do with the flag. And it has to do with the national anthem. Come in the news as of late i'm sure many of you been following. The plight of colin kaepernick. Colin kaepernick is a quarterback for the san francisco 49ers he took the 49ers to the super bowl few years ago was a real star. Has not played very well the last couple years and has dropped down to the number two quarterback on the team. So during the preseason. Somebody noticed that he was taking a knee during the national anthem. He didn't do a press conference about it he didn't draw attention to himself someone happen to see a picture and then tweeted about it and that's really how the firestorm erupted. Buy large she's been. Vilified by the press and not not entirely they've been some people that have come to his defense. But it's been a strong public reaction against colin kaepernick. Kaepernick explained that it really is motivated his is his actions you're kneeling during the national anthem motivated by the black lives matter. He believed that african-americans in this country are treated differently by cops more on armed black men than unarmed white man or shot. That is long as. The policing agent of our country this enforcement piece of the country is is not treating. Blacks and whites colin kaepernick is not going to. Honor the country. The country somehow has fallen short for him and that's what's motivating this. So. He has he's heard a lot of lovett or leave it might get the performer a hard-nosed coach of the chicago bears. I think it's a problem anybody disrespect this country in the flag they don't like the country. If they don't like the flag get the hell out. Lot of people have said. You know he's he's an ungrateful jerk he's wealthy he's doing well in this country why would he turn his back on this country. And then another thing that you hear a lot is that you're disrespecting those who risked or gave their lives. For the country. If the flag has some special meaning to those people in this country who felt the sacrifice. Of a fighting inspector risking their lives. Hey it's it's clear to me that for the majority of people in this country the flag and the anthem are really the most important sacred symbols that we have. It's really nothing else out there and info for a lot of them. There was there was nothing that would warrant or crew possibly warrant disrespecting the flag we're not participating in that particular ritual. It doesn't matter it doesn't matter how bad you think things are never under any circumstances. Should you kneel during the national anthem or turn your back on or something along those lines. September 11th. Sunday nfl teams were playing all over the the country. And dumb president obama had recorded a message. Commemorating 9/11 it was going to be aired at the nfl stadiums. And so when the message started before the game he was booed. Mercilessly by by people in these nfl stadium and as i often do i like to stir up trouble and help myself. Processing these things i posted a question on facebook which was. What's the difference between building a sitting us president and kneeling during the national anthem. And a lot of people had answers to some people said there's no difference. Both our bar terrible some people said i don't really care one way or the other about either. And then a lot of people made a distinction and and they said look one is a man and the other is our country. I know. One is a man one is a flag which represents the country. But but but again it was clear that there was something special about this particular ritual that it stood for something. Above just being the president night states. And i emailed thinking about it i i think. I remember george bush being booed during president obama's inauguration. And that really offended me i was no huge fan of george bush but i just thought this was a guy who put his life on the line to be the president night states. When you decide you're going to run for that office you make your peace with the fact that you may die. Reagan was shot and came within a centimeter of dawn obviously kennedy. We had presents.. And talk to me. Booing a president is very similar to. Doing the soldier you know i just think it'd be failing to recognize that that sacrifice. In a way that booing of both of the presidents. Bothered me more than the kneeling during the national anthem. And and so i've been trying to ask myself what is behind that you know what is it what does patriotism mean to me. 1. Interesting part of my life and i don't maybe it means nothing but i suspect it means something. So i'm the fifth. Edward carter turner in a row. We've all been the second son my great-great-grandfather was born in the 1820s i believe. But one of the things that's really interesting about the secession of edward carter turner's. Is it none of us are going to war. Every single one of us has fallen between wars. Which is uncanny i mean it's. Fortune i might not be here otherwise. But it certainly would have an impact on the way that i would understand. The flag and the national anthem i have to be honest with myself about that. Even knowing that though. I keep coming back to this question of. What does it mean to love your country. Does it mean. But you love it yet unreached ideals is that what it means when we say that we love our country. Do we say look into this is that later the country where anybody can be successful. This is the land of opportunity this is the land of freedom expression and rights. Yeah we have not quite reach the goal and we may never but we love the country because it's the pursuit. I think that's a pretty good reason to love the country. I think that's part of the common culture that we've got to try to uphold. I think you know there has to be some respect for the rituals as a way of loving your country. The national anthem is an important ritual it is part of that, culture. And i'm not suggesting a helicopter kaepernick was out of line. For kneeling i think he you know we have that right to do it and that's the greatest form of. Public expression of discontent that you can have towards your country is due to do something like that during the national anthem. I believe he's a good patriot. I think he's risking a lot by doing this and he's doing it precisely because he loves his car. But. There are also times we have to embrace these rituals i think that's important. I think maybe where i really land. Is it something that came out of a conversation that i had with a friend of mine. Just a few days ago. This is a friend of mine who. We see the world very different politically but but we really are a kind of brothers. And i love it my love inez. He's a good man he's got a kind heart he'll give you the shirt off his back and i will argue about politics. But there's a little kind of bond that we love the fact that we can do it and it doesn't affect our relationship. He's a good man salt-of-the-earth kind of guy. And that we were talking about. Find a protest in charlotte and and he said. Why do i care about this. Why do i need to care about those people. And those people are black people. You know what stopped the conversation i didn't really quite have an answer for him. But it did. It made me think about again this question of what it means to be a good american because my friend is very patriotic. He loves the flag he's been very upset about colin kaepernick. That wasn't being an american and loving america also mean. Loving americans. Isn't there an obligation that we have to love americans. Whether they are rich or poor they are white or black for their conservative or liberal. And i say this. I think this is not news to us unitarians your wee-wee and we've been champing love for the oppressed in the marginalized. For this day in this denominations history most of you and in this room is done that for your own life. But we are getting ready to elect. The most unpopular president in modern american history no matter who gets elected. We are suddenly going to be cast into a very dangerously divided world and so i think. Asking ourselves this question about what it means to be a good american end up in the place of loving american. And finding ways to. Bridge those divisions have to be part of that conversation. And i want to be honest with you. I almost couldn't do this sermon today. Because i do always have it in my heart to love people right now. They're people that piss me off. They're people who have a very different worldview than i do. And i struggle with this task that i'm throwing out at you all. Myself which is how do we overcome this how we do it. But. That is our only hope. Unless you believe there's a god who was hovering above who is. Working in a supernatural ways and then god bless you if you do i don't i don't have that kind of faith. I think it's exhaust. Soap. I think we have to keep reminding ourselves that we we need to invest in one another's stories. Even my friend. But he says why should i care about those people i need to civil tell me that when why what's the risk of have a conversation. Demand that we do it in ways that are respectful. I think that's one of the things that makes so many of us sad in this current political season is just the nature of discourse has gone down the toilet. In democracies need discord. It it it it has to happen. We don't have this course we don't have compromised and we don't have compromised we don't address any issues that we need to address. So invest in our stories. Respect the needs of discourse. And stop being so much. Shino. I mean ii. Perennial question what constitutes a christian in this world do you have to believe that god became a man and then down here in sacrifice so we can all be safe. Yeah that's what most denominations believe. But maybe it's just simply. Trying to see the world as as jesus all the world. And if you if you ask me the one thing that he saw. Was not differ. Another words he didn't see difference. That's what his message was stop seeing everybody is different from yourself for all children of god. So. I don't mean to be self-righteous appointment figure and telling you all to love each other i'm in the same boat i'm fact i might be worse off the most of you. But this is the only reason to be optimistic. Is it is in our hands. Not in anybody else's hands we can control it that's reason to be optimistic but we have to do it. And dumb and it's going to take a lot. These divisions are real many dangers are real and it's going to. It's going to take a lot of a broke on a lot of people's part 2/2 ever,. Thank you. And i know that in the past when we've had an opportunity and there's been enough time to do some questions. When carter has been here we've really enjoy doing that so i want invite just. 10 minutes of. Of some if you have any questions for carter or comments. Silent volume back up to receive that. If you raise your hand someone will bring you a mic. Yeah so yeah so the question is why isn't police officers representing the power of the state. Shooting an unarmed person also unpatriotic. Are you sure yeah it is it is unpatriotic i think. Unadilla the disagreements often. For long lines of what were the true facts. If you were in that situation might you have thought someone was reaching for a gun. Some of its racism. Some of its. Poorly trained police officers. You know. When i was in college the cops shows were coming out and it kind of glorified a sort of puff guy. Remove from the andy griffith cop. To these cops. Start working alamance is going to go on but. We used to be. Since i've been growing up i broken say element and we moved here in 1977 and. From the day that we moved here. Andy griffith has been on before the 6 news on channel 7. Love and watched every episode multiple times. But but we we do something about that show in this area and that newscast it's important people and i think it's because of his. Morality right i'm in his ethics he just there.. One of the things that i think we love about him is his proportionate just. You know okay you got a real criminal entitled by god we had to go over and get. Breathalyzer. Otherwise we don't even need to carry a gun. Kids party is one bullet. So we still. There's something i think. not quite an 8:00 but something in us that i think. Respect that proportionate justice. And yet we don't. This disconnect griffin represent but we don't really see with the same kind of critical lie when it's failing to be there and i don't have an answer for that. But i'm. Whatever these things happen i really really want to try to understand what it might have been like to be this year. And then. Clearly the shooter. Was acting. Illegally than they need to they need. April. What are the problems that. As a former school teacher of more than 30 years. I think. Part of what we have done. Trivialize. Dissemble. Tell you how. Every single day. Each. Has the standoff. And say the national anthem. That's over 2,000 times. Pleasure. We also sing. Before most basketball. Zen football. And always. Symbolic. For many people probably under 50. Or more. Have been trivialize. Being. Forced. At the end. Now i retired 18 years ago so. But. I found. The only person standing in my classroom. For the flag was me. The only person saying. With me. So. These are symbolic. Molly mentioned over here. We're not molly are you yes you are. Is that i met her last week. The real things. It might be really patriotic. Are often rare. Exceptional. Just. What would be your example of true patriotism. Hope you been acting out standing up. In. Front of. A group of people. And supporting my right tit. Speak. Speak say speak to power. Or speak. The unpopular. Those are what i think patriotic. I'm not saying. What's your reaction to know i think that's right there standing up for justice. But but but. Yeah. I think that's right and i thinking. I think for people who are in the military. Those rituals have not been trivialize. In a way that has four. People like me have not really had any connection to it like that. But you're right i ate is it we stand up before. Less solemn more sacred than. 11 guys trying to run into. Lighted piece of leather up-and-down field i mean it. But yet we said well this is the thing that's going to really be the high point of our. Americanism that day. Okay i'm sad. And i want to speak to a patriotism. It comes from. The hopi which are the spiritual center. I think that the hope you would say maybe two things i'm sure they would. Say variety of other things. But two things come to mind. That are. Kind of leveling force. 4. Anyone in. 8 + 1 is. That we should alter. Each other is. And that white people have. Problem. We all do. And it's a long it's a lifelong. In trouble. Business. We are really in. So that's an exaggerated. And race relations. We all have. Set a human problem or is that a white. Well i think it reverberate. It's more of a problem if you're the dominant person in the culture. Which get right. Yeah right. The other half. Thank you. While listening to what's going on. One word. Going through my mind. And that word is. I respect. Regardless. Or. I'm somebody else as pointed out that. Others. What kind of an irony in the fact. While kneeling. Atlanta. Producers. Frenzies. Outrage. At the same time in those same stadium. There are hundreds perhaps thousands of people. We're standing in a line. During the national anthem and don't raise an eyebrow. Yeah i had that debate with a friend if you if you can see the flag you should stop but if you only hear the song you can keep waiting for beer that seems to be that the colored i don't. I was just wondering connected to your religious studies. You know. Hazard media has changed over time. No everyone has such an easy access. Voice to the media's. Social media and. When is there been studies about you know how that's real. National news. Because it's so easy to say if. Sayings. As an anonymous in a neon you know. And we really see that emerging in politics. Really been a powerful force in this. Flip paraiso. I'm really thinking just. United not to point a finger at the media but i certainly see that is not. Sara lee. A pathway to truth when it has been in the past but just you know. We're kind of losing sight. Losing our ability to discern between. Continue. Hundred percent agree and i think that bit me personally that's. The thing that makes it hardest for me to be optimistic. I think that really has changed and you know the media is not a monolith. But if they do some good in multiple things but. But they drive out ray. Because outrageous what cells eyeball. So we. It's all and we've been. Eating a steady diet of outrage now for at least 30 years. And it's it's there's this group over here that doesn't like you and they're threatening you they're going to take something from you they're going to change something fundamental in your life. And that's what they they do until the media it's almost like a using football again. 24/7. Football pregame show. Sure. Right right right. Identifies the other. Yeah yeah i think the other part. It will end this was the second point that you made it i think because the 24-hour news cycle is needing some new story won't we lost is the. Disability i think to be able to say no to look so down because of the last hundred stories that one actually matt. We're going to talk about that for months if we have to. But we don't do that we can't even discern what what matters to us anymore so. You know i think. We can't expect the top to change it's not going to change so it has to change down here. We're doomed. I just had two concerns i wanted to raise the first is essentializing some of the conflicts in the middle east. I'm to a sunni and shiite. Shiite. Divide i really. Complexity of the geopolitical. And cultural considerations of. The fact that might have been something with. Lebron 17. It doesn't represent. Islamic wear. Which concerns me. Secondly i would. Given the makeup of. I want to hold space for. Experience rei. An olive. It comes to bear on their bodies. That my son. It's just i just want to give a little blind. Into what it's like for people who actually. I'm experienced racism in their daily lives how much it act. That's where they can do what they can. I found myself feeling very angry. Just because of the. Reduction of the. Sheer brutality of. Happening in this moment right now. How deeply it is. So many members of our. My students have. I just want to hold. Pays for that. Side of the represent. Never not here. Deeply trauma. Yeah and i don't mean to. Try to gloss over the. That sucks. I mean that did that. There's a lot of pain in this. And there's a lot of injustice in this world. Mmm. We have got to open our eyes up and we've got to hear those stories we have to be influenced by. But. The risk of division there other their other lines and in my mind too and then we've got to look at those as well. And i think in terms of the sunni-shiite. Freeman's point was that those. Those countries are not working for what political. I'm not an expert in. Iran. Yeah that would be his argument. But thank you. I think we can. The principal. Freedom. Equality. Thank you. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting. Located in. Virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. Uuc and rv.

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140316_joo_grace-grit.mp3

Welcome to the march 16th service. At the unitarian universal. Congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today. Is led by rev jennifer oenoke will. The title a sermon is grace and grit. Reverend oenoke will is introduced by worship associate. Frank napolitano. And now i'd like to reintroduce jennifer owen o'quinn. And she will be reading keep alive the dream in our heart. Good morning everyone. Return on my microphone that will help. Pastor of the unitarian universalist congregation in roanoke. I'll wear clergy couple and. He came to roanoke to be by himself for a year while i completed a contractor ministry contract in southern california and so. I have the fortunate position. Of. I've not having to work all the. Amanda just take a little bit of sabbatical for my. Both of us both of us. Speak and consult and coach colleagues and leaders. On issues of mission and organizational development is to. Vitality and stewardship and i'm not here to talk to you. Aren't you so glad. They're just asked me to come and preach while she was away and so i'm so glad to be here by pastor.. New church plants and traditional churches and contemporary churches and in all different parts of the country and. This face is lovely. And you should be so. Proud of this the space that you have in the way that you take care of it. One of the first things i do whenever i go visit it if a new congregation and those of you who were here this morning caught me looking around that i walk around the space and i look around it from the from road. To get here all the way up into the space and i'm and i kind of have an idea about your character before i ever meet you. Based on how you treat the space that you have and so you treated well and eyemagine that that means also that you treat one another well. And that you care for how things how things looking filled here from the front door where there was a wonderful man to greet me and hold the door open when i came through finally after i. Preached my way to the parking lot and and. And a wonderful sound gentleman who came all the way outside to the far corner of the parking lot to make sure that i had the microphone that i wanted. And so i appreciate that the generosity and hospitality character that i have experienced here so far and i have to ring for you this morning one is howard thurman's keep alive a dream in the heart and i will share that with you. As long as you have a dream in your heart you cannot lose the significance of living. It is a part of the pretensions of modern life to traffic and what is generally called realism. There's much insistence upon being practical. Down to earth. But things have dreams are want to be regarded as romantic or as a badge of immaturity or as escape hatches for the human spirit when such a mood or attitude is carefully scrutinized. Found to be made up largely of pretensions in shorts. A person cannot continue. Long to live. The dream in the heart. It is then that they stopped hoping stop looking and the last embers of their auntie. The dream in the heart is the outlet. It is one with the living water welling up from the very springs of being nourishing and sustaining all of life there is no dream where there is no dream. The life becomes a swan. A dreary dead. Mason deep within. Heartbeat. The dream need not be some great overwhelming. It need not be a dramatic. Picture of what might be sunday it need not be a concrete outpouring of world-shaking possibility of sure fulfillment. Such may be important. Such may be crucial for a person. Time. But it is not these grey and ways that the dream nourishes. The dream is the quiet persistence in the heart that enables a man to ride out the storms at. Churning. Experience. It is the exciting whisper that moves through the aisles of her spirit answering the monotony of limitless days and dull routine it is the ever recurring melody in the midst. The broken harmony. A horse discord of humankind. It is a touch of significant. Which highlights the ordinary. Experience. The dream is no outward thing it does not take its rise from the environment in which. One move. Functions it lives in the n-word park. Within where the issues. Of life and death are. Keep alive the day. Or as long as you. Have a dream. And by ruth stone. Poet hailing from roanoke. Poem. My hazard wouldn't be yours not ever. But every doom. Like a hazelnut. Comes down to its own worm. So i am rocking here like any granny with her apron over her head saying lower than me. It's my trouble. There's nothing to be learned this. If i heard a girl crying help i would go to save her. But you hardly ever. Dear children. You must try to. Say so. When you. Are in need. Is hunger. With greed. And don't wait. So when we my husband has been here for a year-and-a-half and i've been here for six months with our son daniel. And. And yes he deserves a. And we have one for david my husband he's kind of large. You can play one from he later but wait till i'm gone. I'll come back i love it. I had an accompanist and we tell stories. Piano and i-19. Children's story so you're reminding me of my time with brett. Thank you for having me again we fell in love with southwestern virginia and my husband did it first but you did by himself when he was here kind of alone and sad and in a quiet apartment like a bachelor pad thought he was coming he knew he was coming and i needed to finish my my contract in southern california when he was coming. In the seventh year of my marriage. A bachelor moments. It is going to be fantastic there will be football on the saturday. And there will be football on sunday and there will be socks on the floor and laundry everywhere and the dirty dishes will be hella over there i don't know what yet some fantasy about what it was going to be like. And what he ended up being and i'm so relieved to say that. Is really sad. God. I have not been so awful for him that my absence did make the heart grow fonder and but what happened here when he was here he was he go around and. Play this great i wish i could do this with my family i wish i could do that with my family and we slept in texas and that's it. Attika with your phone. That's a really special play. And i'm in chicago and i looked a long time in chicago we live. The first. 6 years of our marriage in chicago and i've lived in from southern california. Decent part of growing up there. But he'll never admit it. And until i was there for a couple of years recently and and he grew up in god's place. The san juan islands. And so. But he fell in love with roanoke i'm so glad because i don't want to go back to the northway. It's dark there all the time. And then i came and i fell in love with it to this place is beautiful and the character of the people is amazing and i don't really want to tell anyone about it. Because i'm afraid that they'll like what would happen if i like how come i never heard about it but now we're here and we know and it's so nice the people and the landscape and r&a music and my son was playing the violin in southern california. And that's way better because when you when you play the violin when you play the violin you learn. You learn twinkle twinkle little star. But when you go to wes and you learn to play the fiddle. Then you learn i've been working on the railroad. I'm listed compare. if you're a six-year-old boy. What you'd rather do so we're so happy to be here. We went roller skating yesterday my family and i. And the three of us were doing this thing together. Call learning to roller. Such a big boy you didn't even know. Now you can turn that down thank you you've been taking care of me all morning i appreciate it. All right so that's good cuz i just hooked away from the other microphone. Show me what roller skating and i do want to know how this turned out so the three of us and that's the second time daniel and i have been and it's the first time we brought daddy and what was so awesome is that while i got while he was going around the rink i got a vision of what he's going to look like when he's like 88. And he was like i was like i do this is aging this is awesome and i realized that i was doing the same thing which made my outfit is cute i got to tell you he was adorable. Calling purpose. Frustrated and it was hard so one of the things that we got familiar with yesterday was falling down. And falling flat and i had this one moment i took we all had a really good one. You know cuz you have to. And i was when i was getting off the rake i'd made it all the way around a few times but they put these things why do they do this. Between the roller rink. And the carpet. Call the metal. Thresholds. Very slippery. I'm sorry but it's a metal out there on the right number to save it from here trying to get off and maintain some kind of dignity. Istep. And my lines and legs the people that remember that for the rest of their time at the. At the roller rink. Come here today to talk to you about hardship. How to share that story with you because when we go through hardship we end up knock down. Linda flat on her back. We sometimes get run over or run into. Pushed. Alright flattened. Either experiences of what it's like when we are in the midst of hardship and we're having an experience of hardship. Can come down with us fed and get the wind knocked out of us or were. It can refine us. It can reduce us. Anakin redefine. Hardship. It can come from an unexpected loss or an unexpected gain. Losing a child. Or parents. Friends. A dream. A job. Our hope. Gaining responsibility i can come from getting today. Gaining responsibility having new people to care for. Or resources to. Hardship can also come from within it can be our loss of vitality. Or flagging spirits. Emotional. Hardship. The failure of our emotion. Strength when we find that we actually infect. Go. So you know what hearts. Is tough. Places. I was talking to a woman colleague of mine in roanoke and she was telling me a story. About something else and it and she was trying to figure out the timeline and she said well it was about 15 years ago my friend died. 15 years ago. And when she said that. Line voice call. 15 years ago my best friend died. And then a little bit later in the story it's as though because the memory kind of flashed through her mind a little bit later she said you know my best friend. She was killed in a car accident 15 years ago she and her husband both. I was supposed to i was supposed to race witcher. If that. And and. When we went to the safe-deposit box i wasn't sure what it was going to say because she was. She wanted to change her well so that will be us at ray's for children. And it it hadn't been changed. Until her aunt her sister. Her children went to live with her. And it was really hard at the time but it turned out for the best i heard or kind of working through it 15 years later. It turned out for the best because 3 months later my husband might be lost her job. They were pastors. We lost our job. We can just we didn't just lose our job we actually really and just. I quit because of the group people i didn't like us actually like. They voted us. I want you to experience the other rejection that you lose your best friend and then the people that you've been given to love the people that you're called to surf get together and they vote to reject you. And so she remembers that exactly her time frame in her life the story of her life is around that 15 years ago with her best friend died in there. Hardship that's something to us. What hardships like strikethrough hardship it changes the course of our lives what we were doing before is no longer what we are going to be doing. We make it around to the similar destination but we're going to do it an entirely different way we will be entirely different people who arrive at that. Tony talked about that time. Only don't talk about that time. Your voice will catch. Or it will get quiet. But make it loud. Shark. What might soften. No matter how many years pass. Hardship in our lives represent the events that knock us over and we have to figure out how to get back up. What. To do next. What is 2 steps in our course correction with hardship we get knocked off course. Events and experiences necessarily mean that our lives have to. Something new has happened. And then and then we have to also respond. Our response then sets in motion another set. Up changes. Another set. Different thing. That are unfolding and how we choose to respond changes our course yet again so the events and then our response to the event both. Change our course. Deliverance comes after hardship. There's no other way to experience deliverance. Going to have life bring you to a place a space a situation whether that's physical or emotional or mental or spiritual that is so horrible that you must be delivered from it to survive. So the title of my message today is grace and grit. And these are some of the residue of deliverance and i'm here to talk to you about that. We've been to that hard place we've been to that lonely place we've been to that scary place at painful place each one of us or we watch someone we love be there. Maybe we're in that place right now. Maybe our best friend is. Or a child or a parent. Or a colleague. And you're watching your own world or someone else's world close to you get shaken. Wii come out. The other side. We come out the other side. With things that we did not have before. Stars. 41. Memory. Good ones. And tonight. But we will have something else we will have some grit. Hard-won grit. Road rash torn up ground up. Bits of ourselves and what we have in countered grit. We will have grit. And then what do we do next. Do we do next. The answer to this question reveals our destiny what will we do with our grits will it grind us up. Will it scrape up other people. Will we. Scrape up. Other. With our grip. Will we allow it to shape us. The softener. The shyness. Like a beach. Will we allow our grit to shine ass up and reveal god-given grace at we all carry but too few of us ever discover what we allow that grit to help us grow we allow the grit to refine us. Doing my mind if i think about this topic this hardship in my mind i turn through the photo album of the pages of the people that i have known people that i've seen broken and bruised and bent peoples live contorted sometimes utterly obliterated by unforeseen forces. Everything is stripped away. Homie clutch at something. Show me reach for something what is it is in these moments that we are brought flat-out. But we get to encounter gray. Or maybe even just did we get. To grace. Braces in the room whether we know it or not. It is the grace that comes both as we are delivered and it is the grace that delivers us. That's really know this to trust this i just want you to remember being in that place. In your life or the life of someone that you know where you been knocked down knockouts latin shutdown recti. Been there you've been there. Baby right now. That's a dark place. In a dark place in a hard place in my life i had a dream at night. In a season of hardship i had a dream and in the dream everything's black. The room was black. The set of the dream was. So dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. And the edges of the dream were sharp. Cold edges like metal edges. That was the stage. For my dream. I'm asleep. In the midst of hardship and the dream is black. And i'm in the dream i know i'm in there i'm curled up. The way of wounded animal curls itself up lies down on the floor i'm curled up in the middle of that black place in the dream that's where i am in the dream and you can't see me and all of a sudden there's a light. And i've been going to church for that time in my life i've been going to worship in a place where the pastor. Just had a. Ministry that was just for me it was just between him and i right then right at that time. There's a lot of other people there but he was just talking to me every week. And and. There was a and i've never spoken to him. The big church i was there to be anonymous. Cuz i have to do this for a living so what we want to do is be anonymous when we're broken and we're needing to go to worship. Play self-image greener light is on his face. And i see him and he strives toward me like he would appear you know. He strides toward me and he says. He said get up. And i see the light on his face and i see his hand and it's reaching out and it's reaching toward me and i'm there on the floor and i'm curled up and as the dream goes on i remain silent. An unmoved. I went on for a long time get up. Get up. But you know when you're in hardship you know what happens. What's a what happened in my dream i ended up weeping at the feet of this man explaining to him exactly why there was no way in the world i could ever get up. It could not be done. I can't. Get up. I can't get up. I can't i don't know if i'll ever get up. Hardship. Is a real. Play. It's a real. So what do we do to get back up. I want to give you a recipe for grape. It's not a long recipe because you can basically remember i can only remember two or three things and i'm going to give you five so that you can remember two of them. They're the ones for you don't matter which one any of these will help. A recipe for grape the first. Saying is decide in advance. Decide in advance as you're getting knocked down as the bad thing is happening as the impact stripes decide right then i will as your life is getting moved to a new location i will use this for good. I will use this for good. I do not know how i do not even where i'm landing at this point i do not know how many bones will be broken or if i'll walk again after this happened but i will use this. For good. That determines your destiny. That decision that you make before you do anything else determines your destiny it in shores. But it will work out. Not in any way that you thought of. But it will be used for the good that is the power of free will. I will. Use this. For good. I will get back up. I did not believe that. I did not think i was ever happening. The second thing is after you decide i will use this for good you have to assess where you are. Where did you land. What just happened. You were going here and now you're over here. You were uptight and now you were flat. Is there something on top of you crushing you what is happening in your life where are you. See your change in latitude and attitude. See it. Assessment. No judgement. Assassin. It is what it is i was in a place where in my dreams let alone in my waking hours i cannot get. Assess where you are and then you can react or you can respond. How you do that. Says everything. We are all survivors. We're here. The question is. Will we just get by. Or will we grow. Or will we thrive. Figuring out how to not react but how instead to respond. Picking matt breath second. Athens. And then you have to chart a new course from this new place that you are trying to figure out where it is that you want to go which could take awhile you could just be there i mean they were in the desert for a really long time. Before they got anywhere. Those kids are learning about exodus. A really long time figuring out how to get where they were going. You have to chart a new course and one of the decisions you get to make while your charting that new courses are you going to be a person. Confirmation or are you going to be a person of transformation and i would suggest you that if you already decided you will use it for good you have to pick transformation. Eventually. To be a person of confirmation needs to stay in the place where you can't get up. To be a person of transformation. Moon. This situation happened and i will use it for good. Confirmation this situation happened and it is bad. And you can gather an army of people around you who will be your confirmers. Beware. They get in. When your marriage is in trouble. Confirmers. Oh yeah. We never really liked him. She's always been difficult. That would be so hard if that were happening to me. Now transformative friend may say some of those same things that must be so hard. I know this will change. Careful be so careful who you put around you and who you listen to. All the influence will impact your final destination. It's so it's really important when you chart at new course. That we put around the far north stars. People. Value. Story. Pass. Better are northstar. People who can guide us when it's dark. These are not people that confirm. What we know to be true about how bad it is. These are people we look up to we respect to been through a hardship and have gotten through it into a place that you want to get. People whose marriages survived. People who made a difficult choice to end a relationship and did something redemptive after that. People who are driven by the values by the spiritual values of acting with kindness with respect with compassion. For their enemy. The person in this room who has the who has a capacity to show compassion for their enemy. Is the person that i hope. You'll follow. Because if you look to your left. And if you look to your right at some point one of those people will disagree with you about something. Compassion. For one another love. Joyce forbearance. Hope praise encouragement. Patients thanksgiving goodness affirmation blessing mercy mercy. Gentleness. Self-control we need to put these values around us and we need people who live them. To be around us and it's so tempting when things are so hard to want to be comforted by something easy. I want to wrap the blanket of alcohol. Or. Sleep. Around us. Set the course when you're dreaming. That's not. We get to decide where we will go. Until i have these words from paul. For you were called to freedom brethren. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh but through love be servants to one another. The last building one word what's that word you shall love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite. And devour one another take heed. But you are not consumed by one another. But i say walk by the spirit and do not gratify. The desires of the flash the flash wants. Revenge. The flash wants it. Affair the flesh wants an equal and opposite response to the bad thing that happened to us to make us right. And i say to you now to find the grace in it to find the grace and it you have to figure out. Somehow had a return good for evil. Little bits at a time little bits at a time return good for evil the power that comes from loving your enemy from loving those who hate you there's something happens to the quality of your character when you wake up one day and you know for a fact that there's people out there in the world that hate you. And you love them. It doesn't mean that you necessarily stay. Marriage with somebody who hates. It doesn't necessarily mean that you asked to be beaten by the person who hates you but it means if something has happened in your character wear all the way down to the innermost part of you it doesn't matter that you don't like the things that they do but you have inside you somehow or other you've fostered the capacity to love that person i'm telling you that grace. It is otherworldly power to love. We can't figure that out ourselves. That kind of love. And it comes with hardship because it means that we've been attacked we've been wounded we've been hurt we've been horrible something has happened to us a wrong thing. A terrible fate. But you have determined in the beginning that you will. Bring good from whatever this. And way that you do that in this is so hard it's to return good for evil. How do i turn this. Good. By the instrument of my own will resources power experience activity how do i turn this for good what does that mean about what i don't do. What does that mean about i don't say. And what does it mean that i do say. It doesn't mean that you're a doormat. It means that you can love. Somebody. It doesn't mean you can't stand can't stand toe-to-toe with them because i have a six-year-old and let me tell you sometimes i love him so much and i just stand toe-to-toe with him. Daniel. This is what it's going to be. And i love you. Healing habits and habitats. Are so important. And our determination. And following this gives us from the place where we are not thrown down when we are not broken where we are not crushed but we are getting by and then we are growing and then we are thriving. And also serve. Standing firm. Being steady. Standing in truth with a capital t means standing in love. If we really. Believe. That love animates. The goodness in the world standing pieced and enjoy standing faith not in fear face down that fear i cannot get up. What do you do with your pain. What do you do with your hurt. Decide. To use your experience for good. Surround yourself with north stars. People whose lives and his legacy you admire and respect. Who has figured out how to do the hard thing of returning. Good. For evil. Except magnify and welcome kindness. Give your attention to the goodness. And this is so hard and pain. Discipline yourself. You can change your reactions and your behavior. Being hysterical does not help. But it happens. And you can slow it down you can soothe yourself. With prayer and community. Tell the good story. Understand that your story is an epic. Not a drama. Look for the good in others. Magnify the good that you see. Even if it's very small. Blessed. Blessed. Celebrate everyday cry-it-out be honest with your pain pain deferred does not heal. Be a person of transformation not confirmation so put around you is difficult people that wouldn't you just wants to be comforted they comfort you with the truth. There's love and that little bit of. Overcoming fear requires taking up face. Leaning into hope weaning into joy leaning into possibilities o'kane happens in life. Real pain physical pain spiritual pain emotional pain life comes with. What do we do when we are hurt. What do we do when life knocks us down knocks us off course knocks us over how do we respond right there when we find ourselves laid out on the ground what we decide to termans our destination determines our direction and therefore determines the destiny of our lives. I will use this for good. Living comes with pain. Emotional pain spiritual pain. Physical pain. Real pain. Their children. You must try to say something when you are in need. Don't confuse. Hunger. With greed. And don't wait until. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting. Located in blah. Virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. Uuc and rv.

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141130_do_satisfaction.mp3

Welcome to the november 30th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by her settled minister. Reverend darrell roland. And her sermon is titled satisfaction guaranteed. The podcast begins with a reflection by worship associate frank napolitano. Having made the 800 mile journey to visit us for the holiday. We've been basking and each other's company and expanding our waste lines for the past 72 hours. As i sit on my couch satisfied from obscene amounts of food and family i considered the theme of today service satisfaction. And i ask myself. What does it mean to be spiritually satisfied. Is it even possible. To be satisfied spiritually. And if so what would that satisfaction look or feel like. Obviously i don't have the answers to these questions but thanksgiving provides us with a good place as a community. To begin exploring them. Those of you who heard the why are you use presentations last week. Know how powerful it can be. To reflect on the things that were thankful for. For me doing so has been a wonderful way of opening myself up. A pushing past daily worries or the trivial concerns of work or politics and remembering how blessed my life has been and continues to be. Yet while we definitely should be more mindful on a daily basis. Of all of our blessings. Cultivating a sense of gratitude isn't the only path toward spiritual satisfaction. Much of what i call spiritual satisfaction. Calls for balance between enjoying membership in a community and experiencing productive solitude. Being part of a community of firms what it means to be human. To be sharing in the uncertainties pains and joys of this life. I need to be around people who celebrate each other for no other reasons than their presents and their humanity. Army part of celebrating each other is listening to each other. Community is important because i need and i think everyone needs. To be heard. Just hearing the questions what do you need. Or what do you hope to gain from this experience. And understanding that your community cares about the answers. Are enough. To lead me to say. This is where i need to be. There are times though. When this space is not where i need to be. I also need time alone. Time to decompress. Time to just sit and feel whatever it is that i may be feeling at a given moment. Without any effort to change it. Often i need to accept that wherever i am emotionally or spiritually. Is where i need to be. In a way then. One way for me to be spiritually satisfied. Is allow myself to accept that i am on a lifelong spiritual journey. One without a goal. Perhaps being satisfied spiritually depends upon accepting. That it's okay. But i'm not where i think i should be. Or that i don't feel the way i want to feel. If there's another breath in my body. Then there's another opportunity to reconcile my expectations with my reality. Now you're all sitting back and saying. I feel so much better that frank is satisfied. But that simply isn't true. In many ways i am profoundly unsatisfied. Because my spiritual reality is intertwined with yours. And frankly. I don't think i give to the degree that i receive. That recognition has nagged at me for some time. Telling me to do something to serve in some way. Call it catholic guilt. Call it liberal guilt. Call it a simple recognition that for me. To be spiritually satisfied means that i need to know that i'm doing enough. For other people. Is doing the dishes are giving the kids a bath really making enough of a difference in this world. How about reading for a few minutes out of service. Is it possible that i'm being too hard on myself. Too judgmental. I've been accused of doing that before. Instead. Maybe i should think about service in the same way that i view my own spiritual journey. As a lifelong work-in-process. And then hopefully my actions and not my angst and there's plenty of that will be the judge. Maybe the next time i am asked if i am spiritually satisfied. I'll have the courage to reply. For now. Are reading this morning comes from a work called this full of blessing. By john o'donohue. The same author of the responsive reading we shared earlier. These are his words from the soul of blessing. Sometimes we are unaware of the most powerful truths about ourselves for instance that each one of us. Has a soul. We go about our everyday lives as if we are completely dependent on our own ability. So aware of how frail and limited that can be. The world of spirit is strange. It is subtle and concealed. It will wait for our calling. If you never think of your soul but confine it to some vague region of spiritual fantasy. You squander. An infinite energy at the heart of your life. Once you awaken to your soul you know you are no longer alone. You begin to learn another way of being in the world. Old barriers no longer confined you. The old wounds no longer name you. The old fears no longer claim you. Not that all of this simply disappears and some new born again. Conversion. The old patterns do not evaporate. But become transformed. A grounding install means that regardless of how badly we think of ourselves. There is wholeness. In oshkosh. That no one has ever been able to damage. The intention of friendship. Love. Prayer. Is to allow your heart. Enter the inner sanctuary. Where it can regain its confidence. Renew its energy. Quicken with creative and critical. Vision. This fall. Is a home. Of vision. Now i didn't get a very good close look at your order of service when i came in but the title of the service ought to be. Satisfaction guaranteed?. A? on your order service very good. The? is incredibly important. As we come together this morning we're talking about is satisfaction. Guaranteed. ?. Not satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. .. There is something. Truly beautiful. And bewildering. About be holding a child. And a very first sacred precious. Moments of life. As i have been learning to care for my own child. To make sure that he is safe. And warm. And fed. I am reminded. Of the basics. The basics that all of us need no matter how old we are. Does basics of shelter food worms. Caring and careful. Words. We need these our whole life long. These are building blocks. These are the foundations of the human life we can share together. In this tremendously beautiful world. Ennis tremendously hurting painful and broken world. Keep my. My husband peter and i will certainly do our very best. Provide all of the basics for our child to give our child the very best. That we can. I will do my very best. But i can also help but think. Let's try as i may. I just don't have the ability to guarantee. Ultimate satisfaction and happiness and fulfillment. For my son. For the long-term. I would want to guarantee all those things but it's just not in my human power to do so. As i said. There is an amazing amount of joy. And there is earth shattering pain which were present to this morning. What kind of world is this. What the heck kind of world. Is this. I think a lot of people are asking. What the heck kind of world is this is a question that i actually think people have been asking. For millennia. Since human life being began. What the heck kind of world. And what can we depend on. And religion. Has been trying to attend to this puzzle this question. For an equal amount of time. Some theologians hold that if you act accordingly in this life you are assured. Satisfaction and and happiness in heaven later. And some theologist hold that by performing certain rights and certain rituals we can assure the satisfaction of the gods. And therefore attain satisfaction. In our lives. And so it is that. Wrestling with satisfaction. Trying to guarantee our satisfaction is something we humans have just been up to. 4 years. No i don't have to say very much about this part because i know that many of you are aware of this but today people typically seek satisfaction through all sorts of. Consumer goods right we try to seek a satisfying life by getting the right car getting the right house getting the right look in our clothes. Getting the right technology right. We exist in a dominant culture in which there is a cycle of supply and demand. Encouraged to think that our satisfaction can and ought to be. Guaranteed. Or our money back. We really want that. Sometimes i think our cultural mantra i might just be a little bit like that rolling stones song i can't get no satisfaction you'll know that one. Let's sing just that one line. Just a little bit for us. I can't get no. Satisfaction. Siri how you can sing arrested in your head all throughout the rest of the day. But we all know that one we can stay at we can sing it it's our kind of cultural lunch i can't get no satisfaction. And sometimes it is that our desires and are seeking to fulfill our desires. Become kind of an addiction. And we try to fill that desire for satisfaction and all sorts of ways. Many of you enjoyed a really full meal. On thursday for thanksgiving. I see somebody raising your hands yes i enjoyed a full meal. But thanksgiving. This morning though i want to talk with you a little bit about. Not feeling the belly with food. But this idea of spiritual. Feeling this or fulfillment. Wrestle with you a little bit about this idea of spiritual satisfaction is it possible. I'm going to use the word spirit and spiritual spirituality and soul. And i know that many of us had different relationships to those words. So this morning i'm talking about going to clarify my terms i'm talking about that which connects us to that which is larger than ourselves. I'm talking about that deep indwelling awareness that accompanies our lives. Which is more true than our truest words spoken. I'm talking about that which when we listen closely reveals to us the beating heart. Pavlov's wisdom. Wisdom beyond world-weariness andy go on talking about that which is elevated within us when we hear the right. Piece of music. Or that which is revealed to us when we see fit in a deepening sort of silence. Talkin about the dawning realization. That happens when you see. A good sunset and what is known when we crack open. Enjoy enssaro. I'm talking about the still small boys that some would say is the connection to god. The holy or the sacred. This is what i'm talking about when i say spirit spirituality and soul are you with me. Innocence. Turn off the prising lee spiritual fulfillment isn't something that's talked about very often. I want to talk about i'm aware that some of us can wish or feel like spiritual fulfillment i want to be available on demand. We got so many things on demand. But we can't order spiritual fulfillment from a restaurant menu it just. It doesn't work like that. Sf2 died into the meaning really have today's message i want to tell you a story a short story. It's a zen story from japanese tradition. Some of you might have heard this story if you came to a meditation evening with me last year. Call the stonecutter. Once upon a time. There was a stonecutter. And he was really disqualified. With his life. His position he had a deep. Yearning for something more. And one day he passed a very wealthy merchant's house. And he saw this mansion through the open gateway and he saw all the fine possessions and all the important visitors streaming and he said. Doing self. I want. That. How powerful that merchants must be. Thought the stonecutter. And he became pretty envious. He wish that he could be just like that merchants. And to his great surprise while i. All of the sudden. He was that merchants. He found himself with more power than he had ever imagined. He had more luxuries than he could ever imagine. He also realized that he was becoming envied and attested by those who are less wealthy than himself. And soon a high official past. That was carried on a sedan chair up high. And he was accompanied by all sorts of attendance and squirted by soldiers were beating gongs really loudly. Making way for this high important official. And everyone no matter their place in society. Bowed low to the person in the sedan chair and thought how powerful that official is. Well. The stonecutter. Turned up merchants that i wish i could be that high official. And wallah magically. All the sudden he became the high official. And he was carried everywhere in his high sedan chair everyone bowing to him. But he also got really hot. Really hot up there by himself and he looked up. To the sky and you saw the sun. I want to be blazing like the sun. I want to be as powerful as a sign and all of a sudden while i. He became that fun. And it shone down so furiously on the people. And he thought to himself now i'm satisfied i am just the sun. The strongest warmest current moving through the land. Suddenly a black cloud moved between him and the earth. And suddenly his light could no longer shine so powerfully upon the people. And this really disturbed him and he said how powerful that cloud is i wish i could be that cloud. Key west the cloud. But then the clouds start to move back and forth because of great wind came. And then you see how the story is going he said i want to be the wind. I want all of that power. And there he was blowing the tiles off of rubes and houses in uprooting all the trees. But he was feared and hated by those below him. After while. Being the wind. He ran into something that he just couldn't move. It was a big rock. And he said. I wish i could be that rock. I wish i could be that rock and why lie. He became that rock. More sturdy than anything else on earth but as he stood there he heard the sound of a hammer. It was pounding into that rock. Undo that hard surface and he felt himself being changed by the hammer. Any thought what could be more powerful. Then i the rock. And he looks down. Any song. A stonecutter. I think the message in the store is pretty. It is as the poet ts eliot says after all of our exploring. Will beets return from the place. The place from which we began. I know that place for the very first. Time. After all his speaking for more and more all the things that he was not. He ended up with the understanding i knew awareness of his own gifts. Of power and promise. One thing the stonecutter could be assured of. Was that he was a stonecutter. The one thing we can be assured of is that we are human beings with a kaleidoscope of different gifts and qualities within us. I believe much of our craving for more and more our yearnings and desires. How to do with a sense of wanting to belong to the world. As i mentioned. We can become hooked to our own desires. And as many of you know. When we are early young ones. And our basic needs. We perceive is not being met. We can develop all sorts of coping strategies. To make our way through. And later down the track we can discover that some of those coping strategies actually lead us off course. What is required is for us to go back in and just turn. What is the need. Really beneath all of my yearning. Is satisfaction. Guaranteed. I want to share with you that as i mentioned. I would love to guarantee satisfaction for my son. In all things but i can. Would that i could. What i can do. Is remind him as i remind myself as i remind us today. That we each hold the keys to our own spiritual sense of fulfillment. Each one of us is endowed with spiritual life. Whether we take time to tend it to cultivate it to know it. Is up to us. I fear that when we don't take time to know it we become alienated from ourselves and from one another. So this morning i want to remind us. About a central key practice. In reconnecting with the life of the spirit. If i could i would put this word on icky and give it to my son. And give it to you. So that we remember we hold many of the keys to unlock our spiritual life. And this is one. It would be key in on that key would be the word. Appreciation. Which sounds really simple. But it's not always easy to be appreciative in our lives. If you were going to use that key today and in the days ahead. You want to use that key of appreciation. To unlock your heart in mind. I wonder what you would feel particularly. Appreciative for. I'm appreciative. Of this community. What are you. Appreciative for. From moment i going to ask you to connect yourself with your own sense of longing. Do this with me if you will for just a moment. Consider what it is you are yearning for. What you are longing. I would like us to use the key of appreciation. To look appreciatively at our own urinating in our own longing. For even in the story of this of the stonecutter. His yearning and as long and compelled him forward. So there's nothing wrong with your name. It's whether we listen to. The beating hearts behind the yearning what are spirits are calling for. I want you to consider in the days ahead this key of appreciation. And closed this morning. I'd like to do a very simple spiritual practice with you. Perhaps we'll attend to some of your urinating. And some of your longings. When a child. Really want something. Really really want something. Danica fest like this. What if we can all make a fist like. And maybe we're going to channel all of the yearning that we just brought to mine all of our desires and wants. Who put it there a narcissist. Hold on to it really tight because we want it. So much. And now if you will. I'd like you to quietly and silently to yourself. Count off. With appreciation. 10 things. Ordinary things you feel. Very grateful. And count them off. In your hands one by one. Let us do this now. I think that most of us. Have our hands open. Let us remember that the key of appreciation hangs on and invisible thread. That each one of us has. Let us remember. Then opening ourselves. Toussaint's depreciation it just might be. That we taste. Assurance of. Fulfillment. May you go forward. Opening and closing. To receive all that is our lives. Let this be a promise and a prayer. Blessed be. And a man. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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160515_ep_building-bridges.mp3

Welcome to the may 15th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by worship associate allen plumber. The theme for the service is building bridges. And many members contribute. Reflection. The podcast begins and ends. With words from director of lifespan faith developed. Karen hager. We often speak of the 7uu principals. Which is you use we hold a strong values and moral guides. But there's another concept that some of you may not be as familiar with as you use and that is the six sources. Which provide us guidance on living this prince. And we put a copy of the six sources in your order of service. But you can take it home later and look at it. And on the back are also the source religions for unitarian universalism. Which we think you'll find very interesting. This year a middle school in adult classes have been participating in a program called building bridges. And it's all about the exploration of the six sources. It's a respectful program this intended to help one's own individual growth is that you you. Well also building bridges of understanding and connection between ourselves and people in the wider world. As we learned about many different religious practices and beliefs we have the opportunity to engage with other religious people. To attend their worship services. To meet with the religious leaders. And to talk to you from adults about what they treasure most about their own religions. The word religion is commonly thought to derive from the latin word with agere. Which means to fasten tire bind. So in other words religion connects. Religion can be seen as connecting people to each other. And more profoundly religion can be seen as connecting people to something beyond themselves. To the sacred. To the inexplicable. To enforce the spirit that some people may call god or make call something else. Religion has been present in every human society ever documented. Finding a community to a sense of purpose we each feel we belong to something bigger than just ourselves. So this morning we're going to here. From a few of the youth and adults. Who participated in the building bridges class is either members or teachers. And they're going to share with you a few of the explorations that occurred this year as an attempt. To build bridges. Between unitarian-universalism another face. The series of speakers will hear from nick. Our fellow congregants fellow students fellows teach. On this journey of learning from the wisdom. Of the world's religions. And. We will hear first from alan moore. Your first i just want to say it. Nice to hear from so many congregants today. About what's going on in your lives. I was asked to speak about non-western faith and shoes one and i found that too. It's always difficult at first but then i settled on buddhism because it. And away and compasses much of other eastern religions as well. I taught him the adult and. Middle school classes so i just want to really quickly share with you. One of our favorite activities from middle school class. This year we learned how to make holy water. It's very simple recipe. Step one you put water in a pot. And step to you boil the hell out of it. Set up. There's several reasons why i think it's important to understand buddhism and relevant to unitarian universalism that's what i'm going to talk about. First of all like unitarian-universalism. Buddhism is a living growing faith. And. We are both forward-thinking and embrace change. Where's the buddhist say impermanence. Buddhism began in india was rooted in hinduism which. Concepts of reincarnation meditation cycles of time. It didn't move to china where it was influenced by taoism. And which brought on humanity's place in nature. Also influenced by confucianism which. Talks about humane relationships. And then eventually move to japan where the chinese style tan buddhism became known as zen buddhism. Which brings on concepts of harmony and balance. But it's not done yet like i said it's a growing faith. Second reason and not many people know. The development of modern buddhism is in part due to encounters with the unitarian universalist. In america. The united states was first introduced to buddhism in 1778 by hannah adams in her encyclopedia of religion. And this work led her to become a unitarian. In 1844 unitarian elizabeth peabody translated the lotus sutra. Which became a source of inspiration for thorough. The first japanese buddhist to visit america was a. Sailor named nakahama monjiro who was rescued. From his sinking fishing vessel. In 1845 because of his race he was shunned by the ship captain. Methodist church. They were both welcomed by the unitarian church right across the street. I'm eight years later he returned to japan. And was a catalyst for modernization in japan. Including zen buddhism. He also became a mentor to the zen scholar dt suzuki. And the 1890s. Unitarians created the first. Buddhist organizations and publications in the united states. And the earliest buddhist congregations were hosted in unitarian churches. Third reason. Not unlike unitarian universalism. Buddha buddhism is not so much a religion as it's a way of life. For example many christians see the ten commandments. As the essential guide for living. But a spiritual way of life is more than just rules. The buddhist way of life is more in harmony with the psalms of judaism. And the beatitudes of the sermon of the mount. And the five pillars of islam. In the spirit is what buddhists call the eightfold path. Eightfold path concerned. Consists of eight elements course. The first is right knowledge. And the most basic knowledge in buddhism. Is the wisdom that the buddha received when he was meditating under the bodhi tree. Just called the. The four noble truths. First life is suffering. Seconds. Desire is the root of suffering. Third. Liberation from desire is the goal and 4th. The eightfold path is the solution. Next on the path is right aspiration which is the motivation to seek the path. Next is right speech we speak truthfully. And positively. Next is right behavior. So yes there are in fact the rules but. Just like you unitarian-universalism buddhism says nothing about god. So the rules are much simpler. Right behavior means thou shalt not. Kill. Steel. Why. Engage in sexual misconduct. Or. Taking toxic. So i see i've lost about half of you there. Next is right effort. Our efforts should be consistent and sustained. Right mindfulness. Which is an examination. And understanding of our thought processes. And finally the concept of right absorption. We must be completely immersed in this path. A one more concept that's not including the eightfold path but it's very important. It's called right association. That means something to me here in this congregation. What ride association says is that. We must be engaged. In a community. That nurtures rc. Growth. And in the buddhism they call this congregation tsonga. Despite how i presented it just keep in mind that the eightfold path. Is anything but linear and it could take many lifetimes to to traverse. Another reason i chose buddhism. Is because buddhism and unitarian-universalism value many of the same things. Studying self-inquiry. The integration with nature. Unconditional love. And buddhism this is called meta. Or loving-kindness. And it's an intentional practice. Of non greed and not hatred. Diversity. What's the buddhist called papaya. This is the idea that different people. Need different methods and symbols in order to understand the universe. And that all sincere spiritual pilgrims. Will reach the summit regardless of their path. I'm service is also very important. The buddhists say. Active compassion in the world. This goes beyond the simple. Childhood golden rule. Which buddhists refer to as calculated. Morality. And buddhism. There is no i doing unto others. Only the action. And then finally i wanted to mention meditation. Which according to zen teacher and uu minister james ishmael ford. Really boils down to three things. Sit down. Shut up. Pay attention. And that's just a reminder that we meet here for meditation on tuesday evenings. And really quickly i'm just going to lay a quick meditation on you. And if you want to. Take it in. As i breathe in. I am breathing in peace. As i breathe out. Time breathing out stress. Anxiety. Sadness. As i breathe in. I'm breathing in light and love. As i breathe out. I'm sending my own light and love out into the world. And finally a quote. Again from unitarian universalism. List. Sam trumbore. Perhaps this is the genius and potential of what unitarian-universalism can be. Honoring and appreciating the many different traditions that proclaim the greatness. Of what that which is beyond us. Seeking the widest possible path the truth and meaning. May actually enhance our ability to dive deep into the spiritual practices of each tradition. Without being caught by the limits of overreaching dogma. Authoritarian institutionalism. And historically bound revelations. Thank you alan. Sophie aronson is going to talk to her this morning about. Her reflections her thoughts. About what we have to learn from islam. Good morning. I'm sophie aronson and i would like to talk about my experience at the alley sean budget that we. Visited in january. Throughout the year we visited many different congregations but. I found this one to be my favorite. First i believe it was the most informative trip that our group went on a powerpoint have been set up. In the moshi and we were given a lesson covering the five pillars of islam. On the role of women and lifestyle and customs. Prior to the visit i only knew a few things about islam. And because of that i really appreciated that common misconceptions of the islamic faith were also. It's really important to have reliable information if you want to be an honest person and you know know the truth about different face. Which is why i found this visit to be so beneficial. Our congregation was very similar to that of the islamic society in several ways. But what stood out to me the most was how welcoming they were. Everybody was extremely kind and hospitable. The women showed us how to wear hijabs and help us follow along while praying. Wish we were welcome to join a time but not at all. Pressured or expected to participate. After the presentation and prayers we all have. Pizza and snacks which. Is similar to when our congregation holds potlucks after the services. And you had our church people are very accepting and warm to newcomers. And these things were obviously valued at the machine as well which i. Also. Many people are afraid of things that they don't know or understand. And i'm very grateful for this program and experience for giving me. The relationship i have with islam and other face. Because i don't feel confused or afraid of them. I think building bridges between face is a wonderful thing. And i hope it continues so that more people will have better understandings of death. David burr. Also well learner and a teacher is going to share his thoughts with us this morning. As well. Yeah this year i taught the jewish on the christian parts. Of the course. Panda. These are important parts for the uuc because. Liberal judaism liberal christianity. Tim's too. Track. You reverse a very large extent. We're all seemingly doing the same things. But that's a little bit. Misleading when it comes to the bridges course because in this course we're not just interested in what identifies itself as liberal. Or what looks a little bit like you use. We're taking a good look at religion as a whole and we really need to. I remember some years ago hearing the chief rabbi of london yeah there is a chief rabbi of london oddly enough. Interview. And. In his interview he said. The difference in the world now is you could walk down any street in london and encounter more religious diversity. Did any medieval person knew existed in the entire universe. Anyways right. And the operative word here is in coker. Where in one another's faces. We're inevitably in one another's faces we're inevitably interacting. We can't not do so. We don't have to agree with others. But we do have to deal with it. Which means we have to talk with them. Which means we have to really start by listening to them. Which is pretty much what we try to do in the course. And when we do it well we're likely to be surprised. I'm with sophie. My my. High point this year was that. They in the mosque in the machine. I remember terry. Distinctly sitting there. And that bastard eating pizza with a bunch of young muslims. All of them at my table had engineering degrees it turned out. I was the only one at the table without an engineering degree. All of them at the table wanted to be good muslims and good americans. All of them expected good things from our visit. Show us as friends. This ranch was the overwhelming feeling you got just dealing with them. Notice much is hardly a surprise. But the honesty and the complexity. Of the conversation. About. What it meant to be a muslim in the united states at this moment in history. What is a surprise. They were stunningly honest. And incredibly articulate. I remember also being. Impressed and surprised by our. Morning. Shaffer memorial church in christiansburg. And i still wish there'd been some follow-up there there i wish that i could have. Talked with the minister or the parishioners or somebody about what went on there. What role they thought. The african-american church was playing in america at this point in history. Tell him i'm i walked out feeling at best confused in a little hater. Have worst ignorant. Which was i supposed to weigh i should have felt. Because. 15 years ago i was teaching. I was teaching the history of the church in america and teaching a great deal about the black church. But this wasn't quite the black church i recognized only 15 years ago. The times they are a-changin. Not let me say this as simple as possible. This is the sort of thing that you usually should be doing. If. Karen hager. When's some sort of. Entry into the dlst hall of fame it's just this course. Display might want to think of ourselves as sitting right at the center of the universe we aren't. We're one religion among others and we have to deal with the others. In fact. We need to pay more attention to them and especially the ones we. Don't think of ourselves as like. Especially the evangelical protestant. I was surprised how little talking i did about the evangelical protestants this year i should have done a whole lot more talkin about them. There are after all over 94 million evangelical protestants in this country. And if you look at the world there about 285 million worldwide. Which means that compared with evangelical christianity. Uuc. It's just about the size of a deer tick. That doesn't mean we should all become evangelical protestants we shouldn't perhaps. But it doesn't mean we need to listen to them. We need to hear what they have to say. And hearing it we might be surprised. And here again it might be good for us. The aim of course like this is not to find people who agree with us. It's to listen carefully and politely and attentively. The people who don't. That's my brief unspectacular take on the card. I hadn't thought about it as a tick i will i will. Hold that and see what comes of it stay tuned. Joining joining us now is isabel bernie. When karen hager asked me to facilitate several sessions of building bridges i was reluctant because my plate was pretty full. When she approached me. However she assured me that the curriculum was there and she would provide all the handouts and a powerpoint slide to go along with the lessons. So i agreed. I have to say how very impressed i am with this curriculum and with the wonderful powerpoint slides that karen developed. But i thought would take a lot of time for me to prepare turned out to be pretty easy to prepare. So if karen asked you to do something she'll probably make it easy for you to do to. I was asked to cover the section on humanism atheism and agnosticism. All three have a long tradition in our city ology. Humanism plays a large part in our culture and an american institution. And many of us at uuc describe ourselves as humanist. Unitarian universalist do understand that there may be many forms of religious belief. Including non-belief. And that we can provide a space for all of them. Many of you use. Identify as humanist. After all humanist emphasized empirical evidence. Direct experience. And the importance of here and now rather than focusing on an afterlife. Humanists find an inspiration in the natural world not the supernatural. Humanist beliefs are the core of democracy and iv chloride. The inherent worth and dignity of every person is a humanist value. As are most of our 7 principles. You may not know that there is a humanist association. Love you use. And his tenants are reason compassion and community. For just $35 per year you two can join. Humanism can embrace off face and there is a humanist strand in most of them. There are christian humanists. Buddhist humanist. Jewish humanist. Hindu humanist. As well as non-religious humanist. Awesome derisively referred to as. Secular humanist. Many you use identified as atheist or agnostic. And living in the south seas are unpopular beliefs. But our theology provides a welcoming space for us. Most of my working life was spent in a very conservative pulaski county. I had to be careful of what i said if i wanted to be effective in working with other administrators. But on sunday i could come to you see. I felt like i could be myself. Speak my mind and sign kindred spirits here. It was a place where i could rest my battery agnostic humanist soul. Thank you isabel. Want to take david. Burr up on the idea of nominating. Karen hager for the director of lifespan development hall of fame. So. I will invite karen. I'll work on that award. But i'll invite karen to tell us what our next steps are in terms of this journey we've been on. Apparently my pr crew arrived. Well first i want to thank all of those to share today their reflections and for their help in this program. And express our gratitude to the many congregations that allowed us to come share their services and across-the-board we're just so welcoming to our group. So generous with their time and their information. And their interest i think i'm building bridges.. When we began this. Alan moore and dick hates and i will really kind of from the beginning all together on this and we referred to this is our big audacious project. Cuz it kept snowballing. We have decided dia to do a class for middle school. And then wouldn't it be great to do is cause for adults. And then we had at multi-generational visits. And then we added an online class and a facebook discussion page and it just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger. And it did because we all believed in it. We thought it was really important. We had a core group of people who came every single. Time we had it at all class and they came and participated. And we believe that they are helping to build this bridges. And we know that some of the visits that we made. Are leading to. Things in the future that will allow uuc to build bridges with another face. So thank you for those who were part of that. I have been asked what's happening now because we probably won't repeat this exact course for few years. If you missed it and you're really regretting it right now. There is an online version of this class so there are videos and all the topics that range from about 5 to 15 minutes and you can go online and you can pick the ones that are ventures to you. And you can learn at your own. Pace on your own time. I'm in terms of what happens next we certainly aren't dropping the topic of world religion. We are going to be talking more about it. And we're going to be asking the congregation what you want to know more about what would you like to explore and more details so there will be a survey coming out in the very near future. There will be multiple ways you can participate and were going to ask that you do so and then next year will be providing. Topics of the topics that people are most interested in will be providing things to explore and more detail. So please do listen for that look for that participate. And again thank you to all who did help to make this a success. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

140831_mh-ib_labor-day.mp3

Welcome to the august 31st service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. Today's labor day service. Is ale led service featuring reflections by marquita hill and isabel bernie. Ellen plummer is a worship associate today. We have two reflections this morning and i'd like to invite. Marquita hill. Up to share hers with us. One of the things i've been wondering is what if we really thought about labor day as opposed to just start celebrating a holiday. Isabella bernie will speak to us about nourishing and honoring the labor movement. And i'll start by giving a few reasons why we need to nourish the labor movement with living wages. And wear for protection. And nowadays look at what is happening to the elderly workers among us. My own experiences at minimum wage job stated from when i was between 15 and 20 years old. The jobs included several carhop and waitress jobs short-order cook and cashier working on an assembly line for several months and working at woolworths dime store. Another penny store. My last minimum wage jobs occurred after i started college they were still minimum wage. But the work such as working as a chemistry department librarian and assisting in research projects with much more interesting. It was no longer boring work. One thing that i found out for myself over those minimum wage years. What still being pointed out many years later by barbara ehrenreich and her book nichols and dime. That is to say that minimum wage jobs pay too little for even a single person to live adequately. Let's be grateful that a minimum-wage exist but push for living wages. 200 workers goes beyond. Better pain or skilled jobs my brother wayne was a highly skilled sheet metal worker. But that didn't save him from dangerous working conditions. Over the years on the job he's offering sample a fellow worker being crushed to death. But why. Although the dangers of asbestos exposure is have been known for more than a century asbestos continue to be used over the years. When was one of the many who ended up with asbestosis from his asbestos exposure. This lonely progressed to the lung cancer which killed him. You may think from the ads on tv that a way to survive someone who died from asbestos exposure. Would be highly compensated. However wayne's widow. After years of waiting received. Just $31,000 30 $1,000 for a wrongful death. Dangerous working conditions persist for many workers and many industries. And including some that we are the ones we only hear about the most obvious ones in 2010 called the coal mine accident in raleigh. County west virginia. Which killed 29 of the 31 mine workers at the site. The 2010 deepwater horizon oil rig explosion in the gulf of mexico. Which killed in this case vaporized 11 workers. Or in 2013 the fertilizer plant explosion in texas. 415 died total negligence. And then he incidents killer injured one or two at a time we just sell them here about them. They are often accidents waiting to happen and occur on an ongoing basis. Nevertheless working and safety conditions in the united states are greatly better than was the case in the 1890s. When the labor day holiday was created. However i do want to present one more worry. An article in this month's in august harper's magazine is called the end of retirement. It notes. We're facing the first-ever reversal in retirement security in modern us history. The article is about people who can't retire who give us a little as 500 or 6. Or $600 in social security as their only income. More and more of these workers by older rvs and travel through the country working as migrant laborers. Laborers. Including often hard agricultural work also companies such as amazon hire them for seasonal work. Many thousands roam the country going from job to job. Some commentators call them the okies of the great recession. So many issues relating to labor make. Make us wonder what are we celebrating on labor day. Can we envision a labor day in which labor. Is the major topic of conversation and concern. It's billions of us engaged and thinking about labor and its condition. A full day every year. The movie labor day could turn into a day of great meaning. Thank you. The hamway just saying is my favorite. The words were a poem published in 1911. And in 1912 there was a strike in a textile mill in lawrence massachusetts. The women mill workers carried signs quoting the poem reading we want bread and roses too. Those strikers are credited with inventing the moving pick-up line. That was so they would not be arrested for loitering. They were striking for time and a quarter for overtime pay. And after 3 months the strike was settled in their favor. I've requested that this song beside at my funeral. I've always felt a deep connection to the workers of the world and as we said in the litany. Workers are the backbone of the world. Our country owes a great deal to the labor movement. And that contribution is often forgotten or maligned by many of our citizens today. So it is good to reflect on just how much we owe to organized labor and the laborers who have no voice. When i was a teenager i realized that the people who work the hardest. Got paid the least. Repeat that. The people that work the hardest. Got paid and get paid the least. The early labor movement movement was inspired by more than the immediate concerned of workers. It was born of a concept of adjust society. At the front of our hymnal is list of our principals. And how we draw from many sources. Here's a direct quote. Words and deeds of prophetic women and man which challenges to confront powers and structures. Of evil with justice. In our country it was the craft workers who banded together to work for better conditions. The industrialization which blossomed in our new nation. Created a huge upheaval in society as it moved us from an agrarian life. Into the modern era. We sometimes forget. Said it was labor movement which worked for and achieved and an. The child labor. The eight-hour day. Workers rights. And a two-day weekend. The minimum wage. Paid holidays and women's rights. Workplace safety. And this struggle continues. As marketo. Sad. Both in united states and in the world. An active free labor movement is considered by many to be essential. For economic development and ensuring democracy. There are some in our country who decry organized labor. Forgetting all the benefits it has brought us. Including the rise of a strong middle class. As organized labor has declined. So we see the middle class losing ground in today's america. My personal experience with labor occurred. With my job standing at a conveyor belt for 8 hours a day. It was a hot dirty non-unit non-unionized job. But if ever union were needed it was here. The man across the conveyor belt from me doing exactly the same job. Got paid $0.05 an hour more. Si in my female co-worker at my side. We each got paid $2 an hour. Unlike my fellow workers this was a summer job for me. For them it was their livelihood and they were trying to support families on their wages. I knew that this was not going to be my life for long. Most of my professional life was as an administrator for pulaski county schools. I was the only administrator who belong to the teachers union. The neave apcela. I got a lot of flak from my fellow administrators. Who often felt in an adversarial role when it came time for contracts and teacher assignments. But i wanted to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those who are on the front lines doing the work. Most of the teachers really appreciated my stance and when i retired i got special. Special recognition. From the teachers association. For my years of being with them. Most of the world recognizes a labor day on may 1st. But americans celebrate labor day on the first monday in september. To pay tribute to the contributions. Workers have made. Do the strength and prosperity of our country. It's also time to contemplate the work still to be done. 37 million working americans live in poverty. Poor people stop being poor when they get a fair wage. The most effective anti-poverty program this nation has ever had. Is its labor unions. Our call to action gives us choices. The unitarian universalist service committee has a wage. Injustice initiative. Which supports our principle of the inherent worth and dignity of every person. In the spring there will be a class on classism and you you hit and a new history using the book. Entitled elite. The class will be taught by santa and dick luke. I hope you will reflect on what has been said and son today. And realize that labor and labor organizations. Need to be nourished and honored. They have contributed so much to our country. And it is right that we set a day to honor the. Saturday aside to honor the workers. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. Uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

160529_do_letters.mp3

Welcome to the may 29th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by a settled minister. Reverend aerolite. And she is assisted by worship associate ellen plummer. And you you see member peter roland. This is memorial day weekend. And the theme of the service is. Love matters. War and memory. The podcast begins with rev darris pastoral prayer. Let us take an opportunity. To connect with our own breath body and spirit. Spirit of great love. Spirit of abiding. Human wholeness and hope. We come together this day and ever deepening awareness. For all that is worthy and good and cherished. We come together this day to also acknowledge our sorrow. Let us remember in the interconnected web those who right now. Aren't missing. Dear loved ones. Let us also. Extend our hearts day to all those who are wrestling with instability. Pain and suffering on the frontlines of conflict. Let us hold in our hearts. All those right now fighting for their very lives. In many different kinds of ways. Struggling hoping for an opportunity. Tuyet live. Spirit of love help us. Here gathered to find our own strength in our compassion. I love widely and deeply. This imperfect world. In our imperfect cell. Help us to know our own in word wholeness. Help us to do our part. With the meditations of our minds. Liquid work of our hands and. Tell basta continue to heal the world whole that i'm more just and peaceful reality. Come to be. Spirit of resilience. Help us. Tea at meet. Another day. And another day again with. Great hope. And let us remember how deeply valued. Each one. Blessed be. And. I now welcome forward ellen plummer and peter olanta share with us a special call to worship this morning. These were these words. For the sound. A bow on. A breath. Over-read. Of touch. On keyboard. Slim's. 4 shimmering shadows. For the whisper of wind. For the smooth skin of an apple. For the caress of a collar on my neck. For the prickling. For the pounding of my. For the peace. Of soul. Four familiar voices in family right. For the faces of friends. In laughter. Anteaters. For the tender human arms that hold me. For the flashes of memories that linger. For the mysterious moments. Particularity. This. For the silence of moonlit nights. For the sound of rain on my roof. Of wind and dry leaves and of waves caressing the shore. For the softness. Summer breeze. For the christmas. Nevada mayor. For dark shadows on white snow for the resurrection of spring for the faithful turning of the seasons. For angular leafless. 4 gentle hills rolling. 4 meandering streams. Corn stalks at stiff attention and brittle plants bristling past-their-prime. 4 unharvested gardens returning plants to enrich the soil. For the sight of familiar faces. Sound of our spoken names. To welcoming embrace. For the ritual of friendship. Reminding us. Thanks be freddy's. Morning we're holding a service. Honoring and elevating memorial day. We're going to be honoring and celebrating memorial day. I listen deeply to the voices. Those service people who have died. And those who aren't remembering them. Earlier this morning and worship we heard a call to worship. Offered by peter and ellen thanks be for these. And in that call to worship with a lifting up and naming with specificity. Those things that are for cherish. In our lives and so right now i invite you to consider. What it is. Specifically. That you cherish. In your life. Right now. Think of a few things that make your life worth living that you celebrate that matter. To you. Let us bring those as a gathered community into our hearts and minds. And celebrate these. For our celebration and honoring. Of the specificity those things that make our lives worth living is a fantastic way. To honor those. Could you not. Still live. Right now among us. May the memories of all of those who we cherish before blessing and let us remember and give great thanks. For all that we cherish. In our lives. Right now. Their congregation this morning as. This is when the service is over and you go out and off the coffee this morning and you're stumped about what to say to your neighbor think about whether you can share with them with specificity. What makes your life worth living right now what you are thankful for. And let's see if we can add hope and positivity by sharing and giving more voice to these sorts of things. I'm practicing this myself. All week long as a spiritual practice and i like to call it. Spontaneous. Voice thing of gratitude. Unplanned. Just because. This is what i love. This is what i cherish. This is what i feel grateful. I want to talk to you this morning a little bit about what memorial day is. Nofa many memorial day weekend is celebrated quite simply for its signal that there will be a long weekend. A nice break after the whirlwind of spring. When more memorial day comes around each year at this perennial reminder right that that summer's almost here. But what is deeply important and perhaps not most. Deeply and widely recognized. Is the true purpose of memorial day at south. What it is for. What it is about. It is indeed a time for remembering. For recalling. Those with great honor who died in service. The song this is a time of pride. Remembering those who had died in service for some it is deeply complicated. Sold with complexities of grief and loss. You know for over. Centuries actually even stretching back into ancient times. People have decorated with flowers the graves of soldiers. It's something human beings have been doing a long long long time. Some of you might know this know some of this history even more deeply than i'll be able to get into today but i at least want to lift up in forward for us at the gathered community that in the united states. Memorial day at south arises from customs that were once associated with decoration days. Do some people know this part of the history decoration days. This is when people would tend the graves of their loved ones who had served. In the civil war. Both the union and confederate families had different practices and different days they would show up and decorate with flowers and also clear away and honor the plot where their loved ones. At work.. And eventually these days and his practices came to be coalesced into one federal holiday. That we now know as memorial day. Go back years and years ago people in rural places and mountain places a lot like where we are when they would show up to 10 the graves of those who died in service their loved ones. It was actually a time when the whole community would come together people would the family is to have been dispersed come altogether there be a large community celebration often their the church service if they were a town that was christian town to be a church service. And so these days between times of coming. Together and reconnecting with the value of life itself. And the memory. The sweet. Memory. At the love person who had died. If we now in the year 2016 season after season. Loved ones depart for tours of duty. And i'm sure eddie and dow. Faith and love. Joy and sorrow mingle in a very complicated dance of leaving and loving. That occurs for military families. Perhaps it is surprising then. That there can actually be a bit of a gulf. , memorial day. A gulf between those were intimately connected with the nature and purpose and meaning of memorial day and those for whom it's just a real good excuse for a big party. Sometimes i'm not always there can be a golf. Batumi seemingly and unnecessary causes isolation. And those among us who are military families. Are deeply connected to this holiday. At a time when the community can wrap their loving arms around military families and the memories of those loved ones who have died sometimes instead there's a great goal. Of misunderstanding and in fact even misinformation walking around. I'm so this service. Call us into deeper community and connection. With all that is our lives and particularly with the experiences of military families right at this day and time. And tomorrow. In preparation for the service we went looking for letters. Love letters. Letters of memory and care. Let's start to begin to tell the human and personal story beyond headlines. Honoring. The lies and relationships between loved ones. To experience service. And those who stay at home. I made a call out to a few members and friends of this congregation. And i went searching widely. In different ways different places four letters. One letter came from one of our members ted veggie burger. And you will hear excerpts from his letter later this morning. Yet. Right now because i could not say it any better myself. I like to share with you a few words the ten shared about the importance of making distinctions around veterans related holidays. Which all too often go unnoticed. Ted wrote me and he shared this. There are three different national holidays. That pertain to veterans. And they all have. Similar but slightly different meaning. Memorial day is the day that we celebrate and memorialize those with died serving the military. Veterans day is the day that we celebrate and say thanks to those who previously. Served in the military. Armed forces day is the day we celebrate and take care to sing. Those who are currently serving in the military. The difference is he right. Might seem minor and i don't think most americans know what they are but these differences are important to veterans. The most important point. Is that it would be inappropriate. To thank a veteran for his or her service on memorial day. Memorial day. Is for those who have died. Serving our country. It's a 10. Careful lifting up of distinctions this morning i would add. A gentle reminder. That's so many of us who don't. Experience the impact of living with the military and i'm having served might not know that saying happy memorial day. Actually not the appropriate greeting. So what is all cultivated a deeper understanding and compassion. Regarding this particular day. You know as unitarian universalist we honor the inherent worth and dignity of all people in the interconnected web of all life and for many years military individuals and families sometimes felt shy. About letting it be known in unitarian universalist congregation of life that they were military families. I'm so glad to say that is no longer the case. In fact. Unitarian universalist. Have an organized distinct military ministry. For individuals who are active in the service. To vets upon return and to service family. And unitarian universalist minister served as chaplains in the army. And once you know that there's a unitarian universalist military ministry the resources are not. Hard to find. But unless we keep lifting up in forward that there is such a ministry sometimes it goes on the song and unknown about. So this morning you'll hear a little bit more about the uu military ministry. And today we take this rich opportunity. The creative space of deep honoring. Respectfully acknowledging those who chose to serve the military. Those whose lives ended. Far too. Early. And whose memories. Are very deeply esteemed. And cherished by loved one. Let us enter into this experience. Of dipping dipping memorial experience. This morning. Are half-plate recipient. Is the uu military ministry project. Which ensures that a copy of readings bless all who serve. Find it's find its way to all who serve in the military and who would like a copy. This is from the. Uua. Each time i have to stand by the chaplain corps table. Strewn with religious and spiritual information for the national guard soldiers that i support i find myself yearning deeply from material that is representative of the open diverse nurturing affirming and accepting ideas of the universe unitarian universalist tradition. This is second lieutenant. Kelly cummins. Who is a chaplain candidate. During wwii beacon press published a pocket-sized collection of poems prayers and hymns reflecting the values of unitarian universalist forearm service men and women. This handbook was a vital spiritual guide for service members facing unimaginable challenges and choices. During a time of great uncertainty. Today while our troops serving overseas may be facing very different types of challenges they remain in need of comforting and inspiring words that reflect the openness and acceptance that unitarian universalist values represent. In response to this overwhelming need. Skinner house books has published. Bless all who serve. A collection of materials to provide encouragement and comfort to armed service men and women in their times of need. Thanks to the generous support of donors over 20,000 free copies of bless all who serve have been distributed to service members including those in the national guard and the reserves. Military chaplain. And military chapels at home and abroad. A donation of $12.50 provides one of these guys for free to a member of our armed services. Each copy can receive a service member. Can reach a service member in need. Here are just some examples of the impact bless all who serve is already having. In the military community. Bless all who serve serves as a constant reminder to me that there is a place for my face. In the work that i do. And there are very sympathetic people all around. I don't feel so alone. Thank you so much for sending bless all who serve. And being the religion. That can give me the spiritual home i need. Even while away. Private first class. Nadia hand. Hazard music place this morning. You're invited to give generously to this really important project. You may also come forward. And kindle a flame of memory or of hope. If there was a loved one. You are thinking about today. Who has died in service. You're welcome to write their name on a red piece of paper. That is located on our altar table. We will read. The names of these loved ones allowed. When we ring our bell in this morning service. This morning and honor of memorial day. We have let two candles to our altar. 1 honoring those who died in service. His whereabouts upon. Time and date of death are known. Two families. Deeply-held and recognized and remember. The second candle for those who died missing in. We will now hear. The name. Read of this community those who are being remembered. And take a moment. To lift up these names. Cherish them. And hold. The family members in our thoughts and. George bosley. Papa florida. Buzz ritter. Grandpa cruise. Wwii. Jack moss. Bill bunker. .. Berber. Novak. Jack.. Charles. Rich soraka. May the lives of all those dear ones voice. This morning. The celebrated. Remembered. And cherished. May their memories always be for sweetest. In the year 1914 a british world war 1 soldier named thomas hughes. Did something interesting. Guitar. A letter in a bottle. Written to his wife. We talked that bottle into the english channel. He was killed two days later. In 1999 efficient and dredged up the bottle. At that time his wife had died. She died in 1979 but. When the fishermen found that bottle it was delivered. To his 86 year-old daughter. In that bottle was a message. And when she said several things. One of them was i wanted to see if this one. Letters have a way of. You know letters. Personal. Intimate. They speak in a first porsche person voice and. Can often give insight. Personalizing information. Only receive letters from loved ones they help us more deeply understand and know someone or something about someone people say things and letters they don't even speak in words to. Anyone here have letters that mean something to you. I know we have emails. Some of us have real hard copy letters to. Let me share with you by way of introduction to the letters that will here today. I'll just share with you briefly that when the gulf war first gulf war started i was in grade school. Which tells you something about how old i am. We lived in connecticut at that time in a multi-level house and there was a basement and in that basement there was a little room that was somewhat forgotten and i was given clearance to turn that little room into whatever i wanted so sometimes it wasn't room to do arts and crafts and sometimes we staged epic sports. In that room. And what happened in my dear friend said to me let's draw a mural on these walls tara. I said great what he want to draw and she said. I want to honor the troops. Because my uncle just went to war. My parents gave us clearance and we filled that wall with the. American flag that she really wanted to paint. And in big letters we through bring our troops home. That was the first time that it really truly dawned on me. The troops. Are not just the troops. That really someone's uncle. Really someone's parents. Really somebody's somebody. Not just a whole group anonymous. Troops. I know my own grandfather's were servicemen as young men their service live seemed as a child to be pretty distant. To me but once my friend. The derelict right bring the troops home and she really meant her uncle. It all started to get more real for me. Years later we moved on from that house and i don't know whether the people who bought that house found that mural and what they did whether they washed over it or whether they kept it as some curious time capsule from the early 90s. At that time in my life i went to school and i was invited i think it was that very year to write a letter. And in the letter i wrote in this was one of those projects where you write a letter to yourself. And if they will send it to you 10 years later. And you think they're never going to do that. I wrote to myself and apparently i wrote a little bit about my friends uncle and what was on the news. And my concern about all this. Well about a decade later i was in california. And i open my mailbox. Just to reach you. The letterhead come back to me. And i read my own fart earlier conceptions about what war meant and what that lost meant and i was shocked that whoever it was that teacher or administrative they actually done it. Put the letter in the mail. And i stood there with my hands shaking because we were in another war. We were by then. Starting gulf war 2 and. And i held that letter and just thought about the passage of time. An alive lost. And then. 2 years later it was when i was in seminary i really started to learn more about the impacts of. Post-traumatic stress syndrome. It's been alluded to a little bit today i think. I'm in the complexities of veteran life. At that time i started to have friends do your personal friends i done in high school then coming back from war. Very change. On a journey trying to figure out what was next for. I can tell you that for me. War has always seemed a little bit distant. That is until i started hearing more.. The story. People whose lives have been deeply impacted by military service. And coming into more deepening connect. With individuals for whom. Occasions like memorial day. Are truly significant and meaningful days in. Whether you are someone who has a family member and active service. Whether you are a veteran. Whether you are someone whose life has not particularly been intimately touched as far as you regularly think about and no. All are welcome to receive the inside. Of these dear valuable love letter. Without unless it's been otherwise spoken here this morning all the letters have been already made public. So we want to acknowledge all of those who have shared with willingness. Eagerness. The voices of love letters of those who. Can invite forward pete and ellen to please come forward and help us voices letters. Our first letter this morning comes from world war ii. It was written by lieutenant jack emery to his fiance audrey taylor. Hello darling. Last night i saw a very amazing thing. About 8:30 p.m. we were just sitting around talking. When one of the boys look to the north. And saw of all things. A rainbow. It was at least an hour after sundown. So how a rainbow could form without sunlight. But there it was. I like to set up these warm bright nights and watch the white clouds and dark shadows move. That's when i miss you the most darling. At night when everything is so still. Sometimes i pretend we are just sitting there with our arms. About each other. Our hearts beating as one. Best i don't dwell on the subject. Miss you so much right. It seems as though my heart is go. I love you. Darling. Somewhere. In the philippines. In combating. A lot to say but. Very tired. Very very dirty. Busy. Busy busy as all hell. Been moving constantly. Excuse brevity. I love you. You make my foxhole warm and soft. Sweetheart. Yours. Said. Sydney diamond was killed in the philippines he served. In 1945. He died at the age of 22. These were written by michael andrew scott who is also in wwii. Dear daddy. As this letter will only be used after my death. It may seem somewhat. Macabre. But i do not want you to look on it that way. I have always had a feeling that our stay on earth. That thing which we call life. Is but a transitory stage in our development. And that the dreaded monticello monticello death. Ought not to indicate anything to be fear. I've had my fling and now must pass on to the next day. The consummation of all earthly experience. So don't worry about me i shall be alright. I would like to pay tribute to the courage which you and mother have shown. And will continue to show and tragic time. It is easier to meet an enemy face-to-face and to laugh him to scorn. But the unseen enemies of hardship. Anxiety. Spare our very different problems. You have held the family together if you could have done. And i take off my hat to you. Now for a bit about myself. You know how i hated the idea of war and that hate will remain with me forever. What is kept me going is the spiritual force to be derived in music. It's reflections of my own feelings in the power it has to uplift the soul above earthly things. Mark has the same experiences i have in this though his medium of encouragement is poetry. Now i'm off to the source of music. And cancel fill the big longings of my soul in becoming part. Of the fountain whence all good comes. I have no belief in a personal god but i do believe most strongly in a spiritual force. Which was the source of our being. And which will be our ultimate goal. If there's anything worth fighting for it is the right to follow our own path. To this goal and to prevent our children from having their souls sterilized through nazi doctrines. The most horrible aspect of nazism it's an is it system of education. Of driving. Instead of leading out. Anna pudding state above all. Spiritual. And so. I have been fight. All i can do now is to voice my faith. That this war will end in victory. And that you will have many years before you. Resume normal. Civil life. Good luck to you. This is another message. From michael. You know now that you will not be seeing me anymore. And perhaps the knowledge is better than the months of uncertainty. What you have been through. There are one or two things. Like you to know. Which have been too shy to let you know. Personally let me say how splendid. We both have. Neither of you have shown how hard things must haves. Then. And when peace comes. This will serve to net the family together. It should always have. Is a family we are terribly afraid. The war has uncovered unsuspected layers of. Denise. The crust. Gentlemanly. Michael andrew scott was killed over at the english channel. At the age of. 4. In a year. My darling mom. What is here confronted almost daily with the possibility of death. And when one looks forward to the next few months. This possibility becomes really a probability. As my object in life. Comfort and help you. So it is my last hope if. Should be taken from you that i may not cause. To great. Also i know that if. In my last hour. I am conscious. My chief consolation. Will be to feel that these thoughts. May reach you. Those words were written by eric lubbock. At the age of 24. He died and i pressed in 1970. This message that we all now here is from father to daughter it was written in world. In the first world war. It was renting monday the 4th. December 1916. My dear little marjorie. I've only just received your little letter which mama sent with hers and remember 19th. Do you remember that you asked me to be home for christmas. I only wish i could. But there are many more soldiers in our battery who are entitled to the christmas leave. Then i am. Sorry i'm afraid you'll have to do without daddy this. Santa claus will come as usual. I think you're writing and diction just. And you're trying darkening funnier than ever. I've pinned your cramped tulips on the wall of my dugout bedroom beside your photograph. Daddy is as comfortable as father. I expect even you would get tired enough to go soundly asleep in this dugout. It would be a change from your pink bedroom. And how is little daffodil getting on. Expect you quite enjoy the time with mama reads you. More about her. It was mama's book when she was a girl like you. Write again soon dear. And send another craning. To help cover the sandbox. Keeps of love. Kisses. Which you must share with mama and betty. Premier ever-loving daddy. When gunnar wilfred pogue wrote that letter was killed. A letter to marjorie was found in his breast pocket. And so with a pick. Crayon. I have.. Now hear a poem that was written by major michael davies o'donnell. Called if you are able. January 1st 1970. Written from vietnam. If you are able. Save them a place inside of you and save one backward glance when you are leaving. For the places they can no longer go. Be not ashamed to say you love them. So you may or may not have always. Take what they have left. And what they have taught you. With their dying and keep it with your own. And in that time. When men decide and feel safe to call the war insane. Take one moment to embrace. Those gentle heroes. You left. This is from the very last letter. That was written by private jesse givens. It was written on april 22nd 2003. From iraq. To his family. I never thought i would be writing a letter like this. I really don't know where to start. I've been getting bad feelings. And well. If you're reading this. I'm forever in debt to you to cota and the bean. I searched all my life for a dream and i found it in you. I would i would like to think that i made a positive difference in your lives. I will never be able to make up for the bad. I am so sorry. The happiest moments in my life all deal with my little family. I will always have with me the small moments we all shared. The moments when you quit taking life so serious. And smiled. The sound of a beautiful boys laughter or the simple nudge of a baby unborn. You will never know how complete you have made me each and everyone of you. You saved me from loneliness and taught me how to think beyond myself. You taught me how to live. And to love. You open my eyes to world i never dreamed existed. I am proud of you. Stay on the path you chose. Never lose sight of what is important. You and our babies. Dakota you are more sun that i could ever ask for. I can only hope i was half the dad. Are used to be your danny but no matter what it makes me proud that you chose me. You taught me how to care until it hurts. You taught me how to smile again. You taught me that life isn't so serious and sometimes you have to play. You have a big beautiful heart. Through life you need to keep it open and follow it. Never be afraid to be yourself. I will always be there in our park when you dream. So we could still play. I hope someday you will have son like mine. Make them smile and shine just like you. I love you toad i hope someday you will understand. Why didn't come home. Please be proud of me. Please don't stop loving life. Taking every breath like it's your first. I love you toad i will always be there with you. I'll be in the sun shadows dreams and joys of your life. Beam. I never got to see you. But i know in my heart you are beautiful. I know you will be strong. And big-hearted just like your mom and brother. I will always have with me the feel of the soft edges of your mom's belly. And the joy i felt when we found out you were on your way. I dream of you every night. I always will. Don't ever think that since i wasn't around that i didn't love you. You were conceived of love and i came to this terrible place. For love. I love you as i do your mom. And brother with all my heart and soul. Please understand that i had to be gone. So that i could take care of my family. I love you bean. I've never been so blessed as the day i met melissa. You are my angel soulmate wife lover and best friend. I'm sorry. I did not want to have to write this letter. There's so much more i need to say so much more i need to share. A lifetime's worth. I married you for a million lifetime. That's how long i will be with you. Please keep our baby safe. Please find it in your heart to forgive me. For leaving you alone. Take care of yourself. Believe in yourself. You are strong. Big hearted woman. Teach our babies to live life. To its fullest. Tell yourself to do this. Don't forget to take toad to disney world. I will be there for you. Alyssa i always want you. I always want you need you and love you and my heart mind and soul. Do me a favor. After you tucked odom being in. Give them hugs and kisses for me. Go outside. Stars and count them. Don't forget to smile. Live oak. Your husband jess. Earlier in his journal journal. He had written these words. I am not going to pretend that i understand why we are thinking about going to war with iraq. I know the reasons you have given. Some seem more credible than others. No matter what the reasons i will go and i will fight with all my heart. Not to win a war but to come home to my wife and my children. I took a nose. To protect my country. Not for the sake of saving the world before the hopes that my family wouldn't have to live in the world. Filled with hate. Fear and sadness. A world which america was exposed to on september 11th. 2001. If we are involved in combat and i fall who will raise my children. Who will be there for my wife. I sacrifice not only my life. But a husband and a father's life also. Who will see that my wife can support my children through all of their years. Who will provide my family with their basic needs. I didn't ask for your pity or your money. I just asked that we do this for the right reasons. I asked when you send soldiers into battle. They are not just numbers. I ask that you see our roles as fathers. Sons daughters wives and husbands. As well as seen as the proud americans want to serve our country. When all is said. And done will we. Do united states military shed blood or pass at the hands of our enemies for a just cause. Will you remember those who we leave behind and honor them as well as our fallen brothers and sisters. Our final letter this morning was penned by one of our own members. Pier a tuesday when i invited people to share letters with me. It was penned by our member ted vega berg and there are two relevant letters. The first is an excerpt from a letter from ted i'm who i mentioned was unable to be with us today. And it's an excerpt from a letter that he sent to me. Explaining the letter that you wanted. Cher today. Anne-ellen is going to read excerpts from the ladder. That had wrote. D-rev dara. Thank you for creating a sunday service to honor memorial day. As you might guess i think this is a great idea and i thank you for doing it. Unfortunately i don't have a traditional style love letter to contribute. But i do have another type of love letter that i think that's well for memorial day. It is a condolence letter i sent to the mother of lance corporal juana. Navarro. Oregano. Quanta was killed on april 8th 2006 in iraq. She was one of six members of my command who were killed during the tour. In accordance with military tradition it is the responsibility of a commanding officer to write to the parents of a fallen member of his or her command. So that is what i did. I also spoke at the memorial service we held for kewanna in iraq. Speaking of that service is the single most difficult thing i have ever done in my life. So. Well not a true love letter. I do think the attached letter embodies the ideals of memorial day. I also think it's a good representation of the ideas found in john. 1513 of the bible. Greater love. Have no man than this. That a man lay down his life. For his friends. That is exactly what quanah did. She laid down her life. To protect your fellow marines. Her friends. I really wish i could be there on sunday but my parents are in town for 2 weeks. I will be out of town this weekend. Nevertheless. I hope the service goes well. And rubbed era i thank you. For leading us sunday service. That commemorates memorial day. Take good care. Juana was born in mexico and she immigrated to the united states. Today are also includes letters that were submitted photographs that were submitted by 10 and you can. Pictures of. The ways that. Honored. And her portrait. Anna and her two brothers enlisted in the marine corps. And all three siblings decided to join the military to serve this country. Here's a letter. That ted wrote to honest family. 13 april. 2005. Mrs avelia arellano. Perris california. Give mrs. arellano. It is difficult for me to express to you how deeply the marines and sailors. Of 9th engineer support battalion forward. And i feel over the loss of your daughter. Quanah. These words will never dull the pain you and your family are feeling. However i would like to take a moment to let you know that your daughter. Lance. Corporal. Juana navarro arellano. United states marine corps. Died honorably. Serving her country. Quanta was very brave and hard-working she was always willing to take on a heavy burden and her fellow marines respected her greatly for that. Her warm smile and cheerful attitude were contagious. And she always seemed to be happy. She was a member of the security platoon which is one of the most demanding assignments in the battalion. And she was enthusiastic about being part of such a top-notch unit. Her role was to protect other marines as they conducted engineer missions. She did this by providing perimeter security. Conducting patrols searching houses and vehicles near their work site. Parole was most important. When we confronted araki females. Since wanna was the only female marine in the security platoon. She searched all araki females to ensure that they did not conceal any weapons. Or improvised explosive devices. In so doing she protected her fellow marines. And helped make a rock. A safer place. I promoted her to lance corporal in a small ceremony. Here at camp takeda mirak on the 1st of april 2006. Her bright smile showed how proud she was of her accomplishment. I was also proud of her and i encouraged her to keep up the good work. Unfortunately just seven days later on the 8th of april. She was killed by a sniper while providing security. During. Route repair mission. The marines she protected or working to repair holes in the. Rhodes left by insurgents who repeatedly attempted. The kill iraqi civilians and coalition military forces. With improvised. The mission she was on that day as an important part of our effort. Defeat the insurgents. Restore peace to the. Her role was to protect her fellow marines. And save the lives of iraqi civilians who might also die from. Should be proud of her cheeseman. Service and patriotism. In defense of our. Our thoughts and prayers. Go out to you and your fam. Please know that this command is here to support you if you ever need it. One is memory will live on in the hearts and minds of all from. With deepest sympathy. Vernon t. Becca berg. Majors united states. Invite you to rise now in body and her spirit for the playing of taps. Remembered and not forgotten. Honor. And deeply loved. We've set aside this caring and careful time to acknowledge the contributions of those who have died in service. In war times and in peace times we remember. All whose lives are intimately touch. Buy military service. We remember at the unique experiences of pride. Pain joy law. Challenge. Longing. That are experienced by families who have lost loved one in service. Including those loved ones have gone missing in action. May the memories of these dear loved ones always be for esteemed remembering and greatest blessing held dear. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At uuc and rv. org.

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140105_po_beloved-economy.mp3

Welcome to the january 5th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by peter olin. And the title of his sermon is beloved economy. Reverend daryl and introduced peter. This morning as i mentioned i am delighted and pleased. To welcome. Guest speaker peter lance. As i said many of you know keith as my husband. You may or may not know that she and i met in seminary. In 2006. We met at the starr king school for the ministry in berkeley california one of the two schools in the country devoted to the formation of unitarian universalist ministry specifically. And so it was that key and i met at starr king school for the ministry. And we met in a very particular class we met in a class called spirituality and non-violence social. Transformation. This course was taught by a wonderful professor. His name was the reverend doctor dorsey blake. He was also the officiant. When we got married when pete and i got married on one sunny july afternoon in 2010. And reverend dr. dorsey blake. Is the minister at the very first. Congregation in the united states known to be intentionally interracial. Dorsey blake is a minister at the church for the fellowship of all peoples. And that church was founded by another man who's a very important name that some of you may already be familiar with and his name was rev dr. howard thurman. And so it was that howard thurman was a mentor to dorsey blake who was that a mentor to both pete and i. Howard thurman was also of course mentor to another. Very well-known name rev dr martin luther king jr.. And so it is that the teachings of the reverend dr. martin luther king jr. along with. Howard thurman and dorsey blake. Are literally and figuratively reasons that brought both p and i together. And inspire both of our work. I will share with you this morning that he studied evolutionary biology at yale. Before he walked out of the lab and went into seminary. He decided in his journey not to become a paris minister but rather he has devoted his care and his commitment to forging a community-based lay ministry. That is inspired by unitarian universalist values. I knew that many of you would enjoy hearing from pete himself and also learning a bit more about beloved cafe and some of his work. So without further ado i invite you to experience worship with. Morning. Morning or first or second reading. Is from a speech by dr. king good is quite well-known. Called where do we go from here. Which has. Famous passage after famous passage and i've chosen to give you a reading not at all from the famous passages. And the. The reason for that is that. This speech was given to the annual convention for the sclc the southern christian. Leadership conference. And so part of the speech was sort of a a bookkeeping exercise. But i feel it's a very important bookkeeping. Pudding from king. The most dramatic success in chicago has been operation breadbasket. The operation breadbasket. We have now achieved for the negro community of chicago more than 2,200 new job. With an income of approximately 18. Million dollars a year. Newton come to the negro community. But not only have we gotten jobs through operation breadbasket in chicago. There is another area through this economic program and that was the development of financial institutions. Which were controlled by negroes. Which were sensitive to the problems of economic. Deprivation in the negro community. The two banks in chicago that were interested in helping negro businesses. We're largely unable to loan much because of limited assets. Hi-lo one of the chain stores in chicago. Agreed to maintain substantial accounts in the two banks does increasing their ability to serve the needs of the negro community. And i can say to you today that is a result of operation bread basket in chicago. Both of these negro operated banks. Have now more than doubled their assets. And this has been done in less than a year. By the work of operation brother. It is an honor to be here with you this morning. Especially. Because january is focused on justice. And reverend are of being familiar with some of my work. With kind enough to invite me to speak. And for those unfamiliar with that work. Welink health. Well in california i co-founded an institution called beloved cafe. It is still in its formative stages. The operate. As a business. But it does so with the intention. Concealing a lay ministry. I'm going to come back to some of the more details of love cafe and in a little bit and. I also invite you to to grab me afterwards and and i can talk some more about it. So i'm here today. To talk about. Paradise. Honest. To goodness. Heaven on earth. Paradise. I'm here to tell you it's a tri-level. And it's achievable in our lifetime. I'm not talking state of mind i'm not talking personal enlightenment. I'm talking global paradise. Please know i said achievable. It does require you me and a few other folks. To make the right decision. And put a lot of hard work in. But it's plausible. And it doesn't require martyrdom. Or heroic sacrifice. Set before you get to the details let's talk about paradise. What is it. The biblical garden of eden was depicted as a walled garden. No doubt inspired by the walled gardens of the rich. An elite of that time. For those who struggle with poverty. Or even. Just being on the edge. The imagined. Perfection of life lived by the elite. Might be mistaken with paradise. Think on what paradise on earth might mean for you. What is your paradise. Is it carefree walks on the beach with good food and great people. Is it beautiful buildings filled with r. Music. Poetry. Is it the time and energy to do what we care about. Rather than the drudgery of working just. To get to the next day. Is it the gaining of wisdom and knowledge and sharing it with others. Is it the helping of others. And watching the unfolding of the learning process. Is it all this and more. What's the problem in the way of us obtaining. These paradise this. The problem is agreed economy. Before we get into that let's start with a distinction here. Rich. Is not synonymous with greed. Are many temples of people. Public word welton further positive social change with it. When the 99% rail against the 1%. This. Lack of distinction can be made. Which is understandable because well suffering. It is easy to paint with broad strokes. So with that in mind that there's a difference between rich and greed. Let's get integrate a little bit. Greed is born from a need for survival. It is an emptiness in one part of our lives. That we struggle to fill. And it might be different for each one of us. And often money seems to be the solution for filling that need. And occasionally it is. When you are hungry. Money will buy you food. But there's a danger. Of confusing. The means of money. With the need of food. Let me say that again. There's any danger of confusing the memes the tool of money. In the end goal which is food. Or whatever is vacant in your life. And when we make that confusion we drift towards greed. As someone who struggles with student death. I have to remind myself. That the moment that i make the pursuit of money michael. And not circles of happiness health stability another principles. Did i drift towards creed. Desiring money can turn into having money and then keeping money for the sake of money. And not the good we can do with it. There's a biblical. Quote. Many of you might be familiar with. Is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of god. Jesus is not talking. About being rich. Jesus is talking about the greed. That often comes. From. And it's not news for anyone here. Our society is currently structured. Tookie. Feeding money to the house. And draining money from the have nots. Low-level wager. Low-level worker wages are cut to make profits at the top. Large. Student debt credit debt mortgages. All that debt makes it harder for people to speak out. For fear of losing their job. Because with the job you need to. Make your next mortgage payment. You need to put food on the table. It's an economic bind that we find ourselves in. And many of us are employed by corporations. And all of us are affected by corporations. Enter corporations are currently structured for one motive. And that is the profit motive. In this corporate structure can act as a shield. For those with money. Do not feel. Attached the effects those corporations. Have on others. Sometimes this is intentional. And sometimes it is. The it is. Unintentional and they're oblivious to this shield. So what is the solution to the great economy. Is the beloved economy. What is the paradise that i seek. True paradise is not achieved by using government to borrow any one person from obtaining too much. That is a utopian dystopia. True paradise is achieved when every person. Is happy and healthy enough. To recognize they have no need for more. And can freely choose to share rather than horde. I'm going to repeat that again. True paradise is achieved when every person. Is happy and healthy enough. To recognize they have no need. For more. And to freely choose to share rather than 4. Paradise happens one-by-one. Is each of us. Get ourselves. Turn economic point. Where we can feel the richness. Inside of ourselves. And we can. Share that. With others. And realize that. Enough. Can be enough. To go a little deeper. The term beloved economy is an adaptation of the civil rights idea of beloved community. It's community where people are valued and not just tolerated. It's a place of freedom love and compassion. When rev dr martin luther king jr spoke of a dream. Where people are not judged by the color of their skin. But by the contents of their hearts. And today's reading i chose to lift up a section of dr. king speech that doesn't often get quoted. In fact it wasn't even in the book of essential writings the the editor chop the entire front section of the speech. Write out. Then i can understand this because it's bookkeeping it's just it's just some program it's spinning back to you. The successive or failures are the the trials of this program. But this program. Is the key. Understanding where we are. It is a practical. Method. Of enriching people's lives. True youth. Of love. And power together. We. Is it. Society we as individuals we as a denomination. Need to stop. Fearing. Money and power. We have every right. 2. Dis have distaste for. And perhaps fear greed. But we need to claim our money and power. And share it with people of like-minded. Thoughts. Who want to build up this world who want to support each other. We need. To realize that our economy. Needs to not feed just are. Stomachs. And not our dvds. And not our computers. But it needs to. Feed who you are inside. 11 communist. The application of compassion heart soul and justice. To the daily exchange of goods. Items means of survival means of happiness in the means of progress. It's straightforward community organizing. It's getting money into the hands of everyone. So that we can all share the power that money represents. Please know what this means. Did the answer. Is not for the rich to give up all their wealth. The answer is not for all of us. To take upon ourselves voluntary poverty. The age of the martyr is done. It's over. If somebody is asking you to be an economic murder for a cause. Doubt. What. The structure behind it is asking you to do. The answer to poverty. Is to build the wealth of every person. King is famously quoted as saying. The cure for poverty is not for. The rich to get poor. It's simply for the rich to get rid of slightly slower rate. And the economics back him. We need to rethink what makes for successful economy. We currently expect perpetual growth from our. Institutions. I'm sure growth is fine for new. Companies in for all companies. To rg3. But at some point we run into limitations. Disguise of the planet. The limits of population and the absurdity of people needing to own more than one lawnmower. We need new ways to measure the success. And return on investment. Other. 10 simple economic growth. We need our businesses to reward our workers and we need the people actually doing the work. To be deeply involved in the decision process. We need our communities to be involved in the decision process. Help start socially responsible businesses and thankfully they are some out there doing that. Make a healthy. Prophet. In balance with the risks they take. And then we need to ask them to step back. Recognize that they have done their work of helping take a risk. Reward them. And let the people who are continue doing the work. Take over with the decisions. But most importantly we need our businesses to be health building healthy relationships amongst the workers the community in each other. The tools of industry are not for greed. But for building lives to be richer and deeper. So what is his conomy look like. People have. Happiness. Health and healthcare. Economic stability. Can expect retirement. Are free from debt. Are free from violence. Are aided in overcoming addiction. Have a home have a healthy nutritious food and so much more. The role of government. The role of government in the beloved economy is to be a social safety net. Standard setter. A regulator of fairness. Enforcer of justice and a promoter of justice. The role of business. Is the help organize us as individuals. Provide the daily goods and means by which we live in a way. That promotes healthiness and happiness. The role of the individual. Tricky one. The role of the individual. Is to heal. The role of the individual is to heal our internal wounds. So that we can participate in society in a healthy and happy way. So that when it comes time to make the hard choice when you're at the job. Between. Choice acts which provides more profit for the company. Her choice why which provides a little less profit for the company. But doesn't pour talk sense into our groundwater. Fight healing by starting with ourselves and making sure we are strong and secure. Emotionally and economically. We can make the right choice. And we can pressure others in our businesses in our society in our government. To make those choices. And it's a critical mass thing. The more of us that are. Are healthy enough to be there the more of us. Who can make that stand. The easier it becomes for our elected leaders. To stand up and make the right decision. If they don't have to fear. Private interest groups. Bombarding their opponents. With. Loads of cash to get them elected out. So we start with ourselves we attend our churches or go to therapy or do whatever it takes to be strong healthy individuals. We need to talk about money. I grew up being taught it isn't polite to ask how much someone makes. And as i've worked throughout my life i've noticed. That that particular politeness only seems to serve those with money. We don't talk about how much we make cuz it can create. A social awkwardness. For those making money. There can be guilt. Or awkwardness when you find a close friend makes half a quarter a tenth of what you make. For those making less we know. R-value is far more. Then what are paycheck says. And for both sides we don't wish to be judged by your paycheck anyway. For many of us stone. But why stir up bad feelings when i can't directly affect your paycheck. Truth is. We do affect each other's paychecks. Every time. Everyday. Who here. Has bought an item in the past week. Hoosier knows the labor practice is involved at every step along the way. Producing that item including the service people. Until recently until the information age. Knowledge of that was so hard to come by that it was. Practically impossible. Investigative reporters would go in we would make laws. Investigate. Factories. As we improve our information age and contract products. From raw resources all the way to who buys it. And even sometimes track it on. Back out to the recycling programs. We know where these things go. It's up to us to start asking the questions. And then up to us to start making the really complicated decisions. It's not easy. But it's up to us to make those. Those. Questions and it's up to us to demand that we be given the information that helps us make those decisions. So we have to talk about money. Because not talking about money makes it harder for us is as a society reward the people we wish to reward. Do we want to reward the people who work hard to make things. I do. Yeah. Do we want to reward people who are excessively greedy and make decisions that destroy our environment and our jobs. I don't. Do we want to reward the people who dedicate their lives to making the world a better place. Do we need to make giant personal sacrifices to do so. I don't think so. We don't. We have to build businesses to promote life-affirming practices it's a myth that businesses. Need to be petty. Kurupt and greenfield. Imagine too small markets. That sell vegetables in your neighborhood. They're virtually identical on prices and quality. Put on one side. Managers mean often yelling at his employees. Clearly not treating them right. Payson poorly. The other market right across the street same apple same price. Two worker co-op. The employees treat each other while they share the risks they share the rewards. Which market are you going to buy from. The beloved economy competes with a great economy. People can and do. Choose to pay premium for just business practices. Fair trade coffee is just one example. Be nice to each other doesn't. Cost the bottom line. It's free. Until i have a greedy out-competed the just. Because through much of history people in general. Have not been emotionally. And physically healthy enough. To band together and search waze. Nor have they had the knowledge at their fingertips. Greedy individuals have taken advantage of desperate. But the times are changing. Worker co-ops are forming venture capitalist are looking at socially responsible companies just business practices are competing with a greedy and one-by-one people are building the strength to say no to injustice. One by one we achieved the personal wisdom not to take part and destructive practices together we combine to support each other. Together. An accomplished amazing feats. So what can we do here today now this group of us. We can do the research of finding out business practices of the companies we buy. Are goods from. Examine where they work are all the people treated fairly are all the people treated fairly. How much does a cafeteria worker make. How much does a person who cleans the bathroom make. Can they take sick days off that's a really critical one to ask. Of our food establishment. You would not believe the number of of food workers. Who touch your food on a daily basis who have to arrive. Sick. To work cuz they cannot afford to take a day off. You better believe that's getting you sick. And it's just cruel. Can i ever hope to retire. To speak out of your company. And if your company is resistant to change. Band with others and form your own company. Be creative with our nonprofits. Experiment with ways for nonprofits. Provide the daily goods of life. In addition to their mission. We can make our nonprofit. Independent of pure donation models. By combining them with a basic creation. Of life. Of course. Growing up my very first 45. And for those born after the 1980s that happens to be a record. Was the muppet movie rainbow connection which we heard so lovingly played earlier. The song about living your dreams. About listening for your call in life. What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing. What do we think we might see. My dream. Is to build a beloved economy. And over the past two years i've been taking steps towards that. By incorporating the entity called beloved cafe. This is a cafe model. Storefront works like many other cafes that you. Many of you going to a news. And in it. The people are treated well. Products come from good sources. And we intentionally use it as a place to gather. And support each other spiritually. And support each other. Educationally. And move out into the world and and use it as a hub of social justice. Now this is forming. It is unfortunately not yet a physical reality. What feels like a daily basis. I learned with the adage means of it takes money to make money. Our legal and economic system is not designed. For someone. To create something out of nothing. It's an education. But we have to do this. We have to try. And if the loving cafe is not. The thing that works. If it's not the perfect idea. We need to move on to the next business. We need to figure out who has. The great ideas that are just. Needing some support. We need to reach those folks we need to mentor those folks. We need to. We need to get them. We need to take the extra steps. Cuz the reality of startups. If anybody. Who here has done a startup. Pretty good number. All of you in. Probably many of the rest of you. Understand that a start. And you're in the middle of a startup. There are times when. You don't know the path forward. It's tough. And there are no. There are no securities. We need to reach out to folks we're doing startups. And. And when we offer. And they give. Hey. I might be able to help with that. Realize that those folks are going through something. That. At that moment. They probably don't necessarily need you but that's not a no. That's a. Ask me again in a week. And ask me again in another week for help and ask me again in another week for her. And eventually something's going to click with us. Cuz people doing startups are overloaded. So. The times are changing. And i invite you to join me and kermit. Being a lover. My dreamer. Paradise is within our reach. We have the tools to build it. We have the ability to out-compete the greedy. Temple. Recipe. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At you your cnrv. org.

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150927_do_sukkot.mp3

Welcome to the september 27th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by a set of minister reverend arrowland. And worship associate. Victoria taylor. The theme of the surface is sick hold celebration. A picture of the completed sukkah. Is shown on the servant archive page. 4r for all ages. Morning. I want invite some of you to say what looks different. About our sanctuary this morning go ahead and popcorn out. Say anything that comes to my butt looks different. It's raining okay. It's a big piece of architecture. Yeah that's right. We take a few moments to share with you about this big piece of architecture. This morning. As unitarian universalist there we have no one holy book no one place of pilgrimage we welcome in many ways of being and knowing and practising the world's religious traditions. We also have our own living and growing tradition unitarian universalism. Did appreciate its roots from both jewish and christian sources. And so it is today that we honor and we celebrate. Aram festival a jewish festival. Sukkot. How do you pronounce sukkot. There are few different ways. But you might think about the it this way you've got a friend named sue that's a sue. Yeah and she's wearing a coat. Sukkot let's stay together. Sukkot. Yeah that's one way of saying it in yiddish. And there might be several others. As many of you know i was raised both jewish and unitarian universalist. Their deep love for me. Help us share this practice. I've unitarian-universalist celebrating sukkot i've had the honor of doing this with several congregations though i must say the group that gather to make this neat piece of architecture. Did such a beautiful job it might be the most beautiful at soca framework i've ever seen let's give a round of applause for those who came to create those. I'm an invite forward victoria taylor went to share with you a few words about what the heck. Is a hookah. Sukkot. It is the season of rejoicing. It is harvest. Time. A gathering in. We honor the fruits of the earth. Seeds now grown into plants offer pumpkin. And winter squash. We celebrate the wind and the rain. The warmth of our sun. And the rich dark earth which produces the food we eat we give thanks. What we do is remember that we are part of the land. We need the land and the land needs at. We are in this. Together. And that sukkot we remember the stories. Old stories. Stories about when jewish people left slavery in egypt. And wandered for many years 40 years. They were wondering they were making shelter where they could and. When they cry. Can you imagine it. Wandering without a home for so many years. It's the one on sukkot we remember the importance of. Protection for all people. We remember that not everyone has. A place. To call home. We think about what makes a difference when we feel unsure. About what will come next. We think about what might help us. When we know that things are impermanent. Which means that they don't laugh. Forever. That is why during the seven-day festival of sukkot we build a sukkah. It reminds us of the shelter's our ancestors made as they wandered. I forgot. Sturdy. Yet fragile sort of place. It's beautiful but temporary. Top is mostly open. So that you can see the stars at night. And it's covered with leaves and grasses. An inside. Always room for one more. We decorated with our joy and our gratitude. We string lights. Chords. We honor the ancestors. We welcome symbolic ass. Like sarah and abraham moses miriam aaron david and esther. And others. Like our great-grandparents. And our grandparents. I loved ones. And the people that inspire us. And into the sukkah we welcome our friends. And we welcome our neighbors. And we welcome strangers and newcomers. You are sucker and inside we sing songs share stories. We're at. We laugh. We don't do any sort of work. And sometimes we sleep in the sukkah. Like a tent. It's the code we remember the importance of hospitality. Welcoming with people. Welcome in new ideas. At sukkot we reach out human-to-human on the firmament of the earth that right here at home on this earth we are at. There is a place for each of us especially when we share what we are able. And for this we are grateful. A little bit later in the service. We're going to have. Some creative. In which as i gathered community we're going to park. In dressing. Finalizing. Blessing. Arson. In preparation for that. I invite you. To participate in a pretty easy practice. And i say easy. Because you get to just. Citrate. A few moments we'll have some music play and some baskets will be passed. In those baskets are strips of paper some of them just like look like strips and others look like harvest. Pumpkins and apples and some of them look like leaves. When you when the basket comes to. Please do pick out a piece of paper and a pencil will be furnished to. Please consider. What it is in your life right now. That you feel very. And please write back. On. And a bit later we'll have those leaves decorate part of the. Each one of you should have a gratitude. In your hand. And what we are going to do in a few moments is embrace the creative chaos. That will be this beloved community finding away together. To finish the sukkah. Those of you that feel inspired to come forward and look into some of these piles that are up here are very welcome to do so. Here is our goal beloved community what we want to do is we want to hang some sheets. On three sides this side. Decide and decide to make 3 permeable sort of walls. We also want this look at to reflect our joy. Gratitude's and to look really fun. Because this is a festival of rejoicing. This is art and not science. So go ahead and find a way to get creative and have your voice so to speak be represented inside this soca. If you are someone for whom this creative chaos seems far too overwhelming. Please do just sit back and watch the creative chaos around you. For those of you that find yourself in the middle space. You should have your gratitude will have some people rove around and collect the gratitudes if you don't bring yours forward and somehow we'll find a way to string up all those gratitudes together. We're going to take. A nice chunk of time to do this together and then we'll sing when it's about all completed. Let us do this together now please come forward find a way to participate and look out for those that are roving to correct collect your gratitude. So come on down let's do this together. Alright everyone let us. Take a collective look at this beautiful soca. That we've made together as a community. I'll share with you all that this hookah will be up for seven days as is the practice for sukkot. So after the service you're welcome to wander inside a little bit more closely look around. And also if you come over the next seven days. I'm at different times to the congregation you can also spend some additional time. Eye in the sky. Now that the sukkah has been built. Our fourth and fifth graders are showing us exactly what people do. In africa. Namely relax. Recline. Weed. Be together. Lingering. As we already mentioned one of the things that happens in the sukkah. Is sharing stories. Another thing that happens in the sukkah is taking in the night sky. Okay glad that we built our sukkah indoors. Another thing that happens in the soca are some really. Particular rituals. Some rituals that blasts and honor and make very special experience of sukkot. And now we're supposed to victoria at taylor and i can share with everyone a few of those really important rituals. Anything that i want to say about this. Is that we're not pretending to do them. We're actually doing these rituals. Today. Together. So. Toria. I didn't ask you to go ahead and lift up. The lulav. I'm sukkot there is a practice. Of using. Special elements. And these elements are called the lulav. Which victoria's holding. And something called a citron. Which is also holding. What if we can show the kids too. The lulav. The name of. Kulula and this is a citron what does it look like to you. Yeah it looks a lot like a lemon to hold it up the congress. Not a lot like a lemon. This is a fragrant citrus fruit. Also in the lulav we have the middle item is a palm branch. And then the other items are a few stalks of willow. And also myrtle. Which is on the other side. We ordered these special we joined with lots of other religious and spiritual communities who celebrate the ingathering historical & harvest festival of sukkot we joined with many other communities ordering this material very special here today there what's called kosher. Which means that they've been honored and respected and blessed by some rabbinical strands and we thought it was really important actually have an actual lulav and actual citron here for our sukkot celebrations. Here's some other things that we do when we have the lulav and the citron. On the first day of sukkot we actually say a blessing i'm just say it in victorian are going to say it together and english will play a few other things in the ancient language of hebrew today as well but here is a first blessing. Occasion of sukkot. Blessed are you source of the universe. Who is granted ashley. Sustained us and enable us to reach this occasion. The next thing we're going to do is we're actually going to do the blessing over the lulav. And i said this is a cultural festival so one of the things that we do we have really remember our relationship. To the earth itself. And in. Jewish tradition we do this by actually honoring 6th directions. And moving the lulav in the directions as we. In this extraction. And then putting it between each time putting it to our hearts. Remember our secret connection. And so before we do this. We're on the corner going to do this in hebrew. Do the flashlight. Ricotta elohenu melech. Eyeshadow kit hashanah but it's the talk. Mitzi vanu. I'm not lisa. Luna love. Amman amman amman. Buster you source of the universe who has inspired us to take up the lulav today. Now victoria is going to. Did the practice of shaking in the directions on behalf of all of us. Connecting us to the earth and all of our sacred connect. The interconnected web of life. Go ahead and show her the kids back here the lulav in the snitch on you might want to take a closer look at it will pass it around please be gentle with it but you might want to. Look at it. Maybe skin the smell. Did it smells like they're very fresh. Another thing that we do in this look at is we tell story. And victoria has a story to share with us. Can you guys make some room for me here in the sukkah. I just love this you know. Jewish people work very very hard and so in our holidays we like to lounge. In passover we actually eat laying down and insecure. In our so cuz we have them. Pillows and blankets so we can really rest. And now as we're going to sing with tim later because there is a time for everything work is important but rest is also important. And so it's family time and telling stories. So i'm going to tell you a story. Asuka story so they were two children. What do we call them maybe. About miriam and isaac that work. And they were next-door neighbors. And they lived. In a neighborhood just like. And they lose the love to lounge in their circle. And talk about and look at the stars and talk about when they were going to be a grown-up how marvelous. Their sukkot festivals are going to be. And what they were going to do and isaac. And miriam. Each their imaginations. Which women have more fruit and more corn and more guests. And there. Have these beautiful imaginings for when they grow up and they did grow up just like you were going to do and they have their own families and they began to build their own. A miriam's family. They were fairy they enjoyed the circus and they put lots of leaves in the used whatever they could find around the house. Or in their yard not since fruits that had fallen and they invited all their neighbors it didn't matter if they were jewish it didn't matter if they were. Rich or poor or they even had anything to bring to the sucker as long as they could tell a story or share jokes they were welcome and isaac and his family. They had a beautiful. And he actually started working on it a little bit even before sukkot do we have very nice wood and very nice tapestries on the wall and very nice. Decorations and his circle was beautiful. And he made sure to invite very important friends and neighbors to his son. So he would have an importance of. And when people came that way we weren't on his invitation list and asked to share he said you can stand outside and enjoy the beauty of my soca. But when we are finished you may have what we haven't finished eating. Alright so he was sharing. But only what he didn't need now merriam's family and isaac and maren we're still good friends and every year during. To cut that get together and isaac would warn miriam miriam. You're going to lose your fortune you share too much. You're going to. Give away everything you have and don't have. And miriam said but my heart is open. And it's a mitzvah a duty to share. Sukkot and i will do that. And isaac said. I don't know and every year isaac. Look i got bigger and more fancy and his guest list. Smaller. And miriam took out. Kind of wild and woolly and fun and all kinds of people came and they played music until deep in the night. And told stories. And it was the talk of the town about miriam suka festival. Isaac got worried and he said miriam you can't invite all these people to your soca. I'm nervous they're going to ruin the neighborhood. Hi. We're having all the children come in. Just like miriam inviting everyone no matter who they are or what they have to offer they can come to our soca. Thank you and thank you although already helpers. So kids had just arrived i'm telling a story about some. This is a tent call.. I'm telling a story about two neighbors miriam isaac. And there's suckers okay. He good with that. Alright so isaac warned miriam you can't give away everything and you can't invite everyone you'll ruin the neighborhood. And every year her soca got more fun and more. Exciting and isaac scott sterner. And more rigid. And one year as fall came isaac was thinking about miriam's big sucker festival and all the people she was going to invite. Honeypot nervous. Any thoughts you know those people they might be here for. Not good intentions. And he said i can live here anymore i can't live next to this. Rabble-rousing and he sold everything he owned he sold his business in his home in his two. His furnishings. Any took it all and he bought some jewels. He bought a big ruby and put it in soudan the ruby and the pearl that he bought with his all his life savings and sewed it into the brim of his hat. Put it on his head and he said no one can get my route. I better leave. Because miriam might be. So he laughs. Any went any wonder. And he looked and he tried to find a new home. And he couldn't. And he was not very happy. He didn't have any riches where were his riches sewn in his. And one day he cited he. Needed to go far away and he's on a boat. He caught on the boat. And who a big storm came up and guess what the wind did. Blew off his hat to the middle of the ocean now what did he have. But himself. Meanwhile it was to coach again and miriam was sad about the loss of her neighbor and friend isaac but she continued to have a wonderful. Am i this time miriam. Cannot put so much into her business. She was just a happy family like all of us. But you didn't have a lot to share but she told everyone was welcome at her soca festival they just needed to bring something. Maybe like a potluck or bring a story or a song. And she had a little bit of cash. And she said you know what for the first night of sukkot i'm going to buy. And she went to the market. She took her last bit of cash. And said to the fishmonger i need to buy. A fish for sukkot and he said. Omarian. You may have the fish. She said you can't give me your fish that's your livelihood. He said you have welcomed me at your zip code every year. Year upon year upon year and my children look forward to your festival every year please. Let me give the fish. Samarium goes home and starts preparing the fish. What did she find when she opens up the fish. Rubies and pearls. She said it's a blessing. Since you went to the jeweler and cash them in for some bags of. Golden money. And part two more fish which you paid cash for from the fishmonger and opened her house to sokote. And they were telling stories and laughing and beating and lounging and there was a knock. On the door. And there was a beggar man there. Cameron said welcome welcome in the beggar man and the beggar man said i'm not sure you'll welcome me she said i will come everyone please come and we have extra fish. And the bigger man sat down next to miriam. And she looked in his face. And watched as he looked up at the sky and said one day i'm going to have a beautiful sucker. And she realized it was her friend isaac. Could come home. Wondering. Really where is home but where your heart your friends. And your neighbors. And that's my soca. The last custom we celebrate with one another today is the blessing over the challah bread. We have halle for those who eat halle we have some for the kids who could stick around here to have some we also have halo for the adults and a back we have apples for those that don't eat hala with apple juice and we have water for those that don't have the tony appleton. Victorian i will do the hebrew blessing over the breaking of bread as we break this bread we remember the bread of life itself all that sustains us and grows us for the journey of our living. We will. Redtube. Baruch attah adonai elohenu melech. Hamotzi lechem min ha'aretz. Blessed be all of the creation. Staind. And gives us the fruit of the vine in the bread and we are so grateful for all of this. Dear beloved community please rise now and make a connection with those next to you if you're in the starrucca just make a connection to the person next to you this is our benediction. See if you can hold hands with someone or maybe touch someone's shoulder. Dear beloved community may the many meanings and messages of sukkot. The festival of gratitude of welcoming the stranger of honoring the gift of our lives be with each one of us today. Let us go forth let us rejoice. For all that is our life. Blessed be and amin. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At user cnrv. org.

uucnrv_org

160320_do_mission.mp3

Welcome for the march 20th service of the unitarian universalist congregation and blacks. Virginia. Is service a day is led by our settled minister. Reverend arrowland. But she shared the pulpit. With polly stem. Chera strategic planning. And members of the usa. Michigan state. Refining. The same for the service. Is mission. Purple. Promise. Towards the end of the service. Rezadeira refers to a. Guidance. She shared with the refining team. Based on a picture that hangs in her office. An image of that picture. Is on the sermon archived. I invite you now to join with one another and myself in an experience of prayerful. Reflection. Spirit of abiding hope. Spirit. The carries forward the breath of life itself. Help us to recall the hope and. Possibility with anna. Caresource of love. As the spring begins to arrive slowly slowly. May we remember the ways in which we can support new life. Unfolding within. Our own selves. And the possibilities and promises of. New life yet in folding. In the larger world. Help us this morning to offer. Care and compassion towards ourselves. That we might use our own hurting. Help us to find caring resources. The call us to deeper and deeper conscience. To move beyond our narrow cells and into a bold and embracing love. This morning. Let us remember that. Despite. Rhetoric of fear and division that seems to. Shape public discourse writ large we are none the less a human family. Charge to love thy neighbor. To welcome the stranger. Spirit of abiding hope and love help us to remain courageous and hopeful. Resilience. Even in time. The trouble on. And let us remember that the world of concerned did not end with our own struggles. Or even the struggles. In our country alone. Help us to open. Our hearts and ever-widening years of concern today. Let us remember those who are impacted by the violence in burundi. Which has killed more than 400. People and caused more than 230,000 more to flee that country. Let us send our care to those fleeing syria and the diasporas occurring. Remembering that people are fleeing right now seeking safe. Sanctuary and refuge. Let us remember the nanny. Many. Places hurting. Right now. Source of resilience and deep care. Help us to. Pray and share the meditations of our hearts and all the ways we know. With the fierce urgency of now. For the cessation of violence in our time. And for the coming of justice which releases. The oppressed from the bonds of oppression. And thereby creates a much more equitable environment. Fit for human life. And it's precious and unique diversity. For all of these reasons. We extend the yearning and prayers of our hearts sister. And stay blessed be. For the sorrow given voice to this morning and the sorrows and deep concerns that remain unvoiced. But deeply held in the silent sanctuary. Of our hearts. Let us extend our deepest sense of care. Remembrance. And compared. This morning and worship as i indicated a little bit earlier we are talking about. The promise and the possibilities and the purpose of. Unitarian universalism and even more specifically our very own. Uuc. Want to start off my words for you this morning although you're going to your left for me this morning and more from a few folks would have been part of leading the call congregation in a reflective process. Usher little bit more about i want to start up my portion this morning by sharing with you a reading that some of you might be familiar with already by another unitarian universalist erica hewitt. She reminds us with the word for courage. Comes from the latin. Core. Which means heart. And according to the poet mark nepo the original use of the word courage meant to stand by one score. A striking concept that reinforces the belief found in almost all traditions that living from the center. Is what enables us to face whatever life has to offer. To encourage means to hurt him. To impart strength and confidence this is our work she says of the religious community to encourage one another to be bold. And engaging the world around us. As well as that which scares us internally. To give one another the confidence and the heart. To live as fully as possible. She writes with. Full hearts we affirm our relationship with one another. We recognize our agency in our. Connected power we accept our responsibility to be bold and courageous. She said that when we light this flaming chalice which is done in nearly all unitarian universalist congregation. It becomes a symbol of all that we are. All that we have done together and all we will be. As our shared ministries encourage those within and beyond our walls. Into my delightful colleague erica i say amen. I agree. Whole. And it is for this reason that last year at the end of last year when the strategic planning group started thinking about. The notion that was probably time for our congregation to rearticulate our shared mission and our shared covenant. And started to talk about what why do congregations even do that it's recommended that you you congregations do that every five to seven years. And our congregation hasn't done it since 2003. Overdue. Not bad i'm just overdue to do it. Why do it wasn't really mean to do this. What's a bureaucratic exercise goodness knows people have enough bureaucracy and other places and their lies i don't need a religious and spiritual community just to do that. But there came an idea we should have a year of living bravely. Asking big brave question about what it means to be a religious and spiritual community in the 21st century. We stopped. Important conversations about the present and future of our congregation. And i did not come up with that year of living bravely as i've said already from the pulpit earlier this year but i love it. And so to the strategic planning committee i said. Let us do this let's have a year of living bravely and we will shape our worship services to help us ask very brave questions and we will moreover move through the process of rearticulate in our mission and our covenant. And the vision that comes from that process. Let me say that dumb. The metaphor of the ship comes to mind. It's very easy for a ship. Let's say. Get pulled from pulled and lured by sirens at call to do this to do that. Ships can become unmoored but when there is a clear sense of purpose and direction. A ship can travel with less worry with margie boy. And face all sorts of weather. And really it's for this reason that i think that we have a practice and unitarian-universalism of articulating our mission and our cousin. Every five to seven years. It's a real exploration getting people to wrestle with who are we now. In this world. Just the world changes quickly around us and we are also shaped and constituted in response to our relationship to that larger world. A congregations not a ship of course. But there are some similarities. A congregation is a sacred place. A living laboratory for our highest values our aspirations and our hopes. I'm going to congregation looks for guidance about it. Mission. Guidance. It's not simply about personalities or preference. It's not listening deeply to what moving the heart of a congregation. Thinking about where congregations past has been where the present is going. And also considering the larger framework of the unitarian universalism. Within which this congregation exist. So this morning our whole service. Is celebrating this juncture of where we are in the process of this very year of re articulating together in a very participatory way our mission and our covenant. And i will give you just a few definitions that we're working with. We've chosen to. Do this. In many ways. By the book. You could find exactly what we're doing this year in a book that's used in lots and lots of unitarian universalist congregation if you want to know a little bit more about all the particulars that we're doing this year polystone something to tell you more when you have a post for this conversation with the powerpoint and a feedback session and you can get all your questions answered. But what i want to say is were using for our way of thinking about how to do this right from the book. The system set forth by reverend robert lacey. Earlier this year. Can you raise your hand if you are that kickoff workshop with robert lathan this year. Great take a look around and just noticed how many of you. Here. So. Robert latham set us up asking some big questions. And i'm sure the definitions that he used it were using this year mission. Is why we exist. Why we exist. As a unique expression. Unitarian universalism. Our mission is actually not a description of unitarian universalist. We already are a unitarian universalist congregation. So the mission starts to identify. What we are doing because we are a unitarian universalist congregation in today's world. Our covenant. Our covenant are the promises that we make. As we walk together with one another and service of our mission. And just so you don't think that this was. Born yesterday. I preached the sermon much earlier this year i don't know how many of you might remember but it was pretty historical but it traced the evolution of covenant making in ruu movement. The practice of covenanting with one another and building collective power that way. Lies deep in our history that actually comes way back from when the puritans settled in new england and the early congregationalists congregations came together and they said we are going to build a covenant we're going to name how we will journey together. And the way we talked about it today is that unitarian-universalist don't hold as a movement that somehow the covenant comes on high from god. Although some people might hold that understanding personally as a movement we don't talk about it that way we say we build the covenant. Together. Infused with our deepest values and wisdom. We make promises to one another about how we will live together and walk together journey together in the congregation. In service at our mission. Ministry. Is what we do in service of the mission. And our vision. Is rooted around mission. I vision become more possible when they're rooted in our mission. We create visions about what we want. Actually it's mean. In our society and right here at home. Based on what our mission is. Some of you i know have found that really interests. And some of you i think i glazing. It's okay. Because what's about to happen next is really the heart of the matter. I want invite forward polly stimpson to share a little bit more personally about why she has been leading the charge with strategic planning on shaping the opportunities of engagement. And i'm going to hear from each member of the refining team. About what they've learned as they've helped listen and create the draft statement that the congregation will take a look at. And eventually the final draft will be up for an up-down vote. I'll come our annual meeting. Polly can you come forward to share a little. Good morning. I'd like to start this morning by thinking back to about a year-and-a-half ago when i received a phone call from frank dupont does everyone know frank. Could you just raise your hand frank i think most people know you. But he in this phone call. Ask me if i would be interested in taking on the charge of being the facilitator the chairperson of the strategic planning committee. And. The first thing that came to my mind was. Oh my god frank no not the strategic planning committee anything but that. Because i just got all my gosh this is so out there but i did would have no idea what i would be doing etcetera etcetera. What i said to frank was however. Frank thank you so much for asking me and i i'm really am really thrilled that you would do so when could i just think about it for a little while and i said goodbye. And then a day or two later i. Talk to frank because frank is such a lovely man and there's just no way i was going to say no to him in that is the truth and i actually told that to frank's it the reason i'm accepting this is because you asked me so. So. However that is a year-and-a-half ago and once i made that decision to join the committee i basically never look back. I felt immediately embraced by the community and the energy of the other group members. And i learned of known this before from previous jobs i've had had to do this but never in a setting like this but i learned how to take this. Broad's almost overwhelming concept of strategic planning whatever that meant. And break it down together with a group it's a more concrete in manageable steps all leading towards. Steady progress toward a specific goal. And it is always been remarkable to me how a group of diverse people can work together harmoniously and i stress harmonious lie because that is the key. Toradol common end-to-end i would save it in this group that has four certainly for certain occurred and. Patrick fugit planning committee is made up of a diverse group of people but we've had. A lot of wonderful meetings where we weren't quite sure. Even what the charge was and it ended up. Being very specific and meaningful at the end. So throughout the last year it's been amazing to me to observe the willingness of so many to do so much in this congregation. So i first want to say thank you frank. For your invitation which has allowed me to be a part of this and. I also want to mention like victoria that a guiding light is reverend dara she has a way of just. Nurturing all of us to be the best that we can be and i really. Stop thank you. I'm getting onto the present journey i did speak last week about some of the steps and i think you've heard. Pretty much over and over about how we started with a workshop in the fall and we have the dessert parties for the. Omniscient post focus group shaping group and then the refining team is matt and now we are really getting to her the combination of it also. If any of you who are not able or even if you were able to go to one of the other groups discussion groups about the mission covenant. Please join us in the library after the service and. You'll hear more information and have a one last chance participate. Thank you polly. Invite forward now george lally member of the refining team to share personal reflection about his experience this year in the year of living bravely and serving on the refining team. Our first draft of a mission covenant statement. What's refined. From or. That was the word product. That is the statements on mission of attendees at october's workshop with reverend latham. The next step was the. Desert meetings. With a draft was presented and we. Mind additional or so to speak. Ie the reactions and thoughts. The wisdom. Of the participants including many of you. You may be surprised to know. How much time we spent and how intently. We poured over your written remarks. We studied them. Compare them. Incorporated words and ideas from them. And. To switch metaphors. Ruminated. Over them at length. Finally after much. Ruminating or chewing. We arrived at the second iteration of auuc. Mission covenant statement. After hearing from you today we will again ruminate over your thoughts and suggestions. And then produce. The final draft. Notwithstanding all of the discussion. And all the diverse points of view on emphases or on this phrase or that word. The husband for me a most gratifying discovery. That is that at the deepest level. There is a powerful consensus. Amongst you. A virtual unanimity. That our mission must have a dual focus. N-word. To create and sustain community. And oakwood. To serve others. I submit to you. That are labor. Has not been. A bureaucratic exercise. Producing merely a piece of paper destined. For a file cabinet. Instead i believe we have a real tool. Point out the direction of our progress. And to help us stay on course. Some might wonder if the statement is into general. And in need of. More details are explanation. I believe however. That it's. It's generality will enable us. Without constraining us. It will not be a gps. Automatically taking us to various predetermine addresses. But a compass. Keep god keeping us pointed. In the right direction. Finally i want to tell you. That in the beginning of our work together. We compiled our own refining team covenant. As an agreement on how we would work with one another. I believe we'll be sharing that with you today. But i want you to know that that covenant has done in miniature. What are larger covenant. Can do for us as a congregation. To help us be. Beloved community. Thank you. Shane kippel benson will show the words of the refining teen cousin. The re-refining team covenant. We covenant to be truthful and open to ideas. To be respectful of others thoughts. Create space that fosters our ability to be open and honest. The covenant to strive to draw out the wisdom of the community. To be aspirational in our efforts. To develop relationships. To have fun and develop a work product. The hold one another accountable for timely contribution. To use talents and gifts. To strive to represent our members and friends not just ourselves. As we create a statement of principles. To ignite the spirit of our members and creating the mission. And to be open to the additions and suggestions of the rest of the church when we present our. Invite forward avi shroff to share her personal reflection. Not what it's been like to serve on the refining team. Thank you so much for giving me a place. Anna voice in this exciting process. As opposed to reflection i want to say that for me. Our mission statement is a prayer. A meditation. A focus. An aspiration. I know covenant is reinforced in the blessing of serving with rev dora. Jane mark franklin george. For the in-body it's every guidance. There's inspiration everywhere. Love compassion and justice call out to us to collaborate with them. Vidal often obscured by mists of confusion and strife. And the impulsive empathy is often choked by cobwebs of prejudice and suspicion. So how can we havasu inspiration. How do we prepare the ground so that it can bear fruit that nourishes us. How do we nacho. I'm give abundance voice. To that spiritual you're learning that we all share. Without the seductive certitude of dogma. What is the wellspring that unitarian universalist and that i can drink from. As i struggled to be my best self. I grew up in a home that rejected foreman religion. Announcer that became a member of this congregation two years ago. I had resisted being drawn into any religious affiliation. I have no church to go to. I long for the community that did not demand blind faith to a create. But instead offered guidance and a focus on what is truly spiritual. I'm having found this church. I'm energized to learn about the sources. And the principles of unitarian universalism. And you know participating the creation of our mission covenant. Has been one of the most intense. Stimulating and challenging experiences of my life. And i should always be grateful for this. Apostolic reverend athens workshop let us in several intriguing directions. For example that was his challenge. But before we began the process of constructing our own mission. We should write a mission statement that could act as a kind of. Generic template for all religions everywhere. Why was my reaction how profound is that. And then when i attempted to do so boy was it jeff. The three questions on the historical mission of religion that was sent out ahead of the dessert parties. Extended this process. Reflecting on those questions and the robust feedback from the congregation was very useful. As we honed in from a broader perspective. To the more specific hopes. Aspirations and very purpose for existing of this our congregation. At this moment in time. I would like to share with another thing that reverend dayton put out that had an impact on me. Growing up in india with this marietta religions and cultures. We will constantly exhausted from kindergarten kindergarten on what. To see unity in diversity. This was bond onto the consciousness of every child. Imagine my wanda then when rev nathan suggested the following. But we had to think more in terms of diversity in unity. Gotham that old mantra of unity in diversity. It is great that you use at such a diverse group that welcomes people of all backgrounds and purrswaytions. But he cautioned in order for our church to grow in vitality and expand its outreach. It was essential to channel the diversity into a unified focus. Admission that was a strong clear statement. Of what the congregation stood for. Off its purpose as a religious entity. Finally i'm deeply moved by the symbolism and possibilities about congregations team. The year of living bravely. As we work towards admission one of the concepts that resonates the most with me. Is that of courageous love. If love is the doctrine of our faith. What meaning does that have if love is not manifest in our actions. To act as a community of conscience. The challenges naruto ideology. An estimated to peace and justice. Requires boldness. And the courage of her convictions. If our love is to mean anything. Whatsapp not be brave enough. To venture out from the shelter of our hearts. Going where it is most needed. To serve under transform. I am jane. Benson. When garrett asked if i would serve on the refining team i was honored. But admittedly. I was also worried about being able to achieve the goals of the committee. How could five people synthesize the thoughts and ideas of this large and diverse community of individuals. Learning the names of the other capable souls who had also agreed to take on this task help me to accept the challenge. I trusted that dara and avi. And george and frank and mark. We provide much wisdom. And talent toward the cause and they would not let everyone down. I also remember that the last time i felt a similar lump in my throat. When asked to do something for the use he came and i was asked to serve on the ministerial search committee. It to it seem like a large and daunting endeavor to find. One minister who could serve in such a way as to satisfy. But not just satisfied but also inspire. And diverse members of this congregation. As i watch reverend dara and her role as minister i'm confident. That our consensus will. Meet us to success. The refining teamwork consisted of listening to and synthesizing the hundreds of mission statements and ideas generated in the latham workshop and dessert parties. We were inspired and moved by the content of the responses to questions about the historical purposes of religion the purposes of unitarian universalism in the 21st century. And why our congregation exist in particular. Many of you spoke or wrote about the ways that religion had been used in harmful ways. To assert control and dominance. Many also spoke about the ways that unitarian-universalism calls for the path for individuals. To be a part of a collective. Inclusive environment. That encourages the head to explore and the heart. To thrive. Mini also wrote about. Wrote that our congregation exist to be a healing presence in the world. And to be active in seeking justice. In his workshop robert latham stated that he felt that unitarian universalist were known for embracing diversity. He went on to say that while diversity is to be embraced in order to have our congregations grow. We needed to find an articulate clearly. That which is similar or common among us. And digesting your many varied ideas about our mission. We believe that we have found commonality. I have been happy to be a part of this refining team. In fact dara avi george frank and mark did not disappoint. They listened and worked faithfully. I hope that it is your view. That our work together succeeded in articulating. A common mission. If you do not feel that we heard you please keep talking to us. Like with our search outcome my hope is that you are not just satisfied but the that you are able to embrace the mission. Feel it captures why our congregation exist. And that it indeed inspires you. Lashley from the refining tina this morning i invite up frank napolitano. He will share. The owner flexion and then also where is created by mark. Benson who are finding human not able to be present here this morning. Thank you. For me there have been several. Moving meaningful and challenging. Aspects to this process. At the most basic level i feel very very lucky to have gotten to work with avi and rubbed era. George mark and jane it's always amazing to be part of such a gracious and caring group of people. Secondly i found a lot of meaning. In the opportunity. The construct our own mission. Our values and our covenant through such a democratic process. I don't just say that for me and for the members of the refining team but for everybody in our congregation. That we use such a multi-layered process of drafting feedback revision and. Two more feedback. Says a lot about who we are or at least who we strive to be. We're not simply a congregation that wishes to live by a certain mission. But a community that assumes responsibility for mapping its own direction. We possess a real sense of agency. About our sharefaith. I attended only one dessert meeting but i was moved by the amount of people who trudged out on cold and busy weeknight to share their ideas about what it means to be a unitarian universalist in the 21st century. I heard the voices of people gracious enough. To acknowledge the committee's efforts but principled enough to say this is my faith. And my community and while i like some of what you've done. Let's talk about how we can make it better. Our sense of agency challenge the refining team. In a wonderful and inspiring way. Of course they were other challenges. Throughout the process i felt the burden of balancing the virtues and pitfalls of compact phrases like inspire create and transform. How do you make your congregations mission appealing. Without allowing the slogan to overtake the substance. That is why we conceived of our mission covenant covenant it's elaboration and our statement of values as threads and a very complex tapestry. And if george was interested in mixing metaphors that i try to hold on to the amount that i mix here. We knew that one phrase couldn't incapsulate. What everyone wanted to express but we wanted to use that phrase as a springboard for many. Of the ideas that make uuc blacksburg the complex. Thoughtful and beautiful community that we know it to be. Of course we aren't finished our work has jane said and we hope that everyone here will continue to offer their ideas. They're inside and their support as we continue to develop refine and refine our statements about who we are what we believe. And how we can translate those beliefs into lives filled with meaningful action. And now is repterra said i'm going to be reading in the place of mark who couldn't be with us today so just try to imagine me taller and better-looking. I feel grateful to have witnessed our mission shaping and feel even more connected to the ideas of my beloved community here. The process has reminded me of the magic of listening. The strategic planning team design a listening focus. The workshop focus groups and our discussions. The refining team members inspired me to with their commitment to listen to one another. Digest comments from the workshop and focus groups and strive to capture our, names. I've been inspired to buy the workshop and focus groups the willingness to speak up critique endorse and listen. I love the honest discourse throughout the process as we have embraced our common cause. The process helped me to learn more about our congregation since our last mission statement in 2008. At that time we were just completing the expansion of our building a major change a new identity. We began our mission emphasizing our identity. By saying we are a caring and diverse community. And then our mission identified are multiple consistencies and orientations inspirit love justice learning and reason. I sense a shift in our growth. Over the last eight years from our workshop and forum discussions. And i sense that we have moved from an inward identity focus to an outward focus. It's interesting to note for example that over 40% of the individual cards from the focus groups specifically referred to community or global concerns. It's also meaningful to me that the aspirations expressed in the discussions are no major undertaking. Holding ourselves to these aspirations as bolt. In our year of living bravely we are poised to assert a courageous commitment. Tacoma names a commitment that will be expressed. Through our ministries. Our ministries need not be confined to worship lifespan in and pastoral care. Every endeavor in our congregation can be a ministry which includes administration membership and governance. We already have examples changes in the grounds have inspired our spiritual and the spiritual and memorial scuse me and has created a much more compassionate community. Our mission can prompt every ministry. Team committee and group to think beyond our usual goals. From building maintenance to social action we can construct new ways to inspire create and transform. We have already raised our aspirations. I can only wait. To see how we decide to live those those out. As we move toward closing or service today. I want to share with you. Small piece of guidance. But it offered the refining team is i would often meet with refining team and then really step back and leave them to do what they would. Each one of you and your orders of service have written out the second draft statement and you'll be invited to look at that and. Offer feedback and there's more that. Apollo i think mentioned after the service will have an opportunity for you to share more and learn more about each phase of the process and how to share your thoughts. Here's a piece of guidance that i spoke about over and over again. With the refining committee. Team. And it's one that i want to share with you today. This is a picture that hangs in my office. It was given to me when i was becoming a minute. Remind me at 2 today to serve the people present from glisson's the people of present and remember. Who is not yet here. Pc hear an empty chair. The passover is. Precautionary that at a satyr in a jewish singer there's a chair in a cup left for elijah. The prophet has not yet joined. Sometimes story about elijah picture elijah as degner. Speaking and looking for care and support and nutrition and nurture. So that empty chair remind him to death. States close to here. And also how can you help us think about the empty chair. Who won be here who is not next year. How can we make a state. For the people we can't even imagine will come along after. Existing document to think about. The empty chair. Even as you also hear your own thoughts about what does most mean look to you from your own personal lived experience. The way we will do. This morning is that. Many of you will offer the benediction. If you are someone that came into the sanctuary this morning and then we'll sing together if you're someone who came into the sanctuary this morning and you opened up your program and you had a little index card there. Can you please raise your hand. Alright. We're going to circulate the microphone around what what these folks have in their hand are representations of the cards that people wrote on when they were asked what aunt the mission before unitarian-universalism nu you see in the 21st century. We want you to hear. My way is benediction just a few of your own words. And. People are holding cards and they don't know who wrote them. So we're just going here. This one says. I think you use. Ought to spread is worldview. To the rest of the world. How can we make a better place if we keep silent. I agree with latham on this. Clustered here. To provide meaning to life. To provide a sense of community. To do good works. In the broader. To heal the wounds of human history. Especially the ones inflicted in the name of religion. By asserting and celebrating our common humanity. To ensure both societal cohesion and to provide spiritual support and. You you 21st century goal needs to find common ground. With a larger community. Well promoting. Consensus. Conscious protests when are liberal ideas. Are violated all well strengthening our own community fellowship. Facilitate individual mental emotional and physical growth in order to have an active impact on making a better world. These interconnectedness sustainability fairness except. Ucn turvy ought to be helping. Helping to discover their own meeting who i am where did i come from and where am i going. To offer an inclusive religion. To encourage people to be their best self. Fire company. I think that the mission should be to follow. Port. Seven principles. Dear beloved community. This is unitarian universalism. We are. Unitarian. Universalism. And your voices matter in this process. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At uuc an rv. org.

uucnrv_org

160703_dl_poetry.mp3

Welcome to the july 3rd service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. Today is our annual poetry serve. During which several members and friends. Share poems that have written or just like. The service is led by worship associate david lally. So today is sarah. Poetry readings. I like the service even though i've never been here for it. I like to think that i put on a black shirt in order to emulate the artist and poet in me. Hopefully not because i was raised catholic and then i was like. Do i look like a priest. I read this quote by james baldwin. You think your pain and heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world. But then you read. It was books that taught me that the things the tormented me most. For the very things that connected me with all the people who are alive. Good ever been alive. I'm going to start with a poem. How to get the first person. Get things started. Ii. I think we become a nerd to some of the constant stream of tragedies that we see around us and every once in awhile. When will capture my ear. Like the. The girl 13 year old girl that was stabbed. End. The settlements in israel this week. And. I just kind of hitman it made me start thinking by this about this poem by naomi shihab nye. But i really like. She's as palestinian origin. Departments named blood. A true arab knows how to catch a fly in his hands my father would say. Any prove it. Cupping the buzzer instantly while the host with the swatter stared. In the spring are poms peeled like snakes. True arabs believed watermelon could heal 50 ways. I changed these to fit the occasion. Years before. A girl not. Wanted to see the arab. I said we didn't have one. After that. My father told me who he was. Shehab shooting star. A good name. Borrowed from the sky. Once i said when we die we get it back. He said that is what a true arab would say. Today the headlines clot in my blood. A little palestinian girl dangles a truck in the front on the front page. Homeless fig this tragedy with a terrible route is too big for us. What flag can we waive. I wave i wave the flag of stone and seed table mat stitched in blue. I called my father we talked around the news. It is too much for him. Neither of his two languages can reach it. I drive into the country to find sheep cows to plead with the air. Who calls anyone civilized. Where can the crying heart graze. What does a true arab do now. Now i'd like to call forth frank matthews. To read a poem. I have to palms of 93. Time reversing the order. The first one. Lighter mood in the second one. I'd like the fallout he just rub. The second one is by henry w longfellow. The first one i wrote. The second one now. The book right here that i have. Has a dedication at this kind of interesting out for you. The first dedication was to clifford from aunt alice. December 25th 1903. Secondary education was in the summer of 71. When i was down in trouble. You were there. And brighten up. My darkest night. Thank you my love. Maggie. Girl i'm in the summer of 71. It is not always may. The sun is bright the air is clear. The darting swallows sorenstein. And from the stately elms i hear the bluebird. Prophesying spring. So blue ian winding river flows it seems an outlet from the sky. We're waiting till the west wind blows. The frightened clouds at anchor line. All things are new the buds. Belize. The guild the young trees notting crest. And even the nest needs to ease. There are no birds. In last year's nest. All things rejoice and youth in love. The fullness of their first delight. And learn from the soft heavens above the melting tenderness of night. Maiden. That reduced the simple rhyme. Enjoy that you it will not stay. Enjoy the fragrance of a prime. For all. It is not always may. Enjoy the spring of love in you. To some good angel leave the rest. 4 time will teach these soon the truth. There are no birds. Unless. By henry wadsworth longfellow. The second one is titled. Denise's botched cake. We were. We're not married at the time but. And she had. Limit experience. I just worked as a cook. In fact. At in rochester at the time will not. Before that. Assistant cook actually. And in a diner. And like i said this is from my copa. It's called denise's much cake. Flour and sugar. Take one egg. Separator. And savior. Separated. How. A boiled egg. And separated by cutting it in half. Okay laughing up young lady love me. I would have eaten. It. Had it been remotely edible. Because i loved her. Thank you frank. Now i'd like to call amado. With your kind indulgence and i'll be reading off of my cell phone. But a little bit of background so some of you may be aware i've got a nearly daily practice. Of making up songs. That's my little improvisational end. And and singing practice. I used to try to. Strengthen my muscles in that. And one thing i'm. Very bad at. And that practice so far is words. They're people who are genius set. Improvising words. At the spur of the moment and i'm just not. So for the month of may i gave myself a challenge. To incorporate words in every. Improvisation idea. And i also gave myself the crutch. I'm looking up those words in advance i would sing inspired by a particular haiku poem or quotation most of them are haiku. So after each haikyuu that i read. There will be a pause because they're short. And it might give you a moment to. Contemplate what it means to you. And it will also serve the dual function of giving you the chance to look up. The next one and the author. So. This first one is by. A person i think a life today by the name of ian joyce. And it goes simply. Hush listen. Darkness. Envelops. Dreamers. This next one is by. An author who only goes by the internet pseudonym. Rdw. And it goes. Midpoint of the bridge. I hover. Above the rivers. I'll save that one. For the young but here's a nice one. By an author. Olinda pilarski. What's today. Approaching dusk. A single raven. Claims the. I suppose a word. Is. Appropriate here please don't get caught up in the syllable counts. Actually the true spirit of haiku is that it's a complete literary work that can be ordered in one breath. Often it has what they refer to as a cutting word somewhere in the middle where the images that you're presented at the beginning of the poem suddenly shift and you're surprised by what you. Here at the end. In additional japanese poetry they count the number of sounds. And. And sounds doesn't really translate to syllables in english. A very well so you've got people who adhere to the 575 syllable count slave ashley and you've got. Adjust. Try to. Express something in there poem. So here is one by. Backroads haiku. And it goes. North of the mountains. Alien and dangerous. Darkening cloud. There was a haiku poem. In japan. Who has something of a reputation as being a hillbilly poet. And so i was drawn to that. Living up in the hills and on a farm myself. That's a couple of my songs this month. We're on. Some of his poetry. One of them. The follows. Kobayashi. Issa. Summer nights. Even the stars. Are whispering. Another of his poems that i. Sing with particular glee. Spring rain. The uneaten docs. Here is a poem by aa. Contemporary. Science fiction and haiku author who passed away i think only a few a couple of decades ago. The name of paula williams. Gone from the wood. The bird i knew. By song alone. And if i may just. Couple of more i think here are worthy of your attention. 1. Of my own authorship. Where i live. Gets a. Astounding. Number of. Well maybe i'll let the po. Countless stars above. Reflected in the meadow. Fireflies. And i will close with a poem. Bye. Poet. Reproduce the book of haiku. And i believe the spout is still living. And he goes by the pen name. Karma tenzing wang chuck. And his haiku reeds. Oh and by the way this is the haiku. Closed his book with. In the end. Just as i am. We'll have to. Thank you amanda. Now i'd like to call forth david byrne. I was looking through my file cabinet for. Translation i'm doing a poem by dante and. Couldn't find it. Pretty much given up on it. And found this instead. And this is a poem. I forgot my denver done. About. 2010 i think i was just sitting in. Apart. Rome. It's powder-coated tryano. Which means trajan's park. Industrial park in the sense that. Mama's come with their kids. The kids play. A park in that sense but it's also. A little collection of trajan memorabilia in the sense that it's have trajan's gate there in the call of the. Columns. And when i was there the columns had been written over with. Modern political slogans in. Red paint. Tennis is a whole combination. Should be further charming the kids. The paint. The columns i found it rather sinister. It did added up to something. Menacing. Does donald trump would say there's something going on and it's bad. Okay product order traiano. Interagency park. The children ride new bicycles. Cast columns smeared with slogans. Red and gray. The children laugh and shout and sometimes cry. Until the park with their reality. The rest is paint on stone. Debt columns once supported empire. And slogan sometimes leap from walls the battle. If it occurs. If the world turns again. It will be here in trade-in trajan's park. Among the laughing children. Thank you david. And now frank dupont. Read the poem. You'll probably be able to tell that i don't write much poetry. Number one it's hard. And number to take to a law. And i've kind of concentrated on writing fiction. But this is a. A rhyming poem. That i worked on for a while. Call the mother c. The sea witch underneath does roland turn. Met on her surface seemed both calm and still. The same as woman's hands. Pet rest and soft. Concealed from their site. Conceal from site. Their inner strength and will. From land and sea nightwind absorbs the heat. Until the lighted clouds announce the day. When molten yellow sun rays life to shore each aspect reach the warm in its own way. The contours of the land reflector work. Relinquishing its substance and its form. From sea life. Each earth life came to be. And frigid blooded creatures spawned the warm. Has laci ripples stroke the rockbound shore. The riprap fortress of the earth dissolve. With time-suck ceaseless grinding. Against the world. Phone spying. A tempered edge of her resolve. Tell cliff and levi wall appear to bind. Her spirit pushes out. Tubi free. No less is mankind. Altered by hurricane. Then land is shaped and border. It was lovely thank you frank. And now it will hear from elizabeth burning. When my mother asks me to do something. I kind of go overboard. When i was a little girl my mom used to read us lots of poetry. And that was kind of the introduction that i had for poetry. And there was really one book that she read in particular that was. That i i still remember the title of then i still own. It's called the garden of verses. And. My favorite poem is a child was by robert louis stevenson and it was called swinging. How do you like to go up into a swing up in the air so blue. Oh i do think it's the most pleasant of thing ever a child could do. Up in the air and over the wall. So i can see so wide. River and trees and cattle and all. Over the countryside. Till i look. Down on the garden green. Down on the roof so brown. Up in the air i go flying again. Up in the air and down. And then when i was in college i got really into. Poetry. And i like just about everything from cummings to plas. I love whitman his book is still on my. Bedside table. But the one that probably spoke to me the most and still does is. Is a poem by sylvia plath. Call the mad girl's love song. I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead. I lift my lids and all is born again. I think i made you up in my head. The stars go waltzing out in blue and red. An arbitrary black blackness gallops in. I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead. I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed. And some the moon's sung me moonstruck. Kissed me quite insane. I think i think i made you up inside my head. God topples from the sky hill fires fade. Exit seraphine and satan's men. I shut my eyes and the world drops dead. I fancied you return the way you said. But i grow old and i forget your name i think i made you up inside my head. I should have loved a thunderbird instead. At least when spring comes they were back again. I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead. I think i made you up inside my head. And as a overachiever to my dear sweet mother i have a third one. Which. I post every single year. On the very first day. Of daffodils blooming. And i've done this for the last 6 years. And yesterday i looked back to see which dates it was and. They're almost always march 2nd. And i live in chapel hill. Or it's either february 11th. Which i find really funny it's either one day or the other and it's almost always those two days. And. I love this poem and. To me it is the perfect example of how words can actually paint a portrait. They can paint a picture that so vivid. That. You feel like you're in it. And to me this is that poem. And it's by work work work. I wandered lonely as a cloud that floats over hales fails in hills. When all at once i saw a crowd. A host of golden daffodils. Beside the lake beneath the trees. Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine and twinkle on the milky way. They stretched in a never-ending line along the margin of a bay. 10000 i saw at a glance. Tossing their heads in a sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced but they outdid the sparkling waves in glee. A poet could not but be gay and such johnson company. I gaze and gaze but little thought. What wealth the show to me had brought. 4 off 20 on my couch i lie in vacant or in pensive mood. They flash upon that inward eye which is the bliss of solitude. And then my heart with pleasure fills. And dances with the daffodils. Thank you elizabeth. No hear from elizabeth's mom. This poem is often attributed to maya angelou. But really she did not ride it. It was written by pamela redmond satran. And at first appeared in glamour magazine in 1977. It's too bad that she never gets the credit because. As i said it's often attributed to angela's. Just called. What every woman should know. A woman should have enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own even if she never wants to or needs to. A woman should have something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour. A woman should have a youth she's content to leave behind. A woman should have a past. Juicy enough that she's looking forward to returning it in her old age. A woman should have a set of screwdrivers a cordless drill and a black lace bra. A woman should have one friend who always makes her laugh. And one who lets her cry. A woman should have a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family. A woman should have eight matching plates wine glasses with stems. And a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored. A woman should have a feeling of control over her destiny. Every woman should know how to fall in love without losing herself. Every woman should know how to quit a job. Break up with a lover. And comfort of friend without ruining the friendship. Every woman should know when to try harder and when to walk away. Every woman should know that she can't change the length of her calves. The width of her hips. Or the nature of her parents. Every woman should know that our childhood may not have been perfect. But it is over. Every woman should know what she would and wouldn't do for love or more. Every woman should know how to live alone even if she doesn't like it. Every woman should know whom she can trust him she can't. And why she shouldn't take it personally. Every woman should know where to go. Be at your best friend's kitchen table or a charming and in the woods when her soul needs soothing. Every woman should know what she can and can't accomplish in a day a month and a year. Thank you isabel. Now we'll hear from chelsea crane. Hi. To the first i. Memorize. Fifth grade. Due to my teacher we all we all had to. I'm really glad that i didn't. At the end of the year she gave us each. A copy of it frame. I'm a little like with the little stand so you can spend it on your desk. That hadley. Cute little letters glued to the bottom in a personal message from her in my letters there were different for everyone on my letters spelled out. Breve. Completely even as a ten-year-old she could tell that i was like. Going to need that reminder so thank you to miss young in connecticut but this is ralph waldo emerson success. To laugh often and much. To win. The respect of intelligent people and the affection of children. To earn the appreciation of honest critics and enjoy the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty. To find the best in others. To leave the world a bit better. Whether by a garden patch. A redeemed social condition. Or a child something like that. But doesn't that little fighting me. To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. The last person most important. To know even one life. Has breathed easier because you've lived. This is.. And so i think about that poem a lot and i was thinking about that poem when i wrote this one. For all of us.. People and things and ideas that come in and out of our life and they're they're not always there but when. They are. We need to create memories of them for when they're not you know. So this is what i wrote. Your waxing gibbous smothering the spring. Snow dust hair and son spent nose-picking your future from stale are the hills and hammocks of your spine combing the umbrella of my heart. I tuck you in a dimpled crater. Speak with you when i seek the stream. And with the collapse of months in years. You. We'll ride full. Thank you chelsea. No hear from jim curran. That two short ones. My daughter. Seventeen-year-old daughter came home from. Young writers workshop on friday. And she brought with her boatloads of inspiration and courage. And that. Seems it's a infectious. So i. First ones from. Quick memory just. Came up this morning. Church marquee and me driving by. No punctuation. Left it open for interpretation. We are saved by god's. Mercy. Thank you for laughing. Okay. This poem is not my own. It was born in the star flung across galaxies. Blown by seabreeze. It's been handed down to me. Through mist of time. Parent-child. From one hand to another. Is that carpenter's apprentice had noticed the curve of the young maidens neck. Is that soldiers angry bullet hitting a couple of inches lower. But if there's been no war to end all wars. And then another one. And yet if i had written it written it. Whatever it would it ever has been written. If i didn't write it. Who did. Thanks jim. Now. 10 and 11 were left blank so i don't know if there at like. Yes. Rachel is next. First of all i hate getting up in front of everybody at always makes me nervous so. Mama teacher. We make sense. This is not mine and it will be familiar to those of you who are at sunday morning's worship at ga last week. And perhaps less than earlier to others it was by the doctor ride out to i believe it's a minister of. Music at an arbor in ann arbor. And i cannot do it justice because the way he did it was so beautiful and so musical and lyrical in his in his presentation so. But i do feel it would be worth it to raise up to everybody it was such a good palm it was sermon or whatever it was it i found it quite moving. And it is called god is no noun. God is no noun and certainly not an adjectives that is at least a verb and even that shrinks her. God is not so much a woman. As she resides in the improbable hope of brown mothers. God is not so much a man as he is at work in the memory of my grandfather's laugh. God is not trans. Dog swims in the tears of the one who sees her real self at long last in the bathroom mirror. God is not black neither is he white. God is waiting in the contradiction of songs from slave shacks. And i seen god and alabaster smiles of children at play. We're getting michelangelo all wrong. God is not the bearded one surrounded by angels floating over the 15 he is not adam with his muscles back pressing the earth. No god is the closing inch of space between the reaching fingers. Don't believe for a moment that god is catholic. Forgot sexy isn't even human. Have you heard the wood thrush when the sun glistens on the huron. Can you see the flowers how they speak to the bees without a word. Still got his new spring blossom no woodthrush. God is neither the sun nor the b god is what you see in the blossom. God is when you hear the river and suddenly discover. How much of it is part of you. To be clear god is not you. God is somewhere in the 14 billion years which has come to mean that you are. God is after all at least a verb she is neither pharaohs rod nor moses's staff. We must be the ones to cease our slavery she is not interested in blame neither does she offer praise truth gratitude are ours to breathe. She will not have your answers she's too large for answers she dances too wildly to be fastened to them. And answers are nouns anyway. Got at least a verb twirling in the radiant reds of spring blossoms singing in the rare. Phone and the rare. Silences between rapid opinions. Attending the tears of dark-skinned deaths. Learning in tiny alabaster smiles. God is waiting in the space between fingers that might connect. He is waiting for us to stop naming her. She is waiting for us to see all of him. God is waiting to be unshrunk. Thank you rachel. This poem was published 100 years ago. So i hope you will forgive as i do the male-centered language. But the sentiment is still relevant. This is carl sandburg's ready to kill. 10 minutes now i have been looking at this. I have gone by here before and wondered about it. This is a bronze memorial of a famous general riding on horseback. But the flag and a sword and a revolver on him. I want to smash the whole thing into a pile of junk. To be hauled away to the scrap yard. I put it straight to you. After the farmer the minor. The shop man. The factory hand the firemen and the teamster have all been remembered with bronze memorials. Shaping them on the job of getting all of us something to eat. Something to wear. When they stack a few silhouettes against the sky here in the park. And show the real huskies. That are doing the work of the world. And feeding people instead of butchering them. Then maybe i will stand here. And look easy at this general of the army holding a flag in the air. And riding like hell on horseback. Ready to kill anybody that gets in his way. Ready to run the red blood and slush the bowels of men. All over the sweet new grass of the prairie. Thank you molly now felicia. So i've been thinking a lot about. Living in the moment and on. But what's that. Show. On npr they had norman leader on and they asked him how long. What was the key to his longevity and he said. Two phrases. That's done. What's next. I just love that. But this is. And i also. Secure a lot of poetry and music. Songs. And so. But sometimes it's good to read the lyrics because. You hear them better than when you're really listening to the music. So this is by leo robin and ralph ranger. I'm having myself a time i mean i'm having what i want wanting what i have. Doing what i like and liking what i do. And i'm having myself a time. I never could save a dime until i'm living like a lark acting like a loon lay in the sun and sighing in the moon and i'm having myself a time. When i hum songs they're all dumb songs without reason or rhyme. But i'm certainly in my prime i mean i'm happy as a bird flying up above want a little love and get a little love and i'm having myself a time. Thank you felicia. That's all we have on our sign-up list unless there's that one person who is always seems to be sitting out there saying i really want to share this poem but i'm shy. Allen there you are. I have to say i completely spaced this special event and. I was inspired by all the poets who came up and spoke. I wasn't prepared with anything but i. I found a haiku i wrote on my phone. And. Actually the haiku shorter than this introduction so it won't take too much of your time. What you might call slave haiku. And called a daydream of a memory. Treetops. Sky gazing. Riding waves of whispering winds. Life. Measured in breaths. Thank you alan. And thank you all. Everyone who shared. Tacoma problems today. Today is the first service in july and you may or may not know that the. Worship theme for this month is art and being human. And. Has dara and ellen. Plumber and i were sitting around was very important. To dara that she not leave us. In the lurch and she wanted to make sure everything was well planned and we were bouncing around ideas for the theme for july and i said how about. The artistry of being human chico's art and being human yes that's it. So. I know that. It takes. Whenever i try to make arthit. He requires that i make myself vulnerable. I know that when i make myself vulnerable i. Necessarily share something about myself to the world. And i think that when we were revealed something about ourselves to the world the world reveals something about itself to us. You realize that our life is but one element in the gray panalpina of human experience. I think that art. Exemplifies not only what it means to be human but what's possible. So i'd like to. Close with these words by rainer maria rilke rilke. Rilke. Believe in a love that is being stored up for you like an inheritance and have faith that in this love there is a strength and a blessing so large that you can travel as far as you wish without having to step outside it. Thank you. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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151206_do_advent-light.mp3

Welcome to the december 6th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by a settled minister. Reverend arrowland. And her sermon is titled sparks in the dark. Pilgrimage into winter time. As can be seen by the photo on the servant archive page. The sanctuary is still set up as it was for last night advent garden ceremony. And the spiral of greens is mentioned several times. The sermon closes with several minutes of silence. Color by music. Shortened considerably in this recording. And the podcast ends. With the reading by rezadeira. A quote for you this morning. By muslim poet. Writer hafez. I wish i. Could show you when you are lonely. Or in darkness the astonishing. Lights. Of your own. Being. Morning we celebrate the entrance into. Winter into this season of historical darkening. Seasonal darkening. This is a time when so many people in the world religious traditions celebrate both the journey through darkness and the celebration. Of light. Many of you know that just recently. The hindu festival of diwali was just concluded. This evening is the first evening that jewish people will kendall the very first flames on the hanukkah menorah. Families that celebrate kwanzaa the lights of the kenora will be lit. And we are in the second week. Of advent. Advent celebrated by christian communities at the countdown. Four weeks until. The beginning. Four weeks until the celebration of the day that jesus was born. Some people do think the advent begins on december 1st. It actually does begin for week so sometimes it changes each year so advent officially began last sunday. Before us in the center of our sanctuary this morning. We have an image of a spiral. Spiral that leads. To a source of light. You've already heard me speak a little bit briefly this morning. A version of some of the meanings and the spiral. How it can be used. To celebrate and acknowledge. The light within each one of us and how we bring and share our light into the world. The spiral before us has traditionally called and advent. Spiral. Spiral occurs in so many of the world's religious traditions. In a spiral we see that we travel a journey of our lives. Indeed. The deepening parts of our lives we travel along we might visit the same places but as we journey through our lives we never see them those experiences places. The same way. Instead we grow. We deepen. We changed. Some of us particularly those of the analytical mind. Love. Linear. Clear. Lines. Order from chaos is something we deeply crave. Spiral allows us to acknowledge. That we don't always know where our journey will lead and where it will take us. There is a trappist monk. The talks about the importance of returning to contemplatively. Practices in the 21st century. Recently i was in a gathering of. Diverse religious college. I was not the only unitarian-universalist i was. I was one of the few there was also an episcopalian. Catholic. Several different people from different religious traditions in religious leadership we were gathered together in richmond. To talk a little bit about. Contemplatively practice. And what they might mean for our 21st century living. As so many of you know we live in a busy busy frenetic world. The rapid rhythm of our contemporary lives is breathless for many of us. I want to share with you that just one technology marketing research firm out of palo alto california estimates see if you identify with this. The total number of worldwide email sent each day is about 204.1 billion. How many are you spending. How many are you receiving. And people are said to be migrating even away from email sending evermore text messages. These statistics simply confirm right what we already know. Which is that we are taking in so much more information than we can actually metabolize synthesized organized with our practical mind and so. Many religious and spiritual traditions including unitarian universalism talking about recovery. A contemplatively. Practices. Practices that allow us to slow. To listen. Deeply. To reconnect. With our lights. For if we are not renewed for our light within how can we help renew light. And goodness. In the world. The spiral reminds us that is important to go inward. And it is important to go outward. Some of you are well practiced in ways to connect with what's most true deep. What we used to call the light inside. Some of you have ways that you can listen for the still small voice and some of you think i have not heard that voice. In my life. Why don't. Know that i've heard it recently. I can use so very many metaphors to describe this to you i invite you to consider what. You know what language you would use for when you feel most. Rooted inspired anchored lit up. With your source. Not the projections not the stories. But. Real. Deep. Renewal. That's lame. That inspires you. Some of you will feel like. You have a very stuffy wic. I say that only partially kidding some of you will feel that you are life and the challenges in the world. Are running you. And some of you will feel that you are already lit up. From within how good that. Some of you will fall. Complacent. There's a question in contemplatively practice that is asked. In diverse religious communities. Interface communities. How goes it. With your spirit. I invite you to. Think on that question how. Goes it. With your spirit. Some of you might not use that word spirit. And that's okay. Sometimes i talk with you probably heard me say this i talked with people unitarian-universalist to say you know right there i don't know about this whole spirituality thing. Which is fine. We have more conversation and we talk and i've heard this time and time again where have you felt a sense of spirit. Or spirituality or something that you would name using different language people say it's when i staying. When i hear music. How goes it. With your spirit. When i was at this recent clergy gathering we talked about the lost art of discernment. We make a lot of choices as busy people in the world right we look at whether to take this meeting or that meeting we look at prioritizing or time prioritizing our money we make all sorts of complicated choices. But the word discernment. It's not really live broadly in the. Dominant society. To discern. Is tolleson. Deeply. To sift through many layers to listen. To make. A choice based on a deeper slower. Settling down mulling over. Discerning. What is right. True. And good. In your life. Today i want to suggest to you that without discernment. Without slowing down. We can is human being as a religious community as a society we can spend ourselves. We can spend our energy spend our time spend our resources without fully stealing face please she ate it. For what. Truly. Brings meaning. In our lives. That's the situation that sense of feeling deeply satisfied. Knowing that one is living in alignment with purpose and meaning and truth as you deeply know it. Not something that can come in a snap. This is what the lost art of contemplatively practice. Are all about. This morning i'm. Going to stop talking very soon. And what i'm going to invite us to do. Is to take some time. As a whole community. To be in a somewhat extended.. Has violence together. There is a writer who says that silence is. An endangered specie. How little time we make. For silence. In a time of silence. That we will shortly share together. Invite you to remain seated. I also will invite you if you feel moved. Just start at the beginning the threshold there. It's slowly walk the spiral at a pace that feels fitting and right to you. While we're all in silence. Some of you will choose to do this some of you will not. Allow the silence to open and hold you. If you need any more guidance you might think on that question. How goes it with my spirit. Let us now take this time and silence together. And then jared will bring in some music after a fashion. Let us open the silence together. We conclude with a reading. How the light gets in. By jan richardson. I cannot tell you. How the light comes. What i know. Is that it is more ancient than imagining. That it travels across and it's downing space to reach us. That it loves searching out what is hidden. What is lost. What is forgotten. Or in peril. Or in pain. But it has a fondness for the body. For finding its way towards flash. For tracing the edges of form. Shining force. 3d i. The hand. The heart. I cannot tell you. How the light cam. But it does. That it will. That it works its way into the deepest dark that unfolds you. Though it might seem ages and coming. Or arrive in a shape you cannot force me. And so may we this day toward turn ourselves towards it. Maybe lift our faces to let it find us. That we bend our bodies to follow the ark that it makes. Maybe open and open more and open still. The blessed light. Blessed be. And. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. Uuc and rv. org.

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160828_dr_water-communion.mp3

Welcome to the august 28th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The theme of today's service is the water communion. And is led by interim minister reverend on rollins. Which reflections by worship associates earl irwin jim kern and rhonda johnson. Good morning folks if you're visiting with us my name is don rollins and it's my great privilege to serve his congregation as interim minister. This is our annual by say our our denomination quite often gathers on this or close to this sunday. For the water communion. And i'll give you some background on the water communion about how we came by that ritual. But as we think about today you have received a drop. Of water this exercise is meant for young people as well as the rest of us. And if you have not. Thought about it there are desk. Right in front of you that we called him those some sundays they are desk this morning. So if you would as you go through the service at the give us some rumination doodle contemplation on some of the questions here and feel free to write them in when you finish these up at the end of the service that there is a basket out here if you just play some there what happens next as i take him home cut a mouth will make a collage of some kind so we can all look at that at themselves that would they will be posted if that's an issue for you take it home with you and we're all good. Okay. Filipino chris vice who is our minister at tennessee valley and knoxville chris is a great guy little crazy but he's a great guy. And chris has written many stories. For all levels right groups to its kind of layered he has a story that has to do with water and has to do with using water to talk about what it is to one drop here just a drop in the bucket right. Another drop another drop. And chris talks about with that looks like and how we can make changes within without but that metaphor so young people. Let's see what chris has to say. Once upon a time there was a drop of water named higgins. Higgins was no ordinary drop of water he was a drop with a dream. Taking slaves in a valley where it had not rain for very long time. To the lovely green grass was turning brown. All the beautiful flowers were wilting. And i've trees. The trees were just starting to droop. Pickens had a dream one day that the valley would be a beautiful place once again. But what could he do he was just a drop of water. A single drop of water. One day higgins decided to travel until others about his dream. All the other drops listen very polite late but no one believed his dream gives me. To come true. Pitkin said. Get your head out of the clouds you can't spend your whole life dreaming. Bacon's decided that he had to do something to make this dream come true so he began to think. Think. And thank. And one day as he was walking by a rusty old bucket. You got an idea. If enough of us drops of water get together in this bucket higgins.. There would be enough water to sprinkle in a few flowers and help them grow beautiful again. Eagerly higgins told everyone about the great idea but. Everyone thought he was just being foolish. But higgins is nothing but a dreamer they said. Vegas decided you had to do something to convince the others that he was right. He said to him. I don't know about you. But i'm getting in that bucket. I hope some people join me. There might be at least enough water to help some of those flowers grow again. So higgins ran as hard as he could hopped up in the air and landed with a big kerplunk in the bottom of that bucket. Except there. Just a drop in the bucket. For a long time higgins was very lonely. It seemed no one else was going to join him. But after while some of the other drops could see that the grass was dying in the flowers are wilting in the trees were drooping. They all agreed that something must be done. Suddenly one-drop shouted. I'm getting in the bucket with higgins. And then she leapt through a air and landed kerplunk right in that bucket. Then two other drops said well wait for us. And they hopped in the air. And then with landon the bucket. Ben 10 drops jumps in the air and landed into that bucket then 30 then 50 and then hundreds of drops came from all around just to hop in that bucket. They told me you would do this. As i said you still have the right intra minister. Along came a powerful breeze that blew over those pockets and all the water flow together to make a mighty strange. And everywhere that water flow the grass turn green again in the flowers bloom than the trees stood tall and straight once again. And all this happened. All this happen. Because higgins had a dream. And it made the dream come true. Because he knew that although he was just a drop in the bucket. Enough drops in those buckets make a beautiful beautiful place. And when those buckets are done. I'm sorry we got that right when there are enough buckets with the wind behind them. And then it gives an that that's strong strong quote. From the hebrew scriptures when enough of that water is in those buckets in the wind stirs up and justice will roll down. Like those waters. And righteousness like a mighty. Thank you chris for that store. Fletchers pond the water service water communion. It's. Clear to me that we are a privileged people. We have extra water. Go do this. It's not guilt trip. Just calling it like it is. We have the luxury. Having this water to be able to symbolize. We most of us as far as i know in the room did not go to bed thirsty last night or wake up that way so. I don't know how to talk about water these days. And not be able to own that we work to do. Recognize that we are citizens of the world. Recognize waters power to devastate. And. We called him on the toxicity of the water in flint. And beyond. Remember the 11 dead. In baton rouge. Remember the 26 dead in west virginia. And we remember the untold carnage done to property. And lie. Throughout the world. As water comes in great torrance. So let us celebrate let us not. Celebration. Let us also be whole list. Remember where we are and who we are. And their place. And it all. Even more even greater for any issue has to do with. Relationship between the elements. Between water and earth. Guy in fire. Many years ago in the 1800's chief seattle. Talk to us about this. Talk to us about you've destroyed smellier what we do to the earth we do to ourselves. Images of a children. Something to share that reading with this little bit of science on behalf of those for whom water is not a blessing. Unless silence with me. Refereed. This we know. This earth does not belong to us. We belong to this earth. And this we know. But all things are connected like the blood which unites one family. For all things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth. Baseball's the sons and daughters of the earth. For we did not we. This weather fly. We are merely a strand. In this web of life. Remember whatever we do to the web we do to ourselves. Join me on some reflections. And i meant. Will be happy this morning is a variation on your tradition is i was. Talk to me. We're going to come forward in section. They are four sections. There will be. Four of us reading order singing or poetry or whatever as we would do lori reflection on the place of water in our lives when our world. And when that is finished. We would ask you to come forward as a section. To let the table closest to you. And if you would pour the cup in the end the common bowl and if you've not familiar with the water communion this has to do with. How it is that we take our lives. Waterbean december symbols of are individualized and poured into that common bowl. And our connection to course with water witch. Is that one of the foundations of her living. So that is the format and if you are beginning to run out of cups and we will for a couple stations. Then the folks will be reading for us will also. Pour some more water there and i mention to them wasn't my idea by the way i love the symbolism of that because you are there congregation for that. of time. I can not the most symbolic kind of guy not a big metaphor guy but i. Already. That's it let's begin the water today. I'm going to read to you today from small wonder essay. By barbara kingsolver. The patience of saint augustine. When i was 9 years old i jumped across the mississippi. My family had sought out its headwaters and if it's. Itasca state park minnesota. Where is special trail show the way for adventures with this feet in mind. I took my leap reverently. My parents made sure i understood. But this modest stream was actually one of the earth's great quarters. The dominion of paddle boats in huck finn. A prime mover of flood fertility. And commerce across our land. However much we may long to create the landmark events of our childhood. For our children. Water passes on. When can is heraclitus put it. Step into the same river twice. Nowadays when my family sets out for a lesson in river. We often drive southeast from tucson. To a narrow meandering cottonwood forest. Where the kids may attempt to vault the san pedro. They've done it often and sometimes don't even get very wet. Where is headwaters cross from mexico into arizona. This river is barely three feet across. As it runs north across a hundred miles of desert. With a scant but persistent slow. It rarely gets much wider. In the scheme of human commerce. It's an unimpressive trickle. Mostly it's a sparkling anomaly. I'm novel before us here. A thread a blue breed relief. For sunstruck eyes. In the heat of late april the modest saint invites us down from the blazing desert into a willowy tunnel of cool shade. Birdsong. And velvet brown scent of riverbank. We take unhurried hikes bear whenever we can. Reading the dappled script. Of animal tracks. And the driftwood history of flood. And drought embedded in it. Thanks. The sight of a vermilion flycatcher leaves us breathless every time. He's not just a bird. He's a punctuation mark on the air. Read out loud as a gas. I believe my children down its bang. In the hope they'll come to recognize in the san pedro. The might and consequence. Of that splendid word. River. Never mind that huck finn wouldn't have troubled himself to spit across it. Hazard girl stupid the edge of a riffle peering into the clearfast water. My husband and i talked to them about heroic navigational feet. Undertaken not by paddle and steam. Buy feathered wang. Not personal reflection. As we gather this morning for our traditional water service i'm wondering about tradition. I'm remembering that tradition. And it's familiarity to us. Brings comfort. I'm also thinking about how easily the significance of that tradition can be lost over years of practice. What was the meaning of this tradition in the first place. I must confess that the tradition of water service has not helped cigna. For me for many. At the end of each summer. When many tempting weekend activities enticed me. I didn't choose water serve. Over whatever the other opportunities for. I'm auralast approach water service with the attitude of. Been there done that got the empty film canister to show for it. This year however i'm a worship associate. And at our most recent worship associate meeting. John invited three of us to select readings on water and share our reflection. And that got me to think. What would that be. My reflection on water. As i drove home from the meeting i wonder. Wherever will i find. For that. But as i pulled into my driveway i noticed that recently rain. Hadfield are wet weather creek. Aha. Hoping for a watery revelation. I scrambled down the bank and stood staring at. My reflection on water. Until i felt like nauseous. But perhaps that was not what's on matt by weider reflex. Fortunately in my further pondering of the subject. I came across the kingsolver reading. And then i recognized. What water service maybe about. Water hazard commonality. No matter what each of us did this summer. No matter where we went. Or if we stayed home. Water was involved. I think of my own family vacation. Two weeks first two weeks on ocracoke island off the coast of north carolina. Water played an obvious role in those experiences. From staring across it. The kayaking waiting fishing clamming shelling. Swimming and water bird watching. But even during our city vacation. 5 hot date july days in chicago. It was the waters of lake michigan that drew us to its shore to cool our feet. Collect water rounded rocks. And to gaze across its shimmering aqua serenity. Are bats. City hustle-bustle. Since you've come to water service today. Likely you've already considered how water. Played into your summer plans. But if you haven't. I invite you now to think. About water in this way. Whatever each of you did this summer. Weather vacation or staycation. I wager that water was involved in some manner. If nothing else. And moving our bodies. Comprised of six. Percent water. True language summer days. Water then is another means of unity. Another shared element. That connects us. As individuals. Drawing us into. Shared experience. Community. I know what you did on your summer vacation. Or. At least i know that it involved water. I know that something else we have in common. Is this liquid experience. And i welcome this opportunity. To celebrate. Alright i'm going to be different. I'm going to sing a song to have reading. And i talked about it before i. Sing the song. The song is delta by david crosby. And. I really like the idea of water as metaphor. And particularly. This idea of. A river is metaphor for our lives. I never see what's up around the bend sometimes fast and furious. Sometimes it's slow and steady. But one thing's for sure. All rivers. End up at the delta eventually those waters end up the delta where they mixed with the ocean. Were they. Dance mix and mingle with all the other waters. Of the world and the cycle blues. Cycle start over. And that's. Kind of how i see this ceremony. We bring the waters of our lives together. The dancing mix and mingle. And and start that. Cycle over. That further ado. Waking stream-of-consciousness hannah sleeping dreams and thoughts like scattered slowed and meatball. Love the child. My section. Good morning i'm running johnson and i'm a little bit news if you haven't seen me before it's okay. I'm bring it to you this morning a reading from one of my favorite uu bard's meg barnhouse. Currently a minister in austin texas by when i knew where she was in spartanburg. And i found out that our reverend don was their interim after she left so. Tough act to follow. Crops. So that was really great. This is entitled paddling no water and it's from her meditation manual did i say that out loud. I've learned some things about life from canoes. I'm not saying i know how to paddle. I've been inconnu's twice. And both have been learning experiences. The second time was fun. The first time a friend and i decided to take one out on a lake. We split the canoe into the water. She hopped in. I put one foot on the ladder from the dock. And 1 ft into the canoe. Holding onto the dock like a sensible person. The canoe tipped over threw her out. Filled with water and sank to the bottom. About four feet under. She pulls herself back up onto the dripping. I was still hanging onto the ladder. From this i learned that there are some situations in life where it is down to be cautious. You just have to let go. Put yourself your whole self in instead of hedging your bets. The trick is to figure out when you are in such a situation. Because sometimes it's smart to be cautious. I took hold of the rope at the front of the canoe. Still attached to the dock. And he's the thing up out of the water. The canoe was heavy. And i was in my mid-forties at the time. Did i ask for help no. Did i get the canoe back up on the deck. Yes in 1 heave. Did i hurt myself. You bet. Torn rotator cuff. It's gotten lots better. But i. I use the twinges it still gives me to remind myself to ask for help it wasn't me my shoulder. The next time the funtime. I was on the river in virginia at a canoe workshop. Where the whole purpose was to teach people how to paddle. Nothing but my pride got hurt this time. The river was low because of a drought that year. Quite low. We put in a band where the river was deep enough for us to paddle around in pairs. I got instructions on the proper way to get into a canoe. The motion of the paddle. The knack of coordinating with my paddling partner. The rhythm & glide. For a couple of hours we paddled a. And then it was time for solo work. By this time we were down river a bit. The instructors said in one canoe. They paddled fast down the stretch of river. And then turned sideways to us so they can help by shouting suggestion. I didn't know where the others were back up the river i think. But i was trying to get to where the instructors were. The water was so shadow shallow that i couldn't get much pressure with the paddle. It kept slipping through the water or knocking against the rocks on the bottom. Time traveling faster they shouted. I stepped it up. The canoe move maybe a foot forward. I come from a culture that believes in trying hard. I was taught that success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. And it's true of course. Except when it's not. I paddled fast and furious on that drought-stricken stretch of river. Until i noticed the instructors laughing. You can just get out and walk it down here to where the water is deeper they shouted. Oh. Sometimes we try too hard or in the wrong way. We push too hard. Poke at things too much. Take on things that aren't ours. Take over when we're not supposed to. I'm going to plan in my life not to try so hard and water that's too shallow. I've asked my inner wisdom to throw that picture up on my mental screen whenever i'm in that kind of situation. Working the paddles through that inch and a half of water. Hearing the divine instructors up ahead just laughing. Yeah that'll help. If i third section would like to come forward i think we can use both of these tables there is virtual water in the couch for those that didn't bring it this time. From bessie hill williams one of our finest for this educators many years was. The. Listen to cater for the church of larger fellowship with some of you recognize says. The global part of unitarian universalist. Herstory a water bearer in india had two large pots. Each one hung on the end of a pole. But he carried across his neck. And one of the pots had a crack in it that the end of the long walk from the stream. On the master's house. The crackpot arrived only half full. While the other part was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. Two years has went on daly and the bear delivering only one and a half pot full of water to his master's house began to have a complex. Of course the perfect pot was proud of his accomplishments perfect to the end. But the poor crackpot was ashamed of its own imperfection. And miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what had made to do. After two years apart of perceived to be a bitter failure. It spoke to the water-bearer one-day about strain. I said i am ashamed of myself and i need to apologize to you. I asked a very what are you ashamed of. I have been able for the past two years to deliver only half of my load because of this crack in my side which causes water to leak out all the way back to the master's house. So because of my flaws you have all this work to do. And you don't get full value for my benefits. For my efforts. Waterbury thought of wyoming and felt sorry for the crackpot. And his compassion said as we return to the master's house i want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path. Adidas they went up that hill the old crackpot took notice of the sun warming the wildflowers and. And this. it's some but at the end of the trail is still feel sad because it had leaked out half its load. It's so again the pot apologize to the bearer. First failure. Xavier said to the pot. Did you notice that those flowers were on your side of the pass. Not the other pot. That's because i have always known about your flaw and i took advantage of it. I planted the flower seeds on your side of the path and everyday but we walked back from the stream you've been watering those flowers. For two years i have been able to pick beautiful flowers to decorate the master's table. Without you being just as you are. Definitely would not have such grace on the tables. When she finishes up betsy fences up by saying we all have our unique flaws. We are all cracked. Pots. Because in this great web of life nothing goes to waste. Don't be afraid of your flaws she writes. Acknowledge them learn from the crackpots learn from the water because you too can cause beauty. Know that in your weakness is your strength. It's striking the evolution of this. Annual ceremony. First began in 1980 as part of a women and religion gathering. The water communion then was designed to create a ritualize bond between women the world over. As described at the time the water symbolize birth waters. Cycles of moon. Tides. And women. Solidarity with women globally. As women the world over traditionally draw. And carry the water. But as most of us who encountered the communion from that time forward can a test. It's soon morph into a gathering centered around small amounts of water. Gathered over the summer months. Folks as many of you know came forward. Striped from where the water was collected and poured it into a common bowl. The bowl symbolizes sojourners return to the beloved community that for all their leave-taking they had returned to the familiar embrace of the particular people and particular place. Alluded to earlier. Events haven't intervened on the water communion as we know it. Pressing you use and their ministers to consider the politics. An injustice. And the environmental abuse so intertwined with water and thereby fire and earth. And are. Our collective conscious have been raised. A clean water hasn't many places. Become a privilege not a right. So it is that this water communion has become more sober up late. And i think we're better people for it. We're taking stock of the world we volunteer privilege. Bringing a thirsty world with us as we pour into these waters are, these waters are coming balls. But i say to you we should continue our tradition of celebration in homecoming 2. As you come forward. Let these waters be your token offering for that tumbling mountain fall that's still in your memory that fireball sunset over the sea he can't quite get rid of. That joyous return to a familiar lake. The childhood fishing hole that's yet so vivid in memory. Celebrate these things. Bring to the world's bring the words. Bring the world's burdens to the stables with you. Bring your memories to this table bring your brazen hallelujahs. To this table. Be part of the water communion. So. We finish this time together. My blessing these waters. They are on messenger. So. These waters are our waters. They belong to the children and the parents. But they pretend to them. They belong to the hurting and the lost in this room. They belong to the happy and the lucky. These waters belong to the suffering of mind or body. The strong and the certain. Whoever you are we say it over again wherever you come from. These are your waters. You are not alone. To let this communion that we have just celebrated be a communion of all souls. For these are our waters. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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140216_do_living-language.mp3

Welcome to the february 16th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by are settled minister. Reverend darrell roland. The title of her sermon is the arts of living language. The podcast begins with two readings. An end with rev dara's benediction. Our first reading this morning. Come from the hebrew bible. It comes from genesis. 11 verses 1 through 9. It is the tower of babel. Story. Now the whole world had one language. And common speech. And as the people moved eastward. They found a plane in shannara. And settled there. They said to each other come let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly. They used brick instead of stone. And tar for mortar. Then they said come let us build ourselves a city. With a tower that reaches to the heavens. So that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth. But the name beyond name. Which some call god. Came down to see the city and the tower that people were building. And the name beyond name said. If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this. Then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come let us go down and. Used. Their language so that they will not be able to understand each other. So the name dion names scattered them all over the earth and they stopped building the city. That is why it is called babel. Because they're the name beyond the name. Confused the language of the whole world. From there the name ian name scattered them. Over the face. Of the whole. Our second reading this morning comes from a work of literature. By gustav flow bear. The name of that work of literature is madame bovary. Which might be familiar to some of you. Human speech. Is like a cracked kettle on which we tap. Crude rhythms for bears to dance to. Well we long to make music. That will melt. The stars. Therein lies the read. Those readings. This morning. It is so very good to be back together with you once more. As some of you know i was recently myself in raleigh. With several members of this congregation we had about 37 people from our congregation with ashley represents about 20%. Of us. And i we journeyed together to raleigh just a few weeks ago a week or so ago. And i we attended together than a small gathering. Which someone here lifted up. The earlier this morning. Msnbc came out with a report that said there were about 80 to 100 thousand. People there. So it was a real joy to be with folks down there. And then shortly thereafter i have myself had this great honor of going out to delaware where i was invited to lead a prayer for a colleague and his congregation. And they were having their installation service. If you'll recall many of us here participated in an installation service. Right here several months ago. So i brought to that congregation there in delaware the bright blessing and warm greetings of this congregation. And they sent theirs back to you. That is the unitarian universalist fellowship of newark delaware. Indeed it's always a joyful time when a congregation installs a new minister. Corning i want to talk with you a little bit about this month-long seeing that we've been exploring. Caring. And we recently here in the united states we passed through valentine's day. It's a day that one of my colleagues reverend lynn ongar says just might be the most hated. Holiday. I mean i guess by some of the laughter that may or may not resonate with some of you here today. Indeed for some valentine's day is this choice ali anticipated holiday it's a celebration of love itself. And love perhaps in many forms. Love between significant others love between parents and children. Love. Friends. Love. Of self. In a healthful self-care sort of way. Sometimes people interpret valentine's day is a day of appreciation for oneself. But yet for others as some of our laughter may attest to for some others downtimes day is just a big nuisance. It's perhaps a reminder of love that is unfound in our lives. Love that is unrequited in our lives. For some of us the commercial extravagance. Gets under our skin. Rattles us a little bit. And for some people it occurs is a little bit of a cruel sort of jest. For those who are uncoupled. It's a reminder perhaps of single status. And some of the weight that that's not it celebrated. Dominant culture. This morning i'll tell you that i myself am pretty ambivalence. About valentine's day. I would say it's kind of a warm sort of ambivalence. I would say any excuse to celebrate the presence of love sounds like a pretty good thing to me. But i also think we don't need to reserve our celebration. I've loved power just for one date. On the calendar. So regardless whether this holiday. And it's signs and expressions are ones that. Work for you. Or don't work for you. It is clear that none the less we are in that time of year. Where we see chocolate covered candy covered in bright red cellophane in the stores. And we see roses and cards on display. These kind of things had become these ubiquitous and common symbols or expression. Of love. Love i actually want to say this morning is a curious sort of four-letter. Word. It's central to our faith as religious liberals but actually it's just central to our lives. As human being. We tend to speak highly of love because we know that it matters. All human beings need love in order to grow and survive and thrive in the same ways that we need air. And water. And food. When children don't grow up with adequate loving care we might say that they are neglected. And those children often have a hard time developing emotionally. And spiritually and cognitively. We know about love that it would be a much more brutal. Much more cold. And perhaps i nearly impossible. Sort of existence. We did not have love. And yet. We use that word. Love. In so many different ways in our language. Then it becomes rather like the word god. Somewhat baffling. Somewhat confusing. Somewhat intriguing. And somewhat hard to wrap one's mind around or when. Language. Around in an adequate. Feeling sort of way. Let me give you some examples we say we love our partner. We also say i fell in love with a person that i met in college. We also say i love ice cream. We say i love yellow indian curry. We say i love watching the academy awards i love the hokies i love the boston red sox. We can talk about numerous examples of the ways that we. Swing around that word love lovingly. So it's pretty clear that the word love means often different things to. Sparkpeople. So this morning i want to be very clear about the kind of love that i'm talking about. Talking today about the kind of love that is emotionally affirming. The kind of love that grows up its. People. Friends partners within families. Where there's bonds that are intimate. But also lead to complex sports and ways of caring. Kind of love is the love. That is about feeling a sense of belonging to one another. Being known deeply. To one another. Kind of love that sounds really good. And it's the kind of love it is. Really good. But since it's not valentine's day anymore. I won't. Sugarcoat this. We know that this kind of love is hardly simple. It can be really challenging. Really. Hard work. Earlier this morning and our first reading we heard it's challenging for two story. It's the story of babel from the biblical account of genesis. And if you'll recall the people create this shining tower. It reaches high into the heavens. And the people speak one language so it's very easy for them to work with one another. They get along really well. No work goes very swiftly. But then god translated as the name beyond all names decides to scatter those people in the story across the face of the earth. And endows each one with their own language. So becomes on the story very difficult for people. Speak with one another to communicate with one another. And the stories often interpreted to suggest that god is angry. In some ways. And doesn't want people working together to reach. His height. Or sometimes it's interpreted to explain why there is indeed a diversity of human cultures and human languages. It can also be interpreted to suggest that we human beings share perhaps a common. Understanding. But that we become so diverse. That we must take our time. And go very slowly. In order to understand one another. There are a lot of interpretations from this account in genesis. Some of us here in this room will read the bible on as a mythology. And some will read it as archetype. Story. Or literary narrative. And some will read it as a sacred text in. Imbued with. Inner meaning. And some of us will never read it. And that's because of unitarian universalist we have no one's they protect. But i always found the story itself very intriguing and memorable. In part because it's subject to so very many interpretations. And historically there on many accounts. That are of a similar nature or rising around the same time that this text came forward. But tell different stories about how it one time perhaps there were a common people that shared a common language but then they were dispersed in some manner. And how this might account for the diversity of human language. So the ancient world justice today was filled with divers sorts of people who. We're seeking in various ways and shapes and forms. Speaking to coexist but also to maintain. Their own identity. So today this morning i lift up this tower of babel story more as metaphor. Remind us that even within one same community. Winston family. Even one fame. Household. We can speak. Sort of different kinds of languages. And this is because in fact no matter how close we are. We are not the same people. We are different. And it's amazing because this is a known fact. A reasonable fact. But in daily life it can often occur to us. In surprising ways. The people do not respond or communicate. In a ways that we might. We tend to expect that people will respond to the world and to communication. Exactly like. And we can get pretty frustrated sometimes and confused sometimes. When people don't act or respond. Exactly like us. This goes for everyone. No matter how enlightened you are no matter how mindful you are just about everybody makes assumptions. The people will interpret the world just as we do. Sometimes it's our relationships with the people that are closest to us. It really baffles. In this regard. And today i'm going to highlight that. We are pretty diverse even amount people that we think we know very very well. We're pretty diverse in terms of how we understand. Recognize love. When it's coming our way. Sometimes i want to suggest morning and sometimes we even have. Tower of babel sorts of moments right in our own household. It's when we thought we communicated but instead we have a missed connection. George bernard shaw that playwright writes the single biggest problem in communication is the illusion. That it is happened. This morning the message that i'm offering us is called the arts of living languages. For no matter how where we come from no matter our life experiences are points of you or each and down with a certain human power. And primary among them is our power. In our capacity to express ourselves. Through language. We made the diverse in that way. And yet our lives as human beings. Are fundamentally grounded on loving relationships in the world. We have what gary chapman calls. Each one of us an emotional tank. And he says that when it's filled. We're doing okay. But when it's not filled. We're not doing so hot. And gary is a christian educator he's been doing marriage counseling for about 20 years. And i came across as work a few years ago. For my own pastoral counseling and development. Looking for different resources helping people to communicate. I'm in strengthened their loving relationship. And i found jerry chapman's ideas pretty simple. And pretty straightforward. I think that's why i like them. I wrote about some of these ideas the ideas he wrote about in his book called the five love languages in my newsletter article this month so perhaps some of this will sound a little bit familiar to you. But again gary suggest that each one of us has an emotional tank. And children for example i have an empty emotional tank. That is waiting. Be filled with love. And the emotional patterns he suggests that children develop as they grow. Depends on whether the kids emotional tank. Was filled with love. But not just love. The kind of love. Child understood. As well. And the same is true with adults. So the question is how do we fill up these emotional tanks with love. And gary chapman suggest that the way we do that is by speaking. One another's distinct and primary. Love language. That would be the love language that is understood. By that person. Which might be different. Our own. Let me share with you with those five love languages are. And i'm going to ask you to think about which one you most closely identify wet so listen carefully. Here are the five love languages. Number one. Words of affirmation. That is receiving kind and appreciative words. Number to is acts of service. That is receiving the kind of act that helps make your life. More easy and more beneficial. The words of affirmation. Acts of service. The third one is gift. That is receiving concrete reminders. That you are remembered. That you are known and that you are appreciated. The receiving of gifts. Number for. Is quality time. That means time in which there is no other object of attention. Other than being together. And. Emphasis on the relation. Ship itself. So that's quality time. Qt. And number 5 is physical touch. Those are reminders of care and displays of affection that are felt viscerally. And experienced physical. So where's it affirmation. Acts of service. Gift. Quality time. And physical. I wonder. If any of you right away. Know your own primary. Love language. It may have to do with the emotional patterns we develop as kids. Or how we. Experience are emotional love tanks being filled or lacking and being sold. But generally we tend to have one primary love language. It's the way that we most like to be loved. And also tends to be the default way that we also express love to others. It's because we think sometimes. If the golden rule do you want to others as you would have them do unto us. So we tend to give love the same way as we like to receive love. Famous framework just as there are differences in dialect and local flavor with idioms and nuances and language so are there different. Dimensions. In each of these categories. Each of these general languages. Yet again each one of us it said have one of these primary. After meeting with many couples over the years. Gary. Be the point of lifting up how in couples relationships let's say where there's two people on a journey sharing life together. Those two people can have really different love. And sometimes they might not know it no matter how long they've been together. And we can get it some fairly tricky and sophisticated problems with one another. Because of our inability to reach out to one another in a language other than our own. So in terms of disclosure i'll tell you that. I'll tell you that a basket of tidy. Well fool did laundry. Makes me swoon just as much as a beautiful sweater off of rack from nordstrom's that's put in a box and tied with a big red bow. And why is that that's because my primary love language is acts of service. It's how i most easily interpret loving care. And it tends to be the way i default to give love and care to those in my life to demonstrate it. Now it doesn't mean like a great book or a piece of beautiful jewelry isn't welcome down again. But. My basic love language would be at service. Now that doesn't mean that my husband. Or my siblings or my parents or my dear friends. I'll have the same primary language. I won't give pizza weigh. That's his to decide to share not. But the point is that often times people miss one another. Miss one another signals and gary's work has shown me what a gift it is to discerning and thinking about these love language. So if you're someone who was able to pretty quickly identify your own primary love language. Give me to ask you now to think for a moment. And pick someone in your life. Could be a friend. Could be a parent or partner or child. Could be someone that you love dearly. It could also be someone that you wish you felt just a little bit closer to. I want you to think for a moment what is their primary. Love language. And isn't the same as yours. And after service i'm going to invite you to check it out with them. Over the next. Days and weeks ahead see if you were right. Is emphasis on primary love language i think is a helpful tool and i often speak about it and conversations that i have casually with people about loving relationship. I also use it sometimes and more significant ways when i meet with people who are in a troubled dynamic and their family or trouble the dynamic and their couples relationship. Where it is clear that there is a loving bond present. And where people are still really committed to trying. But the bond itself is feeling a little weak. Or a little torn. In some places. We each have a tremendous human power to express ourselves. Verbal language is not the only means. And the love languages remind us of this. I'm going to tell you right now my husband and i have never once had an argument. Or fight. I've never had a squabble with a sibling or friend. Of course i'm joking. Because this is part of being a human being. Sometimes no matter how much we feel love and care for one another are human connections just miss. But the question is what will we do. With those nest connect. What will we do when it happened. There's a very famous barbra streisand song that might be familiar to some of you here that goes. You don't bring me flowers. Just let you know that. Purchasing at one land together. You don't bring me flowers. And you don't sing me love song. Anymore. So that song is about that day that surely arrives when the romance has dwindled a little bit. And then we scratch our heads and we say now what. And i wonder sometimes how many missed connections there really are. And houses in bedrooms. I'm going to guess that. Our world is filled with nest connect. So the question is how do we make them not missed connections but meaningful one. Satisfying one's and sustaining one. Loving is really hard. It's risky because it makes us vulnerable. It gets dark sense of individuality versus merger. Where do i begin and end and where does another begin and end. What is our shared life look like. What is togetherness look like. Injustice work there's a very interesting teaching. And it's about our intention versus rn. We can have wonderful intention. But sometimes if we fail to take into account the recipient of our. I impact. Tencent they don't match. So the idea what these love languages are to make intentions. And our impact. Nash. I'm going to share with you now just a very brief anecdote so that we can kind of unpack. Together these love languages just a little bit more deeply this more. Imma share with you quickly an anecdote that is not about anyone in this congregation. I don't go here. Their names have been changed though and this is a true anecdote from a couple that i worked with. Couple was retired. And i want you to see if you can identify their primary love languages. So george and carol offense in their living room. And in the language of pastoral counseling. She often makes an offer. She'll say. Look honey look at the photo from our trip to colorado. Wasn't that a fun time with the grandchildren. And he shakes his head and he acknowledges that she's spoken but he goes back to reading a book. And a bit later she says don't you think we had the best time when we went to napa valley and we took the store and we weren't those people that made awful jokes. Wasn't that fun. And he nods absolutely. And. Go back to reading his book. And later. He cleans the kitchen. And takes out the trash and makes dinner by himself for both of them. And all the while he's recovering the way she used to enjoy cooking new recipes for both of them. And the way she would light the candles. At the table. Even if it was just the two of them. And by then she's watching tv. And when he calls she comes inside. And that you quietly together their dinner. And they say very little. Play wonder if you have a sense of their love language. Carol's is quality time. And george's is acts of service. And both people thought that retirement would be one of the most intimate time. In their lives there don't lie. But instead the transition has been pretty rocky. And they told me that they felt even more distant. Either they haven't had children in the house to bond. Over. So carol made offers. And she experienced him as blocking those offers and george made offers. And he experienced her as walking those offers. It is so easy to forget in the swirl of our daily lives that each one of us. Can speak and understand a different primary loveland. So if love means learning new languages. Ha. What a lot of work. And the media would have us believe that you know swooning couples or early in love. And it just goes on and on and on like that. And why am i talking about this this morning and worship. I'm talking because about this and worship because we do sing lines here at unitarian universalist for all that is our life. We give our thanks and praise. And loving. How it goes with our lives with love. Is rarely spoken about. But it is incredibly important part of our lives. We teach our young ones here this congregation we teach our young ones. About loving relationship in our comprehensive sexuality education program called our whole lives. We teach them developmentally appropriate ways of exploring sexuality and intimacy. Part of that conversation. What does a. Healthy of firming relationship look like. Each one of. Of the kids how would they. Describe that. Yet by the time we get to adults. Conversation kind of. Peters out sometimes we don't talk about this very much. And yet it is a huge and significant part of each one of our lives. This morning i asked you how will you live using the power that you have. At your disposal. To demonstrate. And give care and love to those in your alliance. It takes time and it takes courage. But love itself is about opening ourselves to a world that contains us. But with stretches of out ever beyond ourselves. There's a splendid movie. About. Elliptical. Who was a tightrope walker. And he walks. On tightrope suspended between very large building. And he's a daring and courageous tightrope walker. When i reflect about the complexity of. Kishin in our loving live. I think that it takes courage. And rest and vulnerability. And sometimes when we cast out our lines of communication. It can feel like a tightrope. Suspended between self. And other. But this morning i suggest to you. You. Is turned. The reward for learning one another's primary love languages and strengthening our loving bonds. Means fulfillment. In our lives. And celebration of the fullness been possible. I hope. That each one of you will practice a kind of love. That liberates yourself. And liberates others. My hope for you is that your hearts those grow strong. With wisdom on this path. Of courageous loving. May we increased and live out our evolving literacy. By our very low. May this ever be so. Blessed be. And. Has our words of our benediction i want to share with you these benedictory words from william perky. Friends beloved community. You've got to dance like there's nobody watching. You got to love like you'll never be hurt. You got to sing. Like there's nobody listening. And live like it is heaven. On earth. May we keep this forward in our hearts. Baby go forth in peace until we are with one another yet again. Blessed be. And almond. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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150607_do_grace.mp3

Welcome to the june 7th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by are settled minister. Reverend aerolite. I heard sherman is titled. Grace for beginners. This morning are reading. Is a call to worship. I selected this in honor of our theme. Of grace and also because today is our annual meeting as a congregation. It's called worship was written by a unitarian universalist named david as blanchard. It comes from a book called a temporary. States. Of grace. Come down off the ladder. Washout that paintbrush. Shake the sand out of your shoes. Get up off of your muddy knees and give the garden. The morning off. Turn off the coffee pot close up your calendar already filled with dates and times and people and places that claim you. This church. Is ready for you. To fill its rooms. To create its spirit. To generate its warm. The kindle that's light. This church is ready for you. To make community. To create beauty. To bend it towards justice. To serve its ideal. This church is ready for you to be here. Honoring our past. Invigorating our presents. And dreaming our future. This is your church. We are home. We are whole. And let us begin. This morning i'd like to start off by saying i selected that call to worship which uses the word church. And i know that not everyone resonates a response to that word. Church. In fact we are a congregation. But i hope that the word church. Wasn't too much of a stumbling block. And if it was it's okay. Cuz i'm going to guess some folks here even the word grace. Is a stumbling block. So let us be with all of our heads scratching arm using our potential discomfort or potential joy at some of these words. Being used. I wonder what you think of. When you think of this word. For lots of folks that word sounds decidedly christian and its theology. We might think of grace as. Favor from god. Perhaps experience. Clemency or pardon. We might think of grace as an unexpected gift. Or a blessing. When we say we're in someone's good graces. We might mean we have like a special sort of in with them. We might mean that we have an amiable sort of relationship with them. We might also think that grace means poison he's in the face of hardship for challenge. Tupac say grace over meals. Anyone here raising grace over meals. So you had it home. Okay sound effects. I was not raised with a home practice with saying grace over meals. When i was a child. Most of the grace practices of that sort that i had experienced were either as a guest and other people's homes or maybe a summer camp. When words were said words of thanksgiving. In those instances i recall thanks was often given to god. And for the food and for the ability to eat and be fed and be nourished. You know when you first hear the word grace if you all the sudden think of it as a christian theological term you'd be right. It is a christian. Traditionally it means a gift from god. Of course there's no one strand of christian theology rather there are many for some grace means a gift freely given. And for others it means part of a theological bargain. So you get grace by holding up your part of the theological bargain it's like i will do this and god will do that and that's what sort of relationship you know what i'm talkin about here. I know somebody. Has john macarthur his theological standpoint i'll say dippers very much for my own he points out one of the best-known definitions of grace is only three words. God's unmerited. Favor. So there it is. Those are some common ways that we might think about grace either from our own background or from our participation in our dominant culture. So what does that mean to approach grace. As unitarian universalist. We might not all have a common understanding about who or what. God or goddess is we might have a common sense of what atheism means to us or theism or the wide-ranging spectrum of theological language and understanding. So i wonder. What is the most graceful way. That we can approach grace. This morning. Is a theologically plural peep. And understanding that pluralism not as a barrier. But rather as a rich blessing and part and parcel of the power. Of who we are when we. Together. I want to share with you this. There's some other ways to think about grace. Please other ways that we might think about grace have to do with a sense of. Unexpected. And perhaps inexplicable. Levity. I mean a lightning of load. I mean the fleeting times when you might have sensed. In yourself that you're filled with appreciation. And maybe a fleeting. But unmistakably powerful sense of. He's. That you weren't expecting. And she think maybe about a ballerina 2. A ballerina strong. And. Graceful. What makes grace show up. To you in this world. I wonder if you can think of someone in your own life who you'd say demonstrates a sense of gracefulness. We all have many qualities not all of us would have the quality dominant in us of gratefulness. But i'm a guess each one of you can think of someone you know in your life. You'd say it. Pretty graceful. Maybe just in the way they are. The way they move through the world. I want to suggest this morning that all this is. Grace. Grace's perhaps beauty when we least expected levity when we are anticipating wait. Forgiveness when we anticipate fierce judgment. It's all this but it's also the palpable feeling that accompanies all this. Grace might be pardoned but it's also. Pardon with a specials shiny sort of brightness. It's more than being told it's all okay. It has to do with an unexpected. But powerful sense of surrender. Surrendering of our fears and our worries. So that we might experience a sense of sudden relief maybe even joy. Grace i don't think. Always have to do with our ideas of god. Although it can. Not long ago as many of you know i was pregnant. Is carrying a lot of extra weight with my young one. And my body was very different. I found myself get more physically tired than i. Typically due. And my spielman. wasn't the same as it typically is in a while back i was meeting a friend and she was assisting me when i was pregnant. And i was telling her that i had failed to do everything that i had meant to do. I just couldn't get around so well right now. And i was more tired than normal. As i said. People that told me you know. There are you must take. It easy on yourself. Give yourself a break. And yeah yeah. Yeah i said. I hear you in when you're in really out the other. And then my friend said to me. Maybe you should offer yourself. A bit of grace. Then i stopped and stared when she said that. Offer yourself a bit of. Great. That mean. I don't exactly know how to do that. But maybe i do because i knew what she meant. With a deep breath i allowed myself. The possibility of giving myself. A bit of grace. It wasn't the same as self-forgiveness or even really gentleness rather it was something else. And that's something else made me shiver with recognition. And letting go of perfection the name of her book amy spigel rights breeze isn't forgiveness. Is forgiveness fueled by surrender. That little shiver. It had to do with the blend of helping me recognizing helping you recognize something larger than my own immediate concerns. That is that i acknowledge my concern but it freed me from the totalizing burden. Looking just so small at my deep concerns. A bit of grace. I really liked your framing because it was a bit of grace. Don't give yourself the whole grace. Whatever that is that sounds really hard to do. But just a bit. Yeah i could offer myself. I appreciate these lines from the poet and lamont about what grace does to us she says. I do not understand the mystery of grace. Only that it meets us where we are. And does not leave us where it found us. I wonder about each of you. Whether or not it was accompanied by a shiver of recognition or not. Grace. I wonder. Have you ever felt it. Here's a story about grace. It's not my story it's a story. By rebecca parker. Who was president for many years of the unitarian universalist seminary out in berkeley california i studied with rebecca parker she shares the story in her book called proverbs of ashes. Minute before i share the story with you i'm going to tell you that the story is a little hard. We come to the story after she shares in the book that she has had about an abortion. And in large part she said she had this abortion to save her marriage. Accept the marriage wasn't saved. And so she sells a profound sense of grief. And sorrow and pain. So here she is in the story one night. She writes. I came to the end of my well tool. I just wanted the anguished.. It was spring. A cold clear night. I lived at the top of the hill above lake union in sometime after midnight i left my house and i started walking down the hill. The water would be cold enough. I could go walk into it. Then swim. Then let go. Sink down into the darkness and go home. T'god. That was comforting. I had no second thoughts. I was set on my course. At the bottom of the hell i had only the small grassy rise at the edge of kite hill to cross before i came to the water's edge. And then rebecca parker in her writing. Describes pausing. For an unexpected sight. And she can tell. It looked like this site. A long line of oddly-shaped sawhorses. Laid out to the left and to the right. The width of the grassy field. In the dark i couldn't see a way to get around either end but it looks like i could climb over the middle. I quickened my pace. Impelled by the grief that wouldn't let go of me. As i got closer at the dark forms before my eyes seemed to be moving. I squinted my eyes to understand what i was seeing. Those oddly bunched shapes were aligned of human being. Bundled in parkas and hats. And the stick shapes weren't sawhorses. They were telescopes. It was the seattle astronomy club. Before i could make my my way through the line one of them looked out from his eyeglass and presuming need to be an astronomer said with enthusiasm i got it focused here on jupiter. Come. Take a look. I didn't want to be rude. Or give my reason for being there. So i bent down and i looked into the telescope. There was jupiter. Banded red and glowing. Isn't it great. He chat. It was great. Jupiter was beautiful through the telescope. The amateur astronomer focusing on the lens didn't know me he didn't know why i was there he assumed i was there because the night sky was a wonder to behold. Across the scene of the dark the lights of the city shimmered. Overhead the sky was wild. With pinpoints of fire. I couldn't kill myself. In the presence of these people. Who had gotten up in the middle of a cold spring night. With their home built radioshack. Telescopes. To look at the planet. And the stars. Going to share with you just a little bit more. A writing. I want to bring this. Portion home to you. She writes that there were words. A song. It occurred to her. Sure on this shining night. A storm shadows around. Kindness must watch out for me. This side of the ground. Hearts all whole shore on this. Shining knight. I wait. We had song these words she right. In a church choir and i knew them by heart. The warmth of samuel barber's music the sweetness of james ajith poetry embrace that moment. How's my life and that moment when i could not hold myself. Poets. The amateur scientist in the splendid night sky kept me in this world. I did not defeat negative feelings of anguish. Because i saw something more lovely and good. Rather i became able to feel more. My feeling broadened. Pain sadness and despair were not overcome. I embraced them. With a larger heart. All of the feelings and memories i couldn't. That that i couldn't hold with a decision to die. I could hold only everything. With my decision. I'll tell you that i think often. Of the story. In proverbs of ashes which is why i shared it with you. This morning. Rebecca parker story reminds us that grace is unexpected. And mysterious. Who knows. Who knows why it was that the amateur astronomy club without that. Who knows. Who knows why it was what it was allowed parker to notice and not be immune to the presence of those other human beings. Who knows what called that person to ask her to look into that telescope and that she did. And that it was a chair chain of unaware human beings just loving the world with wonder. It saved her. From herself. The first time that i myself looked into a telescope tears sprang to my eyes. I looked at the moon and it was so stunningly close. It took me by surprise and it was so moving. But i had to look away because i was so overwhelmed. Was 10 or 12 years old at the time. And what i remember is that i had a radically and altered sense of how big the world was and how small myself within it. In a way that was dazzling. And disorienting but also absolutely enchanting. Rebecca parker shares the in her own story her pain in her anguish they didn't go away. But she regained enough herself a bigger sense of being. Stealing that allowed her to hold all of the feelings instead of being eclipsed by them. Grace. It turns out. Softens our hearts. It softens are hard hearts. When are hard hearts are hardened against ourselves or another. Helps us remember what's possible. Who really knows. Whose it is. To give grace and how grace occurs grace like most theological terms was a bit like a slippery sort of fish as soon as you try to grab onto it with words the further away it's swim this is true of so much theological and spiritual language. I think grace i think grace just comes in. Suddenly slowly. It comes forward and words and deeds and memories and moments. And for our inner lies it does. Like a very good dance partner will do it twirls us around. And it leaves us a little bit more breathless. A little bit lighter. A little bit more glad. Start interesting links between theology and behavior. What we believe is human beings about the holy in the sacred it turns out actually affect how we live and how we treat each other. Theology is not just some sort of luxury or an abstraction. What i'm saying is that if someone's theology includes let's say a god that's might people and judges people harshly for various offenses. If you live that theology. You might feel particularly called by that theology to judge as well. And to charge your fellow people. Harshly if you feel that they have offended your understanding of god's sense of right. My own physiology. My own fiala g is highly relational. They often say is many of you have heard me say that i am a faithful. Agnostic. I'm faithful to the many ways of seeing interpreted interpreting knowing and naming the sacred. I'm faithful also to the old term of meiosis from which agnosticism derives. Meaning that there is a nuisance or a knowledge beyond our human comprehension and short. I believe that we human being have agency. We can choose our actions and yet there are many things that we do not choose. Much that is mysterious beyond our control. I believe that knowledge of god is beyond human comprehension. And this leaves me with a very appreciative sense of humanism. And also the personal devotion of theist and a large spectrum in between. When i served as a chaplain i left. I'm i felt equally comfortable. Praying with others to god and also sitting and thoughtful silences with those like a young person who's waiting news of apparent from as the parent recovered from surgery this person that they were spiritual-but-not-religious. Mione's the illogical orientation leaves me lots of room. For imagining from where grace arrived or derived. But here's the thing. I don't know. All i do know is that grace arrives. That it breaks us through our narrowness and it changes how we hold the world in each other. And another thing i know because i've seen it. Is that we can also be channels. For grace that makes a difference for others. I'm thinking about that line of the. Junior the amateur astronomers. Open defensive graceful rebecca parker. They didn't even know. One of the graceful things about grace. Is that a gross. I wonder if you have ever received grace from someone. I wonder if someone has ever forgiven you or said something that was absolutely just the right thing that changed life your life in that moment. Have you ever been the recipient of grace. And i asked you this cuz if you can imagine what that felt like for you it makes it more imaginable. To bestow it or offer or channel. Or use your power with speech indeed. To create it for others. I believe that the. Channels of grace so-to-speak is part and parcel of the. Everyday magic that we have at our human disposal. I want us to become agents of grace. Here's how we can do it. When we and our communications with each other stop our patterns of action and reaction we can make a pretty radical choice. We can think to ourselves. Even and especially if grace is an unusual term for you you can think to yourself. They offer a little bit of grace. And see what i'm told for you. I think that were all beginners when it comes to grace. That's my faithful agnosticism shining through i tend to think that no one has mastered grace. Except god but since i'm open-minded about god i'm not sure of that either. But it doesn't bother me. What bothers me of the world without grace. Without the possibility of the kind of brace that transforms us. Turns around and blesses us with an unexpected perspective of hope. And here's the thing dear community at the end of the day. Here's what i would describe as grace. Grace is a gateway. Earlier we sing together amazing grace by john newton who was a slave trader and the atlantic slave trade. And you had a significant experience that changed his heart. Some of us think maybe after hearing arlo guthrie comments on this that he just wrote this song and turn the slave ship around and there it was all done but it actually took him 10 years. After he first wrote those four stanzas of amazing grace 10 years of still doing what he had done and his own life journey before his heart changed and he became clergyperson in the church of england. And then became an. A very ardent abolitionist. We sang this together i once was lost but now i'm found. I was blind but now i see. Amazing grace. How sweet the sound. Grace is amazing. Closing i want to offer these thoughts to you from frederick. Optic nerve from the alphabet of grace he says grace. It's amazing. A miracle is when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A miracle is when one plus one equals 1,000. Met that sense of 1,000. Make us shiver in good ways. Make grace. Find you. And may you give grace when you were able. Met with your words and your presence and your interactions with other. Foster more and more experience of grace. Let's give grace let's get grace let's go lifted. Together. Blessed be. And almond. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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150308_do_sacred-texts.mp3

Welcome to the march 8th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by her settled minister. Reverend airola. And her servant is titled. Sacred texts. And reading the text of life. Our first reading this morning comes from forest church. Delete forest church who was. A well-known and rather well-regarded unitarian universalist. Contemporary minister he passed. Just a few years ago. He writes. David encounter. He had. Where is your church. We're standing in it. Response. But this is a bookstore. And it's a friday. And the responses yes but you might also choose to see it as a cathedral. Of the human spirit a storehouse. Consecrated to the full spectrum of human experience. Just about every idea we'd ever had is in here somewhere. A place containing great thinking. Is a sacred. Space. That's and that reading from forest church written in a chosen faith. An introduction. To unitarian universalism. The second reading this morning is by mark belladini. Who is a minister and a poet. In our movement. And today i'll remind us that we're talkin about wisdom. And we'll be talking more about the stores at to sources in our religious tradition. All the wisdom from the world religious tradition and also jewish and christian teaching that call us out to love our neighbor as ourselves. And i remind you that that. Theme of the worship service this morning so you can listen. How those beans show up. Not in this reading by marc valentine. Let the sky. Above me on roll like a scroll. And let me read up on it. Today's text for my life. You are alive here and now love boldly. And always tell the truth. But the wind arranged the naked branches of the maples and aspens and oaks. In two letters which proclaim this. Sacred. Your heartbeats now. Not tomorrow or yesterday. Love the gift of your life and do no harm. But the eyes and hands and faces of all men and women and children with whom i share this earth. B chapter and verse in the streets scripture. Text. Life is struggle and loss also tenderness and joy live all your life. Not. Just park. And now that all of the poems and the scriptures and the novels in the films in the songs and the cries and the lullabies. And the prayers and the anthems open up before our free heart. Let them open like a torah. Like a small. Black gospel. Like an apakah. And let them. Proclaim. Do not think you can take away each other's troubles. But try to be with each other in them. Remember that you are part not all. Great but not by far the greatest. Small precious brief. Bratz. In the great whirlwind. Of creation. And remember. That every single human word is finally divinely cradle. In the strong and. Secure arms. Darren and the reading. This morning as i mentioned i'm going to continue talking with you about the sources in our living tradition unitarian universalism. If you were here last week you were called that i started speaking about six horses. We felt we focused on the first source last week the direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder that is affirmed in all cultures which moves as to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces that create an apple doll life. What we talked about. Last week. Course the service was infused with those horses because all the sources kind of grow and pool and become a wellspring which i'll talk about a little bit more tonight today. If you were going to open up your hymnal which i encourage some of you to do if you're so inclined if you were to open up your hymnal and the very first pages. You would see our principles in our sources. Some of you are probably already familiar with our principles and our sources. But today i'm going to talk about two more of these forces. The first one that i'll speak about today is wisdom from the world religious traditions which inspires us and our ethical and spiritual life. And again if you don't believe me you can read the name of the sources right there. And then the second source is jewish and christian teaching call us to respond to god's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves. That's how it's printed. In rdr2 sources. The last week it's some of your call i also spoke about this image of pools. The source is being pools rich and rod pools that we draw from were encouraged to draw from as unitarian universalist. Now those two forces that i just mentioned. Wisdom from the world's religious traditions and jewish and christian teachings that call us out to love one another. It's a lot. It's a lot. So i want to start this morning by. Inviting us to consider. Oh well. We heard earlier in our story for all ages about a well as a small pool. As a protected closed pool. Now i'd like us to expand that image of the pool. As i'm as a the image of a well. In light of what we know from some of the to wish and christian scriptures. We hear a lot of stories in jewish and christian ancient text. The radical nature of encounters that happen at a well. Because a well is a gathering place. A well is an important resource that feeds and nurtures the flourishing of life without water in ancient times as of as today if we don't have water. We can't live. And life turns to dust. So it is when we look back and listen closely to ancient stories there's radical encounters. At the well people route. At the well. I want us to think about these horses as dip. Deep deep rich wells. Could we encounter one another. And engage with the world religious traditions in the sources at these wells. I'll tell you that when i was studying sacred texts as a student and seminary. I didn't really see how sacred text could be in themselves wells which opened and expanded. Wellsprings that could generate new life and understanding. And i was intrigued when i was a seminary student as we started learning about sacred texts. I was intrigued to learn about this idea of the meeting at the well and an encounter with text itself. And i wonder this morning i wonder about each one of you and what sacred text. You might need. A secret for yourself. We've had some sort of meaningful encounter. With a text. That is illuminated your mind opened a new perspective. Maybe it's a text that you. Net with someone and spoken with them about it and wrestled with it together. I wonder what you would name as their sacred. So i should with you while back i took these classes in seminary that had me looking at sacred text and here's an encounter that i had with a few wise books. I had to take a class called biblical studies. Not surprising for someone becoming a minister. But i will tell you that i had to take this class. And the reason i had to accept wasn't that excited about it. And i wasn't that keen on it. And i had to read because i had read already the christian bible on my own and i had study torah portions as a young hebrew school student. And they were interesting. I didn't really see them as sacred. And i didn't really see either one is offering me much for the journey of my own living. I did at that time have a general sort of respect that these were sacred texts for others. But for my own life. But in my biblical studies class a light went on for me. With a class where we were learning that exegesis how to really enter an encounter attacked more deeply. I didn't know before then that there was a whole school. Multiple schools of thought about how to enter sacred attacks. And the teacher of that class invited us to become familiar with ways of engaging sacred material. And they turned out there was critical historical. Lenses to interpreting sacred text learning about the history the historical context. And then there was source criticism. Learning about food. Wrote each of the sacred text. And then there was narrative criticism looking at the story inside of the text itself. And then there was feminist criticism looking at gender issues inside of those tests. Considering whose voices were not being heard and then there was postmodern lenses that you could look at these texts with raising questions about who was marginalized and who wasn't marginalized and he's text. And i'll tell you. I became a sacred text nerd. I really like the varieties of ways to encounter different shape. text. I saw that an encounter with a sacred text is sacred. In terms of how one approaches it. If we enter it with an eye towards how a text makes us thing. How it moves are heart how it compels our hands and our feet and our action in the world. In short the sacred has to do with the quality. Of the encounter. Itself. The way that encounter might help shape and awaken a new sense of perception. And so does this morning that i lift up for our recognition the gift. Inside these two sources wisdom from the world religious traditions. And sacred jewish and teach at jewish and christian teaching. I should probably back up and say that i think when people hear first about sacred texts. There's either kind of an intrigue some of you are more inclined to. Familiarize yourself with sacred texts from the world religious traditions. And then some people have allergies to sacred texts like don't tell me what's sacred or the only way to find what secret is in the book you've got to be kidding me that sort of thing. The congregation i think this is because many of us are familiar and dominant culture. Hearing about holy books being wielded as tools for coercing others. I don't want to minimize that because there might be some who here had experience being harmed. By this way of being. Maybe you've been told for some reason or another that you were not worthy or lovable. Because you did not conform to some teaching or line and a particular holy book. That is damaging indeed. And we know that that happened. I'm reminded by a passage from a writer named glennon doyle melton. Who is a christian writer and speaker and she shares the wrestling she's had with her own sacred text. With her own morals and in her christian community and she compose a letter to her child and i want to read you portion of that letter. She wrote to her child named chase she wrote honey. We've worried that since we are christians. And since we love the bible so much. There might come a day when you feel unclear about our feelings about this since there are parts of the bible that appear to discuss. Homosexuality as a sin. Let us be clear about how we feel because we have spent years of research and prayer and discussion deciding. Chase she writes. We don't believe that homosexuality is a sin. The bible was inspired by god but it was written translated and interpreted by imperfect people just like us. This means that the passing of this sacred scripture from generation to generation and from culture to culture has been a bit like the telephone game. For you to play at school. After thousands of years the letter continues it's impossible to judge the original spirit of some scripture. We believe that when in doubt mercy trump's judgment. So your parents who are christians who study and pray. Are those who carefully choose what we follow in the bible based on whether or not it matches our understanding of jesus's overall message. Certainly we make mistakes everyone does but it's our duty to try. We must eat work out our own faith with fear and trembling. It is the most important thing we'll ever do. Even show chase. Some folks will tell you that our approach to christianity is scandalous and blasphemous. But honey the only thing that is scandalous and blasphemous about this approach is admitting it out loud. The truth is every christian as a christian who chooses what they follow in the bible. I came upon this passage from this writer. And. When i first read it i was saddened. I was saddened to be reminded that so many folks are held back from recognizing the secret worth and dignity of all people do two lines. In ancient texts. But then i thought gladdened. As i often do that our unitarian universalist principles and our living tradition provides an ethical guideposts series of ethical guidepost. Witcher from all people. Isn't here at leeworthy indignify. And then. Really glad. I felt really glad for people like glenna glennon. Puto. Her own time. To wrestle with the sacred scriptures the ones that were most sacred to her. To apply her own faculties of conscience and reason rooted in her own experience of christian identity and practice. And then decided. To come out really clearly to her children. With such a clear message of love inspired once again and aligned with her own religious identity. As unitarian universalist we are people who choose. But we are not the only people. Coach shoes. We have faith neighbors deeply invested in looking at the wisdom and resources of different tradition and applying on moral compass. With the same eye towards opening of a heart loving the neighbor. Azar cell. Earlier we heard from forest church you shared about that cathedral of the library. He co-wrote a book a primer on unitarian universalism called a chosen faith. And he co-wrote it with john gearon. And he articulated that unitarian universalist are those who shoes. Play invite you now to think about these two sources wisdom from the world's religious traditions which inspire our ethical and spiritual life and jewish and christian teachings would call us to respond to god's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves and i wonder what you choose. I wonder how you choose. I wonder what feels most sacred and meaningful to you. Today i went to lift up that sometimes people look. Very briefly at these horses and thanks for themselves o. China buffet. You know i can just pick and choose whatever i want. With no real attention and create kind of emoji conglomeration on my plate. But i remind us. About the gap that can be found when we searched deeply. Using our own experience and insights. Engage very deeply with the world religious traditions and that which is most sacred to us. Anybody in any religious or spiritual condition spiritual tradition can engage in a superficial way. Skim off the top. But any of us can choose deeper waters. As unitarian universalist i encourage as towards those deeper waters. If we wind towards conclusion this morning i want to share with you one more anecdote. I shared with you earlier about how i was awakened to entering more deeply into connection with sacred. In around the same time that i was in seminary taking those academic for the classes i took a different sort of class at a local jewish synagogue. And i thought it would give it a whirl since as you know i was raised unitarian universalist and to it i thought i would give it a whirl re-enter some of this hebrew connection with his hebrew that i left behind as a young one. And so i took a class and the teachers approach. Was quite memorable. The teachers approach was to teach us hebrew. Letter by letter. Dairy. Slowly. She said this is how to engage. In a sacred language. Take your time. Go. We spent a week. I'm just a very first letter of the hebrew alphabet. Call the olive. That very first letter. And if you will invite you to picture. Blank piece of paper. And on that blank piece of paper. The olive. Going to make this easier for you congregation i'm going to just drop for you right now in real time so you don't have to picture it. The olive. Black lions joining together on a white background or a page of some sort. We spent a lot of time just learning about the wisdom in jewish tradition communicated in this very first sacred letter. How old is letter becomes a portal into the infinite space of the unknown. A birthplace for the spiritual journey. There's a lot more that can be shared about the olive more than i can share with you today. But here's the other thing she taught us about the allah. And about reading sacred language particularly hebrew she said in jewish spirituality and practice and teaching there's a teaching about black fire on white fire. These parts. That are written in black text. Rs blackfire. On white fire. Both are incredibly important. Wearied. These lines and try to ascertain their meaning. But equally important is the white fire. It's like the negative space. When when countering hebrew or a sacred texts might think about what is not there. What is the meaning that we bring to the text. With it is a yearning to be spoken out from the text given our life and our experience. Blackfire. My white flag. This is another important light bulb that went on for me. About how to deeply engaged with. Scriptures from the world religious traditions particularly hebrew. And also the. Deep rich wells inside of each face tradition. Before studying this there was no way i could have imagined. It's important to take time with just a letter. I never would have examined and explored black fire on white fire. So this morning. Invite you. To open up an explore more deeply the text of your own life. Engaging deeply. From the world's religious traditions. Coming into more fruitful clarified understanding about which teachings matter most to you and how they strengthen your identity. An art unitarian universalist tradition we teach that revelation knowledge insight is not sealed in a canon forever. Static and unchanging. We teach that revelation insight knowledge comes from many sources and then it is a journey of our ongoing discovery. And that this journey of discovery is worthy of our very lives. As each one of you open up the next chapter of your life. This day after. I invite you to live boldly. Love. Broadly. And find the sacred that is most meaningful to you. May we meet each other again and again at the well. That expands and deep inside. May we all be strengthened for the journey of our lives. Blessed be. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At user cnrv. org.

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160417_do_afterlife.mp3

Welcome to the april 17th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by a settled minister. Reverend arrowland. And her servant is titled. Afterlife. Next. After reverend eras pastoral prayer. Worship associate irwin shares a reflection. I welcome you now to join with one another in myself. Inexperience of prayerful reflection. Spirit of love. Spirit of life. We enter this day with. Joys and sorrows. With our quest. And our hope. Abiding source strength and care. Help us to now welcome. What is basta. Help us to know what is best and us that we might meet the challenges. And the opportunities before us. Help us to offer compassion to ourselves. And others. Help us to tread. Ever so lightly. This precious. Spirit of life we send our care to those. Impacted by recent earthquake. In ecuador. And japan. We extend our care and compassion in. Ever-widening circles this day we bring to mind. 4.7 million. Syrian refugees now. Seeking sanctuary. Fighting for their. Freedom with every step and breath. We think about all those in refugee camps. Awaiting news. Regarding where they will turn. Let us devote our hearts and minds for. Just a few precious moments to those. Walking. Those on buses. Those moving now. Through turkey and greece. Through jordan. Fleeing violence. In syria. Afghanistan and iraq. Let us also unite our hearts. With those. Playing violence in eritrea and. Poverty in kosovo. May this day up the meditations of our hearts. Meet the prayers. Of our action. As we join with others. To send love and aid where. It is so desperately. Spirit of love. Today we also kindle a special flame. In honor of the lives. Those. Who died. 9 years ago here at virginia tech. We light this candle. Of loving memory. That we will never forget the gifts those lives. And that we will never cease. To honor them with our own living. For all of those for whom that grief. Is real and very palpable. We extend our. This day let us also celebrate and honor those who ran the 3.2 miles. Yesterday. Running. For love and. Of those loved ones who died. In our sweet can. Dear abiding source of love. Human wholeness. Let us continue to raise. Our prayers will stay for. The day went no community. And no household must fear gun violence. And all of our sweet. Dear communities here and across. Globe. Are safe. And hole. For this today we pray. Blessed be. And. For the sorrows. That have been named her this morning. And for the sorrows that. Citgo on voice. But quietly held. In the sanctuary of our heart. Let us this day extend our deepest sense. Of care. And. Abiding. Our year of living bravely. Are year of considering topics both thought-provoking and challenging. Like afterlife. Next. In setting the stage for this month consideration of afterlife. A couple weeks ago repterra challenged us to consider our own epitaph. As she shared her own. As i pondered my epitaph. My thoughts wander to a memory of an epitaph not mine. But which has carried with me in the recesses of my awareness. Since i wish young teenager. The story of this other epitaph is this. Frequently making its rounds through my junior high school. Was a rumor about a local curse. The stuff of slumber party. And campfires. Just folktale allege. That somewhere outside our northeast ohio town. Student ancient walled cemetery. An inside the wall. There with the grave of the young woman who'd had died such an anguish staff. That she'd ordered a curse to be engraved upon her tombstone. So that anyone who dare to read the epitaph. Would fall victim to what the curse the creed. This story has as many spooky variations as there were tellers of this tale. And if circumstances of her death. Varied widely in the retelling. No one seemed to know either the wording of the curse. Or the location of the gravestone. And for the most part. My peers seemed satisfied with the spookiness of the tail. Without any need to know more. But this tale fascinated me. And i wanted to see for myself where this tombstone was and what it said. Although it took me the duration of my junior high school career. I finally was able to elicit both sketchy directions. And the reluctant agreement of a group of friends. To go in search of the cursed tombstone. So one saturday morning we set off on our bicycles. The half of our group that showed up with. Ouch chickening out. Our destination lay within. Vacated river bottomlands. We're soon a new dam would create a reservoir. With much difficulty we found isolated cemetery. Right away i wanted to scale the wall and get to the task of discovering the curse. An argument ensued among my friends over whether i should be allowed to do this. And if anyone would be stupid enough to go with me. Finally a volunteer came forward. Our companions boosted us to the top of the solid concrete wall. We hung suspended over its edge. Staring at a gravestone engraved with a feminine sounding name. And the years of her birth and death. We did the arithmetic. And determined that this young woman had died at age 18. This must be the cursed tombstone. I squinted to decipher the eroded engraving below the dates. When i started to read the epitaphs out loud. One friend covered his ears and went screaming towards our bicycles down the path. Imploring me to silence myself. Lest we all be cursed. But i read on. And this is what i read. Remember death. As you pass by. For as you are so once was i. And as i am so you shall be. Prepare for.. And follow me. My co-conspirator fellow fence scaler slid to the ground collapsed in tears. He swore that those words were the scariest thing he'd ever heard and he wasn't sure he wasn't going to live to his next birthday. And still identical down the top of the fence waiting for someone to fetch me down if i laughed my head off. Not at him. At the silliness of the whole adventure and the relief. That the curse was not a curse that all. The ride back to town was a solemn one. I tried to stimulate a conversation about why the curse was not a curse. But no one seemed to agree with me. I noticed that my fellow bikers were especially cautious. Dismounting and walking their bikes across highways. Stopping at every stop sign that we had whizzed past. Without hesitation earlier that morning. Looking often over their shoulders as though we were being followed by the grim reaper. You see i think the reason the words frighten my friends while they inspired me. Is that our context of time was so difference. My friends supposed. But the word served as a warning that death was imminent. Well i considered the message that. Death is inevitable. We're all going to die. It's how we live our lives that serves as a preparation for it. To me this message. Supposedly from beyond the grave. What's a wake-up call that we should appreciate what we have. And make the most of the years ahead. Similar truth scene in stephen king's movie carrie. Probably both my friends and i envisioned the dead girl's hand emerging from the grave with chisel and hand 2x the words. Well my friends interpreted the action to be a threatening vengeful one. I considered the gift that have been given. Live life to the fullest. So when death comes calling. You will be ready. I was reminded of the fullness of life this week with the death of my beloved brother-in-law. What my sister-in-law wrote in her husband's obituary says it all. He fully enjoyed every minute of his life. In the 24-page and counting guestbook attached to his online obituary. Are countless testimonials is how he touched the live. Those who knew him including his former pediatric dental patients now grown up. Because he lives his life so fully. Because he touched so many lives. His death has created a far-reaching void in the hearts of all who knew him. And a wrenching pain in my own. In fact when he died in the middle of this week in which i've been working with rev dara to plan the service. And this reflection. I emailed her. I don't know that i can do this. I don't know that i can look past my personal pain in lost. Write more generally about reflections. Undeath or an afterlife. So what does the epitaph. Of a corroding gravestone at the bottom of a an ohio reservoir. And the death of a beloved brother-in-law. Have to do with our theme of afterlife. The question of what happens after we die has been a burning ones throughout my life. As i suspected has been for many of you. For me. This month's theme. Along with my brother-in-law's death. Has called the question into sharper focus. Ironically. This week. As i reflect on the question. I realize it doesn't really matter what happens after we die. What matters is how we live. I have shifted from searching for the answer to the question. Turning instead to the opportunities i have to live. Life to the fullest. The septa tap app how to prepare for death. Has been has been my own pair of ruby slippers. With me all along. The answer to my own question. My brother-in-law knew the truth. And the knowledge that he did. Helps ease the pain of my missing him. Someday. Made my own loved ones find comfort. And being able to say. She lived her life to the fullest. This then is my aspiration. Remember life as you passed by. For as you are so once was i. And as i did. So made this you do. Discover. Living. Foley. 2. The afterlife. And next. What it is that happens. After we die is the topic of today and has been the topic all month long. And this morning i invite you to consider for yourself. As early as before. What afterlife. Means to you. Here is a reading this morning. It's from, children a western buddhist teacher. She tells the story. A big burly samurai. Comes to a wise man and says tell me the nature of heaven and hell life and death good and bad. The roshe looks at him in the face and says. Why should i tell a scruffy disgusting miserable. Slob. Like you. Very nice. The samurai starts to get purple in the face is hair stands right up on end. But the roshe won't stop the row she says things like a miserable worm like you. You know why should i tell you absolutely anything at all. And then consumed by rage the samurai draws up the sword. I was just about to cut the head off the roshe when the roshe says. That. The samurai who in fact was a sensitive person instantly gets it. That he just. Created his own hell. He was deep in hell. It was black and hot. It was filled with hatred and self-protection and anger and resentment so much so that he was going to kill this man. Tears then fill his eyes and he starts to cry and he puts his palms together. And the roshe says. What kind of children pointless to in this. Ancient stories. The notion that indeed. We create. Or we can create heaven and hell so to speak by our. Very living in this. It's an interesting thought that she lifts up and it's quite compatible with our unitarian universalist living tradition which emphasizes the here and. Now that is how we live in the here and. Now. In the same way the earl. Came through her own musings too kind of return to how we live. Here and now with the time that we have. Afterlife. Next. Reincarnation. Heaven and hell. Manistee. Either. The notion that hell is. Other people and heaven is other people all of these words float and ideas float to the surface. When we talk about afterlife. And next. What is it that. Occurs after we die. As i mentioned unitarian-universalism tend to emphasize our living. The realists among us will say well what happens when we die. Well one thing that clearly happens that we empirically know is that those. Who have not died. Continue to live. Our unitarian universalist tradition is quite spacious. On the notion of afterlife. And what happens next. We unitarian universalist. At least intellectually hannah have a relative amount of comfort with an ambiguity. Regarding. What comes next. Many indeed prefer to focus on how we live in the here and now. Both strands of our unitarian and universalist heritage distance themselves from a calvinist understanding that some were going to hell and somewhere going to heaven. Unitarians as the saying goes and i know you've heard me say before believe they were too good. To be get damned by god. And universalist believe that god was just too loving. The damn people to have. Today we have course have. Atheists and. Deus mystics and humanist religious humanist. Uu christian. You choose uu buddhist. Do you muslims. Are you pagan. And many for whom one. Label cannot possibly encapsulate one's religious and spiritual journey and outlook. Earlier we heard the story about pema chodron pema chodron shares about heaven and hell in the roshe and what is heaven. And in this treatment she talks about how we can create heaven. Or we can create hell. And in that sharing of that buddha story. She lives with ideas that reverend dr. rebecca parker i unitarian universalist theologian. Explores in her own book called saving. Paradise. That has us looking at this present paradise. Here and now if we but. Pista. If we but. Touch it if we but bring it to being. And also the hellish know. That we can create. Most of us i'm guessing you're pretty comfortable with this emphasis on the here and now. It makes sense in a tradition where we talk about deeds not creed's. We universalist have the sense of this that we're all in it together. And indeed the universalist strand is worth honing in on for just a brief moment because the universalist strand. Liberal christianity had us thinking about how if there is an afterlife and. Some will be saved. It's not really that some will be saved it's that we're all going to go together. And so as the universalist would say if we're all going to the same place all together. You better learn how to get along. You know as unitarian universalist we can talk a lot about wanting to emphasize the here-and-now and i value that very much. But there's one thing. That i notice. And that is our emphasis on our here and now. And sometimes have a. Escape. From actually looking. At the stallion questions about spirit. This whole services whole theme of afterlife and next was built upon burning questions but arrived into the question box service that we held last year. So many of you. Actually asked question. About whether the soul exist. Weather the spirit exist. And what unitarian-universalism has to stay on that question and so today i don't want to avoid that. In fact. I want us to talk just a little bit more about it. You asked some of you what about our spirit what about our soul. What happens to us when we die. Some people here. Will say. When you die. And that's okay. The hold that you. And some events i wanted when i honor that. He died. That's it. But as i said before we have a spaciousness. In our tradition a platform for inviting many ways of understanding and inquiring and knowing about what happens now. What happens to our bodies we know. We. Go back we become the stuff of earth. But yet we might still ask are we just cento and bonar are we just brains and bodies is there something more to us and what is that something more. Is that something more that we are one source. In which we are then individuated. Is there a common source. Is there a universal wholeness. When we die what occurs to us. Does it actually occur to us. Or are we borrowing our body. If we travel if we lose our form is that something more that we are is eternal. Or does it change. What is it that we are. These folks are the ancient. That both our unitarian universalist face forbearers. And all religious and spiritual traditions have sought to address and some manner. Emerson who was once a christian believes that there was an over saul. A larger universal soul so to speak. Covering and connecting us all. Play-doh. That ancient greek. Todd about apria terrestrial state of being. That we would come into this life and have it a body. But that we would have a spirit. But that spirit would be connected to a larger. Spiritual reality. Idealized visions of what was. With what the spirit. The perfected spiritual round was about. And that when we died he thought that we go back. We return to that world of ideas. Which are eternal. And are immortal. If some ways i believe humans muessing on the afterlife is really at the end of the day about how we imagine ourselves and our story. To go now. That is how we conceive of the mystery. That mystery the conception is born from. Our own feelings.. The mystery that we are inhabiting. Our conception of that which we are our thoughts are feelings our experiences are intellect and what we've sensed and perceived is perhaps. The something more that we are. All of that. How we understand who and what we are. Has to do with how we understand. What we individually conceived of as an afterlife. In buddhism there is this concept of reincarnation. Based upon a cycle of life and death. The only exception to the cycle of birth. And death and rebirth. Is 11. Achieve nirvana. Or transitions to a state of nirvana. Which sometimes we westerners translate is bliss but actually means the dissolution of snow. The dissolution of south. There are a wide variety of takes even in buddhism. Regarding the afterlife. In a teradata school closely related to the teachings of buddha and the maya hannah school. Which inclusive pureland conception. There's an idea of the soul that is born and reborn again. Incarnate in a different form. Interra vada buddhism. There's a sense actually in which the being after dying goes into an intermediary state. And from that state one either goes towards nirvana or one is reborn into a different form. In the pure land view of. Buddhism when one dies. One goes to a state that actually the little bit like how we talked about heaven. Afterdeath there's a heaven like place free of worry and doubt. From which it's easier than to move into nirvana. Interesting lee enough scholars help us to understand that in buddhism what's not altogether that different from western conception is. Birth and death and rebirth. Inkarnate reincarnation. Actually. Is the dissolution. That's different than understanding that somehow in the afterlife were moving our own personal identity their own personal soul somewhere. That's one of the real differ. That in buddhism with its afterlife equal in. In hinduism there's a sense that there's the dissolution of south nirvana. Mystikal. Of course tracing all the different world religions in their conceptions of the afterlife is much too broad for where we are especially in the service this morning which is almost. A conclusion. But let me tell you that. I as a faithful agnostic. And faithful to the notion that there is a neurosis a knowledge beyond human comprehension and just for me this allows me to be with the mystery. Of the unknown. Welcoming. A variety of notions an array of understandings about the after. And because of that perhaps. Why i deeply loved a book called some. 40 tails of afterlife. Written by david eagleman. Who is a neuroscientist. Who also moonlight. As a fiction writer. What he does in this book is imagine 40 different conception. Of afterlife. What hap. For the imagining the afterlife as a time when you actually just review andre experience all the portions of your life organized by seeing you spend this much amount of time watching television. This much amount of time clipping your toenails this much amount of time making love this much amount of time experiencing. Pure joy this much amount of time. Sleeping. That's one of his vignette. Another as the afterlife in which you meet god. And she has created an utterly egalitarian have. Which everyone feels like. Complete. And then there's another one where you meet the creator he writes you need the creator and it's a bunch of small different creatures. Who all went to tell you. About what you have not yet finished. In your life. For details of the afterlife oaks is something i lift up to dick to break apart nuwave. But we can think about steve and. Maybe even reach an understanding and appreciation for regarding. The afternoon. There's more clearly the notions of heaven and hell. There are so many ways that people are oriented towards experiencing what comes. You know this from your own use. And from your own wisdom about how you have sense or perceived or communicated or felt the absence of communication. With those who have passed from this life who you love. So. Morning. Invite you to consider your own thoughts on the after. And maybe even to find some peace with it. Whether your perspective is that quite definitively. Nothing occurs. At all. Or whether your perspective. Is that you are unified with a loving god. Or that you see all your loved ones who have gone before you. When that chapter opens this is how i'm conceiving of it in my own way this more. I imagine that i will not be in the form that i currently am. But for me. I don't imagine that i am altogether nothing. Unless that nothing is infused into the sunlight. Unless it is infused into the darkness. Unless it is infused into the grass and. Sky. Into the heart of my loved ones. Into the larger easter. That is the unseen fabric of existence. I can't imagine myself being another physical form. That i recognized. But that's. Today. And i'm open. What opens for. Regarding the question. Avast. May you go forward. Considering the strain. After. And next. Wholehearted and with imagination. With great gratitude for the mystery of our very lives. Which of course. Includes these. Very quiet. Blessed be. And. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At use your cnrv. org.

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150517_partner-church.mp3

Invite forward now those of you who are working on the international church project to come over and get some catherine brisas going to be sharing a little bit about that. I'm here this morning and love our committee chairperson peter lazar who is out of town today. I would like to tell you just a little bit about the uuc international partnership committee and project. We have formed a committee and have been approved by the board to proceed with activities related to becoming partners. What did you your church outside of the united states. Most likely in romania or hungary. We will be creating this partnership with the assistance. Of the unitarian universalist partnership church council. Which fosters and supports partnership relations ships. Between uu congregations here in the united states and abroad. One of my favorite mark twain quotes goes like this. Travel is fatal. To prejudice bigotry and narrow-mindedness. And many of our people needed sorely on these accounts. Broad wholesome charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired. Buy vegetating and one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. Introducing people to one another is one way that we will make this world a better place. It is the path to peace. And social justice. Our project is a long-term one and which we hope to develop and enriching mutually beneficial and exciting partnership. With you use who live very very different lives from the lives that we live here in blacksburg virginia. We do not have concrete ideas yet about what this exactly is going to look like. But we know it will be something from which we all learn. We hope it will involve the minister and members of our partner congregation traveling here. And members of our congregation traveling there. Our committee has nine members at this point. And you are invited to join us. If you're interested you'll be hearing from us again over the next few months and we'll be choosing. The partnership church is our next step in the process. If you would like to learn more about you you partner church council that link to their web page will be available in the next weekly announcements.

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160501_do_transformation.mp3

Welcome cuz of may 1st service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by a settled minister. Reverend arrowland. And her sermon is titled transformation. The podcast begins with rev darris pastoral prayer. I invite you to join with one another and myself in an experience now of. Prayerful. Reflection. Spirit of abiding hope. Transforming love and courage. Allow ourselves to stay to connect with that which is. Most deep. Inside of ourselves. Help us to listen. For the still small voice. The voice of growth. The voice of possibility. Spirit of care help us to remember our own precious. Precious. Journey. Of living. This human life. Help us also to remember the precious. Passion. Precious. Journey. A human life. Seated right next to. Herein. Let us also bring into our hearts and minds. Those in our workplaces in our schools. A community beyond these walls are. Homes are extended families are neighbors and friends. Let us. Bring them into our hearts and minds and. Honor their pressure. Journey. Olivia. And growing. Let us widen our circle of care and concern. To those. In other states. Those. Across borders of nation. Or country. 4ocean. Let us remember the interconnected web of all living. Let us remember that we cannot heal the world. Each one alone but what we do and what we can do when we come together. Matters. Love & hope list us. Help us hold our broken places. Help us be gentle with each other. Help us remember the way that the light can find us. And renew our heart. And restore our hope. For the presence of. Love and. Discovery. And she. What i say. Transformation. Transformation is our monthlong theme and. So i could never have anticipated it there's a beautiful synchronicity because it turns out that. Transform. Is in the mission. That has been formed from. All of you. And the earlier i asked that we do honor and acknowledge both of strategic planning our finding team giving them a round of applause it occurs to me that i want you right now. Just invite forward a round of applause. For this whole community. Because the mission that's an articulated in the covenant. Again a rose. From all. Love you. And what a truly. Beautiful and miraculous thing that is. A community discovering. Who they are. Together. And being able to name that. Together. So if you would i'd like to give you all around of applause. And maybe you'd like to give yourselves a round of applause. Transformation. Is what we're talking about. This morning and them. You know i know. That this is something that many of you have thought about and reflect it on yourselves already. We're talking about transformation and year that we're calling our year of living bravely. What does it have to do. Transformation. With. Bravery. With. Current. I'd like us to investigate this a little bit together this morning. Transformation is one of those. Korea sports of words. That we might hear about or use but. Not necessarily really unpack or consider most deeply. Sometimes people think transformation that's that's about change. And it is about. Change but. This morning i want to welcome us to consider. Transformation. As a journey of discovery of becoming ever more deeply who we are. On your orders through this thursday there's a quote. By a poet. And it's right there the top of your order of service and it says. And then the day came. When the risk. To remain tight in bed. With more painful. Then the risk. Let it talk. Cabasa. Niacin in that poet. She was born to cuban parents in france and. She led a very interesting life. She was pushing boundaries and. Boundaries around what was customary for women's right about and speak about she wrote about sexuality. For example. And i just didn't look she was a very bohemian life. A colorful life. And she wrote those lines and then the day came. When the rest remain tight. Imbibe. With more painful. And the risk that took. The blossom. I think she reminds us about the risky journey. Transformation. It sounds. That is that we. Growing me. Change and we are changed by the world and we changed the world around us and it's not always joyful all along the way but. Becoming ever more powerfully the version of who we are. Can be an experience of. Liberation. The butterfly when it soars into the air we can imagine experiences liberation. In a chrysalis. Maybe not so much. I'm kind of hard to know that. Formation becoming is actually occurring it's much easier sometimes to look back. After i juncture in a transformative journey and when the transformation was occur. Annette. It can be exciting. It can be challenging and it can be scary and i wonder this morning about transformation. In your own life. Transformation. Small or writ large. What transformations are occurring in your own life. What transformation is afoot for you this spring. What i mean is. Where is yearning and. Hope. Pulling you out and forward. Pushing you even though it might feel risky. Two step past your comfort zone. To grow a little courage. And take a step. A butterfly. I think transformation. Is about shifts that bring us more fully alive into the most authentic version. Of who we are. And i said there can be discomforts along the way because. When were risking blossom. Mama really risking blossom we don't always know. Where the heck that journey ends. And sometimes it's human beings that can keep us just. In the bible. You know we know it's safe we know how to be the caterpillar. And even if it's not that comfortable that you know it's safe. It's hard. To step out of one's comfort zone to risk. Blossom. I wonder what you think it takes. To risk. But the blossom. I do believe that religious and spiritual community is vital. To support transformation. Both individual and social transformation. I do believe that ruu principles and our sources call us to celebrate the unfolding power of coming most deeply and authentically alive even when it's scary. Even when it's risky. Let us remember of course we don't have to risk everything all at once whole hog. Right. We take steps. We explore. We test water. We use our learnings and we reach out. Even and especially as adults. The things we just didn't know before. Can i see the transformative journey of our human living being about no matter what age or stage you are in life. For the unknown. Is always before us. And things. Change. We are change. And we are change. Ultimately and congregational life. I support both the breaking down that can hurt her and the breaking through that can occur. Travis grow ever more deeply into who we are and. These days there's a watchword in religious and spiritual life. Maybe for some of your educators this shows up to that works watch weirdest formation. The notion isn't that we are. Forming. Performing and we are formed into our lives and we are journeying. In a state of formation. Went to a workshop yesterday. With the blue ridge. Cluster gathering of unitarian universalist. What if you can raise your hand made a great cadre go out to the waynesboro congregation those who i can just wave your hand in about 5 people. Yeah. So if some of us traveled up to waynesboro we participated in a blue ridge gathering of unitarian universalist and the focus of that gathering was on spiritual. Leadership for social change with a focus on racial justice. It was a fascinating challenging enlivening sort of workshop that's how i experienced it. And i wonder if those of you who went on. I welcome you to share liberally of your experience with those who are curious and if you wonder what happened at the blueridge got to find those people and ask them what was it like for you. We had rich conversations to and from waynesboro it's about a two-hour. Drive and. I asked those in the car at one point. What do you think it takes. For you to move out of your comfort zone. And someone in the car said. I think it takes. Courage. Someone else i die. I think it takes curiosity. The desire to learn more. One person said you know i don't step out of my comfort zone. Doing it willingly. I love that because it's so honest. A lot of people feel that way. Summit i have to be nuts. But one some knives. I'm often glad for it. Why wonder what you think. Dear congregation what is it take. To risk moving some bud to blossom to risk moving past 1 zone of comfort what does it take for. You're a few things but i think. Absolutely. It can take her. Sakura just explore dinner. Stories song today courage doesn't always work. Cards isn't always just available for us as a done deal. Like got my courage. Here i go. That refrain was courage means acting in spite of the fact. That our bodies are shaking with. Courage is often grown along the way. And that's because and then we can look back. After a juncture transformation. That's how i became the best version of myself. That's what it took it to courage even though i could have named that along the way. There's some other things. But i think it can take to garner a sort of courage in the cell that helps people risk. Moving beyond our comfort zones. I think sometimes it takes. Conscious. Coming into more clear understanding of one's own belief or. Moral compass. The guy's ones challenge one's own comfort zone and reach out for something. Bigger more. I also think that sometimes as the poet instructs us that. It's just. Necessity. That is the risk that it takes to remain and butt is so pain. That the risk that it takes to blossom is part of the necessary. Hardship. This resting beyond the comfort zone is just. Needed because there is no other way to be authentic and. True and empowered. Growing i mean in the direction of an authentic life. I also think though that. Moving a positive manner challenge and comfort zones growing courage is contagious. That means i wonder if any of you have ever been in a group of people or maybe in a partnership relationship where someone risks. Being really authentic really truthful really honestly wrist something they should current anytime. Can do that. Or i don't know if i can do that but i couldn't do it.. I think courage. When i was a teenager. In high school. I was on the school diving team. I don't know if you know that about me. Probably not. Be honest. I really wasn't very good. At all. I think that team probably considered me a liability. Tina put me in the theater class or an english or history you know okay. But on the dive team it was a stretch. I really like the warm ups. I really like the practices but then the time would come to launch into the air and then come down and break the surface of the water. Scary. So truth be told i like dry land. And i like to practice. Keep me on the dry land and let's just practice. You know. But as i think i want to mention to you before years later when i was becoming a minister we were challenged to do something every single day. That scared us. To get real comfortable with uncertainty to embrace. The state of formation. That is human living. And you know a nurse him know there's a song some of you're probably familiar with and it. It's about getting in the water. And you might know it goes. Waiting in the water. Waiting in the water children weight. In the water. God's going to trouble. I thought a lot about diving and troubling waters yesterday. When i journeyed with other folks to your chris-craft address are gathered community of unitarian universalism the brute blue ridge because. Chris-craft is fearless and courageous. About announcing two are good unitarian universalist congregation. That it's time to trouble the water. It's time to be a people not to scare. The talk about. The way in which individual transformation. Is related to social transformation and the way that social transformation is related to individual transformation and i'm going to unpack that a little bit more. Chris-craft said something he said congregation our congregations are made. Times like. Lee's. Do you know what i mean when it's in times like these. I mean he's rough. Water. A change that is occurring all around us. A movement for black liberation. Highly polarizing and challenging political moment with a different political parties. I need a moment when trend lines. Are being placed. At the forefront right now and are being challenged. People who are trans not allowed to use the bathroom. Challenging time. He said. Our congregations are made. I like. That. I don't think that's interesting. I wonder why you say that. I think i know why i would say it. I would say it because our principles and our sources. Call us towards an explicit very clear stance for the worth and dignity of every person. An interconnected web of a life. And because of this of course our congregations are places where we are renewed and we practice going courage. We practice risking coming together with our differences and our similarities. We practice growing hope. We practice growing a courageous sort of love courageous. Because it transforms our. Fear. Courageous because such love helps us remember the best of who we are. I want to share with you a very brief story. Because it's labor day i'm sorry it's not labor day. It's absolutely not labor day but it is may 1st which is a spring festival in which we honor and celebrate the contribution. Of those who labor. The workers. So the story that i wanted to share for you this morning is it at a time. When the risk that it took to remain and bud was more painful than the risk that it took to blossom it was about not just when that time came for one person but when it came for many people. I want to listen to the role that religious and spiritual life played in this even though it's not a particular unitarian-universalist story. Back in september of 1965. The weather has been very hot. In california. In southern california. And the months have been grueling. And tiring and there were farm workers near bakersfield. Who had grown very tired of picking grapes. For pennies on the dollar. They were tired of being mistreated they were. Tired of having. No one listened. 2. What they most deeply needed which was fair treatment. And develop filipino and chicana workers there that were picking grape started to talk to each other. They just wanted a fair shake in cesar chavez and dolores huerta were both. Folks that want new farm workers and i'm apart of farmworker communities and we're deeply troubled by what was going on. Baby talking for months without other farm workers. About what was to be done. How could they go on this. In these sorts of conditions. And it started talking to each other. Telling their stories. That and telling about their longing and their hope to change their. And they started to discover their own gifts. Their own gifts for storytelling. For courage. For leadership. And. A devout catholic. Cesar chavez. And others. Used song and prayer and brought that to the center of their gathering. As they started march. And make public. How they were coming together to champion better condition. Humane and. Human condition. And so they didn't march 300 miles anyone remember this. Yeah some of you yeah the march of 300 miles. And i went from delano. To sacramento. And a few years later cesar chavez was on a hunger strike because he wanted to make central the role of non-violence in this emerging struggle that became the farm workers movement. And. He gathered folks together there was a mass. Senator then john john f kennedy was there at the mass. And there was a celebration. Spiritual heart of the smooth. What was in their face that they were finding courage. Faith and spiritual. Spirituality call janelle. How courageous they could truly be. And service of human living. Always moved by the story of the farm workers and. Yesterday. One person shared their own inspiration. For being. In social just. In. At social transformation and she named cesar chavez my thoughts myself yeah. That's a powerful sort of story. Suffer not just a story of one person not. Cesar chavez not just dolores huerta but whole groups of people coming. Somebody might be thinking well you know what we're talkin about it's may 1st and so course your time out labor is that i still don't get that cesar chavez y. Is she talking about that. Because we're talking about transformation so. Let me try to say it this way. John casablancas talking about organizational shift. Says that sheen's uses. External influences. To modify action. Butt transformation. Modifies belief. So actions become natural and thereby achieve the desired. What i'm saying. Is that looking at history the farm workers movement. At cesar chavez and laura's parents on people coming forward. Is it that movement as i see it. It was not just about organizing bodies and minds. That would just be changed which is okay. That would have been. Let's change for no one showing up together to a lot of people showing up together let's change how much workers are getting paid. But. What that movement that did was organized how people felt. About their bodies. Anime. A qualitative change in the heart. That's what reverend dr. martin luther king jr. talked about that's transformational qualitative. Change in our human heart. Or beliefs such that our actions. Cannot help but spring forward. From what we know most deeply to be true. The off conjured image of transformation. Is the butterfly. First a caterpillar. Then becoming. A pupa into the chrysalis. And eventually a butterfly. But as it's been said before a butter up caterpillar is not just. A butterfly. It's not just a better caterpillar. Rather. It is. Amor fully-realized version of itself. With which takes a more vibrant form. Which has wings. If we work all is unitarian universalist. We take seriously. That we are all connected in the web of life. Every truly hold the inherent worth and dignity of every person if we believe in the good of freedom. Then we must remember. But none are really free. And tell all. Deliberations are bound to each other. And when we start to think on it this way when we bring that into our hearts not just our celebree bromine. There's a qualitative change in the heart. It helps us to know that. Personal transformation and social transformation. Are deeply linked. Personal transformation cannot truly occur in its most profound way i don't believe. Without social transformation and social transformation cannot occur without also personal. As i said we're living in. Challenging time. And this morning i want to risk us a mat i want to sound just to risk imagining. The individual and collective transformation are indeed. Cuz it can be really easy for us to default and just think a transformation. Inner transformation of the south. And i'm not knocking. But what i want to do is help us challenge ourselves to go beyond just thinking about our own inner transformation. And some of you know this because of your own living you've lived the reality. The social transformation and personal transformation have to be linked. Chris-craft yesterday he talked a lot about getting free. I talked with us about how we is unitarian universal we got to be about getting free. And i thought of. Butterfly. He talked about getting free this way maybe we got to get free. In terms of getting free from the way that raises unpatriotic poison or mine. We got to get free and get real clear about how our liberation's are linked with each other. I know this can sound like a kind of tall order like i'm. I must now be concerned not just with my own liberation and freedom which sounds hard enough. African frog with yours. But that's what our forebears. That's what they taught folks they taught. We're all in this. Together. Part of our living legacy is unitarian universalist. No i just want to take a risk cuz i can't help but practice what i preach i want to talk with you about something that sometimes feels risky. I want to share with you in this is inspired by the workshop yesterday i want to talk with you about something that the troubles may. One of the troubling things that i hear these days and see. Is that when some of the black lives. Matter peaceful. Demonstrators raised their voices. They're shouted down with a particular phrase. And that phrases all lies. And what troubles me about this. It's actually that at the unitarian universalist in our history. We've often use that phrase. If it's shorthand for our own theological and ethical compass. We say. Live. Matter. All lives matter is being used to. Island. Freedom speaking people. I hear it. I hear it as presuming reality of equality. When did very articulation of black lives matter is said because there's an experience reality of inequality. Real pervasive conditions in which. Black folks not an unwanted folks do not have the same. Right. Actualize and protections as white folks. In 26. Black lives matter. Not about suggesting that no one else. Live matter. But rather that black lives. Matter. 2. One of the unsung. Realities that gets buried i think in stories. That are being told. I set the initial cord leadership. Of the black lives matter movement. Or three queer black. Women. Alicia garza. Patrice colors. Opal tometi. Black lives matter is a woman's mood. It's a queer movement. It's a movement for black folks. Liberation. Many guided by nonviolence. Creativity in youth leadership. Core. We can challenge now unitarian universalist movement there are. Black lace oakland. Folks for coloring. Black. A non-white ministers who said let's talk about a black lives matter theology for our movement as a whole if we really take that our liberation zarbruh. Ri. Related to each other. Animal say there is nothing so eerie to me as watching young black. People and also white and multiracial activist. Being hit and assaulted while i'm mob says all live. Nah. Really. That's what the world looks like. When all lives matter. That's not what unitarian universalist. Not only do we have a black liberation movement afoot we've got this evolving national discussion about trans lives and it's occurring in a way that has never happened before in our society. From trans lives being a little bit more positively featured as they ought to be. And television shows to the other side of the edge. Right there in north carolina with the heat bill. Our society is grappling with trans identity and transphobia. Is that its front-and-center i saw a sign recently maybe some of you said it and it said in the 1960s it was not about water fountain. And today it is not about the bathroom. Here's what i think it is about. Our humanity. How far will we go. To value our common humanity. How far will we go. To denigrate when another common humanity. Who is being treated as less than. I didn't move by people have said to me directly and also i've seen it on the internet and conversations people sing. You know i'm not trans but i will go with someone who is so that they can use the bathroom. And you know i need of the beautiful compassionate. Dance. But of course. When adults. Need to have escorts. To use the. When adults don't have the freedom. Tongue move. We are in a moral crisis. Immortal crisis that invite us. To join with others and making conditions. Where we all get free. When we all get. Criss-cross invited us again and again like i asked you to how does it sound. Let's all get free. Does it sound good. Yeah it does it sound good let's all get free. Yeah it sounds really good. And one of the things that can happen is sometimes and weighted down with the weight of the moral crises in front of us. We can miss you know what sorts of inspiration and hope and help us transform ourselves in the world. I told me to borrow again from criss-cross i love that he asked us to do this i'm sorry for those that were in the workshop yesterday you probably already thought about this. Chris cosentino. We unitarian-universalist and other folks of course. We have superpowers. We have super powers for justice. Every single person's got some sort of superpower. And sometimes were more adept at critiquing and bringing hands the naming our superpowers. What we have in our own hearts and minds and skill-set to help transform the world and ourselves. I asked you for a moment think about what's a superpower. That you might have. If you don't know what i mean by superpower. Some of you are. Really talented. Mission. If you were really good listener. Some folks have a real great capacity to be both leaders and followers. What's your superpower. For your own. Transformation and for the transformation the positive. Transformation. Of our world. I want us to remember our super. That's how we do. Formed. Frogs superpower. In a story that we heard earlier today. We might stay with. You know catching the flies. The frog superpower was that song. The song that reminded us that courage is acting in spite of the fact. That our bodies are shaking. As i wine towards conclusion. This morning. I want to say that. I think most people are aware that the ground is shifting that we live in tumultuous time. And reflecting on. Years and years and years millennia. Religious and spiritual life globally. I was thinking about how in times of change there will always be what i believe the prophetic. Jocelyn. When i say prophetic. I mean the ancient sense of the process. Not someone that would look into a crystal ball and imagine the future or see it. But the prophet whose eyes were trained right on the present moment with an awareness of the pan. Who would give voice to. And guidance to people. As they started chart the course forward. Process. I do believe in times of change it will be jostling for a prophetic life. Jostling for direction and meaning and some will try to raise a prophetic voice by catalyzing fear and hatred. Dehumanizing others. Calling a whole class of people or people's as targets. Guided by my own unitarian-universalism. I see this as false. We take our principal seriously we need to be aware. False. Prophecy that would sort of god our collective future. Towards one of leicester. Intolerance and fear. But we can also look for the prophecy occurring. That reminds us. Of the world that we want to live. There are people right now. On a journey for dignity liberation and j. Handsome. I think we can learn a lot by opening our hearts and minds. To that journey. Remember how we talked about waiting in the water. Risking getting wet. Risking diving in. I think our journey as a congregation. It's already been a very strong one. Congregation is on fire. In a lot of ways. From 50 people going to north carolina to march 4. Voting rights. Two people standing out in the rain. Against islamophobia. To the newly launching. Refugee response team. To the evolving. Better health ministry. This congregation. Is on its journey and a powerful one. To being part of transforming the world. With its own vision at its core. Is something that crisscross challenged us to do. In the workshop we talked a lot about how sometimes our unitarian universalist congregation will feel like we really want to be part of multiracial work. You know we've been windy part of multiracial where we went to. Work with other organizations led by non-white people we want to be in really great community with all sorts of folks. One of the things so i can call us back. Is when we haven't taken the time really. To examine and explore. White supremacy. And i don't mean white supremacists like neo-nazis you know in the kkk although certainly they're exhibiting. Extreme version. Of hate and white supremacy culture but i'm talking about a culture. Awesome not named and explored. That shapes how often. White folk. Journey in the world. But it doesn't just make it uncomfortable for non-white people of color. This white supremacy culture it actually holds us back to. And i'm not talking about individual action. I'm talking about system. Legacies policies normative behaviors of mostly white spaces. But keep us all from being as free as we could. I could talk a lot more about white supremacy culture. But i'm not going to today. Instead of going to invite those of you who want to learn what the heck is she talking about. What you mean white supremacy. Or those of you already know exactly what i'm trying to name. Invite you to pick up some material that will be out in the foyer and it names the ways in which white supremacy culture text shape our workplaces. And sheep are schools and sometimes in our congregation. And ways to keep us all from being less free. And i invite you to pick up one of those packets and read it. Let me know if you want to be in conversation with other people cuz i'm aware that there's a growing number of people who want to talk about. Getting free. And what white folks can do. About white supremacy culture. Enough something crisscross that we could all do. Does what that's why identify as white. And not everyone in this room does. I just want to challenge us. I wouldn't offer that gentle risky conversation that we might be able to unfold together. You know that i will not hear minister next. That we here are in a transition. It will be up to. You. And your next minister. To live. The mission. That you will adopt. My prayer. And my earnest. Is that you be butterfly. They love bless your inner transfer. May allah bless the unfolding transformations in our time. Each one of you had so many superpower. To bring to the world. And when we combine those. Superpowers. As a whole unitarian universalist movement and beyond us with all superpowers. But we have yet to celebrate a know and share. I do believe. That we can build the world. We dream about. Maybe our society. Is right now. Risking. Blossom. May you too. Risk. They all that is sacred holy bless us all. In this journey a transformation. Love it's written. Is an expression of power and we can use it. To transform our world. Baby song. Blessed be. And. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At you your cnrv. org.

uucnrv_org

130317_ct_water.mp3

Welcome to the march 17th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. Today sermon. Titled the way of water. What h2o can tell us about ourselves in the world. Was delivered by carter turner. Former uuc member and an associate professor of religious studies at radford university. Carter is introduced by worship associate arthur snow. The podcast closes was a dialogue between members of the audience and carter. I'm pleased at this time to introduce carter turner a former member of the congregation and an associate professor of religious studies at radford university. Carter will start with some readings and then we'll have a musical interlude and then we'll get to his sermon. Comes from a poem called rain and the rhinoceros by thomas merton. I came up here from the monastery last night. Smashing through the cornfield. Said vespers. And put some oatmeal on the coleman stove for supper. The boiled over while i was listening to the rain and toasting a piece of bread on a log fire. The night became very dark. The rain surrounded the whole cabin with its enormous virginal myth. A whole a whole world of meaning of secrecy. Of silence of rumor. Think of it all that speech pouring down selling nothing. Judging nobody. Drenching the thick mulch of deadly. Soaking the trees. Feeling the gullies and crannies of the wood with water. Washing out the places where men have stripped the hillside. What is saying it is to sit absolutely alone in the forest at night. Cherished by this wonderful unintelligible perfectly innocent speech. The most comforting speech in the world. The talk train makes by itself. All over the ridges. And the talk of the watercourses everywhere in the hollows. Nobody started it. Nobody is going to stop at. We'll talk as long as it wants this rain. As long as it talks. I'm going to listen. Well nice to be back. I know i speak for karen calloway this is places has a special place in our hearts and. It's it's wonderful to be back it's so open in light and lively in here and even though it's raining which i guess is good since my talk is about water. It's that it still feels bright and lively. Ihop you're looking at the order service scale things back a little bit of my talk today just to give us some time for talkback which is one of my favorite things we do here so if some things are unclear or less best buy then certainly ask me and i will. Make things clear. Thomas merton you know he's been alone water has and continues to have a seductive power over human beings. We frequently flee our hectic lives to find solace. Beaches and rivers and lakes. Steven the bathtub. All of our senses are drawn to water filled smell sound taste and beauty. Consistently laura stewart. It's not terribly surprising that humans would develop this deep attraction of water water is our life source. We can go weeks maybe even months without food but only days without water. Water comprises 70% of our physical bodies. At birth 80% of our body weight is water. The united states uses about 408 billion gallons of fresh water everyday. The average person united states uses anywhere from 80 to 100 gallons of water per day. Ironically i suppose flushing the toilet accounts for the largest percentage of that. Because of waters centrality to our lives and its unique qualities. It's developed arguably into the most common metaphor in human life. In the abrahamic traditions of judaism christianity and islam. Waters metaphorical meaning follows a fairly distinct path. Maybe even stream. Waters first introduced in the book of genesis. Is primordial chaos. The formula. The uncontrolled. In the beginning when god created the heavens and the earth. The earth was a formless void. And darkness covered the face of the deep. While a win from god swept over the face of the waters. Then god said let there be light and there was light. God saw that the light was good and god separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day and the darkness he called night. And there was evening and there was morning the first day. God said let there be a dome in the midst of the waters and let it separate the waters from the waters. So god made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. It was so. God called the dome sky. And there was evening and there was morning the second day. God said let the waters under the sky be gathered together in one place and let the dry land appear and it was so. God called the dry land earth and the waters that were gathered together he called seas. And god said it was good. According to the book of genesis the earth was originally a formless. Water covered void. There existed no distinction between water and sky water and land. Between different bodies of water even between light and darkness. Until god swept over the water and ordered it. Master. In this sense water is viewed as profane. Even threatened. Almost evil. The manipulation in ordering of the formless void is testament to god's power. According to these traditions. The 11th surah of the quran states that god's throne is above water. Signifying his mastery over it. And one of the central miracles attributed to jesus. Is him walking on water. Also signifying his mastery over it. In the hebrew bible when the thirsty israelites were wandering in the wilderness. God instructed moses to tap his staff on a rock. Bringing forth of vibrant springs was people and their livestock could drink. Westerra orders hagar and ishmael banished into the desert leaving her son isaac is the only legitimate heir to abraham. God leads the pair to a well allowing them to survive. The wall god's mastery of water in the air hammock religion. His life-giving in some cases. In some cases it's not. What are also signifies are potentially doomed faith if we disobey the lord. When god saw the humans were wicked. He bought brought rain upon them for 40 days and 40 nights. Purifying the land by destroying all life. One lucky cruise line except. When the israelites fled egypt god parted the red sea just long enough for god's chosen to escape before crashing upon the wicked egyptian. An abrahamic religions formlessness is express metaphorically seawater is something over come through god. The christian ritual of baptism involves immersion into water greatly sprinkling water on someone's head. The symbolize a momentary return to formlessness. For coming to order in a spiritual life to christ. This is also the symbolic meaning of wudu. The muslim pre pre prayer ablutions. And mikvah ritualistic bathing performed by some observant jews. The formlessness is not the desired state it's the required precondition before encountering god. This precondition is seen in god's instructions to the israelites to wash their clothes before receiving the ten commandments. It's a primordial foremost something overcome to god in the abrahamic traditions. It's something to be embraced in the east. No tradition draws more heavily on the water on the metaphor of water then taoism. 8:30 chang this is steven mitchell translation 1988 reeds. The supreme god is like water. Which nourishes all things without trying to. Discontent with the low places people to stain. But it is like the dow. Indwelling live close to the ground. In spanking keep to the simple. In conflict be fair and generous. In governing don't try to control. In work do what you enjoy. In family life be completely present. When you're content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete. Everyone will respect you. Water is a metaphor for the dow. It flows to the lowest parts were most avoid. Below all is where the lonely helpless drops of water find more water. I become more powerful. Dallas and features that we should return to the primordial essence of the formless. Worms in conception. Compartmentalize our views. And blind. To the unity of all things. Water is formless but can master the form of anything it encounters. Water assault. Yielding. Accommodating. Get powerful enough to shape nearly everything over time. When water is undisturbed it will continually repairify itself. It is only when the balance is tilted that water can no longer remain it in purestasis. To be like water in the dallas saints is to thrive on humility. Don't try to stand over other. Don't make others if you want them to be. Be content to give way trusting that stability and power grows as we get closer to the ground. To be like the dow is to allow others to be driven by their nature. Is weird driving by hours. Buddhism teaches that our lives should be like dewdrops. Finding their way back to the sea. Dewdrops are distinct separate entity. But over time slowly make their way back to the formless ocean of nothing. We too should be like flowing water. And work to dissolve our separate egos and return to the formlessness nothingness of nirvana. Meditation is central to this task in buddhism. Emmet two drawers on the metaphor of water. The only way for cloudy water to become clear is to sit still. Through meditation. Stillness settles the cloudy mind. Hinduism draws on metaphors of water similar to weigh something similar ways to buddhism. Instead of returning to nothingness however hindus are taught that life flows into the godhead. Into the primordial soul underlying all things. The ganges river in india is understood as the liquid embodiment of this great soul. The rivers sacred waters originate. In the himalayan mountains as close to heaven as one can get. The river is believed to contain healing divine energy. The rig-veda hinders are taught the renewing powers of the water of life. You water to rollover precious things and have supreme control of men we beg you give us healing balm. Old water stored with healing balm to which my body safe will be. Come but i long macy the song. Whatever sin is found in me. Whatever wrong i may have done. If i have lied or falsely sworn waters remove it from me. During the 42-day ritual of kumbh mela. As many as seventy million hindus. Will bathe in the ganges river. The largest religious ritual in the world. Of the many metaphors we find throughout the great religions of the world. Perhaps none is more enduring than the metaphor of water. As a mirror. Early humans water was in fact the first mirror. The first view of our physical selves as others would see us. Water as a mirror most certainly played a role in our developing self-consciousness. And our evolution as a unique species. But water still mirrors humanity today. Water is our benchmark of purity. Quantifiable measurement of the earth's balance. How water feels smells sound look. In pace. Is the best indication of the righteousness of our individual and collective lives. Water is the litmus test. Of our exist. The condition of our water mirrors the spiritual condition of our lives. If we live our lives as disconnected entities. Blind to the unity of all. Speaking high places over low one. Ego over humility. Our lives will become stagnant lifeless separated puddles. If we embrace balance on the other hand. Connectedness. Responsibility to all life and commit ourselves to renewal. We will flow into the bass deep ocean. Meaning and fulfill. We're allowed to be here until. Have 15 minutes after the hour so there is time for talkback with her it's really like that. The 11-inch from the dow they jane that i. Stuck with me ever since i arrived here. Thought in college was a. The one where the emperor looks and sees a man drowning. At the foot of the. The waterfall. And then he goes and send his men but then he can't find the guys they presumed drowned and then. He just brings all the water and. Chaos. Powerful. Yeah familiar with that. That chapter. Remember it's me. The burton poem was was wonderful i grew up in in an area. But is very dry northern california and every fall when the rain started. As as they usually. It was it was like a little miracle all over it. And the end to lie in my. And listen. To the rain on the roof. Was just. Deep pleasure. Yeah i have the same reaction when i read i mean it. The song. I really want to say i'm just jumping it one of the things that i cut from this that i came across as i was preparing. What's the story of the hopi indians. Who the according to their legend. Had occupied a wonderful. Land that had. Lots of rain and water and. Vegetation self-worth but the great spirit led them to roughly four corners area of arizona. Where they get about 10in or third of the rain that everybody else gets and. The great spirit said to them well this is. This is putting you here one cuz you'll be safe nobody's ever going to want to take your land. But the two you will not you'll always be depended upon the great spear. Because you'll be so little rain you will treasure into this by living here you are committing yourself to your god. And i thought that was. I was born in the sign of aquarius. Design of water. And on the in buffalo new york. Lake erie. And then i found myself. Going to school in memphis tennessee. And the banks of the mississippi river. And then i found myself in the tidewater area. James river. And the york river. Anthony. Atlantic ocean very nearby. And. Always been drawn to water. And i was a little reluctant to move here to the mountains because i wasn't really aware of the new river. And i was so happy when i found the new river. And. Water's always give. Comfort and joy. Okay i have a tough question for you and i don't think you can answer it because i can't answer. But if you look at the abrahamic religions. Then i'll spring up in about the same area. And then you talk contrast that with. The. Religions that are more focused on the interdependence of life. Hindu buddhism. The idea about nature and water included in that is very different. The abrahamic religions. Talk about mastery and it's always putting god and human beings above. Nature in the role of controlling nature but that does not happen the nom abrahamic religions. So my question is what is it. Culturally. Geographically. What happened. What happened. Adjective question that's okay well you're exactly right and i tried to make that distinction imply that distinction and what i talked about. You don't have a colleague at radford who argues that everything changed with the advent of monotheism. It's suddenly you had a tribal guy got to try that now how to god and and they came to. Believe that their fortunes relied on. They're pleasing the god and and then. You know probably because they needed more land or they needed something they convinced themselves that the behaviors of other people also affected their god and us you had to either kill him or you had to convert them. And that modern warfare started. And with with monotheism. So i think it's early cultural i'm in all religions are call. It you know those religions are much more formalized i think an institutionalized in dallas that wasn't teaches that if you want to come to know the dow. To make your life better well then go take a walk in the woods. You don't need to go to a church you don't need to hear. Sermon by some train. Expert. So that maybe part of it the fact that they are later and more formal and institutional. Shifted the power into the institution rather than rollaway. From. Earth i don't know. But clearly that distinction is there. I can remember a few years ago. National evangelical association. Christian processing evangelicals in this country. Signed a statement saying that. They believe that it was a religious responsibilities take care of the earth. But this was a new revelation for them that. This was part of their spiritual practice was to be better stewards of the earth. And i remember remember reading. A few days later in the roanoke times. An editorial i guess it's it he's got a column by cal thomas. Fox news guy and thomas said no that's not. That that this earth is coming to an end. We have souls to say we have to make sure that people hear this story of jesus that they have a chance to be saved. And we don't have time to worry about polluted waters and spotted owls and trees and stuff. And i was astonished. But that is clearly where we are. And dumb. I think it's. When. When christians. Because they are 75% population are when they as a hole beside that their religion requires them to embrace the environment then we will see will change. And we won't see it until then. Thank you carter for that time. Multifaceted and layered conversation. Play me thirsty. I really liked your ideas throughout one that you mention at the end of connectedness reminded me of a friend of mine and things. Who married us actually who has us spiritual practice based on the idea of water being the same water that's been here for billions of years and the same water that. People use and drink. Across the world and he. Every morning drinks water with those ideas in mind this the sense of connection to all of humanity in. Spiritual practice cfalls east. Yeah that's cool i mean to think about the continuity that the water that we drink is the same water that. Dinosaurs drank. Man has longest life is been on the plant the same water. And it will be. Another form of water that. Believe i heard you. Brings. Together our tears. Yeah. Yeah and i think. Yeah. I read a really interesting piece about tears to that i didn't include just. Keep my shorter but dumb if you let me know i can. Send you the. I just i just wanted to point out that. Just so. Monotheistic religions don't get a bad rep here. Wars been around for a lot longer. Can you take of it. But in the mahabarata. The whole point of of mahabarata was about huge. Huge. Huge war. I mean. Probably millions of people were killed in this war and elephants and then horses. I mean it was just total devastation. That's. That's what the mahabharata was about now that mahabarata. You know that it relate something that took place thousands of years ago we don't really know. And you know whether or not we don't know that either. But you know this was back in the time when. Like most people think of people. Can a bleeding all sorts of gods and stuff. Although they were still 111 brahma. And i was one. One real guy. At that time. I just want to point out. Warfare didn't start. Monotheistic religions. No i think it was more the causes of the war that is my colleague point you're right but it it's. You know. The bhagavad-gita the mahabharata big date they talk about power struggle. Free people. Which family to be the top. But but it's a different kind of warfare than. I have a different god than you and your guy can exist. Kill off your god they weren't killing off gods. Back to and so. Yeah point well-taken. So i hate to get on my soapbox again but this time is putting my professional hat on his water professional. We really take water for granted. You know here i mean. Critical spiritually and and it sustains us and you mentioned that. We can't live very long without water yet we waste it. You gave the example that most of the water we use goes too far. Sing the toilet. Think about that we treated. Too pristine. Drinking water standards that takes a lot of. Energy to treat that water and. The piping network. At your house and then. You know just to flush it down the toilet. And then all of this song. Bottled water. You know i mean. Freezing petroleum products. Bottles and then shipped. Around and you know that takes energy and. So. I don't know i just hope that we can have more awareness. And appreciation because this is really gay. Turn. I bet. Probably thought why not you got a colic he's got some pictures on his door on his office and it's a. And the picture is always the same but the caption is different in the picture is of a. Of an african boy he's probably like. 4580. He's looking up at the person kind of like. The guy from different strokes. I'm confused looking the caption is. You mean you all use clean water to wash away your poop. What's the matter with you people. Following up on amy's comments is that. Potential of overgeneralization but i'd say the last 40 years. A lot of international politics has been dominated by who has the oil and access to it. I'm guessing that. just international but even down to local levels the next 40 years are going to be more and more influenced by who has the water and who has access to it. Yeah i'm. I'm in the flooding the. Coming with. Climate change. The drought sitter come and get some. I mean it's a global crisis. A whole lot of people don't seem to want to wake up to. I think the. Another. Completely different. Perspective on water maybe maybe it's worth mentioning. Is that it's a very very unique compound. H2 h scott. To the lightest elements in it. And because of that it's a. Simplest very polar. Compound. Kind of positive at the end kind of negative in the middle. And because of that. It sticks. It forms clumps. And and it has absolutely unique chemical properties that make it. If you like star wars it's it is the physical manifestation of the force. Defines everything alive. More than even dna. Everything that goes on in your celsius. You're completely. Involve. And coatings of the sticky water hydrogen. And it's the really really. The most dissolvable compound right it can absorb the most in itself. I'm at mckenna's but that's my understanding. So if it freezes differently especially in. Closed environment. South. Understand that the southwest united states is running out of water. The colorado river runs dry before it reaches the gulf of mexico. Lot of conflict in california. Water use at one of the farmers should have its or the cities should have it. Pepsi and coke are buying up land around the world that's it. Has aquifers. But they can use that water to produce soda. The fracking process. Uses of norbit's amounts of water. Which is contaminated by the processor. So we're not going to appreciate it until it's almost gone. Valley swap pepsi. Using water as a metaphor. Water coming from different countries going into the major c major ocean. And with the internet and us. Or people in general learning about other religions. Do you see an infusion into all these religions. Becoming eventually one. Boy certainly not anytime soon i mean you know there is a lot of cross-pollination know that it is really happening at a pretty pretty good clip just because the world's gotten very small very quickly. But. You know i'm not sure that one great religion is the answer anyway i think. But i appreciate the nuances traditions. But you know you if you get one religion you're going to lose a lot in the process but. I wouldn't mind their being some agreement about what. Values we should all hold. As people. But now i don't think that's going to happen anytime real soon. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At uuc an rv. org.

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150517_mission-vision.mp3

Now i want to invite forward police simpson and chris walter and share with us briefly. About another exciting. Events. In our congregation. Hi i'm polly stinson. And as chair of the strategic planning committee i'm very pleased to speak with you today about one of the ways our congregation will becoming involved in the ongoing process of reaching out. Into the larger world that ripped their spoke about this morning. On the front of your bulletin you will see you use these current vision statement that has now been in place since 2003 i think the date is. I'm in with changes in our leadership over the last couple of years as well as the growth of our congregation it's now time to rethink into update the statement to ensure. I'm that it reflects the interest and direction of our current members. So as a result i want to talk to you about an upcoming signature event. Which will occur next fall and be the instigator of what we hope will be a year-long process of congregation discovery and i really want to emphasize the word. Process because that's the most important thing about this whole event but. On saturday october 17th next fall you are all invited to attend a mission vision covenant writing workshop which will be facilitated by a by reverend robert latham. And reverend latham is a nationally-known unitarian minister and leader who has written a book called moving on from church folly lane which outlines the process by which he facilitates covenant writing process he's in congregation. This is a day-long worship workshop. And what revelation will do is assist the attendees and creating an initial draft of a new mission vision covenant statement. This raft will be presented to congregation members within a variety of small group sessions and refined by the end of the church year into a final statement which will be embraced by all of us. So to backup a bit i want to make it clear that everyone in the congregation is invited to the workshop but if you can't come there will be a number of these follow-up workshops that i just mentioned. In the congregation at the end of the next church year at the annual meeting in 2016 the congregation will vote on what is hope to be this reflective. Audition statement that we've all agreed to. And the process is whole process throughout the year even though it is focused on this when workshop will be highly participatory so. People will be asked to share not only in small group. Venues but in other ways to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to get their two cents in which is we know it's important for us. And so keep your eyes and ears open for upcoming information that you will see brochures sign up. Opportunities over the next few months but so just be. You are assured that you will be hearing more about. Thank you. Thank you pauline. What a great bunch of people i see out here. Yo-yo look really good from up here. Good morning i am chris walter and i am a theist. I believe in a higher power. Your love and your energy attracted me here. Another direction that we are going help me to see my higher power. Bathroom through all of you. Where did we come from who are we. Where are we going. You like to. Join me. Let's do that again okay. You're ready where did we come from are we. Where are we going. Thanks those great. These are the questions where. Have we been where are we now and where are we going that the strategic planning committee is looking at. We'll be examining these questions eyes is pauly mention sowell. We'll be examining these questions with you and they coming months. Y'all stay tuned.

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130310_kd_empty-hungry.mp3

Welcome to the march 10th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. Today sermon. Titled being empty and being hungry. What delivers by reverend karen day. Who was introduced by convener bill paterson. Cc member dollar bray participated in her presentation. The podcast closes with sermon reflections by a few members of the audience. A speaker this morning is reverend karen. Cersei. Unitarian universalist community. And she found it she along with her husband. Mccabe. M2008 founded. 20. Activities. Some of you i'm sure you've heard about. Portable produce. Other other activities to ensure she will now in a few minutes tell us. All about. Welcome today. Pyramid. Thank you bill bill's one of the supers at super duper. And. Garlic bread is going to. Speak during our reading. Good morning i'm darla pray i've been with his congregation for about 9 years now. I have prepared some comments and i brought this paper just for security because my printer broke and my notes are all scrambled up so. Really speak from my heart sort of like a testimonial. If you were ever a familiar with baptist churches you know that maybe on wednesday evenings. People get together for prayer meetings and. They're given the opportunity to give their testimonies. A mine. Several years ago. Connected with karen and mccabe down in floyd county they were doing some things. Germinating some ideas and dumb. Planting the seeds for what today is known as plenty. And the word says it all there's plenty of everything for all of us. Plenty of food. Plenty of love. Plenty of forgiveness. Plenty of all the good things in life. The one day i was down there and i found it there are lots of ways that you can engage with plenty. What do you have a little bit of time or a lot of time a little bit of commitment or alive commitment. Giving it out in anytime you go down to the little cottage. On route 8. Plenty has its office. You can walk in and whatever is going on you can feel welcome. If there's a meeting going on somebody else just trying to say. You know come on in or somebody i'll get out and come and find out what it is your. You're needing but. There's always that kind of welcoming feeling. In that little cottage. Who's there were years ago i was sitting at a meeting and dumb. We were planning the newsletter i believe it wise and a woman walked in. And she just wanted to share her gratitude. Started telling the story about. How is he i had had a refrigerator and a stove. And she was renting them to own them. And i'm going to happen and the dealer raise the rates. Awesome. Refrigerator. One of our volunteers. Got together with mckayla and i don't know how many volunteers it actually took but. Picking up a refrigerator. The whiskey was sharing that. Something out started to happen it started to be. More than just about that refrigerator. It started connecting her with. That the emotions kind of connected with something more deep. Inside her. Sad wants that she had had in her life and it she started talking about that. We all started feeling like. We started remembering our losses. We started staring on a very deep level. And as i sat there. The sun was streaming through the window and there was a golden light in the room. Mystikal really. Because all of these feelings were coming up. Feelings of gratitude. And love and caring. And you're all bathed in all this golden light. I just started feeling so full. My heart open.. And and filled up. And couldn't really hold it all really and actually that room couldn't really hold all the things that we're going on in that room. It was just one of those magical times that plenty. And so. Turn our talking about hunger. And. I said well everybody's hungry for something. And then i started thinking about that more deep about myself because. Due to justice here accident of birth. I'm living the life i have now and i have plenty of food. But there are times square. I'm trying to figure out why do i feel so hungry. Am i feeling hungry. Am i feeling empty. Or am i just feeling too full of stuff that don't really matter. So then i have to have my solitude where i figure out you know what it is it's going on and what i need to. 288 that feeling of hunger. So. Even those suffering from food hunger is not something i experience working plenty has. Pregnant. People who do have to hunger. And does so plenty is about. Figuring out ways to connect people that have food with people that don't. And the wonderful thing is that. It's not we don't use words down there that. Are you the agencies like donor and recipient and benefactor and beneficiary. Givers and receivers. And we all have something together and we all need to receive certain things too and all of these people that are being pulled together. Come from different social groups or. Financial means. But we are all able to connect and get a received from each other so there. The usual barriers that. That could exist. I just didn't feel like they exist that way with the work down there buoyed. So it's that i went express my gratitude for plenty for making it possible for me to live for. Richer and more complete human experience. I want to remind everybody that sunday. Saint patrick's day. There's going to be a big. Soup day down in floyd called empty bowls and it's the annual fundraiser. And we raise money to support the backpack program in floyd where kids get food. Panda backpacks to take home on the weekends. So that. Enable have food on the weekend. I will have these tickets here today if you want to buy one. And that we also take donations. And see there's going to be live music. Bernie coveney and andrea marshall and also. The back porch cloggers. Come on down. T thanks darla. That was a good sermon. You can go home now. But this isn't just about planting. Daps. You. And it's about me. It's about how being empty. Can be useful. Sometimes i feel like it. When we first came to floyd. I left a congregation where i was serving as the minister. And came to a little cabin. In the woods. Inside there. Feeling pretty empty. I knew it was the right. Do. Don't like. We were called we were meant to come to floyd. But i had no idea. What would they had. And some days i could just. And feel the stillness and the emptiness. And other days i had to get up and go find something to do. Or worry about what was it going to be in nobody knew me and i didn't know anyone and what was i doing there was a big mistake and maybe i should just go out and find a job as a receptionist. But somehow that always seem like you know. Fairly easy charm. I don't know if any of you. Have had that job you can probably correct me about the stresses of it. Those were my imaginings on the bad days. Until finally one day. Was volunteering at seven springs farm and. Greens. And tolley said. Why don't you take those into town to community action and maybe someone can use them. Well. I took them to community action but. Baker museum. They didn't have a cooler they didn't have people coming in that day could take them home. So they didn't get used. But that sparked an idea. Could we get. Fresh vegetables right from the garden. Two people. Maybe people who didn't have transportation. Maybe people who are alone at home. And wanted to visit as well as food. The mountains in 2008 and it wasn't plenty yet. It was starting to be something. Candy useful. Candy useful. But you know an empty stomach. Not so useful. Hungry. I think it's different. From being empty. I noticed. When i get hungry. I get really grouchy. And. I'm not good at skipping meals. Just this week. Angry. Lunch. And i have my good quinola and homemade bread for toast at breakfast and orange juice and tea and i felt nice and filled up and. Lunch came and there was a meeting and i went through the meeting and. And i went to another meeting and. She seems kind of low. Well i sad. Doing this sermon on being hungry and so i skipped lunch and. Really don't feel very good and. Really i'm only thinking about food. I'm not thinking about this meeting i'm not thinking about you thinking about how can i get some more food. Camille and i knew. That at any time. I could change my mind. I could ask somebody to share their lunch with me. It would be easy. But still i was consumed with. What about my lunch. Maybe you've had a time in your life. When you are hungry. When you weren't sure. Where the next meal was going to come from. If a mom with a little kid. Maybe having to go to the department of social services or two wick. Women that program at the department of health for women infants and children where you have to ask you have to prove. That you don't have enough money for food. And you don't know well that threat. Tell the next. Saint. Or maybe you've been alone and your social security. It's not quite stretching either. It's almost the end of the month and there's. One can of soup last. And you have to decide. When am i going to eat that can of soup. Scanner. Drinking a glass of water can help. For a little while. An empty stomach is not. Useful. Some of us. Know how that feels. just skipping the lunch because you want to have a little experience. But really and truly. Deeply. Hungry. I'm scared. In floyd county. 15000 people. Live there about scattered out. The corners. And 2,100 of those folks. Are on food stamps. The number keeps growing. And as you know the resources. Keep getting. Less and less. Unless. The really is there plenty. Hard to believe. As we started our food bank. We discovered that. Hard it is. Just last fall we have been giving away these extra fruits in. And sometime mostly vegetables that people brought from their gardens. We were aware that people were needing more than that. People were wanting more for a meal. Until we started adding some rice and pasta. Peanut butter tuna. Beans. We've got a bigger space so that we could store up some things and people could come by if they did have transportation so one day. A woman called me. And that she was finishing her shift to work third shift at the nursing home. And said you know when are you open for do i have to bring to prove that i need food. Can i come by and i. Just come by. Where your address is cuz we serve everyone in floyd county. And how many folks are in your family. Really she said. And i can get food right then. Just come by. Immediately started to tell me how hard was to ask. And that her boys were hungry because recently separated and. Her salary at the nursing home wasn't quite enough. Mysa no problem look we have all this. And it was a good day at the food bank. So we found her up with that. And we also had this beautiful little cake. From our daily bread as we get things from them every week. And she looked at the cake and she said. This is really a. A hard way to spend my 40th birthday. Have some flowers. Has battaglia guy at the blacksburg farmers market had given his his extra. A bouquet of flowers to go with her cake. And the food only help you out to the. To the car. Can i felt. Not empty. I'm sure anymore. What am i doing here. Yeah. This is what we're here for. Inside ourselves how do we tell the difference between being empty. Hungry. How do we know. What's happening. Sitting in that cabin you know i wasn't always sure. And i was thinking back to a a time. In my twenties where. Empty. And i wanted something. Discount like i wasn't in the right job and i was moving from thing to thing and. Needed something from a person and i would look to you and then you and then you and i couldn't find it and. Message be emptiness. Lightweight darla sad about. Sitting there. I'm soaking it in. Because i was trying to see that right. It seemed like emptiness so i had to feed it. Can't. It's not like an empty stomach emptiness is like your lungs. Don't have to keep feeding him feeding and feeding. If i sit still. Emptiness is that place. Where are longing thirsty souls can come. Consent. And breathe. If we're trying to feed it feed it feed it and it never feels like enough. That emptiness needs to open. Needs to breathe. My friend tim gave us a daily meditation. Almost everyday it says sit and breathe. It gets a little you know. And yet. I find myself. Too full. You know too full of busyness too full of things to do. Empty long. And then it there's the story. An old story from china about monkeys. Monkey. Is to put a hole in a coconut. That the monkey can only get through if it has an empty hand. Can you put rice in the coconut. And then the monkey sticks his hand in the coconut grab the rice. But it can't get out. Because it doesn't want to let go weather rice. We want emptiness. Thunder tiger. We are all hungry for something darlis that. If we sit in the emptiness. Then we can recognize. What really needs to be fed inside. Do i need to be with someone. Need to find a deep connection. What do i need. A bowl of soup. Watch hunger needs to be fat. In those times are hungry it's not enough to just sit. It's not enough to open our hands and open our hearts. We got to. We can defeat each other. We got to just. Take that piece of bread. And break it. And sharon. And then. There is plenty. One of my favorite moments last summer was when we started that plenty good free lunch. On wednesdays. Everyone in the community was invited. So we have folks who worked in town. And we had. Some elders who got their friends to bring them. And we had some folks who we usually bring food to. Everyone was at the tables. And i was imagining would make a pot of soup and share it. But alexis and darby made this amazing feast with. For five or six different staff. Everything from the gardens and from what we had on hand. And people were sitting there with. The sun streaming down. Talking to people that never known before. Charles brought his walking stick that he has carved. That we could see. What he had done. And folks from the health department we're talking to people who are sitting at home alone. We were all meeting new people. I wasn't doing anything except just walking around say isn't this great. Taking in that gathering. Bad me. The miracle. Miracle f. Siri. I read this book called take this bread by sara miles. She started a food pantry in her congregation in san francisco and she went around talking to people about. About being hungry. She spoke to a bishop there. Kitsap spong he said there's a hunger beyond food. It's expressed in food. And that's why feeding is always a kind of miracle. It speaks to a bigger desire. The feeding of the 5000. The miracle wasn't that jesus multiplied the lowe's and did what they were told they got up and started feeding. Something happened. I consider myself. She says and i agree. As one of those people who's got to do what jesus said when he told the disciples. Shut up just go feed people. Cisco feed people. You're wondering what to do. Typical feed someone. Or just go call your first person and ask them to feed someone. Farmville. It's a mystery. Sometimes you just have to trust. And. Sometimes you have to trust. And see. That's what plenty is about at a deep level. Feeding each other. In our hungers. But also. Trusting the emptiness. Opening to the emptiness. So that we can know what. The real hunger is inside ourselves. So may we welcome. True emptiness. And may we feed. I'd like to ask you. If there's a moment in your life of being hungry. For being empty. You would like to share with us. We were poor but i didn't know it. And. Sample on thanksgiving we would have tuna casserole. And i remember one time. I just distinctly remember being extremely frustrated in the hungry because we were eating. Fried sunfish. If you know what they're like i mean they're just. And i just couldn't eat enough fish fast enough. I remember when i started out as a single mother. See i took something and. Iowa i don't remember actually being hungry but i remember being. Terrified. For my children and that we would. That we would. Sphere. Specifically. Although we have ammo. Yeah we had we had resources that. I think a lot of pee. But you also know that sense of how it can consume you the fear in the. Not knowing. Several years ago. Challenge. Challenge. See what it was like to. So i chose monday. On a monday. Panda. Certainly the first. Time i did it. This was from really from sunday. Supper. Until tuesday morning. Solid. I did take him juice and water and. Also i didn't do any caffeine. Are you sugar. Do the first couple of weeks.. It was amazing. I couldn't concentrate on anything. If i could get up and do some exercise. Eventually i went to the fitness center in florida. And not only kept my mind occupied. The hunger. Longer. of time. Eventually. You started to get over. To some extent. But i guess you never really. Whatever else is left. Sure. It was quiet. Eating anything solid. And see what it feels like. Sympathize with you. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. Use your cnrv. org.

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140824_do_ingathering.mp3

Welcome cuz the august 24th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is our annual ingathering water service. And is led by ourselves minister. Reverend arrowland. This is the last service before her maternity leave for several weeks. After introductory remarks by rev dara. The podcast has three reflections by uuc members. Eric thomas. George lally and ellen plummer. Welcome again one-and-all welcome as we celebrate returning. Returning from our summertime experiences. Whether those summertime experiences have been right here in the new river valley. Whether your experiences have taken you far from this place. Perhaps to other countries other states. We recognize the impact of the academic year. On this community and so it is that we return together after summertime into the fall. What a very special morning we have together today it's our annual in gathering water service. And in doing our annual ingathering water service this morning we actually join with many unitarian universalist. Congregations all across the country could use some version of merging waters. Carried by individuals. Merging those waters into a common stream. Will be talking today about the meaning of that common stream how we create a shared home right here at uuc and inside of unitarian-universalism together. This morning i offer these words. Which are customary. But i invite you to hear them. Again. As we return together. This is a house of welcome. This is a house of healing and hope. And wholeness. And therefore it no matter your age. No matter your size. No matter of the color of your hair or your skin. No matter whom you love. Or how you speak. Or whatever your ability. Or your state of health. Or your physical resources. You are welcome here. Do you come here with an open mind a loving heart and willing hands you are. Very welcome. I also want to do a very quick water check. Many of you brought parcels of water with you this morning. And he didn't bring one hopefully agreed or was able to furnish you with a small vessel of water. Is there anyone here who does not have a small parcel of water in their hands. And you can go ahead and raise your hand nothing to be ashamed about we'll just have someone bring you some water so you can participate. We come now to the special time of our ingathering water service. In which we actually will involve the water. That you have. You have brought with you water symbolic or meaningful from your summer experiences. Wherever those have led you and however those have shaped you. Or you've been provided with some water from the new river valley. The new river itself. The ancient waterway that marks this land. Mla invite you to take a moment and look at that water there in your hand. Take a look at the water you've brought. If you brought some from home today. Where is it from. What is it meaning for you. Is it indeed symbolic. Was it from a tap your home cap. Or was it from a summer trip. What does water. Remind you of. It takes many streams and underground tributaries that meat and merge. Create a shared body of living water. What we do together today. Is. Just that. The combining of many stories into a larger hole. If you're someone who's water is symbolic of many things many experiences you've had this summer. Conjurer bring tomine one strand one memory. That your water evokes for you. Bring 12mind. To join our stream to the common river. Knowing that. Can do more in the world together. Then we could ever do. I'm so it should be clear this is a celebration both of individuality and pluralism. But also the unity that. That comes together when we share in common purpose. And with common goal. In 2012 my colleague rev. Fred mirror another unitarian universalist minister spoke about church. And we church. Mei church. People come only for their own individual needs. Hopes concerns dreams. And sometimes gets stuck. On that. In the wee church. All of them eyes forge a common wenis. Devoted to bold possibility and shared purpose. And so it is as we ingather we move from the eye church or i congregation. In ^ the wheat ridge. Or the we congregationalists. We'll be talking more about shared mission vision common purpose. All year long. But at this time. We want to honor the individual journey is that compose the hall. The water bearer. Are you ready. Alright. We've gotten any water bearers this morning that will help with this ritual. At the appointed time i invite you gathered community to think about this question. If you were to turn to your neighbor and answer this question how would you answer it this water that i hold. Comes from. Wherever it comes from. And its meaning to me is. This water comes from. And its meaning to me is. And you are welcome as the pictures passed to pour your water in and share the answer to these questions with your neighbor if you'd like to do so you can also just decide to pour your water. Not sure if you don't want to. K. I will do this for as long as it takes and embrace the creative chaos that is. Let us do this together now. As i mentioned. Everyone as i mentioned earlier it takes many streams. Many underground tributaries many sources of water to feed the common common living river. And so that is exactly what we are doing today. Let us also remember that is each one of us has our own stories to share. So we are part of a larger story. That larger story is about a precious planet and its people struggling in times of joy and sorrow. Finding hope finding resilience. And so is we creating forged together our own story as a community in the world we acknowledge the story the larger story of life that we are all apart of. Today we recognize the real challenges and the real joys that face us. And in fact this is one of the most important purposes of beloved community that is that we joined together. To remember the coldness that can be found from journeying with one another. And that no one needs journey. Completely alone. And so it is. As we merge and gather our many stories together that we celebrate the power of rolling on forward together no matter what life brings before us. We celebrate today then rolling rolling. Rolling together on the river. I now welcome forward eric thomas to share a reflection this morning. I was out too sure. My brief story about my coming into the uuc. And so this is what i came up with. I haven't always been a joiner. My earliest is earliest experiences with organized religion were fairly negative. I when i was a little kid i remember going with my aunt amy my dad sister viola very much but she took my sisters and me. To a christian fellowship camp. Each week for supper summers. And. The social experiences of that was very positive. But as an introduction to organized religion. That was frightening. The arts and crafts i'm at this camp way up in the mountains. Consisted of making. Plaster crucifixes. That we done got to paint. And we painted the blood. Coming out of the. The hands and the feet in the forehead of jesus. And i was five years old and it freaked me out. And. I was told that. We were told the story of his death and. How horrible it was and then we were told that. That horrible death was necessary because i was a bad person because i was a sinner. And it just. It freaked me out. And that was option two. The idea of institutional or organized religion. I did have positive experiences. All with it my mom. Stephanie gilmore. Would take my sisters and me to glide memorial church in san francisco. Oh and if you've never been. Chicago. The thing is i didn't recognize that as an organized religious institution as a church it was just a really cool place to go on a sunday. With lot of energy and singing and dancing in. And a lot of love in that in that big room that was always filled to capacity. And it was so different from my. Earliest understandings of church and religion that i just didn't. See it i just didn't understand it as. Organized religious institution. So not i'm not a joiner i was turned off to that a little early i'm also an introvert so it's hard to. And be up here. As i said i'm i'm not much of a joiner sports teams and clubs and organizations and things. Not my thing. So there's some background and then. Does fast forward from i was a little kid to about 8 years ago. When my wife anna. Who is for herself in search of community and spiritual development. She'd heard about this place this uuc and she'd attended it. And she encouraged me to attend some sunday services with her. But i buy resisted because i'm stubborn and because of my. Earlier experiences. When i finally did start coming i enjoyed the services and i enjoyed the music very much. Oh and i enjoyed the people. But there was something in me that said. Keep keep your distance keep some kind of a. A distance there. That non joyner part of me but was still very prevalent. So because of my wife's encouragement and my mom's encouragement. And. Well now you know that's not nice i did start to attend she knows i'm kidding i did start to attend semi-regularly. And in very soon after i had begun attending more regularly. Anna and william and i. Suffered a very sudden and tragic loss in our lives. And i felt. Very much adrift. And like i needed some sort of an anchor. Something to which i could belong. And i'd already been coming here. And i kept coming here but suddenly my. Being here meant something more. So i don't know what truly changed my opinion or my feelings there's no one moment or i had some epiphany and i suddenly felt connected has been a slow process. And there have been some moments specific moments but i don't have the dates or times. Maybe a sermon or testimonial or the sharing of joys of concerns or some piece of music. Did this really helped me to feel even more deeply connected to this community. 2 coming into the uuc. Has helped me to understand myself as a truly. Part of a larger community of people who i perceived to think and feel. Like i do. For you use there is no pretension. About knowing all the answers there's no dogma. Which is something that really turned me off from organized religion originally that whole were right and and if you don't believe in worship the way we do then you're somehow wrong. I didn't care for that attitude. When rev dara call me. And asked me to serve on the committee on ministries. I was very honored but i was also confused. At that point i still i felt myself to be a part of this community better peripheral part of it. That being said i was really excited i figured was a stipend but. Apparently not anyway just kidding. So i am i am a part of this community and i feel that then it's important to me but at the time that she called me and asked me to become a part of the one of the members of the committee on ministries. I didn't feel that i was an integral part integral part of this community i was a member. I didn't feel like i was a kind of person that they'd asked to serve on such an important committee and serving on that committee has been transformative for me. With with season you use people who are unbelievably committed and knowledgeable. Isabelle bernie. And just luke. And molly lazar. And john kelso and jane keppel benson amazing people. What being included in that group is help me to understand is that we all matter this is an orwell's animal farm right where some you use are more equal than others. Everybody has value every perspective matter. Matters people who are lifelong. Dedicated members. And those who have only recently come into it we all have value and our ideas and input matters. So starting out of the person is not a joiner who is actively not a joiner i've come around. My experiences in the love and compassion. Oh and the openness of this particular congregation has really pulled me in. It's helped me to understand the value. Of being part of a community. I have my mom. To thank for that. I have my wife to thank for that. And i have everybody all of you that sitting here every sunday or sometimes maybe every other sunday whatever it is. You guys come here and you share of yourselves. In-n-out made me a better person i think. Always i've had a. A secret. Deeply felt desire and longing to to open up and to be a part of. But i would have resisted that it scared me for a lot of different reasons. But this congregation has taken that way. That.. Resistance. So to try to tie it all together. Although i wasn't aware of it as it was happening. My coming into this uuc. It has provided me with an important piece to a puzzle that i didn't even know i was putting together. Coming into the uuc is help me kind of come out of my shell. And embrace community and and belonging and i'm deeply thankful for that. And i'm deeply thankful to all of you for helping me do that. So thank you very much. Some of you are probably aware of my interest in our uuc grounds and my efforts. Along with the. Incredible susan baker right over there. And others to transform it in accordance with our uu values. We and i are working to create a spiritual venue. For enjoyment of nature. For meditation or prayer. And for gentle recreation. While at the same time striving to maintain it as a hospitable place. For our native flora and fauna. I'm dedicated to that vision of a spiritually uplifting grounds. But i have to tell you that my commitment to this congregation. Is much deeper and wider than that one enterprise. The uuc. And unitarian. Universalism. Reflect my values. And i am proud to be proud. Both. I became a uu in 2003. I did so because i wanted a spiritual home. I found one in unitarian-universalism and i found one here. I've come to know the uuc as a beloved. Community. One that fills my cup. To overflowing. Or. To use that phrase i first heard at kipps elementary school. One that skeleton my bucket. Tamia spiritual community must do at least two things. First. To nurture support and inspire members. Helping them to be their best possible selves. And second. To reach out. Beyond congregational walls and loving action. Especially on behalf of the needy and afflicted. And on behalf of our afflicted environment. This past june. I had the good fortune to be a delegate. To my first uu general assembly. It was delightful to see and hear. They are the many streams of unitarian universalism. I saw buddhist. You use. Christian jewish. Pagan. Humanist. And i was profoundly moved to see how without losing their different nests. They flowed together. Integrate current. Unified. Buy a great theme. Love. Reaches out. I told you i was going to be a little. Well folks i bought that message. Of love reaching out. Hook line & sinker. I bought that message so strongly that i even reached out or. And as it were to my own wallet and increase my pledge. My annual pledge by 50%. Well i could say. More about this congregation. This unusually rich collection. A big hearts and bright minds. And maybe sometime i will. But for now let me just say. I'm happy to see. All the returning faces. And happy to be sharing with you. This day. This place. And this unitarian universalism. Good morning everyone. Thank you. Collecting the water for this morning service. I stood for a moment. At the bank of the new river. And watched it. Swollen with rain. As it ran through or runs through bisset park in radford. Not to be trite. But watching the river prompted me to stop. Pause and allow the moment to remind me of one of my most innermost challenges. Don't panic i'm not going to use us as group therapy this morning. As much as i would benefit from doing so. I am patience challenged. There. I said it. Thank you mom. I am patience challenged. I know this shocks you. I am very high-energy i'm extroverted i like getting things done i'm a working dog. Give me a list and like a good bone i revel in crossing things off the list. Such relief such gratification. So back to the river. I'm it's the busy nest of life i had on my to-do list river colin water for church. Okay great grab the nephew pick up the grandmother get the dry cleaning go to the river get the water for church. The river. Church. Stop. Got the water. Slow down. Patience. Be patient. Hurry up. And slow down. Two thoughts occur to me. Being gathering of water in today's service offers us an opportunity to stop. Just slow down reacquaint ourselves with the satisfaction of being together as one. Coming home coming together. As the waters from all over. Podenco this morning. The second thought is this. The ongoing lesson of patience. The river can be a metaphor for us as a congregation. And our future. Some of us are like the new river an ancient part. Of this congregation. We are in the very dna. Of this congregation. Others others of us are drops. And little rushes of water. Better joining the river as it makes its way. All of us together comprise this beloved community and must be loving and patient with one another. As we rush and when our way to our future. The veterans among us who have been there done that. What to remember to be patient. With the news with those of us who are the new pups who bring different ideas and exuberant. And those of us who are new to the congregation. Must refrain from rolling our eyes. When the veterans begin a sentence with well 80 years ago when i was sitting in the other property...... That doesn't really happen here. Our congregation like the river. Keeps moving and flowing and changing. Remaining individual and hole. And one. And i. And we. All the while. My reflection is this. The waters we gather today or a wonderful reminder that we are as one. The interconnected web of life. And that our future is rich because of our ability to be one. With one another and community. Practicing patience. And love. And still getting the dry cleaning picked up. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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141228_sg-ti-ep_back-forward.mp3

Welcome to the december 28th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by worship associates stephanie gilmore ellen plummer and tommy iowa frazee. The theme of the service is looking back looking forward. The podcast begins with personal reflections by the 3d. These are followed by two times in which members. Are invited to light a candle and share first significant memories from the past year. And then hopes for the coming year. As a child i woke up every christmas morning and opened a small mountain worth of presents from santa with my mother. I was an only child. A divorced parents so my mother and i were partners in crime for all of my childhood. We played and sang christmas carols at the piano. Had breakfast and eggnog and went to mass. After church we packed up and went to my grandmother's house where miraculously santa had left me another load of presents. Usually left the soft goods at mimi's animal print pajamas homemade quilts and fluorescent patterned shorts it was the eighties after all. Things change for my mother remarried. Suddenly i had to share christmas with a stepfather who wouldn't speak to me into stepbrothers who. At 6 and 9 years older much more rambunctious and less sentimental than i had become by h20. Rather than spending time with mom i found myself alone with nothing to do while everyone went to parlos his mother's house. I would sit resentful for hours until dinner at my grandmother's house with a bitterness was only slightly ameliorated by a plate full of mashed potatoes and multiple helping serve apple pie. Overprivileged and blessed though i was i still felt the pain and rejection that my traditions have been cast aside for new traditions that didn't include me. For years i clung to the christmases i remember. Always hoping that this year things would go back to how they used to be. They didn't of course i never would. That's not how tradition or life works you can never go back. Things can only morph as they move forward. A new traditions can emerge. A few years in the early 2000s that bank of empty hours on christmas day was filled by watching a movie musical with my dad. He has to be the only person in the world by the way to love and i mean love mamma mia. That was fun for a while until he decided to start spending christmas with his sister in florida. In 2010 i attended the system by going to my aunts house in connecticut for their massive christmas eve party which i never went to as it meant sleeping there missing christmas morning at home. My aunt uncle and cousins bent over backwards to make me feel completely welcome that first year. Even at 28 i was still receiving more gifts from santa than any child deserves. 44 years christmas about linda and uncle tom's felt like a tradition i had for decades. Destroy up into the system again by staying in virginia. Willie and i spent christmas eve watching christmas movies together and we open presents christmas morning with each other. Our dog and our cat. We had christmas dinner with willie's family infant christmas night back home. Playing with all the new toys santa brought us. Thanks for garageband santa. What part of me mourns the traditions i've lost spending so much quality time alone with my mom. Watching movie musicals with my father. Celebrating my aunts house. I take solace in the fact that i'm always building more traditions. Conditions that can and will be just as important and meaningful as the others. So. As i move forward into the new year. I hope you remember that. I'm sure i will mourn losses. The students that are graduating. The friends that grow more distant. And if other unforeseen circumstances. But when those things occur. Hopefully i will recognize that with loss comes an opportunity for the new. When tommy stephanie and i. Got together. To plan today's service we thought carefully about the not so careful. But we thought. Richly together. About. How we could pull forward. From 2014. How to pull forward. Our hopes and aspirations. And how we might pull them forward into 2015 and how we might fold that into a service about memories morphing into hopes and what might that be and for me what bubbled up with the word courage. I'm seeking the courage i lack. The wizard of oz comes to mind courage. But that word courage is sometimes sometimes flipping around or spend some time flipping around in my brain and then last night literally. Literally last night i went to this book which some of you may be familiar with this is called simple abundance a daybook of comfort and joy. And it's written by sarah ban breathnach. And dumb. Today's date is. December 28th. And for december 28th. The reading is. No joke. The courage to create the world you want. It always works better when you have a sound effects crew. The first time you think. The first time you think you'd like to do something a little different from the way you've always done it. Maybe bring creole shrimp stew to the potluck. Instead of your delicious but predictable potato and peas casserole. You pick up a pebble. The first time you actually do it differently whether you're delighted or disappointed in the results. You throw the pebble into the pond. The pebble the pebble sends out tiny barely visible ripples of movement towards the center. No one else notices. But the woman who threw the pebble or spent 2 hours in the kitchen cooking up simple pleasure. Does if she's paying attention. It's the same way with courageous acts and your daily round. They may be so small that only you realize something's going on. But one day all those small but indelible moments of private courage will burst through. And both you and your world will have changed. In an authentic moment. We become authentic the same way we become courageous. By doing it. Not by thinking about it. Rosa parks didn't think about becoming the symbol of the civil rights movement when she refused to give up her seat and go to the back of the bus. But her authentic and exuberant. Commitment to equality. Push through her reserve. Joining with the energy that created the world. Exuberant means not only joyously unrestrained. But it also means displaying something in abundance. Rosa parks displayed an abundance of authentic courage. And at that defining moment. Can we doubt that her soul was joyously unrestrained. Even if her heart. Was trembling. This week african american women begin celebrating a festival honoring faith. Unity. Heritage and values. Kwanzaa which means. First fruits of the harvest. In swahili. Was started in 1966 by civil rights activists maulana karenga. Over the last three decades. For decades the holiday has become widely celebrated by black women who cherish their authenticity. The seven-day celebration which starts on december 26th. Is observed by lighting a candle each night. To honor a specific value. They are. In order. Unity. Self-determination. Cooperative work and responsibility. Cooperative economics. Purpose. Creativity. And faith. There is no prescribed way to celebrate kwanzaa accept with great festivity. Not all of us celebrate kwanzaa. But the courage to embrace authenticity with joyous. Unrestrained. It's certainly something to celebrate by lighting a candle. Raising a glass and doing something completely unexpected. It lifts our spirits. We need to feel the cheer and inspiration of meeting each other josephine st pierre ruffin believes. We need to gain the courage and fresh life. It comes from the mingling of congenial souls. Of those working for the same end. I remember years with young children. When the holidays starting with thanksgiving. We're at time of juggling different demands on my time. Many of the commitments were of the too much of a good thing. Nature. Which party to go to. When to find time for the annual family outing to see the nutcracker ballet. How to be at two different school parties and an office party all at the same time. With whom that was some of the juggling was logistic all and that was part of being a divorced parent. With whom with the children spend the holiday. Who would pick them up where and when. And some of the juggling was just plain not fun. For example getting to all those different places the year my age did vw bug. Dropped its transmission in downtown oakland at 5 p.m. the friday before christmas. And i i survived i stand here before you somehow. The reward though. For successful juggling with holidays with my large loud loving sometimes crazy family in sonoma. My three younger brothers. Their wives and children. Various extended in-laws and of course my mother. I have such good memories of those holiday gathering. Always a big fire in the fireplace. Wonderful meals. Almost always accompanied by local wines. And with many of us all of us. At at tables that work wish that end-to-end through the whole living room. No nobody had a table big enough so we put a lot of tables together. And and we had wide-ranging and passionate discussions in which voices of all ages were heard. I remember those with. Fun this and my children. Youtube because they were part of it. Those gatherings that i remember with such fondness. Have changed over the years. My mother died several years ago. Followed by my closest in age brother my partner in wildness and their crime. Many of the rest of us have scattered across the continent. Getting together is logistically more difficult. Now holiday get-togethers are no less loving and wonderful. Just smaller. And if. Perhaps more subdued. So my juggling has given way to another kind of balancing a. Warming myself at those remembered fires. While honoring new ways of being together. To celebrate. And creating new memories and new traditions for the new generation. It's a balance i'm still working on. I'm so my wish. Going forward into the new year. Is for grace. In accepting the new. And letting go of what i must. Now it's your turn. I'm going to invite tommy to come. And play what we have been for the last week or so lovingly referring to as the scribble music. Because the idea. It's for you to mentally scribble right now your your word your thoughts your prayers your memories from 2014. What do you think about. Right now that you would like to bring forward. Don't want you to think about 2014 warriors passes no rules where you use we don't do the real thing. Think about what. Inspires you from this past year that you want to make sure you hang onto and hold onto. To bring. Forward. And tommy is going to play some music that's going to inspire us to do that. But we'd like to do now is offer you an opportunity to come up and light a candle. That honors the memory. That you've just been. Holding onto in your heart. For me. It's courage. Anyone else. Justice. And compassion. Respect and empowerment. Good old friend. Wisdom. Acceptance. My ancestors. Prince and the power of love. Gratitude. And letting go. Interdependence. Relationship. Recognizing the humor wherever raises his silly head. Practicing forgiveness. Patience acceptance. Health and healing. I'll do the last one. Now we're going to take a few more minutes. And we're going to think again. About our hopes for the new year we've thought about what would like to bring forward with us. And we've lit candles there still candles you can come up and light a candle. Or you can ask for the mic. To be brought to your seat so take a few minutes. With yet more beautiful music. Nsync bye. Take a few minutes and think about something that you wish for yourself. For this congregation. For our larger world. 420 50. Our hopes going forward. Take a few minutes and then again. Ask for the mic. Orcam lydic. Hopes for 2015. Aspirations. Anybody. Okay. Cooperation and integrity. For myself i wish to be more generous. And for the world. I wish for true gender equity and for females to be recognized for. Great people we are. My name is david herndon this is my wife cindy crush next to me here. My parents are james and arlene herndon they've been members of. This congregation since 1967 i believe. They both been hospitalized in the last. Week or 10 days. I won't go into all the details at this time my dad's at montgomery hospital my moms at heritage hall. And on. I'm sure they'd appreciate your thoughts prayers visits cards what have you. But my hope for them is health and healing in the new year. Sergio and i met in the buddy program and we hope everyone makes new friends. In the new year. Freedom from addiction. I would like to find joy in the here and now. For all the memories. And all the hopes. But have been spoken today. And the remain unspoken in our hearts. May we think together. About justice. And freedom. And our hopes for the future. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

131013_wc_deepening-II.mp3

Welcome to the october 13th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by three uuc members. Jane mahone diane jackson and jane aronson. The theme for the service is deepening the welcome part 2. National coming out day. The talkback at the end of the service is not included in the podcast. Welcome. This morning and welcome has a very special meeting this morning as you'll begin to see us we talk more and more this morning. We're so glad to have everyone here. My name is jane mahone. And we have some other folks who are going to be. Working on the service this morning with us rachel crane and her family are going to participate. And jane aronson. And diane jackson are going to be helping this morning and we're so glad all of you have come. This morning. We're going to celebrate. National coming out day. Alright alright. As a welcoming congregation and it's pretty cool. To be celebrating national coming out day and be a welcoming congregation and those of you who are not that aware of what that is will begin to understand more as we go along. And this is part 2. Of a series that reverend era has put forth this fall. On deepening the welcome. The next and the last of the three series will be done by rev are on november 17th. Some of you may wonder why we're taking three sundays to discuss how to deepen the welcome in our congregation. Well if you're like me i wasn't yet a member. Haven't been going here that. Terribly long. Becoming a welcoming congregation is. A deliberate action. A process and a course that was voted on. Back before i belong here so that's. A little bit of the history. So wasn't until recently when i kept. Beating up. But we're going to be doing the next few months. You know what. The welcoming. And deepening the welcome mat. No matter what your age your size the color of your hair. How you fix it. Your skin. You are welcome here. No matter who you love. How you speak. Or whatever your abilities. You are welcome here. If you come. With an open mind a loving heart willing hands. You are welcome here. Are opening words this morning come from reverend bill think 42 is the former president. Of unitarian universalist association. And. The first african american president of r&d nomination. As we continue the service. You will. Here i think probably hear things. That will remind you. Of how difficult. It was. During the civil rights times and last night i was privileged to go see the butler at the lyric theater i'm sure some of you raise your hand if you've already seen the butler. So a few of you but not nearly enough i must say fortunately you can see it but i think four bucks during the week if you remember so. If you'd like to go and i really recommend the movie. And. It it really was an interesting. Combination. Of the tension of one of the characters with attention of another attention. With the other character of what is it we do when we look around us in the world and we believe that this is not quite the world we wanted to be yet. How do we. Do we. You know. Stay quiet do we. Come out. As an ally. So coming out today i think is is very well placed with this movie that showing in our little town tonight. He's so hear the words of of reverend sinkford. Our witness for justice is a process of calling attention. It asks us to find the time and the energy to pay attention. It asks us to take a moment. And think not. About how we can most fully live in the world as it is. But how we can make the world a more just environment for us all to live in. Come and let us journey into worship. Together. Our first reading comes from reverend leslie. Takashi morris. Call marginal wisdom. They teach us. To read in black and white. Truth is this. The rest is false. You are whole. Or broken. Who you love is acceptable. Or not. My life tells its truth in mini juice. We are taught to think in either source. I believe the teachings of jesus. Or buddha. I believe in human potential. Or a power beyond a single human will. I am broken. Or. I am powerful. My life embraces multiple trees speaks of both of and. Hsbc in absolutes. Good. Versus evil. Male versus female. Old versus young. My vision sees the fractions. The spectrum. The margins. Let us open our hearts to the complexity of our world. Let us. Make. Our own lives. A sanctuary. The nurturer are many identities. The day is coming when they will know. That the rainbow world. Is more gorgeous. Then monochrome. Feather river of identities. Can ebb and flow. Over the static. Stubborn rocks. And its course. That the margins. Hold the center. A long long time ago when i was more of an activist and i am now living in atlanta georgia i had a friend who was also an activist who would come to town periodically and educate us. And in just talking with her one day. She was just started telling me about this this wonderful dance she had gone to. And it was a dance that was mostly. Gays lesbians etc. And she said you would not have believed the costumes that these folks wore it was amazing. And she said she was kind of looking around and kind of like i don't know about this. And then she started thinking about it. She thought you know. The wilder the costumes weekend except. That are we consider to be kind of on the margins of acceptability. The bigger. Space there is for the rest of us in the middle. And that really struck me. The more we can accept. Differences. The more space there is it's much more spacious than what i consider myself. Mostly in the middle. So the more spacious it is for the rest of us so something to think about. Our second reading this morning comes from universalist lewis. Bill's fisher. Universalists are often asked to tell where they stand. The only true answer to give to this question. Is is that we do not stand at all we move. Good morning. I raised my two girls and a uu church in fort myers florida. Where they had the enormous advantage of an owl education. Before it was owl. Owl stands for the our whole lives curriculum. One of the uu curricula focused on comprehensive sexuality and sex education. I was also part of a welcoming congregation. Before they were called welcoming congregation. Both my girls experience disciplinary action in their high schools when they stood up as allies of gay or lesbian friends. And these were probably the seeds for my interest. In lgbtq issues. Now i live in floyd. And then we are only 30 miles down the road from one another our communities of floyd and blacksburg are quite different. As many of you know. I've been working in floyd for over eight years in. The schools public schools. And before that for 7 years in greensboro north carolina. And it's been during those fifteen years of the 37 as a teacher that i have become active in pflag. And in sponsoring gsa's. Otherwise known as gay-straight alliance. And public school. In greensboro when we decided to have a gsa. We. Made the announcement we affiliated ourselves with glisten. That's the. Gay and lesbian & straight education network. And we did all the normal things that a club does. The administration and faculty were supportive. And rather hands off. In floyd it was a different experience. I was told that perhaps starting a diversity club. Rather than calling it a floyd gsa. Would be the best thing. So as not to ruffle any feathers. When i invited someone from pflag to talk to our faculty about her experience as the parent of a gay son. In the high school. She was asked to submit her comments for review. And was then encouraged to use other examples of bullying. That didn't refer to sexuality issues. I couldn't believe it was 2008. I had teachers on the staff tell me that all that stuff. About bullying when it comes to sexuality. It's kind of a waste because. There aren't any gay people in floyd anyway. As i said. It's a little bit different in floyd. Are floyd please please select group has demonstrated at the courthouse. Held a vigil waiting for the supreme court decisions. We're fundraising for a scholarship. Walking in parades i think next. Monthly walk in the veterans day parade. Donated books to the library. And we continue to keep lgbtq issues out front. I'm grateful for this uu community. And the continuing efforts at welcoming. And for both. Of the area pflag switch work hard. To maintain a presence. And encourage. So today. We asked. How do we keep. Uuc. Coming out as a welcoming congregation specifically helping to create affirming celebratory congregation. For those who identify as lesbian gay queer questioning transgender. How we deep in the welcome for folks within and beyond our walls. What do we still need to learn ourselves and teach each other in this changing world. What will help us live. And create the affirming world we want. This morning much of what we will share together is based upon personal reflections and combined with the insightful powerful words offered by alex capitain from the unitarian universalist association off office of lgbtq and multiple multicultural programs. We tried to cut out most of the real tongue-twisters but we've really had to say all that sir. October 11th just days ago. Was the 25th anniversary of national coming out day. This date was chosen originally to commemorate the day when in 1987. Half a million people participated in the march on washington for gay and lesbian rights. It was the second such demonstration in our nation's capital. And it resulted in the founding of a number. Of lgbtq organizations. The momentum after the 87 march continued for months. And so you're later the idea of national coming out day was born. Robert eichberg of psychologists in gene o'leary head of national gay-rights advocates. Founded this holiday at the celebration. To raise continued awareness and visibility. With lgbtq issues and wives. We're celebrating in worship today because allies and religious communities. Have a special role to play in supporting that space that are firm. Lgbtq lives. As a holiday that exposes unconscious assumptions. And lifts up the off and unexpected diversity that exists in every corner of humanity. National coming out day is a profound opportunity. For religious communities to dispel the assumption that they are unwelcoming. And many uu congregations do just that every october. What is the biggest stereotypes about religious communities. Is that of being unwelcoming spaces for people with marginalized sexual orientations and gender identities. So we're doing what alex capitan calls myth-busting. Looking at common assumptions about coming out itself. And crafts vision of the sort of space we are dedicated to creating. Here's myth number one. Coming out is a one-time event. You're either in the closet. Or you're out. This misconception that coming out is a one-time event is incredibly pervasive. So is the idea that you're either in the closet or you're not. Yet there is rarely anything black-and-white about coming out. For one thing it is multifaceted. There's the process of coming to understand. Except. And a firm ones authentic identity and sense of self. There's a process of sharing that information with friends and family and other loved. As well as social community and cultural group. There's the often very different process. Of sharing one's identity and self in environments where one is in a position of need. Educational medical employment or living exam environments for example. For some people coming out can be a lifelong process. Every new person who enters one's life. And every new environment one interacts with me new assumption. About one's identity. Identity is not static. It shifts and changes over the course of a lifetime. Our relationship to any identity that we hold shift. As a result of life. Experience. And changes in other identity factors such as age. Cultural acacia. It turns out that identity. Far more complex. Then in. Here's another matt smith's number two. People who are out are liberated. And those who are not are living a lie. Where are deceptive. This one's a doozy. Although it's reflective many people's experiences prior to coming to understand except in a firm and authentic identity for themselves. It gets applied with a broad brush that erases profound differences. Around identity and cultural context. Many people are perfectly secure and out in their identities for themselves. And have no need or desire to share them with anyone else. It's good to remember that disclosure is different for everyone. Sometimes disclosure can carry enormous risks. Depending on one's identities and context. For many people do not all. The risk of discrimination violence and even death means they will never discuss. Disclose certain aspects. Of their identity in many or all parts of their lives. No one. Has the right to dictate or judge someone else's level of disclosure in the world. And here's the last miss number 3. If i am a true ally or if we are truly welcoming congregation. Everyone will fully disclose their identities to me into us. Right. Disclosure is a complex topic. Added space dismiss brings up an important question about what it means to be an ally or welcoming congregation. Sometimes it's tempting to think that. The measure of oneself as an ally is the number of friends we can count on who hold a certain identity. Some of my best friends are. Or that the measure of our congregation as a welcoming congregation is the number of same-gender couples who call themselves members. Especially if they hold hands. But you know. In actual fact. Being an ally or being a welcoming congregation really has nothing to do with these things rather. Its measured by the way we are a service to those who are marginalized invisible or silent. Whether or not we are aware of their presence. Instead of defining coming out in a way that. Puts the burden on the marginalized individually. Individual to forcibly create the space for their identity and experience in the world. What if we thought of coming out as the process of an individual. Or a community. Creating that space. For others. A space that actively challenges dominant assumption. So that the door is flung wide for any person to hold any number. Of unshared identity. This is why today. We build upon the continuing idea. That it is good. Worthy and necessary for our congregation to keep on coming out as a welcoming congregation. We're doing this by busting miss number one. Coming out as a welcoming congregation isn't one-time thing. It has to be constant reaffirmation. Busting this 2 and 3 means deepening our work. To create a culture that doesn't depend on knowing someone's identity in order to be welcoming or inclusive to them. We are coming out in celebration of what sexual and gender diversity adds to our world. We are coming out an affirmation of all people's right to live in their full authentic selves. We are coming out in joyful recognition of the breadth of identity and experience in arm it. Shared. And unshared. Visible. Unless this. We can create the beloved community where all people are welcomed as blessings. And the human family lives whole and reconciled. We can if we come out and prophetic witness of the world that can yet be. If we can only imagine it and hold it sacred. As the next step if you're interested in joining the conversation. About how. Deepening our welcome about deepening our welcome here at the uuc. Please join together next month. 4 short reflective conversation after the service on november 17th. If you're not able to attend please let rev dara or. Any of us know that you like to be part of the conversation down the track. It's not easy being mythbusters. It means we have to keep learning about the mess. We still have to bust. Inside. That can be a little scarier. Here's a different way to put in. Will conclude with a prayer. From a work called bless this mess and other prayers by dzhokhar and imaging sterling. This is called crocus prayer. It takes courage to be crocus minded i'd rather wait till june. Like wild roses. When the hazards of winter are safely behind. And i'm expected and everything's ready for roses but crocuses. Highly irregular. Knifing up through hard frozen ground and snow sticking their necks out. Because they believe in spring and have something personal in emphatic to say about it. I'm not by nature crocus minded. Even when i've studied the situation and no there are wrongs that need writing. Affirmations that needs stating. And know that my speakingout may offend. For it rocks the boat. Well i'd rather wait until june. Maybe later things will work themselves out. And we won't have to make an issue of it. Forgive me. Ron's won't work themselves out in justices and inequalities and hurt don't just dissolve. Somebody has to stick their neck out. Somebody who cares enough to think through. And work through hard ground. Because they believe. And they have something personal and emphatic to say about it. Me crocus minded. Could it be that there are things that need to be said and i need to say them. I pray for courage. So let us be crocus minded about deepening our welcome let us be crocus minded about what the next steps maybe. Come let us discover what we may do when we are courageous learners and leaders together living ruu values in the world. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

130630_gl_transition.mp3

Welcome to the june 30th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The podcast for today service. Includes a reading and a homily red by george lally. A member of the interim transition team. In comments from members of the congregation about the ministerial transition and the future. Isabel bernie is a worship associate for the service. Call my reading i'm going to read a poem by stanley kunitz. Called the layers. Just a couple words about stanley kunitz. He was an american poet poet born in 1905 in worcester massachusetts. He died in 2006. About ten weeks before his 101st birthday. Unit serve two terms as poetry consultant. To the library of congress. Which was the prime they use before they changed it to poet laureate. In the year 2000 he was named again this time as poet laureate. At age 95. The layers. I have walked through many lives some of them my own. And i am not who i was. Though. Some principle of being bides from which i struggle not to stray. When i look behind as i am compelled to look. Before i can gather strength to proceed on my journey. I see the milestones dwindling toward the horizon. And the slow fires trailing from the abandoned campsites over which scavenger angels wheel on heavy wings. Oh i have made myself a tribe. Out of my true affections. How shall the heart. Be reconciled. To its feast of losses. In a rising wind amanda dust of my friends. Those who fell along the way italy stings my face. Yep i turn. I turn exalting somewhat. With my will intact to go wherever i need to go. And every stone on the road precious to me. In my darkest night. When the moon was covered. And i roam through wreckage. A nimbus cloud invoice directed me. Live in the layers. Not in the litter. Do i lack the art to decipher it. No doubt the next chapter. In my book of transformations. Is already written. I am not done. With my changes. George lally is part of the transitional team in the transitional team was the committee that helped. Forever alex. Integrate. Integrate to our congregation. And so now george is going to. Buffet king to us. But today is homely i'm going to read an article entitled the pastor and the healthy church. By george mason. It was published by the albany institute. It's from a book. Mymason entitled preparing the pastor is we need. Reclaiming the congregations roll. In training clergy. First a couple of caveats. The author is a christian clergyman. And that is not. Not surprisingly comes through in his language in the article that i will read. Two he's focused on the needs of young ministers. And he is promoting. Pastoral residency program. No pain if you clever folks discern a hidden hand guiding my selection of this article. You may be onto something. We decided on it and his office tuesday. The pastor in the healthy church by george mason. Churches are we the plums or kills. An older colleague once declared to me as i was discerning weather. To accept a call to a certain congregation. Make sure this one isn't plum. It would have been easier. To figure out if he hadn't mixed his metaphors if i could have devised one taste test. Blind study to determine a plum or a pill. Another experience patch dirt was more helpful. Churches have either problem solving our problem making. Cultures. Healthy churches find ways to address the challenges they face. Without degenerating into toxic conflict. They build conflict overtime that they have the spiritual and relational resources. Necessary to make the community of christ. Eyewitness to the promise of new creation and not a lingering sign of the sinen sickness. Upper world passing away. Healthy congregations ought to reproduce themselves. We want their kind to propagate. Unhealthy congregations can get healthy. But they certainly should not expect pastoral residency program to cure what ails them. That would be like a married couple deciding to have children as way of resolving conflict between them. Defective that will more likely be that they will teach another generation. Can make the same mistakes that they have made. Churches that host pastoral residency programs have a formative effect. Young ministers. In the way those future pastors come to view the church. As well as how they develop their skills in serving it. If the church they trained in is a healthy congregation it will instill a vision of vitality and sound functioning in the novice pastor. That road may remain for years to come. When wilshire baptist church was discussing whether to call me as pastor in 1989. A line of questioning a rose about my youth and inexperience during a congregational meeting. As an aside do you think. Reverend alex was wanting to say something to you folks about our wonderful new young minister coming in. Anyway back to the text. The question arose about my youth and inexperience during a congregational meeting. Is he up to the challenge of leading a large church like ours they asked. After some back-and-forth about my age and maturity about whether i could grow into the job and so forth. An elderly deacon rose to speak from the back of the room. Seems to me. That we are putting the question the wrong way. It's not a matt but matter of whether he's up to the challenge it's whether we are. Great pastures don't make great churches he said. Great churches. Make great pastures. Conversely churches that find themselves in perpetual conflict. Have a way of taking the heart out of a pastor. Pastoral ministry is challenging to begin with. It requires sacrifices small and large. Pastors have to persevere. They shouldn't expect congregational camelot. Given that even a church founded by christ and animated by his spirit is a human institution. But like families that fall on a continuum between functional and dysfunctional. Pastoral residency work is most successful. In a church that is more life-giving. Then life draining. How can you determine whether your church is healthy enough. To move further down the road of discernment towards initiating a residency program. Many have attempted to assign marcos to what constitutes a healthy church. These attempts general reflect. The theological a denominational tradition in which the expert has been formed. Or perhaps the definitions of healthy are sociological and financial. What is a church. That is growing numerically and monetarily. Automatically a healthy church. Of course not. They may have fleeting appeal. Healthy churches are deep and wide both. They have spiritual depth. And increasing scope. The more important question of congregational health maybe whether it experiences itself as a spiritual community of well-being. 2 questions for congregational reflection to that end maybe. 1. Does the church have a long record of holding together through times of dispute. Or have church splits. Been the key to ever narrowing unity. People will come and go and every church conflict increases the likelihood that people will leave. The membership. Sometimes people will join the church after that time. Partly due to a clearer congregational identity. But if the church has a history of splitting. It would not possess important resources. To share with a novice pastor. About how to help a congregation. Work through with challenges and stay together. Stability is a bedrock virtue. Of a congregation that is ready to begin. A residency program. 2. Is there evidence that the church has an adventurous spirit that can try new things. If the virtue of stability keeps the church grounded. Creativity defies gravity. Churches need this kind of tension between being security-minded. Which ensures continuity and risk-taking. Which adds vitality. And opens the church to new possibilities. Every venture does not have to succeed in order to be successful. Because the church is not a business per se it doesn't have to show a financial return on investment. In order to justify a new ministry. Because the church is the body of christ does ever dying and rising again it can risk itself for the sake of the gospel and find that they're very venture. Undertaken that looks to some like failure may in fact have transformed the lives of those involved. Making a successful in spiritual ways. What is the church has no history of risking failure by attempting new things. It will have a hard time creating a pastoral residency program. That will demand much of the congregation. Healthy churches are congregations that keep stability. And creativity intention. They hold together the tried-and-true. With the untried and new. They imagine what they may be without neglecting what has been. The exercise prudence and faith. At the same time. I'm in. Hester said that was picked by. Bourbon alex has a kind of parting words to us. Bolinao have a chance for. Congregational,. So if you'd like to make a comment if you'd raise your hand microphone will be brought to you and again. Please speak. I'd like to say something so i guess i got the microphone i could start. I'd like to. Tell are many many visitors today that. We've had an interim minister for two years. And we've just called the settled minister. Who will be coming august 1st in fact. She is moving to the area. Driving a rental truck from san san francisco. And she will be here on monday and we have a crew ready to help her unload. On tuesday at 10 so. She is. Young and vibrant and i know will be a great ass. To archon. Congregation. And i'd also like to say that. We've had a long tradition of late leadership and always during the summer we have late let's services so. Visitors trius again because we have a lot of variety during the summer. And then at the end of august our new minister will. Beyond board. The first sermon. Some conversations willits. Stephanie. I just. Is going. So bring your poem. Hi i'm susan blanchard we moved here from a. Congregation. In florida that. Called a. New minister several years ago who. Surfers. Ministry. And i was very struck. By the. Line that said. Great congregation. Make. Great. Minister. Because that congregation. Failed. In my view. To help her become. The great minister. Has she had the potential to. And so i now look at it. I was looking at it as. Her failure to become. A good. Minister. But. Truly now believe that it. Congregation. Failure to mental her. In the right ways and i look forward to having. This opportunity to get to work with you see. To provide the appropriate manners. Chip for a rev era. Well stephanie beat me to the punch but yeah. I'll second her plug that next week looking forward to seeing people here and we need to fill the audience even if you want to read. Being on the. Why are you use it as a teen. Advisor for a bunch of years. One thing that really struck me is that. There's a whole bunch of rolls that have to happen. For healthy organization. And depending on the organization than that. Then different hats need to be had but. It's unrealistic to have one person. Where all the hats are be really good at all those rolls and so that's where i think is it. Community is good to identify where the strength. And then also where the opportunities are both and helping provide support but then also stepping in as a need to happen so. I really like the zombie thank you george. I'm just luke. I'm struck by. Several things but one has thinking back about our history here i put. I've been here 16 years some people have been here. Not 250 years but i think back that all the risk that this group is taking over the years when it start out with about eight families. Meeting and rented space. Buying this house down here. Turn addition on it. Building this building over here. With very few people with a very small budget that was a big risk for them to take that. And then i think about the risk that we all took. The built this huge edition wonderful addition which is created space. Rustic ranch welcome new people into our community definite ministries within our community to have our space be available for people i think. We have taken lots of risk. I think about the other hand also with showing a lot of heart. A lot of caring. I'm really surprised my wife has a very good friend. Who's not a part of singers who has lots of special needs. And belongs to a church. And somehow the people in the church never seem to be able to have the time or whatever to step up and provide the ride to the doctor. The meal or whatever. And you know i'm so proud of this group that and we really do respond one more. We are i think truly a community of caring. Do another as well as risk-takers i think we are spiritual community even though as unitarians many of us might recall. From that particular word. So i'm really optimistic we obviously have had issues and problems over the years. But i think i'm a soul. We've been healthy in terms of dealing with some. And keeping larger perspective so i'm i'm optimistic that we're up to the challenge. I'm helping sarah become a great minister. I'm bill clarkson and i grew up. Presbyterian church in the south carolina. That was set up by. Hot-tempered scotch-irish. They had a wooden church. In the middle 1800s. Came up with a split. And during the night one faction went out. Dismantles a woodchucks board by board and it was an empty field annex morning. Hi. I'm sharon day. I consider myself. Jordan. A humanist with a mystical bent. I became a unitarian primarily yuna. Terry universala. In a humanist congregation. Primarily be. Believed it was up to them to me. That there was nothing. Divinely come down. And change. The world. I wouldn't. To view. 2. People who live in. Although i know a number of you. 2. Think about this. There is. View in the car. Stronger. The brick. From the parking. To the garden. Start to build the wall and you. Build the wall. And there are lots. Why worst. The minister is a very. Depart. Because they. We're the ones who do all the work. 30 question. And. People like me. In this. Truly believe that it's a bothan. It's not the minister or the. Abrogation. It's their interests. And so. Really both of them have to take. Possibility. Of being healthy. And maintaining. Healthy open. And willing. 2. Explorer answers and look for positive connections and common ground. I'm reminded a little bit of some early childhood education i had an attachment theory. And. The attachment. The parent. Who was able to both provide security. And opportunities for exploration. And a child who was. Able to appreciate. The security and appreciate the opportunity. Exploration. They succeeded. In a lot of ways. That a. Perhaps depressed or. Unable to. Connect. Apparent. And child could not. Oren anxiety-provoking. Relationship. Could not. And. I think that all of us are capable. Of stepping back. And saying okay what's my role in this. What can i do to make this a more positive. Experience i think everyone of us. An individual. Can take that. Ability. And. I also think that each of us has the choice of saying you know i'm. Angry about this and. I'm going to just. Ynobe is unpleasant as possible. It's a choice. And i i know when people get hurt. Sometimes it's very difficult to. Do kind of come back to that. Open and willing. Kind of stance. But i know that in in a marriage like mine. Where the first two years were hell. Because we were both. Oldest children were both right used to running the show he been in. National marriage. Twenty-plus years. Open single and. On my own for 20 years. We were just everything it was. Just having. The fight over. And we had to learn first how to talk to each other. Which meant saying this is how. Where i'm coming from. And then the other purse. I understand. You're saying. And listening. As much as x. And perhaps more important listening. And now we can still have our moments. But. We understand we trust we have that security. And we understand that. Despite. Whatever it is at the moment that there's a future time. There's. That valley. That. Was being son. That valley of pain. Is temporary. And and we get through it and. And we take responsibility for our own be. I was going through a difficult time a few many years ago and. Very very good friend of mine whenever i'd start. Planing about. What's going on. Was that. Okay now. What's your. Rolling this. What's your motivation. And it made me really mad. Because it was all everybody else's phone. And i had to even. Even though it was everybody else's fault. I had to. Just. Learn. What my role was. So i'll be quiet now. Thank you. I hope our visit. Do not. Make that this happen. Every week. We are. We are in it.. Brief and transition. We've had a beloved. Interior minister for two years. And the rules of our association are. Sajan interim may not continue service. No matter how much he is. Love. And so people are expressing. This transition. Between ministers. And it doesn't happen every week. Door closet. I'd like to speak to something that i think is important in this.. Because we have come through several different people but. Stabilizing influence to me is represented by the room we sit in now. Most times when i explore other places and other churches. I go into. Buildings. They're closed. There may be an external effort to raise your eyes up. But inside the walls come in and your kind of focused on yourselves. And i love coming here. Because the building committee that we had. Gave us an open space. When you standing here you see outside. You see the world around us. N2b symbolizes the fact that no matter what we are is a congregation of who our leader is. We're part of a larger community. And we function with it. And i think the symbolism dominate. And should dominate. I even sitting at my old lady in the fact that now. As we've grown comfortable with living in this semi outside world. Now one of our major efforts is exploring the rest of our grounds and making it memorable part. Inclusive part of our services for the memorial garden in the efforts of the landscape group. So i rejoice in the symbolism. Represented by where we sit. And what it represents for all of us. I remember. 3 years ago when. The minister. Who had been with us for almost 12 years. Announce the sheba. Retiring. And i remember. A meeting here. A service and. National meeting. With a lot of. Uncertainty. Expressed a lot. Fear. What would we. Well. You know we. Found our way. Came together and we. Decided. We would call and. Decided to call it in. And then we. Been through a number of. Kind of decision. And now we have. So we've real. A lot of fun. It feels a little bit. I'ma mike i guess. Say i just. But. We're going to. We're going to be great. We have been. Good morning i'll be brief. I'm frank dupont my wife. Marilyn and i just returned from general assembly in louisville kentucky. At your representatives. And we heard a lot of things because we attended every plenary session some of what you're boring but most of which. Are engaging. I heard several things at general assembly one of. I'll focus on two. The strength of any congregation is one of the. Things that they focused on because the theme was covenant. And the covenant. And the strength of urban community. Is how they treat one another. Our strength. It's how we treat each other. The second thing that i would focus on. Has to do with. The importance. Of our ability and willingness. To evaluate ourselves. So that what we're doing. Get scrutiny. And if we find that something is not working. Which also requires. A definition. Of what that looks like. We need to be willing to change. Adapt. Adjust. And i have seen all of that. And this religious community. Good morning lauren blakemore. And i came in this morning and i was stood with daryl and i said. There's something weird it's quiet it's straight. And then. He pointed out that alex really wasn't here. And that explained it and i've spent the past year as president elect. And i've had the joy of working alongside our. Are bored but. But also getting to know alex and and that's been a real privilege so. Like you i'm gutted to see him late but i knew was coming. And i know it's going to be all right and i think it's important that. We remember he challenged us these past two years. Any challenge does. To be the very best that we could be and i think we're almost there. We're still working on it but. Alex alex let us along that path and i think that we could be forever grateful for that. And i also had the privilege of spending a little extra time with rev dora almost on my own she just had one chaperone. As the incoming president. And i'm just so excited to be working with her and again thank you to the the team that found her and her bringing her to us because. Referring to your reading where there was some concern that she's a little young. She was the youngest oldest person i've ever met. Sorry just had the most amazing. Insight and wisdom and. Ideas and i think she can teach us so much but i think she can also learn so much with us. And she's ready to do that and i think we're just ready to embrace her. And. Things are going to be great. Many years ago. Marine corps i had. I had occasion to go in a mediterranean cruise. And in so doing learn some. Navy waze. And. Onboard naval ships it seems when the. Commanding officer leaves you'll hear the bosun's whistle. And i knelt a in the case of the rockbridge that i was on that say. Rockbridge departing are rockbridge arriving. What we have no such custom here. So it is up to me to tell you. That. Although he was. I'm a little touched by this. Although he was here with us. At the beginning of this service. By design robin alex as. Swept away. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

150906_do_courage.mp3

Welcome to the september 6th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by a settled minister reverend arrowland. And her servant is titled. The courage to dream and dare. The podcast begins. With a reflection by uuc member george lally. And closes with an invitation to congressional participation by george. I invite forward george lally to share with us. Personal meditation on the themes of this morning. Good morning. My name is george lally. This is my reflection on bravery and our year of living bravely mean to me. The person i want to tell you i'm here today. With some slight effort. For once traveled and couth and heartless. As someone said to me. I was asked as part. Abdhesh to think of. Who was some of the bravest people i know i have known. When answer arrived at after reflection may surprise you. Are you familiar with people. Parents and friends of lesbians and gays. I've attended a number of pflag meetings. Which i am proud to say i hosted right here. I knew you say. It just so happens that the pflag chapter that needs here. Has a number of transgendered people in various stages of transition. Suffice to say that those individuals have persisted in their personal journeys. At great cost. Insisting on being themselves. Despite enduring scorn. Rejection. Ridicule. And ill-treatment. Often on a daily basis. That's bravery. I spent four years. In the marine corp in peacetime. Getting out just before. The balloon went up as they say in vietnam. We've been told in boot camp that we carried a reputation for bravery. That we hadn't yet learned. I remember numerous conversations with my buddies. And those days in which we realized our hope that we'd. Do the right thing. Ie the brave. If we were ever in combat. To this day i have. Reverence. As most of us do. For the bravery of our military of firemen and police and so forth. But nowadays i see bravery. Has broader. And more encompassing then simply. What we deem heroic. Now i believe that bravery is much more frequent reaction and it does not require rear. Or exceptional events to happen. In my opinion we all have opportunities to be brave. Individually. And collectively. And frequently to. Let me begin. By going backwards. Sometimes you can begin to understand a thing by. Knowing what it isn't. So let's consider what is not living bravely. Chihuahuas shake the safest path is not living bravely. To steer away from danger. Is not living bravely. To avoid controversy is not living bravely. Chihuahuas and all costs avoid ruffling feathers. Is not living bravely. To routinely stick with the familiar. It's not living bravely. To avoid heavy lifting is not living bravely and to leave things on cruise control. Is not living bravely. Who is brave. Entrepreneurs are brave usually. For the risks they take. People who stand up for their rights in the face of discrimination. A brave. People who are unsatisfied with the status quo and seek to change it. People who endured suffering with dignity. My brave. People who shoulder responsibilities who risk failure who risk rejection or ridicule. A brave. People who move towards the unknown. The untried. The unfamiliar. And ambiguous. A brave. So here we are in the beginning months of our year of living bravely. Let's make it a magnificent year. As of george so powerfully alluded to we are in our very first month here at our congregation. Of a year-long theme which is. Our year. I've living. Bravely. Our year of living bravely and if someone tapped on my shoulder and said rezadeira so we just have one year. Will be living. That's not so bright. Right but this is our year where we're really going to be thinking about. What does it mean to live. Bravely. As individuals. The whole congregation. In a beautiful and hurting world. What can we imagine. In our year. Of living. Bravely. Share with you a little bit more about this theme but first i wants you. Invite you to consider you our answer to the very same question that i asked. George to consider witches. Who is brave. To you. Who's someone in your life maybe someone's. Who i exam balls. Being brave. What makes them. Brave. I'm going to circle back a little bit and just a little bit to that question and i really invite you to consider. Who it is that is brave to you and why. I want to share with you that the theme are year of living bravely. Comes out of a conversation that happened last year in the strategic planning committee of this congregation and now. Strategic planning you might think. Is really about getting down to brass tacks. Plans schemas the future. And you'd be right about that. But brass tacks. When you get down to the brass tacks of brass tacks. Brass tacks by the heart of the matter. And this congregation along with many congregations. Has decided that basically in order to create a strategic map of the future we need to have a renewed refreshed vision. Of where we want to go. What we will do in service of where we want to go and how we will continue to be together in service of that vision. This is to say strategic planning has to be oriented to where our hearts are calling us to be. And also for us to consider the past. The present. And the future. So when we're thinking this year about our year of living bravely we're thinking about how do we live bravely. As individuals. And as we cast our dreams for the future. With the eye that those dreams are good just to generate. But eventually those dreams will also guide us in the practical choices we make as a congregation about where we put our time where we put our energy. Xcetera. So. This whole process has everything to do with possibilities that are then translated into actual plans. I've always been moved by learning about the journey that a congregation. Takes. In order to become itself. And like many human beings the congregations always in a process of growth and. How many of you joined this congregation. Back when it was but a small fellowship. Searching for a home didn't even have a home yet. Marion yeah. And did i miss someone else. Oh yes marquita. All right and who was here who was around when that group of people that became the fellowship actually had a home in the residence that's located just down the strive way who remembers those years. And there's so many tales to this congregation and all your long we're going to be celebrating our past and our present and our future today when asked you who was around in 1992 when the congregation outgrew its home there in this residence and moved. Here. And many of you then probably remember the renovations that happened and indeed were probably instrumental in the renovations that happened you were here and remember the renovations that made this beautiful place that we now occupy go ahead and raise their hand and look around everyone so you can see. Too dumb to be a lot of folks here who remember both when list when the fledgling fellowship with connecting with the first part-time minister. And there'd be people that definitely remember your long journey with the minister of merida christine brownlee. And it probably people here who then also remember the two-year enstrom with alex. Gibson. Raise your hand if you first came to the congregation during that intern.. Animal probably some folks in here who probably remember when i first came as your second. Full-time called settled minister in the history of this congregation became sometime in the past two or three years other people here can of the past. You know when we're born as human beings there's a saying that were born not into a vacuum but we're born into a conversation already on folding. And so it is this year when we start talking about our hopes and our dreams for the future we don't do it in a vacuum rather we do it with celebration. And acknowledgement. All of the brave wise choices. Forms of path. Of this congregation constituted the present and we want to start thinking about who comes next. What will be our contribution. To those who are here later. There's a unitarian universalist him that goes. What they what they dreamed the hours today. What daydream. Hours today. In case any of this is sounding a little abstract. And don't worry i'm going to get back to bravery. Have you forgotten that. Let me give you just an example back when the renovations occurred and there's going to be people here who can give more detail. There was a visionary idea. That was. Planted. Who's your knows that there's an elevator shaft in this building. Great. Who's your didn't know that there was an elevator shaft in the building look around look around. The part of this vision was. Let's build an elevator shaft so that our building can be accessible widely accessible right. And it happened that there were other priorities and funds didn't work quite actualize to make that happen per se but still at exist. What could we do in the future. Is it possible. That we could actually manifest. That dream. What daydreams be ours to do. Could not even be part of a larger dream a larger dream about making our congregation ever more accessible for example you might see that to get on this diet. You need to go up two steps. Maybe even three. To really get over here. What if we had a ramp. Who is currently unable to speak. From this place. What daydreams be hours today. Stinking stirring the imagination all year long strategic planning and lots of committees the congregation are going to invite each one of you to think about your brave hopes you're brave dreams for this place. This people. Liberal religion in the new river valley of which we are apart you can hear lots more about it. I want you again i want invite you again to return to who you came to mine who came to your mind when i asked you for an example of someone. Is really bright. And what makes them. Now i want to ask you perhaps. Harder. Can you think of a time when you were brave. The time when you. And maybe a lot slide into your mind or maybe have to go digging a little bit. When we get talking about bravery we often get talking about courage and we can talk about the semantics a little bit and there are going to be at least two sermons on this topic this is part one and they'll be another in two weeks. We might unpacking a little more but for today. I want to say let us welcome then. Experiences of bravery and experiences of. Courage. To be brave. Comes from a word that means bold. The word courage. Comes from a word that means heart. Who are we. When we. I tell you a very brief story. About small person. Great stature. A bold heart. And her family. Some of you might know the name of ruby bridges. In 1960 ruby bridges was six years old. And one day in november it was november 14th she walked up the stairs to her elementary school. Anyone know the name of ruby bridges. Some of you might start to recognize this name. As i keep going. Now here's a little bit of a warning this is a sad story. An inspiring story. Little ruby bridges 6 years old w up the stairs to her elementary school she was the first. African american. Great an all-white elementary school in the south. She integrated william france school. In new orleans. Some of you might remember the television footage when she first approached the school as she tells that she remembered huge crowds of people but she says you know i grew up in new orleans and i thought it was mardi gras. She had no idea that all those crowds had gathered. Because everyone was really concerned about what was happening. It really wasn't ruby says until she. Started going to the school. And there was actually someone. Who created a small brown coffin. And placed inside that coffin a baby doll. With brown skin. And put it in her face. Of course she was scared. It was meant to scare her. That doll was meant to scare her was meant to scare her whole family was meant to scare an entire movement that was bent on taking wrist be. The time had come. To implement the supreme court's decision in brown versus board of education and the southern legislators. Legislators work keeping a close hold and not letting the schools be integrated there's a room and rockwell painting. A little ruby bridges. She's this big. And you can see the whites federal agents to in front of her. Two behind her. Their accompanying her as she walks to school it was on the cover of look magazine in 1964. Who knows. What kind of fear. Who knows what kind of strength was present in her and her fam. Today we talked about bullying. There were riots. In those streets. Drawings of angry people lining those sidewalks. The second day of school someone threatened to poison her. All she was allowed to eat with food that the federal marshals could be assured she brought from home. However on the second day lots of white families were pulling their kids out of school either because they were ante integrations or they were too scared because of all of the mobs and the riot and the vitriol that was pulling out there was one man. A methodist minister. Who had a daughter. And he said i'm walking my daughters. And when the cameras were pushed into his face is that i want my child to have the right to go to school. Years later pan was the name of the little white caucasian girl who went to school. Pam and ruby bridges were reunited at the elementary school. And look together at the footage of that day. Those of you who are parents as i am now can imagine. The risk that it was to allow a six-year-old. To walk. 6 years old. Thankfully there was a child psychologist by the name of robert cole to offer to see ruby and psychological counseling that whole year. And today ruby bridges has a foundation called the ruby bridges foundation which is dedicated to the amelioration and addressing of racism. Inr time. When ruby's mom was asked about why she was committed to let her daughter do this. She talked about her commitment. Present. Turrubiates present. Ruby was a smart girl. She wanted a better future. No doubt that family loves their little one. No doubt they would not want her to be screamed at. To sit in the classroom for one whole year by herself with only one other teacher that would agree. Ambrose redmoon says this courage is not the absence of fear. But rather the judge. That something else is more important. As we think about our year of living bravely. I want us to honor those who were the first. Maybe the first in their field. Who stepped out and made a choice. Cracked that glass ceiling felt the impacts of those shards. And made a stand because something else is more important. Then their fear. I also though one is to consider what george also alluded to. And that when we talk about fear and great when we talked about bravery and courage we can get. Pretty. Quickly. Invested in big stories of brave. But what i know from my own life. And i'm listening too many of you. Is it sometimes bravery looks like facing chronic pain. Everyday in the morning. And having a rich social life. Even in the face of that. Bravery can look big and bravery can look small. Encourage what wells up inside of us and allows us to keep on. Who's been brave in your life. What are the examples you now. And when have you been. Please tell each other these stories all year long please tell me these stories all year long and two weeks we're going to go even more deeply into this topic and i'm going to be talking about moral courage. In ruby bridges kind of gets us there but we're going to be talking about big and small examples of growing moral courage. For now. Think on bravery. I know many of you are brave and there must be a place in your life. Or you could actually take a brave step right now. What will you dream. What will we do. When we are bold. Heart attack. Blessed be. And. This is. Call the invitation to congregational participation. I'm pleased to serve on the uuc strategic planning committee. Which is cherod. By pauly stinson. Yeah she does that to. And informed by the wisdom of reverend era. Strategic planning. Is charged with developing plans for the future direction of our congregation. Right now. One of the main ways we're doing that is coordinating important conversations about our collective hopes. And dreams for what we can do together. When we imagine the future. Our committees first focus has been on revisiting our congregations vision mission and covenant. Or our purpose our aspirations. In our roadmap. The future. We envision. Anna planning. On holding many intentional smaller conversations. In groups. Asking folks to share their dreams. Our aim will be. Finding a broad consensus. We decided to begin these conversations with a workshop on october 17th by reverend robert latham. A nationally recognized authority on these matters. It will be held right here. And everyone from the congregation who wishes. To attend is invited. The supplier for that. You probably seen and your auto service. So where does the year of living bravely come from. We on the committee took note of the rising energy and multiple exciting initiatives and changes that have recently begun here at the uuc. Without a need to state. Why and how they fit together what ties them together. Including the conversation about mission vision covenant. Was there an overarching theme. I'm talking about initiatives like we taking our downstairs space. To expand our religious education area and in the process. Giving up rental income. I'm talking about sharing half of the sunday offering. Half the plate every week. I'm talking about posse 16r plan to send an unprecedented. Number of uuc members and families. Did you your way general assembly in columbus ohio. June. I'm talking about our beginning and exciting. Padma church initiative. With the unitarian congregation in foreign country. In about gathering here on september 26th. With other uu congregations of the blue ridge area. To meet up and brainstorm areas of possible. Collaboration. In each case we're doing something new untried. We are entering what is faraz. Terra incognita. Or unknown territory you might say. Things could go wrong. Disappoint. Backfire. When you stick your neck out. Sometimes you end up with a painted the neck. A worse. But these new things have come from our people's articulated desires. From the wellspring of members actual dreams and hopes. They are new but they are not. Flashes in a pan at all. And we. We believe. The each of these pieces is exciting and hope filled. Rooted in our member is express. Dreams and desires. Embracing change requires that you be a little gutsy. Sometimes very gutsy. So that is why this is our year. I'm living bravely. Ps. I have a little secret to share. I think this great congregation is full of. Untapped energy ideas. Enthusiasm. Hand grip. Don't try to hold it in. We're going to be doing exciting things here together. And you can dive right in. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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160228_ep_direction.mp3

Welcome to the february 28th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by worship associate ellen plummer. Ellen is joined by other members of the worship services committee. To present readings and reflections. On the team of direction. I had fun putting our service together today. I was inspired. Buy a worship. Services committee meeting that was facilitated. By david. Who asked us at the beginning of our meeting to reflect on the word. Direction. We select words. As fiends. That. Organize over the course of the year. Are worship services and some of our groups are using those words also too. Shape readings and reflections in time together so this notion of having the word around which we. Hang some of our thoughts and readings and reflections is coming the dara introduced us to probably a year or so ago. So this month's word is direction. And david asked us at the beginning of our meeting to consider. The degree to which we felt we had. Directions. Over r. Life. I was very inspired by the degree to which those of us were members of the committee each brought a really different. But you surprised me right but he really different. And rich response to. That question into the word of direction. Some of us had. The notion of being a receiving directions some of us talked about. Giving direction. Some of us thought. Great big huge. some of us thought smaller thought it was just to me very rich and wonderful and i have been living with this idea for the last. Few weeks so that now almost every conversation i'm in and like. How does that. Link to. Direction. So i've invited several of our committee. Members. To share with us this morning their notions around their ideas or a poem or reading. Around. Directions. Some of you may know the writer. And lamont. Anne lamott. I love her because she's quite a reverent. That works for me. And she's written a series of book this what this one is help thanks wow. One of my favorites. One of the thoughts that i had about the word direction was its relationship. Or that synonyms might be things like prayer. Or. That direction might be asking for help being lost and needing direction parents during this morning about the moral compass. All of these ways in which we speak. Direction and sometimes are sought-after. To provide direction and. To what degree do we. Are we intentional about our relationship 22. Here's one of the many things that. And lamott. So when we cry out help. Or whisper it. Into our chest. We enter the paradox. Of not going limp. And not feeling so hopeless. That we can barely walk. And we release ourselves from the absolute craziness. I'm trying to be our own. Or. Other people's. Higher power. Help. We can be freed from a damaging incense insistence. On forward thrust. From a commitment to running wildly down a convenient path. That might actually be taking us deeper into the dark forest. Praying help. Means that we asked. But something give us the courage. Just stopped in our tracks. Right where we are. And turn our fixation. Away from the gordian knot of our problems. We stopped the toxic pairing. And instead turn our eyes to something else. Your feet on the sidewalk. To the middle distance. To the hills. Winstar help. Comes. Someplace else. Anything else. Maybe this is the shift. I've only eight degrees. But it can be. A miracle. It may be one of those miracles where your heart sinks. Because you think it means you have lost. But in surrender. You have one. And if it were me. After a moment. I would say. Thanks. I'd like to invite worship services committee member. Tim pickering to share his thoughts on. Thank you alan. Was ellen mentioned we had a very inspiring discussion at the worship committee meeting a couple of weeks ago. In during that discussion a couple of lines of poetry popped into my head. From where who knows. And with the help of the fount of all knowledge google. The managed to track down the source of those lines of poetry. And there's actually a quite an interesting i think story behind it in the poem was written by william ernest henley. Indian 1875. One of his legs required amputation. Due to complications arising from tuberculosis. And immediately after the amputation. He was told that his other leg. Would require a similar procedure. He chose instead to enlist the services of the distinguished surgeon surgeon joseph lister. Who was able to save hanley's remaining leg after multiple surgical interventions on his foot. Paul recovering in the infirmary. He was inspired to write. This poem. Lines from this poem. Often quoted. White people who are facing daunting challenges. Or who are enmeshed in trying circumstances. Men are wondering what they should do next. So here are the words to invictus. By william ernest henley. Out of the night. It covers me. Black is the pit. From pole to pole. I thank whatever gods may be. For my on conquerable soul. In the fill clutch of circumstance. I have not went. Dark ride allowed. Under the bludgeonings of chance. My head is bloody. But unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears. Looms but the horror of the shade. And yet the menace of the years. Find me. And she'll find me. Unafraid. It matters not how straight the gate. How charged with punishments the scroll. Bye. A master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul. Nancy bodenhorn also a member of our committee. Took a different tack. And i share ihop i am delighted to. Create an. So during the meeting i actually talked about my health and some choices and decisions that i've made they are but. Most recently that has developed into. Specimen in fluid task and i really don't want to talk about that so. There's another really don't want. But there was also something additional that was occurring in my life. Which is what i've chosen to share here. And that is the the direction to have challenging communications. Our parents moved here to warm hearth about 5 years ago when our mother was diagnosed with dementia. They had visited warm hearth a few years earlier when i suggested that they might want to be aware of the options here. Close to me. They had had the only lengthy fight at least five years of their marriage that we knew about. About moving out of their house and into any sort of assisted living. My mother insisting that she did not want to live in a place that was like a hospital or with only old people. I recall distinctly when i asked their permission. To set up an appointment to visit warm hearth. Because there might be some scenarios that might result in them moving here. And my mother's response was. Depends on which one of us is left. Fortunately they were very impressed with worm her. And they both agreed to move here when it was warranted. Our mothers dementia has predictably and steadily progressed. She is now in the willows at our dad lives in showalter and visits her daily. I attend the care meetings is only in the executor of their will. And secondary medical power of attorney. When she first moved to the willows the nurses asked about signing a dnr form. My father indicated that that he was not going to sign a dnr and later told me that he thought that was covered by their living well. The second time they ask. Deb said he looked at it and was not going to sign it because it seems very harsh. The nurses replied but it does seem very harsh. But they were concerned about the effects of doing cpr. Onofrio 95 year old. Breaking ribs and causing more complications in pain. A few weeks later about 5 months ago. I was having one of my weekly breakfast with my dad. And suggested to him that i thought he should reconsider. Through tears i said i certainly do not want to hasten our mother's death. But i am more concerned about her dying without pain. And living her life as she would want. Her life is not bad. We and especially our dad. Do all that we can to make her life comfortable. But i truly believe from everything she advocated and said throughout her life. That she would not want to extend her life in the banner that she now lives. Her mind is failing and if her body also starts to fail. Perhaps. We should let that happen. 5 months later last week. Add another one of our breakfast. Dad told me that he had decided that i was right. And that he has decided to sign the dnr. We agreed that it was what mom wanted us to do. He was also starting to think about what dying with dignity would mean for him in his future. Andre called the decades in which he and his friends discussed wanting to die on the tennis court. But he knows that that's not possible anymore since he stopped playing tennis after his second baxter. The directions in my life that gave me the courage to have these challenging but important conversation. Include the uu principle to me and tara inherent worth and dignity of every person and compassion in human relationship. The brave discussions that my parents had with me decades ago about their choices. In developing their wills and medical power of attorneys. The friendships with people like isabelle bernie and cynthia luke who talked about everything. And my family values that taught me to advocate for those who cannot have. Cake for themselves. David lally. Chair and facilitator of the community services. No or no. Worship services committee. Right. And who inspired today service. Greetings everyone. Me the other lally. Otherwise known as george's brother. So. I love being part of the worship services committee and. Thank you alan for putting this together i know from the outside it may look like. The island of misfit toys but when we come together i feel like. Please share our innate gifts and. It's a good time. So a time reflecting about direction. And what role we might play in sitting direction in our lives. I started thinking about. Swansea. I don't know if anyone knows swansea some people calling chongzuo. I brought a picture visual aid. .. Today. No it's not. Search onesie. Was the 4th century taoist philosopher and also. The presumed author. Of the eponymous dallas text theme the twinsies. And in that onesie tells the story of. How we once dreamt that he was a butterfly. Fluttering here and there. In the dream he had no awareness of his individuality as a person. He was only a butterfly. Suddenly he woke. And found himself laying there. A person once again. But then he thought to himself. Was i before a man who dreamt about being a butterfly. Where am i now a butterfly who dreams about being a man. So there are two teams. Among many that stand out most to me in the story. One of them is. Everything is connected. Swansea realize that the butterfly the man waking dreaming. They are all one. Hilda theme inside of awakening. Both in the literal sense of waking from a dream. But also in the broader vision. And deepening awareness swansea. Games about the true nature of things. So what's all this got to do about direction. Does a filipino saying. Did one cannot reach their destination without looking back. To your origin. It's a very circular view of your lights journey. When your life path is a circle. Both directions lead home. Perhaps the journey. Is a way to gain some scale. Some perspective. About all of this oneness. Perhaps our direction is a way to experience some aspect of this. Ultimate c. And perhaps. Miami butterfly dreaming. You can see why. Worship. Services committee meetings can be. Not just meeting but. Worship and being together in these lovely wonderful smart. And challenging ways of true gift. One last. Comment one last brief reading about direction. And it's from. Meg. Barn houses book broken buddha. And some of you may recall that meg was with us last summer. Drink sushi. And was a guest minister. With us that when. Drink to see she was she was up here performing with her wife. And so i course ran right out and bought all the books. And this one's called broken buddha and. In terms of what made me go to this book as i was. Thinking lawn and marinating with this idea of direction. Was that the introductory essay which is also what the book is named after the broken buddha. Is a photograph that meg keeps. Of a picture of a broken buddha broken buddha is the title of a photograph in my online art collection. It shows the lap of a painted statue. 1 graceful hand has broken off. And is resting on the soul. Of an upturned foot. I'm trying to figure out why i'm so drawn to this image. The enlightened one as imperfect. Cracked. And chipped. Maybe that is how my enlightenment feels. It's not all that shiny anymore. A piece or two. Might have gotten knocked off. I learned that his broken hand is in the. Corona mudra. The shape used for warding off demons. One of the online comments under this photo of the broken buddha. Reeds. The enlightened one is still whole. The buddha's broken hand must have made that person nervous. The person who wrote that comment wanted to be true. But he doesn't know. Maybe you can be enlightened. And broken too. Sometimes i feel like i understand so much. But i can be a lot of help. Two lots of other people. Other times. My mind is blank. And there is nothing in my mind or heart. To say. But. I'm so sorry. I want to reach out but my hand is lying. In my lap. Cylinder shape. Of warding off demons. Demons of fear. Illness. Financial terror. Los. And i can't do anything. With it. The broken buddha says he knows how i feel. Our hearts beat together for a time. And we are both. Strengthen. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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160221_do_friendship-beginning.mp3

Welcome cuz it's february 21st service. The unitarian. Congregation. And blacks. Virginia. The service a day is led by our settled minister. Reverend arrowland. But the sermon is delivered by two guests. Kathy cortez and richard van teresa. The title of the sermon is. Beginning. Beautiful friendship. The podcast begins with reverend darris passed. Prayer. Followed by a story for all ages delivered by kathy. The podcast closes. With reverend harris benedict. I invite you now in 26. it's of prayerful. Reflection. Spirit of love. of life. Abiding spirit of. Hope. Encourage. Let us remember this day. The fullness of life itself. The precious. Of human living. Let us remember and bring into our hearts and minds those who might be in need of solace. Pork. Let us remember those among us who are bright with hope. And celebration. But i spent ourselves into a closer connection with the very. Alliance. It's tender beauty. Deep. Joys. And soft. Diagnosis. But as welcome forward compassion. For ourselves for our neighbors your gathered this morning and those beyond our walls. Let's bring into our awareness compassion for all those who might be in need. Hope and care. Those we are facing right now of sudden loss perhaps. The uncertainty of transitions. Maybe a waiting medical news. For themselves or someone they care for. But our hearts and minds travel to those places in the world. Impacted by tremendous cons. Let us take this opportunity this day to renew in our hearts a love beyond borders. Let us remember syria and turkey. Libya and uganda. All those places where life is in peril. Courage and hope are needed. But it's also this day remember those sweet people. In our partner. Congregation. Instant yeast and lover follow the. Where we are growing. Beautiful. New relationship. Let us hold that particular. Community in our hearts as they gather. This sunday. Spirit of love. But it's all being rich by the bonds of karen the fabric of life. And let us give great thanks for the opportunity to enter into life's mystery. Blessed be. Today is i mentioned and worship we are joined by two very special guests. Kathy cortez and dick van deusen who have come from afar to speak with us about the emerging. Relationship that we are growing with a partner a unitarian partner congregation in transylvania. Is to bring us a wealth of information resources and passion you'll be hearing more from them this morning. At this time i want to welcome kathy cortez to go ahead and lead us in a story for all ages thank you kathy. Good morning. It's a real joy to be here. And you have a really warm and welcoming congregation. I'm going to tell you a little story a quick story before you go off to your classes. Edit the story for everybody to think about you. The story about a guy named roy. Android is just. You're all. American guy. You know he looks like everybody. And he's out walking in the field one day and there's nobody else around. He's in this great big field and all of a sudden. He sees the spaceships. And there must have been like 10. Enikos. What's happening and one of them lands. And an android doesn't know what to do anything anything swell. I'll be friendly. I'll just i'll just assume they're going to be friendly. And i'll be friendly to. And so the door opens and outcome. These three creatures that don't exactly look like human. And in fact. It kind of looks like. Where is head should be. There's kind of a ham. Singers that are kind of waving in the wind. And so roy thinks okay. They still seem friendly. I'm going to be friendly at so what do you think roy does. He runs over to them. Eddie grabbed him by the hand and he speaks asleep. Uh-oh. Maybe not such a good idea. Because apparently. He hurt the guy. And the guys to friends that were with him came and gathered him up and ran quickly back to the ship. Close the door and they took off. Never to be seen again. And poor roy is sitting there thinking. But i didn't intend to do that i didn't intend to hurt him. I intended to be friendly. And sometimes. When you're faced with people who are different from you. The things that are okay for you like shaking hands or. Or hugging or things like that. Are really not the best way to say hello at the very beginning. So what do you think roy could have.. People doing this we have people doing this. But he certainly could have waited and watched a little bit. And maybe taken cues from the other person. The other being that wasn't really a person. Sometimes no matter how good your intentions are. The impact on the other is not exactly what you had thought about. So we tell you that. Knowing that you are about to embark on a big adventure and you're going to meet a lot of people who do look a lot like you. But they have a very different culture and so. That's what we suggest. Is that you sometimes just watch and wait. Thank you. Morning we titled our service the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Here at our congregation with just learning together altogether about what it means to create a beautiful friendship with a unitarian congregation across the globe. As i said it's an absolute joy this morning to welcoming to worship by cathy cordes and victor van dusen who have spent many a year health in congregations just like ours grow and strengthen partnerships. A large part i want to see this morning i do believe we're here because of a love story. We're here is part of a larger love story love story that has to do with the growth and fostering of unitarian universalism in the united states but also unitarianism are shared. Tradition that has roots that go way way way back. Sometimes people shayo unitarian universalism. You born yesterday. We're born yesterday if it means that archaeological ruth go way back to the council of nicea in 325 ad. That was way back when early church fathers started to consolidate what became known as the nicene creed which some of you may know from your own background. Way way way back then there was a conversation among the early church fathers. And they were fathers then. About the relationship between. That was the nature of humanity and the nature of god and the nature of the figure jesus. Help today i don't want to spend most of my time giving us a history lesson but i want you to have a little bit of context and even longtime unitarian universalist who come to class with me or go to lunch with class with someone else and study this history sometimes get foggy. What's that again. So before i give an introduction to our guests this morning when a trace this out just a little more briefly with you. 325 the council of nicaea early church fathers got together wrestling with the big theological questions of their time what's the nature of. God what's the nature of. Humanity and its jesus is jesus. God. Is jesus the son of god. Is jesus somehow a step below god. But more divine than the rest of humanity. Lots of thick interesting theological questions. Fascinating history to get into. Back then there were some dissenting voices today we use the term heretic which means those who choose comes from the latin meaning those who choose. At that time there were those who were choosing to understand the relationship of god and jesus and the divine a little bit differently than the early church fathers were when they started to consolidate into the trinitarian understanding that became express. In the nicene creed. Those are the illogical root of what became a unitarian way of thinking about. Let's fast-forward a little bit to the reformation in europe. There was john calvin and a large emphasis on calvinism the idea that some were saved and some were damned and also a wrestling there at that time in a big profound way to solidify understanding of what christianity meant. There were dissenting voices one of them was michael servatus also known as miguel cervantes in a fascinating story that i do believe would make a wonderful drama that could be watched on television. Or maybe a movie. And i think it has intrigued beyond just unitarian universalist. You know. It's a particular interest to us. Michael servatus and john calvin teach each other all across europe. Write a strongly-worded criticisms of one another's ideas michael servetus is actually counted and so much so that he's actually burned at the stake for his ideas. He was one of our faith for bart bearers championing this idea of religious freedom freedom to question the freedom of religious conscience. Even if it is different than the dominant prevailing theological perspective of the. Michael servetus fascinating figure inspires a lot of different people including george be andrada including a lot of different folks who make their way across eastern europe finding sanctuary trying to find places where they can start practicing in the ways that feel most life-giving and theologically in tune with how they see the world. It's a very perilous time the radical reformation this is where we get the what a group called the polish brethren that take up sanctuary and start to practice. In poland in the far kind of at the time reaches in the mountains of. Eastern europe. This is fascinating history about how it is that those people the radical the folks and the radical reformation. End up in transylvania influencing john sigismund and we get in transylvania will hear a little bit more from this about this from kathy but basically we get the first unitarian came. And we get the edict of torta. Which is at the first-of-its-kind at the proclamation for religious tolerance. So you may not have known or remembered that yes there has been in history of unitarian king. Here's an early king in transylvania. Wait there's so much more to be said explored about why it is that transylvania is considered the birthplace for. I see a logical route but indeed that unitarian church in transylvania. Onigiri. Interesting and unique history. In some ways the threads will remind us of things that we cherish and hold beer here and in some ways especially how it looks a little bit different or a lot different. I'm so getting to know some of those similarities and some of those difference is part of what makes. It needs to develop a friendship. I could go on and on but i'm already preached before it at our congregation about some of us history and we'll have many more time to talk more in-depth. I wanted you to have a framework an operating framework to receive some of the more wonderful rich information that we will hear from our special guest. Before we hear from them i'd like to just share very briefly a word of personal introduction so you can do a little bit more about now who they are personally. Kathy cortez is the executive director of the unitarian partner church council. That council supports over 190 partnerships between congregations in the us and canada and other parts of the world. She's visiting unitarians and transylvania in hungary in india and the philippines in burundi. Hernia. She came to us this week as dicted to do a startup weekend meeting with layers of our leadership helping us to imagine what is even partnership mean what does it look like. And they let us through workout workshop yesterday and we started to think about you know how are we going to start the beginning of this beautiful friendship. She's an active member of the first parish unitarian universalist. Church in bedford massachusetts and she lives by this model the most radical thing we can do is introduce people to one another. And when she first arrived she brought some folks that are myself and folks are working on this committee this bumper sticker. Remind us at this very motto. Richard anderson has been engaged in unitarian universalist partnership activities since very first visit to transylvania in 1992. He served on the uu pcc board of directors for over a decade. And is honored to have been elected president for second time. Congratulations on that. He's a member of the unitarian universalist congregation in fairfax. In oakton virginia which has two partners. In addition to several visits to uucs partners dick has visited numerous other unitarian and unitarian universalist congregation santa czech republic. And hungry. India indonesia kenya the philippines and. Transylvania. He retired in 2012 as a principal of court management consultant with the national center of state courts after more than 40 years of working for court improvement and. The justice's phone and legal reform at local state national and international levels does j.d. and 80°. Harvard university. Please join me now and let us go ahead and give a warm rousing applause for our gases as we both of them. Thank you it has been a full morning already. And we hope that you enjoy the story we're about to tell you i want to thank the choir for the music this morning it was just been tremendous. My long-distance love story began in 1995. Our church hosted the unitarian minister his wife. Two children and a translator from our partner church and abba's falvo transylvania to come here. And preparation the call went out for people to volunteer to host them. I volunteered. They were here for almost 2 weeks. During that time there were five potlucks at church so everyone could meet them. They were charming they were wide-eyed curious at our houses and cars and grocery stores in churches. I know they were more than a little culture shocked. We had fun and we laughed almost endlessly as we conversed in sign language. Stumbling to find words in dictionaries. We taught each other new vocabulary the children learn much faster than the adults of course. And the time passed so quickly. Edit the minister's wife and i were now best friends the night before they left she and i stood on the porch together and looked at the moon. Bedford moon i said. Albasha fawver moon she said. Then in pantomime and with a few words we both understood. That when she was in abba father and i was in bedford we would both look at the moon. And we would think of each other. And she made me promise to come and see her. We were both stopping the next day when they left. I could hardly wait to see her again. Letters written took forever to arrive so i'm never did. We had made friends with the new hungarian american family that started coming to our church because of the partnership. So we have found a translator. My husband ron and i are long with his family made plans to go to the next summer. It was an amazing experience that literally changed my life. I was smitten and so was ron. I knew how much i already loved the people i had no idea how beautiful transylvania would be. The rolling hills and picturesque villages right out of some fairy tail. You're going to feel so comfortable there it's so much like here. On the trip we had to unitarian transylvania ministers for guides and our friends who spoke hungarian. We learned so much unitarian history. We held in our hands the communion cup used. By david ference. The father of unitarianism in transylvania. And of course we spent 5 days in our partner village and got to meet everyone who lives there. The whole trip was magical my life was now changed forever. The minister of my church was on the board of directors for the uu partner church council do you pcc. You're going to hear more about the organization in a minute. When i returned. He encouraged me to get involved. I could not wait to volunteer. I want an echo kathy's warm welcome warm thanks. Do you for your welcoming and your hospitality. For more than 25 years people from churches. All over the us. They've been creating their own stories of partnership. Stories that come from connections with unitarians and unitarian universalist not just in transylvania. But all over the world. The usual global community is a reality. And it's growing all the time. Connecting to international you use. Was once the privilege of uui presidents. Nuyu way staff. They took place mainly at large gatherings of organizations like the international association for religious freedom. And religions for peace. But in 1990. Something different happen. At the end of 1989. December 1989 the communist government in romania fell. And the iron curtain that had isolated our fellow unitarians for. More than 40 years. Collapse. Connections were made again between the us. Between the usa and the transylvanian unitarian church. Then unitarian uui president bill schultz. Met with the bishop. Yes there's a bishop of the transylvanian unitarian church are now the hungarian unitarian church. And asked what. We could do. Other church denominations from europe and elsewhere were pouring into romania. The bishop ass schultz. To start. Or restart actually a sister church program. We want to know. That we unitarian. Are not alone. I knew you i did. A letter inviting churches to apply for a partner. Went out. And over 100 congregations in the us and canada answered the call that first year. These were not going to be minister to minister relationships though somewhere. But rather congregation to congregation. American you use congregants. Pliers. You. Ministers everyone and anyone. Small groups at first. Then larger ones started traveling to visit. Their partners. Friendship stories like the one that kathy just related with a tit. We repeated. Around the country. In 1993 the uu partner church council was formed. Buy these u.s. partner churches to connect with each other to support the fledgling connections. To share best practices. And to invite other churches to become partner as well. Uup cici's mission statement reads in part. The mission is to foster and support these relationships with unitarians and unitarian universalist. In all other countries where partnering is sought and welcome. These will be mutually beneficial responsibly sustained. And linked by joint and mutual covenants. This is the organization i volunteered with in 1996 after returning from transylvania. I was elected to the board in 1998 and when they decided to hire their first executive director. In 2001 i resigned from the board and applied. And i've been in that position ever since. From the beginning. Everyone agreed that partnership should be mutually beneficial. But this goal proved a little harder than expected. Like roy from the story this morning. We had great intentions but we did not always pause to listen and learn. We made assumptions and acted in ways that we were sure would help. We wanted so much to be generous. And we were. But the impact was not always what we were trying. Their buildings were in disrespect disrepair schools churches parsonage is. Some of which was three to four hundred years old. All these buildings have been confiscated by the communist government of course. And they have the den been neglected. Partners since thousands of dollars to repair and improve unitarian building. Once ownership was returned to the unitarian church. This was a good thing. Many of these buildings from dated for the 14th century. Where they were originally built as catholic churches. Have been beautiful. Parsonage has that were hardly livable for the ministers and their families now. Had indoor plumbing and running water. The results were good. But we had created very unequal partnerships. That left transylvanians feeling like the poor cousins. When we visited we saw beautiful rolling fertile hills and village is preserved in time. It was like stepping back 150 years. Houses with heated and cooking was done on wood stoves. Water came from well in a pump in the yard indoor plumbing was rare in the villages. Many of our partners were subsistence farmers and farming was still done by hand with little or no machine lee. It was quiet and quaint and peaceful in the villages. And we were welcomed by some of the most generous people. You just will not believe their hospitality. It looked familiar all that old-fashioned. We assumed that it was like america 150 years ago. We wanted to help. One u.s. parker church decided. Having a tractor would be so helpful. So they bought one for their partner church. Other churches heard about it and said gee that's a great idea. So tractors were appearing in many of the villages. The intent was good. The impact. I wonder if you can imagine why. This is a country that had just escaped. From more than 40 years with an oppressive communist dictatorship. No one wanted to think about communal ownership. They had abandoned the buildings any equipment of the local communist. Cumming barnes. These people had survived a regime that relied on informants. It was hard to even trust your neighbors. People were granted favors when they informed on each other. Individuals focused instead on feeding their own family. It was almost no thought about community beyond going to church on sunday morning. So what did we expect. Who would on the tractor. Who would manager. Who would decide which field got plowed first. It turned out to be an insurmountable challenge in most of the villages and the tractors were suing fold-up the money was used for the church. Happily. Some other approaches to partnership were being tried. The church i belong to the uu congregation of fairfax. Stumbled onto one of them. We did something different. After an initial visit to our partner village of sense good it said bye. Peter lazar and his father. Arc choir. 45 people strong invaded in a bus. And made an emotional visit. Followed by a youth trip. Individual and small-group visits. Friendships were formed. Wise began to be intertwined. They're also trips to fairfax by the ministers from simkovitz and their wives. Many folks in our congregation had some great ideas about what was needed to help them. But. Happily. Instead of making presumptions. We asked. What do you need. There two churches in central that's a unitarian church in a reformed a calvinist church. The ministers were friends. And they conferred together. And they met with the leaders of their congregations in the leaders of the community. And they came back and told us that what's a good it's a really needed was a medical clinic. To provide better access to care for the residents there and for the neighboring communities. And to serve as an ongoing anchor of life. In the village. The reformed church. How to partner to in the netherlands. So we contacted the ducks church. And soon the 4-way agreement was reached. The two transylvanian churches would develop a plan and a cost estimate. For the clinic. Fairfax and the ducks church in the little town of drunken. What developer of applying would provide the funds and and medical supplies. And the residents have sent carissa. What contribute their labor to build the clinic. It took 5 years. But on a. Rainy november. Afternoon. The clinic was dedicated by members. Or both. Send carissa congregation. And representatives from fairfax. Neurontin. The romanian and local governments. All independence. The romanian government provided a doctor. A modest fee schedule was established. And the clinic has been operating ever since. And since the early 2000s when medical supplies became readily available in romania. It has been self-sufficient. The contrast and outcomes between these and other projects. What do you upcc to step back and begin to look at. Dependency. Charity model that we have promoted. For several years without thinking. Are awakening came out so from gentle questions we heard more and more frequently from our partners. We understand what we're getting out of this relationship. What are you getting. Why do you comment. You know why do you care about us. Why do you keep coming year after year. Did we really want our value. Of these partnerships to be measured in dollars and cents. So the uup ccr partners to answer the question of what we received from partnership. And the answers we received included. Partnership gives us joy experience of love and fun. And get this outside of ourselves. Partnership connects us with unitarian history that broadens our perspective about our faith. And deepens our understanding of our face and. We learned that the values of the uu face. Provide comfort and strength to financially poor. Often uneducated. Farmers and everyday workers in all corners of the world. Not just middle-class well-educated. North american. We experience radical hospitality. As one person said. When you're served one of the family's three chickens you begin to understand the true meaning of hospitality. Being of service to each other teaches us how to work with each other. Even if there is a language barrier. It provides a laboratory where we can become more confident in a multicultural world. Partnership confronts us with our privilege. Partnership challenges of theological and provides a framework for reflecting on our own beliefs. These partnerships link us together in a worldwide community of unitarians and you use. A few years ago. I was visiting a you use school in a very remote village in the coffee hills of india. It was the end of the monsoon. And the road into the village. Was so slick and in such bad repair our car couldn't travel it we had to walk. A group of people from this village came out to greet us and accompany us to the school. You might guess looking at me might my center of gravity is rather high. And keeping my balance. Walking down this multitrack was the. For the challenge. Seeing this. Whenever there was a muddy slick incline. I suddenly felt rough hands. In mine. Studying me helping me get down the slope. When i remark on this to the reverend derek paris off the president of the unitarian union of northeast india. He looked at me and said. Well. That's what partners do. When one is in danger of falling. The other lens that ham. Studying. So the uu pcc board. Took this under advisement. And did what we always do we get a study. And just at the end of the time that we did this study we met this professor from clark university dick ford. Who had been working in international development for 40 years. He was at the ritz at the end of because. His his. Career. And it was perfect timing for us. Because what he did was he came and showed us. How to do his participatory process. And he taught us the tools of the trade. Which we have now incorporated into what we do with partnership. And into our philosophy of partnership. Money still plays a role in partnership. But we are blessed and that's okay because we are blessed with a higher standard of living than some of our partners. And where that is the case we naturally want to share. So we learn to let our partners take the lead. And we listen and we wait and we support. And we find ways to be of service to each other. And we celebrate the mutual benefits of the partnership. Life is changed in transylvania over the past 25 years the economy has shifted. They have joined the eu. They even have big box stores now. And all the consumer goods that we have come full circle. What began is partnerships with transylvania has now spread. To 190 partnerships with unitarians in transylvania hungary the czech republic. England and wales. The philippines india burundi and kenya. There are many other countries that also have uu congregation. That have not yet requested partners with american churches. And yes there are additional countries where there are merging groups of unitarians and you use. The friendship stories continue. Other than i are both grandmother's now. We shared the death of our parents. The graduation and weddings of our children. The bergson lives of our grandchildren. Our relationship has grown very strong over the years. I've learned chi-chi magyar. And she has learned a whole lot of english. We talked frequently on skype. We use google translate when we need to. When our language limits have been reached. And we love each other as much as we love our own sisters. As you start your partnership journey. We wish you much joy. Broader understanding. A defendant face. Greater connectedness. Beneficial challenges. I've been challenging. 4 hours. Dear beloved community. The beauty we have heard about this day let it. Continue to inspire. As we go forward nurturing the beginning of our own beautiful friendship abroad. Let this relationship nurture our living here between one another. Let us think together about all that might be possible as we grow this beautiful relationship. Go forward. With these findings the peace until we are with one another again. Blessed be. And ahmed. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

150118_do_mlk.mp3

Welcome to the january 18th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by i settled minister reverend arrowland. Better sermon is titled now is the time. Our first reading this morning comes from the reverend doctor martin luther king jr.. From his work letter from a birmingham jail. This is a public letter that he wrote to all people but specifically addressing some of his white christian. Counterparts in the ministry. He right. I think i should give the reason for my being here in birmingham since you have been influenced by this idea of outsiders coming in. I am here because i have organizational ties here. Beyond this i am here. Because injustice is here. Moreover i am cognizant. Of the interrelatedness of all communities and all states. I cannot sit idly by in atlanta and not be concerned with what happened. In birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice. Everywhere. In a real sense all life is interrelated. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. I can never be what i ought to be. Until you are what you ought to be. And you can never be what you ought to be. Until i am. What i ought to be. This is the inter-related structure. Of all. Reality. And our second reading this morning. Will actually be heard in an audio clip. So that we might experience. The words of dr. king in his own voice. And then we will sing. Together. Afterwards. Let us hear this reading. Or these words from the reverend dr. king. A clip from his i have a dream. Speech. We refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt we refused to believe. But we've come to cash this check i'll check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. To remind america of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time. To engage in the luxury of cooling off all to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make relleno the promises of democracy. Now is the time. The rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit pass of racial justice now is the time. It would be fatal for the nation. To overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the negro's legitimate discontent. Will not pass. Until that is an invigorating altima freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an in. Brother beginning. Go to home. That's a negro needed to blow off steam. And will now be content. Will have a rude awakening information returns to business as usual will be neither rest nor tranquility in america. The world winds will continue to shake the foundations of our nation. Until the bride page. Augustus in marriages. That is something that i must say to my people. Who's standing on the one threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place. We must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom. By drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plains. We must not allow our creative protest. To degenerate into physical violence. Play another game. We must rise to the majestic heights. Meeting physical force with soul cards. The marvelous new militancy. Which has engulfed the negro community. Must not lead us to a distrust of all white people. For many of our white brothers as evidenced by their presence here today. I'll come to realize i have come to realize about freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot. Walk alone. That's we walk. We must make the plans that we shall always. March ahead. We cannot turn back. If you were to journey. From our congregation. Over to boston. To the unitarian universalist. Headquarters. He would find even in our new residence the uuh just moved to a new residence there in boston. Old location that's still in the same city. You would have travel from here to boston. You would find on the walls of that building. A plant. And on that plaque says in memoriam. Selma. 1965. And on that plaque there's its three-dimensional. You would see the portrait of three people. With gentle. But very determined. Looks on their faces. This morning i want to tell you briefly the story of those three people. As entering into a conversation with you about some of the deeply historic ways and often unacknowledged ways that unitarian universalist and our tradition has been deeply woven in with the civil rights movement. And then after celebrating this history with you this morning. I want us to consider what teachings what insights from king are relevant. Two social transformation. In our own times. So much longer. We are now. When we look back from the 1960s. But nonetheless we are in our own historic moment. So. Are the story begins this way. Our unitarian universalist association. With only about 4 years old. When i'm work 7th 1965 a very urgent communication was received at those headquarters in boston. It was received the communication was received from a rev dr martin luther king jr and he was writing from alabama. Would the unitarian universalist association send as many clergy as possible and as many lay folks as willing would would be uua send those people to selma as soon as possible. What precipitated the sort of urgent telegram that king sent to boston. Well for years doctor king had been aware of unitarian universalism. As early as the 1950s when he was a student in boston he attended services now and again at one of our historic unitarian churches the arlington street church. And he would hear sermons by the then minister dana greeley. Doctor in the very early years when he was doing some organizing of the bus boycotts that he's so well-known for. There had been some ministers from uu ministers that had closely spoken with him and thread with him come to do organizing with him on the ground there. So he had felt for sometime moral and krijnen and support from unitarian universalist. It was many of you might recall even though the civil rights act in 1963 had been passed southern black communities were still facing severe intimidation. Exercising their right. Black americans were being subjected to all sorts of physical intimidation harassment. Cease. And i'm different qualifications different local officials were asking them to produce in order to exercise their voting rights. And there was so much organizing going on during that time because of this. So that one month prior to king sending that telegram up to boston the one that said please send your people down we need you. About one month before that telegram went out on february 18th. Around 500 people. Had gathered in marion alabama. They had gathered at the zion united methodist church. 500 people strong to protest. The arrest of a civil rights worker in their midst. No this particular group they had plans to march to the jail where this civil rights worker was being held. And i wanted to stage a peaceful demonstration when they got there. And no one in the group was armed. Put the people packed up. Said goodbye to one another and left the church that evening to begin their march. They were confronted by state troopers. By city police officers and a bunch of white civilians. And the sheriff ordered the people to disperse. And before they did so i'll clergyperson a minister called out can we pray first before we go back. And all of a sudden all of the street lights when. And no one could see what was going on and in the darkness the protesters were attacked. And about 12 protesting people ran for cover into a restaurant nearby it was called max. Cafe. And there was one young man in particular jimmie lee jackson. Who tried to shield his mother who is that 82 years old he's tried to shield her from all of the commotion going on keep her from being injured. When an alabama state trooper drew his revolver. And shot jimmie lee jackson twice in the abdomen. Jimmie lee jackson died in the hospital just a few days later afterwards. He was 28 years old. And the reverend dr. king spoke at his memorial service. Jimmie lee jackson is the first person on that plaque. That i mentioned you would find. Now the circumstances of that raid which as i said took place under cover of darkness that night. Was clearly terrifying for those in the local black community. And his death was so deeply mourned. So a few days later on march 7th 600 people gathered. And i stepped out from the brown chapel church towards montgomery. At the state capitol. And the aims to make their grievances known their sorrow known and they aimed to demand protection for their voting rights. Now some of you at know some of this history either because you lived it or you saw it on television or you saw some of this captured in the most recent film called selma. People seeing the film selma. Tomorrow. I've not seen it myself that i understand quite a bit of this history is in that film. And i know this piece in particular is lifted up so those marchers were met on the edmund pettus bridge. Already alabama river. But they were met with a chilling and terrifying violence. This day became known as bloody sunday. For the people were beaten with billy clubs. And tear gas was released on the marchers. This bloody sunday. This is the context out of which. Martin luther king send the telegram rushed up to boston. What is received in boston three ministers they believed that very night they had right on down. And a few days later. 500 unitarian-universalist one out of every 5 at uu minister. Head down to selma. Pretty big number. 500 unitarian universalist and one out of every five clergy uu clergy. Rushdown. 2 days later on march 9th dr king lead about 2,000 people on a symbolic pilgrimage to the place of sunday's attack on the bridge. And there they decided to kneel together. And pray. And then they turned back. They got some critique for turning back and not proceeding on to montgomery the reason that they decided. To turn back. Was because they had a permit that did not allow them to go on. And dr. king and other organizers face some critique about this but they decided that they would make this a symbolic pilgrimage. And do they they understood that they lack of the permit was very unfair they decided to observe it. So 2,000 people marched in symbolic pilgrimage. Nelspruit. And then turned back. Became known as but turn back march. Later that night after the turn back march. Two white clergy were talking anti three white clergy were talking and one of them was james reeb. He's the white uu minister. They were talking on the sidewalk when suddenly they were attached. Andre was rushed to the hospital. He died two days later. Dr. king gave the eulogy at his memorial service. James reeb unitarian universalist minister. An activist is the second person. That's on that plaque. You would find and buy. When james reeb died. Some of you might remember this. Those of you who were alive during this time. When james reid died. It was high-profile. It was high-profile in the way that at jimmy lee jackson's death the death of the 26 year-old. African american. Man was not. James reid the death of a white minister it was a big. Deal for the whole country and all eyes were on salma suddenly. And lyndon johnson president lyndon johnson called james reid widow. And offered his condolences. And then he met with governor george wallace of the state of alabama and he said these marchers must be given a permit. To march. They need federal protection. And so it was that the next week sunday march 21st. King lettuce federally sanctioned march. All the way from selma to montgomery. And first it was 3200 people. That's it out for the state capital. And they traveled an average of 7 to 17 miles everyday. And they reached montgomery the state capital. On the 25th of march. But now they were 25,000. Strong. King spoke to those assembled there at capital other organizers spoke. And after the rally that night. Viola liuzzo a unitarian universalist la woman and activist. That was journeying on to her next place her i think what she was doing was actually helping shuttle marchers to their next destination. And she was shot. By four members of the klu klux klan. Victoria at viola liuzzo. Unitarian universalist laywoman and activist. Is the third person. That you would see on that plaque. If you went to buy. Now august 6th less than five months after all of these marches. All of these. Deaths and injuries. Johnson signed the voting rights act of 19. This year as so many of you now is the 50th anniversary. Of the selma marches that i've been talkin. Now the thing about plaques. Talk about that plaque in boston i think about plaques and the thing about anniversaries are if we allow them to do so. They help us remember. They're not just token occasions and anniversary. Interplak isn't just. Frozen in time if we allow these plaques and the stories behind the plaques to speak if we allow the story is of the selma experience to be heard. We start to experience most deeply the messages of this time. Start to consider what are those messages for ourtime. Today it can be really easy to focus on martin luther king day just on the charismatic persona of the reverend doctor king for surely he is a charismatic. Person. Yet can you self often shined a light. On the building of a movement that included. Many. Now i want to share with you an excerpt from doctor camp moving at eulogy that he offered. On the occasion of james reid. Death. Invite you as i show this excerpt to listen for the notes of heartbreak. But also for the profound current of hope. Inside of what he is saying. The hope born of what he sees as a mil a movement. Building. These are his words. One day the great. . of history of social change. Will be written in all of its completeness. On that bright day our nation will recognize it's real heroes. They will be thousands of dedicated men and women. With a noble sense of purpose. That enables them to face fury and hostile mobs. With the agonizing loneliness that characterizes the life. Of the pioneers. They will be faceless. Anonymous relentless young people. Black. And white. Who have temporarily left behind the towers of learning. Storm the barricades of violence. They will be old oppressed. Battered negro women. Symbolized in a 72 year old negro woman in montgomery alabama. Who rose up with a sense of dignity. And with all the people decided not to ride those segregated buses. Who responded with ungrammatical profundity. The one who inquired about her weariness. My feet is tired. But my soul. Interested. They will be ministers of the gospel. Priests rabbis and nuns who are willing to march for freedom. To go to jail for conscience sake. One day the south will know from these dedicated children of god. Courageously protesting segregation. Did they were in reality standing up for the best in the american dream. Standing up with the most sacred values in our jewish and christian heritage. Thereby carrying our whole nation. Back to those great wells democracy. Which were dug deep in the founding fathers formulation of the. Tuition. And the declaration of. Going to share with you a few more words of k. So bear with me. He goes on in the eulogy of james reid to say this. So i can say to you this afternoon my friends that in spite of the tensions and uncertainties of this. something profoundly meaningful is taking place. Old systems of exploitation and oppression are passing away. Out of the wounds of a frail world new systems of justice and equality are being born. Doors of opportunity are gradually being opened and those at the bottom of society shirtless and barefoot people of the land are developing a new sense of somebody ness. Carving tunnel of hope. Through the dark. Mountain of despair. People who stand in the darkness have seen a real light. Here and there and individual or group dares to love and rises the majestic heights. Immoral. Maturity. And that ends the excerpt that i wanted you to hear from the eulogy that he offered. 4. The deceased james rabe. I sure would do those words because first of all. I think it's important for us to recall just how deeply wetted unitarian universalism. Has been historically in the civil rights movement such that can give the eulogy. 14th rib. But also because i want to lift up and forward. Kings observation about the movement growing. And i call us back to the words we heard earlier and i audio clip the way he says that 1963 is not an end but a beginning. King reminds us. About what it means to collaborate. In the sacred. Nessy work of justice sticking together. It's not merely strategic that we come together with people that are different from us in common cause. The we met. King reminds us that this coming together in social justice speaking in making it's not just because we have some sort of leisurely pastime and interest in making social justice. But rather we are deeply called as human beings and of and as people of faith we are called from our moral conscience. To show up because we are moved by human unity and what it requires of us. We heard a lot from king this morning. There's so much richness and what he offers us. This morning i also went to lift up his teachings on what he calls soulforce. We heard him named sulphur stan the audio clip he says we will meet physical violence not with physical violence but with soul force. This is a serious discipline. Born of the recognition. The power of nonviolence. Requires a lot you must imagine for people to stand up. Face physical violence and respond without. Defending themselves. Those of you who have ever engaged in using full force of the practice of nonviolence. You might know what this calls for thin you. There are many people who have never tried to do it. And don't really appreciate the depth of training. Courage that that might take but i ask you to imagine today. What's soulforce. Really meant in selma what it means today when people applied so forth meeting physical violence with no violence. After selma. It was about a year after selma martin luther king jr was invited. To give a very esteemed lecture to unitarian universalist. He was invited to give what's called the where lecture to unitarian universalist. Auntie. He gave this lecture to unitarian and he spoke about things so personally moved. By working shoulder-to-shoulder. What working side-by-side he was moved by people who were willing to not just speak. But actually, and put their bodies on the line particularly white folks. Who came to put their bodies on the line. And at that at that lecture. He celebrated the squid works of being together. And you talked a little bit further about the challenges and the opportunities that it means to be connected into one another's destiny. And as we turn to conclusion this morning i want to share just a few nuggets from that lecture that he offered. In that speech that he gave to the unitarian universalist in 1966. He told a short story about rip van winkle. People know the story of rip van winkle. The story of this of this gentleman who sleeps for 20 years. He goes up to the mountain to find some peace and rusty sleeps for 20 years but king says what's not so remarkable is that he slept for twenty years but rather that he. Slept through a revolution. For when he goes up to the mountain to find some peace and rest maybe in a forest. There's a sign and it says king george the third of england. And then when he wakes up 20 years later he comes back down and it sees the sign and it says george. Washing. He says rip van winkle slept through a social revolution. He missed it. He didn't know what was going on. And king says to the unitarian universalist basically thank you. For not sleeping through the revolution. But then he says this. You must remain awake. It's really easy to go back to sleep. But what does it mean. To remain awake. And he says these are his words the church of the moral guardian of the community and of society. Is always been the role of church to broaden horizons to challenge the status quo and to question and breaks social more more is if necessary. It is necessary to instill in our people's a world perspective. For out of our scientific genius. Here he was thinking about the jet plane. Because it was in the sixties. So we might think about science. Genius. Internet. Something relevant tour times he said through our scientific genius we have made of the world in neighborhood. But now for our moral and ethical commitment we must make of it a brotherhood. He said here's basically the specifics of how to stay awake. 1966 he said one it is necessary for the church to reaffirm over and over. Again the essential immorality of racial segregation. Number two. The church must refute the idea that there are superior and inferior races. Number three. The church must move out into the arena of social action it is not enough for the church to work on an ideological realm. And to clear up misguided sorts of ideas. To remain awake through the social revolution. The church must engage in strong social action programs and get rid of the last vestiges of segregation. And discrimination. He said you must turn your eyes to legislative action. And it might not be clear why that is. But it may be true that one cannot change the heart through law but it can constrain the heartless. The law cannot make man love me. But it can constrain him from lynching me. And i think that's pretty important also. So why the law might not change the hearts with men. It does change the habits of me. So it is necessary. For the church to support strong and meaningful civil rights legislation. And last. We must in the church. Counter the myth. Of an exaggerated. Progress. Morning going to leave you. Without very last one highlighted. We must counter at the myth of an exaggerated progress. Friends i would love to say that i believe that the dream. Martin luther king jr. dreams that hit has been for filled. I think so many of us wish that that was. But it becomes ever so clear listening to the pain and suffering. An african-american communities across the country that this dream has not been. And here briefly is how i know personally. Has not been realized. There are some conversations that i will never have to have. With my own son. For my son was born with white skin. And in this country that means that i will never have to have with him. The conversation. Which i know that parents of young people of color ought to and must have with their children who they love and. And the conversation. I do not have to have. With my son. Includes the conversation where i let him know that though i wish it weren't the case it could be and will likely be the reality that he could be followed. In a store. And that he might be suspected of criminal activity because of the color of his skin. My son when he grows up if he wanted to bear arms as is his right. In this country. He would probably be able to do so. But if i had an african-american son. It would behoove me to tell him. Be very careful. This right does not. Exactly extended to you as it is perceived in this country. For if you bear arms and you are in africa. People war with guard you with deep suspicion. There are many things in this conversation that i would never have to have with my son the last i'll lift up today is i would never have to. Prepare my son for the possible reality that upon entering his own house. He could be stopped. And asked to show identification proving who. As we know that very thing happened to a professor of african american studies in one of our most esteemed. Academic institutions in the sky. A few years. The dream is not yet realized. But the hope is the movement that is yet building. I invite you to consider. What sort of progress you think has been made and look and listen for where progress needs yet to be made and to. Lettuce recall the importance of heating of a call when it's. As unitarian universalist challenged bhldn. A part of the history that contains us. The history that i lifted up today about selma. May each one of you go forward. Asking yourself about this dream. And how you might feel called to participate. And sharing and growing and bringing forward the dream in our town. When we sing we shall overcome. Let us consider we are apart of that we. Poor as martin luther king has said now is the time. There is a fierce urgency of now. Let us not sleep through this revolution. Let us remain a people awake. Blessed be. And. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

130609_dj_faith_v_gay.mp3

Welcome to the june 9th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. Reverend dale jenkins. An advanced instructor in communications at virginia tech. Is in the pulpit for today service. And a sermon is titled. Face purses gay. The wrestling match. The podcast closes with a dialogue between members of the audience and dale. Ellen plummer is a worship facilitator for the service. It's going to be with you this morning. And. Anytime a church says that they're serving cake i'm a happy man. So. And. I thought i would say thank you for the invitation to come and speak in this beautiful sanctuary but actually alex. The one who extended the invitation so i guess you. You can blame him if i say anything that. Does it meet your expectations. But he was very very. It was a very sweet gesture for him to ask me to come and speak to you guys today i've been here for a number of functions. But i've never been able to join you guys for worship so this is very exciting. And jim and i actually live at approximately 1.5 minutes. From the church that we attend and we are notoriously late so i'm very proud of us for being on time today. I would also say that alex told me i had 15 to 20 minutes and to stay within that time constraint which is very hard so i'll get right to it. I actually grew up in the piedmont area of north carolina. Where i intended and extremely conservative baptist church. That felt that jerry falwell's baptist game was just a little bit too liberal. So that probably gives you a little insight. Answer the theology i grew up with and why i never got involved with southern baptist life as a child because our church didn't really affiliate with the southern. Cuz they were. Bluetooth left-leaning. Even today the title of my sermon faith versus gay the wrestling match. Makes me a little and easy to fight the fact that my theology has undergone a significant overhaul. During the course of my life. Throwing up. My father was the chair of the deacons and the choir director at lyle down the church we attended so we essentially went to church every few minutes. Worship every sunday at 11 a.m. only to return at 7 p.m. for a second-round and then head back to church at 7 p.m. wednesdays for prayer meeting. With the understanding that the year wouldn't be complete. Without a few revivals. Which mat. You guessed it worship every night of the week. Needless to say. I'm sure eifert dissipated in literally thousands of versus. Just as i am. We'll return later to that double meaning that him gain does my face journey unfolded. The fire-and-brimstone hurled from the pulpit kept me dashing to the altar on a regular basis throughout my childhood and youth. In hopes that i could somehow erase all the sins that seem to crop up in my life on a weekly basis. Such as not heating every word my mother said. Or. Failing to complete my daily chores in a timely fashion. Because i had a tendency to head off to the basketball court instead of doing what i was supposed to be doing as far as the chores my parents had assigned to me. Any misstep made me think. Oh no. I got to make sure i run to the altar because the rapture could happen at any minute. Now that sounds funny but it also was a very terrifying thought to me as a child. Despite the traumatic moment elicited. By the theology i learned growing up. I'm at wonderful people in our congregation and made some great friends. You to the fact that we never miss church i never fell short on spending time with any of them. Who needed facebook right. Although. The god of my youth scared me to death. When i headed off to chapel hill to attend college. I embarked on a grand adventure. The cast of characters at unc exposed me to new ideas and challenge me in ways i never could have fathomed. Although i addressed with the fact. That my sexual orientation didn't seem as set in stone as some of my friends in high school. I dated a beautiful girl from my high school until my sophomore year of college. We broke up. I dated another girl from my high school. Not sure what happened there ellen but she is now a lesbian. Needless to say. The baptist image made sure i was always a southern gentleman with the ladies i date. My roommate at carolina. My friend from my hometown who signed me up as his roommate. Without telling me. But that's another story he went to services. Every thursday night. At the battle house at chapel hill. This was the home of unc's baptist student union. And invited me to join him when thursday night. This connection really changed everything for me. Suddenly i met all these wonderful friends as well as two delightful campus ministers my newfound friends in these wonderful baptist leaders spoke daily ending every thursday night service about. Boat love. Of god. The characteristic that usually didn't make the talking points for the sunday sermons i had heard as a child. This time lord gentler god i kind of liked. I met so many friends to the baptist student union but one element of life at unc caused me great consternation. And i thought i could share this with you because alex told me i could get personal. So the thing that was so difficult to get used to it carolina is. They were handsome guys everywhere. Now although i'd wrestle with my attraction to males mature earlier in life i stifled those feelings with the wisdom that my baptist heritage. Decried any future. In this kind of thinking. The white picket fence. The dog in the yard. And the two children. Actually a boy and a girl. Mint there better be a woman in the house on primrose lane. Although i dated several different girls during my college years one of those cataclysmic moments. When my quest to be a good red-blooded male as opposed to following my heart. Occurred one night. As i was returning from a bsu meeting holding hands with my girlfriend of several months. I attended college in the late 70s and early 80s. And some of you may have heard of the college tradition of. Street gang. If you're not familiar with this. Please ask someone else to fill you in on the details remember i am speaking from a pulpit. Lewis dorm on the carolina campus still to this day continues its annual tradition of having all of its residents. Streaked across campus. That fateful evening as my girlfriend and i returned from bsu worship. The residents from the all-male lewis dorm dash vyas on their annual. Just as we ascended the stairs behind carmichael auditorium headed toward our dormitories. As they raced past. I paused at the bottom of the stairs. And relish. The glory of the moment. Not. Taking another step. Until every lad had raced by me. In the heat of the moment shall we say deborah my wonderful girlfriend. Had continued her trick and now stood at the top of the stairs. Breaking my train of thought with the most pleasant screech aren't you coming. I snapped back to reality and scaled the stairs in record time clasped her hand again tightly. And pray that she had no idea why i was so mesmerized by an army of naked males traipsing past. Although i understand carolina had a gay community. Hey my curiosity raged. I never inquired. For fear that i would be drawn in which would have required that i burn my faith card immediately and punch my ticket for a fast train to hell. After leaving college. I return to my hometown and i landed a job as a reporter. Since i was now a wise college grad. I joined a new baptist church. Downtown. Sing in the choir became the assistant superintendent of sunday school. No room for gay thoughts there. And. Also with i had a new girlfriend she was a carolina grand i'd met be issue it rolled in the wake forest medical school. And a gifted individual we had so many common love. Faith. Sports. Books. Ballet broadway shows. What. Don't judge me okay i know what you're saying. But after three years of working at a newspaper. I decided to make a huge. Lifestyle change. And. I know where you're headed with this but not yet. I enrolled in seminary. That's right i became a student at the southern baptist theological seminary in louisville kentucky. Although the wonderful institution i attended in the early late 80s and early 90s really no longer exist. Due to a very conservative takeover. That's cool changed my life forever. Who would have thought. That attending a baptist. Seminary. Would open the door for someone to entertain the idea. That god could love that person. Despite the fact. That he was gay. That's just what happened. Gourmet cemetery consisted. Tearing down all the theological constructs i'd called my own. And rebuilding with the understanding. That this time. The structure would be mine. And gods. What a concept. As i study music and eventually theology and counseling. I met. Out. Lesbian with girlfriends no last who sat in my seminary classes. And they were proud of who they were. It was something very amazing to me. Also at that time. There were not. Any out gay male. And one of my friends who was my accompanist. When i studied music at. Southern actually when he did came out he was promptly thrown out of school. So it was not something it was a very very much a double standard they are but. Some of those individuals i know who were out. Out lesbian squirt even pastoring churches. So suddenly i was seeing these examples of individuals. That i could never have imagined. I'm at related at southern seminary for four years and during that time. I meant individuals who took their faith very seriously. Get some who embraced a loving god. It was all who embraced a loving god who crafted them. Is gay lesbian or straight. Doing this for years i also fell in love with my best friend at seminary. Straight man. And not only got the memo but finally read it and dated what would be the last woman before i. Okay. As a side note she was gorgeous and she was the first runner-up in the miss illinois pageant. My friends thought she was. Hot. And i thought she was fun in nice. Well we broke up before i headed to blacksburg for my year-long internship with the baptist student union. When i arrived in this town. I knew. My life is. My plan was to complete my internship. The last step in my seminary degree. Anab a counseling job in the big apple. As you can say that plan change. Since i'm still here. I arrived in the fall of 1990 and had an unforgettable year. Working with virginia tech students in the baptist student union. As i listen to their concerns. And watch them grapple with issues of faith. I wrestled. With my own. The quest to embrace my status of the gay man threw me lots of curves not the least of which was embracing the fact. That god. Created me. Lady gaga. But. My faith in god continues to be incredibly important to me. And some of the men i encountered as potential dating partners struggled mightily with that trait of mine. Why. The church. Hasn't always been a welcoming place. For glbtq individual. And some of those men i encountered had been burned badly. And treated as pariahs. In the name of faith. But i will take this time. To dole out kudos. The discharge. For providing a welcoming environment. We're truly all who enter. Those doors. You're welcome. In the blacksburg community i've met so many wonderful individuals and those who know of the wrestling match i've endured. Bmi face. Have been extremely supportive. My friends and fellow faith strugglers. Have been invaluable. As i've sauntered. Limp. Meander. Dashed and converted. Down this path. Efface. As a gay man. Each one has assisted me in unique ways. With that said i'll close today. By saying that. August 16th. Willmark. 10 years. Since i first met. The individual setting on the front row. And that was the first time. That i actually talked to this handsome blue-eyed black-haired man named jim who has been my partner on this unpredictable journey. I don't think most people think of newport where we live. As a mecca for gay couples. But he and i have wonderful and accepting friends neighbors and fellow church members in are giles county community. When virginia legalizes gay marriage in the year 2080p and i will probably tie the knot. Even. The title of my sermon today. Set me back to those years of uncertainty regarding my faith in my sexual orientation. But i can assure you. That every step in the process had to unfold. In order to in order for me to feel any sense of victory. At the end of this tempestuous wrestling match. I stand before you today. Just as i am. Thank you for your attention and i have a gift for your church. It's a book of meditations called the word is out. Written by my dear friend chris glasser. I gay writer and minister ordained in the metropolitan community church and episcopal church. To close. I leave you with my favorite bible verse jeremiah 29:11. For i know the plans i have for you to claire's the lord. Plans to prosper you. Not to harm you. Plans to give you hope. And a future. Thank you so much dale. We have time this morning. For any questions or reflections. Dale if you're willing to. That's the teacher and him bring it on. Any questions thoughts yes please. Thank you akiko. I wanted to know if you are you said you attend to church that's very close by although you are always late. So where is that and and how is it a christian church and do they accept you. And we have we have everything from individuals who are professors at the university to farmers and the amazing thing is that i think about our church is everybody gets along. Liberty. Nobody hate each other like that you don't see anybody go i'm not sitting by her or i ain't talking to him and so it's wonderful. But. Although there is a faction of the baptist church that took has remained a very left-wing which i just love the alliance of baptists who are also aligned with. United church of christ. But that's where that's where we at. And we are notoriously late and i'm the minister of music there and so it's it's kind of good to be there for the first him you know but. We do have a tendency to miss it every now and then because i'll say. Seriously it's time to go into like i'm ready you don't have on shoes. Somebody else had a question. Okay as far as changing professions i kind of backed into this teaching thing. And. When i finish up my internship at virginia tech as the. Associate campus minister my my objective was to go into campus ministry. And one of my very wise friends james dunn who worked with the baptist joint committee in d.c.. Tell me when we talked about career options and i think he said. You really came along. Just about ten years too late. He said the the baptist denomination as far as they understand campus ministry has changed so significantly. There's really not a place. Because i'm part of that is because. The baptist denominations move so far to the right. That. In-n-out also. On a positive note there was an understanding on a personal level. If i stayed in campus ministry i probably never would have. Been able to come out. And so. I even turned down. The church at one point because. In my heart i knew. If i accepted that position. As their minister. That i probably would not. The first time i ever taught. One of my friends. Was teaching a biblical perspective she was unable to do it and he asked me if i would fill in for him and i said sure because he said if you can teach this class once i filled in for him. And so i went to class the first night the class was 4 hours long. 4 hours. So if you're going to take the 4-hour course you better learn how to teach. Because needless to say you're not going to be able to stand up there and read aurora lecture for 4 hours they will pull out weapons. And john. So. But that that first night that i taught i drove home going. You're going to give me a check for this because i had so much fun. So. It really has been a delight and so that's where i kind of found my calling. Right. That's a that's a very good question and i knew when i probably a middle schooler. That. That my interests were very different from my friends and. And. I always played sports in in that kind of thing and but i really didn't have any. I think one of the wonderful things about. Youth coming out today is their role models are individuals they can talk to. I did not have that. And so i kind of kept that buried away but one of the reasons that i kept it sir. away was because of. My religious up. That was a it was a tension there. I threw out. But i didn't know but i also knew that that was something that i had to find a way to kind of exercise for my very being because i knew it was not. So. But once i turn 30. Things started. Changing a little bit in and moving to blacksburg. Finding a wonderful sense of community and individuals i could rely on individuals who are very sofia. Doesn't matter to me. give me your thoughts on where you think the boy scouts or. R and. Where you think they're going to be going i go to an annual retreat in pennsylvania and one of the individuals i've met at that retreat is dave knapp. And he is. You say dave is in his. 80s. But he is the poster child because he's the one who. Brought a lawsuit against the boy scouts who was the first person thrown out because they found out he was gay and he was an incredible activist. I think there's obviously there's been some movement they're saying okay if you're gay scout you're welcome to. Take part in the activities but they they don't want any gay scout leaders. And. Which perpetuates this ongoing myth that gay men are the problem when they. That's not. Actually the queso. We'll see what happens it it's interesting that of course all of their decisions play out on the front page of the newspapers but. I think they'll come around i really do i think it's some point they're going to come around. Because even though they're a private organization at i feel like. Our culture is changing and perspectives are changing and i think they will. Shift gears. Related to that and it's a comment and maybe a question that has no answer but i'll go ahead. I was struck as you were talking about the number of times you you talked about your choice of career and how well you couldn't do that and. And be who you are. As a straight woman i never had to even think about. How my sexuality might relate to. Being in public health or teaching or any of the things i've done. It's like wow. Do you anticipate that there will ever be a time. People. Who. Are not heterosexual. Can just do be and do whatever they want professionally without having to go through that. Contortion. I think i think our culture has changed so significantly in the last 10 years. I mean i really think. A shift is occurring and i and the reason for that. I think it's because individuals have gotten away from that idea that homosexuality. Issue. Because they look around and they go. There are people i know and love. Who are gay lesbian transgender. Because suddenly it's not about this compartmentalised issue it's about wait a minute. Such as in church it's that wonderful person sitting on the pew beside me or in the seat beside me. And so i i think this shift is is occurring and i think. And i think our generation coming up and and this is this was very heartening to me this past year. I teach. Communication skills are a freshman class. And one of my students in that class in his visual introduction which. Third week of class. Told his classmates. That he put an an equal sign. Up on the. The computer screen any put. Across up on the screen. And he said. Jay and christian but they do for me and so he openly came out of the class i was like wow and i thought. That's progress. So i think i i think this generation is going to. Really change the fabric because. I think most of the individuals who are currently students at virginia tech or like. Yeah that's that's. They're not. They're not his. Been out of shape about it as. Pasta. I think. Of my heaven jim as a question. Well i didn't think i'd know if i talked a couple these questions that have come up. Other than working at at bradford university i've actually been in the military for 22 years as well too so that's another sermon. This whole idea that this institution that is so structured and all the sphere that was out there when they repeal don't-ask-don't-tell and if you think about it there's not really been that much of a change i mean people have been accepting as much as you wouldn't think they would. We really just haven't had that many issues with people accepting the fact that there are people in their units that that are gay their commanders that are gay where the case maybe because our facilities already accommodate those types of things but. But it's just an interesting change that we can say even the military. Could come around and and be accepting so. Assuming your parents are still alive how did they react. Unfortunately both of my parents have passed away. And. That's. As far as my mother is concerned. My father passed away two weeks before i left for seminary. So which it was as far as timing goes i moved back home after college for 3 years i did not. Expect to move back home but as it turned out as the last 3 years my father's life. And so my mother and i were very very close she passed away in the year 2000. And. So it was one of those things that we never openly talked about. And yet. I have had. I've come to a wonderful piece about that. That. That. That she. Would have definitely supported me and. Her love with definitely unconditional it would not have. But that's it that's a very precious question. One of the things with this boy scout controversy or discussion is i've always been is is it intrigued me recently isn't it it's not allowed for a boy to be into the boy scouts if he's openly gay and i think about a nine-year-old what does it mean for a nine-year-old to be openly gay. And that's that's a very good question and one that's kind of hard for me to wrap my head around. Because of my own faith journey in my struggle with my sexual orientation but. But i do think. That. There are at the age of 9 right i mean we're. Figuring out. What it means to really follow what your parents and what they did to do what they tell you to do so but there are stories all the time about these kids to. In a decision this is the path that they're going to take so i feel like we're kind of all on a journey and maybe that's where they they feel like they are at 9 who knows what that will mean down the road but. But i do think it's kind of exciting that they can if they can say that and they're willing to embrace that and. And that you know that everybody's not ridiculing them or. Trying to. Maybe discourage them from that path. That's that's probably the best answer that i have. Thank you so much. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. Uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

130623_parting_two.mp3

Welcome to the june 23rd service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. Today's service is led by rev alex. And the sermon is titled. Party glasses. Part 2. Alex references a video. Titled religion and spirituality in a changing society. A link to the video. Is included on the servant archive page. This is the last sunday for alex in the pulpit as our interim minister. Next you will be going to waynesboro. Where he will again be an interim minister. Lisa avon hello our congregations administrator included in the announcements that should you sent to you this week. Lynx. 4. Video that i recommended to you that ran on cbs news back in april. Disappear eos-3 how many of you saw that video before coming in this morning. Thank you for taking the time to do that it let me encourage those of you who didn't get to see it. The secret out. I'm going to share with you now a reading from one of the ministers featured in that cbs news report. Her name is lillian daniel. And she serves the united church of christ. Up in the greater chicago area. She liked me trained by the united church of christ for ministry. And. She unlike me. Very much in the public spotlight now for this particular essay. The pteranodon the huffington post not too long ago. So i share it with you now it has delighted the world at large. On airplanes i dread the conversation with the person who finds out i am a minister. And wants to use the flight time to explain to me that he is spiritual-but-not-religious. Such a person will always share this if it's as if it is some kind of daring inside. Unique to him. Bold and its rebellion against the religious status quo. Next thing you know he's telling me that he finds god and the sunsets. These people always find god in the sunsets. And it walks on the beach. Sometimes i think these people never leave the beach or the mountains. What with all the communing with god they do on hilltop hiking trails and did i mention the beach at sunset yet. White people who go to church don't see god in the sunset. Like we are in these monastic little hermitage's and we never leave our church buildings how lucky we are to have these geniuses inform us that god is in nature. As if we don't hear that in the psalms the creation stories and throughout our deep traditions. Being privately spiritual-but-not-religious just doesn't interest me. There is nothing challenging about having deep thoughts all by oneself. What is interesting is doing this work in community where other people might call you on stuff. Or heaven forbid. Disagree with you. Real life with god gets rich and provocative. This when you dig deeply into a tradition that you did not invent all for yourself. Thank you for sharing spiritual-but-not-religious sunset person. You are now comfortable in the norm for self-centered american culture right smack in the bland majority of people who find ancient religions dull. But find themselves uniquely fascinating. This is a minister writing this i love it. Can i switch seats now and sit next to someone who has been shaped by a mighty cloud of witnesses instead. Can i spend my time talking to someone brave enough to encounter god in a real human community. Because when this fight this flight gets choppy. That's who i want by my side holding my hand saying a prayer and simply putting up with me. Just like we do in church. Listen to this morning's reading. I have three things i want to do in this last sermon with you i want to first get back to this business of testimony i don't want to get specific about. What it is that we need to give voice to that's been accomplished in the antrum. Secondly i want a recap for you. What it is that i bring back to you in the way of communal wisdom from that gathering thousands of us unitarian universalist. That is just today and hang out in louiville i left early on friday to get back for things that i had to do here. But we have our largest annual gathering of what we are is faith community ending this very day out in louisville kentucky and i was out there for 5 days this week and i want to share with you some of what. Struck me as relevant to what you are here in blacksburg. Out of that experience. And then finally i just want to say and closing what i understand your greatest gift is and i can be very specific about this. You are much more gifted than you realize almost days and you need to be reminded of this. To begin the stuff of testimony rather than tell you what it is that you think is important out of what you've done in this. Congregation during the interim i want invite you again into this unscripted sharing. Does anyone have anything specific that you want to hear yourself say. About what it is that you've gotten done that was good during the centrum if so please raise a hand and i'll bring them microphone your way and you've got two or three minutes to say something. Anybody want to speak to some gifts come out i'll come on chair of the search committee what's one of the wonderful things you got died. Yes we got a lovely. Settle permanent minister at with derek rowland. And that was. Very nice to do. And remember everyone that this search committee of yours went through a tedious process. Of thinking itself maybe not achieving as much as it needed to chief because there was switching leadership. Midway through the process but you landed one heck of a find settled minister his. To work with. Well done what else needs to be celebrated out of this congregation that occurred during the centrum i'm going to have to fish bob stimpson 20 cynthia luke tell him something that happened it was good. The focus on theology and our group of about 15 or 20 who meet weekly and have continued after alex initiated it. And i really appreciate john luther adams. Nower. I'm starting to. Read and understand and discuss a disagree with other theology. Thank you cynthia. Thank you others. Marquita. The new energy that you brought and shared with. So that's very kind of you but i want you to stand up and own your own gosh-darn energy in this regard to it wasn't just me that was an energy for this fake it was also marquita hill is that not correct. Those of you who know marquita is that not correct. Can i have it i met and it was safer and it was a nut burr and it was. Eric. Girl from waynesboro that's right that's one of you other things that you need to celebrate about yourselves. Bob simpson telling about money. I'm in need of money. What i'd like to to mention is to leadership.. Taking place over the last couple of years. Bringing us from a. Pastoral to. Community. Thank you sweetie still need money. But i'm not kidding guys if you look at what happened with your financial giving over the the last 3 years. Polly simpson who's reminded you again and again afore sunday getting your for sunday getting alan an annual basis is up in the 12 to $13,000 range if i'm not mistaken of my last looking at numbers. Does that sound true to you. So how high. Okay about 8 then but you're giving phenomenal amounts of money. Tiffany to hear other things that you want to celebrate here. Lorraine thank you what you going to tell her. Well we have been challenged and we have disagreed and we have argued. And we realize that's okay and that we really do still love each other. Hey man. Other things that need celebrating. Fowling. I think we have to celebrate the grounds and the gardens here. It is just amazing what's happened here. In the time that you've been here. But it is phenomenal and if you haven't seen the plans for the grounds here on this property get someone to show them to you. Other things that you'd want to celebrate. Look. I i think that we. A medium-range i think we figured out in these last two years. And we've been kind of hung up on where we each think have our own beliefs what we think you know and then draw different in those respects but i think what we really come to experience where i come to experience. Is that hole since it's a community that binds us together. It's not just that we are of two spirit beliefs but the we are. One community in love with each other. And you know i have. Seeing lives changed in this community. And to me that's a wonderful thing. And i think we are truly blessed. So that is the wonderful stuff a big picture and i see that in your eyes. Share two of the awful stuff you've been dealing with it's changed in the last couple of weeks that's involved the city permit. Well it's interesting because alex is talked about boundaries. And how we need to call the phone is why i decided to remodel the office without a building permit. And the long and short of it was it. When's those people in them. Osha poo. Wanted to stay within the parameters. We got a bun friend i came and. Image of a couple of field - suggestions little things that we needed to do to come up to code and. And that's done we moved on so you know it was a good process but i have to confess that. I didn't. All about hers. Orton's birthday boy. For many years. We had dinner. Leadership summit entrenched. Partisan. Who held on very hard. To that little fiefdom. And although many attempts were made. To enlarge. The leadership of those fiefdoms. None of them ever succeeded. And it burst. Like a boil in the last 2 years. And. Alex hope that's lance that boil. And if we can talk about peace and love here today. It was true. That leadership we had. Other things that need to be celebrated about what you've done during the antrum. I'm christine reed. One of the things that i hear from welfare we're hearing from people. Is that. They like to. Disagree with the next person. And i i think it's wonderful to be able to. To agree to disagree but i also. Have experience. That something wonderful can come out of that it's not just. That fact alone. But we all have a sliver of the truth and we sort of. When i can use that in. In a group. To grow my own. Understanding of things and realize that. I don't always agree with someone else. But. We build on each other and come out with a synergy that. Different and. More wonderful than any of us could. Come up with us. Christian ramos. Hello i'm carol kern and one thing i've seen. Come out of these two years and i haven't just started with these two years it started long ago but it's continued to build. Is the re-program at our congregation. For example karen hager was instrumental in helping to write a new curriculum for one of the classes and our son. Love that curriculum is a harry potter curriculum. Two years ago we did a simpsons curriculum that was also wonderful. Able to help teach and. Right now the kids are out learning about trees with mike skinner we're doing science sunday's this. The summer and that's. That can be a lot of fun for the kids and we had a great service and middle school did a wonderful service through what they've learned. With our neighboring face i just have really. Felt a lot of energy from the ari parker. Do you happen to remember carol how many folk you have registered in your re-program as of the close of the centrum. I do not can i have an assist from somewhere remember besides me. Right at 1:40 since you're you're just slightly less than that you have more children enrolled in your religious education program now then you have adult seated in the space right now. Yes. I'm marianne hansen and i'm the mother of a now sixteen-year-old. And during the last couple years the owl program the our whole lives program. About sexuality was introduced and. Our son reluctantly conceded to go to that he was a little bit older than the. That's why you screwed because but because it was the first time they were offering up they. Encouraged older kids to participate as well. And i have to say at the end he came out of it and said he was glad he did it i wanted his favorite. Sessions was one in which there was. Serve the panel of people who had different various sexual orientations and it was some sort of a discussion group and. Alex was a big part of that and our son came home in that. He was just. Thought that was wonderful and he. Especially enjoyed your. Patience. That's another program that i think it's been really if. Remind everybody of your wonderful son's name. I'm sim. Dick. Thanks for the good work. A lot of people we were accredited as a green site january. First-year. And what does that mean jack real quickly. He has recognized the work that we have done on behalf of the environment through. Variety. Anybody else. Jim flowers isabel burning. President of the congregation we in the past two years have seen tremendous growth in the size and quality of our choir thanks to our new choir director in the enthusiasm of the choir members. Yes sir. Does well. Isabelle bernie and i celebrate that are. Attendance and membership have grown in the last week. The attendants posed for the children and for the adults. Other things to celebrate. Eric thomas i have a natural aversion to joining things. Whatever i won't bore you with the history of that but. Introverted and. Don't find it comfortable or easy to to join. But in the last two years i felt very much pulled. To joining this congregation and we sign the book. And love that us. With leadership.. Yes i'd like to celebrate the formation of the first chapter of cups. The covenant. Unitarian universalist pagan. And what was important about that is that. There has been an organization in the congregation. Have women earth spirit sister's for. Many years. And this new cups chapter includes men and families. And we had a wonderful. Summer solstice celebration on friday night down in floyd county. And reverend alex attended and we appreciate his support so much and celebrating the divine feminine. Hey man.. Other things. Okay let me just. And this is not scripted and anyway i'm just going to be looking at you and i want to say a couple things before i get into the text with the sermon. You've got old people coming here. You've got people who take our teenagers on playing at sally right now who take are teenagers to boston. So that are teenagers can find out more about the roots and heritage that unitarian-universalism has underneath it all. You've got michael barrett who came over here on a hot summer sunday afternoon weekday afternoon to shovel mulch off a playground that should have been there. You've got volunteer after volunteer after volunteer throughout the suits here this morning. Who are doing incredible things to cause incredible things to happen out of this congregation. You've got divorced the ologies here. You have young people like earl may i ask you to tell this crowd how old you are is that pushing too hard. 23 in july and the guys coming to church he should be doing. I'm happy about that are all. You've got infants on the back pew this morning shoe hold that gorgeous daughter of yours and todd's up for everyone to see. You've got people who are driving bill and. Alice how far. How far to. 50 to 60 miles each way to get here on a sunday morning. The wonder of what you are has. Startled me at times through the intro. And i. Appreciate your patience with my soliciting these things from you on this sunday morning when i close with you. Because. You need if you do well by yourself into the future. To keep reminding yourselves. All of these incredible gifts that are playing out amongst you. And this is not being immodest. This is owning your own strength your own power it is standing in your capacity. To be of evermore help in a hurting world. The all that being said i want to tell you about what happened out at general assembly. And i do this with you on this closing sermon because this is to set the context. We're an anxious face tradition right now. We if you haven't heard or selling off our property on beacon hill in downtown boston the most prestigious property. That you can have in the city of boston that's located right next door to the massachusetts state house. And we're moving down into what used to be slum area but is now being referred to as the it corridor in downtown boston the information technology quarter relocating from 25 beacon to 24 farnsworth. Okay that's going to be the new catch phrase for what we are. Beautiful new contemporary building but we're doing all of this. Out of energy that kicks up anxiety in it. And the anxieties that are so much with us. How to do with what's happening with our numbers and the challenges of what it is to be institution with challenging numbers. So this past tuesday. And monday tuesday wednesday of general assembly week is always the coming together of the clergy. This past tuesday with 400-plus clergy persons out there in louiville. We gather to spend an entire day. Starting at 8:30 in the morning and running all the way into the evening. Listening to some of our most. Thoughtful and. Informed sources on what it is that we might do with this challenge. My beloved colleague parisa parsa who's out of the suburban boston area one of our most gifted clergy speakers. Started the morning off for us by reminding us all that a piece of what we're living with his unitarian-universalist across the land. Is we're living with this legacy of puritanism. Now for those of you who were in the theology class here you're already aware of this for those of you who aren't please soak that in. We are living with the legacy of puritanism. Appaloosa said to the crowd that one of the things she has to keep telling her congregation. In suburban boston and she used a lovely poem to get this across. She says that we never think the shirt is quite enough. That we take the white shirt and we run it through the wash and we pull it out and we go oh my god there's a little spot right there. And so we get out the bleach and put it on the spot and we run it through the washing machine again. And we pull it out and we go oh it's not bright enough so we put the bluing agent in and we run it through the washer again. And she says part of what she has to remind her congregation week after week in suburban boston. And part of what she understands we need to all be reminding ourselves of across the land. Is that this. Puritanical. Predisposition. To constantly be judging what is before us as inadequate. The shirt is never wide enough. Is with us and all of what we are. She called it the direct. Lineage of our puritan heritage. And refer to it as being all-consuming in the day. Of the duke of guilt and the duchess of shame that's her language. And she said the duke of built-in the duchess of shame. Rain day after day and all of their splendor on the world social media. Where nothing is more fun more. Self-empowering. Then to give voice to what's not wrong with the community. White shirt. Is never wide enough. And parisa lovely poetic. Putting up this before all of us out there on tuesday morning. Said that the only thing that she knows that we can do. To unseat the duke of shame and the dutch. Just guilt. Is to move out of a puritan. Perspective on what's before us in the life of. Community. And into a grace. Filled. Respective. Of life in the community in which we look at the shirt no matter how dirty it might be and stay to ourselves. This shirt is. Beautiful. In its whiteness. No matter how many stains. Carswell speights. When perusa got through. Lillian daniel who's reading so amused you this morning went into the pulpit. And lillian daniel again garnering all of this publicity for that piece that i shared with you. About spiritual-but-not-religious and how awful it is to set by one of those tight folk on the airplane. William daniel. Out of the united church. Tradition. United church of christ tradition. Shares in our puritanical heritage. The united church of christ and unitarian and universalist both coming out of what it was to be puritan in this country. William daniel got up and she did this wonderful rift of how it is. That by god you people need to get over yourself. And she lived with this wonderful him. We have this tongue-in-cheek him. In our hymnal. That says in effect that we are a. Piece of work. And how wonderful we are. And lillian said. That we all need to grow more comfortable. In one another. Walking up to each other and being as blunt and saying. You're judging the white shirt too harshly. As she was in setting up the person. Who sat beside her on the plane. I'm sick of your pastor about how it is to be encountering god on the beach. She said that the very same thing that works for her in her humerus. Psychic slapping of those around her. Towards helping them understand their stuff is so self-centered. That it is of no value. Community is exactly what unitarian-universalism needs to become more comfortable in doing. Not towards putting people down. But towards doing the important work of religion which is as she put it always to challenge. And she says the only way. That religion can challenge another is to push back with another. On those places where the other has. Self-absorbed person. In a private session there were thirty of us who got to spend 2 hours with lillian daniel in the afternoon after she did her big presentation. To the 500. And my first question for her i got to leave with the first question i said oh come on i want you to cut to the chase. And tell me just how much you're able to use that cutting humor with your own congregation. And she said of. This when i asked the question. She said when i first started in ministry. I didn't use it at all because i thought it was inappropriate to humorously say to another person. You are so self-centered i can't. Nicole. Are to say to another person get over yourself and laugh about it. What you said after she'd been with a congregation. For five years. It came to her that if it had worked in her family of origin. If it had work for her in college. If it had worked for her and seminary towards a deepening relationship with people that she loved. Excuse the language of pushing back with people. We're calling people on their stuff. She said it came to her that she needed to do that in her work as a. She went on to say. Good to do that is risky work. Put in a world that is ever more hurting and desirous for something that is real. Rather than just pandering to the self-absorbed. So prevalent with us in the culture. She said she understand she had to do it. And she says it is person blessing for her. She says it has helped. Persons in congregation. Become ever more real with one another and ever more focused on the common good rather than the self good. But you said it is also called the greatest. Stresses in. And the congregation. Sushi served. And then she went on to repeat what she had said to the whole crowd that morning. She said the earls of our day and time 22 years old thank you for smiling as i focus on uworld. She said the earls of our day and poll after poll after poll and she cited numerous polls. Are saying for the posters. I yearn for religious community. I yearn for a place where i can be spiritual. I yearn for deeper community than what i currently have. And she says they walk into a liberal religious community be at the united church of christ or unitarian universalism. And they can feel whether or not we are being real with one another. And we're only being real with one another when we do on occasion say to each other. Get over yourself. This is not about just you it's about all of us. She said that. All too often. Young person's hurting persons come into our congregations yearning for what they understand religious community might provide. And they feel blind because they don't know how to get to that more important experience. Religious community. And she says all too often what they encounter is the bland. So across the land we have the bland congregation trying to leave the blind. And she said it just will not work. She said the congregation today that it's going to. Thrive. And i thought of you when she said this. She says these are congregations. Better ever more capable of being real with each other. Ever more capable of reasoning with one another. And ever more insistent on river. Reality. Reason. And rigor. And she said. That it is those congregations that hold the key. To keeping all of these young people these hurting people in religion. This country. And specific to this possibility of rigor. She said if you do not have expectation regarding your new comer in your congregation. You are completely blowing your opportunity to make for the deeper religious experience for them. She says you need to greet them at the door and say you don't get to just join this congregation tomorrow you got to come to two years of class. You got to meet with the minister and the director of faith development and oral. She says we expect you to give the norm around here is 3% and we've got folks were given 10% and they'll tell you exactly how many dollars that is. And william daniel preaching all of the stuff she had two hours to preach on it. Looks out at the crowd of my. 500 almost colleagues out there and she says. I know you're just like the united church of christ. Most of you aren't doing this yet you're afraid to do it you think you're going to lose your job if you encourage your congregation to do it. Are your congregations to afraid that it will end up in an uproar that tries to do these things. She says if you don't do them you are just setting on the eventual demise. What you already have. That you will grow in reflection of that general cultural trend. Which is for church to be in trouble. Bell after lillian got through peter morales came into the pulpit and peter is president of the unitarian universalist. Association of congregations my beloved colleague whose congregation out at denver before he became the president of the association. Peter gets into the. To the pulpit and peter if he's not heard him speak. Is as loki. Level matter-of-fact as you can never be he's an old scientist. And he loves to talk the numbers so i got up and he pointed out that in the cbs. Documentary that i sent you the links for that the pew survey of religious attitudes is reporting that our membership is up by 2% across the land and yes he understands that that's only happening in 20% of our congregation. And that 80% are still in terrible decline. Anthony went on to point out that if you know 20% of us continue to get more money like you guys 80% others continue to lose money. And then he got through. And he went down his list of president of all the things that have to do with that are positive with the movement from beacon street the farnsworth. How do you open the podium up the pulpit to exchange from the crowd. And hear the questions you got hit with. From the crowd. Peter. Is it really true that it's good for us to be moving for beacon street to farnsworth. And he put his go-to spin on it as he could but the question in and of itself reflected the general anxiety that's within. Within the movement. Did he was asked the question. Peter what are you helping to do to address the prevalent conflict. It's all over unitarian universalism congregation after congregation. Also a bit more about that in the moment. And peter said we're doing everything we can to beef up our resources at the regional level we're no longer district but at the regional level to make sure that you've got sharp. Shooters who could run in and help you when your congregations in conflict. And then he's got to ask the question. And peter what are you doing to make sure that we have new congregations being built. For those of you who don't know we're into our eight year of no attempt whatsoever to start new congregations within the movement. Which is a first time in american history that we've not had an endeavor out there. To start new congregation. And peter said and you need to listen to this carefully. We've decided given the cost of starting new congregation so the best thing we can do. Mr. courage encourage existing congregations to double their capacities. To try to take onto services are to build new sanctuary. Hard to do things that will increase the numbers of folks are in there. So when peter got through with all of this. Before 500 elbows having heard perusa in the morning. Having heard lillian daniel in the morning. Having heard peter do his rather matter-of-fact. Not too encouraging overview of where we are at this point in time. Fell into conversation amongst ourselves college after colleague going to microphones on the floor. The speak what was with them all they were listening to all of the days. Lectures and sermons. And what i heard that i hope that you will remember. Is that there's a piece of our puritan heritage. That is bigger than any too much focus on the white shirt. That is bigger than the ability just to do grayson to be accepting of whatever comes our way. There was also a piece of our puritan heritage that had to do with the understanding. That to be religious was to be in covenant. To be in promise. Not only with oneself. And not only between us as individuals. But also to be in covenant with the entire congregation. And that which is bigger than the congregation which are puritan 4/4 others. And mother is referred to as god. Person after person reminded us as they reflected on what we've heard that day. That this business of doing religious community lillian daniel got it right you gotta keep it real. You got to tell a person to get over themselves when it's too much. Focused on themselves. And not on what we are as a group. You've got to be recent about your engagement with one another. And you've got to be rigorous. With what you expect of each other. And then on top of that you've got to live in this mystical. Understanding defying possibility. Of the community being the most important thing. William daniel got up there. And she closed her sermon. By saying what you unitarian universalist keep forgetting. Is it this thing of religious community isn't about any specific theology. Nor is it about any specific way of being on any given day nor is it about any specific project. But rather the whole essence of religious community done well. Is the continual focus. On reminding yourself and each other. That it is in the giving away of oneself that one games meaning and joy in the life experience. It's paradox. How could it be good for each of us to give ourselves away. It's mystery. It makes no logical sense. And yet that's what religious community done well is all about. You guys. Get that. You don't want to talk about it too much but you get that. That's why you give so generously here that's why you keep doing. All of this incredible social justice and social work that you do here. It's why you keep coming back to church even when you're fighting with each other. Because you understand that there is this paradoxical possibility if not promise. Set in sacrificing for the community. You're going to be more happy and your life's going to have more meaning. Now that good people is what you need to keep reminding each other of. Every single day. In the sacrificing of the self. Lies. The possibility if not the promise. Of the greater joy in the greater meaning. Christine reed is sitting there smiling at me christine reed and i. Come out of the congregation in. Lancaster pennsylvania. And the congregation in lancaster pennsylvania right now is a source of continual comment because the congregation that was 700 people.big when i knew it. Back in the late eighties early nineties. Just farther to clergyperson father to clergyperson strong sabbatical. Poll after poll after poll in that congregation extolling the wonders of the congregation. And the two wonderful ministers go away on sabbatical and what does the congregation do. Did bars the two of them. And if you go talk to the people one of things i kept hearing the whole time i was in louisville was the people from lancaster it would telling me what really happened. What they tell us a story of social media gone wild with terrible rumor after terrible rumor going out on facebook and on the internet about how peter and his wife have done these terrible things that no one knew about. Which led the witch hunt people to get together to beseech the board to fire them all and the board intimidated by the angry horde all 20 of them who came and descended upon them. Are the ministers. I wouldn't tell you this. If it were not for the fact that. only did this happen in lancaster it also happened in harrisburg pennsylvania and also happened in deira old lance. Home congregation mainline philadelphia pennsylvania. All three pennsylvania congregation. Just passed church you're going through tremendous till melt. Because the congregations and this is me doing interpretive work. In all probability forgot the great wisdom. That it is in the personal sacrifice for the communal good. But i may find more joy and more meaning in my life. You guys are going to have this. Culturally encouraged. Predisposition to constantly they saying the shirt isn't wide enough. It's not good enough here. Please keep reminding ourselves. Yeah the shirts wide enough. Yeah we're good enough. And it is in the sacrifice of my own personal self-obsession. And the yielding to the community. The greater good will be realized as well as the personal. You got this wisdom with you i wouldn't preach it to you if you didn't already have it. Just to encourage. Disregard. It has been a great pleasure to be around true minister. I will carry you and memory with delight for all the rest of my days. And we'll look forward to bumping into you and general assembly hallway so we can exchange good uu gossip. For all of the years that lie ahead. I keep an eye on the nadler guy 92 years of it huh. It is a good thing. Hey man. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At user cnrv. org.

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140420_do-kh_easter-earth.mp3

Welcome to the april 20th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is an intergenerational easter service. And your birthday celebration. And is led by herself minister reverend arrowland. And a director of lifespan faith development karen hager. Morning we are celebrating. One of the holidays for march the christian side of our. Inherited genetic seester. An easter is what's called a move of. Which means it falls on a different day every year. Easter is a moveable feast in the way that they decide when the date is really complicated. It actually falls on the first sunday following the first full moon following the vernal equinox which is the first day of spring. You're. A quiz on that later. Although the christian celebration of easter, nissan easter sunday it actually begins the whole season actually begins about 46 days prior on ash wednesday which is the first day of lent. And i'm sure that many of you know someone who gave up something for lent. Very common for catholics to give up meat on fridays. Or some people will give up chocolate so sweet. Kelsey like. And for still others they'll just use it as a time of. Reflection and a way to prepare themselves to better receive the message of jesus. Because easter is. A holiday. It's about jesus. Just like christmas. Storage. The first. Easter story of jesus's death. But it's important to understand that christians don't celebrate jesus's death. They celebrate what happened after jesus died. And for unitarian universalist. We can celebrate the idea that his message lived on. I still inspires. 2000. Translator. And so i am going to ask one of my friends i have lots of friends out here today i see. Think i will ask because he's out here. My friend luke to open up the wonder box and pull out the first item and show everybody what it is. And get it. Thank you jessica. There you go. The first side amount. Nope the other thing. For the piece of paper. And hold that up so everybody can see it. Hold it up high yay. Jesus. What's a jewish man. He was a teacher and tradition historically was known as a rabbi. And he went around. The small country of palestine. Teaching others how to be kind and how to live good lives. And he had a message that he spread to everyone that he could. And it was really a very simple message. And that was the god loves everyone. Doesn't matter if you're rich or poor. You male or female secret healthy older young god loves you. God loves everyone. And lt. Travels around. Spreading this message large crowds we come and gather. To hear him speak. And now a motto is going to lead us in singing. A song about love that i know that all of you know at least the chorus of. So join in. Called all you need is love. And if the versus get a little. Who cares. But you can. Love is all you need. All you need is love. There's nothing you can know that can't be known. Love is all you need. Love is all you need. No i said jesus' message was very simple god loves everyone. Jesus's message was also very radical. Because at the time palestine was ruled by the romans. And their governor was a very cruel man name pontius pilate. The romans did not like jesus spreading this message around. And the more the jesus traveled the more people got to know and love him. And then where they got to know and love him. The bigger the crowds became. The bigger the crowds became. The more angry the romans became a particular became upset when some of the jews begin to refer to jesus as the messiah. The messiah. What's the great person that they were waiting for it to help. Free them from the romans. And i'm sorry i was going to bring pete's. Now. Free the juice and the romans didn't exactly fit in with the romans plans. So they didn't like this and the more that he talks and the bigger the crowds who got the more they started using him as a really dangerous troublemaker. A jesus was going to undertake. A public ministry. In jerusalem. And he spent 40 days fasting and praying and preparation. For that journey. He knew that this was going to be a really dangerous journey because. They hated him so much but he knew also that his message was that important. He was willing to put his life on the line for this message. The audi can you open the box sports and tell us what's in there. The next item. Hold it up. That's a palm leaf. And lots of you have palm leaves on your chair today. Several different kinds of palms. But there are leafy branches out here. Jesus travel to jerusalem with 12 of his friends recalled his disciples. And the day that he entered jerusalem is the day that christians mark is palm sunday so we'd before easter. And the poems are because. People thronged the streets when it came to see jerusalem was really was very very full of people they were there for passover. I'm so the whole town went wild with excitement when they heard jesus was coming. And a strong the size of the street. And they wave palm leaves. And they laid down their coats and leafy branches for his donkey to walk on just like we would roll out a red carpet for somebody important. Maggie can i get you to open the box to the last time and tell us what's left in there. What is it. Silver coins. Bunch of silver coins. Okay. Now unknown to jesus. One of his disciples man named judas betrayed him. And he told the romans that he would leave them. The jesus in exchange for 30 pieces of silver. And so all that week. Jesus preached in the temple until it came time for thursday night's passover meal. And that's the eve the meal that the christians commemorative the last supper. It was the last time. He died. Disciples. And after the meal. As jesus and his other disciples parade. Jesus led the roman soldiers. To him and they arrested him. And took him to the high court. He was sentenced to death. I'm so it is on easter that many people remember. The end of jesus's life. But also. We focus on. What jesus taught. And how those teaching. Are renewed and called for. And lived out in our own lives. And indeed. As unitarian universalist. We actually tend to focus very much soap on the actual life. That jesus lived we tend to see jesus as a very profound. Teacher. Who taught by his ways of doing. Unitarian universalist we often focus on our deed. Not our creed. Sometimes what we say where there is no one created in unitarian universalism. So this morning i invite us to think about. The teachings of jesus. Messages of caring for the least among us. For talking about love. Love love as we sang about. In fact it's interesting to note that in our unitarian universalist heritage. Ruu heritage. The universalists i'd had a strand that was called ultra universalism. And that meant a sense of embracing radical love without any borders whatsoever. A kind of courageous abundant love that held the whole human family. So this morning i invite us to participate with one another in the spirit of that wide and a bracing expansive love that indeed was inspired by jesus let us go forth understanding that each one of us. Can be a bearer of such courageous love in our lives. What we're going to do next together is to hear some music. Probably a song many of you are familiar with. And the baskets will pass. And as the basket pass i invite all of you who wish to come forward. To light a candle of memory or hope. Or perhaps you in a light a candle in honor of someone you loved. Or someone you are carrying with loving feeling in your heart right now you're carrying some love for them. We've got some extra special table set-up. Right here right here and of course it all at our altar right here. We buy any one of all any age would like to come forward to go ahead and. And light a candle to do so. Parents if your children want to light a candle please come forward and help assist them and if others in our community would like to help and small ways to make sure that everyone who lights a candle is who wants to light a candle is able to do so that would be wonderful. So let us do this now. If you feel moved to sing along with the song you're welcome to do so. Let us light our candles of memory of hope. And a love. This morning. This spring. We think about the cycle of life. We think about the circle of life. How sometimes life ends but also how so often life then begins. They are offering this morning continue to grow this beloved community. And it's ministry of hope for many seasons. For this vibrant multi-generational community. Growing hope. And growing love. Let us give great thanks. And joyful appreciation. As i mentioned earlier when i lifted up this egg at the top of our service. Spring becomes a time when we. Notice. That new life is indeed arriving. We noticed at the time when new animals are born. And baby chicks crack open from eggs. And the egg itself is a symbol of rebirth. The symbol of the egg reminds us of the surprises. That new life. Brings to us. So today for the rest of our service. We're actually going to invite everyone who would like to do so to actually go outside. And see if you can uncover and find some eggs. They might not look just like this one. But you all know what these brightly colored easter eggs look like. They are hidden all around our property here. And as we do this i invite you to really look around with a sense of appreciation for the abundance of our landscape and the beauty that is right here before us that we share. Again this is an easter celebration it's also an earth day celebration. I don't know if you all looked outside that are bunny helpers. This morning. There are about 750 plastic eggs out there phil adultery. There are also lots and lots of bags of dog food kitty litter. Pine-sol all kinds of things the humane society needs. So congregation did a great job and getting done. Together for them and we're going to have a lot of fun collecting. So in just a moment i'm going to give the signal and we're all going to go outside. We're going to gather together and wait till everybody gets out there okay so wait for me out there and i'll give you a signal before you go. Is my mic off. Oh. Can you eat what's in the eggs. Do you like dog treats there milk-bone sup to you. Karen bentley for those of you who have kids in the nursery we have special empty eggs out in a roped-off area for the nursery so they will not be eating though. I just wanted to just also say that we also have the wonderful resources of natalie who said that she will be carrying her camera with her so it says you do this you'd like to have your photograph taken or young ones photograph taken she's available to do that. Is natalie with the baby. So for the kids i see some of the kids brought easter baskets great if you didn't. I'm going to ask her. Breeders back there we have bags outside. That kids can grab if they go outside. And when we get out there i'll give the signal bun you shoot off find everything you can. Bring it back to our collection points. We'll have a wagon circulating for all the heavy stuff to come back. And it's going to be a whole lot of fun. So invite you all to come outside with us now. Everyday gather go out the rear lobby and we're going to gather right at the edge of the. Property lyrics. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

140504_rg_be-real.mp3

Welcome to the may 4th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today. Is led by rev dr robin gorski. His sermon is titled. Let's be real for a change. The podcast begins with an introduction of the speaker by lorraine blakemore. Diane jackson's serves as a worship associate for the server. Today in case you hadn't noticed. Our theme is witnessing for love and marriage equality. I'm proud that our congregation. Has had a long time commitment. To supporting equality. Particulate experiences. People who identify. Has lg. Today we recognize and we welcome red robin who has devoted much of his work to organizing diverse faith community. For marriage equality. Rev dr robin holy ghost. Serves as the president and ceo. Pof. People of faith. Virginia. For a quality inn. A statewide movement for justice. She co-founded. 2005. From 2003. 2013. He was pastor of. Metropolitan community church of. A native of. Michigan where he served as a local and county elected officials. Dr. gorsline orange the master of divinity degree. Talkable divinity college. Cambridge. And the phd. Systematic theology. From union theological seminary. He identifies himself as a spiritual active. Social justice. Who builds bridges across social and religious. Dr. gorsline co-editor. Disrupting white supremacy from within. And is the author of articles articles on sexuality. Auntie races. Empty ology. He has been married to dr. jonathan libolt. They're grateful for three daughters. Two glorious granddaughters. Their four-year-old son. Thank you so very much. I'm thrilled to be here. Let me do these two readings. Come and then i'll have more to say. That is my own. The first reading is from. Hebrew. Scriptures. Isaiah. 61. Just 123. The spirit of the exalted one is upon me. For the spirit has anointed me. God has sent me to bring good news to those who are poor. To heal broken hearts. To proclaim released those held captive. And liberation to those in prison. To announce a year of favor from the exalted one. And the day of god's vindicate. To comfort all who mourn. To provide for those who grieve in zion. To give them a wreath of flowers. Stead of ashes. The oil of gladness instead of tears. A cloak of praise. Instead of. The second reading. Here's an excerpt from the struggle to be real. From the book. Poet mark nepo. Entitled. Exquisite risk. Daring to live. Authentic life. Wiz khalifa says this. At the risk of oversimplifying history. I want to suggest that there are fundamentally to worldviews. One that emphasizes a belief in our connected. And one that accepts are disconnected. You can see that whether we believe in connectedness and relatedness. Or disconnectedness and isolation. Each worldview will generate a different meeting. What it is to be real. A disconnected you puts a premium on individuality. On strengthening the wheel on maximizing our separateness and uniqueness. I'm devising a morality that can negotiate the next moment as it rises. In the midst of nothingness. This path. Depends on a darwinian agility. And survival. A mystical view however regardless of its tradition. Emphasizes finding the source of all related. On strengthening connection on maximizing or innate qualities of spirit and coming this on devising a morality that honors the park in relationship to the whole. And two other living thing. This path depends more on enlivening a web of connection. That will allow the everlasting source. To sustain itself and us. The way blunt. Circulate. Through the. The tensions of modern society. Continue. Become apparent as we drift between competition and cooperation. Scarcity and abundance. And the effort to separate than the effort to integrate. Still. Each of us has asked. Discern our own sense. What it means. To be here. It was cancer. It forced me to break open. Instead of just breaking and thickening my walls so as not to break again. It was almost dying. That made me realize that the key of my survival. The key to my server. Depended more on strengthening my connections to all of life. Then on strengthening my individual will. It was almost dying. That humbled me into understanding that. Though i could gather more and more in the demesne of 10,000 things. Such efforts. Muted my ultimate sense of connection. And belonging. To the universe. Thank you very much for the kind welcome. Call diane. And good thing in touch with you and lisa. Reverend tara for planning the service. And thank you very much. Music. Cork fire was quite lovely. I'm just glad and honored to be here. With you today to stand where your wonderful minister. Usually stand. Chanel. I haven't known her all that long but she's become one of my treasure. Colleagues in this great work of transforming virginia. From a state of fear. To a commonwealth. Let's celebrate sand shares the abundance of its natural inheritance. To see about us. And the glorious diversity of all our people. A common. Well. Think about. We call ourselves the commonwealth of virginia b. To take the word at the commonwealth. The sharing. Of all. A commonwealth that knows that in valuing each other as we just said and all others. Liza. Strength. It is our connections more than in our differences that we can live out the dream. It belongs to us. Gathered in this place. Now i come to you from richmond. Where my home is. In richmond is a place at the moment if you read your paper some. You know our political leaders are locked in combat. Olbrich weather it will be the health of our people. Or the ideology of small government that is most important. A place at the moment in that capitol building in complex. For the idea that government exists not to protect the powerful but to raise up those with left h. That view faces an uphill climb everyday. Where are bond rating. Our bond rating. Matters more far more. Going to help.. You see this is the sort of place and time. Of which isaiah the prophet we just read from. You knew this time. Kind of thing that's going on here now. He knew and israel that had been saved from its enemies. Brought back from exile. An israel that had been. Forgiving its transgressions against god and god's people which was at the same time always in danger of sliding back into old ways of paying more attention to the niceties and particularities of ritual and law and the frog at these of the powerful. Then to the needs of the poor. The outcasts. The stranger. So. I come to your day from richmond repeating those powerful words from isaiah 61 that i read a few moments ago. Words that the christian gospel. Which is my favorite tradition. The tells us that the good jew rabbi jesus said in the temple. Words that are gloriously eloquent. But more than their elegant eloquent. Are intended to upset. 2 challenger. To remind us that. The power of the universe but i would call god and we use many different terms of course. But that power asks not for our words so much as our commitment. Not for the protection of our creed. But the faithfulness. Of our deeds. And i come to you today bearing the truth evoked by the poet mark nepo. But the key to our survival depends on strengthening our connections to all life. Not just one part or another part or another group or whatever someone values more. Then another. But all life. And i come to you bearing my own truth. What you may or may not share it's okay i know where are you your situation where we can have lots of different things going on all at the same time hallelujah. I said to diana. I'm actually as it was red island pastor in the christian tradition. Mcgruff in the episcopal church. But i'm always very at home in a year your congregation cuz i tend to be a bit of a renegade. And i kind of you know oh well who cares what they think that that's okay kind of thing you know that's good. But i do have some truth there that i want to say. And that is. I really feel a need to declare than that is namely that the way. We connect with all life as i'm setting the process and i'm saying. The way to do that is to get real. To go beyond what we are told is the only real. The material world. The world we can see and touch and smell and taste very wonderful and obviously we enjoyed that. What's a goldie / than that go behind it and beneath it and beyond. so they really real. The source of the world. The spirit place the realm of energy and movement that underlies all the stuff on the surface. To connect. Szczesny possess them. With the source of all related. The source of all related. The guides us into devising a morality. The honors the. In relationship to the whole. And two other. Thanks. Ants. Because it's this moment. In virginia. And i leave the statewide interfaith movement for. Creating change in virginia's relates to lgbtq equality. And because a week from tuesday the day after you have your witness here in christiansburg. The federal appeals court is going to take up this is a momentous moment in virginia history never before has the federal court of appeals in virginia with the right. Of same-gender loving peep. It's a big deal we're going to have in richmond on april or may 13th. So i come to you today. With some observations about marriage. Because i work in this great movement for equality and for the transformation and i think it is time for us as a culture. Tricky really real. About this business of marriage. To claim. That we understand fully understand. Hope you understand so much. I'm interpark what we offer back up here i got lost in my thoughts. Talk about marriage. Because it's something we think we all know about. Enter people telling us what marriage is right. But actually. So much of what we talk and think about mary just an example. The inadequacies of our concepts. Our language in our grasp of reality. So i talked a little bit but i think it's the real stuff about marriage. Airports i come with my boss. One that i think you all share ipie trust. Namely that the restrictive and stingy and punitive language and provisions of virginia's marriage regulations in constitution and in statue. Those things must be overturned. And so i'm grateful that many of your going to stand with reverend dora and others next monday at the courthouse. Princess part of the ministry. The people of faith for equality in virginia. Maybe we should. You spelled it out very nicely poofed but it's so catchy to say top it with me. Papa papa. I won't bore you today with telling you the meetings with endless meetings we had in richmond in 2004 and 5 to figure out the name of this organization and then realize that the acronym is a little bit weird. Supplytronics berkeley try to make it work for it's right okay. About marriage. Let me see the first thing. There's no such thing as gay marriage. There is no such thing as gay marriage this is an invention of the media. A shorthand way to refer to the widening of borders. Who may be legally married. What do the truth is. Whether it's two women. Two men. Where man and woman marriage. This marriage is marriage. Those who opposed wising the boundaries of legal marriage use this term k&l hook there. To try to confuse people. That little owing to manitou women to be legally married will somehow make a new kind of marriage. Now i should tell you that this is an echo of earlier times. When those who denied legal marriage to indentured servants. Two slaves. Doing the racial couples to epileptics are the mentally and psychologically challenging our history is filled with all of that kind of nonsense. They said hopefully those people in those groups married it will destroy the social order for the very institution of marriage. Just exactly what they're saying now. About lesbian and gay. In fact it's important to know that virginia has a 400-year history. Of denying legal marriage to a succession of disfavor group. You sure a lot of talk about traditional marriage. Live in virginia. Traditional marriage is not about marriage at the social or interpersonal good. Between two people are with the good society it's not about that at all as much as it is about the marriage using marriage as a means of social control. One group controlling another. So that's the first. There's no such thing as gay marriage is marriage. The second reality is. That it is not the states. Who marries people. It is people who marry each other. The state has no such power to marry anyone. The power to marry lies with the. The 2p. Who make that. Now i don't know if we have any former or maybe even current quakers in the group. Everybody come out of the quakertown. I know some good friends with floyd at the quaker meeting so i thought maybe somebody might have snuck. But anyway. Lakers have this idea. They don't have purchase right. Until when they marry. The two people stand up and say you know i marry you. So. But i like the idea like reverend or myself as someone else's the clergy person or inefficient sort of standing there too but i roll i believe. Is not to marry anybody that's been done. When the couple. Says yes to each other and i believe god's involved in that that smiley. The clergy person of the efficient who standing there is bringing the blessing of the community. And declaring in the case of virginia if you get a legal license. Acceptance of the state. On that couple. And calling into the place. The soul universe god whatever power you want to think about. The brings a couple together. And helps them stay together. State doesn't marry me. People marry each other. So there have been marriage. Involving two men and two women throughout history. And there certainly have been and are many of those right now in virginia. No marriage is dependent on the state to come into existence. If you don't believe me. Read up. If you will on the history of african-american folks in virginia who were slaves. Who were forbidden to marry. But they actually have a ritual that they do which one in the slave quarters. In the community it was their community. The one they created under the eyes of the people who thought they were in control right. And work them anyways in control. They have a thing called jumping the broom. The couple had a room like but would be right down here. To dona marriage wedding ceremony here. Reverend darryl be standing here perhaps. We're down there and a couple wood. Jump. The broom together. Take their hands and they jump over from one side to the other signifying that they left the single state into the marriage state. I was going on the overseers and the slave owners but you can't hey. Anyone want to go to the courthouse or anywhere else to get married. But they did it anyway. So. And i can tell you this and some of you probably know this already. Gay lesbian couples like my husband and i johnson. Almost 17 years now we have to still say 16. i can thinking out seventeen getting closer. We've been together all the time when we have never been we've never. Define the places not to go in the country to be married we want to be married in virginia. So we're waiting to go and get legally married in virginia but we ever married. Long time ago in brooklyn new york where we live. We had a bunch of family and friends together and we did the quaker thing cuz he's jewish and i'm christian. So let's just try to do it ourselves. So he stood there and i stood there. I should tell you this he would probably kill me for this but somebody else said that someone's going to kill themselves i can do the same thing that he received jonathan or maybe you will but anyway. He decided he wanted to have a veil. Okay. Who is jewish so he took his prayer shawl and he put it over him and then we go through the whole ceremony that he actually took the the the veil off. With the wonderful glorious moment we are married for 17 years now okay. Whether the state likes it or not. Okay. Serbia reality that may invoke some consternation among you because it is they do this because it involves talking about sex. How exactly. Now you may think that i'm simply if you're married especially or have been married you may think i'm simply stating the obvious when i say that marriage is only partly about sex. If you're married have been married you know this all too well. I know right right right right. You see most of the time. Initial endless passion i won't go there today. Have to give way to the realities of earning a living and cleaning up after each other and caring for sick children or each other doing the grocery shopping the house cleaning and no. Whatever all that stuff that people have to do with each other as well as listen to each other's complaints. You know and have arguments and then figure out a way to get out of them and go moving out all that stuff. It looks like sex at the beginning right but you know it becomes something different overtime. Okay that's good i'm not just you know. It's not the whole deal but if you arrived in virginia. From some alien place where marriage did not exist. And you listen to those who opposed broadening the boundaries of legal marriage and otherwise the anti-marriage equality people. You will soon think that marriage is really all about what happens if that's magic moment when one party run body part of the man meets a body part of the woman. In this view. It is what they call the positive procreative potential. Positive property. Positive procreative potential. I'll be union of a man and a woman. They can result from the physical active vaginal pino sexual intercourse. That's what makes it matter. I read a lot of legal briefs. I hope you're having a good me some sympathy for that because. It's not easy sometimes the ones that are so negative. About equality. But when you read them so often when i read them and i have an attorney friend who works with me in. People of faith for connie virginia he's our board chair. He's a magnificent wonderful human being and wonderful lawyer. And he helps me understand and you really the argument. Subway's boils down to. It's that moment if that moment can't happen. Because it's not a man and a woman. Then it's not marriage. But that moment that makes that determination. And the end of corollary to this view. They say the best in those two mary just wanted which that act. Results in the birth of a child or children. Of course children are wonderful after daughters. They say other marriages are okay the ones that don't have children but not really the best. To see because the real marriages are those in which the positive procreative potential. Is actualized in the birth of. I want to tell you this an air of unreality about this. There's an obsession with sex. Which i know the opponents of broadening the boundaries of marriage. Would vigorously deny hole nowhere. But actually put the talking about we can't ignore it frankly. It makes it kind of sad. When you think about how limiting that idea of marriage is. So what's the real deal about marriage. We started set it already but i put hear what i have. The reality is i see it is that doctor that great rvuniverse of the soul of the universe or whatever it is that brings people together want people to create community. To care for each other. We're called to live together. To share our respective and share destination. So that all may prosper. And that means that a holistic view of marriage understands that it is about our your name. Are soulful your name. To join with another enter shara unfolding lives that to make more of each of our lives. You know i'm in a marriage the two people in there still b their individual people. The hr person right. Hopefully that's the way it works in marek's i've known something a little different than that but most of the time you want to have it so they're two very strong. People who are. Working together. To share their lives and two created together a new one another words are two people and then there's a third reality of the of the whole. A new one that is larger than the life of egypt. So that may result. And children being born or not. But it home. Can result in the creation of new life whether that butter there is. Whether or not there is a vagina. What a penis is a body part in one or both. Of the party. The state. Society all of us. Has has an interest in all this to be sure. It is good for all of us when the greatest number of people. In our culture in our society are happily engaged in shared live in sharing life and union and families that promote the well-being and physical and emotional and spiritual help of all that lead to instability in our social life. To the stability in our personal life. On here is an apostle of marriage. Okay. I'm not saying i'm a happy man i'm just saying i think it's a good tank okay still a lot of different choices it's okay by the way marriage is not legal. I've been an apostle of people getting together. Make a life again right. And we'll figure out the other stuff later. But the marriage i promote is consistent. With the proclamation of isaiah. You see i promote. I proclaim mother. Good news to those prevented from marrying legally. I come to heal their broken hearts are a lot of lgbt folks whose hearts are broken. By the fact that this commonwealth. Fresno. I know we married with other things. But i come to proclaim release to those held captive to old ideologies that deny marriage too many. And i come to offer liberation from their self-imposed prison then i come to announce a year of favor from god for those previously oppressed to share the holy one's comfort for those whom society has deemed unworthy. To place on their heads a wreath of celebration and honor. We're before they bore the marks of socially imposed. To pull over them the oil of joy. Instead of. The shower of ashes and tears. And to raise them up in the public square. Where once they had hung their heads. In despair. And my friends. Set the unitarian universalist church. Of the new river valley. I invite you. As i believe you already are. To share in this proclamation. To join with me and telling the truth.. Not just a matter of politics. Orloff. What constitutional history. What is a matter of the soul of our sister. As a way to move this glorious land called virginia. From a small nest of vision. To a large list of heart. To pry open the arteries of social life that have become clogged with prejudice and narrowness and fear. So that in this new day the lifeblood of the universe against the flow in this place. The flow down like mighty streams of righteousness to become a river of justice that cares for all. Loves all. To move this people here this virginia. From the potomac. To the chains to the new river valley. Two new way of being. A new way of caring for all. A commitment overcoming. All that stands in the way of our true and real and fully shared. Comment. So that we may. In the words of that him we sang at the beginning. Which by the way is. Song called the negro national anthem. It's an old thing that helps. So that we may come out. From the blooming. And stand it last. Weatherlight meme. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

150322_do-lpc_rose.mp3

Welcome to the march 22nd service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by are settled minister. Reverend arrowland. Plus members of olay pastoral care committee. Their presentation is titled. A rose in winter time. This morning we sang together with one another i'll bring you hope when hope. It's hard to find and i'll bring a song of love. And a rose. In the winter time. Some of you might have gotten roses. Don't look exactly like this i think yours are probably felt roses. Did y'all get some roses when he came in this morning. When did roses in winter time. Is the team of our service this morning. And i think it's a lovely ham by carolyn mcdade in our hymnal. The one that says i'll bring you hope when hope is hard to find all bring us song of love. And a rose in the wintertime. It's a good metaphor i think. One that reminds us that even in the bleakest times in our lives. And i'm sure. Some of you have felt bleak times in your own lives. Nonetheless even in the bleakest of times there is a possibility. Of connection. Of a caring sort of presence. And that's what your roses symbolize this morning. Roses in life's wintertime. This morning you'll hear very little from me and a lot more from those who are part of our leg postural caring network. Animal share with you just a little bit more about that. First i want to lift up that we have three parts of our formal caring network here at the congregation. Of course as your minister i am available and often do. Visit with you in my office. At your home. At hospitals when we visit with one another and i'm here to listen. Support offer guidance and. So that's one part. The resources that i bring an offer you as you are settled minister. The second piece of this caring network is are caring committee. That's a good group that respond with practical needs when you find yourself out in a in a tough situation a personal crisis a medical. Crisis of some sort will you need this impractical carrying support. Meals. Rhyme. That sort of thing. So if you are someone who has ever received practical care from the caring committee or have been part of the caring committee and it one time or another have offered a ride or a meal. Or some sort of practical kara's part of the caring committees for the work. Please raise your hand from. Can everyone look around. See how many hands. And as a congregation i invite us to just say thank you. It makes a difference. More than you might. Even. The third part of our formal caring network here. congregation is something called lay pastoral care ministry. Ltcm. And this morning we lift up and roses in the wintertime service which is becoming annual supportive service. We lift up. At the work as a lay pastoral caring ministry. Some people have more awareness of what this good group. .. Some of you already know what this good group das because you either served on it. Or you've already received care from this group. Program is in its third year. To get 8:30 to me this isn't third-year here in our congregation and each year we are growing it and strengthening it. And i'll tell you that the late hospital care associates are a very thoughtful devoted committed group. They actually on fill out an application. That brings us to my awareness and the costa silleteros awareness why someone is interested in serving in this way. And they make a commitment to me every single month for ongoing training and shared reflection. They also make a commitment to be matched with people in our congregation who are interested in that. I'm going to tell you just a little bit more about those matches before you're going to hear from some of those associates themselves. What happens in a match ale postural carenow. Is something built simple. And profound. Pastoral care associates. Don't do. That much. But what they do is critically important. They provide presents and accompaniment. When someone is going through a really rough patch. And just need. To not be alone. To have a witness. To have a gentle non-judgmental. Caring presence. Lay pastoral care natchez are made when a member of the congregation says to me or to one of our closest relatives yes i would like to be one. With someone. When you're matched with someone the only people who know or myself. The person that you're matched with. And at cynthia and luke and nancy gardner quetico facilitator. And. Basically i think an archon in our lives beyond his congregation within it were often used to. Showing our care for those we care about bayan. Wanted to give advice. 5:40. Weddings provide lots of resources. I know there are many competent folks here in this congregation you are glad to help and you just want to give each other lots of good resources and support that's a wonderful thing. But that's actually not what lay pastoral care associates do. Rather they're trained with me and simply being a present. And allowing the person who are matched with. To just unfold the truth. That you are struggling with. When i do training with ally pastoral care associates we talked about how sometimes when people interact with each other. It's like there are two people. So i would be talking to someone. And dumb. Ashley cynthia always stand up for just a minute. I'm going to demonstrate this with you. So i might go to something we're just talkin and i just have sort of casual encounters and unless i even go to cynthia because we're friends or she's part of my family and we kind of talked back and forth like this. And maybe cynthia's got some advice for me. Different face for me. Okay you're going to tell me to tell me all sorts of things that i might do to have transformation and changing my life. Okay. Thank you. That happens all the time in different ways right. But what we're doing with lay pastoral care. Is instead let's say i go to cynthia and she's matched with. And i say this is what is on my heart. Instead of just sitting like this this is a metaphor but this is what happened so just being like this. Cynthia turns to look at the problem with me. And i explained. And she witnesses. And she listens. She might reflect and ask me a few questions. Just to help me keep unfolding what it is that is deeply held in my heart and my mind. And it feels really great to be witness. Because sometimes it is that we just need a witness. And it is different than a family member or friend with whom we have. Robust and sticky sports of relation. This is really different. It's just about company one another. As you can imagine it's not always easy to ask for help when you need the sort of thing. And if you can match it's not always easy to just provide non-judgemental carrying. Confidential presents. So we practice both of these things. The last thing i want to play with you this morning before hearing from some of the ways in which the lake hospital care associates have been moved by their own service. Is to say that i do believe that just about everyone in life. Is strengthened by practicing leaning. If you are someone in your life at if you are someone in your life you feel it is hard for you to reach out. It's understandable. Because it flies in the face of the individualistic cuz dominant culture we have and i can do it myself in this sort of thing which is really important. But let us also remember that sometimes leaning on one another leaning into support. Is a way of being strong. Everyone needs at some point. Time of. Leaning into the park. And some of you are really good and willing to lift each other up. Play invite you to consider if this in your own life as a time for you as leaning that you need to lean in on some support. Or if it is a time of lifting when you feel like you can lift. Forward other. And i invite you to consider in advance of your old life. Leaning. And lifting. And leaning. And lifting. For this is what resilience. And when i meet with the lady pastoral care associates in their ongoing training. We talked about this dance. Leaning. And lift. Last year at this very service you heard people that have received care. This morning you're going to hear more about those were part of offering. Icare. Olay pastoral care. So now i want to. Welcome forward. Speaker is. Cynthia. I would have welcomed forward cynthia look to share her own reflection to the co facilitator of this program. I've been a caregiver most of my life. As a young child. Within my family. As a nurse. And as a nurturer of ideas and projects. However lpcm has given me the opportunity to cultivate my skills. To be with. Another person rather than doing for another. The program is built from the premise that each of us has strengths. Wisdom and wholeness. To resolve difficult issues or experiences that confront us in life. Just being with another person who believes in your ability and inner resources. Enables you to talk through the feelings and ideas that are stymieing. We all have these times of transition or events that trouble us. That is one lpcm compassionate listening. And a caring presence. Can support you as you move through the inks. To a place of being and feeling more whole. How do we learn this. Each of us has his potential to be a compassionate listener. You can ask. To apply. Or decide this would be a way to develop your skills and offer this kind of ministry. Some people choose to become associate as part of the lpcm program. To learn better listening skills. And to be open to building more trusting relationships with a few congregants. There was a written application process adara talked about with your intent and interest. Each year we have a spring training for new associates and that's upcoming. In addition associates meet monthly with derek regarding us in discussing and offering suggestions to one another. This year in these monthly meetings we have been reading a meaningful book called. The art of being a healing presence a guide for those and caring relationships. We discussed these concepts and talk about the various ways each of us can make being with one another happen. A recent quote had me thinking and here's the quote. One truth about healing presence. It's at the depth to which you can go within yourself. Corresponds directly to the depth at which you can. Can connect intimately with another. This holds true for all you experienced the pain and the joy. Last winter i felt very dull. I lacked the ability to connect intimately with others. I felt like i was going through the motions of living. I talked about it had a few counseling sessions and decided that there was more going on than just aging. Or at least the aging i want. I tried a mild antidepressant medication over time i began to feel more alive. I agree with that quote but to be most authentically yourself. You need to be intimate with yourself. And be transparent and willing to take the risk of being present. Listening and reflecting silently as you're interacting with another person. Lpcm offers the associate the opportunity to grow in this kind of knowledge and insight. Why do we call it ministry. It is sacred work. To hear another story. Holding them in confidence. To feel another's pain and experience their gratification as they move through a couple time. There can be a sense of all our gratitude being present as another shares their deeper authentic self. Trust developed. It is a gift and a spiritual experience. We as listeners often center ourselves and become aware of our current concerns before meeting a congregate so that we can be fully present and not preoccupied with ourselves. This creates a sense of calm and inability to focus on the other person. There is very little need of head talk wondering what to say next or how to respond as we are primarily listening. We learn to become aware of our own discomfort. Uneasiness. Biases. That interfere with hearing the other story. We offer a compassionate listening at fearing presents with one another. Most of us who have been in this program would agree that we have gained as much as we have given. There is a dynamic flow between the one who gives and the one who receives. Both learning in both being grateful. When a match is finished both congregants returns when do social relationship however one with more caring. Ingenuine. Genuineness. If you're interested in the match how do you know who the lady pastor affair people are. You can speak to any of us and two rabdare to request a match. You'll notice that we have a blue striped ribbon on our name tags. And today we wear a rose. Fibrosis in the winter time. Well you're now from haley. member of life hospital care ministry. The new river valley is my home though i transplanted myself here less than eight years ago to attend school. Up until this point i had had a different home for every year of my life. 20 something to be exact. And as i continue to grow here in the years following college. I came to trust my connection to this place. Places change but typically only every decade or century then. Therefore i reasonably concluded that yes i am safe to become comfortable here this place with wide open spaces and mountains. That help me ground my restlessness by their example. The settling into place was an experience i have never had growing up in both the military and financially overburdened family. But here i was settling into physical place. And throughout my 7 years of growth and exploration wonder and evolution here. I've learned to have. A certain type of faith. Faith that you can be held by land. Even when entirely alone. Just by coming to know the landscape intimately. I once read a piece of advice stating that if you need to feel support. Simply lie down on the ground. The earth provides a constant support through gravity's blessing. And yet my restlessness persisted. The sense that there is more than simply faith in place. And so i came to the uuc through the flying science of gravitation. I came because i was hungry and i came to be fed. And over the past year my caution has faded. Facilitated in part by the warmth of every person i've met here. The sermons that outreach and most especially by my own risk. To participate. So i joined lpcm led by the desire to listen to the messages the human life and mitts. Lessons in a language i do not necessarily speak yet know and understand fluently in the depths of my being. However at the first energy meeting i immediately shifted into a state of high anxiety when i realized. Beach had to take a turn sharing a better life. A glimpse of our choosing whenever we wanted to reveal. To give to the group in an offering of trust and authenticity. This happens to be an especially difficult practice for me to show myself. And yet and the group does not know this but every month i am and all absorbing how each member gives of her and himself. And to simultaneously received. With unconditional graciousness and safety. I've learned to trust and community through their example. And as an extension through this community of both lpcm and the broader congregation. I believe i've come to understand the meaning of faith in a more complete way. I met with dara few months ago and desperately laid all of my pain in front of her and she gave me wonderful advice. Which was to lean on this community. I was taking a bath queen on people and entire group. Did idea was so foreign to me and yet one i have now begun to form a familiarity with. As a result i can stand so much stronger on my own now knowing that i have this community of others here to support me and i them. And so i have innocence word. How to both give and receive with pastoral care. By just being a part of this group. I came to this community as an empty bowl when i had grown accustomed to feeling myself again and again. But what i have discovered an hours to share and spread is that i do not have to fill the bowl of my being alone. I can receive offerings from the community of individuals dedicated to creating safespace growth and compassion. Okay. Put us here now from. Friendship aunt who will be reading called friendly visit. Fightland of pfeiffer. Both linda and frank are members of the lake hospital care ministry. I'm honored to be sharing linda's words. One of the roles of the lay pastoral care ministry. Is participation in a program we call friendly visits. These visits maybe to someone in our church community. Who would like a personal contact on a regular basis. Perhaps because they no longer find it possible to attend services. Or they may feel isolated and would enjoy visits. From someone in her church. One of our members may also suggest a parent or relative. Who would enjoy visits. As our minister becomes aware of these needs. The lay pastoral care members offered to contact the individuals. To see if such visits would be welcome. In my own case. Speaking for linda. I began regular visits with an individual who had enjoyed. A long association with the uu church. In another city. Before moving into assisted living at warm hearth. My visits with her centered around her interests. Her concerns about daily living. Whatever she wanted to share. We soon developed an easy rapport and before long. She wanted to know what i was up to. Our visits have become non-stop discussions. And laughter over life challengers. Challenges. World affairs. Whatever's on her mind. I look forward to these visits i'm sure as much as she. For the family visits have developed into a deepening friendship. It has been an enriching experience for me. As i hope it is been for her. And it is one that i treasure. If you are someone. 2 over the past several years has served as a layup astral care associates. Or are today wearing a rose because you are now serving as a lay pastoral care associates. Will you please stand now. And i invite you to go ahead and turn and face the congregation. And i invite us all just to say. Our last but certainly not least out reflection this morning from a late postural care associate comes from darla gray. The experience of providing a listening ear through our lay pastoral care program has often been a surprising one. In a broad sense. My experiences here at the uc have often been surprising. Anytime i found myself in a new role including as a late pastoral care associates. It has stretched me. And open me to new awareness. And cause me to grow spiritually. Air associates training has included reading material. Exercises to explore our own ideas and perceptions. And lectures from local professionals. We acknowledge our own needs for support as we do this work. Intercessions offer a safe and covenanted place. In which we can share our lives. And support each other. This year at cynthia said we've been reading and discussing us small but powerful guide. Disney the art of being a healing presence. There are quotes from a wide range of wise teachers. Philosophers and writers. That have made a great impact in the world overtime. Recently one of our readings in particular made me stop to think. About what being part of this ministry. And indeed part of this congregation has meant to me. In the past 11 or 12 years. Since i've been coming here. Here is the quote. Life experiences that stretch you. Create natural openings to the sacred. Now being an introvert. I may be willing to serve but i don't often volunteer. Some of you may know when i'm talking about. When i. I may say yes even when i feel uncertain or unqualified. After the first time i found that if i offer service. With a loving intention and a willing heart. I can be of use. Even though i make mistakes i am forgiven. And there is now more room to grow. I've been stretched and opened in new ways. Putting myself in the path. A people experiencing the fullness of their humanity. Allowed me to witness bad in them. And also explore the same themes in my own life. It is an honor to be trusted with knowledge about some of the deepest questions. People are grappling with. In our lives. It feels like a sacred trust. Deserving of reverence and respect. And it creates sacred space in the world. Being involved in this program has served others. But has also helped me in my life and my personal relationships. In a recent meeting one of our. Play pastoral care associates. Haley brought a poem that really struck me. I'd like to just share an excerpt from this poem. Call the layers by stanley kunitz. Oh. I have made myself a tribe out of my. True affections. And my private scattered. How shall the heart. Be reconciled to its feast of losses. In rising when the manic dust of my friends. Those who fell along the way. Bitterly stings my face. Yeah i turn i turn. Exultant somewhat. With my will intact. To go wherever i need to go. And every stone on the road. Precious to me. Now it's. Easy to experience. Bountiful. Garden of delight and share that with other people. But it's in the losses where we find ourselves. Without words. When we're with friends are family. And we really may need someone just to listen. Now learning how to listen without offering inside. Are asking questions are giving suggestions is hard. If we find other people interesting we want to know more. We want to relate our stories to. I find that even my daughters will open up more and share more if i simply listen. And don't offer unsolicited information or advice. Sitting with another human being. Who is undergoing a transition in life. Sharing that. And helping to support the weight of that for a while. Is a humbling experience. Sometimes there's an answer they will find for themselves. Who's sometimes there isn't. Sometimes the comfort comes from allowing oneself to be a fallible human being. Sitting with another. Fallible human being. Being together and sacred space. In the knowledge that we are not alone. In closing i offer a quote from booker t washington. If you want to lift yourself up. Lift up someone else. Thank you. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

150920_do_living-bravely-II.mp3

Welcome to the september 20th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by a set of minister. Reverend arrowland. And her servant is titled. Our year of living bravely. Part 2. The podcast begins with an ethiopian folktale. Shared with us. I worship associate jane aronson. Today i share. With you a folktale from ethiopia. As retold by writer jennifer armstrong and adapted for us this morning. A long time ago a woman and a village adopted a boy whose parents had passed away. She had no children herself. And she wanted this boy to love her however he was still grieving for her parents for the parents he had lost. This woman loved him from the start. And was sad that he would hardly look at her when she gave him his food. She thought she would ask advice from the wise healer in the next village to see if there was some magic that could make them the child love her. There's a special drink which i can make for you to give to the boy said the healer. When the child drinks it. He will love you as his mother. Please make this for me. The women back. The healer raise one finger. It's difficult to make. It requires the whisper of a living lion. Even though she was very anxious and fearful she vowed to get the whisper. Next afternoon she took some meat to upon where lion tracks have been seen. She put the meat by the water. And hid behind a tree to wait. Sure enough. At dusk a lion came. She knew by the way he sniffed the air that he knew she was there. But he was satisfied with the meat and didn't bother her. The next evening she did the same thing. The lion sniffed the air but did not approach her. For he was satisfied with her offering. The next evening she did the same thing but crouched on the path. Or he could see her. She was very frightened when the lion looked at her but she did not run away. Everyday she did this and every day she waited a little bit closer to where the lion ate. After two months she placed the meat in front of the line and waited just a few feet away. The lion would eat the meat quickly his great teeth gleaming in the sunset light. But the woman taught as a boy and did not run away. After three months. The woman place to meet on the ground and did not move. The lion approach the meat. And sniffed her before eating. As he lowered his head to the meet the woman reached out and plucked one with your from his cheek. The next morning the woman hurried to give the wise healer the lions whisker. The healer looked with astonishment at the whisker and then smiled. You know have everything you need to win the boys love. The drink you'll make me the drink. The woman asked. Healer put a gentle hand on the woman's arm. You do not need any magic drink. You have learned how to win the boys love with patience and courage. And with a small step everyday. And would not running away. And when the woman went home she found that she could think of the boy as a lion and approached him with the same patients. And the same respect. And eventually. This boy loved her as his own mother. This morning we're continuing on with our conversation. In line with our year of living bravely. A few weeks ago i asked you to really think about. Examples of. Being brave in your own lions asked you to think about times in your life. When you felt that you were. Brave. I asked you to think about exemplar of bravery that inspire you. This is part 2. That evolving conversation. Jane just shared with us a story. You can draw forth and make meanings yourself of the messages that are in that story. One thing about story brings to my mind is that courage. Is a muscle that is grown over time. It's something that can't happen in an instant. But most often it's something that we practice. Step. By step. This morning i want to talk with you specifically. About moral. And i want us to kind of think together what is. Moral. Courage. And invite you to just hold that question gently. Is a share with you. A few more pieces this morning. I'll tell you that when i was growing up in hamden connecticut. In my mother's home. We would eat in the kitchen. And there was a calendar. In our kitchen that hang on the wall. And there were some words on that calendar. And it was words by the german lutheran pastor martin niemoller. And the words might be familiar to some of you these were the words on the calendar. First they came. First they came for the socialists. And i did not speak out. Because i was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists. And i did not speak out. Because i was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the jews i did not speak out because i was not a jew then they came for me and there was no one left. To speak for me. For some of you familiar with these words. Versions of which yeah lots of. It's one of my most early memories of living in that house looking at those words on the calendar. And i certainly didn't know what a socialist was or a trade unionist but of course i got into some conversations with my parents and you can tell what kind of home i was in that those words would be in our calendar because what i remember the words were on a calendar and the page never turn. I don't know if that was my intention. Or whether my mother and her busy life just forgot to flip the page over. But when i really think on it would it communicated to me because it was on a calendar is that these words are important for any date. 4 anytime. When i think back to the very first times i remember thinking about what moral courage night mean i'm reminded of that calendar and those words by that courageous lutheran pastor. I'll share with you a little bit more about his life because it was an interesting one. You may or may not know some of about his life. Martin niemoller was. In germany born in germany and he voted for adults hitler not once but twice. He voted for hitler in 1925 and he voted in for him again in 1933 and he did so because at that time he believed that germany needed a strong leader. And then a few years later he was actually in a meeting with adults hitler and some leaders of prominent. Churches in germany. Began to understand more clearly. The reich's. Vision. The administration's vision. And he started he was deeply concerned because what he learned was that adults hitler saw that the government that he was growing would be larger. Then religion. And deeply devoted both to his own religious tradition and institutionalized religion. Martin niemoller was deeply disturbed. By the few burris. That he was beginning to understand with heart and personal of the nazi project. And he became very outspoken. Both condemning the nazis but also condemning those. Liberal. Churches at the time that were saying and doing nothing. As the hatred and oppression was growing. For his outspokenness martin niemoller was sent to on not one but two concentration camps. He did not perish. I'm as so many people did and after the war he was elected to two ahead of a strand of lutheran church and he became a very outspoken. Advocate. About the dangers. The dangers of complicity. When faced with systems of oppression and he became a pacifist. And he work internationally in a movement for keys. He died in 1984. At the age of 92. First they came. First they came. These words today still haunt me. And i don't know about you. But they don't just hunt me. They inspire me to be remembered of the clarion call for ethics and accountability. In. Our date. And in our time. Though when i was young looking at that calendar that was on the wall for every single meal that we had in that house. I didn't yet know the words of the ancient rabbi hillel. But now that i do i think they relate very much to the ethical. Accountability. That martin niemoller was. Championing. An ethics of the fathers ancient rabbi and teacher. I hilal said if i am not for myself. Who will be for me. But if i am only for myself. Who am i. If not now. When. We think about moral courage. When i believe that we're talking about is. Not being silenced. In the face of injustice. Just because silence is more convenient seemingly. Less risky. Seemingly. Moral courage has to do with risking exposure to unknown outcomes guided and rooted in a sense not just of moral principle. But the moral vision. To which those principles direct. Miniature with you little bit more about moral courage this morning but right now i want to ask you i invite you to think about what moral courage looks like. To you. Who are those exemplars of moral courage. Maybe some of you have some right away instead of your kind of digging around okay. And then i'm going to challenge you with perhaps. Even more difficult questions. I wonder if you can think through the experience of your. Reading. And think about a time when you. Admiral. Courage. Now i want to ask you to think about a time when you did not. When did you choose not to speak up and out. When you knew when you had a sense. A deep abiding moral sense that something was. What stopped you. I'm going to share with you that today. A story that i don't know if it'll be inspiring to you but it's. Honest. I'm going to share with you story of my own medication which i wrestled for my own moral courage and which i experienced a moral crisis of sorts i wasn't sure quite what to do. Christmas story. Over. 13 years ago. I was a journalist. Working in public radio in new york city as many of you know. I was. Is on my way to work one morning. And a very crowded subway. The end of which the journey would drop us at wall street and then i walk into the building that was the wnyc building there. And. That morning i was focused on the meeting that i was going to. Young dumb. Sat down on the subway and i sat next to a woman. Choose a parent. Chad a young one with her. And i could tell that they were having a really hard day. Here's how i could tell. Because. She was starting to raise her voice at the child. She's also starting to push her child. It was a large pole kind of polisi on subways were people hold on to them. And. They were right next to me. And on the other side of the woman and her child. Was person reading a small bible. I noticed right away that the family was having a hard time. The child was perhaps three or four. And eventually they mother began to push her child's head against the far. First slowly and then she started. Pushing. More quickly. And i didn't really know what to do i looked around on a panic. And. I looked around you know to see what other people were think. Or doing. Whether anyone else was noticing. And i kept thinking maybe the woman she'll just stop and she'll just relent. I was scared to say anything until this day i'm not really sure what i was scared of exactly. I hear the thoughts that i had. Who am i. I noted that there were differences between the mother and i in aids in language and ethnicity and at first i felt terrible i thought. Am i judging this woman. Oh my goodness i'm judging this woman. Yes i am judging this woman. And then. Please please stop. That was my internal dialogue please please stop. And then i started kind of praying and some ways to a larger source that i hadn't really done a lot of theological investigation at that. Time and i wasn't exactly sure what or who i was praying to but i was thinking. Please whatever is larger than me please oh please just make this stop but instead what happened was that the pushing it just accelerated and now the woman was pushing her child so hard that she's actually hitting me. On the other side. The person that was reading her bible been more deeply. Into their bible. And i looked around in the subway cars people were averting their eyes and my internal sort of self-talk continued i don't imagine any of you have ever had any sort of self-talk in the manner that i'm describing you today the self-talk continue to go well maybe i should just ignore this i mean i don't know them at all and it's not my concern and i'm probably out of line and maybe if i did something it would actually make it worse for the child after they leave the subway maybe it'll receive more reprisal at home and to say that i was uncomfortable in this is a total understatement. What happened with that i was frozen still. This will happen very quickly. We're talking in a matter under 5 minutes the escalation of the. The woman pushed her child has the pole more and more aggressively and suddenly heard the banging of the child head and. I wondered all the fun whether the child wouldn't feed. Fall. And would be seriously injured. And i could take it no longer as soon as that thought occurred to me and suddenly stood up and i said loudly and an anguish and far with far less composure than i would ever hope i said stop. Just stop. And then in a flood of emotion bordering on tears i said if you hit that child one more time i'm going to have to do something i don't know what i'm going to do but i will do something. And the mother looked up at me completely startled. She's been completely unaware. Where she was and she looked at me just kind of stunned. And i remember even though this is so many years ago more than a decade that i felt a sense of relief to hitting head stopped. Child slipped away from the bar. And i turn to the whole subway car and i invited everyone. With my hands waving in my tears streaming and i said but really the person i was most upset with was myself i said all of you just sitting there. All of us say nothing. Watching. Trying not to see what is wrong with us. What is wrong with us. Within seconds i'm taking longer with this story but it really happened under 5 minutes we were all the sudden at the wall street exit the doors open everyone screamed out i lost track of the woman and her child. Did i tell you this is kind of clumsy story. Wrestling here. I was crying i was sobbing uncontrollably had i done the right thing i was standing on that platform had i done the right thing where the mother and the child gone would they be alright why had i yelled at that way at everyone. What happened i yelled sooner. What was wrong with me. What was wrong with us. Someone came up to me and try to put their hand on my shoulder and said are you okay. Picture my tears i said no i'm not okay. Who can be okay with this. What is wrong with that so i reiterated over and over and over again no i'm not okay. I couldn't get my ass. Together. Maya angelou says this one is not necessarily born with courage. When is born with potential. Without courage we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind true merciful generous. Or honest. I didn't realize it back then but what i was wrestling with was a moral crisis. Of sorts. It had to do with accountability responsibility. Oppression power dynamics. Justice and injustice. What i was doing then in a. Haphazard grasping for straws sort of way. Was trying to stretch my moral muscle. Trying to become more anchored in my moral vision. In a way that was most accountable. To my highest ideals. As i look back on that scenario and i will say that i have used that scenario. To evoke the other people's moral challenges and use them through mode called cedar of the oppressed. To have people role play different actual challenges and experiment with different sorts of interventions. I've done this with really diverse groups of people diverse and race and class in the agent gender getting people together figuring out at what point would you stop the situation at what point would you make a choice what is the good and moral choice that you would make. But i understand when i look back on that scenario is that there were many options that were available to me. I didn't have access to them. The options that felt most available to me was paralysis do nothing. Or anguish and yelling far for the far extreme. Didn't really see that there were other places to locate myself. For example. You know i could have said a few things. There's a spectrum of intervention. Instead of waiting and waiting what i could have said. I could have turned to my neighbor and said hey. Are you having a rough day. I wonder if we can get some help together when we get off this. I could have said hi you might think i'm out of line here but i can tell that you and your little one are having hard time. Something i can do to help you out. Could have put my hand on her back and said hey take it easy. Or i might have started a pleasant conversation out of the blue with the mother to try to get her engagement something other than the complex frustration that she was having with her child at that time. I could have engaged. The child's going to conversation. Injecting some neighborly humor talking about the backpack that he had and the cartoon on the backpack. See that would have diffused some of the situation. I think there are many right. Responses. Very interested in people growing and practicing courage practicing our moral responses. I'm in the face of challenge and. Complex situations. I'll tell you that it wasn't until i was. In the ministry that i was asked to do something that was a courage building practice we were trained to do something that scared us every single day. They wanted us to practice going brave. Do something that. Scares you. Every single day. Or the story of the lion. Growing that courage muscle. I will say that. Moral courage. It's not. Easy. But it is worthy. When jane errands and i were chatting about moral courage and she found the story of the lions really spurs i really appreciated it. And. Sing writers that wrote the. The story that you heard her share today. Give some examples of what moral courage looks like an action. I want to share some of those with you. Here are some examples of moral courage in action. Helping someone push a car out of a snowbank even if it means being late. Standing up to a bully on a playground. Refusing to listen or to or repeat gossip. Practicing what you preach even when no one is looking and no one knows. Returning something that you know is not yours. Being attentive. 2 equal voice time for people regardless of age race. Class. Able ability to move in a physical way. Gender. Moral courage looks like a company someone in a company being a whistleblower risking their own job. It may look like people organizing for fairness and dignity on the job as with union. Invite you to think about what moral courage looks like to you. Here's a list of. What lack of moral courage look. Walking away from someone in need. Taking more than your fair share. Grabbing the spotlight from someone who is earned it or needs it. Remaining silent. In the face of wrongdoing or injustice. Rationalizing or justifying your lack of action. Breaking a promise. Lying. Part one of this conversation about courage and bravery. 2 weeks ago. Talk to you a little bit about an interesting dialogue between cornel west and robert george. And both of them at the end of that dialogue end up landing squarely on the common ground. I've been in favor of moral. Friends i do believe whether the challenges are on a subway. In a workplace. Moreover ones that are. Systems the stomach and justices that are facing our society now is a time. Where we as individuals and as a society need to. Harness our morale. We need to get clear and committed to our principles. And moreover understand the world. But those principles. Guide us. Tourette's. For when we know. What are moral vision is. And we remember. The principles that guide us towards that moral vision then we can be anchored. When it feels risky. When it feels scary. To speak up. To speak out. To be morally courageous. I turned the conclusion this morning i want to raise with you a few more questions. I wonder. What a congregation. What is society. Awake to moral courage. Might do. What will we do when we stay woke. Woken up. To our own. Moral courage. What will you do in a difficult situation. When you are faced with a moral challenge. Might you ask yourself what is my moral vision. And what does moral. Courage look like right now. Spiritual mentor to rev dr martin luther king was rev dr. howard thurman. Who spoke. Atlanta to multi-religious communities is the dean of the chapel in boston university. And i'm. Is a real pillar. Of moral. Courage. Particularly looking at the spiritual and religious underpinnings of where moral courage comes from. And i want to conclude by sharing. These words from him. Rev dr. howard thurman said. Keep fresh. Before me. Those moments of my high resolve. Despite the dullness and the baroness of the days that pacify search with some due diligence. I can always find a deposit left by some former radiant's. But i had forgotten. At the time it was full orb glorious and resplendent i was sure that i would never forget. In the moment of its fullness i was sure that it would a loom in my path for all the rest of my journey. I had forgotten. How easy it is. Forgot. There was no intent to betray. What seems so short the time. My response was whole clean authentic. But little by little they're crept into my life to dustin the grit of the journey. Details. Lower-level demands. All kinds of crosscurrents nothing momentous nothing overwhelming nothing. Lakeridge wear-and-tear. If there had been some sort of direct challenge a clear-cut issue i would have fought it to the end and beyond. However. And these are still hurt. Thurman square. In the quietness of this place. Surrounded by the all-pervading presence of god my heart whispers. Keep fresh. Before me. Those moments of my. High resolve. They didn't fare weather. Orange towel. In good times or in tempest and all of the days when the darkness and the foer nameless orphan wilier. I might not forget that to which my life is committed. For me. Those moments of my high resort. Their congregation. May each one of you and as a beloved community may we keep. Fresh before us. Those moments of our highest. Dissolve. Let us dare. To create lives filled with moral courage. Let us dream. To be a community with moral courage. At its very center. And then let us see. Blessed be. And. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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140119_do_bending-arc.mp3

Welcome to the january 19th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by are settled minister reverend arrowland. The title of her sermon is bending the arc. Of the moral universe. Her first reading this morning comes from theodore parker. Unitarian minister writing in the 1840s. I do not pretend to understand the moral universe. The ark is a long one. My eye reaches but little ways. I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure. By the experience of sight. I can divine it by conscience. And from what i see. I am sure. But it bends towards justice. Second reading this morning comes from rev dr martin luther king. Junior. Written in his work the drum major instinct in 1968. If you want to be important. Wonderful. If you want to be recognized wonderful. If you want to be great. Wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness. And here's the thing i like about it. By getting that definition of greatness it means that everybody can be great. Because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about plato and aristotle to serve. You don't have to know einstein's theory of relativity to serve. You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul. Generated by love. The arc of the moral universe. Is long. But it bends towards justice. These are beautiful. Poetic words. I think. There's a lovely poetic sentiments. About those words. And back in the 1840s a minister named theodore parker wrote those words that we heard in the first reading. I'm going to share them again so that they're fresh in our minds. He said i do not pretend to understand the moral universe the ark is a long one. My eye reaches but little ways. I cannot talk you late the curve and complete the figure by the experience website. I can define it by conscience. And from what i can see. I am sure that it bends towards justice. That's what he wrote in the 1840s. This morning i'll share with you that peter parker was a bit of a rabble-rousing. Tortoise minister. He was a contemporary of the transcendentalist like. Emerson and thoreau. And some more traditional unitarian ministers if we like to think about this the traditional unitarian ministers. In parkers times. I actually thought that he was a little bit rugged. A little bit radical. Theologically speaking that is. At that time any unitarian universalist unitarian minister has still not that jesus was divinely inspired in a very special manner given by god. And theodore parker stretch this a little bit. He said that she's as was inspired. But in the same fashion that any person. Can be inspired. And that jesus was unique because perhaps he held closer to spiritual truth. Then most people that he lives by them. Exemplified them. In this day the theodore parker the one who said the arc of the moral universe is long and it bends towards justice. He claims to be a christian. But at the time is unitarian brethren didn't think that he was quite christian enough. We put ourselves in the mindset of the 1840s to think about this because of course we know that today our unitarian universalist congregation such as our dear congregation here is composed of people with many different theological and spiritual orientation. Some of whom still really closely identify with christianity. But many of whom do not. But we're remembering theodore parker and we're going to connect that to martin luther. Does peter parker in his era was actually popular among a different set. It was popular among a generation of social reformers. He was charismatic and scholarly. And he was deeply committed to social transformation. It is in his boston congregation were such well-known social reformers and luminaries like louisa may alcott. William lloyd garrison and elizabeth cady stanton so known for her work in women's rights. So parker is interesting character and he was rumored to keep a pen in one hand. And a gun. In the other. Or rather i can't say that he kept a gun in his desk while he was writing a sermon. Why was he keeping a gun. In his desk. Will parker was leading a movement against the congressional fugitive slave act. Of his time. Which required that all citizens in both free and slave states. Assist in the return of escaping. Slaves. He had different ideas. And have you organized a group that was resisting the law. And he actually helped. Slaves men and women. Court raleigh north. Escaping bondage and journeying towards freeman. Towards freedom. Parker's theology. This rabble-rousing minister. The theology was rooted in a sense of deep love. He actually had a sense and a god that was too loving. But this goddamn no one. But he didn't believe that everything was up to this god. He thought that human beings had responsibility. To act with one another. And at parker's time we know that slavery was legal. So his sense of a loving god inspired him to really rely on his conscience. And work with others. And his use his reliance on his own faculty of conscience. Is very similar to. Henry david thoreau. At walden pond. Who penned the work civil disobedience. Imagine several here might be familiar with this works civil disobedience. Yes. Alright. And so that young man henry david thoreau as many of you know. Refuse to pay his taxes which supported the mexican-american war. And he was briefly incarcerated for his stamps. That works civil disobedience explores the faculty of conscience. And. A human ability to create. And relate to human laws. He articulates this idea that it is possible to be non-compliant with laws when one finds them absolutely morally reprehensible. With respect to humanity's greater good. Parker and cicero. Directly and indirectly influence rev dr martin. King. In deep weighs. A century later after parker road. The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice. King actually at summarize this. And he said something very similar. In 1959 as some of you may know. Dr. king and coretta went india. To visit gandhi and gandhi's wife kasterova. And. Gandhi had picked up. Cerose. Civil disobedience. And he had actually incorporated. Many of throws ideas into his nonviolent. Approach. Satyagraha or soulforce. This was a spiritual orientation towards non-violence. This idea of positive self control. In service to a higher moral and spiritual good. These are ideas that were very important to gandhi in the movement he led in india. And king indeed was moved by them on his trip. He was moved by this idea of civil disobedience. Have a social movement grounded in love. And grounded in spirit. He took those ideas that with him to the states and we can hear them very clearly in his 1963 speech. I have a dream. Confused the civil rights movement. With his powerful sense of spirituality. Based on nonviolence. And love even in the face of hate. Kingzone theology. Do on a very powerful moral certainty. That justice is on the side of those who are oppressed. Many here will remember that the civil rights movement was indeed. Born out of religious roots. These practices of love and confidence and hope we're blended in a faithful practice. Rooted in the sense of surety that justice must be on the side of those working for freedom and working for equality. You know when we think about people like. Only conceive a people like theodore parker. Or. Resolute and very influential religious leaders. Vlad mass social movements when we think about people like martin luther king. Or gandhi. We can sometimes see these people on a very very high. Pedestal. And we can elevate them. To the status perhaps a. Fedex paint. And maybe some of us. Feel that way about some of these key. Yeah in the words and deeds of people such as gandhi and king there is a perceptible. Quality i would say. A very perceptive equality of what is called servant. Leadership. Instead of being focused on oneself and one's own. Ego. There is a sense of being grounded in the more humble appreciate. For that which is larger. Then the self alone. Neither parker. Nor king. Nor gandhi. We're particularly full of of hubris. Hubris is that greek word meaning one who's overestimating one's own competence or capabilities. When we think of the word hubris we might also think about icarus. From the greek mythology. Icarus son of daedalus who flies way too close to the sun. And gets burned. He had those wings of feather and wax and he wanted to shoot so high and then the sun burned him and cause the wax to drip. And down he fell. Icarus lost touch with reality. Overestimated. The kinds of things you could do. And in greek mythology we know that he suffered for it. But with parker and gandhi we're not looking i think. At hubris so much as humility. Humility a desire to be deeply of service. Two other human beings and something much larger than the sell for one's own. Both were guided by their conscience. Yet they were working in service to a larger vision outside of themselves. This morning i went to lift up. End. Discuss with you one of king is perhaps slightly less. Popular speeches but still well-known might be familiar to some of you here. He wrote about the drum major. And this is where our second meeting comes from. He said all human beings have a drum major. Kind of instinct. That drum major instinct that causes us to want to be out front. Leading the parade. It's the desire to be first. And he was very quick to note. To say. It's not such a bad thing. Most folks have some sort of drum major instinct. And it might play out within us in different ways. Dr. king center joiners. These are folks who just like to join things. Committee's activities events. And he said this is good. But sometimes the drum major instinct is operating because people just really like to feel good about themselves. And they like to have a sense of reputation about it. And again it's not bad to be a chilena. We need. Joyner. But at the same time king was holding in on this drum major in. What it can do sometimes he said sometimes it can be like a vitamin a. To our ego. And at its worst it can have this destructive tendency. Which is that we can become boastful. Human beings. Compostable i know you've never met anybody. Who's boastful. He mentions that the drum major instinct can sometimes also lead from. Things like people just being snobby to one another. To also larger-scale issues such as people organizing themselves such that some are seen to be privileged and better than other phone. So we talked about this drum major instinct. Do something to be. Swept under the rug. Put something that needed to be harnessed. For its creative power. The important thing for dr. king was not to get down on having a drum major instinct. But rather to really think about it and harness it for good. And for king. His go to exemplar for life. Was often jesus. Turn to jesus. Talk about how the drum major instinct. The hardest for good. These are king's words. He said jesus did something altogether different. He said in substance. Oh i see. You want to be first. You want to be great. You want to be important you want to be significant. Well you ought to be. If you're going to be my disciple you must be. But he reordered priorities and he said. You don't have to give up this instant. It's a good instinct if you use it right. It's a good instinct if you don't distort it and pervert it. Don't give it up. Feeling the need to be important. Keep feeling the need for being first. But i want you to be first in love. I want you to be first in moral excellence. I want you to be first in generosity. That's why i want you to do. And this is also still can. And so jesus gave us a new. Norm of greatness. If you want to be important wonderful. If you want to be recognized wonderful. If you want to be great wonderful but recognized he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's the new definition. Greatness. Those are the words we heard early in our reading as well. This is the idea of sturgeon. Leadership. Regardless. As to whether anyone here particularly identify. With jesus as an exemplar over others. King reminds us that humility is not self-effacing or based on low self-image. But rather. Foundational appreciation for the world of relationships that is large. That any single one of us. This is the idea of servant leadership not for glory. But for highest. Principal. And every single one of us i think is capable of living into and developing. The servant leadership. Orientation. What is a really mean in our lives. Well i would say that really servant-leadership to paraphrase starhawk means power together. Instead of power over. It means serving others encouraging everyone's capacity to actually serve themselves. It means leading in ways that give an example. Of an eye towards as an eye towards empowering other people. It's not about domination. Or. Torsion. Or compliance through 12. Or economic source of pressure. It's helping those around us be the best we all can be. And in that process. Discovering the path forward with one another. I wonder if you can think of someone in your life. Exemplifies this idea. A servant leadership. And i wonder what it would mean to cultivate servant leadership in your own life. What would it mean to do this at work. Perhaps an example is that it might look like a boss sitting down with a disgruntled employee instead of taking a confrontational approach. Walking the person through different layers of their own concern. And facing a problem together. Addressing the real problems and finding a solution. What is fervent leadership look like at home. The parents and children together. Perhaps it looks something like a weary parent. At the end of their rope trying to get their child into bed at night. When a child is very tired. In a hierarchical approach would be to just tell the kids to go to sleep. But a servant leadership approach might be. Pausing and taking a little bit more time. Slowing down oneself and easing into a more restful state. And then engaging a child in a conversation. About what might be on their mind. And gently entering the time. Bedtime together. I wonder what servant leadership looks like in our congregation. My tat look like a committee chair. Not just telling folks what to do. But doing the legwork to explore multiple tabs listening closely to others in the group. And then walking the groups with thoughtful process to figure out what is going to serve the needs of the entire. Congregate. Some of you i know are true servant leaders. And do this in the work of our congregation already. And i wonder about servant leadership what it looks like out in the community. I think it looks perhaps like learning and listening to the self expressed needs. At various pockets of our larger community. Looking where support and helping hands are needed. And then working with a sense of mutual respect. And appreciation. As we both tend on all sides depressing human needs. Sometimes people say to me. Especially after hearing about some sort of big public action. Sometimes people say to me i could never do that. I would want to but i could never do that. I could really never. Lend my voice powerful in the public's where i want to but i could never do. And as i listened to that kind of sentiment i think. And read into doctor king and i noticed that. His members of his congregation said those kinds of things to. Eminem responds he would tell the story. Of a lowly man. Born poor who was nothing more than a carpenter. Who became a great teacher. That man never wrote a book. As king said he had no credentials. Other than who he was. He went around doing nothing but serving good. And doing. And yes remember thousands and thousands of years later. That's one of the most influential. What i'm suggesting now is that some people and not all people but some people are so fearful of the icarus within. Other own drum major instinct. And the harm it can do. But sometimes people bury their own power. And rather than this king invites us to harness that inclination. Towards greatness in life. And turn it towards a higher purpose. Intemperate with a student-led sort of spirit that builds relationship with others. Since we are honoring. The birthday legacy of dr. camas morning. I want to share with you these words which speak of how king. Wanted to be remembered. These are words he said. If any of you are around when i have to meet my day. I don't want a long funeral. And if you get someone to deliver the eulogy tell them not to talk too long. And every now and then i wonder what i would want them to say. Tell them not to mention that i have a nobel priest peace prize that isn't important. Tell them not to mention that i have three or four hundred other awards that's not important. Tell them not to mention where i went to school. I'd like someone to mention that the that day that martin luther king jr tried to give his life serving others. I'd like for somebody to say that day that martin luther king jr tried to love somebody. I want you to say that day that i tried to be right on the war question. I want you to be able to say that day that i did try to feed the hungry. And i want you to be able to say that day that i did try and my life clothes clothes those for naked. I want you to stay on that day that i did try my life to visit those who are in prison. I want you to say that i tried to love and serve humanity. Yes if you want to say that i was a drum major. Say that i was a drum major for justice. That i was a drum major for brightness righteousness. And they all those other shallow things will not matter. I won't have money to leave behind i won't have fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But i want to leave a committed life behind. And that is all i want to say. And so while it might sound poetic. And it might sound abstract. This arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice. We can bring it down for reality. Here and now. We bend the arc. By meeting the inclinations of our hearts with the works of our hands. We bend the arc by being servant. L. Where there are opportunities to serve whether they be in community acts of direct service or in the streets advocating for systemic social shift. Each one of us has our own opportunities. To bend the arc. I'm going to ask you now to stand if you are someone who has committed. To observing martin luther king day by contributing. Participating in active service on monday. You might have joined on our table out over the past couple of sundays i know there's about 15 people who will be. Volunteering in active service tomorrow. One of those people can you please stand. And if you are one of the people that is already knowing and ensure that you're going to be attending the february 8th mass memorial gathering in raleigh north carolina. And i know about 20 folks hot please remain standing just a little bit longer. Go ahead and stand i know we have about 20. And if you are someone who knows that you will be working in some sort of community service cassidy or direct action and the next month coming up. You know that this is your life work or that you're going to take extra time to actually volunteer and service and you're ready to make that commitment. Please stand. I know many folks here. Do active service part of their jaw. Ioffer. You this blessing. Hey your karen your service for others being active care of service. For also. It affects yourself as you grow in spirit. May your hands be blessed with meaning and purpose that fulfills your heart. May you engage with respect and dignity all you meet. May you go with a strength of heart for through you. The beloved community is being made real and manifest beyond these walls. May you learn. May you serve. May you connect. And may you go forth in love. May the work of your hands and your heart be blessed. Gandhi and king were spiritual leaders first and foremost. Pointing people to grow spiritually. And engaging society. As unitarian universalist all of us focus on individual transformation. But this is never seen to be isolated from social transformation. The chew relate. For what is an individual. But it being born already into community already into relationship. Beholden to relationships with neighbors and friends brothers sisters cousins. This is what the ethics of the interconnected web of life point us towards. Happy martin luther. Blessed be. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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130407_stewardship-sunday.mp3

Welcome to the april 7th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. Today's intergenerational service. Is there annual uuc stewardship brunch and worship service. After the brunch. Stewardship chair declue. Supported by several others. Speaks on the general theme of empowering excellence in ministry and mission. The podcast closes with the words from rev alex. That prepares us for the parade of pledges. So here you have an old guy. United church of christ minister for many many years ago. Back doing a little a little bit of preaching. We all we already know what stewardship is. You know it would do we take care of things things are entrusted to us. But for this morning like you to think about. Why is unitarians are we stewart. What is it. From our perspective. The closest out to. Ben stewart's of. R relationships. My family's. Really our whole world. If you're jewish it's pretty clear. Noah called to be obedient to the wall. You know you. 4 christian hits. That. You love god you love. Your neighbor as yourself. A muscle make. See there. Final understanding as. One of. Submission. Submission to the will of allah. So. Where to workout. Get a handle on. What it is for us. And i would suggest that perhaps the underlying metaphor for what we're about here. Is gratitude. For granted seems to be encompasses both. That sense of. Gratitude that we are apart of this. Huge universe. You know that we know from. From the molecular structure. You know that we have been part of stars and stars are part of us and you know it will go on forever. But it also gratitude has kind of an ethical. Component. Part 2 it. When we know. When we when we believe when we trust. That we are. Utterly dependent upon. Ourworld. On our universe. Who we are. Whether it's at the. Subatomic level. Or it's in terms of family. Parents friends. Movies where you at. None of us are independent. Bite of some popular. Thoughts the contrary. We don't really do anything all by herself. When we understand this. I think. We see what they have some obligation. To the present and also to the future. That. R relationships. With each other. With our world. You know. When you're grounded in gratitude. I think we have a joyous application. That whatever we do. It has to be fair. Constructive. And beautiful. Fair. Constructive and beautiful. Those are the things that we. Are obligated to when we understand. That we are apart of the whole. What does it mean to to do that. And i would suggest. That hammer work this out how i try and work this out. Is. With an attitude for abundance. Abundance is kind of a tricky word if you look it up in the. In the dictionary words and google it. That's. I'm the dictionary generation. But basically. they talk about is quantitative things. Enough of. This or that. You know. What i'm suggesting is not that kind of an understanding. Book trailer. Abundance in the sense that we believe. That we trust. That to act. To commit ourselves. To share. To try and make a more just world. Weather. Just in terms of human relationships. Justice in our families. Justice in terms of. The home. World that were apart of. It comes down to kind of a bunch of old crochets if you will. Obama believes that there is enough. But there is enough love. If there's enough can. Hit the rrf resources. For all of us. It's really a belief in that story that biblical story about. The lowe's in fishes. It's the cross. Did you can feed the multitude. With what you have. Just a quick story. I really dear friend of ours into her husband were parenting models for us. Role models. They had five kids it didn't make a whole lot of money. But their door was always kind of open and pat's. Like what we going to do about dinner. You know all the sudden there's four extra people here. Aunt pat santos always. Noble house. And all the times i was i was. We were there part of their family. And these kind of things happen there was. If there was enough it's not about. Do you have the quant you have the quantitative enough. But it's enough nasa spirit. Did you share what you have. And you know that that paradox that we're all aware of this really true i believe. If as we share. As we give. Weekend. That's the metaphor of abundance. Let me let me just quickly here on a couple of. Personal notes. There wasn't one girl in this congregation. Who when she was. About this call. Headache. Serious speech impediment. Stability. And because of that she was extremely shy. She would hardly speak to any adult. And yet one day her mother reminded her. That she could. Get up in front of this group. Enjoys and concerns. Ensure about her basketball game on saturday. Do this community provides safety acceptance. That she could trust. It was okay. To be herself in front of hugh and i think that's a wonderful. So wonderful gifts that we have. Another story on the share with you is it a while back of a member of this congregation. I were talking and they shared with me that. They've been for a couple of. Unsuccessful marriages. Smother ups and downs. Before they join this church. Minimum time to say. Years apart still really moved me to tears. They wanted to say that after becoming a part of this community. And what they learned and experienced here. Was that number one they learn to love themselves. This person said. I've been going through life. Give things to me. But i didn't love myself so i couldn't take the man nor could i will get back to the other person. Said before i was on looking for someone else. But now through the experiences i've had in this community. I know that i'm okay that i'm lovable. And i'm able. To give love to other people. Did no matter what i'm going to be okay. Now what these two people have found. Campbell soup spoon to somewhere else. Perhaps. But they found out here. They found no one asked you. Define likes this community. And he's only two stories and i'm sure that there are many more. And i could tell support. It's out of this. The sense of gratitude. In abundance. Did cynthia and i'm. 5 through this community. Toby gifford least 10%. Have irene come. And this is why. For other families. Come forth this year. The challenge the rest of us. Just say. We believe in nothingness community you believe enough. In each other. Enough in our future. That were challenging these for the rest of us. To connect to increase our commitment. To this community. And so they've offered. Agreed that they were played $40,000 this year. If the rest of us. To either increases in our current pledges. Will match that. Is alex. Has reminded us on more than one occasion. You said to us. I know that you know those things. And i don't know that you know these things. How much are the remind you of. So. Take the risk. Take the leap of faith. Beginners. So that you may receive generously. Thank you. Sometimes we forget just. How much it is that we are involved in what we do. So that's probably stenson to. Share with us. Little kind of list you little factually. Some of the wrong with the with the congregation do. Here and within our community probably. Good morning. I instantly picked up on dicks use of the word sharing and the list of facts and figures that i'm going to give you is. And huge indication of the amount of sharing both in person and financially that we have given just in this one past year and our congregation. I did the same thing last year and i remember thinking oh i don't want to go through this whole list because it's. Kind of long it has a lot of items on i didn't might get boring but if you'll bear with me i really this year would like to go through about 20 different things. That we have done on this year with the facts and figures with them. And bear in mind that this is only a partial list. So i'm going to start. Alright greeters building tour guides the neighborhood friends. 43 individuals have been involved in that. Choir members 21. Are we teachers 35 lay pastoral care volunteers 13. Advisors mentors and other helpers involved in the middle school youth group and the high school youth group 18. All teachers 8. Coffee makers 6 + 5 subs. Crowns volunteers 14. The food pantry has 47 individuals on the listserv. Caring network 31 members. Adopt-a-highway program 23 on the listserv. Christmas store volunteers this past year 24. With 85 items donated ranging from children's coats underwear to handmade scarves. School supplies donated last summer 185 ranging from the smallest item like a glue stick to backpacks. To our house phone to yours in one week this year instead of the two that we have typically done 16. The crop walk last october 20 participants in $470 which was raised. Books collected for literacy volunteers of the nrv 723. Project linus. 28 volunteers and 60 blankets made. The sound system 5 people do that every sunday which we so take for granted. Plus there are so many more volunteers on a huge long list of committees which. Encompass many many more people in repeats of some of those. When we get into those of the. People part of the sharing that i was talking about. As far as financially this year just in the month of august in the year of 2012 which included two months for which we did not have for sunday collections. We collected. 6920 $4.43. Which is 1515 almost $1,600 more than we collected in the same period last year so that's really astounding. I'm the guest at your table. Program this year or was. 3570 dollars in 12. Including matching funds. So that is really wonderful. I want to thank everyone for what they'd have done and i also want to end my little presentation with a couple of quotes that i really think you should keep in mind. First one. When it comes to giving until it hurts. Everybody's heard that expression most you use have a very low threshold of pain. So keeping that in mind with what we're going to be doing soon this last quote i want you to keep in mind as you sign your your pledge. Do you're given while you're living so you're no one where it's going. Chance to hear a few other voices. People who. Want to share. Briefly with you about 2. Why they're hannah why they're part of this candy. Hi chris i broke my first krystal's yelp. I guess today i'm supposed to talk to you about. About why you should financially support this church. But first i want to tell you how i came to this church. I am with my wife joking refers to as a recovering catholic. Born and raised catholic in about as boring of a church setting as you can ever find. Folks would come and drop their $10 in the collection plate. And leave right after communion. 37 or 8 minutes left in the services for announcements and closing song. And folks would just leave. Imagine if 40 people have just up and left you the end of a service here each week. There was no outside community within the church. Are you was done during the week after school so as an eight-year-old i had to sit and listen to fire-and-brimstone sermons that meant nothing to me. And looking around at the adults. It did seem like i didn't mean as much to them either. For those catholics and who you might remember. We believe in one god by the almighty niger have an earth all that she and unseen. About as unconvincing show religious devotion i've ever seen. And by the way people when we read the affirmation of faith mean it. I was reading it once and my wife khalid over instead. You have such a dry catholicism way of about the way you read don't be that church. Once i left for college i never stepped foot in the church other than for a wedding or funeral. Flash forward a few years back. My then five-week-old son. Was in the hospital with 106-degree temperature and for reasons unknown. My wife at one point looked at the doctor and said. I just want you to tell me that he's going to be okay and he's going to live. The doctor looked her in the eye and said i can't tell you that. The doctor couldn't tell me if my son was going to live or die. It was then i pray for the first time in 20 years to the guy that i grew up with. I've always believed in a higher power. But right then i prayed. To that god. My son pull through. And a few months later and spring of 2011. I decided i wanted a spiritual setting for my kids to grow up in. The only problem was i didn't believe any place could offer what i wanted. I detected organized religion. Its ability to say you can't be part of the club because of xyz. I didn't believe there was a place that existed that could offer what i thought. A church should be. My wife convinced me to come here. It was a huge step for me. A bigger step was coming back. You all speak about spreading the word of liberal religion. And at first i didn't even know that those two words of the grammatically coexist in a sentence. I knew this place has potential in my father's was visiting. More liberal than i. And even more of a recovering catholic because let's face it was when longer than me. He came to church with us. He said my love this he said. I didn't think i'd see so many obama stickers in the church parking lot. I said to him this is a different kind of church. This is a place to test yes women you can leave this church. Yes homosexuals you have a place in these pews. Yes children we will teach you right from the beginning. Yes poor yes canine yes feline our money will go to you but not to a bigger more gotti statue of the mother mary. Yes intellectuals you will be challenged. Yes new families with young kids. You will be welcomed. Yes people of all faiths you're welcome. Yes birth we will protect you through our actions. The comic louis ck said if you believe that god created the earth why would you not protect it. So here comes the $75 tote bag in the room. Your money does more than pay rent and salaries. Although that's important. You're made of. Good things. Across the new river valley in the world. It creates a community of righteousness and justice. Your money creates a place that. For someone like me so disgusted with religion. Define a sense of home for himself in his children. Your money. This building. These people. The good and just things you do. And that reverend. Have restored my faith in organized religion. And i intend to fully support all of it. Give generously. Let's grow this church. What's welcome all to come through these doors. Let's do good things. Please give generously thank you. Sometimes we're not aware of how important what we do. Collective music to other communities. Two other two agencies in new river valley. That we support. Who support and do good things that were also behind so i really was a pleasure this morning to have sarah walker with us. Sally's the director development. For planned parenthood. And would like to. Welcome her hear from her. Good morning. Thank you for saying good morning back god's what an honor it is to be here this morning i know i'm speaking to so many friends to planned parenthood and i went to thank this congregation for giving me the opportunity to be here this morning is dick suggested i know i was asked to speak about what your congregation means to community groups. Or as a community group what you can do for. Organizations and nonprofits. Again i just want to tell you a bit about myself my name again is sally walker. And i live in salem virginia. Was a pleasure to come up on such a beautiful morning this morning. Thankful there was no snow. I have been working at planned parenthood for the past five years as the director of development. And i was a volunteer for 10 years with our planned parenthood before that when i worked at carilion clinic. And i are covered area branches out all the way to the very far tip of southwest virginia so i'm frequently here. Meeting with many of you and having events in the blacksburg community. I want to tell you first just in case you're not quite sure for anyone about planned parenthood that our mission of our affiliate is to provide quality reproductive healthcare. To provide education. In our communities that we serve. And to advocate for policies that protect and ensure access reproductive health care and education. And quarter mission is prevention. How your congregation i understand has supported planned parenthood here in blacksburg. Is i know that over the last two years you will have supported us financially. Over $500 and we are so grateful for that contribution. Been another example of how you have supported us was just the spa you co-hosted a what we called a community conversation. And while many of you that attended our community conversation. Are familiar with planned parenthood it was just a lovely opportunity. To talk about maybe mister conceptions about planned parenthood where were seeing trends in. Access to reproductive health and our fight for reproductive justice. And i think this congregation to taking the step to allow us to explore a new avenue. Of reaching to the community and we did that with our community conversation and we intend to do that throughout our communities that we serve you all provided us the first time to do that. Leslie i just want to tell you in a broader perspective in my opinion how community groups. Support planned parenthood and i have. Three ways that i feel like that occurs. As you know that we are as i said quarter and mission is. Advocating for policies. We rely on not just individuals but groups to rally together. To help linda voice. Today's who are not ready to step forward so. Planned parenthood in partnership with community groups. We have something like a day of action. Where we bring people together to. ,. To the steps of the capitol. Or. Make emails and make phone calls. All on the half of the women and men and use that we serve. A second way that groups can. Partner with planned parenthood is in providing education. I believe that your congregation. Does support youth in access to education. But planned parenthood also reaches over 14,000 we had over 14,000 contacts last year in your community with. With sexuality education. And we've brought a new program and we're looking for partners with that and it's called arguing askable parent. And it does just like it sounds it tries to educate parents. On how. They can be. The best source for their youth. In exploring their own sexuality and reproductive health. Only the third way is to help raise awareness and the visibility of planned parenthood is essential community provider as you all know there's so many. Misconceptions or. Harsh feelings about planned parenthood. Over 90% of what we do is preventive. And it is basic reproductive healthcare. And so you all helping to raise awareness in the community about what planned parenthood does is essential. I just want to thank you all so much for the friendship in this congregation we do feel it and we do appreciate it. And we welcome you all to volunteer to write letters to the editor to attend or events. And to continue supporting plane. thank you very much. Okay now it's my pleasure. Two interviews. Part of the future. If we are everyone. Runnings vandross i know many of you. I've been a. Participant of this church. 4. Since i was five so many years now. I've. The many programs i was in. Used to come and go to the. Are you programmed zardari programs in the morning. Madrona. Winter middle school. And throughout those years i've always. Had one kind of goal one idea one. Thing i really wanted to be a part of hindu which was the high school youth group. And iva. Been a part of the why are you you guys go through before. For years now i'm on the tail end of my. Being a part of that. Group. They're over here and they're great incredible group of people. End. Even more to that being a part of the wire you you was. Doing this trip to boston. Do we always. Talk about it's like this. It happens every once out of every four years so everyone has a chance and then have to wait for an entire new group. Was always so excited about this trip. Cuz it just sounded so incredible. And when my older sister went through it. It just she had such crazy incredible stories from it i couldn't wait to be a part of that. And this year was our year as many of you know. For us to go to boston. And. I was. I have been sort of i don't want to say in charge but help bleeding. The youth group. Blade. End. We started this conversation. The time to go to boston we need to raise money. And then i felt like we hit a brick wall. Because. It was going to be so. Expensive. The way that we want to do it and we had no money left because we've been. Indulging in things like cons. Pecan. Of any specific kind that i'm talking about our groups of. Like-minded why are you you. Unitarian universalist teams and we. Alameda theater we've gone to conn's in charlotte we will meet at the church. And we spend the weekend. As a group. Of like-minded individuals. Do fun activities and hang out and talk. And meet people who are just the coolest people you've ever met. And i we went to we've been going to nuke on called mountain, which is. Little more expensive but it is. Absolutely amazing experience it's out of. Camp in. The border of north carolina and south carolina. That is a unitarian universalist camp i believe correct. Yeah but i'm sure many of you and it is awesome. But. Who is back to the wife she's the boston trip was because we had to. Support the trip financially. Cuz it wasn't going to be. End. Meeting at our sunday meetings and having the conversation how we going to raise this. How we going to raise this money it was a challenging concept to come up with. Ideas of how to raise money but knowing how supportive and. How to support her financially especially this church and its congregation is. It was really inspiring because. I knew that no matter what. We still would find a way to go and we could find a way. The support the trip in. We went on a trip last week. And it was. One of the. Most incredible experiences of my life i know it said incredible a lot like 40 times. But. And one of the more special parts of the trip. Was. Seeing. The cultural coulter. The culture and heritage. That the unitarian universalist. Have in boston and visiting places like the uua. And. I don't know if any of you visited the uua and it's. Place at the moment. Or. It's moving next year. Unfortunately but it is an incredible building filled with. Antique. From. Years of. Random. People's donations of items and it just seen. All of them. Incredible things that this. Concur not this specific hungry soon but. Do you use a hindu usain universal some general. Have been apart of makes it really special to be. Apart of. So open-minded and so. Supportive. It's really a cool thing to grow up in. Incredible strength and i hope. To continue my unitarian universalist. Pass even through college and. Into my young adulthood and middle-aged and. Elder adulthood. Thank you. The reality of giving is that it is not something that any of us have to do. It is always something that we choose to do. And what i want to do in this brief moment that i have with you following on all of these wise words that have been put before you already. Is to remind you that you're giving is a choice. And i want you if you would to look at it from an interim ministers perspective. Now tantrum ministers come to a congregation and they understand that they will begin. And i will end. They will come and they will go. And part of their charge part of my charge with you. Is to remind you of the largest vision of what you are at the same time that i challenged you around some of your particular. So i want you if you would to imagine yourself floating on one of these clouds out here that you can see through the window this morning. Do you all see this beautiful white clouds. But i want you to look down at this congregation that calls itself the unitarian universalist congregation. In the new river valley and if you do that. You'll see this assemblage of people here. And you'll see that over the last several years you've grown in attendance and you filled parking lots. And you put a new piece of a building onto what had been an old. And you'll understand as you look at that from your entrance perspective fall up in the clouds. For the peace of what you are as a group of people issue or a group of people who have some sense. Some vision of a destiny larger than what you currently are. You know this those of you who have been here. You put up this million-dollar building because she wonder stood. That you had a destiny to fulfill. With the larger community here that was bigger than what you currently are. And you can feel that this morning. Even if you come down from the clouds. And get down here in the particular of what we are. And you begin to look at individuals in the congregation and remember the stories of what we are as individual relating to individual. You remember that not only do you have this vision of being bigger than what you currently are you have the challenge of what you are as individuals trying to get to that bigger thing. And rub elbows with each other. Come on a little laughter about that. You'll remind yourself at the challenge of congregation it goes back to that old wisdom that i first put before you in the first sermon here as the interim began. We are congregation that carries the legacy of james luther adams with us in all things we are striving for ultimacy the biggest of all possibilities even as we are challenged with this relating with one another. This morning as i prepared to speak to you i kept struggling to find the metaphor that needed to lock this into your head. And the only thing that it really resonated with me strongly was a sermon that was preached out in sacramento bible of colleague of mine. And you'll find a copy of the sermon at your place setting this morning this wonderful peace by douglas crap to service our congregation out there no need to look at it at this point in time. But i remind you. That you are a congregation in this wonderful new river valley of southwestern virginia. And you need to always remember the legacy of the river you call yourselves the unitarian universalist congregation in the new river valley. This river. Is the coming together of many different streams that flow down from these beautiful mountains. And these streams are full of wonderful little eddies and whirlpools and rapids and waterfalls. All unique and different from one another yet they find their greatest sense of being. When they come together and merge to become the new river. And the new river unlock the streams that form it. Flo's deep. And it flows long and it flows with great power. You as a people of liberal faith here. Or in that wonderful place. Choosing to become that much larger more powerful. Deeper flow of liberal religion in this new river valley. And to do it. You're going to have to choose. To keep giving of yourself. I'm giving of yourself. And giving of yourself. And wise people that you are you're going to do that because you understand. That there is tremendous gift for you. In yielding the uniqueness of your individual strain. To the flow of the mighty congregation. This is part of your destiny. It underlies all of what you have been and all of what you've built to become something different than what you are. And it certainly is at the very core of your call of a new settled minister. The old yields to the new. How to be understanding that there is deeper more meaningful more powerful being yet to be claimed. I wish you pull out this pledge cards this morning. As you remember all of the wisdom of dick and the many others who have spoken to you here today. Look at that number in your head that you're thinking that you want to put on that card. And challenge yourself. To yield further to give more. Of what you are in your individual power. Towards making of this institution. An image of that powerful new river that flows through this beautiful place in which you're located. You wanna be deep and strong and rich. You want to claim what is your legacy. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

130616_parting_one.mp3

Welcome to the june 16th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. Today's service is led by rev alex. And the sermon is titled. Parting glances. Part 1. I have two pieces to share with you and reading this morning. The first is from this book that i've used throughout the interim with you the. Recording of the conversation between joseph campbell and bill moyers the power of myth. And i'm just pulling bits and pieces from this big long conversation that these two men have. About the journey inward. And before i share from this let me remind you that in the very first encounter with you hear from the pulpit when the centrum started. I told you that this great unitarian fellowship of the 20th century james luther adams had said that church done well is only about two things it's about intimacy and it's about ultimacy. The stuff of what's inside ourselves as we relate with one another. And the stuff of god. Okay. And up. Campbell and adams. Campbell and lawyers here in this piece that i'm going to share from now. Or talking about how does one good at intimacy. And campbell says that you can't get it intimacy with another. Until you've done intimacy with self. And there's a big challenge and doing intimacy with self. So again just pieces from this extended conversation. From the hindu upanishads about the 8th century bc 2800 years ago. In the beginning. There was only the great self. Reflected in the form of a person. Reflecting it found nothing but itself. Then its first word. Was. This. Am i. The mystery of life is beyond all human. Inception. Everything we know is within the terminology of the concepts of being and not being. Minion single. True and untrue. We always think in terms of opposites. But god the ultimate the great self. Is beyond the pairs of opposites. That is all there is to it. There is a wonderful story of the deity of the great self. That said i am. As soon as it said i am. It was afraid. It was an entity now in time. Bennett thought. What should i be afraid of i'm the only thing that is. And as soon as it said that. It felt lonesome and wished that there was another. In india there is a beautiful greeting. And which of the palms or place together and your bal to the other person. The position of the palms together. This we used when we pray. That is a greeting which says that the god that is in you. Recognizes the god in the other. These people are aware of the presence of the divine in all things and in all beings. When you enter an indian home as a guest you are greeted as of visiting theater. And then this morning second reading. From my favorite the illusion of our time whom i'm sure not a single one of you reads. Rob brezsny do any of you know rob brezsny the great astrologer a couple of you do two of you do. Well this is from his book pronoia. And this is for all of you. Conversation with eternity. Researcher for rents matisse travel to antarctica. On the first day the guy took him and his group to a remote area and left them alone for an hour to commune with the pristine air. An unearthly stillness. After a while a penguin ambled up and watched into a ceremonial display of squats and stretches. Firenze responded with recitals of his favorite remembered poems. Imagining he was engaged in a conversation with eternity. Halfway through his inspired performance of tick not han. Please call me by my true name. The penguin sent a stream of green projectile vomit cascading against his chest. And waddled away. Thank you for the laughter. Now those parents initially felt deflated by eternity surprise no harm was done. He soon came to see it as a first-class cosmic joke. That look forward to exploiting its value as an amusing story with which to regale his friends back home. Another researcher michael logan was the first person to hear forenses tale upon his return from antarctica. You might want to consider this firenze michael mused after taking it all in. Penguins nurture their offspring by chewing food. Mixing it up with all of god's enzymes. And then vomiting it into the mouth of the penguin babies. Perhaps you weren't the butt of a cosmic joke or some. Linda blair as bad review. But in fact the recipient of a very precious gift of love. Who knows. Alvarez has to punch line through spell of redemptive. Pronoia. Listen to this morning's ratings. One of the. Strongest negative reactions i've had during my infant with you to what i preach from this pulpit. What was on the part of someone who took great exception to my talking with you about archetypes. And some of you may recall that i used the old roommate. Wanderer worshipper lover of leaving one sunday morning to suggest to you that that was an apt analysis of what it is that you have on any sunday morning in the pews and in the pulpit as well. You have persons who are bested in one of those three type energies. Tell they are not the only three archetypal possibilities. I mentioned to you as we started this morning that you have this wonderful possibility every sunday morning if someone who's only been with us for a month and someone who's been with us for 41 years and someone who's been with us for 50 years. I've been here for two or three years go away 410 come back for 12 you have this wonderful. Coming together of incredible diversity of tenure. On top of. All of the stuff of theology the stuff of the head. On top of all of the stuff of the heart. No the stuff of the heart. The stuff of what a person is feeling when they come to church. Is ever wisdom. They may not be conscious of it but it is with them. In what they bring in their being into the shared life in the in the congregation. And i know on nd sunday morning. When i look out at you. there will be the person who's relatively new with us who's all full of happiness and glory because i've never felt anything so wonderful as the unitarian universalist congregation in the new river right. We see these people they'll come in and i'll just think we're the best thing since sliced bread. And then we have the person who something wonderful will happen out of the congregation and they become sort of what i called the drunk lover. They are so overcome with the goodness of what the congregation is that they're almost drunk with happiness for what we are. And then we have the reverse of that. We have the person who's tried to float some wonderful new idea amongst us and gets. Shot down not my language with the language that you hear in this. Professional the time the person who comes into my office full of pain and upset. That the great gift of there being that they intended to get the congregation has not been accepted with joy. And that person will feel put-upon. And deny the possibility of the fullness of their being. Let me have the person to have been around for fifty years and i'm at 5 about you marry the person who. The person to invent around for a long long time her coming here primarily for the tax deduction of the social interaction theory. And they'll they're what i refer to as the cynical lovers of congregation. And then you have the person to got wounded either by me or my successor or some other person at leadership. And they will be embittered towards the congregation. Then you have us always in the unitarian universalist setting of the persons who are full of confused emotions about what we are. Knowing james luther adams. Back in the mid part of the 20th century. Proposed to us all that if we were going to be about the work of good church we had to be about intimacy and ultimacy. He also said that to be about the stuff of good intimacy. We had to be about the links. The breath. And the depth of what it is to be a unitarian. He suggested that we had to be about 10 year that had significant size to it the stuff of link. You had to be long and your association with the faith if you were going to do enema seawell. He said that your breath. If you were a good unitarian. Breath. Clark's to out to not only know two or three folk in the congregation but to know as much of the congregation issue could. As well as what the faith was in the state that you lived in the region that you lived in the nation that you lived in at around the world. And then finally he said that you had to if you were going to do the intimacy piece well. You had to do the stuff of depth and he was talking about internal depth. You had to look inside yourself. And as i say that to you i remind you of that conversation between campbell and moyers that i shared from in the reading this morning. Campbell reminding us all that there's the story that runs through all of the world's major religions. Of how it is that when the self recognizes itself as separate and apart. From what is around it. That the first emotion that is felt is. Fear. Campbell talks in this exchange. About stanislaus stanislaus groff do any of you remember him the great psychologist of the 20th century paula remember members 10. He used lsd to help people go inside of themselves and have early life experience. Memories. And he came to understand and all the work that he did. That every single one of us as a fetus in the womb. When we first hear that heartbeat of the mother. Or when we feel the uterus contract around us as feeders. We as fetuses still with. Fear. Okay. To know that which is bigger than one cell. And to recognize that one is set apart from that it's a thief that great cell. Is to always snow fear the biblical reference to this dynamic that some of you may be most familiar with is the story's multiple in nature. Within the old and new testaments of the judeo-christian tradition that speak of how it is that anytime the angels of god come to human beings to share the good news what do the human beings do. They react in fear. They are afraid of the angels always say fear not. You know the story don't you from the christmases that you've had together. Now if there is truth in adams instruction to us that we have to go inward. Deeply. To do churchwell. And if campbell is ride and saying to us. That to know oneself as separate and apart from the larger body is to be guaranteed fear. Then all of us should come to church. Expecting there to be a little bit of upset every now and then as people experience god right. Because to see oneself as separate and apart from the greater body. This is campbell is ride and these ancient. Sources that he referred. The correct. There is going to be fear that comes out of the work. I've told you through all of what i've done with you that all of minister is is reflector. All that mirror doesn't and some of you get weary of me telling you this. But you come up to me and you tell me good things about work on doing. And i say back to you in several of you have accused me and pardon the french shovel of you accuse me of b******* in this regard. What i've said to you in every instance that what you're giving me credit for. It's just a reflection of what you are. The role of the minister in the life of a congregation. And this is a consistent piece of understanding across a long. of time and also across all of the literature about ministry. The role of the minister is to reflect back to the congregation the energies the dynamics. The ways of things that are months. The congregation. We're just a foil up here to reflect back at you. And we're flawed foils. Some of you may notice that this old mirror is about to fall apart you could hear the. The thing rattling in the frame you can see how badly i clean house do you see the spots all over it. That's right. Ministers are of varying reflective quality. But almost always. The feelings that are with the congregation. About the experience of the ministry. It's about something inside of the persons who are doing the feeling. And this goes back again to that wisdom the campbell so eloquently got out in that. Conversation with bill moyers. When we see ourselves. Let's separate and apart from the greater being. We feel fear. I love the race eyebrows and he's questioning whether or not he's going to go this way with me. A first. Story. Remember i'm the son of a preacher. Back in the 1960s in south georgia when the supreme court ruled that the. 1950s effort set integration were flawed and inadequate. And that more had to be done. Well i was there with my family and my father is a. Minister of a small presbyterian church there were about 150 people in the church. And all of a sudden this little town of 3,000 that we lived in. What's in an uproar buildings were burned windows were shot out my mother had to go take lessons about how to shoot a gun. My father so fearful that violence might come her way then national guardsmen on the street after a significant part of downtown was burned out of all of this. Civil unrest around what we were as people. Apart from one another because of race. And in my father's church. The church full of tremendous upset. About all of this racial stuff and i were even more troubled because my father from the pulpit was preaching week after week. They're from his study of old and new testaments. Good christians were called out to embrace integration. And there were a lot of white people in that congregation that didn't think that was a good idea. But. Rather than talk about that you know what happened in that little congregation. The woman who was the longtime known kleptomaniac in the congregation. Lovely woman by the name of hauling weeks who had been accommodated in the life of the congregation. For year after year as she took flatware out of the doors of the church kitchen. As she took coach that she admired that belong to others. As she took money from people's pocketbooks when they weren't looking. Her husband always going out of his way to reimburse people for herseth. Wonderful couple you would have loved them pauline and bill. Pauline in the midst of all of this crisis decides to steal. The casserole that belong to this. Survivor of the holocaust. Part of this congregation. The survivor of the holocaust adored that casserole. She was dirt poor one-legged. Living in this little georgia town with not much of anything to call her own. Except for her wonderful cooking capabilities. And she would fill that casserole with lovely offerings. The congregation in. Potluck. And suddenly after one potluck it was gone. And this is sheila went looking for it and one of the women in the kitchen said hall lane. Okay. And rather than the church. Staying focused on the challenges of what was going on with what it was that. Integration and its demands on the community might afford them in the way of deepening understanding of self. Everything in the congregation became focused on the stolen casserole. And that congregation spent the better part of the rest of my father's tenure with it my father stayed about another year-and-a-half after that. And became. Unbearably frustrated by the whole thing. All they did was fight. Squabble and fight and squabble. About the stolen casserole and who should be punished and who should be punished and who should have to do what. To make everything right again. On any given day. There's huge stop walking in the door for us in the way of challenge to be fully human. We have our own equivalent of integration before us. Explain a time. We have all of the stuff of our privileged don't ever forget i've told you throughout the interim that this is a bubble of well-being here and. Community. And your reflective of it. The likes of which i haven't seen in a good long time. And each and every one of us who has the privilege to be living in this grace here. Beautiful new river valley. We need to be wrestling with what it is that might be unjust. For the larger community about our own well-being. But we all too often get it. Distracted from that very important internal challenge of wrestling with that question. Because somebody still. Okay. And it's easy to stay focused on the stolen casserole. Much easier to stay focused on the stolen casserole. That it is to do the internal work of wrestling with the larger stuff. You here in this congregation are called as unitarian and universalist. To stay focused on the ultimacy of what it is to be human. Not on the blasted casseroles. And the only way. That you can do that consistently and well. And towards ever-deepening meaning of what it is to be human and to no joy in this life. Is if it is not the minister alone who is reflecting back to the hard truth. You each need to be saying to one another this isn't about the casserole. This is about some larger issue and you need to be calling one another back to that larger work. It is fitting. Harder and harder to do that i'm almost certain. One of the things i did thursday before i went and had the fearful encounter with a possum. Was i sat down and i watched the first 20 minutes of the view how many of you knows of you. No luck beautiful smells of you you're working too hard leon you do thank you you don't schedule a patient from 11 to 11:30 so you can watch the view i love it. The view is this wonderful chick gabfest. We're all of this whoopi goldberg barbara walters and shovel elisabeth hasselbeck and several other women. They all gather around. Coffee table and they drink coffee on abc from 11 to about 11:20. Hey anne and i talked about the hot topics of the day. And thursday morning all they wanted to talk about was this dunkin donuts woman down in florida how many beaufort about the dunkin donuts woman already. When you guys are not as to dennis i thought you were. Woman goes into the dunkin donuts somewhere down in florida this past monday to buy a donut. And the poor clerk either didn't give her the receipt or put the receipt somewhere in her bag she didn't get it. So the woman who's in public relations comes. The next morning. And she rips this place apart. And she films it all as she's doing it so that she can put it up on youtube. So that all of us can understand what we're supposed to do when something doesn't go the way it's supposed to do. And it is full of poison. So these five women seated around the table on thursday morning. Are talking about the poison. And here's the thing at the entertainer. It's full of wit and humour because of the gift of language that these five women have. But what they did. Was they were as bad and their vitriol about the horrible woman who is doing the bashing of the dunkin donuts person. In my mind as had that woman been towards the staff of. Mcdonald's. It was polarizacion upon polarization. Religious community. Of which were all apart. It's supposed to be about something other. Then this business. Polarization. Religious community especially out of our tradition is supposed to be about the old hungarian ocean. I remember our roots and middle europe route of hungary. The old hungarian notion that edge us eastern say that edge us eastern. All is one. That's what it translates to. The woman who's being so awful. To the dunkin donuts staff. Fountain florida. She's part of the oneness of our being. Okay. And if we're going to do well with all of the oneness of our being if we're going to learn from it towards ever being more capable of holding the whole. We sat just polarized. We have to take it on as part and parcel of what we are and we have to go deep. Trying to get past our fear that it might be part of what we are. Not many. Many many r us in this room. Both experienced someone in the life of a congregation that we just as soon hit upside the head as look at twice. Corrupt. Am i the only one who's going to raise her hand on that one. Can i have an amen how many is. The trick is to say that. Own it. To realize that you've liked. Clobber somebody for the way they're being with you and then to go behind it. And find out where there's god. Behind it in the darker shadow in the depths of your being. I suspect. I'm almost certain that you guys have more gift for getting better and better. Better about this. They just about any other congregational. So in this last. Experience of talking with you about shadow. Let me encourage you let me charge you let me. Challenge you. To stay focused. Always. I'm going past the polarity. Recognizing what it is in the fearful other that is also part of your own being. And then going into deeper. Understanding of what. To behold. Challenging work. Confusing work. It is maze-like. Myriad possibilities. But oh my goodness it's what this unitarian universalist tradition of ours has always been about. Are you ever hold that with you and all of your being. Are you ever be full of grace. And your efforts to realize it and what you ours. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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140126_ah_naacp.mp3

Welcome to the january 26th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The podcast begins with a personal reflection by uuc member frank dupont. Are settled minister reverend arrowland then introduces our speaker alvin humes president of the montgomery county radford city in floyd county n-double-acp. Mr. hughes sermon is titled weaving a tapestry of community. Good morning lol. I was raised in southern california and except for stories my parents would tell. Was mostly unaware of racial issues. I attended integrated schools had no experience. What discriminatory practices in stores are employment. And never learned of such practices on any personal level. Until i enlisted in the army. Even then my basic training company was reflection of society. In mid 1950 california. I was in the company of latinos blacks. Asians and native americans. As well as i'm close. It was not until i left for training in san antonio texas. That i found out what living in the south actually meant. I was traveling by bus and that around midnight. Yes we are at we're arriving at el paso. I got a nosebleed. And got off the bus to use the restroom. The sign on the wall set men. But the neon sign over the door. Said colored. I was afraid to use that facility. My fantasy told me that man living day-to-day and that environment. Could actually intend me harm. Because of the color of my skin. I went around the bus station. Define a restaurant for my kind. The san antonio public transportation system was not different. From what i learned about later that year 1955. When rosa parks. Refused to give up her seat. Honda montgomery alabama. Excuse me. Montgomery alabama bus to a white man. The balance of my army time is spent in hawaii. And what i believe to be a fully integrated society. And then i returned to california where i remained. Until marilyn and i. Came to blacksburg in 1966. We recognized early on that except on the virginia tech campus. There were few african-americans in our church. In our neighborhood. Or in the shops we patronized. Nevertheless. At the invitation of our part-time minister. Reverend rudy kelsey. We started to attend the ecumenical alliance. No longer exist don't try to join. And interreligious and interracial community group. Where we learned about the history of racism in the new river valley. And became acquainted with many leaders of the black community. All of them were active members of the n-double-acp. We learned that there were other members of uu fellowship. Who were also acted with n-double-acp. We both became active in supporting it. The oldest list civil. Rights organization in the united states. You might ask why it is important to us. Equality under the law is fundamental to our understanding of adjust in democratic society. Supporting the n-double-acp is one tangible effective way to move our community and nation forward toward that goal. It is not just a black organization. It is carrying the banner for equal rights for everyone. Through its programs for education. Tell. Housing and legal process. Our experience with n-double-acp is that it is congruent with our faith community. Unitarian universalism. In upholding the quarter value. Of the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Thank you. It is a wonderful gift. Both the music that we have. And also our guest speaker this morning. It is my delight to share with you that this morning we have the opportunity to welcome alvin humes. President of the montgomery radford city in floyd county n-double-acp. And this morning here in worship we've been lifting up. The many different ways by which we know of the interconnected web of life. We heard a story from the hindu tradition buddhist traditions. We were mad at meditation that speaks to the relationship we have. To all of lights. When i went to lift out this morning is that the interconnected web of life of course is no esoteric. Concept. It's made living in real by how we inhabit this world that we share with one another. Until again i'm just delighted. To have here today alvin humes to share with us a little bit about the local work that the naacp does. I'll tell you that when i first arrived blacksburg it was a privilege for me to attend the freedom fund. The annual freedom banquet. That happened. I'm to celebrate and raise funds for the ongoing work of the naacp. And i was invited to offer the benediction. At that event. It was truly a joy to be there and to get to know for me. Some of the folks that are part of the network the broad network that is a local naacp branch. In a few weeks some of us as i mentioned will be attending the mass memorial gathering organized north carolina that also connects with the work of the naacp in that state. However as we also heard earlier from frankie punch. The congregation is actually enjoyed a very long-standing history with the local n-double-acp. That goes back to the time of when i call a greedy kelsey served your many many years ago as a part-time consulting minister. I'm aware that some of you were able to attend the martin luther king day celebration at shaffer memorial and. Which is hosted by the local branch of the naacp. And i actually understand new information i just learned when i was at shaffer memorial. That just a few years ago. The martin luther king day celebration was actually two held here in our sanctuary. Pepsin do you remember that. So what i'm suggesting to you this morning is that the connection. Are deep-rooted and ongoing. And this is something to celebrate. And i ever renew. Renewing our work together. As we heard and words of martin luther king i last week we lifted up. Martin luther king says that we're bound together in the web of life. And since 1909 the nacp have been an african american civil rights organization. Devoted to the elimination of race-based discrimination. Devoted to working for a society where there is equal rights and access for all people. Alvin kimzar guest speaker this morning maybe someone who many of you are already familiar with from your own work. And the community. Pratt socially as well. I'll just look up a few brief pieces of biographical information about our guest speaker and then invited him to share his words with us this morning. Alvan humane society president of the local branch of the naacp. He's also president of a 501 c 3 nonprofit that works with kids leadership development opportunities and it's called kids on track. And for three years he was also the chairperson working under the state. Naacp in richmond virginia. He retired from the norfolk southern railroad. Were you as a foreman. And he was given an honorable discharge from the us navy. Alvin humes served on the board of the commonwealth of virginia department of correction. Division of field operation. Pulaski correctional center in dublin. He's also a board member of the black cultural center that andrew black is that what it's called the andrew. The blackhouse cultural center which is. Museum which is getting redone i think right now.. Opening up a nail right wonderful. And he's also a member of the odd fellows in blacksburg. An honorary member of the rescue squad in christiansburg. And i am just again delighted that we will hear a little bit more from alvin directly about the local work of the n-double-acp. Alvin please come forward and share your words with us this morning but she's around look like. Good morning. Good morning. Again ladies and gentlemen my name is alvin humes. And i am the president of montgomery county rapid city floral county branch of the naacp. I want to thank. Minister. And this congregation. For letting me speak. About the ndaa. Cpp. Ladies and gentlemen. We know not. What any day. In the year. 2014 will bring. To us. What i do this will be. What burden shall be laid upon us. What's sorrow. We may be called upon. To endure. Ladies and gentlemen. The nacp. Has the vision. Division of the national association for the advancement of colored people. Is a society in which all individuals have equal rights. And there's no racial hatred. Or racial discrimination. We have a. Mission. The mission of the national association for the advancement of colored people is to ensure. The political. Educational. Social. An economic equality. Of rights. All persons. And to eliminate racial hatred. And racial discrimination. We have a statement of core beliefs and values of our branch. We believe in representative democracy was equal rights access and opportunities. For all. We believe in the value of relevance. About spirituality. Culture and heritage in the struggle. For civil rights. We are committed to grassroots involvement. In decision-making. And strong volunteer participation. Inter pursuit. Associate justice. Ladies and gentlemen we are committed. To developing knowledge. With leadership with special infants. Oh now you. We are committed to pursuing our civil rights objectives. Do nonviolent means. And in collaboration with other groups and individuals. Who share. Our commitment. To the advancement of civil rights. Ladies and gentlemen. We believe in a strong code of ethics in the shorter high standards of honesty. Dignity and integrity. We are committed to performance excellence by staff and volunteers. We are committed to ongoing evaluation. Of all our program staff. And organizational units. We believe in the responsibility and accountability. Of the individual. And family. Ladies and gentlemen we have a strategic. We have to teach it priorities. Hopefully. Under my watch. Do the next 5 years. We will focus. M52ti jerk priorities. Civil rights. Allocating policy and legislation legislation which guarantee equal employment opportunity in the private and. Public sectors. Advocating strong enforcement of fair housing public accommodations. Unemployment laws. Advocating for improved healthcare for equal access health service and insurance. Ladies and gentlemen we could go on and on and on. But i want to get down to the education. Part will be advocating for equal public education in school communities pam particular attention. To civil rights issues focus on. The failing national commitment to desegregation and the trend toward. Reset navigation in education. The issue of education vouchers in. A growth of charter schools the development and implementation of standardized standardized tests. Ladies and gentlemen. A political empowerment. Increase the number of registered minority voters improving voter awareness of civil rights issues. Increasing voter turnout in minority communities. Economic empowerment. Advocating the promotion of actions that would generate. And removal of barriers to prevent equal access for minorities. The capital for business. Advocating the promotion of action. That would generate and removal of barriers that prevent equal access from amor minorities. To credit. Promoting investment in buildings. Will in minority communities. Ladies and gentlemen. Improving organization capacity. Increasing membership and improving member satisfaction and participation. We will be improving the efficiency and effectiveness. Of all operating units. Throughout montgomery county. We will be conducting a national survey to assess the attitudes of the naacp members and potential members of the association to assist in future refining our strategy priorities. Alignment of the association resources allocation to reflect our core beliefs and values. And strategic priorities set for. Envious. Blueprint. Ladies and gentlemen. This concludes my report on the naacp. And hopefully each one of you with john and support us in montgomery county. Thank you. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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141116_kd_no-thanks.mp3

Welcome to the november 16th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today. Is led by reverend karen day. And her sermon is titled no thanks. The podcast begins with a skit featuring karen and worship associate. Tommy iafrate. Hello. There is a story for you today. Because i believe that stories are. For all of us no matter what age we are. So once upon a time. A long long time ago. And far far away. Or maybe not so long or far. Linda mother with her two children. In a cottage. In the woods. And i am the older child. I'm a lot like my mother. And we like to. Lounge. Septi. And have people bring us things. But we just hate it when things aren't right. I'm at baker will bring bread that. Isn't really crusty on the outside and the butcher will bring meet that. Should have been trimmed better. And sometimes the taylor brings our clothes and the scenes aren't quite right. I don't understand why people can't just do things right. And i am the younger brother. And i take after my father who died a long time ago. The maple tree outside the window looks. So full and golden today is. I'm making tea for my mother and my sister. I need to get more water from the stream. It's a long walk but i like to hear the rush. And the trickle of the water grow as i get closer and closer. Sometimes i meet people along the way. Today there's an old woman. Who must be in pain because she's all bent over and says that she's very thirsty. I dip her water and helped her get a drink of water. It's not much but. She thinks me and. Thanks me and says that i will be blessed with riches. That's a laugh. There were you you know we want arteon time i was so thirsty. I'm sorry. What was that. A diamond. That's strange. And they were pearl mom come see this. What happened to you i just went to get some water from the brook and i helped an old woman get some water along the way. She must have been a fairy. Wow now we're going to be rich. What. Why do i have to go. I mean we can just have him talk all the time we'll have everything we need. Alright. Okay i'm watching for the old lady and. Just because you look like a princess but doesn't mean i have to bring you water. I'm not your servant. No old lady. Hi sis. That was a total waste of time. What's that. It looks like a toe just fell out of your mouth oh my god and ruby's out of yours. A snake. Mom. What. We both have to go out into the forest. Forever. Well. So i wandered around and. Of course nobody really wanted to talk to me because. You know. Kind of lonely out here. And i chatted with the folks i met along the way and i shared my diamonds and my pearls with them. The folks are very nice. And they took me to the village. Where i lived happily. And that's the story of diamonds and toads. I know that was kind of an unusual reading. But. I think the folktales are kind of like dreams. Every character. Is myself. And. So i chose the one that i most identified with. Tony mouse. My mother always. Taught us to write thank you notes. And at christmas time we had to have them done before new year's. Birthdays i think maybe we got three days to write i thank you notes. And i always do the flea did them. My brothers weren't always as good of course. Sometimes they didn't do their thank-you notes and when they grew up sometimes. My brother's daughters didn't do their thank you notes. And my mother and i. That really wasn't. Very good he should have taught them better you know. In fact it made us wonder if we should even give them gifts if they were going to say thank you. Well last april was my 60th birthday and my brother we don't talk a lot but. He called me on my birthday and. Wished me a happy one and said that there was a gift coming. A couple of days later i got this beautiful spray of orchids. I've never really received orchids before so it was quite a treat something really exotic. And i thought i have to write a thank you note. But. I don't know why just the time kind of slipped away and i didn't and then my sister-in-law's 60th birthday was coming up and i thought well okay i really have to send something but they're out of town on her birthday so. I'll do something. And i didn't. And i didn't and i didn't and i. Started to feel really tody. There are other moments when i feel. Like tony mouth. When people come into a food bank at planty and. And take what they want. We have open shelves. But then they don't say thank you. Bugs me. Couldn't they at least be grateful. But then it started to feel like well maybe there's some snakes and toads coming out of my own mouth. And maybe that's a little bit of a double standard. And i wanted to look. At readings about gratitude. And most of them told me that i should be grateful. I should be grateful all the time i should feel grateful they didn't say write your thank-you notes but. They said if you're not feeling grateful then make a list of all the things you are grateful for. I don't know that doesn't quite work for me i. If i were more like. Sparkly face. Maybe i could. Change myself. But i'm not sure that spiritual practice really means that you should. Do anyting. To make yourself better. Maybe i have to live with being. Cody mouth for now. And then i found louis hides book the gift. And a quote from that is at the beginning of the order of service fruitfulness of a gift. Is the only gratitude for the gift. Fruitfulness. Of the gift. Is the only gratitude. For the gift. That made me think of ripening. Of ripening into gratitude. And then he talks about the labor of gratitude. That the labor of gratitude trim accomplishes the transformation. That a gift. Promises. So would gift offered. Could be a promise of transformation. And that gift received in me. Welcome to fruitfulness. When i can give. It away myself. When i can perform that labor of gratitude. The transformation of becoming the gift. I think. Sparkly face had that. Ability. To see the gift in the day. Even with all the work that that needed to be done. Even with the lack of gratitude. They were still gifts right there. Just. Open your eyes. Then there's the mother. She was. Not quite there you might say. She's disconnected. She stayed apart. And. Sometimes i want to stay a part 2. Because the giving and receiving of gifts means that were in relationship. We're asking and accepting something from each other. And sometimes it's easier to just keep. My heart closed. And not have that happen. We have a driver who delivers food. With our portable produce route and she's been taking. Food to. One of her. Friends and neighbors. For a while when she got invited inside. And. She was shown all the beautiful quilting. That this woman had done. I think that though. Nan was about. 82 at the time. And was still putting together patchwork. Quilts. And at the end of the tour. Man handed the driver a pillow and said i want you to have this. And the driver paused. And she thought. To take something from her maybe you know maybe she could sell this or maybe i should offer her some money for it because i know that she doesn't have a lot. Put something in her heart. Opened. And allowed herself. To receive. To just say. I would love this pillow. Thank you so much. And that built that relationship. A way of saying yes. Receiving as a way of saying yes. I know sometimes receiving not that. Easy. How many view love to do things for other people love to give a gift or help out in any way. And how many of you love to ask for something to ask for help. So in the story the one who asked for help with the fairy. She looked like an old woman and then she looked like a princess. So that tells us that. The ferry can look like. Anyone. The ferry can be any of us. If we let ourselves. For help. Ask. For something we need. So i wonder what it would be like instead of thinking oh i hate to ask for anything. If we thought. Okay i'm going to let the spirit move through me now. And allow this other person. To enter into the labor of gratitude. They won't be able to i won't be able to have that great feeling of helping someone unless i ask them. Bad friend who was sick recently. And after a few days she sent on a message. Saying she could use some help with things. And i said to her was. Was that. Difficult how did it feel to do that she said it was the hardest thing i've ever done. I really didn't want to send that message out. And what kind of response did you get. People helped. It was great. People showed up. As we want to do. So she gave. Those around her the opportunity. Sparkle. To shine. To ripen. Because now my image of. I'm totally math is. Did she just wasn't right. Yeah. And what do we need to do to ripen. Sit in the sun. Take in the rain. Receive. So what if i'm those days when i'm feeling kind of grumpy at the food bank if i would realize that oh maybe i need to. Receive something now. Maybe i need to. Ask for help. See if someone else can step in and. Be the giving one until i ripen again. Kind of challenging. Kind of. A spiritual practice. What if my practice could be not only. Making a list of things i'm grateful for. But making a list of things i need help with. What if each day i said i'm going to ask someone for help today. And see how that felt. I don't know i haven't practiced that yet. But i think i'll try it. I know someone kind of like sparkly face. At the food bank. It's a man who. Came to us asking for food when monday. And then he said i'll be back next week to help. That was. Months ago. And he's been back every monday. Since ban. Serving at the food bank. And when someone comes in and says how are you today. He says. God loves me this much and i've been blessed everyday i have nothing to complain about. I've heard that many times now and i don't always ask him anymore how he is. But it occurred to me instead of. Doing my little toadie mouth roll of the eyes at that. Going to recognize and acknowledge. This man is laboring and gratitude. He's become the gift. He sees what's around him just like those make golden maple leaves. And he let that soak in. Opens up and let it soak in. And he was also able to ask for help when he needed it. To allow us. To labor and gratitude towards him. And you. This congregation. Has also been laboring ingratitude. You gave your minister dara. The gift. Off of maternity leave. A time to be with her family when she needs it. And so many of you stepped up. To do extra work. To take on extra responsibility. That's a labor of gratitude. And. Surprise in the meantime you gave me the gift. Of being able to be with you. And when i was first asked i thought oh follow the really busy time at plenty where i am in floyd county. The harvest is coming in we're doing school garden lessons we're doing preschool produce bags. Can i take on something else. The surprise. It turned out. Tubi. The ripening that i need it. I've been receiving from you. As you've opened your heart. And even in this moment i receive. Your openness your willingness. To listen. Ponder with me. To wonder. I'm so grateful. For the gifts that you've given me these last few months. I'm so grateful to see you. This rich pool right. Congregation. That's coming into your own. As people who find what you can give here. And find what you can receive. It's not just the transaction anymore. Like totally mouth and her mom were trying to keep. A distance with the butcher and the baker. By paying them right by expecting it to be right. And not seeing it as a gift. You don't say how much am i getting for this. You can have. And then you receive. You give. And then you ask. And you ripen. In fullness. In the sunshine in the rain. This makes me wanna. Bite into a nice juicy apple. Here's a poem by denise levertov. And all. So quiet. I don't know when it began. A gratitude. Have began to sing in me. Was there some moment dividing song. From no song. When does dew fall begin. When does night. Folded arms over our hearts to cherish them. When is daybreak. As the season unfolds. May we each notice. The daybreak. May we each feel that moment of gratitude. Shifting from no song. 2 song. May we each ripen into the fullness. Of all the gifts we've been given. And all that we have yet to receive to ask for. To celebrate. Maybe so my friends. Happy song. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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150726_dj_inspired-action.mp3

Welcome to the july 26th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by rev don johnson. And the title of his sermon is inspire to action. The podcast begins with an introduction of reverend on my worship associate frank napolitano. And readings by uuc member george lally & don's wife beverly collier. Now i'm happy to introduce don johnson our guest speaker this morning. Don his wife beverly collier. And george lally will read several selections bees are printed on the insert in your order of service. You may want to follow along and with your printed copy. The tree which moves. Some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others. Only get green stain. That stands in the way. William blake. We're only here for a short while and i think it's such a lucky accident having been born. That we're almost obliged to pay attention. Most of our experience is that of being a witness. We see and hear and smell other things. I think being alive is responding. Mark strand. It is not the events of our lives that shape us. But our beliefs as to what those. Events mean. Anthony robbins. Your assumptions are the windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile. Are the light won't come in. Isaac. Same love. That's a month. The life that i touch for good or ill will touch another life. And that in turn another. Until who knows where the trembling stops are in what far place and time. My touch will be felt. How lives are linked. Together. No one is an island. If we are to love our neighbors. Before doing anything else we must see our neighbors. With our imagination as well as our eyes. That is to say like. Artist. We must see not just their faces. But the life behind and within their faces. Here it is love. That is the frame we see them in. Compassion is the sometimes fatal capacity for feeling that what it is like to live inside. Someone else's skin. It's the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me. Until there is peace and joy. Finally for you to. To journey for the sake of saving our own lives. Is little by little to cease to live. In any sense that really matters. Even to ourselves. Because is it is only by journeying for the world's sake. Even when the world bores and sickens and scares you have to death. That little by little we start to come alive. Frederick. Big bigner. Play that is. Sacred journey the memory of really does. The concept of ubuntu is very difficult. To render into a western language. It speaks of the very essence. Of being human. My humanity is inextricably bound. Up in yours. We belong in a bundle of life. Desmond tutu. Human beings are members of a whole. Increation one essence and soul. If one member is afflicted with pain. Other members uneasy will remain. If you have no sympathy for human pain. The name of human. You cannot retain. Saudi medieval persian poet. When one of us is cut. All of us bleed. William braden. Bad will be the day for everyone when he or she becomes absolutely contented with the life that they are living. With the thoughts that they are thinking. With the deeds that they are doing. When there is not forever beating at the doors of the soul some great desire to do something larger. Which one knows if they were meant. And made to do. Philip brooks. I am still the place where creation does some work on itself. Thomas transformer. They're those that look at things the way they are and ask why. I dream of things that never were and ask why not. You will have the greatness to bend history itself. But each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from. Numberless. Diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time one stands up for an ideal. Or acts to improve the lot of others. Or strikes out against injustice. It sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. And crossing each other from a million different centers of energy. And daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls. Of oppression and resistance. Fear not the path of truth for the lack of people walking on it. Robert f kennedy. The three. Statements i just read. We overlooked just how large a role we all play and by we i mean society. And determining who makes it. And who doesn't. Malcolm gladwell. When the path. Ignites the soul. There's no remaining in place. The foot touches ground. But not for long. Hakeem sendai sushi. Poet afghanistan in the 12th century. Good morning it's always a pleasure to come back to the. Congregation. Here in blacksburg and have an opportunity. To speak. When i was asked to come they mentioned to me that. Normally the time is around 20 minutes per talk but. I could take as long as i want it. It reminded me of the story of the man. The custodian. Small rural church shoes. Was there wendy visiting minister came to speak. Hand. He heard someone say to the. Minister. Have you take as long as you want for your. Sermon today. And as soon as the person who mentioned this said the. Custodian at the church went over to the person and said. Just be sure and turn the lights off when you leave. The unwritten. Inside this. Pencil. Crouch words. That have never. Been written. Never been spoken. Never been taught. They're hiding. They're awake in there. Dark in the dark. Hearing us. But they won't come out. Not for love. Not for time. Not for war. Even when the dark has worn away. They'll still be there. Hiding in the air. Multitudes in days to come. May walk through them. Breathe them. Be none the wiser. What script. Can it be. That they want. Enroll. In what language. Would i recognize it. Would i be able to follow it. To make out. The real names. Of everything. Maybe there aren't many. It could be. There's only one word. And it's all we need. And it's here. Indispensable. Every. Pencil. And the world. Is like this. So road ws merwin. And his poem. The unwritten. Which speaks of the potential. Of every human being. On july 1st first of this year nicholas winton died at 106 years old. Few of us know his name. Who he was. Or what he had done earlier in his life. Sir nicholas george winston. Organize the rescue of 669 children. Most of them jewish. From czechoslovakia on the eve. Of wwii. Winton found homes for the children arrange for their safe passage. The breton. After the war. He did not discuss his efforts. With anyone. His wife. Knew nothing about this. In 1988. Well she was cleaning through the attic. She found a scrapbook. Detailing the children's parents. And their family. And the parents. Ottoman. He said he'll that's just some old material there's no need to save it and she said no you're not going to get rid of this. Material. Chipotle information became public and he became. What is known as the british. Chandelure. Do a stockbroker after schooling. Winton was also an ardent socialist. He became part of a left-wing circle. The people who were concerned about the dangers posed by the nazis. And in light plate 1938. He was. About to take. A 2-week trip to switzerland. For skiing. From britain where he lived. They finally decided instead. To visit prague and helping associates. Of the british committee for refugees and czechoslovakia. Good called on him to assist in helping. With their jewish welfare work. Hey went there for those two weeks. And he single-handedly established an organization. The age children from jewish families. At risk from the nazis. He set up his office at a dining room table and is hotel. In november of 1938 following kristallnacht. And nazi rule germany. Britain approved a measure. To allow the entry of refugees into britain. Who were younger than 17. Provided. They had a place to stay. And there would be a 50 lb deposit. For their eventual return to their own country. Can we set up a shadow. Organization. He took the letterhead of a larger group. And he put on it but older had their title. The words. Children's division. And when passports for the children. He was trying to get from britain for them to be able to come. We're too long and coming he paid to have them forged. For the children. In order to get them out of czechoslovakia. He did this before it would be too late. A bribe numerous authorities. In order to arrange 48 shiploads. Are children to be sent to england. An obstacle was getting permission to cross into the netherlands. As the children were to embark on a ferry from netherlands. To england. After kristallnacht in november 1938. The dutch government officially closed its borders. To any jewish. Refugees. The border guards search for the. And returned any that were found to germany. Despite the horrors. Being well-known. Winton succeeded however thanks to the guarantees yet obtained from britain. And after the first train the process of crossing. Another one's went smoothly. He ultimately found homes. And britain for 669 children. Paying for the passage. Doing anything you needed to do to get them there. Becoming deeply involved in the process of trying to find families. Who would take some in. These children. Or saved. When many if not all of their parents. Perished. And the ashwini. Concentration. Throughout the summer he plays photographs of them in. Magazines seeking families to accept them. Hey road to the united states. Asking them for haven for more children. He was denied. He said that 2,000 more children could have been saved. If he had been helped. But only sweden. Cook any of them besides britain. The last group of 250 children scheduled to leave prague on september 1st 1939. Or unable. To depart due to hitler's invasion of poland and the beginning of world war ii. Nearly all of the children in that group. Perished. During the war. So is that effort had been successful the number would have been closer to 1,000. Among those who are saved were people who became. Labour party politicians. Geneticist. Film producers. Mathematicians. And a canadian television journalist. Other 669 children save. From the holocaust through winton's efforts. More than 370. Have never been traced. And they may not know the full story. About how they survived the war. Are those who are known and their families. Now three generations down the light. The number. Is 15000. Human being. The world found out about his work in the program in 1998 on the bbc. Television show that's life. Was he was invited to come as a guest. And at one point is not knowing any of this they showed his scrapbook. And shoulders. Achievements. And explain them. And then they turn to the audience. And herewith. Mister sir winton in the front row. They asked whether anybody in the audience. Older wives. To winton. And in those moments. Almost everyone in the room. Do it. He turned halo. The tears fell. His death came 76 years to the day after 241 of those children. He saved left prague on a train. I argue if you've never seen the youtube. Tell that moment in that tv program where he finds out. This audience of people whose wives. Orsay. It's a very moving. And a 60-minute program about him later. He was asked why would he risk his own life to save others. He said. 1 solve the problem. That was there. That a lot of these children were in danger and you had to get them to a safe haven. And you had to get them not only there. There was no organization to do that why did i do so. Why do people do different things. Some people rebel and taking risks. Some go through life. Taking no risks. So the motivations that. Tempe. Considered explained or identified. As reasons for the inspiration for us to act. Will be varied. Many. Indifferent. Frances perkins. Was the first. Woman cabinet member in mini in any. Administration in this country. She served. So secretary of labor under. Franklin d roosevelt. But you'd come from a very upper-crust family. And in fact. Was said to talk something like. Mrs. thurston howell the third did. On gilligan's island. With that kind of upper-class. Language. At 31 she was visiting a friend. A society matron in greenwich village. New york city. 1911. They were having a conversation. They were in this area where south of greenwich. We're all these factories they heard. Annoy or startled by this commotion. And found out there was a fire. To which they then. Sprinted. They came up on. The triangle shaped purse. Shirtwaist. And so as they looked up what looked like bundles of fabrics. Calling from the windows and their first assumption was. Oh yes they're throwing out. Those. Best fabrics that can be saved. From the fire. Then. They realize those were not bundles of fabric. But people. Hurling themselves from the 7th. Theater. The 9th. The 10th. Floors. Above. To their deaths. In order to escape this fire. In a locked. Building. And this horrifying spectacle they saw 47 people. Who hit the sidewalk. This was the event. Left a deep mark. On her life. Although she had been fighting in some causes. She was really pursuing a trajectory of conventional married. And genteel works. But she moved from a safe career. I giving her whole life to a roth. And tumble. Vocation. Fighting against child labor. Working. Or fair practices. For labor. I would not expect all of us to agree upon who's carried out. Moral actions for others but we all can think of people who buy their actions. Even unknown. The larger group. Have done so. I realize there was a personal dimension to be addressed here as well. Often the most painful periods in my life. A band when i was frozen. And could not seem to act. We all have to find sources of inspiration. Or own personal actions. We take as well. But my emphasis today. Is on our actions. For the benefit. Brothers. So what are these sources come from. I would suggest. We people would answer that they might come from their scripture or religious tradition. They certainly can be found in the prophetic tradition. Of the hebrew scriptures. They certainly can be seen in the words and parables of jesus. They can come through reading books. There are novel. Biography. Nonfiction. That touches depot. There are they are. Poetry. Photography. Painting other things. What you can stir. Us to move and act. Advance. News. History and understanding and learning about it. Personal experiences. People who have modeled. Such behavior for us. Travel. Reflection. How many more sources are there for. My own experience was racial injustice began. When i learned. As a little boy that my beloved kansas grandfather had a sign and his little tents. Tennessee cafe. That said. We have the right right to refuse service. To anyone. I didn't know what the sign meant. So i asked my father. About the sign they told me. He said i don't agree with us. But your grandfather has that sign up. Because he intends to keep blocks. Out of this. I was horrified. When i went to junior high school in 1954 right after. Desegregation through the courts process. It was the first year after that's when i entered. Junior high. I met my first block classmate. Ralph was my first initial personal contact with a person of color. The developer. Into a true friendship. When i was working prior to my first college year i met 8 and worked. Daily at a cement. Cement plant. With an elderly black gentleman. Known only as. Doc. Dog carried out all the arduous tasks tasks. They're such as. Crawling inside each cement car. Cleaning it out. Getting the remaining concrete.. Out of there. And every time he came out of one of those cars. And he was very elderly. Covered in gray. I thought. Why is he the one. Who's having to do. I learned of him is life. And he became a very. Close person. When i went off to college. I went from a junior college to east texas baptist college i was baptist at the time. Southern baptist a fundamentalist at that point even though i'd grown up in a family of agnostics and atheists. I saw it that college in marshall texas the reality of segregation this was 1962 to 1964. Segregation supposedly was supposed to be over by then. But that segregation there included. Black. Being allowed only to sit in the balcony. Of the. Cinema. 4 movie. No whites could set their i often used to sit in the balcony at home when i went to. Watch the dinner restaurants only by a backdoor and only then for carry on. Entering clothing stores also was from the back. And having they had to buy clothes without trying them on. I attended the first baptist church until. And that city. Where i was going to college until 1 sunday i saw usher's. Forcing out in one case carrying out. Black people. Who had come there to worship. I could not believe. My eyes. And it was then i began and those years to fight against. Such injustice. A friend of mine wrote me from his arkansas college town. About an occasion which he felt deep shame. His baby daughter had a high fever. They took her to the emergency room. Which was packed. What's people. Everybody else in the room. Was black. Some with major injuries. He suspected therefore that they would have a long wait. Before anyone. Would see his daughter. Much to his surprise. Has the only whites in the waiting room. They were. Entered. And called in. Immediately. He learned that day his white privilege. Pancham. He took advantage of it for his child. Knowing it was wrong. But it's so touched him. That he wrote me this wrong or letter which i still have. Which causes me to tear up. Every time i read it. In the 1960s and 70s hybrid leather chair the civil rights movement. Became committed to the struggle. Azodin methodist minister accepted an appointment. Turn area of a city. Where the three census tracts where i lived in work or all 93% african-american. And i worked in that community loving it every moment i was there. For eight years fighting alongside others. Preparedness and housing city services. School improvements. And many more social justice. So experiences can certainly motivate us tax. Afghan a major event one major event. In our lives. I know people who censored shooting of those nine. People in the church in charleston. Have had their life. Chance. We who were here. I'm sure all we're all deeply moved. By that event. In the last year-and-a-half everland i. Have been deeply involved in a facebook page that she started. Called let's talk about race in america. And over that year-and-a-half time. We ended up with 6500 people. Discussing. Race issue. Not always comfortable to be there. Not always the language you wanted to hear. Not always the ideas. That you could stomach. But. One of the things we realized is. As a white person we could always walk away. From those problems. The boxer on that page largely to be teaching. Another's. Good.. So we listen we learned and we made many friends. My history major in college and my reading interest. Read me in these directions fighting racism sexism heterosexual ism colonialism. And classism. Latin american theologians. And black liberation text have informed my directions. The arts have inspired me to take justice for all. Paintings like picasso. Guernica. The photography work of eugene smith. And especially now of sebastian. Salgado. There's a wonderful new documentary out on his work. Call the salt. Of the earth. Is photography. Well. Touch you. I learned through the fiction of people like shirley jackson alice walker. And many others. But most of all for me. Cancel that. Learning about. Liberation theology in latin america. Poetry. Has been a major source. For my gross in the area of acting. On behalf of others. And most of all. Through pablo neruda the great chilean poet of love earth and justice. As deeply moved me. Tiroides. Politics became part of my poetry and my life. In my poems i could not shut the door to the street. Just as i could not shut the door. The love. Life. Joy. Or sadness. In my young poets. There are several other. Quotes from ham that are in the. Written form of my talk but i don't have time to mention now. No wonder. Based on his poetry having this political. Portion to it as well. Edwin penny pinochet overthrew with the help of miss nixon kissinger. And the cia the first democratically-elected socialist government. Of latin america. Chile. And after the death of president salvador. Hyundai. They went to naruto's house. Hunting for weapons. He was in the last. Bumped of his wife. Having cancer. After totally wrecking his home. And then discuss. Finding no weapons they turn to leave. And he hollered at the weight. And he pointed. To his library. And he said. These. Are my weapon. I learned is well from people like carolyn forshee. Who. Talked about. The poetry of witness. I want to share with you one of her poems. Entitled the colonel. Which deeply influence may set in central america. What you have heard is true i was in his house. His wife carry the tray of coffee and sugar. His daughter filed her nails is sun went out for the night. There were daily papers pet dogs. A pistol. On the cushion beside him. The moon song bear on its black cord over the house. On the television was a cop show it was an english. Broken bottles were embedded in the walls around the house. To scoop the kneecaps. I'm a man's legs. Orcutt is hands. Elise. On the windows. There were gratings like those in liquor store. We had dinner rack of lamb good wine a gold bell was on the table for calling the maid. The mets brought queen mango salsa type of bread. I was asked how i enjoyed the country. There's a brief commercial in spanish. His wife took everything away. There was some talk then. Of how difficult it had become. To govern. He said. The colonel. Toda parrot. On the patio. To shut up. I pushed himself from the table. My friend who was with me said to me with his eyes. Say. Nothing. The colonel returned with a sack used to bring groceries. With a sack. Something. He spilled out on the table. Mini. Human. Ears. They were like dried. Pig house. There's no other way to say this. He took one of them in his hands. Look up in our faces dropped it into a water glass. Fatima live there. Hi i'm tired of fooling around he said. As for the rights of anyone. Tell your people they can go after themselves. He swept the ears to the floor with his arm. And held the last of his wine in the air. Something for your poetry. No. Some of the years on the four caught the scrap of his voice. Some other yours on the floor. Or press. A poetry of witness. What's not only she. But many other poets. Have used. I want to mention. Muriel rukeyser space. St. roch. This is much earlier. But it's symbolism stands even now. It was entitled st. roch she wrote it in the 40s. Think about what. For that i never knew you i only learned to dread you for that i never touched you. They told me you are phil. They showed me by every action to despise your kind. Hot for that i saw my people making war on you. I could not tell you apart. One from another. For that in childhood i lived in places clearview. For that all the people i met you by. I knew met you by crushing you. Stamping you to death. I boiling you. They flashed you down. For that i could not tell from another only that you were dark. Fast on your feet and slender not like me. For that i did not know your poems. And that i do not know any of your sayings. And that i cannot speak or read your language. And then i do not sing your songs. And that i do not teach our children. To eat your food. To know your poems. Or senior songs. But that we say. You are filtering our food. But that we know you. Not at all. Yesterday i looked at one of you. For the first time. You were lighter than the others in color that was neither good nor bad. I was really looking for the first time. You seem troubled. And witty. Today. I touched one of you. For the first time. You are star.. Hiiraan. You fight away. Fast as a dancer. Light. Strange and lovely. To the touch. I reach. Itouch. I begin to know. And finally. Hira tributary garner. The forty-three-year-old 355 50 lb 6 ft 3 in. Black father of six children. 3 grandchildren. Killed by police. In the chokehold on staten island new york. While he was repeating over and over the words. I can't. Breathe. A small needful fact is that eric garner. Work for some time for the parks and rec. Horticultural department. Which means perhaps. That with his very large hands. Perhaps in all likelihood. He put gently. Come to the earth. Some plants. Which. Most likely some of them. In all likelihood continue to grow continue to do what plants do like how. And feed small unnecessary. Creatures. Like being pleasant to touch. And spell. Like converting sunlight. And the food. Like making it easier. For us. Temporary. So we may seek to know individually what motivates. But there are common threads that exist. Let me briefly closed. Was saying these four. Religion spirituality and or ethics. Motivators. The challenge reality. Second a new worldview often emerges. From the margins of society. Hence the importance of exposing ourselves. Wide range of human beings. An experience. There are too many white people in this country. Who don't even have one. Real. Black. 3 hour identity becomes rooted and a sense of common humanity when we understand that in the end as the readings that over and over. We are one. Or we end up embracing an ethic of revolution. Adam and structural change. Not just kindness and charity. Whatever value they may have. So sir nicholas winton said. If something is not impossible. There must be a way. I'm doing. Let us walk with the dreamers the believers. The courageous the doors. The people with their heads in the clouds. And their feet on the ground. Weather spirit. Ignite a fire. Within you. To leave this world better. Then when you fell. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

160508_do_unstoppable-love.mp3

Welcome to the may 8th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by a settled minister. Reverend airoli. An experiment is titled. Unstoppable love. Worship associate jane aronson. Cher's a reflection title. My thoughts on being a mother in today's world. Invite you to join with one another in myself. An experience of prayerful and meditative. Reflection. Spirit of abiding hope and transforming love. We welcome you this day. Can move through our hearts. To allow us to open ourselves. Deeply it's hell of wisdom rising up. From i lived experiences. Help us to know that each one. Is enuf. Each one of us is precious. Each one of us is held. In the deeper fabric. Of the interconnected. Web. Today let us remember. People in our lives. You have blessed us. Or helped us. By sharing their leadership their advice. Their wisdom and their care those who have mothers. Be their biological mothers. Mothers in our family. Mothering figures. Caring people. Let us remember to offer a sense of gratitude. For the gifts of. Mother right. We also acknowledge the pain. Mother ring as well. The complexity of our relationship. With. Being mothers. Mothers who have lost. Mothers who have known deep pain. Relationships between mothers and children that have been difficult. And challenging. Spirit of abiding hope. Help us to remember. The strongest gets of mothering experiencing. Mothering experiences. Help us carry those forward. In our lives today. This morning bb3 reading send. The first one is. This poem. In the beginning by nancy schaefer. Kate is teaching the kids about dinosaur are. That are you breathe that are you have inside every time you take a breath. That's dinosaur ear. Dinosaurs breathe that. The kids eyes are very wide. They take big gulps of air. Just to have more dinosaur are inside of them. The air we have is all there the air we will have cases. So we have to take good care of it. The kids go bless. Consider the air already inside. Kate tells more. Actually. She says we're all cousins. The kids look at each other disbelieving. Believing. You. We. All of us kate says. Way wayback began his cousins. Way back in the beginning. The kids whoop clap each other on the back for the rest of the day they savor are and call each other cousin. Second reading this morning it's by unknown author. What did i do today. What did i do today. Today i left some dishes dirty. The bed. made around 3:30. The diaper sucked a little longer. The odor grew a little stronger. Krampus felt the day before. Are staring at me from floor. The fingerprints there on the wall will likely be there still next fall. The dirty streaks on those window panes. Will still be there next time it rains. Shame on you you sit and say. Just what did you do today. I nursed the baby until he slept. I hold a toddler while she wept. I played a game of hide-and-seek i squeezed a toy so it would squeak. I pulled a wagon i sang a song. Tyler child. Right from wrong. What did i do this whole day through. Not much that shows i guess that's true. Unless you think that's what i've done. Might be important to someone. With bright brown eyes and soft brown hair. If that is true i've done my share. Final reading for this morning comes from frances ellen watkins harper shiza. Cheats for bearer. In our own unitarian universalist history she was a. Liberal religion. In there. 1800s and early 1900s. She wrote that. Let me make songs for the people. Songs for the old. And the young. Trunkster like a battle cry wherever they are sung. Not for the clashing savers. Not for carnage door for strife but songs to throw the hearts of all. With more abundant life. Let me make songs for the weary. A mid-life. Fever and front. Tell hart show relax their tension. And careworn brows. Forget. Let me sing for the little children before their footsteps trey we anthems of love and duty. The float over life's highway. I would sing for the poor in the agent. When the shadows dim their site. Of the bright and restful mansions. Where there shall be no night. Our world so worn and weary needs music curing strong. Dacosta jangling discords of sorrow pain and wrong. Music to sudol its sorrow. How war and crime shelties. In the hearts of all grow. Tender. And girdle the world. Repterra asked me to speak today regarding my thoughts on being a mother in today's world. And please bear with me cuz i have not. Written anything in years and i. I'm not terribly comfortable speaking. The way i feel so. Anyway. I must start by saying that raising children in today's world is a few it fluid. Constantly changing hartsfield challenge and privilege. When i gave birth to my children it never ever occurred to me that i would need to do anything more. Then read to them everyday. Have tea parties sing songs. Play outdoors. Jump off of things. Teach them to swim and ride a bike. And to hike trails in this beautiful part of the world we call home. We are fortunate to have been able to expose them to travel. Whether to the beach or to visit relatives or two islands in warm places. We've always been able to fix them nutritious meals and create new taste. To try. I taught them things i learned from my mother as well. The songs of different birds in the yard and the names of flowers in our garden. As they've grown. I reflect on the easy part years ago. When it kiss want to scrape pandora firm 5 minutes in timeout was all that was needed. To redirect their sorrows are anxiety. Things i never conceived of having to discuss and explain to them i'm sorry. Have occurred since they were young children. Why did you go intelligent college student. Shoot and kill 32 of his schoolmates. How did it distributed o'lantern elementary school and young. Turn down 26 innocent people. Why have your men in our area had to abduct and kills innocent children and young women. It hasn't been easy to have this talk about how danger can reach out and grab you in a moment's notice. The internet walking down the street and a grocery store parking lot at night. How do you answer their questions adequately. Answer the questions adequately. Adequately inform them but also make them feel safe when you don't understand these events yourself. How do you prepare them for everything. We have truly been incredibly fortunate to have two healthy curious carrying children and when asked to describe my feelings all i can say is how very very lucky mike and i feel to have them in our lives. My children have taught me to smile and laugh. Not hold grudges to have more fun and to be more spontaneous. As with most parents. We want for them is to be safe. Feeler love surrounding them 24/7. We hope we have taught them to think critically. To listen carefully and ask questions. And to know that not everyone they meet has had what they had. 11 family food and shelter everyday. And a fresh fresh clean water from a tap whenever they want it. I want them to question traditional paradigms. Fight against injustice is in the world. Just like all parents i want them to love and be loved. Having deep lasting friendships. And love feeling their lives. And then i'm just going to read. My friend gave me these this little box. The cards years ago called mom in the house. A survival guide for the mom of wee ones but. It really doesn't just have to be little children and i'll just read a few cuz they're a bunch. Keep in touch with your dreams. Nap with your baby on your belly. When the kids are cranky take them for a walk. Going to the beach should be as much fun as being at the beach. Small things add up to a happy child. Stay in your jammies all day sometimes. Cleaning up is always fun if it involves the spray bottle. Watch the clouds float by. When in doubt trust yourself. Always bring a snack. Anyone thought jane was courageous for sharing her voice this morning. Yeah. We talked about the journey of mothering and parenting. Very close to the surface of our hearts because what is more dear. Our children. You are also our future. This morning were talking about mother's day. And we're also pausing with intention. To honor the complexity. Of this game. For some this might be a very first mother's day. A real wonderful time and think about this milestone but having just invited a new little one. Into your life. Some might recently have adopted or given birth. And for some this is actually a very hard. Sort of day. It's a time of remembering. Children that have passed from this life. Or one's own mother who has died. Perhaps coming into. Difficult connection with a source of sadness for the long and painful journey what is had with ones. Mother. In one's life. It is certainly a time for reflection. And also a time for celebration. We honor today. Lots of joy. Lots of sorrow and everything. Some of you have had to mother yourself. Your whole life. And some of you are just learning how to mother yourselves. So again. This morning let us connect. Replete a wide spectrum. Of ways in which people live the mothering journey and experience mother's day. This morning i wonder about a mother figure in your life. Someone in your life a mother figure who has made a powerful difference for you. Whether that person and biologically related to you or not. I wonder why. See if you can bring that person to mine. Maybe about two or three. Maybe some of you are so lucky to have 45. I wonder why. This person a person. I come into your mind. And i want you to think really think for a moment. About the. Particular specific gifts. But that person or persons. Has given you and your life. Think about those gifts. Morning we are going to kendall another separate flame this morning. In honor of these mothers and the gift that they have given us. I invite us also to allow the special flame this morning. To remind us of those unsung. Mother. Who don't necessarily experience a lot of praise or appreciation. Might be having a particularly hard time. And let us right now honor all of the gifts. In our lives. Those offered by the unsung mothers among us and beyond. And let us remember. That we buy our living. Can shepherd those gifts further into the world. This morning fox with kendall is our mom has gay. Going to be sharing with you a little bit more about. Mama's gay. At the reclamation of the original purpose of mother's day. Mama's day is about reclaiming mother's day for a better world. And i want to share with you just a little bit. About the background of mother's day which i think some of you might already know. You know i think it's really too bad that mother's day has been. Sometimes giving a gloss. As if it's just about. Shokran sentiments flowers. And candy. There's nothing wrong with flowers. Maybe even nothing wrong with saccharine sentiment. Except what we know is that mothering is real messy. And mothering is real hard. And mothering takes a lot. Today we want to thank all of the mothers. And i want to thank in particular. The memory of julia ward howe. The history of mother's day actually begins with julia ward howe who was a unitarian. And she was someone who's very interested in connecting with other mothers. You might know her as a person who authored the battle hymn of the republic. It herrera. She lives in the 1800's she was deeply disturbed by the violence and the cost of human life. Caused by the civil war. And so in 1870 she offered a mother's day proclamation. And it was a call calling all the women of the world to speak out and up for keys. And she wrote these lines so you can hear just a little bit of what she sounded like. She wrote our son shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity mercy and patience. She said. We the women of one country will do to tender. Of those in another country to allow our sons to be trained. Ensure their. So julia ward howe was really interested. And help mothers might connect to other mothers even across the globe inn, depreciation for rehumanizing an inhumane world because who knows more deeply the value of human life then. Parents. Mother. Father. So julia ward howe convene what was called the congress of action. And there was a mother's day for peace. And it ultimately then became over the time. Mother's day. And it's somewhat fell into. Last celebration. It became a little bit forgotten. The next person who picked up the mother's day charge was. Anna jarvis he was a methodist woman. In 1907 a few decades after julia ward howe have been doing her writing and organizing. But she too envisioned it as a time of action. I want to do well just for a moment on julia's life she was a very interesting person. She had a hard life. She was a woman. Far ahead of her time. She was as far as we know in a fairly miserable relationship. Maybe even a physically abusive marriage. She had many children and she deeply love them. One of them died while. Rather young and the pain of that. Was with her her whole life. She loves her children she also felt very burdened by not having more freedom to exercise her own goals and priorities beyond her domestic life. And she worked particularly hard in the latter part of her life and women's voting right so some of you might know her for her work in the suffrage movement. Supper ideas i've mentioned a little bit before was about. The way in which the process of having children. Connect people more deeply. To human life. And so when we tap into that we might just be inclined to care about other women other family. Other young ones. We might be inclined to stick our necks out raise our voices against war. She wanted to bring people together for peace and her time. Do you think about that that's a pretty radical idea. For a day that's now become largely in our society one in which we observe by hallmark cards. And as i said there's nothing wrong with car. But perhaps in the same way that feminism itself needs to be reclaimed and talked about a new and getting. Fresh boyz 2 in every generation so perhaps his mother's day need to be reclaimed again made more relevant to our lives and for each generation. I want to share with you a little bit about. The mamas day approach. The mamas day approaches transforming this holiday. Celebrating different kinds of mothers different kinds of mothering different kinds of families and reorienting all of us. To some of the original intent of mother's day. Which was about lifting up all family. Mom is day is a term and a word that's being used to celebrate by a group called livestrong and livestrong as a national movement whose aim is to support policy and culture change. The kind of changes that affect all families for the good. And our larger movement the unitarian universalist movement. The part of this effort. Reminding us as. The saying goes that mamahood. Is not a one-size-fits-all. Kind of day. Their attention with this mama's day approach. Is talitha pout incarceration. Impact family is particularly non-white families. The goal is to start telling truth about race and gender issues in the united states and positively uplifting leadership of trans people of color. And if some of you might be interested. If you're looking for more resources about how to imagine and break apart new spaces for mother's day or mama's day you might be intrigued to know that they're issuing these beautiful cards that are online for free they're ecards and can send one to a person you know and they're wonderful mama's day cards and we've got some information on our action table if you'd like to check out some of those cards. I'm not giving you an advertisement for i'm not meaning to give you an advertisement for those ecards but i do need to lift up the re-imagination of the celebration of all kinds of families. All kinds of experiencing spearance is of mothering. There are cards for example that are for mothers who are grappling with loss. What do you say on mother's day. There are cards. Designed for families where there's two mama's in the house. Happy double. Play invite you to check out our action table little bit more about livestrong and mom is dead. I want to share with you that the other day. I was out driving back from ministers meeting in richmond. And. It's pretty long drive as some of you know from richmond back to blacksburg. I've been in the clergy meeting we've been talkin about spiritual leadership. And thinking deeply meditating talkin reading lots of books. Soaking in this conversation that what is. Spiritual leadership in the beautiful and broken world and. I was feeling quite moved. By the whole experience and then it was time to go and i got in the back seat. Because my husband was driving back he went to. Bring my cat so that they could be close to me even though i was. Enough conference. I got in the backseat in the saltine. Strewn car. I buckled my child in and i looked at him. I thought to myself what an earth are we going to do for the next 2 hours before we need to take a break. I thought to myself did we bring enough toys. Are all the crackers gone i'm really tired. I hope i can entertain him. I don't know if i can sing itsy bitsy spider for eight rounds right now. Play look at my child's face and then suddenly something you clicked for me and it occurred to me. That one of my most if not the most profound prominent spiritual leaders in my life right now is not a minister. And not a llama or a holy person or a wise sage. Actually my twenty-month-old. Thinking about it on this way made me realize that his persistent nudging timmy mom look at mama look at this look at this look at this hold my hand let's go. Come along. All of this. Inviting me to bring as much enthusiasm to the present moment. As i ever have done in my entire life. Helping me to see things as if for the very first time. Is a spiritual. Calling. Spiritual teaching. Is admonishment repetition do it again keep practicing show me how do it again do it again. Their spiritual wisdom in that. Come on let's go don't wait. Spiritual wisdom in. Get up and move. Spiritual wisdom in that. It's not about you mom. It's all about you mom. Spiritual wisdom in that. Like having my own buddhist lama comes crossfit. Bootcamp. Spiritual director right there with me at all times. It is taxing and it is rewarding and i'm grateful for his teaching and is leading. As many of you know my cat doesn't have words yet not many words so often i have to imagine two sides of our conversation. Imagining the future what i might say to him when he comes home from school maybe i'll ask him the same thing that was asking me that i know kids actually do not like which is what did you do today. Maybe i'll find a new way to ask it. And then i imagine him actually responding. But i also imagined him. Turning the table on me and asking what did you do. Today. In a mother's day on mama's day. It's a question i when i imagine. The future leaders. Tomorrow. Wiltern and ask. What did you do. What did you do in your day. What did you do. And so i start thinking. I start wanting to be worthy of a response. A response that reminds that will remind my child and the world's children. We did not fall asleep. We tried to bring forth love. We tried to bring forth love in a way that overcame fear to make the world better for you. We tried to unlock love. And transform the world to be more inhabited. Inhabitable for you. We tried our. Today the title of our services. Love. Unstoppable love or. Love. Is it stoppable. The question of whether love is stoppable. Is. A question. Because we know that in our own day and age love can be hijacked by fear. Love can be approached as a scarce resource but love. Is also potent. Powerful. Transforming love is not like money or metal it is not tactile it is not scared. Love is a source of courage and hope beyond limit and one of the responses that i would like to sing out to my son into the next-generation is that in our times because we could and because we cared about you. We tried to make a difference. We brought out love. Every way that we. And now you. You passing. Frances ellen watkins harper. His palm i shared with you this morning. With a black abolitionist. One of our faith forbearers. If she wrote powerful and hurt i'm calling like julia ward howe for the people of the world. Moved by one another's plight. If i can be so bold this morning i would like to imagine that julia and francis would really appreciate the mama's day movement. And another movement. It's actually called right now. Love is unstoppable. Plus i turned towards conclusion this morning i want to tell you more about love is unstoppable. Next weekend may 14th and 15. Is a national weekend of action centered around this simple idea. Love is unstoppable. Another world. What is this. Love is unstoppable actually the name of a coordinated interface multi-religious community weekend of action to publicly unite together against hate. It's a time to practice being bold and public. Advocating a society in which no one is degraded no one is denied right. Due to race gender expression ethnic or racial identity. You all know the rhetoric of hatred. That is shaping our world right now. And many of us can think in our minds. Another world is possible and that love must be unstoppable. But the way that we participate and making love. Unstoppable. Is to get out and see. To join with others. Public land saying we know. Love is unstoppable and another world is possible. This effort. Coordinated effort. Spearheaded by a group called showing up for racial justice and there a unitarian universalist congregation of many other faith communities taking part all over the country. And there are several steps. That you can take the participate if you would like. And there's an action table. Alfred healer's hall in the foyer in the back with a few ways you can participate. Will be writing love letters to our elected officials. Something congregations are able to do freely it's within our rights as long as elected officials from both parties. Aram receiving i love letters. There are love letters that you can sign we will mail them together there's a photo booth where you can take a photo of yourself holding either a sign that's out there one that you create connected to love is unstoppable and we will invite you to use a hashtag. When you upload those photos onto social media hashtags that will help this whole movement come together and so you can learn more at the action table in the back. Just so you more deeply understand what this is love is unstoppable hashtag love is unstoppable. I want to share with you some language that the organizers. Put together this is from serge. Our faith and spiritual traditions teach us that another world wonderful of unstoppable love is possible. And if people of faith will call don and we can call on our candidates and political parties to renounce racism and embraced racial justice deeply in foley. No matter what political parties and power the struggle for racial justice will continue. Particularly whiteface communities cannot commit to upholding the dignity of all people. Fighting against racism and working for a country that honors all people and the dignity of all people. Unstoppable love. It's not always about being simple or nice. But about resisting racist systems and policies with our actions our bodies are lies and working in solidarity with communities of color to build a world. Together which is grounded in that same unstoppable love. Faith communities and our ethical commitments can transcend. Political parties. Here in our congregation we tend to say love. Love is the doctor. About face. Nicole to justice. Is it sprayer. I hope that this mother's day. You celebrate with great joy that gifts in your lives. And that you might feel moved to take an action. One or two simple action. Interaction table. Help rehumanize. The world. Because that is what mothers day. And what mama's day. Is really about. Dear ones. I want to share with you and conclusion. The words of. This rabbi. It is not your responsibility. To finish the work of protecting the world. But you are not free to desist for. With all of love. And all of the courage. That we can muster. Let us help you part of the music. Pure and strong. Which says. The children of our country. Right now in the present. And. For those children of tomorrow. Love. I'm stoppable. We've always said so. And we know that i another world. May i ever be song. Blessed be. And. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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140601_do_flower.mp3

Welcome for the june 1st service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. Today's service is our annual flower communion celebration. And is led by i settled minister. Reverend arrowland. The podcast contains the spoken words. Parts of the service. Benji the flower communion is about all of the gifts that each one of us bring. And invite you. This morning to sit with your own noticing. Of how you have interacted in this community. And whose service has really made a difference for you. And i invite you. To give it some thought today. And in the days and weeks ahead i invite you. To let that person know. What it is they have done. To sweeten your journey. What it is that they have done that you have no.. And let us remember the power of simply naming and noticing the beauty we find. Naming and noticing the beauty that we find is actually the heart of the flower communion. So today we are going to participate in a ritual of sharing and celebration and affirmation. That's been around for many many decades. Our website says that this tradition goes back to the 1940s and actually goes back to the 1920s. It is perhaps one of our very few distinctly unitarian tradition. You can hear a little bit more about why that's so today. Each june this tradition occurs across our broad unitarian universalist movement that means that what we're doing today connects us not only to one another here. But also to congregations across the country and in fact around the world. Going to tell you just a brief story and then we're going to engage the ritual together. Once upon a time. In a very newly-formed country of czechoslovakia. There was a minister whose name was norbert. Chapak. He was a unitarian minister and he founded the flower festival. And over the course of his very rich life. He actually saw not just one but two different wars. He saw war world war 1 and eventually he saw wwii. It was in prague. In june of 1923 that shop-vac started this tradition that would be practice both by his own congregation. They're in europe but also that his wife would then carry over the to the united states. Because his wife also became a unitarian minister. The back when capek was living. He lives again through two different wars. And at the time when he was living in his country. There were some pretty terrible things going on. And people were basically being told that to be different. Was a bad thing. That what makes you different. Could be a very bad thing even if you had different hair color eye color spoke a different language. Practice different religious traditions in your household. There was basically a war on difference. Just really concerned at northbrook. And what he ended up teaching was that difference. Is actually a very good thing. Difference is what makes us unique and special and fills humankind with a sense of. Celebration and richness. What a boring world he thought if we were all just exactly the same. But the other thing that you taught was that we are all connected. Even though we might speak different languages even though we might have different ideas. His idea was that we were all connected in the fabric. I'm in a family of humankind. So he was thinking to himself how am i going to. Share this how am i going to help people know that this is true both they each one of us has things that make us unique and special and also that it's true that we are all connected. Even though we are different. And you started thinking about ritual and ritual is something that helps us remember what is important. So this is what he did. His church he decided to ask people whether each one would bring a flower to the service. A flower that they picked or flower that they grew in their garden or flower that they found on a pass or purchase. Shop that would bring it. And then everyone at a distinct time-in-service would exchange their flowers. And this would help the community can remember that each of the members joined together freely. And exchange their gifts freely. And it more is created than the sum of their parts when we all come together. And so that's basically what we're going to be doing today. So everyone. Hopefully you all have a flower in your hand. Masquerade as your flower way up high so we can crc of flowers. All right there's our beautiful city of flowers now i'm going to invite you ever so reverential and seriously to bring it to your nose. And go ahead and take a sniff. And see what your flower smells like does it smell sweet or sour does it have no fragrance at all. Mn. Go ahead and brush that flower against your cheek or your hand. Does it feel prickly or smooth. Really spend some time checking out that flower there in your hands. And i'll go ahead and bring your gay is right close to that flower and take a look at it. What do you notice. What do you see. Suspend just a few more moments noticing you are flower. Some of us are very adept at stopping and smelling the flowers. And some of us are not so much we passed beauty by all the time. So just take another moment with your flower. This is a festival of hope and a beauty. Our teaching here is that no matter how different we maybe each one of us matters and all are connected. We are strong just like flowers. We are also fragile. Just like flowers we need to be cared for. Just like flowers. I'm going to invite us to sing together a song that really communicate some of the feeling of the flower communion will actually sing a song that was created by capek. And that is number 78 color and fragrance. As we sing together. We have some flower helpers that will pass along the vasas. And you are we invite you to actually surrender your flower into the vaz. As you go ahead and put your flower in the boz. You might send it off. With a blessing. Or some positive words. But come to your mind. Because your flower is going to be picked up by someone else in our flower exchange. I mentioned that a while back. The reverend northport capek when he started this. Flower festival it was in a context of war. When some people were facing discrimination and being told there was just one way you could think or do or be. But of course topics idea was that each one of us has a special spark inside. Each one of us is profoundly connected to one another. Today a lot of these kinds of ideas might seem kind of like no-brainers to us. But today i invite us to remember just how powerful it is. When we affirm that each one of us has something distinct and special inside of us waiting to be freed and waiting to go to be released. It's also very special when we affirm. But even with our difference each one of us are connected. To one another. And so it is that we celebrate it once the power of are giving and receiving and affirming each other's gifts as human beings but we also do that. Celebrating how we do that here in our congregational home. At this time what we're going to do together as we're going to invite everyone. To come forward as he feels so moved. And go ahead and pick up a different blossom. Then the one that you came with this morning. We're going to take some time to do this not everyone needs to come all at once. We're going to sing a song together that also gives us a real sense of what the flower communion is about. And that is from you i receive. To you i give that's not him number 402. And then we have some lovely music that will also follow us as you decide to come forward. And when you found your blossom go ahead and sit back in your seat. So hopefully i'll now have a new blossom a blossom that is different than the one. That you brought with you. Take another quick moment to just notice the new blossom that has arrived into your hands. Go ahead and look at it for a minute. Check it out. You might rub it against your hands or your cheeks. Just spend a few moments noticing the beauty. There is so much wisdom that we can learn from the flowers. My hope is that all of you who now hold a new blossom in your hand. Are you able to remember that this is a time that we notice beauty. And because there's a lot of words associated also with the flower communion i'm going to invite us to do a very simple champ together. That helps us remember. Some of the teachings of the flower communion and then we'll sing our children out to classes. We've done this chance. Once before in this congregation. And i'm going to remind us of this. And if you remember go ahead and sing along with us. It goes like this that goes. And i'm going to grow i'm going to get through this hard time. I'm going to learn i'm going to grow i'm going to get through this hard time i'm going to grow in wisdom and beauty power and strength. In beauty power and strength together. I'm going to learn i'm going to grow i'm going to get through this time time. I'm going to learn i'm going to grow i'm going to get through this hard time. I'm going to grow in wisdom and beauty power and strength. In beauty power and strength anchor. Let us remember the teachers the teachings of the flower communion festival. About the wisdom of the flowers that you chose to grow in beauty and power and strength. To be resilient. And let us value the gifts that each one of us bring to one another in community. For the occasion. Of our flower communion service. This is a special reading. By thomas rhodes. What a bouquet. Of people. We are. We come in a variety of colors and shapes and sizes. Some of us grow in bunches. Some of us grow alone. Some of us are cups. N-word. And some of us spread ourselves out wide. Some of us are old and dried and tougher than we appear. Some of us are still in bud. Some of us chrollo. To the ground. And some of us. Stretch out. Towards. The sun. Some of us feel like weeds sometimes. And some of us carries seeds. Sometimes. Some of us are prickly sometimes. Some of us now. And all of us are beautiful. What a bouquet. Of people. We are. In the responsive reading that we just shared with one another it was written by norbert capek. And you can hear in that responsive reading that we just shared with one another a little bit of norbert's own theology his own. Spirituality. This morning and worship i want to share with you just a little bit more about him. And a little bit about his story. And then draw out for you just a few pieces of his theology. That it might help each one of us. As speakers for beauty in our own life no matter where we are no matter what we are facing. As i mentioned before norbert capek is from europe europe. From czechoslovakia. And he grew up in a family that was at once roman catholic. But also his father was an agnostic. And the family were tailors. And essentially he started out his life with quite a few questions. He was speaker as i've said before. I'm going to share with you a little bit more now why i use that language he was a speaker a speaker for beauty. So he was from. Bohemia. He was a bohemian. And i don't mean that he just wore tattered clothes and fancied kind of distressed furniture and grew his own food not that sort of thing actually ended he was from europe. And he grew up in a small town. And he attended catholic church. The by the age of 17 or 18 who's already kind of scratching his head and wondering about his own spiritual path his own theology. And he was particularly concerned about the priest that he encountered he wondered whether the teachings of the catholic church actually nest with the actions that he saw the papal leaders and the priest. Doing in life. And so he also found a lot of the rituals kind of a sphere and unwelcoming. He wanted to grass deeper meaning in life but he doesn't want it spoon is bad for him. It's okay wondered what. What was in the. Christian teachings before the catholic. Before the rituals and the rules and the edifices. And he started thinking about this very deeply. And he wrestled with a theological questions and it ended up leading him to vienna where he apprenticed someone. And he princesses uncle. As he was learning to be a taylor. He still thought about all these questions they remained in his heart. He started thinking to himself that there must be a god but it couldn't be a damning angry sort of god it must be a god of love. God that connects. H-12 all and so even before he had the language. Describe it. He found himself as a universal. This understanding of a. Have a loving god and that each is connected to all. And from there he started wrestling with his own ethics he thought if each has connected to all. And god is a source of love. I'm a part of that i must be a co-creator with this divine loving source. So it calls me to try to do ethical action in the world. 20 read a little bit more about him you see him really wrestling. 2 mm. Identify his own spiritual path and how it related. In a world making the world a better place. He was also deeply concerned with suffering. And he wrote and some very moving journals about. The question. Anybody to hear just a few of his words briefly. Who's meditating on the puzzles of life that he saw her around him and he said. The biggest mystery in human life for ages which is occupied the minds of philosophers and religious thinkers is the question of how to explain suffering. For which one cannot find an explanation. In one's life. So while he was holding this big abundance force of a loving god he was also wrestling with suffering. I think many of us. Russell that way to. Why do we suffer. How can suffering be alleviated. What is questions and his yearning actually ended up for him. That he decided he would. Through the ministry and he became a baptist. So at 1 junction is like he was incredibly accomplished bad too. Minister. He started. Initiating new parishes and he was getting quite a reputation for being a wonderful baptist minister. The thing about a seeker is that speakers are rarely satiated. I think some of you can identify with that and so it was that his yearning let him onward and onward but also n-word and more deeply n-word. And his writings at this point start reveal his own music. And his sense that he's starting to get in a little bit of trouble with his the baptist higher-ups. So as early as 1910 he confided his inner troubles. To a man. He decided to let him know what he was wrestling with and it turned out that man was a professor at the time but he would later become the president. Czechoslovakia. And thomas is his name and he mentioned to norbert that you know you sound like. Something called the unitarian. And it's very interesting cuz. So pretty early in norbert's journey and clearly made an impact on him because he wrote all the way to the united states you wrote a letter. To the zen american unitarian association in boston inquiring about unitarianism. And then his journey means in his journey he continued on and she continued to be an accomplished baptist minister for a bit longer he also became a journalist. And he faced reprisal for some of his work. It landed him on a blacklist. And he was actually told that. If you wanted to. Continue living it would probably be best for him to go ahead and seek a home in another country. So like many he ended up basically fling his country. And he ended up here. Shores of united states. And he was a baptist minister in new york and new jersey. But then i'm going to let you in again just on a few little lines from him. Etsy wrestles with his baptist calling he says. I cannot be a bad test anymore nor by a compromise. And my soul there is a fire from new vision. Have new worlds. I feel like there's always been a world making struggles. Making revolution. And overthrowing which. Shakes the whole of humanity. And these all events are happening. In myself. Nope was a sensitive soul i think. He was someone deeply impacted by the world and felt it. Jar him from the inside and he craved a meaningful response. In this way he is a secret that i believe in a secret many ways that all of us here are. In the united states the homeland was always very very close to his heart. And as he wrestled he continued to. To do meaningful work here in the united states. I want to share with you today just two main ideas. But i think it's pretty important. About his theology. And from which our flower festival really springs. Part of our unitarian universalist. Legacy. Fruit fruit topic. Love and creativity were incredibly powerful ideas. For spiritual life. And he wrote a book called the rhythm of the creative life. And when people have talked about and reflecting on his life a biographer says the universe is for chopsticks. Standing like a great symphony of rhythm. And waves. Vibration. Capek said that we are all connected in one god body nobody can reach his or her highest destination. Without one another. When one of the limbs of the body suffers all of the limbs suffer with it. Therefore the consciousness colon. Must be to determine their own development by supporting one another's. Which is based on knowing that we are part of a divine. You can sense here. The sense of love. And the creativity comes in because he observes that we must be creative. With how we. Love. Because while love is a. Pervasive source in the world. Hero. The world suffers. For lack of love. Because we've been taught hatred. I'm selfish. Instead of finding new and new. I knew where manifestations. The norbert was always. Twisted and fighting new and creative ways to inspire people to remember. The transforming power of love. Today we read his words we've sung some of his music. His story and somewhat tragically because. Essentially. It's very quite long and very interesting. Stuff of a love story with many twists and turns i'll tell you. One of the things that happen is that he and his wife martha and up here in the united states they meet actually in united states. And they end up in a unitarian universalist congregation looking for religious education for their children. And given the opportunity to stay but they decide they want to go back. To their homeland. When they go back to their homeland. Essentially. Their homeland is. I am gulfton war. And repression. And jump into the 1940s. Northrich hypex communications were being monitored by the gestapo. And eventually he and his daughter. Are picked up. And they end up in a concentration camp. They do lose their lives. But even while in the concentration camp. He wrote profusely. Songs of beauty songs of restoration and songs of hope. So listening to his story i think we can walk away with a sense of love. Creativity. Innocence. Seeking for beauty. And how these aren't just fluffy ideas. But how they really are the meaningful and deepening stuff of life. And when we look at his actual story we see immense courage. He displayed speaking up. Standing for. These ideas. As you go forward in your own life. I welcome you to be a speaker for beauty. Invite you to remember that speaking in finding beauty. Sometimes in a world filled with ugliness. Or things that we would rather not. Sienna engagement. Can actually be a very powerful. And life-affirming act. So in the face of all i invite us. Recalled that which is beauty. May the beauty we have known. In the beauty we at 6. Help us to know. That life. Precious gay. And let us not take it for. Blessed be. And i'm a. Worth creating beloved community within and beyond our walls. May this be so blessed be and ahmed. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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160131_sjsc_common-struggle.mp3

Welcome to the january 31st service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service a day is led by members of the uu's seas social justice steering committee. Catherine breeze presents a reading. Janet sawyers irwin and margo walter shear reflections. The theme for the service is care for a common struggle. Earl is a worship associate for the service. Feeding for us today is social justice steering committee member. Catherine breeze. Are we doing this morning is from a common struggle by patrick kennedy. My goal is to change the way we talk about mental illness and addiction in this country. Move the conversation from a painful existential debate. To a more useful and forward-looking discussion about proper diagnosis and care. The sad truth is that while we still have so much to learn about the brain many patients don't even benefit from what we already know. More than half of the people who have been diagnosed with any mental illness. Do not get treatment at all. It is time for this to change. My hope is that by writing about and exposing the world i get to visit. As a politician advocate. Patient and family member. I might be able to make your journey. Last isolated. The struggles are much more common than most people realize but too many of us still face them alone if we face them at all. That isn't necessary it isn't healthy. And isn't how any of us want to live our lives. I believe more than ever that we have the power to change the world for people who have mental illness and addictions. And for all of those. Whose lives are touched by these brain diseases. Which is to say. All of us. In fact. I have bet my life on it. Joining me at the lectern this morning our social justice steering committee members. Janet sawyer. And margo walter. Who will be sharing reflections about the important work there committee will be leading our congregation. First we'll hear from janet. I feel so fortunate that my expiration for a spiritual community that fit me. Led me to you all. Relatedly i am thankful to those of you. Margo and others. Who have so bravely shared your personal stories related to mental illness and addiction. You touched me peopley. Thanks to the reverend era for her encouragement to join the social justice steering committee. And their work on mental illness. I would venture to say that each and everyone of us. Directly or indirectly. Have experience with the common struggle. That is mental illness and addiction. Whether it be as an individual. A family member. Friend. A colleague or as a community member. I grew up in the 1950s and 60s in a family in which we struggle. With daddy's mental illness and alcoholism. Until his death in the early 70s. In the intervening years i have come to learn that the struggle is widespread and common. Recently through my involvement with the social justice steering committee. Cynthia luke. Mentioned a book by patrick kennedy. A common struggle. A personal journey through the past and future of mental illness and addiction. Patrick kennedy story both informed and inspired me. To take up the challenge of imagining. The next generation growing up in a world. We're mental illness and addictions aren't rita dove and thought of like any other disease of the body. That common struggle refers to many things. It refers to the fact that mental illness and addiction are two common affliction. That affect millions of people and their family. It refers to many people who are struggling to come to grips with their illness. It refers to the many who struggle to obtain obtain proper treatment. Whether that be inpatient rehab treatment medications or therapy. Sometimes you do the insurance company issues and other times to due to issues propagated by government. It refers to the many who struggle. Stay within the treatment regimen that they are given. And it refers to the many who struggle against discrimination. Prejudiced marginalization and the general stigma. Surrounding mental illness. The common struggle also refers to the struggle that legislators. Mental health organizations. Advocacy groups. Doctors and researchers across the spectrum of brain health. From psychiatry and psychology to neurology. And developmental disabilities. As well as patients and their families. When fighting the rights. Who are the rights of the mentally ill and addicted. Sometimes these different individuals bump heads and end up fighting against each other. When they really all have the same cause. The common struggle. To spread awareness about the brain. And brain diseases. Well fighting together. For equality for those afflicted with mental illness and addiction. I'm excited to share with you that we are launching but i understand to be the first-ever. Congregational read. We have purchased 10 copies. Patrick kennedy's book. The common struggle. Which we hope you will check out and. That you will come together with us on sunday march the 6th. Share your your reading of that. Social justice steering. Taking their work. For this year ahead we collectively are imagining our community and nation. A world. Where all have access to mental health care. Our social justice team is leading us in the first steps. That we is a congregation can take. Toward making these imagining. Into a reality. This morning what i'd like to offer for just a few moments. Is it an opportunity to bring our imagination into sharper focus. If he identified need for accessible mental health care has a face. What help us to embrace our imaginings. This morning i'm asking you to imagine the face of one man in his endeavors. To access the mental health care that hovers just beyond his reach. This man is a client in my psychotherapy practice. When i asked him if i could share his story anonymously he said. If my story can help one person then share it yes. And if you have to change my name can you call me tommy. When i was a kid i always wanted to be a tommy. Tommy is in his early forties. A divorced single dad living in rural montgomery county. He works at a minimum-wage job for 19 hours a week at a big-box store that does not provide healthcare to part-time workers. He says that the two most important things in his life are. Spending time with my son. And being a good citizen by holding down a job and paying my taxes. Achieving these goals challenges tommy because he's not had an easy life. He has been hearing voices as far back as he can remember. Those voices interfered with his schooling. He says he thinks he was moved to head through school high school and graduation because his teachers were afraid of him. But i never heard a flea him for sizes. Remind chickens early adult life he tries to find work. But loses a series of jobs as the voices interfere. Sending him in and out of psychiatric hospitals. Eventually he qualifies for supplemental security income in medicare. However he really wants to hold down a job. He gets married. Has a child. Then his wife leaves him. She left me for somebody that don't hear voices he explains. Under the stress of the divorce. The boys just got worse. Tommy is free hospital eyes. Upon discharge he has to find a place to live. His former wife has moved to the next county so he moved nearby in order to spend time with his son everyday after school. Tommy doesn't realize that this mood will put move will put him in a different catchment area. Which will mean he'll lose his mental health case management services. To blue ridge community services. He also loses his medicaid. When he calls the community services in his new catchment area. He says they tell him that without medicaid. He does not qualify for case management services. Now. Among other problems. He has no way to get his medication. Without medication. The voices growing louder and more intense. He is very hospital eyes. From hospital he's referred to a psychiatrist in the office where i work. And then to me. He's able to receive services in the private sector because the not-for-profit healthcare system where i work provides charity care. Based on income inability to pay. Obviously it's guidelines are more liberal than the virginia medicaid system. Because tommy qualifies. So presently. He's able to see a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist. But neither of these disciplines provides the case management. Sorely needs to navigate his day-to-day life. When he tells me about not qualifying for such services i think he's mistaken so i call myself. I'm told something similar. Because he does not have medicaid. He can be placed on a waiting list that will be a minimum weight a weight of 18 months. If he qualifies for medicaid he can be fast-tracked and likely seen within 6 months. In the meantime his employer repeatedly reduces his hours. This isn't parent avoidance of a of the affordable care act requirements that specify. How part-time employee employees qualify. For employer-provided health care. Now he often has to make choices between food. And medication. Somehow he still does not qualify for virginia medicaid. Although he repeatedly applies. Each time he applies he has to complete a bulky application form. Tommy has difficulty with reading comprehension. In order to fill out an application. Including the ones he submits to the healthcare system every 3 months to maintain is charity care. He has to find a neighbor or member of his church the guide him. Step-by-step. Through the completion of the paperwork. Perhaps a mental health case manager can help him navigate this complicated system. But to get a case manager he has to have medicaid. He is in a true. Catch-22 situation. I asked tommy if he has any message he would like included in the telling of his story. Getting help. It's a bad situation he says. There been times when i couldn't get no mental health care. So i'm grateful that i can see you in the doctor. What about other people. It's the people who can't even see a doctor and get their medicine than i feel sorry for. And there's lots of them out there. See if you can get folks interested in helping them. And so. On behalf of tommy. I'm asking. Are you interested. Good morning my name is margo walter. And i get to talk about some exciting. Happy thanks. Not that we don't need to take. Tommy's. Play into our heart. First of all did anyone see darren died on the 6 news a week ago wednesday. Just raise your hands it's okay. Amazing we had a 30-minute interview and now we aired for 90 seconds. Dara did all the talking. And i think i was there they showed the final scene was a my hands soda wringing my hands. So i think we were labeled that's the patients this is the help. In 90 seconds however we were able to get across. An important announcement about the to support groups that are starting here or on going right now. The third monday of every month from 6 to 7:30. And we got a little blurb out about our mental health. First aid workshop. Which would be february 6th and i'll mention that later. Next i'd like to hold up for you. The roanoke times this morning. It's pretty darn exciting if you've had a chance to look at it if not. It talks about mental illness in children and adolescents. I'm just going to read a couple captions cuz you all need to look at the article. The first one says young minds. Old rose. And it talks about. Well i read this. Amanda poindexter 17 suffers from clinical depression and anxiety. And she meets regularly with her psychologist michael krinsky. Her mother katie poindexter picked up on tuesday that amanda was experiencing more than just typical teenage angst. And got her treatment. This is the three-and-a-half full page. Article. Different segments are dedicated to different. Focal. Points or areas of mental health that we want to look at. It gets better. This one some people do get well but the vast majority don't. How to spot a trouble teen. Mental illness will worsen if left untreated so early intervention is the key. And it goes on talks about how do teenage brains work. Everybody can take a look at this as well worthwhile. And leads into what i'm going to say. Social justice steering committee i joined them about i guess eight months ago. No idea what if i thought we're going to have rally's downtown at the lyric or something i did i had no idea what it was meant for or what was going to happen. And what a surprise. This is a group of really hard working people as we've introduced them through the sunday services of the last few months. And we're not done yet. There's a lot of work. And it's going to be helped by you and only work. And be productive and successful with everyone's help. So i get to talk about mapping. What is it. Making well-known prominent like putting something on the map. How about planning delineating arranging in detail. And then what about representing or indicating systematically and clearly a succession of events. In order to inform someone of a particular idea. You are the someone. That we hope to inform. The social justice steering committee is talking and listening to members of the community who have a connection with mental health. The committee is planning a series of mapping meetings. In which the group ask questions and learn more about the mental health landscape in our area in the new river valley. Listening and learning about what services are available. And where are the challenges and gaps. We had our first mapping session our conversation on january 20th. That was the day it only snowed 44in. And met with a retired family physician. A police officer. Who now works with community services and a minister who is also very involved with mental illness. It was fantastic. Way way beyond what we hoped would happen. Everyone participated and it just was great. So what did happen. Besides all the participation this groove actually reach the shared perspective. On our strengths. And our largest holes in the new river valley mental health system. One that is that we no one knows who to refer to. Who returned to who to talk to. When someone has to navigate to our provider network. And you've heard tommy story that speaks to that as well. The information is very outdated. And needs attention now. The resource that everyone is still using around town. It's called where can i turn and it's 2006. So secondly. Access to psychiatric hospitals. We hear about that especially from deeds we hear a lot about that. And it is a fact so packed in our area. The access is not always due to not having a bed it's due to staff. Not being able to admit someone which seems insane. But. It it talks about how access is sometimes florida for someone who seeks help and needs help. One thing that came out probably one of the strongest things is we need to change we have to stop having this knee-jerk reaction. To mental health problems. We respond we actively rather than proactively. We do not spend enough time on prevention. Since the mental health of america or sometimes you all notice mental health. Association closed its doors. There is a huge void in our area including lack of pro bono counseling. Educational programs and advocacy work. They're just in the void. Some time was spent identifying the players in the mental health field in the new river valley at our mapping session. And defining who does what. And we had a huge whiteboard i mean big whiteboard and it was covered. It was so big that we had to take pictures of the whiteboard so we can piece it all together and see what we had. And again. As we have our second mapping session coming up and maybe our third. I think we'll we'll get more efficient at this and also be able to tie in. The different conversations. All of this what was gleaned at that first mapping session is valuable information that we can use in future sessions. This is a work-in-progress by social justice steering committee. The next mapping session is february 17th and as i said there probably will be a third down the road stay tuned. We the social justice steering committee that's such a mouthful. Wish i could. Just know it's sjsc sjsc. Are very excited about this process and we are on the cutting edge by hosting to support groups. As i mentioned third monday of the month. One for those persons with mental illness. And one for caretakers friends or family members who have uno or are living with someone with a mental illness. Then the big the big exciting news is that we are proactive. On february 6th we're having our first mental health first aid workshop it's an all-day. Concentrated. Workshop being presented to us by community service board. Community services they change their name to. And the good news is that we still have some. Spots that you can sign up for either go online or just tell lisa that you'd like to join the group. It's going to be really dynamic. Not only were gathering information but we are mapping our future in mental health. Over the months days this year definitely we will be sharing information. With you on our findings. Thank you for letting me share this adventure. The question was is the first aid workshop only for those who are experiencing a mental health crisis. Or related people to those experiencing the crisis. The answer is absolutely not. The roanoke times addresses this very nicely today but all of us. All of us need to be aware. Of mental health. And mental illness not to become diet diagnosticians but to be evil like this girl in the paper that have someone recognize it. To have someone say you know i could give you a hand or i know where you should go. And then to really understand what is it what is this thing called mental health. And what can i do about it so that i can not only help myself but my family members and friends. Yes. Yes it's a good question did the group the map and group discuss the closing of catawba and piedmont. And the answer is of course it came up but we really tried to table that discussion cuz we didn't want to get too far off field. And i'm sure we'll hear a lot more about it cuz that deals with. Community services in the community. And also it talks about what's going to happen with these 222 patients. That's a good question. I have one too. You said that they went when tommy moved from one area to another that he lost his. The abilities that he had does that suggested at the county level that these things are happening. I think the biggest the problem that he lost. His medicaid was because his the constellation of his family changed. And without a wife and child. As his dependents i guess he no longer qualified. So it was more that that caused him to lose his benefit. In the new patchman area. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

160612_do_yes-to-life.mp3

Welcome to the june 12th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service a day is led by are settled minister. Brevard arrowland. And her sermon is titled yes. To life. Spirit of love. Spirit of hope and memory. Help us to remember. All that we are grateful for. In times. A transition. Help us to greet this day and knowing as one of hope. And one of courage. Help us to celebrate the deep shores of existence. Help us to remember our inner resources of strength help us as we. Hold one another a. During times. Joy and times of challenge. Spirit of love help us remember how deeply woven we are together. In the fabric of life. Let us offer thanks for this beloved community. But as offer thanks for unitarian-universalism are. Shared. Tradition. And let us now hold in our hearts. A deep and abiding care. For all those who are suffering. Both in this congregation and beyond our walls. Indeed across ocean. Help us remember to hold in our hearts places and peoples impacted by violence. Places like damascus. Let us also send our care to those struggling through trauma. On the heels of a mass shooting in florida. Let us remember the challenge of keeping women safe on sexual and predatory violence. Help us spirit of love and courage commit ourselves to rooting out a culture that condones abuse of any person. Or any group. And let us remember the journey is. Of healing and. Hope and power that are inspired when. Ordinary people. Champion one another's well-being. When humans overcome. Overcome challenge with strife when humans say no to harmon yes. T'life when we uplift human goodness and care. Spirit. Indwelling. Hope and love. Help us remember. That each one of us has a power to make a positive difference. Met that power that we have the ever magnified. Ever empowered. Vial of. Blessed be. And ahmed. Are reading this morning comes from the poet mary oliver. Are there mary oliver fans. Beloved beloved poet by so many. The summer day. Who made the world. Who made the swan and the black bear. Who made the grasshopper. This grasshopper i mean the one who has flung herself out of the grass. The one who is eating. Sugar out of my hand. Who is moving her job back and forth. Instead of up and down. Who is gazing around with her. Enormous and. I. Now she lives her pale forearms and. Thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open and float away. I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention. How to fall down into the grass. How to kneel down. In the grass. How to be idle and blast. How to stroll. Fields. Which is what i have been doing. All day. Tell me. What else should i have done. Doesn't everything die at last. Tell me. What is it you plan to do. With your one wild. And precious. Earlier we staying with one another him it was our opening him this morning. And it was number 6. And the lines were just as long as i have breath. I must answer yes. Goliath. Just as long as i have breath. I must answer yes to lie. Talking about yes. Yes. You have to lie. And i wonder. What makes you say. Really sad. Yes. To life. My heart is very full this morning. As you can probably tell. Leading this worship service. As you know my last service will be next week. But this is the real day that we are celebrating our shared minutes. Together. And i would have just acknowledged. Both my own emotion. And my deep deep joy for our shared ministry. And you'll hear a little bit more about that for me this morning. I want to acknowledge that life is each and everyone of you well know brings us high. And it brings us. Lowe's. And it brings us ambiguous places in between. Life itself and its. Incredible. Baffling fullness. Brings us shooting stars. And it brings us starless night. It brings us falling in love. For the very first time. And it brings us grave disappointment. Life brings us mundane details and also moments that are so rich and full of joy and wonder that we can taste. In those moments perhaps a fleeting spend. Of the infinite. I do believe that life and our response to it is a co-creative. Sort of project. But is part mystery. Part of encountering things we did not choose would not have decided for ourselves. And part molded by the things we choose the choices we make. And our words and our thoughts. Our deeds interaction. Yes to life. One of the reasons that i love this him. Just as long as i have breath. I must answer yes to life. Is because of its emphasis on choosing to answer back. Saying yes to life. Yes to life and all of its fullness. Some of you might know come into this congregation this morning. Joy and some of you come with other rich. Feelings. Something made you come into this sanctuary this morning. And i'm all the sundays that you come and throughout the week something makes you come and i wonder what is it. And what is it that you are longing to say yes. I mean by you're very living. And i also wonder this morning what happens when we delay our yesterday. When we get caught as some of us will sometimes and tomorrow sort of thinking tomorrow i'll get to it. Or the next day. You know or the next day. I know no one here ever does that. It gets caught up in tomorrow thank you. And it seems to say yes to life not tomorrow. Not next week not next year yes life. Right. So i asked you what is it in your life. That you've been saying no to. That you know you would like to say yes. And can you begin saying yes. Today. When i was growing up as a unitarian universalist young one i remember going into the sanctuary with my own family sitting in the pews and i remember. The adults singing this song just as long as i have breath i must answer. Yes plies. I must answer yes truth and yes to love. And you know i think. Although that memory is somewhat hazy i think it made a deep impression on me this room full of people saying yes to life. What a powerful. And hopeful. Affirmation. Life is short. And in the time when we have. Are brass. What is the yaz. That we will embrace. What is it as the poet mary oliver asks of us what is it you plan to do. With your 11. Life. When i first arrived here as your minister three years ago. I preached a sermon that was called waking. Division beloved community and next sunday i will preach my last sermon as you're settled minister and and it will be called waking. The future is promised. And i'll take a little bit more time. Next week. Talk about the ways that you have shaped me. Because you have. And how i also see the shape of the future of this congregations journey. Today as we enter our formal leave-taking and celebrate our ministry. Over the past several years i want to speak with you. About saying yeah. Saying yes to life and i want to gift. Back to you. Some of the ways that i have seen this congregation. Grow. Over the past several years. I want invite you this morning to think about. Ways you can answer yes to life. What it is that you say yes to. And what it means for this congregation keeps saying yes and moving towards that which brings this congregation alive. For i do believe that what we say yes to. What we bring our yes. Attention to. Has the power to shape how we live. So the first yes. Emphatic yes that i would like to share with you. Is a yak. Your new mission. And your new covenant. This month at uuc. Yes is the! in our year-long journey a year of living bravely. The gas is also for the tremendous creative and thoughtful effort. Which one is the congregation wide effort. Articulate afresh. And a live mission and covenants. The mission i will remind you is what the congregation is about. Right now in the world. The mission of this congregation in these times and the covenant is how we will walk together. In service of that mission and the ministry is. Are all the things. It support the mission. And dear beloved community you have done it. You have created an inspired new mission. Uninspired meaningful covenants. I want to share with you your mission. Today. Some of you already know this. And you've certainly read it a few different times but i want you to hear it. Again. Our mission. Inspire. Create. Transform. Inspire spiritual and ethical growth. Create compassionate community. Transform our community and the world through. Courageous love. And this is your cousin it. We covenant. To create a place of respect and kindness. And to build a spiritual community based on reason and courageous love. We will listen to one another respectfully assume good intentions use the power of our words with care express gratitude honor our differences help one another and welcome all. We will communicate directly honestly compassionately. When we hurt one another we will forgive. Make amends and reconnect. When we celebrate the words of our mission statement. End of this covenant. We affirm our mission lives through our actions. As i start to take my leave as you're settled minister. As you start to turn your attention to welcoming. The person who will be with you as your interim. And begin the search for your next saddled minister. I want an offer to you that i do see the next step. Your next step. Is breathing life. Into that mission. Using that mission to invigorate your imaginations and dreams. And trying new things. To help make that mission even more. Manifest. And though it could not have been anticipated when we started this journey our year of living bravely and part of that journey was to rearticulate and mission covenant statement. In the coven the mission statement that has been developed are explicitly these words. Courageous. Love. We started this year talking about our year of living bravely and i'd like to remind you about the word brave. It comes its roots come from words meaning bald. And meaning courageous. And if anyone knows who has ever done something brave. And i bet each one of you here has it one or two or three points in your life. Done something brave. Nothing about living bravely is it changes. Being brave. Stretches. The weather through acts big or small testing out being brave. It's a kind of good challenge. That helps us develop new awareness. And develop new capacity. But not just any sort of capacity. A capacity to live guided by the core. Or the heart. And this reminds me of a reading by erica hewitt. That i have shared before but i want to share again. Today. The word courage comes from the latin. Core. Which means heart. According to the poet mark nepo the original use of the word purge meant to stand. By 1 score. A striking concept that reinforces the belief found in almost all tradition. But living from the center is what enables us to face whatever life has to offer. To encourage means to harden. Twin parts strength and confidence. This is our work as religious community to encourage one another. The bold and engaging the world around us as well as what scares us internally. To give one another the confidence and heart. To life two-face life. As fully and completely as a spa. I want to encourage you. I want a blast for you. With. And encouraged. For you have truly develop an incredible mission. And it was not born in a vacuum. It was born of you designed by you. It's from your own reflection as you sent think about what unitarian-universalism means right now. And about the purpose of religion right now in the world. My hope for you is that you keep on bravely embracing. The call of life answering back. Yes. And living into the tremendous capacity this congregation to make a difference. In real people's life. Right here. And in this valley. In other words beloved community. I hope that you will be brave. Keep being brave and continue to be imaginative. About living into this mission. The thing about congregational life. The thing i think about congregational life. Is this is where people go. To renew of the heart. To answer back remember how to answer back yes. To life and all of its fullness. In a congregation. Is we're good. Can be grown. And i'll say that again. Good candy grown. Because boy. Our world needs. Good. To be grown. Right. What's good can be grown. And neither x and which that good needs growing and what we bring our attention to can alter who we become. And i don't mean this trietley as in. Just power of positive thinking. Rather i mean the prioritization of what we named as good and what we say yes to makes a huge difference. And how we live and who we are and what we can do. In our lines. What is good. I think it's good to share the space. For our tradition is one that values inquiry as much as answers. Invite multiple viewpoints and perspectives on topics such as god. The afterlife. Our tradition appreciates doubt and skepticism. Our tradition makes room for many voices and we champion democracy. We champion independence and interdependence and if you have looked at our principles and our sources you know this well. Here's what else is good. I wish. And i try not to trap now. I wish that you could see. Yourself as i see. On sunday morning. When you enter into the space and you fill these chairs. When the room is buzzing with conversations people smiling asking after one another people they know and people they don't know so well. When people of all ages are streaming through these doors glad to be with one another glad to take an opportunity to sit in reflection silence. Celebration. When people come to wrestle with meaning. When people open doors symbolically. And literally. When people welcome one another and over the week. The course of the many weeks in his congregation when people light up chalice to start their meeting. Making a sacred space a space made sacred by creating space for that which is larger. Than anyone personal loan. What's good. Is this place. What's good. Is you. What's good is our shared tradition. What's good is people who start the coffee makers. Provide. People who start the coffee rather the coffee maker. People who provide something warm for people to sit. As they try to mingle and talk to pee. Whether they are comfortable making new connections or not. People who sweep the floors people who apart the tablecloths and set them on tables people who paint the banisters so they're ready for hands studying themselves as they enter into this space. What's good people who work on the grounds people who launched new ideas for ministries and he's sit down for quiet moments thinking praying meditating. Crying quietly to release that witch needs. Release. People who visit one another to offer care. People who plot with dedication the restoration of. Compassion. To a world that is sometimes seemingly indifferent. Here's also what's good. People who challenged racism and sexism religious bigotry and xenophobia and encourage economic justice this is the good this is the yes. What would you add. What would you add the yes of your life. To this long and good list. Congregation is good you stay. It is so very good. Because a congregation is a sanctuary for the spirit. But here's what i also want. It is not just a sanctuary. For the spirit of those here gathered. A congregation is not a country club for the like-minded. It must also be a beacon. It must be a beacon for and about its larger purpose a purpose that is responsive and responsible to the needs of the world. And your mission. Colts to articulate this. When i came here as your minister i heard loud and clear from any of you the desire for this congregation to grow and its engagement as a whole with the larger society and particularly the new river valley and blacksburg since that's where this congregation is physically located. I heard people say repterra we really need to do more be more share more we want to get out there and do social justice i heard you. Loud and clear and over the years. You started that journey. And this brings me to the next big yes. But i'd like to name for you today. I dig ya. To our shared ministry together over the past 3 years. Going to lift forward just a few. Key highlights. The way i. See those ears. You're one when i arrived. Some of our ministry together with healing. And some of our ministry was about hoping. Hoping we had 50 people go together to the. Route to the rally raleigh. Rally in raleigh the brought together people for the mass memorial gathering standing up for voting rights for african-americans and all people. We have classes exploring uu history and identity we started to get to know each other as minister in congregation. We got to know one another through pastoral care. We had some opportunities to learn about community organizing. We hold special worse worship services like advent and we had multi-generational worship we started a new small group ministry program we started as strengthened. I refreshed worship associates program. You're too icy is 1. A building. We did a listening campaign for social justice. From which emerged clarity around mental health justice being a deep and pressing need in this valley. We did more trainings about community organizing. We did the pluralism project voices in unitarian universalism holding religious exploration classes talking about lgbtq experiences in unitarian-universalism buddhist voices in unitarian universalism christian. Voices in unitarian universalism jewish voices. And also black pioneers in a largely white denomination. A meditation group formed. We did a marriage equality action. And a strategic planning process. Started in earnest. And your three i see it this year has been a growing year. Building bridges. Has been a great. Multi-generational curriculum. We practice building bridges by countering islamophobia together. We've been strengthening the late astrocare ministers pro ministry program. Strengthening the worship associates program. We did sukkot. We did lent. We did advent. We started a brand new relationship with an international partner. Encentus on loverfella. And i'd like to share with you that actually. The international partnership church newsletter featured. The start of weekend. But this congregation did together. If you want to see more about that. Whether you were there at that startup weekend or not there is another posting of this in eli's hall so check it out. This year this congregation decided by its energy and enthusiasm to start this new partnership and many people have said to me. When do we get to go let's go to transylvania you're going to get to go. If you want to and you keep saying yes. Yes we will we'll continue this partnership yes we can we want this we will. And of course this year there was a renewed mission covenant process. And for every single sunday over the past 3 years. We together you. And i have gathered to celebrate to worship. Hear this congregation is gathered to witness the world and each other wrestling with sorrows. And experience in celebration and each and every one of those sundays are children. I've also gathered learning in an oasis of love made ever more valuable. Because so much of society teaches people to tear each other apart. Instead our youth are learning on sunday mornings and through your good support. In this congregation and in your home. How to be kind. How to respect and celebrate difference. How to explore meaning. How to share honestly. How to value their lives and the lives of others. Zyone my way to conclusion this morning. I want to share a very particular memory. In the second year of my ministry with you many of us gathered in a plaza in christiansburg. For marriage equality action. We sang songs and we had censoring words we talked about why we were gathered there as a people of faith. And then we turned. We turned out towards the street. Return to face. The larger world. This to me is emblematic. Of what a congregation is. Of what it ought to be. And right where you are. In your journey. Practicing. Being together. And turning to face the larger world. And making an impactful differ. I will be with you in spirit. When i relocate west. I will. He's so excited. The track your progress. Learn about the choices you've made learn what you are saying yes to. I hope for you. That you continue to turn. As individuals. And we're over the whole congregation towards the larger world. Moving from being an inward facing congregation to an outward facing congregation. Doing the dance of relationship that means tending with intimacy the relationships here and sending forth the bold promise and thoughtful hopeful carrying a vision and message. But unitarian-universalism offers beyond these walls. And this. Is why i even say yes. To our goodbyes. I'm not someone who likes saying goodbye. Everyone's got their things to work on. I don't like saying goodbye. It's hard. Hard though because i have so much joy care and respect and appreciation for you. Enjoy 4r. Journey together. The journey of this congregation continued. You will explore you will grow you will dream you will breathe life. You will say yes. So i say yes. Yes2you. Yes to our ministry. Yes to the hopeful future for you. And for my own family. When i answered your call. To be your settled minister it was one of the happiest days in my life. When i said yes. You said we choose you. And i sad. I choose you. Yeah. You took a risk when you called me and i took a risk. What as well. This is the risk of. We grew trust and faith in each other. I appreciate that trust and i value it deep. I have strived every moment i've been here minister. To be worthy of your trust. And i've taken our ministry together as a priority in my life. You've changed me. You have shaped me by your sharing you have made me a better minister. Which is to say a better human being. I thought our journey would be longer. And i came to you in that spirit. As i mentioned in my sermon on april 3rd i could not have realized two very important pieces. 104 called it would be for my husband to find full-time work. Indus valley. And also what it would mean to us. After having our own child. To raise our child closer. Has family. Ar. Yours. Mine. In my view has been a tremendous partnership. I believe it was a profoundly congruent match. And for this reason as i said i'm sad to take my leave of you. But that sadness is deeply rooted in my great joy for our ministry. All we have done together and all you will yet do. No i said some of this before in april 3rd i want those of you who didn't hear that sermon live. And those of you who might forget cuz i know the mind wanders and life is busy i want you to remember this. Please now. I will always care for you. As individuals and a congregation. Know that i love you. I eagerly look forward. To your future. You will continue on. The brave. And i will be brave too. Let's continue. To be brave together. Being brave sometimes means surprising thing. But it means listening deeply to what you know is most true in right and living from that guidance. With your wild and your precious lives much as possible. For this congregation much is possible. Thank you. For inviting me to travel with you on a piece of this journey. It has been such a joy. Such a privilege and an honor. Yes. To you. And yes to life. Blessed be. And ahmed. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

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130519_msyg_religions.mp3

Welcome to the may 19th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. Today's service. Led by the uuc middle school youth group. Is made up of sections led by some of the youth and a couple of their advisors. Enlightening us about the many different religions they visited and are studied during this past year. The podcast contains excerpts. From their presentation. But does not include the complete many quaker meeting or the buddhist meditation. So when we visited the hindu temple in roanoke we witnessed a puja. A daily prayer ritual where offerings are made to idols representing the hindu god. During a puja the priest either calls or wakes up the god then opposite things like water food flowers and fire while chanting. Those are also wrong to call the mines it to be in the present moment. The priest at the temple explained that these rituals were a way to honor the gods. Slow down remember what was what was important and being contact with the hallway. They believe that we are happiest when we are in devotion to the gods and we see them wherever we look. We will now collect your fee. Your fruit to offer to the gods in order to. In order to honor the divine in the universe. When quakers meet for worship service most of the time is spent in silent contemplation. The people in attendance are given a prompt. Then they sit and think about it. When someone within the silences moved they stand up and speak. We will participate in a mini quaker meeting now. We'd like you to think about the topic of environment. If you become moved to speak. Please dad and a microphone will be brought to you. So we learned about some buddhist and we found out that. Some buddhist believe in the four noble truths and eightfold path. And that some buddhists seek to understand the causes and cures for suffering. And me to balanced in meaningful life. Did ipad united buddha discovered the four noble truths and eightfold path that leads to this life of balance. If only noble truths. Everybody and everything that exists suffers suffering is caused by selfishness greed and desire. Selfishness greed and desire can be stopped. They can be stopped by the following eight steps of the eightfold path. Facebook hack. Deathrun only what is true. Step to living in loving nonviolent way. Step 3 speak while two others step for treat yourself well but do not overindulge. Step five. She's a good job. Step 6 buhler insensitive about life. Train your mind to think clearly. Meditate regularly on the meaning of life. We practice for meditation in class and we would like to share with you the breath meditation that weekend. You can either close your eyes or find a focal point. I'm get yourself comfortable. To relax position as you can find in these tears. And breathe. Breathe. And focus on your breath. Breathe in and out slowly. Letting go of any thoughts that come up. Being gentle with yourself. Let them go and do not touch them. When we were doing the quaker. I think when charlie was leading you. I was thinking thinking about the simon and garfunkel song the sound of silence. And. They're sort of. And there is a sound of silence there is is this blanket is boy that we think sometimes that we ought to fill it. But really the sound of silence is kind of good. But i think it gives you the contrast and i can say that what. Really strikes me about the neighboring face and what we've been doing. Is contrast. Bendinelli another difference between the quiet. And the noise. The quakers. If you haven't been to a quaker. Fellowship meeting then you need to go. And experienced it because it is so. Quiet. I remember the first time i went to a quaker service it was a mean we we took the middle school children we will only there for 15 minutes and somebody got up and spoke once. Wasn't like when we get ready to. So anyway it was you know the quiet of the quakers and that's. As compared to the sonic boom. Whitakers with a pentecostal. And the simplicity of the brethren versus the ornate ennis. The hindus. The ordinary bread. The christian communion. And then we had. Perris. Muffin. And there's a really a big difference that i pay those muffins were a hit. And then there's the language of the service i mean i'm speaking in english and you know you feel pretty comfortable. And i was able to agree with most of the religion that. We experienced. But when they got the speaking in foreign languages it lost me. Are we had a catholic. Spoken latin. The jews spoke in. Hebrew. We had the arabic of islam. And the ancient sanskrit. Of hinduism. And the palio boutonniere. And then we had the music that kind of tight at all together. I think everybody like the music. I remember the first time i went to shaffer memorial baptist church it was in a meeting. And the choir was practicing in the background and somebody at the meeting was saying g we need to. Close the door. And i was saying i hope not. Because my foot was going and i just couldn't get over how good it was. And the one we visited shaffer memorial it was no different i really enjoyed it. We had the solo a singer at st. mary's. You remember her elizabeth she was really good. And we had the hand-clapping of gospel music. I was a drummer there to animator really easy. And then we had the run of the rock band. Of the charismatic service. And we we have a. A sound system in hearing we talk into the microphone so that you can hear. You didn't have any trouble hearing that i'll tell you needed your phone to block out the noise. And then we have the chanting of the jewish and islamic scriptures. And then we have the pagan. We experience that the calling of the directions. So we have these different things and then we have symbolism. We have the statues of the hindus. I mentioned the hinduism twice now. And that was really an impressive place. Unimpressive when we went to roanoke for that. The fruit. The. The statues i mean it was really quite ornate. And then we have a crucifix of catholicism the cross of christianity. The buddha of buddhism. The pagan fire. And the native american medicine wheel. Such diversity is a blessing. If we allow ourselves. To look at it that way. Good friend of mine. Said once. The beliefs that others have. Are right for them no matter what they appear to be to you. That is why lack of judgment is so critical. As you are aware expressing and feeling only love for the others with whom you disagree is key. Follow love and all will be well. In your mind. And in your world. We practice non-judgment with each other. Family reasons i'm here. But let us allow ourselves. To extend that same thought to others. Even if. They don't extend that non-judgment back to us. I never will forget i think i've spoken of it before when i was standing up here about how when we have the mormon missionaries come. Bass how many. Believe in god. And nobody help their hands. And i thought that was just great. Ben franklin once said and he was talking about pride and humility he said in reality there is perhaps no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Skyzip struggle with it beat it down stifling mortify it as much as one pleases. Is still alive and well every now and then. People and show itself. You will see it perhaps often in this history for even if i could conceive. That i had completely overcoming i should probably be proud of my humility. I have to study i substitute. Tolerance for that. And often times i find that my difficulty is. That i have become so tolerant but i've become intolerant of other people's intolerance. And that is why. I feel such a personal name. The go around and find people with whom i disagree. We studied as kerry said a number of different religions and here's a list of them. We studied judaism and we went to the blacksburg jewish center. Catholicism. We went to st mary's catholic church in blacksburg. Protestantism. We went to the blacksburg presbyterian church. We had earthquakes religion and we didn't have to go anywhere except the labyrinth right back up there and i remember cuz i froze. It was cold. The quaker. And we went to the blacksburg friends meeting. Pacifism we went to good shepherd church of the brethren in blacksburg. Humanism we stay right here. Muslim. Islam we went to the most. Hallasan in blacksburg. There's two islamic centers in blackford one on north main one on south. And we went to the one on north main. Oddly enough. We were used to these denominations than our religions. And. You go all over the place and you might go to one church or you can go to another well they have north main and south main and their be their equal. There's no difference. We went to an american black church we went to shaffer memorial baptist church in christiansburg. We did agnosticism an atheist and then we stay right here. We did we studied hinduism and we went to how do you spell that shot the shantanu kant catan how you pronounce that. It's a word shana ashanti. Nicotine hindu temple in roanoke. We study buddhism. We studied the evangelico christians and we went to victory restoration church in christiansburg. That was the place where they got the rock band upfront and they got the powerpoint presentations on both sides. And. Wow. That is an experience. And then we had mormonism this is the second time we've had the mormon missionaries. Come here and i don't know why they're such a big hit. I guess it's because they're used to talking about their religion but that you know even though we disagree. It's really enjoyable to talk to them. And then i had been out of i have been visiting another church. And i came back and i looked at that was sitting next to the. Place where we pick up our name tags. And there's a social science table down there it says. These rainbow ribbons are a symbol of our commitment to gay lesbian bisexual and transgender people. An issues to end oppression in accordance with uuc. Being a welcoming congregation. And i knew. But i was back home and i felt comfortable. Allen's going to teach you to leave you in something we do cold wall-to-wall. I'm anxious to see how he does this. Is as dick mentioned this is an activity that. We would often do. In class. An active is the keyword you may have noticed that we. Tend to move a lot and that's very appropriate for middle school-age kids. With wall-to-wall it's also. Chance for reflection on what we've been studying. Panda. How it relates to ourselves. So normally we. We all stand against the wall in response to. A statement that's made. We stand on one side if we completely agree with that statement. You stand on another side and we. Completely disagree. And there's an entire spectrum in between. You can stand at the middle or a little bit to this side. So i'm going to read a few statements. And ask. Put the kids and the rest of people who want to join them. This is kind of contrary to most you use belief but. The right side here. Well that's your that's your left okay so your left. Is the agree so that's when most of our philosophies. And stand the right if you disagree with the statement. End. We have some kind of. Shade of belief in between. If you don't feel inclined to stand and i would ask you to. Turning point in the direction so maybe we'll use the back wall here seems to be the most space to move around. So the first statement. Generally we would we would choose statements that were relevant to what we were studying with so i have some more general ones for today. First is. I believe that i have a soul or spirit. And i would ask you to go to the. Back right corner if you agree with that statement. And the back left corner review disagree. I believe that i have a soul or spirit. And again if you don't want to go. You can always point in the direction. Okay it will just take a moment to reflect on where we are. And. Being a liberal faith we always have a chance to to move so. You feel inclined to move. Is there buddy have the idea looks good okay next statement. I believe that there is intelligent life on other planets. Agree on the right side again or i'm sorry the left side my right. I believe there is intelligent life on other planets. Okay thank you. The next one is. I believe there is intelligent life on this planet. It looks like about the same. Okay here's a familiar one i believe there's a heaven and a hell. I believe there is a heaven and a hell. Anywhere. Okay interesting. Okay the next one is. I believe. But no one is entirely good or entirely evil we all have. The ability to make good or evil choices. I believe that no one is entirely good or entirely evil we all have the capacity to make good or evil choices. I can feel the floor shifting some. Is a few more. Next one i believe that god exists in all of creation inside you and i. I believe that god exists in all of creation inside you and i. Can't believe i used the g word. Okay. Let's try this one i believe that self has selfless service to others is a spiritual act. I believe that selfless service to others. Is a spiritual act. Okay last one for one more. Thank you. If everyone i believe that the world would be a better place. If everyone believed what i believe. I believe the world would be a better place if everyone believed what i believe. Okay thank you everyone this has been a wonderful experience for me. The eating and sharing of food played various roles in our study sometimes food was consumed as part of a ritual such as during our pagan service where we ate muffins and drink apple cider giving small bits back to earth before we ate. Sometimes we do symbolic we witness communion at the catholic church and watch does. Members at their wafers and drink their wine. The body and blood of christ. We ate cultural food enjoying color bread when we study judaism. Food was tied to devotion investing. We gave and received fruit at the hindu temple just as we did here in service today. Buddhist also provided as a holy action muslims are called to provide hospitality to others as a way to show their love and devotion to allah. They welcomed us with a large spread of food. People certainly important in mini favs and it was also the the thing that the class enjoyed the most. Who wanted to share food with you today eat enjoy i'm going to be religious experiences we share these treats together. How is the sacred syllable both to the hindus and buddhists. It is supposed to be the sound of the vibration of the universe. We will close by singing own together along with the word shanty which means peace. Anybody out there do this in their personal practice maybe can do this the right way will you come up and lita. Anam shante. Namaste. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

150208_do_transylvanian-connection.mp3

Welcome to the february 8th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service a day is led by a settled minister. Reverend arrowland. With peter and molly lazar. The sermon is title. So what's the transylvanian connection. The podcast begins with the reflection by peter lazar. I welcomed forward peter lazar to share with us a personal reflection this morning. Okay i'm going to tell you about my experiences with unitarianism in transylvania. So transylvania the word means. Beyond the forest. It's it was always that place in europe that was. I'm just in providence here on the other side of the mountain. And i remind you a lot of our region the new river valley. It's green on there. Same amount of greenest there there mountains there a little bit bigger but there are valleys and mountains. Lots of cows their farms. I said a lb in shopping malls and residential neighborhoods like we have here there villages with church steeples and. Tiny houses with on cobblestone streets. It's definitely european but with a distinct style. Hi there i'm front of a lot of the houses there these beautiful large wood carved gates these elaborate gates they're called sak gates. So it's amazingly familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. So it was here that i arrived in the summer of 1991 while i was a graduate student. Shortly after the throw of communism in after the throw of their brutal dictator chow chesko. My mother's side of the family is from transylvania on my father's side is from hungary. So i was exploring my heritage. But i was also an emissary from the fairfax unitarian church from northern virginia exploring the unitarian connection. So as polly said the people there a lot of them at least the ones that are unitarian are are ethnically hungarian. And that sir mary's it's mostly hungarians. Chow chesko who is an ethnic. Romanian had tried to force the earrings back into the dark ages. So he wrote that he was leader i think from like 1970 until he was overthrown in. You know that that fall of communism. So he. The towns that were in the valleys he built these big bands and flooded them. He denied villages electricity and tv. Kia. Move the job so that that's anakin geryon would have to move into the the romanian southern parts of the country. So. When i arrive there i'm horse-drawn carriage was more common than car in the villages and people were using horses for plows to do agriculture. And ironically despite the attempts at cultural genocide this through the people closer together. I'm sure to his frustration and closer to the heritage. Tell me 1991 at i saw at the cultural center that teach teenagers. I'm doing their ethnic folk dancing style people doing their their their their their crap. I'm so they really were sticking to their cultural identity whereas elsewhere in europe people because of tv and globalization were losing theirs. So when i think of transylvania i think of flowers. You saw some pretty flowers on the tapestry just earlier. And. I think i'm from the whitewash houses with handmade clay tile roof. And flower boxes outside of the windows. I think of the time a year after my visits. That the. Fairfax unitarian church sent its choir its entire choir of 22 people there to their partner church. And the village of saint patty's day. And so all these americans arrived in this in this big boss in the bus was too big to get to the middle of the town so they parked it outside. And the choir choir members were singing i can be the hand that we just sang. As they were marching towards town. And the people from the village at village though the unitarian transylvania for running out of throwing flowers into the street as they weren't dancing up. Quite a sight. So. I also think of the beautiful handmade dresses and the tapestries with the flowers on them. In 1999 after dating molly for only four months i somehow convinced her to go to transylvania with me. So i. By that time my family and i had a strong relationship with the unitarian minister family they're the minister in that village actually get tragically died at the age of 50. 54 year before but molly and i were visiting his wife. And she's a very wise person and. She could somehow tell that molly and i were meant for each other even though we weren't even engaged at that time. She was showing us the tapestry that she created when she was courting her husband. I said it was beautiful. And and she said that how about i take it and i said well i refuse but she persisted. Astros uncomfortably holding it in my hands she said that i should. Keep it. However if molly and i ever split up then we should cut the tapestry and half as well. That she made. Yeah and we had it actually over our altar during our wedding. Richie. The my life was obviously changed by transylvania of the fairfax you used to 1st march to the village 20 years ago many visited many more times and the the folks from the village also came over to the us many times. And quite a few still communicate with their unitarian partner church friends there. Our friends but vandusen the said it was the most meaningful thing in their lives. Another examples of a teenager who is in the fairfax congregation that went on a work trip. And she came back and it it it actually influenced her career because she decided to become an organic farmer as a career afterwards. After seeing how they farm there. So i think it's book truly both the differences and similarities that gave these these people such meaning in their relationships with each other. I'm there obviously differences in culture and language sometimes and educational level. But for champlin unitarian transylvania believe that jesus was just a man. But they usually have a more traditional. Belief in a more traditional god which might be. Different than many people here. But they're surprisingly fundamental similarities for example the notion of tolerance in. My molly had mentioned that in 1568 there was an edict of taught the king unitarian king issued an edict of tolerance in 1568. But i'll leave the history to reptar. Heater before you sit all the way down and invite you to come back for just a minute. And i want to share with you all this morning we're going to take a stab at sharing with you transylvanian blessing. And i'm going to invite peter. I told him that this might happen. So i'm not putting them completely on the spot. We're going to go back and forth here just so you can hear a little bit more hungarian and this is a transylvanian unitarian blessing will do in two languages. And so. Okay. Here you go. Okay so. Aerotek. Where there is faith. There is love. Holset a textbook baker. Where there is love. There is peace. Call becca w alba. Where there is peace there is blessing. Call alda sport easton. Where there is blessing. There is god. Call eastern sushi ignition. Where there is god. Is all we need. So each year. I took the opportunity to offer a sermon topic. Nru you see auction. And last year it was that the lazarz bid and won the sermon topic. And we got to talkin and right away they asked me revved era would you be willing to offer a service and a sermon on our unitarian universalist congregation all connections and unitarian connections with transylvania. And so this this is their sermon this is all of our sermon but it's inspired by their inquiry. And also by the question that i often get from folks. Which is really so what's the transylvanian connection. So i'm going to guess that some folks here would scratch your head and say that to so what's the transylvanian connection and still others of you may also know instantly you know a little bit more having heard peters reflection this morning. The first time i just want to start by talking about family. Some of us come from really big families. And some of us come from really small families. And some of us come from middle-sized families boy can you tell him i'm mom it's like the three little bears at all but we have all different kinds of families right and some of us have a really positive connections with our families of origin we cherish them and some of us really wrestle with our families of origin. There's been hardship there and still for many of us i would say foremost. It's a mixed bag. It's a mixed bag our relationship. The thing about family especially if you come from a rather small family. Is that it can be pretty meaningful to discover that your family might be bigger than you even ever imagine. That's a little bit of story about our transylvanian unitarian cousins. Now we are a relatively small group of folks those of us in the united states identify as unitarian universalist. We have about 211,000 people at nationwide in this country that identify with unitarian universalism. Granted there are so many others who might identify with unitarian universalist on haven't yet found you yet. Interesting lee enough. Although often times you hear about this decline in us houses of worship and in some ways unitarian-universalism is experiencing that. Some of you might have seen that and usa today just a few years ago there was the observation that. Nationally unitarian-universalism grew by 15.8%. Abba 20000. In 2010. And i can also share with you that just in the past three years there's been birthing of new you conquered nations on our country is so indeed there actually is a time of growth for our movement even while there's some the national decline in houses of worship across that us landscape. But nonetheless as you probably known if you've shared with someone that you're going to a uu congregation a lot of folks that you you what is that. We're still pretty small. What's the weather is i think it can be pretty heartening for people to learn a little bit more about how big are family our faith family actually is. And in some ways i said the story of our unitarian transilvanian relatives is this idea that actually we do have people that we share a efface rooted connection with. The most simple answer to the question so what's that unitarian transylvanian connection is actually that transylvania. Is the birthplace. Of theological unitarianism. On the world stage. I'm going to tell you a little bit more about. Transylvania as the birthplace. Before i go into that i want to acknowledge that. Earlier this morning we sang we opened our worship together with the song come come whoever you are ours with no caravan of despair. Right y'all remember singing that. Somebody know that one just off the top of your head cuz we sing a lot. It's a really easy catch you one. And as you might know those lines come up from the muslim sufi rumi. I was often quoted. But in the story i'll tell you today about. The birthplace of. Trent the birthplace of unitarianism and that you will listen for the muslim. Connection. That's actually also a part of this story. It's not just a coincidence that we sing come come whoever you are and that that's woven from sufism. Because indeed there are some muslim unitarian connections in the story. Another quick word before we dive into that birthplace story and why we might. Care today. Is also to say that of course people come into unitarian universalism as a big caravan. We have no one. Creed we have no-one sacred place of pilgrimage no-one holy text. As you know people come from mini down backgrounds. Some of you might identify as theist. Some of you might identify yourselves as atheist. Agnostics. Humanists. Some of you might not yet have fitting language to describe where you are on your religious and spiritual journey. And we say come. Let us be together. Ours is no caravan of despair. Come yet again. So in the united states are story as unitarian universalist has been one of pluralism and being enriched by that pluralism. As peter mentioned as we go a little bit further into transylvanian unitarianism you can listen for the similarities and the differences in what ways are we more pluralistic less pluralistic. You hear some of the similarities and differences and what is true for our unitarian transylvanian. Cousins. So let's dive in a little bit. As molly and peter pointed out to us this morning. But the fun conversation for those in the us to talk about where transylvania is a congregation did really well. I bet many of you actually find it easily on a map. But still others the best kind of. Don't really know and it's. It's not really just due to ignorance. It is a complex story because the borders of transylvania have been a tug-of-war over time. So as peter mention transylvania is this beautiful land of rural town nestled in. Valleys and it is not altogether different looking. Then our own new river valley. And unitarianism goes back 450 years in the 22 transylvania. The thing about. Transylvania is. Today of course it's in romania but that was not always the case. Most unitarians are ethnically hungarian there. And they had experienced on centuries of persecution. Over the years. Most recently peter also mentioned as transylvanian lived through 40 years of communist dictatorship. Now some of you might have had first-hand experience with what it is like to live in during a communist dictatorship but i think for many folks in the united states. It's inconceivable. The challenges that i faced people living in. In that situation. As i mentioned transylvania's borders have been shaped and reshaped over years and over many wars. Surfer over a thousand years transylvania was part of the autonomous hungarian region. And then after world war 1 in the 1920s. Pennsylvania became a geographic region of romania which it still is today. To give you a sense of scale. Officially ask you this is there anyone that has been to transylvania before aside from the lizards. So just to give you a sense of scale those of you who have not been there it's about the size of indiana. We're not talking about a very large. Piece of land. And it's rather ethnically diverse so living there are hungarians. German. Roma also known as gypsy folks. There are some jews living there but most jews fled during the holocaust or paris. During wwii in the holocaust. Today about 30 to 40 per-cent of transylvanians are ethnically hungarian. But the hungarian people make up only 7%. Of romanian inhabitants. This means the actual two people living in transylvania they're part of romania but they're a minority. In fact they're a double minority. Because they are religiously unitarian and they are hungarian so they're a double minority. And they have faced many years of persecution in fact under the communist dictatorship. All the ended in 1919 89. They were actually not able to. Practice the hungarian language. Teach their children hungarian. The unitarian ministers that were trained at seminary the cemeteries there were told that they could only have one minister each year. And after time that meant that there were many unitarian churches that just went without. Leadership whatsoever. It's very challenging time for people there. I was very moved onto here i unitarian transylvania minister actually share with me purse. Share a personal story and he said that he graduated from high school and there were i believe 15 boys and three girls something like that. Who graduated with him. But so many left the country that now there's only one of his classmates still living. There. So there was a mass exodus of those who couldn't leave. I want to share with you just walking back a little bit more into the birthplace story. So. There was about 450 years ago and anti trinitarian hungarian theologian. And his name was francis david. And he essentially converted the king. And many inhabitants there in transylvania. To what was then. A radical theology. And it was centered on the oneness of god. And emphasize the humanity of jesus. And promoted reason and tolerance. Part of its very core religious perspective. At this time we back in history in the 1500. Transylvania found itself in a tug-of-war between two empires that was a habsburg. And the ottomans. It's wrestlemania was kind of a borderland between these two places. And in 1541 the sultan of the muslim ottoman empire name suleiman made a deal with queen isabella. He basically said i'm going to take over some portions of hungry that you and your son can rule transylvania. And it'll be under my autonomy but you all can just go forth and rule. And isabella son was the young john sigismund. Who was that early and only transylvanian king that the lazar spoke about. So the young john sigismund grew up to be on the first and the only historical unitarian king. The king himself he didn't start out as unitarian. But he was really open-minded about theology. The first one of the real interesting parts of the story i think. Basically that young king decided in 1568. That he would basically call together a bunch of different clergy folks he get them all together and they don't debate about theology. And they got together in the city of torta. Answer for ten whole days the king and a bunch of other people listen to this debate course they did not have television it did not have radio these were very hot topics people were deeply invested what what would the king say after hearing all of these different theologians. Basically debate who could win this contest. That's if you listen to preachers talk about calvinism and lutheranism and roman catholicism and he heard from a unitarian preacher that preacher named enfants is david. Frances david literally won the debate. History tells story of his amazing gifts of oratory and. There are some portraits of him preaching that show him. Kind of preaching. Everyone. Assassinated. We do our best to clean from the pages of history truth. But indeed he carried the day and what we know was. His words did make a huge impact. On that young king. And here is what the king issued he issued something called the edict of torta and i'm going to share with you just a little piece of it. Remember this is literally the 16th century so the language is certainly dated it says our royal majesty. Confirms that every oratoria shall preach the gospel by his own personal conception. Any place if that community is willing to accept. And no one neither superintendents nor others may heard a preacher. No one may be blamed because of their religion. No one is allowed to threaten others with prison or divest anyone of their office because of their profession. Because faces god's gift. Born from hearing in this hearing. Conceived. By the word of god. Now. This might not seem. All that radical. To some of us today. Indeed for some of us to kind of chase at the theistic language. This might not sound. So welcoming. But we need to keep in mind that this was the 16th century. In europe. This was the most radical wing of the radical protestant reformation. And basically people elsewhere we're being hunted as heretics. For sharing their beliefs outside of the dogma and catechism of the dominant religious position. They were literally paying for their outspokenness with their lives. So at the time as we know it was very popular for kings who ruled a parcel of length to impose their theological position and their their affiliation upon the people. So what's important is that the young unitarian king john sigismund said let there be religious toleration. And so this goes down as the very first decree of religious toleration and freedom end. More or less inclusion in western religious history. He said the congregations can choose who they want to speak with them. And the speaker the preacher of those churches can choose what to say based on his own there were no women then and religious leadership based on how he heard the word of. God. This is all very very radical. So i've lifted up how it wasn't really all that perfect it was really new and very important. Historically speaking that edict of torta it offered religious sanctuary to only for state-approved churches. And not to other christian and non-christian minorities. I had the gift when i was studying to become a minister to work with the reverend susan ritchie. Who wrote a book exploring some of this history and the connections between islam. Unitarianism and judaism. Called children of the same god. She walked through some of this history. And she says you know sometimes we can tell this story like the edict of torta was a unique unitarian. Achievement. And it was. But she says let us remember that it was during a period of ottoman rule. That there was a relative amount. I've religious toleration and freedom. Actually supported someone like this young king offering the edict of torta. And soaps susan ritchie and these are her word she says the story of the edict of torta. Proclamation of religious toleration. Can actually be understood as a shared islamic. Unitarian understanding. The result of a reciprocal influence and a creative exchange. Between these two cultures. Sharon closed-end mutual respect. Remember how i said we sing come come whoever you are. And that's the words of. Rumi who says sufi muslim mystic. So this part in the story of the edict of torta helps us to know that this religious decree of toleration it was unitarian. But it was also woven into a context of support up by muslim neighbors under the larger influence of the ottoman empire. So when we talk about religion and we seem to talk about it as you this religion and this religion and this religion. Acquiring more deeply into history shows us our inter. Connection. Helpless to expand that we're actually bigger than who we might think we are. In fact it is my hope this morning then talking about our faith cousins on transylvania we might get a bigger sense of who we really are. Who's in our caravan. That we might understand that we are capable of strengthening each other. Perhaps even more so than we can even imagine right now. And so was that. Unitarianism sprung up in transylvania is in transylvania due to francis david and due to the young john sigismund. So it is today that hungarian unitarians have been practicing unitarianism for a very long time. In fact some of our unitarian. Transylvanian ministers remind us that it might look very different the practicing of unitarianism there. Because actually. Practicing unitarianism under the context of repression. And severe persecution. Meant that the hungarian people actually came to those churches. As an act of resistance. Conserve their way of practicing as an act of resilience. So some of us if we were to go to transylvania today would be a little bit surprised by apso christian. Our faith neighbors might practice you go to a unitarian service there in transylvania. You've noticed that sometimes they do communion. Oftentimes they speak of god they do the lord's prayer. But as peter also mention. Their conception of christianity highlights the oneness of god. A god of love and hope. And also centers on jesus as a teacher. And a prophet. I spoke a little bit about how hungarian interns would come together and still do when they're unitarian churches. And how that helps during a time of repression. I want to make that even a little bit more real to you today little bit more relevant. By sharing with you some words by francis polish. And he was a unitarian minister in mexico. Miss what he writes he says. I want everyone to know. That i did not die here. My village is moods and problems did not drown me. I showed myself only into this tiny place. I hit myself all over here under the claude. Let me be seen this. I will sprout in these fields in the spring. There will be blossoms here. Which will bear a good for. On the doorways in transylvania on the doorways of many of the unitarian churches is written. God is one. In the hungarian for that is actually at the top of your order of service. Transylvanians. Transylvanian unitarians who described themselves as a life center to face. They welcomed new knowledge of every kind. Combat superstition and ignorance. Foster the spread of wisdom and understanding and seek always to leave a web of human brotherhood. All the world over. With all the threads of love and truth and sincerity. They say that unitarianism at its very best is a religion in life. And a further expression of the divine possibilities. A life here and life. Those are words from red sea who is a scholar of a transylvanian unitarianism. Now dear congregation i want to tell you that i myself have never been to transylvania. But i've been very intrigued by our face cousins there and i've been moved over the years to meet and know many many transylvanian unitarian ministers who visit alright unitarian universalist seminaries due to some scholarships. Are they come once per year. Course there was a break in this when the iron curtain fell. But more lessons the 1800's and then in 1920 there was a.. And then there was during communism. It was not possible and since the 1990s there's been a resurgence of these exchanges. It isn't my deep joy to get to know several of the transylvanian ministers there. And. This is. Just one. Reverend i've not known this minister personally but i find these words very moving reverend moldovans there is die. Leads a church that's actually looking for partnership. I'm with another unitarian congregation here in the us. And that minister says in a world where unitarianism is the minority. It gives great forced to know that they're unitarians on the other side of the world. You think in many ways the same. And share some of our most important unitarian values. Goes on to say the most radical thing we can do. Is to introduce one another. Many unitarian congregations in transylvania and many uu congregations in the us have experienced that a partnership. Can indeed change lives. The lives of individuals who meet. Connect. And cher. As well as the lives of congregations who realize that they are stronger. And have more abilities than they ever thought before. And they're seeking a partner. He won't share with them their lives in there. The unitarian universalist partnership council has existed since the 1990s creating. Opportunities for creative partnerships between congregations like ours here in the united states and congregations in transylvania. I can tell you that i've heard a lot of people reflect on their experience as we heard peter sheriff you of his experience. It's a tremendous thing to watch people light up as they talk about these stories both when they have people from transylvania come over and when they sent people over to transylvania. Essentially on a pilgrimage. I will also stay this morning that our unitarian universalist partnership council works works to nash congregation and the only countries. Transylvania is not the only country. There are partner churches looking for partnerships in india. The philippines. I in different countries in africa. I believe there's one right now in mexico. So i'm delighted that the lazarz are invited me to kind of preach and sharon lift up some of this exciting opportunity with you all. And as a next step if you're someone who's just intrigued to learn more about partnership church what would that look like what does that mean we invite you to come on march 1st after the service for post service conversation. Exploring i'm getting to know the partner church. Movement. There's also a delightful video on the history and modernization of the unitarian transylvanian church. That i will. Put up had someone put up on our facebook page. And i perhaps would also be a next step for folks who want to learn war. To come together and do that and converse little that that together. In the spirit of partnership in the spirit of. Encounter is which can transform. Our lives. In the spirit of the living legacy of our unitarian and our unitarian universalist tradition. In the spirit of a very broad caravan. So broad that we are plural here. And that we can start to. Stands that sense of the. Caravan to those face cousins even beyond our borders. In the name of this joyful pluralistic. Life shared with so many. I offer a sense of celebration. And deep appreciation. Thank you again salazar's for inviting me to share a little bit more about this history. Blessed be. And amin. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At you your cnrv. org.

uucnrv_org

160424_do_sundae-sunday.mp3

Welcome to the april 24th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by a settled minister. Reverend arrowland. This morning we celebrate the conclusion of our annual stewardship campaign. After rev darius pastoral prayer. We hear reflection. Remembers this barker and nancy bodenhorn. These are followed by rose deras homily. Savoring sunday sunday. After the benediction the congregation participated in a celebratory sunday bar. I now welcome us to. Embrace a time of prayer.. Reflection. Together. Taking an opportunity. Breathe deeply. To connect with that which sustains us. Spirit of great. Abundance and joy. We come together. In radical appreciation for all of the many gifts. Of hope and care and service. That help our community. Within and beyond these walls. To grow. And flourish. This day we also give great thanks for the earth itself. As april 22nd was earth day. May this day. A recognition. Help us to pledge ourselves anew to the earth. Care. Let us seek to address ourselves the warming of our planet and the remedying. Of all that which would threaten. Precious webb. To which we belong and depend upon. Spirit of love and life. This morning we also remember passover that festival of freedom and liberation. Which coincides with earth day this year and ends on april 30th. May we remember that because we. Are connected in this web of life we cannot rest. We cannot rest. And truly know our own freedom until all. Are free. Morning lettuce. Gentle our own hearts. In gradual self. Let us gentle our hearts to our own tender and. Beautiful experience. I've living this life with it. Ups and downs. Let us extend this compassion. Not only to ourselves but to those seated right next to us here in the sanctuary. And then to ever-widening circles. Embracing all. Probably would come into contact with. In our days. Spirit of love. This morning we. Also bring into our hearts and minds. A loving remembrance of those beer ones. Who died on april 6th. Dance 2007. May their memory always be for blessing. In our remembrance. Popeyes. To be ever remind. Did as what we cherish. And the peace that we would champion. Let us also this morning send our particular compassionate care to places like. Bangladesh. Where a 58 year-old university. Professor result karim sadiq. Was killed. In a very brutal fashion. By members of isil. He was targeted for. Promoting atheism. As we are keepers. Of the flame of religious freedom is unitarian universalist. Today then we join with unitarian universalist and many others. Across our country and globe to send our deepest compassion. To those. Intimately affected by this loss and the loss of several other secular writers there in bangladesh. We send our thoughts and our prayers in our hopes. To those. For wrestling right there. May the waves of fear that such persecution caused. He's danny's. Again. This day then let us remember. Deer spirit. Have abiding hope. That an injustice. Anywhere is a threat to justice. Everywhere. And so this day let us pray. And send our hearts. Care. Forward for the cessation of all violence and all targeting and all persecution. Let us lift our voices. Compel our hearts and hands. Towards a future in which all are safe. All our hall. All are well. And let all be free. And for this. I say amen. And blessed. I welcomed forward liz barker. Picture with us personally a reflection. As a kindle the flame speaker this morning. Good morning. My name is elizabeth parker i am a lesbian. I was raised in north carolina. And i'm live there until i was 33. I came out in the early 80s. At that time conservative christians were gaining political power. And there was not widespread acceptance of life lesbian and gay people. Living in the heart of the bible belt. I steeped in this toxic brew of fundamentalist christianity for decades though i was not brought up as one. I never could come close to reconciling. The behavior of conservative christians with the teachings of their professor xavier. In my late forties i landed in greenville south carolina. After the tribulations of the great recession. I knew i wanted to church family so i joined a local presbyterian church. It was the. denomination of my childhood and i found familiarity with its rights comforting. I was very lucky. It was a vibrant community of earnest seekers and humble servant. Yet i was still bothered by the creed's. If you have to edit them you're not really a believer. I never saw the need for jesus either since we already have a god. And the ghost forget about it. When i came to uuc with rachel it took me back to other uu congregations i had visited through the through the years. In winston-salem for tai chi in myteam. And in greensboro for gay and lesbian events in my twenties. The energy there was just different. It starts with the building in the grounds always in harmony with and showing off nature. Then the commitment it took to being a welcoming congregation. Liberal religion check. No creed. Check. Even a fellow members don't share my political philosophy i can still have a thoughtful conversation with them. And we do not assume that the other is the source of all that's wrong with our country. I have found a new path here. I finally admitted to myself that i am an ex christian. After forty years of seeking it's a relief to have at least that defined. I have a safe place in which to seek the way forward. And that. Is a pearl beyond price. But i do believe in putting my money where my convictions lie. So i pledge to uuc. To do my part in maintaining our beloved community. We do so much with our money both within our church family and in the larger community around us. It makes a difference. And that's what so many of us are all about making a difference in this tired world. This morning we will also hear from nancy bodenhorn. As a kindle the flame speaker. Morning everyone. I will admit that sometimes i live in a fantasy world. Most recently i entered one of my fantasies when i signed my tax returns. I have this fantasy that somehow my tax dollars. All end up going for schools in library. I am aware even in my fantasy i am aware that some tax money goes to the military-industrial complex but in my fantasy that all comes from other people. So one of the things that i appreciate about the money that we donate to the uuc it's what i know exactly where it is going. And i do not have to develop fantasies about it. I approve of all the slices of the pie better supported by our uuc budget. And i am pleased to know that i am part of the process if it's. The main reason that i attend and support the uuc. Is that i think i am a better person by my per. Impatient. I do not mean this is saying that i am better than anyone else. Or than i have been a bad person in the times of my life when i have not been involved in a uu congregation. The betterment that i believe i benefit from is a connection to something larger than myself. Part of this is the community itself. And the people i have gotten to know and look forward to getting to know. In the future. The bigger part of the connection to something larger. Is harder to explain especially as i am not entirely sure that i really understand it. Eva spiritual atheist i have always wrestled with finding an avenue to establish this connection. I know i have felt it in a few physical spaces on this earth. Including as a scuba diver in the ocean. And a visit as a visitor in the desert both too expansive. 2 fathom. At the uuc i have found a variety of avenues through which i have felt and developed this connection. I appreciate the options that you use the offers. Through social justice action. Teaching religious education singing in the choir. Working on the grounds or serving on community on committees. That use deep discussions to build. To build. Connection. Through these various actions i feel part of something larger than myself. Which develops compassion humility curiosity wonder and perspective. As i indicated i am still not sure how this works. But i know that you usually offers and will continue to offer opportunities. For me to challenge and support my understanding of connections and development. This is the real reason why i support and for. State in the usa. This morning has been already talked about it is sunday sunday. It's a time for savoring and celebrating the shared ministry of this wonderful congregation. I scream you scream we all scream for ice cream how is it that so many of us. I can tell you that my favorite flavor is mint chocolate chip. And i wonder what yours is to. People. Thumbs up. So this morning we are attempting to hold a somewhat shorter service and worshipping together at the sweet altar of an ice cream bar. Why will a course because we're celebrating the conclusion of our annual pledge campaign which is rooted in all that we care about together as a members and friends ministry staff of this beloved community. I can tell you that growing up and i don't know if any of you might remember those two. Baskin and robbins had a very special endeavor what they did was they would serve up a whomping sunday and they would put it in an upside down plastic baseball hat. Anybody remember this. Okay but not in head yes it was a very successful marketing campaign that they had for that it must have been. Because what i remember i can still remember. Daydreaming about getting out of piano. Practice early and getting out of school early and going to baskin-robbins and what they have. My favorite team. You know my favorite teams baseball hat would be there. And i remember that there was a kid in my class who. How to go live. Having on his wall he built a special shelf and it would have all of the parents. And it just expanded all around his room they could have imagined how much ice cream he was eating. Pete incidentally my husband when i said i was going to talk about this very briefly this morning i remember that and they never had my baseball team. They always going to have one that i wanted though. And so i remember really really wanting to. Have that ice cream. How special it was. You know it's easy for us i think to potentially raise through our stewardship. Insensitive. Owner is task. But really it's stewardship is about what we care about. Each one of us and collectively. As unitarian universalist as people who come together inside of this congregational home. It's about what we really care about what we most deeply long for. More important than ice cream. What we long for in a spiritual sense. What we hope for. What we cherish in our very lives. For today before we recess to the wonderful ice cream bar that has been imagined and created by and nora's and lisa vannulo and karen hager and supported by the stewardship committee. I'd like for us to just seaver. What it is that we do together at uuc. Why it's. Present and wyatt past and future are something indeed to celebrate. And take very good collective care of. I always like to remind folks when we talked about giving and placing one's values alongside how one engages their money. But there are so many wonderful effort. Worthy of our dollars and our sins. There really are. And. The other truth is that there is no one else that funds unitarian universalism. It is only the members and friends of our congregations that do that. What this means is that unitarian-universalism. It's in our hands. Our congregations are wholly funded. By our congregation. It would be perhaps wonderful and some respect if there was a man or there was. Whole pot of gold waiting there to support unitarian universalism. In our ministries. But there's not. But there is us. And that is a lot. For it is people like you. And people like. Me. Who have over years ensured that unitarian-universalism is here to stay. For those who would seek. Exciting. Liberating. Spiritual and religious home that values diversity and pluralism. So this morning we will rejoice i hope and all that is our beloved congregation. Celebrating the gifts of participation commitment in the financial resources. Help this congregation sing. Out into the world. Search for savoring what we do together i want to also as favorite erm that i preached on before but it's been awhile and it's used for a lot and its beloved community. I want to savor this and just spend a few moments. Thinking through with you what it is. But we're talking about when we say beloved. Community. Beloved community is a notion that was. First written by on. And coined by josiah royce. And he wrote in the twentieth-century out of grass valley california and. He was musing on love. And he was out very liberal christian he was musing on kind of the kingdom of heaven on earth and what would that look like. Surely it must be a society guided by a quality and. Radical transforming love. Will rev dr martin luther king junior read those words picked up that. Phrase beloved community. And he developed it even more. Thoroughly and what i can say about beloved community the way martin luther king wrote about it. Spoke about it was beloved community was actually not just a small insular group that cared very well for itself and with protected. And enjoyed each other's company although that is truly wonderful. The idea beloved community was a community large community of a welcome table in which every single person regardless of their ability regardless of their economic status regardless of their race or religion had access. To the good life. Things that would help make life flourish and meaningful and bring joy. Now even though the revered martin luther king jr spoke about that we can also kind of here i think when people. Create a summary of beloved community as i just did well that sounds really good. Right man sounds pretty good. But isn't it just kind of a utopian. Fantasy that is unrealistic not able to be realized in real life. But. This is something that reverend dr. king was very clear on. It was not about articulating some impossible vision. Rather he said when a critical mass of people are aligned with their deepest positive values and devoted to the principles of non-violence and are willing to come together know each other and work together indeed beloved community. Can be possible. In real time. It is my hope that when we come together as a congregation and we participate in the beloved community right here among those gathered what we're doing is worth. Hasting. What beloved community can be when we each feel a sense of belonging. It's more than just a rehearsal for our lives because indeed this is no rehearsal we're doing it here together but it helps us when we think about. Whatever it is. That is worthy and wonderful that we experienced here. When we take that with us into our daily live 365 days a year with everyone we come in contact with if we're living our principles. Rooted in our sources that we are growing the beloved. Community. So i invited us to think of beloved community as a place as a people but moreover as a process. It extends us further and further into meaningful connection with our values. And bringing those who may experience life on the margins. To the center. Of life in our united states and around the globe. It was a beautiful. Big. Vision. Beloved community. To make this just a tad less. Attract. I want you to think about in recent history. Time in which you have participated in some way at uuc. And celtic. Either you. Caught a sense of deep belonging. You heard an idea. It stimulated your mind. You had someone care for you in a way that was unexpected. You were asked to use your gifts and service. Something larger than yourself. You heard a piece of music that calms your spirit. Restored your song. Think for a moment savor some glimmer of experience that is meaningful and positive. That you've had here. That is what we are stewarding to get. That is what we're doing when we celebrate this glorious ministry. Which is part and parcel. All of the people that come together but together we are far more. Then the sum of our parts. Katie covey who's a religious educator and our movement from whom i learned a lot when i was becoming a minister called all this. Magic goo. She said all that that's magic goo 25 years deep in being a phenomenal religious educator she said it's the magic goo. She says here's what it looks like to me and my mind. She said it looks like after our youth are high school age kids spend some time together come out of their shells and share deeply and honestly with each other at a lock-in like we do here or conference with some of our youth just went to. After those experiences of deep sharing the youth can sometimes be found lying around. As a pool of arms and elbows. And hair. With smiles on their face. Connecting to each other. In a pool. She said that's it. They felt the magic goo. Those just might be you use for life. Call it magic goo call it beloved community. I believe that part of what we're doing here at the core is about healing. Spiritual dislocation disconnection and human isolation. Coming together to help everyone know that each one matters. We together can do more than we ever dreamed possible. So. Let us savor. This day. Let us savor sunday sunday. Thank you all of you who have gone ahead and made those pledges and if you haven't yet done it see frank dupont and pop yours in that box. Not only will you make. The stewardship committee very happy. You will also make those were present next year and those who come next. Exceedingly happy. To be part of this beloved community. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

130714_bp_uuhymn.mp3

Welcome to the july 14th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. Today service is titled you you him sing. Convener bill patterson explain to format for the service. At the beginning of the podcast. Today's service is. Little bit different as you may have noticed if you. Peruzzi. Order of service. We're singing hymns today and i hope you enjoy singing these hymns. These hams will be introduced. They've been picked for. Certain. Reason maintenance. They've all been composed or. Music written at our land or the music written by unitarian. Universalist. These hands will be introduced as you can see by my your program. By various people. And we're off like. We're going to really enjoy the. I know i am. So i hope you will too. Hi bill patterson i'm the convener for the day. The first time that we're doing is number 347. Gaba the spirit. James scott. Who wrote this hymn creates and performs music that celebrates peace justice. Have europe. Dakota the celebrated miss ligaya. Earth mass and many other pieces with the paul winter consort. He's recorded many albums of original music. And collected and arranged. The earth and spirit songbook. And i'm pieology about hurting 10 songs of earth and peace. By many contemporary. Songwriters. So he wrote this song number 347. What you're saying that. If you wash them. Hospital. This is my very favorite hymn. And it's one that i have in my funeral file and if my survivors decide to have a funeral when i die. This is what i'd like to be sun. At the music is not catchy it's not the tissue tonight like. But i find the words are so moving and powerful. And that's why it means a lot to me. The words at the. The hammers you can see us as we come marching marching. And the words to our a poem that was written by james oppenheim. To celebrate the movement for women's rights. It was first published in the american magazine in 1911. And it's closely associated with the lawrence textile mill strike in 1912. During that strike of which was in protest for a reduction in pay. The women mill workers. Carried signs that quoted the palm reading we want bread and roses. So besides the strike lasted three months and was settled on terms that were generally favorable to the women workers they got pay increases they got time and a quarter for overtime and they got a promise for no discrimination against the strikers. The song has become an anthem for labor rights and especially for the rights of working women all over the world as well as the united states a couple of years ago our daughter in france was so excited she had heard this wonderful song and she emailed it to us saying we had to go online and look up the words because it was such great sign of course it was my song. But that's i say it has spread all over the world. But there is a backstory to this song as i said it was written by a man james oppenheim. But the troom the term bread and roses was first written by a woman. And it was written by someone named rose. Schneiderman who is a real activist. And it originated in a speech that she gave. In. The early early part of the century. She was one of the people who organized. The international garment workers the first woman's local union. And they organize the shirtwaist. Strike in 1909. She quickly became the most prominent member of the women's trade union league. And that was an organization that lent moral and financial support. Two organizing efforts of women workers. Shortly before the triangle shirtwaist fire. Which killed 146 workers. A fire in new jersey kill 25 workers. And she gave this speech at a memorial that was held for them at the metropolitan opera house. She said. What the woman who labors wants is the right to live. Not simply exist. The right to life as a rich woman has the right to life. And the sun and music and art. You have nothing that the humblest worker has not a right to have also. The worker must have bread. But she must have roses too. Help you women of privilege. Give her the ballot to fight with. Schneiderman was also a founding member of the aclu. And as i said a real activist. So. I believe that bread & roses speaks to the heart of us all. And it's him 109. All four verses because every verse has something meaningful. Say. Alright sweetie,. Ozweego. That's what you. As we come. Many of you have. Heard. The. You you choke but i'm going to repeat it just so that. Those who are new. Well. Be able to share it to. Why are unitarian-universalist such bad singers. Because we're always reading ahead to make sure we agree with the lines. Those of you who are new to this. To unitarian universalism or visiting us for the first time. May not know that part of being a uu is being. Very. Generally very strongly opinionated about social justice issues. And. Love will guide us is the song that. Kind of reminds us. To do. Our protesting with love. Sally rogers wrote the song but it is a very old melody. She wrote it for. To promote justice. Unity and peace. You will see peace has tried us. Some of us are very against war just like the quakers. And the line i like particularly is if you cannot sing like angels. Because i am i joined the choir and am. Somewhat. Not as. Milotic asbille. Soap. This is a quaker him and you you him and i'd hope that you would now join me in singing. 131 level guide. We'll sing all three verses. Even though first one in verse three repeat themselves. So you can make sure that you not only read the words but you sing them. Please rise. High school. Our next time is 130 23 123. And stephanie gilmore will. This this ham which we sing in almost every. Worship service here. And usually right at this point in the service. It's almost like. It was written as a prayer. By carolyn mcdade. With harmonization by grace lewis. Carolyn mcdade is a feminist. Activist. And songwriter. Who attends the uu community church. Boston. The website. Uu world. Dot-org. Has these words about this him. In six short line. Spirit of life. Just so much. That is centra. Compassion. Justice. Community. Freedom. Reverence for nature. It's fine. Common ground. Held by humanists. Atheists. Pagans. Buddhist. And jews. Gay and. You must stay seated for the. All those things all compound. I know we have. Tim 139. Introduced by. Please don't call this a hymn. Him. Is derived. From very ancient languages. And is sung for the praise and glory of god. So far what we have called him sis morning. We're not. Him's. I don't do him. In first grade i was told i was a listener. The teacher didn't want my croaking to spoil the harmony. Anyway. My favorite song in this book called him. Is wonders yet the world shall witness. You may have also noticed that i stand up. For the. I did stand up for bread and roses. It means a great deal to me for its history. At 92 i'm committed to remain seated. But the main reason is that i don't. Him. I enjoy this song for the thought it expresses. After almost a century. Yeah 92. I have seen an enormous changes in every aspect of human endeavor. But especially for my passion science. It was about 118 years ago. Exposition. Physicist. Declared that we knew everything about physics. It was only a question of red finding the measurements. Today on the contrary there was an ever-expanding horizon beyond with your incredible discoveries. Just waiting for bigger. More powerful. What's smaller mother actual machine. Expected to come online next year. Or the next day. I am reminded of that old camp songs the bear went over the mountain. And what do you think he saw. He's so another mountain. And what do you think he did. The bear went over the mountain and this goes on and on and on until everybody just collapses laughing. There was a time when i resented that i would be deprived of the knowledge still to be gained after i left. When i'm gone there will be no i to know what the i am will be missing. And so there was jacob traps him. To express. Wonders yet the world shall witness. Jacob trap was a unitarian minister. In 1930 he was serving in salt lake city. Where in 1938. He married my isabel's father and mother. He wrote this. Him. In 1932. Aftra peace rally in salt lake city. His last ministry was in summit new jersey. Where he died at the age of 93. And now bill. Excuse. What is yet. The world shall witness. Biking martin. As always for you. My brilliant,. 1. When. Bird shop. 4. And that was him number 119 or song number 19. Wish to call it. Once to every soul and nation and. Once to every. Solon nation. Is one of the first examples of the social gospel. And i called action within a him. The text was written by james russell lowell in 1845. They were a bit more than a fifth of a. How much longer work the present. Right choice in front of the u.s.. Was war with me. And the concert. Expansion westward. Slavery. James russell lowell was a unitarian. A literary critic. Professor. And first editor. 50 years later on the eve of our second. Imperial war. The quoted lines were set to a contemporary welsh. Kimchi. The result. A him that stars yet. It still calls us us as a nation. Tough choices. And just. There is a legend. Let's just chill. Just found. On the beach. And so sometimes. Tone e. Orbitel. You might stand for. 1. I know stephanie will. Pill number 170. This this. We are a champ. Speaks. 2. A lot of the experiences i had growing up in. Northern. California it's written by holly near. A singer and songwriter. Ukiah. Which is. Just on the edge. She she started. Performing in. And. Think that there must. Been something. Or the water. Because those. X. There were times of protest that. Coming together. For social action. There were two. When we believe. We could make a difference. Anyway holly near combines hershey still. She combines her music with. For social. And she writes many of her songs in response. And socialism. She was in the cast of the music. Park. The whole cow. Asylum. And wrote the song. And respond. She was part of the. Free the army. Touring with jane fonda. Holly wrote we are a gentle. In response to the murder. 1978. Of harvey milk. A gay man. The singer prince. It was recorded on. So this is. Well i sing. I think we. Do that we have the time. And i think. I would make me. If nobody objects. I think we should stand for this. Or song if you wish to call it that. We are. Singing. We are young. We. And we are singing. Now sharon day again two will introduce the last two. The next. Him we're going to sing really is. And come. And comes from the christian religious tradition. It's him number 21 for the beauty of the earth. Actually the last to him. Address ourselves. The interdependent web of. But a little a little. Church history on the. Was written by. Bollocks. The words were. Follett. Which. But song for many years. All chris. Denominator. Of which unitarians. Where christian denomination. Started out. Refrain. Christ our god. Tv we raised. This our hymn. Wakeful pray. Unity. Did not believe. In the tripart. They believe. In one god. Christ. Our god. Was tom whatever. An anathema. It was just. So the words were. 2. Reflect. Lord of all. It morphed. However. During the women's movement as women came to. That. A god figure was neither male nor female. A god figure wouldn't. Literally only. For lorde. The wording changed. Tubi. Source. Which is more income. This is one of the hams that i remember for my. My parents. Where moravian. Pennsylvania where i was. In. Winston-salem. There. One of the original moravian set. But when we move to around. Chicago. The word no moravian. One of the things about moravia. It released. Mind going. To visit is. @chris. Time. Communion would be. Hot cocoa. On easter sunday there would. Trombone. At sunrise. In. So. Stories. I remember. Presbyterian church. Another child i remember jesus. Which i don't think. And then my mother. 32a messages. And for the beauty of the earth. Was one of the him. We sang there and. Play remember. I would invite you to stand up and. Enjoyed. Celebrate the. Of our world around us. Hymn number 21 for the beauty of the earth. Please be seated. We're going to do just a few minutes of talk back. Or. Whatever. There are many hymns that are favorites of people. That we didn't get to. Dedo's colors. Both in english and in spanish was recommended. Domino's. Possum. Dona nobis pachem with another one. We heart we didn't touch. This hymnal it all. And this is our newest. Songbook. Some of them are him some of them are song. Actually even in our hymnal. Some of the. The hymns are. We have a cat stevens. I don't know. I just like as a member of the worship. To hear. Did you enjoy doing this. Would you like to do this some other time. Are there hymns. You didn't get to. And. What do you think about the idea of. A sunday during the. Maybe around. New year's. Call out. Sunday. We are. We just come and whoever has a favorite hymn calls out. And we think that one. Let me open this up for. I love doing this and i have some favorites. We would be one. And i make channel. I like the idea of the call-out although. Jared's pretty good. For whatever reason i just love rounds. You don't need them all the time cuz and they lose their power but. I would. I'm just throwing that out there not just for this kind of service but just in general but i think. Play powerful specially divide. Bye. Denver. Higher lower. Along the. Change. Our language. A hymn. Crazy. Learning. I like this service and i am one of the ones who does like singing hymns but listening to. More about how the hymns were written or what they mean to people. Play enjoyable and enlightening to me. And even my favorite him i didn't know all that. About it i. Really i've always loved the words and i'd seen that was written by a man but it really made me feel good when i. Found out the bread and roses that line was. Written by a woman. Yeah great labor leader and you do all the right stuff. So i also have other him that i like and there's some really nice ones in the teal hymnbook like. Blue boat home. I'd like to sing that so there's lots of ones that. No more about and sing and the call-out would be okay with me but i thought. Something to hear what people have to say about various him. Like that again next. I would like to second what isabella. I enjoy the singing i love this. And of all of our boy. Just mingling to go. Very grateful. Sing louder than me. But. I really enjoyed. Hearing. The history. The meaning that. And i think that was really into. Cement for the call-out. Fun but. I think it would be missing that part. My name is rick matthews and i'm a morning person. Mention cats.. I'm going to third fourth fifth pretty much what everybody else's said now let us seeing is one of my favorites but that's hard to do in a smaller group. I think. Get this exact. I'm service with maybe some different songs. Choir helping out. In the fall would be. My name is franklin marino. And the one song i didn't hear. Which used to be the. Unitarian theme song was our number 38 and i songbook. Cold morning has broken. Oh you said that i miss that. I was working in the. Sorry. But i think it's sort of fell out of favor after it became popular. It was some popular singer recorded it and then i never heard it very much anymore after that and you you churches. I mean c norton and i also very much enjoy the service when we first started coming to a uu church. I thought one of the things i really miss. Ar. Lots and lots of beautiful. Songs or hymns. And now i realize we do have. From our own tradition lots and lots of beautiful. And maybe we could do a compromise if you want to call out of him come prepared to talk about. My bonnie wall levacy. I think i third fourth fifth 100/58 most of the people. But this is one of my favorite service. Because i really like to sing hymns and i really like. We have lot of women are services. Appendicular. What i missed this morning while i'd like to see if it's things like enter rejoice and come in that spirit. That thing that you would find in what we might work all the evangelical churches. That's that's important and i miss that part of her. Don blanchard i just i just have to agree with dick on that because i actually love that song i was once in a. Unitarian church that they started every service with it. That type of jumping is. And the song is really nice. Another. Agreement with thick luke on that issue of really happy songs. And along those lines maybe we. Can we combine two are two books. There are from. Traditions. Thank you very much for all your comments. We appreciate it and it sounds like we may think some more. Let us finish. Where. Ar. Blast him. For the earth forever turning. Which is number. 163k moller road. This him for paul winters mesa gala. And just like the nazi it was. Gather the spirit was also part of that earth mat. So this is been a reasonably. Popular tune for many years in our congregation. Keasling road a ballad yearning for one more landing on the globe that gave us birth. May we rest our eyes on the fleecy skies and cool green hills of earth. He shaped this inspiration into verse. Complete this lyrical him. Joe. Please join me in 163. May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. The rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again. May god hold you in the in the palm of his hand. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting. Located in blah. Virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At uuc and rv. org.

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141123_yruu_gratitude.mp3

Welcome to the november 23rd service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. Today's service is led by the congregations high school age youth group. The why are you you. The title of the presentation is gratitude. In several members of the group share their thoughts. When i was younger i used to look forward to this time of year a lot. I love the snow the three with the presents the whole holiday season. As a little kid that's what i was grateful for mostly the food in the presents. As i've grown up and learned more i've realized how much i took for granted. I always assumed that my family would be there. Now around the holiday season i look forward to seeing family getting to spend precious time with them something that i now know i don't always have. As i've grown up i've left the gratefulness for chocolate candy and presents behinds and it become extremely grateful to have the opportunity to spend that time with my family. Some of my favorite memories are over winter break when my family and i sit around the table drinking tea and playing cards 4 hours something that i used to think was dumb and boring when i was younger. As you grow up and learn and mature. But you are grateful and thankful for it changes to fit your aspects online. Alright. I'm back. I decided the best way to do this was to just make a list of. And i'd only did five-time obeying my own rules. Alright. I'm thankful for my two best friends whom i referred to as mom and dad. For being there for me being there for me to tell anything to and i mean everything. At any hour of the day sorry for waking you up at 2 a.m. every now and then to talk. Thank you for always knowing what to say how did guide me. But knowing how to guide me through the good and the bad and what i need when and leslie thanks for supporting my dreams even when they're crazy it's rare to have parents like you. Temperature. I'm thankful for my friends who are there for me when i need them to make me laugh and give me advice and support when i need it. I'm thankful for my teachers some who i can even call my friends. Mr. thomas. Thank you for believing in me even when i don't believe in myself. You give me hope and i'm so incredibly grateful for all your support in my endeavors. And before. I'm thankful to grow up in such a beautiful place to such beautiful people. To be able to look out the window and see beautiful sunsets every day to experience all the seasons to their fullest capacity. I'm thankful for the people in community who inspire me. + 5. Thankful for my youth group why are you for being a place i can come to talk to you about anyting. And for being there to tease me and my stupid moments praise me and my smart ones. Rarely i stay full for the people that i can truly be all forms of myself around. Next. Ben. I'm done. Hello. Okay. We can learn a lot about gratitude for my dogs. I think that people have pets because they offer unconditional love and gratitude. Dogs of the most obvious and expressing their appreciation for humans. They greet you at the door each day like they haven't seen you in a year. Calcium cool seem too cool to care when you come home but later you will find they have brought you a dead mouse as an offering. Dogs are not judgmental they don't care if you can't sing they're always there for you no matter what mood you are in. I've always loved dogs. One of my first memories is when i visit visited my grandma when i was three and all the dogs in the community followed me around as if i was their alpha. Now i have two dogs angie a ten-year-old flat-coated retriever and marley a three-year-old chihuahua pug mix also known as a chug. I also have a big maine coon cat named tori. It was marley that help me get better when i was really sick back in sixth grade she's just a puppy but she gave me hope. I started volunteering at an animal shelter for friends of animal care. And control several. Years ago. Eyeworks. The concession stand at a football and basketball game. I collect food for the dogs and i go on saturdays to walk and play with them. It is the dogs at the shelter that really remind me about being thankful for what we have adopted shelter pets always seems incredibly thankful. Dogs are grateful when you spend time with them and take care of them isn't this all we need from each other. I think we can learn a lot from our pets about gratitude. Practice unconditional love be non-judgmental be grateful for what you have. As the saying goes wag more bark less. I'm not grateful very often i don't really think about how much work it took me to get me where i am today. And i wish that. I wish that wasn't true. I wish i was grateful everyday for everything. But today i have a chance to show you that i am grateful for at least one thing. For the short. of time i can share with you my gratitude. I believe that the thing that i'm most grateful for is my pear. They put forward in a room or miss effort to raise me and my brother. Give me the people we are today. They took our malibu baby minds imprinted on them what they thought to be. Be nice. Be smart. Read often and go to bed early. They tried to make it the best we could be and i hope we make them. I hope we can be the reward after all that work. And i hope that my gratitude. Can you part of that. So now it's a follow that. Cuz i started to think about gratitude and. Just the service. Do you think stood out to me for what i was grateful for. I got through as i go through the journey that is high school. I started freshman year with a. Been getting are salmonella and arthritis. Leaving me miss almost a month of school and i had to take finals. Is that walked of shame to go into school everybody else is leaving. Stop while you're ahead more signius i miss more school i had to take finals again. I'm in as i stand is out as i'm getting close to the halfway point. Of junior i've only missed like 2 days inn. I've gotten really appreciate i'm grateful for the education that has been set up for me and everybody had the great teachers mr. thomas. And art are good amazing school and just an amazing system there. My mom and dad. Are my pit crew. Good pic crew of course. They help me when i have a crash this for me they give me advice. And they're available and need to talk. It's only a fool. Food. To make sure the necessary things are attended to homework. Telepractice. And it's for my choices i'm so grateful. For all that they do for me. And my friends. Specialist youth group. Check in for me is his amazing time. We have every week you can go and you can say anything you can say. Everything that's on your mind can say one thing. And sage. Like the interruption in grace likes dishwasher and. Sorry. I have taylor who. She really want me to call her out but. She's she's been there for me for almost a year now and i am. Always will be grateful for her and everything that she's contributing. Gratitude is something that. Sometimes doesn't really thought about a lot. And i know i definitely hadn't. So. Once i did i realize that there's a lot of people in life things that i'm grateful for. And this week leading up to thanksgiving and. I was introduced to this. Church. Congregation. Bye. I didn't really have. I was never associated with any church or anything my parents work a lot and. They never had time to. Get me. Affiliated with a church. So. It meant a lot to me when. Hank and induce me to this place. I never knew that this. Place really existed. But very sheltered when it came to different churches and. Religion. Image it meant a lot to me when he introduced me. Gratitude. Appreciation. Thankful. No matter what words you use. It all means the same thing. Grateful for friends and family whether we get along or not. Having gratitude means many different things. When i think about gratitude i think the word. Opportunities. Like hank said are you going. I met him we got to know each other and. One thing we mainly talked about was religion. I was very grateful to be included. In the. First year of youth group. I never had them. Anybody to talk to you know. And it was just nice to. Get to know more people and. What's good. I'm also grateful for. The time my mom does have time for me when she's busy working and. Providing for the family. We always go to kroger and. Sit in the parking lot at midnight and we just talk about school cuz it's stressful. I'm grateful for all the cats and the dogs i have. Grateful for. The homework i have because. Helps with learning and i have. A lot of learning disabilities.. Make school hard on me i am thankful for my friends that help me with the homework. It's what i'm trying to say is that. Coming here to the service i often listen to as i'm. Sitting out in the bake sale in a lot to me. Because i never. Never had this before. Thank you for listening. Gratitude seems to be one of the last emotions to develop in a person. Like. The last last last one. If you can really call in a motion that doesn't really have the same deep-rooted primal factor that like happy and sad do. Gratitude is something that people kind of develop as they go along and realize that not everyone has a unique and beautiful flower. That got really sad for a second there but i didn't i didn't mean that. Is it when your. Tiny in an elementary school in middle school like that. Nothing you do can really mess up your future like. Hurt the people around you hurt yourself her. Anything everything. Everyone kind of has a clean slate it's just when you get older and then you give her abilities. And people tended to depend on you more you have a larger ability to mess up there's more margin of error. So you get really really grateful for the people that are there for you when you're lost. In between the years of 7th and 8th grade and then. 8th and 9th grade. I moved first from kansas to myrtle beach and then from myrtle beach to. To hear. And so myrtle beaches in south carolina so. Probably did cuz you're all very amazing people. Anyways. When you get into high school and stuff. And things start to matter more do grades matter more and the people around you matter more who you associate with yourself. It's all. It's all going to be affecting you another people. I don't know how it is wraparound but when i reach the point when i realized. I had to be grateful for people that cared for me. I developed kind of a sense of false independence. I thought that i wouldn't need anyone probably because i am with moving over and over again and i just thought that everyone would. Just kind of fade away into the thousand miles away again but. It was kind of the force that drove me is that i don't need your help anyway the kind of. Drove me into kind of a sad and lonely place. And then when i moved here i. Slowly but surely started making a group of friends again and. I'm at emily and she showed me the church stuff. I'd never. Really. And part of any religious affiliation at all ever. Am i good sense. Against unified bludgeon but not really against it just kind of. Choosing an instapot. Anyways i'm really grateful for all of my new friends i've made here ends the church and emily and my parents and my family. Good morning. Start off with a quote. Timezone is mckendall by sparks. Youtuber skin has cause to think with deep gratitude. Go by album. Schweitzer. So originally my service going to be very short and brief. But. Monopoly. Hearing everyone's. Story about gratitude and. Family i've been. Thinking about it a lot about it. So. I'm very nervous. If you haven't realized. Iso. Gratitude was a big part of my life. Because. A lot. Sorry. For me. I want beer. She wasn't. Thanks to the other group members. For making this year easier on me because this is my first year. Virginia. Buy used to live here. My mom lived in the. But she was in the navy. And i. Keybank. Linda. Yeah this is been really rough with the. Passing my uncle one. A lot of thing. Start all day. Creepy it reason. Emotional. Stubby's. Just want to thank you. Thank my mom over there. Being a. An amazing person. Giving me a lot of memories. I also want to thank god. Motor brother. For being there my whole life. Cher laughing. I'm at like two fools and. Together we are just. Musketeers. Be long time. One thing my dog poodles. Greengate. Even when he. A perfect. It's also a whole bunch of other people want to thank. Sexy my brother and my mom. Being there for me my whole life. Guiding me and making me the man i am. Thanks my. The rest of my family. He got to me along as well. Helping me keep a lot of memories. Thanks everyone. Have an amazing. Well. I don't even think i could follow that fight break. Well i really haven't come here enough quite frankly. But i'm a senior high school and just as i kind of prepare for the. Next step in my life i would just really realize how grateful i am and. Been formulaic add-ons like whatever and elsa singing i just like. Cross every spectrum my life i've just been so grateful. Shut up mr t again i'd like to embarrass him more. He really struggled with a two years of having me in his class. Passion fruit like stem. I'm not cry. Victoria my other mom. You see i'm flushing the water in my eyes. And just like everyone else in this congregation who is. Alex. And i also think that youth group who have allowed me to really makes me a lot of weird stuff in the name of having fun during the service i like to consider myself the game astron faces why are you. And some of them don't really like me that much anymore for that reason because they eat a lot of weird canned foods and baby food. Little girl i'm just really grateful to stand up here in front of you guys say. Well. For the fall service maybe. This is usually behind spring service cuz that's cuz i want to first bank because it's really hard to come out in front of you all today. End. They wrote speeches. There's only a little bit of frantic this morning. And. Baby that's really great. So he kind of. Stole my reactive arthritis story. But. I spent. 4 years or 3 years so far in the youth group and looking up to the leaders. And. Thinking of them as role models and just. They had it all together sometime. But. I'm so thankful to be able to view youth group leader and try to leave my little print. In the youth group i think it's a really great opportunity. I'm really excited that i've had. It so far and i can't wait to finish it. But today i want to talk about. How we say thank you i just like a response. It's. A reflex. When someone opens the door for you you say thank you but you really mean it. And then. When someone says something really big happens you say thank you so much and you don't even know how to express it because that word hasn't become anything anymore it's just a reflex. So what i'm trying to say is that. When someone goes out of their way to open the door for you or pasta salad. They did go out of their way so does that deserve a real thank you instead of just a know thanks. So then when we say thank you for those little things. Thank you for the big things counts because the word has more meaning. End. I would encourage you all. Fuse that. To think about thank you even in the smallest things. Expressing your gratitude for smaller things makes a bigger things more important. I have to say there's a lot of things i'm grateful for. I don't think i could. Justify getting up here and not saying thank you. To my mom. 24 the first nine years of my life. It was. Just me and her. Doing whatever it took to. Have food in our stomachs and. A roof overhead and. For most of the time heating. Couple times without it but. That happens. Also. I love. Yeah to think my family but. I learned that family isn't just. The people who. Your family's been married into or your blood related with. The family i really want to thank. The congregation here. My youth group. Members. Behind me. I'm really grateful for the fact that. From the past three years of coming here. I know. Without a doubt in my mind. That if i'm ever. To sleep. Start to fall. I have. All these wonderful people here. That are willing to catch me. And to help me through any tough time. That i have. Into the members that aren't here today. I know. From getting to know them over the past years. That they were always there for me too. Really important that i knew that and i'm. More. Ungrateful. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. Uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

130804_ess-cuups_lammas.mp3

Welcome to the august 4th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by the earth spirit sisters. And cups. Do you see chapter of the covenant of unitarian universalist pagans. Good morning and welcome. Thanks for joining us for our lammas ritual. We're going to start out with. Gather round the harvest table chant it's on the greensheet in your order a service. Hazard call to service this morning. Okay well i'll go through it once and then when do it together 3 times. Our hands will work for peace and justice. Our hands will work to heal the land. Gather around the harvest table. Join the feast and bless this land. Our hands will work for peace and justice our hands will work to heal the land. Gather around the harvest table. Join the feast and bless this land our hands will work for peace and justice. Our hands will work. To heal the land. Harvest table. Join the feast and bless this land. Our hands will work for peace and justice. Our hands will work. To heal those hand. Gather the harvest table. Join the feast and plus this land. Hello. And diana zaldivar. This is asha. We're here on behalf of cups and earth spirits sisters. Welcome. To the celebration of our harvest. Service is an endeavor of the covenant. Of cups. Which is. The unit. Covenant of unitarian universalist pagan group. And the earth spirits sisters. The mission of cops is to provide education about earth-based spiritual traditions. To offer regular celebrations of the cycles of nature. To seek the profound. In the mundane. And to commune with the sacred. Please stand if you remember of cups. We welcome you all. Thank you. Earth spirit sisters. Is a spirit-filled community. Of sisters. Supporting each other with love and respect. Creating safe sacred spaces in which we share rituals and celebrate milestone. We honor our sisters with love and trust. As we share our journeys and we see cartridge. We are spirited women who honor many earth days traditions. While we are affiliated with the unitarian universalist congregation of blacksburg virginia. And often hold rituals at the uuc it is not necessary to belong to the uuc. In order to attend our earth spirit miss sisters meetings and rituals. Our membership is open. To all who seek sisterhood and desire deeper understanding. And spiritual awareness. Of ancient earth. Please and if you remember the earth spirits sisters. We welcome you. Thank you so much for for this endeavor and especially for ashley who's done so much organized. Wellness marks the beginning of autumn on the modern celtic calendar and honors the cycles of the natural world. This is the time of the first fruiting. When many plants begin to drop their seeds. The green is ready for harvest but in order to be harvested it must be cut down. In the spring it will rise again. The english figure of john barleycorn personifies this harvest. The song son of john barleycorn can be graphic in their description of his sacrifice and triumphant in his return. And growing strength throughout the spring and summer. Only two beginning to cycle a new in autumn. This holiday is also associated with the irish god lou the blank one. The master of all the arts and crafts. Lou had a foster mother 22 whose name comes from a word meaning great one of the earth. Is she dying from exhaustion after clearing a great forest so that the land could be cultivated. And that's her foster sign. Dedicated the harvest festival to her as her funeral games. Legends of lu say that he earned his title at when he knocked on the door of the great feast of the gods at tara and was refused entry. Over and over. Preskil after skill they already had a smith a poet a warrior of person who did this thing or that and so they had no need of lou until finally he said. Do you have someone who can do all of these. The answer was no and the door was open. And so while we celebrate the harvest. We also remember the perseverance of lou. Do not. Until he was given a place at the table. We2. Are worthy. And we deserve a place at the harvest. If there are any children in the sanctuary today who would like to see the pic. Of the story that i'm about to read about lou and llamas. You can come up and sit on the floor. The story of about to read is a series of books are two of them one is for the light half. Year and one is for the dark half. Dear delight half being beltane. Midsummer and mabon. And then the dark half being. Asawin. You're in bulkhead. And rupert is a little bitty rabbit. Who's winning who these weird people are who keep coming into his forest. And it started at beltane and he sat upon the hill and watched. And then it midsummer he was hiding under a log and watching. And now he's getting really really brave. Rupert the rabbit today felt very bold. He was sitting your woman who looks very old. Never heading ventured so near to those people who often came to celebrate here. They came here from time-to-time to this very place. This clearing that look like around kind of space. He learned some things about what they did and why from a white owl and a pretty fair if you could fly. This time he thought he'd learned something of his own so he kept very close feeling scared down to his bones. The woman was sitting in the shade of a cypress tree. With children all around her as quiet as could be. Rupert has seen girls and boys just like these before. They'd all been playing and making noise galore. Been here they were gathered all together three girls and two boys. Sitting still not switching your twisting or making any noise. The old woman had a long braid of hair that was gray and rupert was eager to learn what she had to say. There are many wrinkles around her kind eyes. He heard people call her a crone and stacy was wise. And if you look in the picture. Lamas is the time. For many things she began you can celebrate forever. However you want a yes you can. There are those who remember the sun king named blue. His power begins to waken to weekend now just like it's supposed to. After the solstice of summer has passed us by. His presence in words slowly fades from the sky. And so summer sad this time he's here thinking of the cold to come and some will shed tears. There are those two who remember days filled with the sun. But with laughter and love and long days of fun. So no matter if you cry or laugh whatever you choose to do. Remember there are many who honor the god named lou. What about all the bread as the boy giving river to start. In the corn in the weed in the nuts and the apple tart. The children started asking questions left and right. Other noise-making ribeiro tremble with fright. Hush my children. Herschel you girls and you boys. I'll answer your questions when you stop making noise. Do the old woman was wise it was true. She knew exactly what to say and what to do. Rupert was happy she kept the children in hand because he too wanted to understand. Remember i told you the mamas is the time for anything. Why this festival is famous for all the blessings that brings. Yes it's solstices behind us that much is true you've all had a summer with long days and many things to do. And now that autumn is coming with his fingers of cold the days of begin to shorten as the year starts to turn old. This is the time of the harvest the old woman continue to explain. A time to gather the fruit the nets and all of the grain. But what about the corn. A girl with blue eyes wanted to know my father says it's the most sacred thing we grow. Do things with planter secret the crone agreed with a knot. So long as we remember to give thanks to the goddess and god. But i'll answer your question the one that you did. To give thanks for all the things we grow that is our task. Now's the time for the harvest when we reap what we sow. The time to pick them plug and pick up all the things we've grown. Limas is the first harvest of 3. This festival of grain. Then maybe not in friendly salad as the wheel of turn white. Weather wheels near winstar. A time to my little one she said to give thanks for all we hold dear and to remember all the blessings we've had through the year. And so we said especial deicide when everyone prays and sings. To tell the lord and lady remember these wondrous things. Together we bake bread of wheat and corn or rye we make dolls build fires till stories and we laugh and we cry. So off you go the woman said she wearing them away. Do help each other find special ways to celebrate this day. Repeat that the kind of woman just might have it right it was good to remember all that was special as the day faded in tonight. There would be shorter days and longer nights ahead but now's the time of celebration justice leckrone lady set. And you my little friend she said turning to look his way. Have you learned what you wanted to on this very special day. Buford wasn't really surprised when she turned her face. He learned that the god and goddess word only in one place. Twisted long brown ears giving her a little battle. She smiled and said you better hurry along now. The grass of a clover won't always be this green and sweet. Then she surprised him by holding out an. It was a carrot she held in the palm of her hand. Probably the biggest one in all of the way. Be the lessons you learned always serve you well. Then she was gone. Andrew b heard between. There's magic canoe and such that forgiving. And hope. You keep learning as long as he. Alright i'd like you to join me in another chance it's in your green insert. Number to hough and horn. Hoof and horn husband home. Van horn husband home. All black. Shelby reborn corn and grain. Hoof and horn all that shall be reborn. We are now going to do what we have called sharing bread together this is a bread service. We will pass the bread that we have in these baskets. And they'll be brought around kind of similar to how we do the offering you'll pass the bread to your neighbor. As you do we will say the words may you reach the blessings of the harvest. You can take a piece of bread for yourself and as you eat the bread please remember that this grain once swayed in the wind. It was growing in soil made from the rock of the earth. And the remnants of plants and animals who lived long ago and not so long ago. This grain was watered with rain and this bread contains the rushing waters of the rivers in the ocean. The screen is filled with the fiery energy of the sun the heat of the oven in the work of many hands. Your gift. Freely offered. Are gratefully received. As we enjoy the bounty of the harvest. We have to give back. And share with one another. In celebration. How's that. Will do the 3rd chant. That's in your on your green sheet. Free the hard time let it go. What we reap is what we sow. Free the heart and that'd go. What we reap what we sow. The heart and let it go. What we reap is what we sow. Free the heart and magic. What we reap is what we sow. When despair for the world grows in me and i wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives maybe. I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not text their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of stillwater. And i feel about me the day blind stars waiting with their light. For a time i rest in the grace of the world. And i am free. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org. Welcome to the august 5th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by the earth spirit sisters. And cups. The uuc chapter of the covenant of unitarian universalist pagans. Good morning and welcome. Thanks for joining us for our lammas ritual. We're going to start out with. Gather around the harvest table chant it's on the greensheet in your order a service. Hazard call to service this morning. Okay well i'll go through it once and then when do it together 3 times. Our hands will work for peace and justice. Our hands will work to heal the land. Gather around the harvest table. Join the feast and bless this land. Our hands will work for peace and justice our hands will work to heal the land. Harvest table. Join the feast and bless this land our hands will work for peace and justice. Our hands will work. To heal the land. Harvest table. Join the feast and bless this land. Ayhan's will send justice. Our hands will work. To heal those hand. Gather the harvest table. Join the feast and bless this land. Hello. And diana zaldivar. This is asha. We're here on behalf of cups and earth spirits sisters. Welcome. To the celebration of our harvest. Service is an endeavor of the covenant. Of cups. Which is. The unit. Covenant of unitarian universalist pagan group. And the earth spirits sisters. The mission of cops is to provide education about earth-based spiritual traditions. To offer regular celebrations of the cycles of nature. To seek the profound. In the mundane. And to commune with the sacred. Please stand if you remember of cups. We welcome you all. Thank you. Earth spirit sisters. Is a spirit-filled community. Of sisters. Supporting each other with love and respect. Creating safe sacred spaces in which we share rituals and celebrate milestone. We honor our sisters with love and trust. As we share our journeys and we see cartridge. We are spirited women who honor many earth-based traditions. While we are affiliated with the unitarian universalist congregation of blacksburg virginia. And often hold rituals at the uuc it is not necessary to belong to the uuc. In order to attend our earth spirit miss sisters meetings and rituals. Our membership is open. To all who seek sisterhood and desire deeper understanding. And spiritual awareness. Of ancient earth. Please and if you remember the earth spirits sisters. We welcome you. Thank you so much for for this endeavor and especially for ashley who's done so much organized. Guaymas marks the beginning of autumn on the modern celtic calendar and honors the cycles of the natural world. This is the time of the first fruiting. When many plants begin to drop their seeds. The green is ready for harvest but in order to be harvested it must be cut down. In the spring it will rise again. The english figure of john barleycorn personifies this harvest. The song son of john barleycorn can be graphic in their description of his sacrifice and triumphant in his return. And growing strength throughout the spring and summer. Only two beginning to cycle a new in autumn. This holiday is also associated with the irish god lou the bright one. The master of all the arts and crafts. Lou had a foster mother 22 whose name comes from a word meaning great one of the earth. Is she dying from exhaustion after clearing a great forest so that the land could be cultivated. And that's her foster son luke. Dedicated the harvest festival to her as her funeral games. Legends of blue say that he earned his title when he knocked on the door of the great feast of the gods at tara and was refused entry. Over and over. Preskil after skill they already had a smith a poet a warrior of person who did this thing or that and so they had no need of lou until finally he said. Do you have someone who can do all of these. The answer was no and the door was open. And so while we celebrate the harvest. We also remember the perseverance of lou. Who knocked. Until he was given a place at the table. We2. Are worthy. And we deserve a place at the harvest. If there are any children in the sanctuary today who would like to see the pic. Of the story that i'm about to read about lou and llamas. You can come up and sit on the floor. The story of about to read is a series of books are two of them one is for the light half. Year and one is for the dark half. Dear delight half being beltane. Midsummer and mabon. And then the dark half being. Asawin. You're involved in. And rupert is a little bitty rabbit. Who's ordering who these weird people are who keep coming into his forest. And it started at beltane and he sat upon the hill and watched. And then it midsummer he was hiding under a log and watching. And now he's getting really really brave. Rupert the rabbit today felt very bold. He was sitting near a woman who looks very old. Never heady ventured so near to those people who often came to celebrate here. They came here from time-to-time to this very place. This clearing that looks like a round kind of space. He learned some things about what they did and why from a white owl and a pretty fair if you could fly. This time he thought he'd learned something of his own so he kept very close feeling scared down to his bones. The woman was sitting in the shade of a cypress tree. With children all around her as quiet as could be. Rupert has seen girls and boys just like these before. They'd all been playing and making noise galore. Been here they were gathered all together three girls and two boys. Sitting still not switching your twisting or making any noise. The old woman had a long braided hair that was gray and rupert was eager to learn what she had to say. There are many wrinkles around her kind eyes. He heard people call her a crone and stacy was wise. And if you look in the picture. Lamas is the time. For many things she began you can celebrate forever. However you want a yes you can. There are those who remember the sun king named blue. His power begins to waken to weekend now just like it's supposed to. After the solstice of summer has passed us by. His presence in words slowly phase from the sky. And so summer sad this time he's here thinking of the cold to come and some will shed tears. There are those to remember days filled with the sun. But with laughter and love and long days of fun. So no matter if you cry or laugh whatever you choose to do. Remember there are many who honor the god named lou. What about all the bread as the boy giving river to start. In the corn in the weed in the nuts and the apple tart. This children started asking questions left and right. Other noise-making ruperto tremble with fright. Hush my children. Herschel you girls and you boys. I'll answer your questions when you stop making noise. Show the old woman was wise it was true. She knew exactly what to say and what to do. Rupert was happy she kept the children in hand because he too wanted to understand. Remember i told you lamas is a time for many things. Why this festival is famous for all the blessings it brings. Yes it's solstices behind us that much is true you've all had a summer with long days and many things to do. And now that autumn is coming with his fingers of cold the days of begin to shorten as the year starts to turn old. This is the time of the harvest the old woman continue to explain. A time to gather the fruit the nets and all of the grain. But what about the corn. A girl with blue eyes wanted to know my father says it's the most sacred thing we grow. Do things with planter secret the crone agreed with a knot. So long as we remember to give thanks to the goddess and god. But i'll answer your question the one that you did. To give thanks for all the things we grow that is our task. Now's the time for the harvest when we reap what we sow. The time to pick them plug and dig up all the things we've grown. Limas is the first harvest of 3. This festival of grain. Then maybe not in friendly salad as the wheel of turn white. Whether we love your winstar. A time to my little one she said to give thanks for all we hold dear and to remember all the blessings we've had through the year. And so we said especial deicide when everyone prays and sings. To tell the lord and lady remember these wondrous things. Together we bake bread of wheat and corn or rye we make dolls build fires till stories and we laugh and we cry. So off you go the woman said she weaned them away. Do help each other find special ways to celebrate this day. Repeat that the kind of woman just might have it right it was good to remember all that was special as the day faded in tonight. There would be shorter days and longer nights ahead but now's the time of celebration justice leckrone lady said. And you my little friend she said turning to look his way. Have you learned what you wanted to on this very special day. Buford wasn't really surprised when she turned her face. He learned that the god and goddess weren't only in one place. Twisted long brown ears giving her a little battle. She smiled and said you better hurry along now. The grass of a clover won't always be this green and sweet. Then she surprised him by holding out an. It was accurate she held in the palm of her hand. Probably the biggest one in all of the way. Be the lessons you learned always serve you well. Then she was gone. Andrew b heard that. There's magic he knew and such thoughtful giving. And hope. You keep learning as long as he. Alright i'd like you to join me in another chance it's in your green insert. Number to hough and horn. Hoof and horn husband home i'll be reborn. Van horn husband home. Pablo. Shelby reborn corn and grain corn. Hoof and horn. We are now going to do what we have called sharing bread together this is a bread service. We will pass the bread that we have in these baskets. And they'll be brought around kind of similar to how we do the offering you'll pass the bread to your neighbor. As you do we will say the words may you reap the blessings of the harvest. You can take a piece of bread for yourself and as you eat the bread please remember that this grain once swayed in the wind. It was growing in soil made from the rock of the earth. And the remnants of plants and animals who lived long ago and not so long ago. This grain was watered with rain and this bread contains the rushing waters of the rivers in the ocean. The screen is filled with the fiery energy of the sun the heat of the oven in the work of many hands. Your gift. Freely offered. Are gratefully received. As we enjoy the bounty of the harvest. We have to give back. And share with one another. In celebration. Of that. Will do the 3rd chant. That's in your on your green sheet. Free the hard time and let it go. What we reap is what we sow. Free the heart annotated go. What we reap is what we sow. The heart and let it go. What we reap is what we sow. Free the heart and magic. What we reap is what we sow. When despair for the world grows in me and i wake in the night at the least sound and fear of what my life and my children's lives maybe. I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not text their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of stillwater. And i feel about me the day blind stars waiting with their life. For a time i rest in the grace of the world. And i am free. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website at uuc and rv. org.

uucnrv_org

141019_bp_well-behaved-women.mp3

Welcome to the october 19th service at the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by rev dr betty powell. And her servant is titled. Well-behaved women. Seldom make history. The podcast begins with the reading by worship associate ellen plummer. Today's reading. It's from a book. Written by sue monk. Kid. The title of this book. Is the dance of the dissident. Daughter. And of course like any good academic there's a colon. In the title. A woman's journey from christian. Tradition. To the sacred feminine. The dance of the dissident. Daughter. One day. Finding myself at a luncheon with a male. Episcopal priest. I bravely. And maybe even naively. Explained my feelings about women in the church. He patted my hand. He said. It's counterproductive to get hung up on side issues like that. And. Of discussion. Autumn came. I kept trying. But sunday after sunday i sat in church feeling a little like the dutch boy with his finger plugging the dam. It seemed like i was holding back a reservoir. A doubt. Of pain. And disillusionment. One cold sunday morning full of wind and flight. I went to church as usual. I sat on the last few. I ask myself. Since when is women's spiritual. Well being a. Side issue. Where is the feminine standpoint in this service where are the earth. Nature. Mother. Where are the power. And a celebration of women. The dam broke. I knew right then and there that the patriarchal church was no longer working for me. The exclusive image of god as heavenly father. Wasn't working either. I needed a power of being that was also. Feminine. I needed a sacred space free of the stain of sexism with core imagery that embraced the feminine. A space that welcomed women to places of power. Engage them fully is equals. And help to heal their wounds. And empower their lives. Nearly 100 years earlier elizabeth cady stanton. One of the mothers of women's suffrage. Wrote. With steak with faith and works. Women is the chief women are the chiefs support of the church and the clergy. The very powers that make her emancipation. Impossible. I sat quietly on the pew. I knew that despite how unthinkable and forbidden it was. I needed to move beyond religion. In a patriarchal institution. This may not be true for every woman. Before me. It was crucial. Crucial to my spiritual maturity and growth. At that moment. I took sole. Responsibility. For my spiritual life. Sue monk kidd. Here ends the reading. Good morning. How are y'all doing today. Are any of y'all old enough to have heard this one. Back when we started sending folks it was men then of course. Up in the little capsules the modular the orbital capsules. Word got around that this one astronaut had seen god. So of course somebody from the press. Had to ask. What was god like. The astronaut was silent for a moment. And then he spoke. Well. To begin with. She's black. When i grew up in the episcopal church that would have been the farthest thing from our minds. You know it was. A church that i love. The treated me very well. And i had no clue. Did i would seem condition. To see god of masculine. To see myself is not part of. Any real leadership in the church. I wasn't really aware that. The boys were being the crucifers the acolytes and we girls were junior altar guild. I wasn't really aware that time. But i think later on i began to take that all apart. That message the girls need not apply. Was not a healthy one. Not a healing one. But being unaware of that i went on to college i went to grad school. And then one day i had what i called my samuel dream. There's a story in the bible. A woman who had not been able to bear children promised god. That she would give her firstborn to the temple if she was granted. Disgusting. So samuel came along. I'm not sure how old he was when she. Gifted them to the church but he was five years old when the story starts. One night. Sammy was asleep. He woke up hearing his name called. He went off to eli. The head priest. The one that he was responsible to see what he'll i was asking. Eli said it wasn't me go back to bed. The second time. The boy. Was awakened. Eli. I'm sorry i said that wrong samuel. And off he went again to eli. But this time eli said something different. This could be the voice of god. What happened to third time. You need to answer god. Well you guessed it it did happen a third time. And the little boy. Pledged himself. T'god. Didn't understand at 5 what it meant. But over time as the story goes on. He doesn't fat. Helped to create some transformation. In the priesthood. Well i had heard the story as a kid i don't know why but i've always loved the story never thought much about. The significance to me personally. But i had that experience. I was in chapel hill a graduate student in sociology in the medical school. Didn't really know where i was going with my life. I love science. But a lot of ways i was loving it over at the episcopal church more with my friends and. We were going to sunday service and out to dinner and wednesday services and out to dinner. It was a wonderful community. Best i've ever had. One morning. Very early. I was awake and hearing my voice my name is invoice. I had this weird feeling like. This is really weird looking like samuel but already forget it and i'll go back to sleep. Well i woke up a second time. And i started getting you know those goosebumps to get. Was like okay god if it's your you got to do it a third time. And i went back to sleep. I don't even have a clear memory of hearing the voice i simply rolled out of bed onto my knees. I do something amazing what's happening. I didn't understand. But i said. Whatever it is. Tell me tell me what you want me to do. That was many ways through beginning for me. That whole experience kind of receded into the background. But. I've been asked by the rector of the local church one day when i went to talk to him about. Good reading material about the church. Was i thinking about going to seminary. I've been shocked by his question. I didn't even know women went to seminary. I didn't know there was this other order of ministry in the episcopal church called deaconess. You only have a high school education they were usually people like in nursing or. . lot of helping professions. Turned out my mother had known deaconess hutton somewhere in the mountains of virginia. I would love to find out about her if any of you ever hear about dickens hot in reno. But that second year. In grad school i did go back to the rector. I said you know last year you said something to me about seminary. And now i really want to go. And at that point. All i knew was that my spirit was growing and i wanted to find ways to have it. Wonderful place for it to grow. I knew i wanted to work with people. And i have related to my face. Am i safe wasn't even kind of a traditional christian one. I've never really been into it. Jesus i was never into this shaving stuff. But somehow i always. Felt a presence. And i've used the word god several times that i know in this community that may not be a very comfortable word at time. But it was part of my experience then. It's changed dramatically since then. As you'll hear. So whenever i use the word like that. If there's another word that works better for you. Love. Presents great mystery whatever that might be. Please insert it to make it work better for you. I wanted to go to seminary. Had another interesting experience that before i got there. Now imagine waking up one saturday morning. 4 a.m.. And you know. That a number of your friends. All mail. From the group at the episcopal church. Left the day before i took our conference. But you weren't invited to. Imagine. You just can't stand it. It's somehow. With every fiber of your being you know you're meant to be there. So despite what authority has told you. Despite always being a good little girl. You get up and quickly pack a bag and jump in your little over rickety volkswagen. And drive 5 hours. You get there you find a conference. You walk into. A whole kind of a lounge area that was maybe half the size of this room. It's all mad course. You find some of your friends. After a little bit after they've explained daddy what are you doing here. How did you get here. One of them goes against the chaplain and brings them over. And i'm thinking oh this is really nice of them to get to meet the chaplain. Yeah right. Imagine what happens. Yeah they very very gently. Holding. That they would love to talk with me. But they really wanted me to come back sometime when they had more time to spend with me. So basically i was just. It was virginia theological seminary in alexandria virginia. In the spring of 1969. They've been having the ministry conference. Yearly. Women were not invited in those days. So here was a good little girl. Totally shocked by what she done but also terribly wounded by it. I finally did. Apply. After. And got a regular interview when they had time for me. But of course is only a two-year degree not the regular three-year degree women weren't allowed into that. Was like okay go get what you can get. And the woman that took me around campus for my tour. Really basically tried to convince you not to come. She spoke about women's experience there. Her expression for it was. Emotional regulation. For me as. It's 3 years. Went by that i was there. It really became that plus what i would call spiritual brutalization. There were so many times. When. Someone or some group could not deal with the fact there were women in the seminary. Unfortunately so my classmates wife or really threatened. Buy the one other woman in my cell. Arabic classes 54. I forgotten exactly what one of them said to me when we had this tea there was a tea for the wise. And we women students were invited. What to do with it. But she said something to me like. You know. We're really afraid to here to steal our husbands. It's amazing. How we react to people. When we don't really see a big picture. When we're caught. In a lot of old ways of seeing things in sims thinking about things. So the remaining hurtful things along the way. One of them took place when i was a student chaplain at the university of virginia hospital. I happen to be assigned to the coronary care unit. It's one of. My floors or wards. And so not surprisingly. I experienced terrible dad. Two in the first three weeks wanted which i was present for. And. I went back to the student group and try to talk about what i was experiencing. Hoping that they could really hear me. This is the first time i've ever seen someone die. And it wasn't really upsetting to me but it was. Deeply. Moving it was deeply changing. I don't know if they were able to really hear me. Perhaps. It touched into their fears of having a dying patient. For they labeled me the angel of death. No one else had a. A death. On their floors for like the first 3 or 4 weeks have a summer program. Well that really upset me. I want to talk about it. The one who was the supervisor. For our particular program. He sent me off to see the chief psychiatric resident. What. Kind of got a message like you know. The woman's rocking the boat or she's crazy or something you don't like what's going on here. Well i went and actually the woman was very nice but. It still felt really weird i was the one singled out to go. To the psychiatrist. And nothing was done about the guys in the group. Well at the end of the summer i found out the supervisor. Have had a close woman friend died just before the program started. She looked a lot like me. And he was having huge struggles. But unfortunately he didn't get help so that he could feel better. But it's due. Now there were lighter moments in that student chaplaincy. I don't want y'all to think it was all really awful. When did i got to one of the floors where i didn't team. Some of the patients. One of the nurses took me aside to chuckling. She was talking about two guys in this one room. And i've been visiting with one of them. I think it was new there or something. Well they've gotten into kind of a competitive thing. Not the one i was seeing sad. Something like. Well. I got me a woman doctor. Well the patient i've been seeing. Knew he could really want up in now. Tell imagine what he said. That ain't nothing i got me a woman preacher in a mini skirt. Cuz i really laughed if i screw it wasn't that short but whatever. I think it was during my 70 years that i finally figured out that i really was a rebel. And i didn't quite know what to do with it it was. So far outside the way i didn't raise you to be that good little girl. But i remember. I found support. I even found in the bible. My favorite passage was the one about in christ there is no male or female. So i kept hearing there's no male or female there's no male or female. And. I took off the little lace doily. I was still wearing. As a concession to women wearing hats in church. At least my mother still thought we went shooting didn't have some shirts that point. It was another one of those tiny little. Rebellions tiny little stepping stones along the way. And there were many. There were many. I needed a lot of support. As i said there were only two women in my class. The other woman having to come from chapel hill also we've known each other lives across the hall. From each other. There were four women living on campus upstairs over. Available senior that had classrooms down below and those are really weird situation. But am i searching for support. I read widely in the literature of the feminist movement. I finally found. The first book ever published. On women's spirituality from somers point of view by seminarians. And all of a sudden i felt like i wasn't alone. It was a marvelous feeling. I learned about. Women's secret history about. Matriarchal societies and archeological findings that make us think that they were those were the days when they worship the goddess and i do believe that. It seems like there was. Quite possibly a time when all we knew was that women gave birth. We didn't understand about men throw. So it's not surprising there's so many of these old figures. Very fertile. Women. Often very pregnant women. I also went. To now meetings nationalization for women. In fact i got to meet alice paul. I think she was like 92 years old. She been one of the militant feminists one of the suffragist. But it demonstrated in front of the white house. Shortly before women got the vote. We began to vote in only 19 20. I can't tell you how many august 26th. I've said to somebody to change the day we got the boat and they look at me like huh. Yeah in 1920 we finally got the boat. Are we started building a 1920 have been reading the literature lately it's like well certain things happened in 1919 era ratification complicated story but august is celebrated. So. Limited, certain long way certain amount of the long way. And we're in the midst of. What they call the second wave of the feminist movement but it hasn't touched the episcopal church very much. But here i was. Believing strongly women should be ordained. Not think it had anything to do with me. Start working for women's ordination ran into more and more hassles at the cemetery. One of the amazing women who'd already been ordained as a deacon cuz women by that time starting 1970 women could be ordained deacon. This amazing woman who lived in philadelphia's who hired. She'd gone through seminary and getting a msaw master social work at the same time. It was in community organizing. If she applied what she'd learned. To our situation in the church. Virginia seminary to meet with nancy and me my other. The other woman in my class. To talk about having a conference there. Conference for women. So we could begin to see if we were ready to do from organizing to help get women. It's the priesthood. Minnesota 1971. She's the one we eventually ended up calling our bishop because she was. Such an amazing inspiring woman and supportive woman. But evidently the men were scared cuz most of the ones that lived on campus left for the weekend. They even make comments later about how a bunch of dykes it appeared. So they were really glad they weren't around. There was so many signs of men's discomfort with us women on campus. Princeton my liturgics class where we were learning. You know how to do morning prayer how to do holy communion all these different things. We were divided into four groups so we meeting our sections. I walked into the choir robing room where we my section was meeting monday. Professor hadn't gotten there yet. One of the guys handed me a piece of paper. He had drawn a picture. Of this very voluptuous woman. Wearing basically a g-string. Nothing else but a priest all that covered nothing. Underwear the words. Would you like to commune with her. It is true you know that sexuality and spirituality and deeply related. But. That was beyond the pale. That was obviously coming from someone who's not begun. To deal with that's kind of connections and this patroness of the feminine. When it was my turn to celebrate holy communion is part of. Section 8 section we would do these things. We would do that we would actually go into the chapel. At the altar and lead whatever the service was we were practicing. And the day that i was scheduled to do it. None of the other people in my section shut up. So i began. All by myself. But thank goodness. 2. To the fellas from the other parts of my class did show up to support. I can fax them to this very day. Sleeping imagine i could tell a lot more stories. But i'd like to move on and just. Well maybe tell you what i do when i was ordained deacon. I was the first woman ordained. 2nd ministry level in the episcopal church. At national cathedral in washington dc. It was a day of great joy and many ways. But unfortunately for me there was also great pain. There i was. For men with me. The five of us had all gone to seminary all gone through all the same hoops we all signed. The oath of conformity. Believe it or not i actually crossed my fingers. Inside my pocket. Because i already knew. That there might be a chance that authority invisible church would tell me to do something i wouldn't okay. And i knew. Where you know she. Wherever she was you know i would listen to her more. I cross my fingers. Maybe that helped me get through the rest of it because when the preacher got up to speak. He looked at the five of us and made some comment. About. The path. That we'd all taken. About what we'd gone through to get there. And then. The rest of the sermon he looked only at the men. As he said. Some of you will go on to be priests. Any preach to them. Once again i was excluded. And i was crushed. Thank goodness it's wonderful young girl brought me daffodils that day. That has helped me to hold some really positive image of the day. But imagine that's coming from a young gal it's not. Anything about what this institution was about at the time or at least parts of it. So the struggle went on. Some of you were here last summer. When. We had a wonderful speaker. Darlene odell. She wrote the book the story of the philadelphia 11. The first group of women ordained in the episcopal church in 1975. She spoke here and she allowed me to speak with her. Cuz she had included in her book. Those of us ordained the following year and washington known as the washington for. You see the time came after all those hurtful things. But if we organized and try to change minds and get things to happen and change legally. In a church that only met every 3 years. And i've actually gone to the convention in 73 in louisville. I had tried to be part of changing things within the system. Play button-down women's ordination. I was crushed. So when opportunities came. Some women were taken by then. You were supposed to be thinking at least six months before you were ordained to the priesthood. I was ordained one month. And i was really glad that i wasn't asked if i would have been brave enough that time around. But in philadelphia in 75. There was some resigned retired bishops who did shoes jordans 11 women. There was a huge media brouhaha. All kinds of stuff going on in the church. Bishop's calling women trying to talk them out of it. Threatening them all kinds of weird things happening. But. What nations did happen. And it was a day that changed things forever. So whether you were still thinking you know i really have a role in this episcopal church or whether you were working sorry. Yeah that's that's how. I don't know what to say. Not upsetting ups. You something so energizing. About being part of that amazing time in history. That amazing event. And for me i really didn't realize that was already well on my way out of the church. My biology i was starting to safely allergy to use the feminine form. You know i was really getting into the goddess. But i know that woman needs to be ordained in this church. Whether i stay there or not. A year later. Little over a year later we had a second word nation. This time in washington dc. And there were. There was a small group of us who organized dad. It was. Again amazing time but again the very scary time. They were bomb threats. We had dogs sniffing with a. Whole truckload of chocolate busload of police like parked a block away in case of problems. And at the moment i stood before the bishops to make my promises my vows i actually had an image of someone in the back of the room with a gun getting ready to shoot me. That didn't happen. But it tells you how much tension. Anxiety and fear there was. I've often said that it nearly killed me. Because i really went to ptsd. And suffered from it for years. I have lots of therapy. It really was until just a few years ago once i got into energy psychology the. I couldn't talk to you i like this before. Well yes but this what years did finally goat ordain women. It was. A great time women start getting ordained regularly ordained. Irregularly. So it looked like things were getting better. But unfortunately i hit another. Wells longhorn a glitch huge. The diocese i was in agreed to pay half for me to work at least two parishes 6 months 16 months the other. I'd only been in the second one about two months. When the house of bishops had their annual meeting. Port st lucie 1973. 70. 78 i don't even remember but it. The thing was that. This is one of those times they were beginning the debates around homosexuality. And they made some comment. Clearly to make it. You make a statement that they were going to ordain any any homosexuals. But they would have passed real concern. So here i was. Add struggle to the shoots battle with woman. Another wouldn't ordained me as a lesbian. And i just know i'd i was too. Wiped out by everything that happened i wouldn't be able to fight that struggle. So i wouldn't be surprised if on a subconscious level in some way. I may have engineered my leaving. One evening. I asked the rector of the parish i was working in to meet with me and i asked him to come to my office be on my turf. I came out to him. 14 hours later he called me and fired me. There was. No way to do anything the bishop says. Rector's king in his own castle. Can do anything wouldn't do anything. I got cut off from the whole parish the whole support committee i had. It was really the end of the road for me. There was. Now there was no future for me it was the end of my work in the episcopal church. So. This is what happened with one rebel. I'm not the only one. And many rebels. That other woman likes seminary class. She was part of the philadelphia group. She paid a big price to we all did on many many levels. But i knew i was going to talk to y'all about rebels. I wanted to find. Someone. Can you use tradition. To talk about also. Olympia brown. Is a great example. Of an early rebel. She was born back in 1835. And lived a long time 1923 she lived long enough to vote. 92 years. She's known as the first woman who is ordained in this country. Sponsored by a national religious party. She wasn't the first woman ordained that was antoinette. Blackwell brown no relation. She had antoinette have been ordained from a congregational church. But olympia's claim to fame was that it was in fact. The universalist church. International meeting that agreed to her ordination. Interesting lee enough inside spent two years of mount holyoke college along the way as part of my undergraduate days. I found that she had gone there to. She came from a family that was very much supportive of women. Education very supportive of the whole reform movements. So she got there her sister went to. She found it too restrictive. Didn't stay very long evidently maybe a year i'm not sure. There was a list of 40 rules. They abolished the literary society that she and her sister started. The religious restrictions. Your chemistry professor told her you're not expected to remember all of this but only enough to make you intelligent conversations. She went on to study at antioch college. This is much more open to women's concerns. And she invited her hero for shiro. Antoinette blackwell brown to come and see. Antoinette supported her through. Her further years going on to seminary and becoming a minister. Olivia hit many many blocks. They were almost no schools the illogical schools admitting women in those days. She finally got a letter from one after a number of rejections. And this letter. Made it sound like she's being accepted but being told that they really didn't think women belong to the ministry at all. So when she showed up. The head of the school was really shocked didn't expect her to be there at all. I thought that he'd really discouraged her. And she said your discouragement was my encouragement. She must have been one feisty broad. So there's wonderful stories about here i would encourage you to learn more about her. She did. Get very much involved in the women's suffrage movement. It took so long for. Women to get the vote. Back from the mid-1800s until 1920. That she and antoinette were to maybe the only two i'm not really sure but it looks like. Just about all of them folks that work really working hard on this issue in the mid-1800s had died by then. Antoinette and olympia. Got to vote in that first election for women. So what about rebels today. Where do we need rebels. Do i need to even ask that in this congregation. Somebody told me that unitarians off intended to be rebels. Well we know that we're still in a society that. Not. Looking at women totally ukulele. Last year's figures were still that women were only making $0.78 for every dollar a man makes. It's still all these gender differences in a lot of the professions. Women often in lower level 14 lower levels of professions. There's been lots of change of course. Many of the seminaries and some of the professional schools are now like 50% or more women. The changes happening. So it looks good. Women are struggling. Skip to the glass ceiling. Yeah. I picked up a copy of fortune recently because it says the 50 most powerful women. It has a woman on the cover. Who turns out to be the head of ibm. And when i first saw it was like wow this is great you know when i can pick this up get some information for my talk. But then later it hit me. This is a sign of the inequities that we even need. This befriended. So it's always one step forward two steps backward you some towards the back if it's a whole sea change. Our minds our psyches are in a huge process of change. And sometimes you don't even realize. When we've been captured by something unconsciously. You know recently somebody said they went to her doctor. And i said what what did he say. He oh my god i said he you know the old conditioning was still there. They're still got glass ceiling for women in many areas and then the church there's a stained glass ceiling. According to somebody online documents in your ua and some anecdotal evidence i've been collecting. Men in our ministry continue to be somewhat better compensated than women in our ministry. Largely as a function of the size of the congregation served. Larger churches aren't calling women. Historically male pre candidates in larger congregations. Are for far more likely than females. To be asked to be the candidate by the search committee. In 2013 women made up 60% approximately. Other thousand plus uu ministers. It only 25% approximately. Other ministers inflating current shirt in local churches currently are women. Anecdotally the two largest congregation. In the car in the. Association are headed by males. At least two of the larger congregations were formerly headed by females are now headed by males. So we wonder are we going backwards. And there's never been a woman president of the u.s.a.. It's time for the unitarian universalist association to look at that. But you all you all are doing a great job and look at you. 10 years you had woman minister here. 11. Thank you. When i became a member. My tiny got speeded up a little bit by the fact that i wanted to be among you to help vote in a woman for settled minister. And i've been very proud of that and so happy to have dara here. I was curious about laura by the congregation. The kiosks were in the. The chair closet dealer. One day when i was here and so i went. Into the closet to find out. There's a government minister chart somebody may have noticed. Committee. Heads rolleston and it was pretty much a 50-50 split. And if i remember right i think the board might even be more women at this point than men. So there's a lot of interesting stuff going on here. And y'all deserve. I want to be part of it we all deserve a lot of credit here. But at the same time we need to remain sensitive. Anything that we still might be unconscious of or. Things that we just do because we've always done in that way. I haven't talked so long i would talk to you a whole lot more about language about how god male language. Whether you're thinking of it. Any of those old ways or maybe you've totally rejected it partly for this reason. But i firmly believe male god language contributed to low self-esteem in women. When wilma daniel said i didn't know i could be a minister black seesaw woman minister. There's just so many changes going on. I feel like the struggle i've been to is giving me so much. It led to my discovery. My lova counseling helping people transform their lives. I found an incredible bond with other women and some men who are working. On the struggle for a living. I've learned a lot more resilient the upside down to my life. And i found a deeper connection to the ground of my being. Great mystery. Goddess. Source. Love. So we accomplished a lot but there's a lot to still do. So the battle's not over. But. I'm so joyful and so thankful. To a sound a spiritual home among you. There's love and support here for people's whatever you believe. It's not what you believe necessarily but. Your freedom to believe the search. Tutus. Finding spiritual home after being ejected from outlast paris. It's a priceless gift tonight thank you. Thank you in so many ways. Set of clothes what i'd like to suggest to you. Have you thought about being a rebel possibly. Having thought about. Changes. Think of anything in your life you would like to change. For any dream. But you would like to make real. Even if it means being a rebel. This is the time. Do it now. Be a rebel. Blessed be. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. At you your cnrv. org.

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150111_do_everyday-ethics.mp3

Welcome to the january 11th service of the unitarian universalist congregation in blacksburg virginia. The service today is led by are settled minister reverend arrowland. And her sermon is titled. Everyday ethics. We have two readings this morning. And the first is by a poem. By marianne williamson. Maybe a poem that is familiar to some of you. Sometimes it's erroneously attributed. To nelson mandela. But it is written by marianne williamson our greatest fear. My greatest fear. Not our darkness that most frightens us. Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful. Beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves who am i. To be brilliant. Gorgeous. Talented and fabulous. Actually who are you not to be. You are a child of god. You're playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people don't feel insecure around you. You were born to manifest the glory of god that is within us. It's not just in some of us it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give it to other people. We give them permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear. Our presence automatically liberate. Others. And our second reading this morning is a little bit of a longer reading my invite you to just open yourselves. To the reading here the second reading this morning. It's from a work called everyday ethics by ella lyman cabot. She writes. Questions of rights. And wrong are woven into all conversation. There's close to our lives as the air we breathe. But this is not surprising. For anyone who has any interest whatsoever. Is concerned with ethical problems. The study of right doing. And well choosing. Is the study of ethics. It's the study of what to do and. How to do it. New one begins his or her mortal life by a deliberate choice. Before we know it we find ourselves knee-deep standing in the water of moral decision-making. Or pulled this way and that by eddie and current the opinions of friends and family. We have been sent to school without being asked our opinion of its value. We have been told it is babies to cry wicked to get dirty and wrong to steal sugar. And we have lived closer than we realized. To some wonderful long-suffering love that has influenced us. Far more than we can ever begin to know. But sooner or later. We are awakened to a decision of our own. Great or small. And we begin in some dim fragmentary way to ponder these questions are right. Wrong. That is to study ethics. Fx cannot help us against our will. It cannot help us when we have no will. Neither can it tell us the very particular substitute. If you ask me. Does ethics tell me what i ought to do. The answer is actually again no. A gorilla deciding if she should go to college or not know book on ethics can tell you that when taught to go to college. Dora can't go so far as to say all girls aren't to go to college. She may be duty-bound to stay home for example and take care of her father. And if it were wrong for her to go. That can't be true the statement that all girls should go to college. Even if all girls could afford to go. It isn't significance and joy of our lives but each one is different. And each decision new. Like the first step in a field of unbroken snow. Ethics cannot direct the steps because no book or theory really can anticipate our advance into the untrodden future. I said that ethics is the study of what to do and how to do it. And i need to add it once that it gives the principal or the general rules for any act. And not the particular decisions. We all follow the same principles when we carry out a plan. But we apply them. Those words are written by ella lyman cabot. And they were written as i said from her book everyday at 6. It was published in 1907. Which is why you might notice some. Differences in language and the fact that she's talking about girls going to college. Those words come from 19. 07. So we heard these words from 1907 and we heard some words today about the power of our lives and ethics of course is a conversation that is an ongoing ongoing for a millennia. As ella lyman cabot noted she's the one who wrote in 1907. Weekdays questions of right or wrong everyday. Multiple times per day his questions are actually as close to us as the air we breathe. We have to make moral choices at every turn in our lives. Does decision-making points are woven throughout our lives. I share with you today these words by ella lyman cabot because she's one of my most favorite unitarian unitarian thinkers. And i think they although our language might be a little bit of a stumbling block in the 21st century if we will call that she was writing in the 20th century. Her words are actually powerful and still speak a truth to us today. So the sermon is inspired by her book called everyday at 6. I said you know that we face decision-making points all throughout our life woven into the everyday and here's some examples you know we have conversations like. How can they whoever they is impeach so-and-so. And how can they not. Impeach so-and-so. And we have questions like. Should i really spend my christmas bonus. On these new pair of jeans that i really like. Or. I really said i would. Improve my golf game. And ceranor china should be out there shouldn't i. Right. You know they just we have these decision-making points at every single turning our lives with greater or lesser degrees of impact or high-stakes or risk involved. Tooele lyman cabot i think it's really useful to us because she gives us a really simple way to enter into talking about ethics ethics is about the study of right using. And well doing. Right tusing and well-doing. She also says it's the study of what to do. And how to do it. Now we know that religious traditions across the millennia have been always concerned with ethics. All free instructions and insights and guidepost for how we might make moral choices and our kind of larger moral frameworks for making her choices. Some of you might have encountered ethics for the very first time perhaps in a religious community that you are part of. I love you mightn't have had your first experience kind of thinking about ethics perhaps in your homes or in your schools. So this morning i want to ask you if you can remember in your life. The first time you really remember learning about right. How did you first learn. About right and wrong. And about ethics. And now i'm sure with you just a little story about one of my first experiences and some of the early lessons i learned about ethics that really sticks with me. So when i was a child a really young one i attended a very small country school out in branford connecticut. Anyone know branford connecticut. Okay some people. It's about 40 minutes outside of new haven. So i was not a student in a small country school in branford connecticut and one day there was a fight between two classmate out on the schoolyard. And someone said fight fight. And so all the kids came running. And like all the kids that were scattered across the field i heard about it and i came running to and i saw just like all the other kids said there were two kids and they had kind of gotten closer each other and it was a lot of. Punching and grabbing shirts and yelling and calling names and that sort of thing. And like his often to a group formed. And some kids card sayings site site. That sort of thing. And still others that stood back and just didn't know what to do at all didn't didn't know what was going on and i remember how late it was late and i was one of the ones that have frozen there and it was scared i wasn't sure why these kids were fighting what was going on in my mind. What happened. Why are they fighting. It what are they fighting about. And then this went on for a while until a teacher finally came over and the teacher separated those two fighting kids. But then this is the part that really sticks with me this was the kind of key learning moment. The teachers decided to stop recess for everyone. And they called everyone into the classroom. And we all went in you know thinking things like i wasn't the one i hope i'm not in trouble. You know what's going on. And the teachers proceeded to tell us that the reason that we have been stopped for everyone. Was it cuz we all had a responsibility. For what had happened. We didn't have perhaps the same exact consequences as the two boys that have been fighting. But we all had a role to play because we were all there. And we all had a choice about how we would respond. The fighting. He said some of you were cheering the fighting. And some of you were standing back. And waiting. Not sure of what to do. Some of you were present. And you didn't call for help. You didn't try to stop the fighting. There's a lot of different ways you can respond to a fight they said. Now then stopping all of us to speak to all of us. I'm getting us beside ear that there are many ways to respond to conflict. And also that we could be held accountable to something larger. Then our own hides. Then our own self. Narrow self-interest. Was really new for me. They asked us to consider the power. Our own choices impact. That we could have with our own choices. They transformed this question of nothing to do with it so i'm not involved that for me. To help me recall that we can make a difference for the well-being of the whole that we must think sometimes larger. Then about just our own fears as individuals. This morning i want to share with you that i think. In line with what elements have it right from 19 + 7. That when we talked about ethics were talking about how we will use our human. Powers of decision-making. And choice-making. A little bit more about those human powers. In just a minute. First i want to say a few words about how ella line and cabot. Viewed the nature of our human powers and our choice making. So. She sure that it possible for us to imagine that we live in a universe where we have no choice at all everything's kind of set and we're just an acting of scripts already been developed for us. We can think of things that weigh. But then we'll probably likely to think of ourselves just as machine. Not really choosing just kind of unfolding thing. Said but what if we acknowledge that actually we do have free will. I think many of you will agree that we do have free will. She said what then. How will we use our human power of decision and choice making. This is the domain of our moral responsibility. And we're talkin about moral responsibility we're thinking about taking the opportunity. Forethought. You're facing different sorts of alternatives. That's what the teachers back when i was in grade school that's what the teachers were asking us to do to stop. And consider the varieties of alternatives before us. Ella lyman cabot says that is responsibility moral responsibility in responsibility comes when we act largely out of our unconscious. Or impulsively. And ways where we don't stop and we don't and we don't really think about all the options before us. It's kind of like. I know my partner and i talked about savings last week. But i'll just spend the $75 on this really great shirt. Because i really really like it. And i just happen to be at the store so i need it i'm going to get it. Impulsive decisions based on our. Buyer i mean we all have versions of that. The cabot says ethics is the study of right choosing. And well doing. I want to ask you right now about your larger moral framework. Enemies as erie. 21st century example for a minute about what i mean by larger moral framework. Sometimes we can see things the options before us in a very narrow frame. When you open up your computer and you see things that appears in a frame about this big. And then you could hit quick. Somewhere in that corner and expand the frame. The frame gets really big. This is what we're doing when we're talking about expanding our moral framework. We're going from the small to the large. An element's habit. Talk a little bit about our moral framework. What are these moral frameworks. You might be sleeping. What is my moral framework we don't talk about this very often and if i could be you use me religious liberals can get a little antsy when we start talking about right and wrong because we get worried about you know capital are right. For us to talk about things and and get really nuanced and specific. That's exactly what i will i'm in cabot is actually talking to. And i've a little deeper here. So when the first just go back to the idea of expanding our moral framework. Beckham that school yard that's what the teachers were doing for me. Expanded my moral framework to consider something larger outside of myself possibilities i hadn't considered before based on something larger. Then just me and my own fears. Some of you might be familiar with the seven principles for unitarian universalism. The seven principles are actually in your nose and i talked about the inherent worth and dignity of every people and the interconnected web of life. A lot of here turn your bracelets babies are really helpful their ethical guideposts. The help name some of the things that bring us together that we stay or importing. The call us towards a more ethical way of life together. If you haven't check those out i invite you to go ahead later and just open up your hymnal and look at the seven principles. Interesting lee enough this is a bit of a sideline for those that have been you use for a while and really. Might not know this or four newcomers those principles actually were only articulated in the 80s. In 1984 1985. So in spanish how long our tradition has been around. A short while. They come to be very important. Ella lyman cabot with writing a 19-7 far before the principles and purposes were developed. But she none the less talked about expanding our moral frames. Hand. She's got a few important things but i also want to share with you today. About. How the use of power. Must be related when we face africa choices. With purpose. In fact they're going to give subline to today's sermon i would actually call it everyday athex power and purpose. Already talked a little bit about how our human power is involved with the power to make choices where the power to make decisions. But she connected to purpose. Which i think is really helpful for us. So we all have power. When we face our decisions large and small. But it's really easy sometime. To be unsure how to use our power the best way. And it's really easy when we're faced with choices to basically choose what's best for us and forget about looking and expanding that moral frame. It's easy to do if we are in a hurry and it's easy to do if we're just going by rote or by habit. So here's an example. I just checked my email at my voicemail and there's no message from my aunt mary. Well i'm not going to call her. She never calls me. I'm not going to make a difference anyway. I'm just not going to call aunt mary even though i told my whole family i would call and check in with her every month and just not going to do it forget about it. Here's what purpose comes in. Cabot says it's really important when we're facing moral decisions not everyday lives bigger small. Do we get really clear. About our purpose. She writes and i share a few more words with her on from her. What a bad day says the tennis player. What a good day for rain so the farmer. They both speaking the tennis player and the farmer about the very same day. But with very different purposes in mind. It just right from his own point of view. Anything is good when fitted for the purpose in mind. And bad when not so fitted. In many cases we do not know for what an object should be judged. Is it good as a child. Holding up a 10 pan pierced with small holes. Good for what. Ask. Good for a dipper. Decidedly not. Unless we know the purpose of anything our judgment is liable to be wrong as right. Or rather we can't really judge something at all. Knowing our purpose means knowing what anything truly belongs to. What its relations are. I meant find a bit of steel and i'm tempted to throw it away but my friend comes along and says oh i've been looking for a cat that fits over the valve of my bicycle. I'm so glad that you found this because the machine is absolutely no good without it. She's considering that purpose is really important. Good just using classical definition of the good as and well-fitted well-suited for a particular purpose. So. If a small decision making we might want to pause and think about what is our purpose. And then. Stand the frame. What is the largest purpose. Let me give you just a few examples. Let's say someone is a student. And i think to themselves i could go do my homework. Or i could really go do something else. Have you ever been there. And my positive what what is my purpose. We're going to the movies it's a lot more fun. But my purpose what's my purpose my purpose is really a passport class. The good choice would be the one that sits this most clearly. Study would actually be the best choice. The sounds pretty good and rational but i think we all get a little bit confused sometimes and. Finding our biggest sense of purpose. Because the other thing that can happen if a student might say will i could do my homework which would be really in line with that sense of purpose of passing the class. But you know to be told i'm actually very stressed out. And so maybe my purpose is actually to relax. Maybe i should go to the movies. Until we have these challenges that face with with competing goods. Well here's one last step this is the other big idea on the service this morning. Cabot uses the word calling. She invites us to think of that to which we are called. Which of the little bit different than just thinking about what's my immediate purpose expanding the frame how can i get to a larger purpose to what am i. Call app. Force. Now we really just liberals might have a lot of different ways we would describe who or what is doing the calling. Cs might say perhaps it is god's wish of love that called us out. Fort worth. Non-theistic might say it is the deepest truth. The most esteemed inner knowing that that causes oven calls us for. But by whatever name or imagery you use the sense of calling. Indices to consider it something very very very large. And very deep and true ending. So i want to go back to the scenario for a moment of the aunt mary and never calling aunt mary. And let's listen in this example for a sense of calling. So aunt mary never calls on the phone. And if my habit is avoiding. I just might not call her at all. However applying the notion. I kind of really unpacking my purpose. I might think you know my purpose is. To do right by my family. I said i would call so perhaps. I'll just call her. But then maybe i'd think more powerfully about purpose. What is my purpose here. And maybe my purpose is really to express care in the world. As a human being. So that helps me feel a bit better about my choice to probably call aunt mary. They might think again. What is the biggest. Taurus what calls to me most deeply. Who am i called to be. Maybe i know if you know. I'm called to bring it be a bringer of love and a teller of truth. So maybe i'm going to choose to call aunt mary. But then i'm also going to choose to call my brother. And tell him that i'm really wrestling with calling her every month. And then i'm going to see what happens. So you see there's this journey towards articulating purpose. And then more powerfully considering my purpose. And then asking the question to what am i called. Oftentimes i'll tell you the minister but i'm sitting with people making hard decisions. We actually are just listening deeply. For the calling. Is not my job this morning to tell you who is doing or what is doing that calling only to invite you to consider. When you are making decisions that to which you are called. That's the biggest expansion of the. Ethics is a really complex. Fascinating to randall's a lot that we could discuss this morning. But at the end of this morning's worship what i want to leave you with. Is a sense of empowerment. Acknowledging the everyday at 6. Is really about discerning and using your own power. In about aligning power with purpose. And then expanding the frame. And considering to what you are most deeply called. And how you are. Most deeply. As adults. We don't really have teachers like on the playground. The first example i should use my own life. We don't have teachers that expands the frame for us. But this is one purpose of religious traditions. They try to remind us at expanding the frame and offering some guidepost. As we make our choices in our daily life. So as you journey forward this morning. But you know the value of your power. May you align power with purpose. Baby fearless as you go forward to asking yourself these these deep questions and just turning that to which were called. All the more power to your everyday at school journeys. Blessed be. And almond. You've been listening to a sermon from the unitarian universalist meeting house located in blacksburg virginia. For more information about our congregation please visit our website. Uuc and rv. org.